PS2 mats

So, i want to get a home set up for DDR, and i want other people's opinions on their home mats, or ones they've played on. I've seen packages at sites that come with the game (DDRMAX), and two mats and those seem like the best deals to me. The only difference in price is obviously the quality of the mats. Basically, I don't want a mat that's going to break, but i don't want my bank account to break either.

And I know no one would consider breaking the TOS, but don't make this a vs. topic! Just state the pros and cons of mats you've tried.

Thanks, and of course anyone in the Boston area would be more than welcome to come play with me once i get them. :)

~me
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Fighting for peace is like f***ing for virginity.
*** This post was edited by nelson324 3/17/2003 11:55:34 PM ***

Go to Cyphergames.com and buy the Deluxe Ignition Pads. Buy the pair with the game=$84. Without=$50.

These are the only pads I own and I did a lot of research before asking for them for Christmas. They are a mix between hard and soft pads and are extremely durable.

They work great for DDR Max, but for some reason don't always register the arrows in the first PS1 game.

P.S. If anyone else knows why my pads won't work well with the PS1 game, please let me know cause I would enjoy playing that game if the pads worked.

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Whoohoo! 5 days from opening day! (Kings Dominion)
*** This post was edited by go with gravity 3/18/2003 12:06:23 AM ***

I have anti skid pads, mounted on 1/2 inch plywood and covered with vinyl. They work as well as any other pads I have ever used and total cost is only about 40 dollars for a pair. Very Very Durable and they DO NOT slide around which I find more important then anything.

They simulate a metal pad very well IMO. I have done a couple things to help that out such as cutting some flat wire (old telephone cable works well) and mounting it around the arrows with black duct tape.You can tell exactly where your feet are by feel, just like metal pads.

Best of all you can even wear shoes with this setup.

I have had this setup for over 6 months and have had no problems whatsoever.

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No matter what your views. Please support our troops.

*** This post was edited by MagnumForce 3/18/2003 12:45:57 AM ***

MagnumForce, would you happen to know why my Deluxe Ignition pads don't work too well with the first PS1 game but fine on DDR MAX?

By the way, great picture of you and your hat in a recent ACE Newsletter.

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Whoohoo! Less than two weeks from opening day! (Kings Dominion)

No clue, I have freinds with ignitions pads and they have never had problems I am aware of.

As for the hat check out my profile pic ;)

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No matter what your views. Please support our troops.

*** This post was edited by MagnumForce 3/18/2003 1:09:14 AM ***

I've got these, and they've been working 100% since October under reasonably heavy use:
http://www.cyphergames.com/50501047b.html

Will probably buy these next:
http://www.cyphergames.com/50501054.html

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM
*** This post was edited by Jeff 3/18/2003 10:15:53 AM ***

I have two pads. One of them is the Cyphergames soft pad, the first link in Jeff's post above. It's quite sensitive, but I have problems with telling where my feet are on the pad without looking down. Also, despite me putting a non-slip mat under it, it still slips around on the indoor/outdoor carpet in my basement. It will move about a foot after each heavy song. My wife, who plays mostly light songs, has no problems with it, though.

The pad I use most often is a metal BNS pad that I got from eBay. It's super-sensitive and very, very heavy... it doesn't budge a millimeter while you're playing. Problems with it have included broken plastic on the arrows (which was easily fixed with clear mailing tape) and arrows getting stuck (the shiny metallic tape that "activates" the sensor when you step on the arrow sometimes peels off and gets stuck on the sensor, causing it to fire repeatedly. But I just opened the pad up and peeled the tape off the sensor). Also, it's quite bent. And it cost $100, plus $40 to ship. However none of these things affect the outstanding playability, which, I think, is about as close to the arcade as you can get at home.

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

I'm also wanting to get a home setup this summer, and was looking at the RedOctane Ignition 2.0 pads, anybody know anything about those?

Also, if any others of you have metal pads, how well do they work and hold up? Would you choose a soft pad over a metal pad?
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They say music can alter moods and talk to you, but does it load a gun up for you and cock it too?
*** This post was edited by Travio 3/18/2003 5:08:13 PM ***

So it sounds like the Ignition pads are the way to go for a moderate price and a solid gaming experience. I'd love to get the metal ones, but $100 each is way out of my price range. Well, keep the suggestions coming - i'm not gonna buy just yet.

thanks
~me

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Fighting for peace is like f***ing for virginity.

The Red Octanes, I'd bet my money, are absolutely no different than these, only they're a lot cheaper:

http://www.cyphergames.com/50501054.html

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM

Well, don't try this one:

http://www.cyphergames.com/50501046.html

It is sitting in my closet broke after only a month of play (and already repaired it more than once but this time can't seem to get it to work). I am back to using my MadCatz soft pad :( But I might have to try the pad Jeff suggested above. Not a bad price. I had some problems getting my hard pad from Cypher games but since no one else seems to have had a problem, I would be willing to try them again.

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nelson324 said:
And I know no one would consider breaking the TOS, but don't make this a vs. topic!

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Somehow I hardly think it's possible to violate the TOS in the DDR forum.

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Pun is the death of wit.
*** This post was edited by ThemeDesigner 3/19/2003 2:07:45 PM ***

Violation of TOS:

teh DDR pads @ SFMM r0x0r5!!!!11b ut teh one's @ CP SUXXXXXX!!!!!11212!!@@@!!!!!

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

We've got the pads in Jeff's first link:
http://www.cyphergames.com/50501047b.html

We've had them since October, and have been pretty happy with them.

Unfortunately this week the plastic split in two places on the pad I've been using the most. I'm sure Den's fix of clear plastic mailing tape will hold it together...at least for me. But not when my son plays the harder heavy songs.

My husband suggested the metal pad, but that's a lot of money and I want to be sure it's not going to have problems 6 months down the road.

Maybe I'll order one of the upgraded pads with the thicker foam insert first.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm

What a strange coincidence... mine are crapping out all of a sudden as well! I've got ripping on the inside, in a line across between the left/right and up buttons. It's a bummer, but I think that going about six months without a problem on soft pads, given the heavy use, is excellent.

The "2.0" pads are what I've got my eyes on next.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM

Our splits are between the left arrow, left corner (right between the two squares), and between the outside of the center and the bottom arrow. The weird thing is one day they were fine, and the next both splits showed up. They aren't ragged splits, but very clean and straight.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm

ok, so now i'm thinking the Ignition 2.0 pads are the way to go... Now if only i could get a link to the 2 pads w/ the game for a significantly lower price than buying them seperate...

~me

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Fighting for peace is like f***ing for virginity.

Please give peace a chance!!!

Den, are these the metal pads you have? I've got my eye on them:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11319&item=3014669597

I have three of the Cyphergames soft pads in Jeff's first link. After 4 months with one, I bought two more so I could do doubles and have one backup, even though my original was still working fine. However, after having three for about a month, I'm kind of disappointed with them all now. They slip too much for my taste (even with additional nonslip stuff under it), and now the other arrows are TOO sensitive, and cause eigth note combos to stop very easily as arrows which I do not step on register, often causing missteps.

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Sean Paul
CP 'Screw Crew 2003

Sean, those are very close to the one I have. The only difference I see is that I have X and O buttons, not diagonal arrows in the top corners (though the buttons still work as arrows in the 6-panel mode on Konamix).

Mine is a BNS-USA pad, but I'm pretty sure that one company makes that pad and sends it out to other companies, which slap their names on them.

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

CPLady: Looks like they finally posted a package for two of the newer pads. I just ordered them!

http://www.cyphergames.com/50501054b.html

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM