Light Gun Games on Modern TVs

[bmoc]

Someone finally came up with a solution. It is a bit clunky at the moment but I am sure it could be cleaned up and eventually mass produced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzIPGpKo3Ag

https://github.com/charcole/LCDZapper/

[Jagosaurus]

This is great!!! Someone will run with this idea. Saw the YT comments & he said the best he'll ever put out is a DIY kit. Someone else will be putting this out within a year if he doesn't!

[Tanooki]

I have to admit it, I'd buy it. I'd like to have a reason to buy Duck Hunt and Hogan's Alley back. It would be nice if someone adapted it to the SNES as it has a really nice line up of bazooka fodder on there too.

[nightrnr]

The Super Scope uses its own sensor, so couldn't it be used on any tv? Or does in still need an old tv signal in addition to the sensor?

Definitely would be interested in a way to play PS1/PS2 and Saturn light gun games on a newer tv though.

[Niode]

This is interesting. I love me some Lightgun games but not had the chance to play them much since the advent of modern TVs. The actual IR part of the wii remote is pretty small so this looks like something you could easily build into most controllers. However cannibalising a bunch of wii remotes isn't that desirable considering how relatively expensive they are. The infrared sensor of the wii remote isn't particularly special so that's the part we need, I assume he is just using the bluetooth connectivity of the wii remote for ease but if these guns are wired anyway, why not just cut out the middle man.

I have a few arduinos lying around so i'm going to get this working.

[Tanooki]

The Super Scope uses its own sensor, so couldn't it be used on any tv? Or does in still need an old tv signal in addition to the sensor?

Definitely would be interested in a way to play PS1/PS2 and Saturn light gun games on a newer tv though.

Might be off on this (not going to look it up again) but the SS6 was a mix. The sensor was to track position, but it still used the more zapper like CRT refresh/scanline trick to spot a moving object and register a hit. Think of it as a very crude earlier form of the Wii remote tracking bar combined with how a zapper did its job for better precision which you'd see when calibrating the SS6 in its pack-in game how it would show a floating crosshair as you aimed on that screen.

[CRTGAMER]

The Super Scope uses its own sensor, so couldn't it be used on any tv? Or does in still need an old tv signal in addition to the sensor?

Definitely would be interested in a way to play PS1/PS2 and Saturn light gun games on a newer tv though.

Where is Bacteria!?

In that mod, the Wiimote and Wii Light Bar handle the aim. The sensor added to the front of the light gun is just for sensing the gun trigger on or off. Really neat how this was tackled. I can see mods to improve the design, my thoughts:

Option 1. Gut out the Wiimote PCB and mount in a flat case bonded to the side of the retro lightgun. The Wiimote Sensor pointed to the front along with the new gun sensor fitted inside the barrel.

Option 2. Posted here first! Mount the Wii PCB inside the gun, light bar sensor removed from PCB to the front of the gun in place of exiting retro gun tip. Retro lens and new sensor can be fitted anywhere inside the gun since it no longer has to correlate with the TV screen.

3 volts (2 AA batteries) is required to power the Wiimote. Depending on power and amp capability of retro lightgun controller port, it might be able to power the Wiimote PCB with the right transformer stepping the voltage down or up.

http://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/09/dc-lightgun-games-on-modern-lucuda.html

Tinkerer and YouTuber Chipos81 has recently posted a video detailing his prototype device that affords him the luxury of playing retro light gun games on modern televisions. The device utilities a Wii controller and sensor bar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzIPGpKo3Ag

Dreamcast 3rd party lightguns have auto fire, auto reload; House of the Dead with a "machine gun" on an LED TV!

[nightrnr]

Might be off on this (not going to look it up again) but the SS6 was a mix. The sensor was to track position, but it still used the more zapper like CRT refresh/scanline trick to spot a moving object and register a hit. Think of it as a very crude earlier form of the Wii remote tracking bar combined with how a zapper did its job for better precision which you'd see when calibrating the SS6 in its pack-in game how it would show a floating crosshair as you aimed on that screen.

Hmm,
I'm just going to stick with my old tv's until there's just no other option.
I would probably still back a kickstarter for something like this in anticipation of such a day.

Thanks for the reply though. I intend to keep myself informed on this.

[CRTGAMER]

Might be off on this (not going to look it up again) but the SS6 was a mix. The sensor was to track position, but it still used the more zapper like CRT refresh/scanline trick to spot a moving object and register a hit. Think of it as a very crude earlier form of the Wii remote tracking bar combined with how a zapper did its job for better precision which you'd see when calibrating the SS6 in its pack-in game how it would show a floating crosshair as you aimed on that screen.

Hmm,
I'm just going to stick with my old tv's until there's just no other option. I would probably still back a kickstarter for something like this in anticipation of such a day.

Thanks for the reply though. I intend to keep myself informed on this.

I think there is some misunderstanding how the mod works; see the video again. Note that the retro light gun tip is completely covered and not in any way used for the aim tracking. This is a huge step in lightgun support for retro consoles and a modern LED TV. If the components go to market at a reasonable price, I'll gut a Wiimote for Option 2 as described in my previous reply. My Dreamcast lightgun has been regulated to a VGA CRT or Halloween nights with an SD Tube TV. Would love to play Dreamcast House Dead on my HD CRT with its unique "machine gun" mode!

In that mod, the Wiimote and Wii Light Bar handle the aim. The sensor added to the front of the light gun is just for sensing the gun trigger on or off.

Added info from the mod to my Lightgun Guide, thanks to the OP for the heads up on this great discovery!



Unlike the Wiimote, the 3rd party Dreamcast Interact lightgun has auto fire and auto reload!

[Tanooki]

I get how it works, just was answering about the SS6 as I've had one, one recently and then back in the day too. I know this setup is kind of Wii like cannibalizing its pointing/tracking parts so you can fire at a target on a HD screen which is a smart way about it. I'd like to see how to do it myself if it's afforable and easy for even a soldering weakling to pull it off.