Steel Battalion. That mythical controller/game for the xbox. Much has been written about this beast, a few people have actually seen one. Through a unique set of circumstances, one of these has appeared at my house.
It was agreed that I could borrow this "thing" if I cleaned it. It had been in storage because the owner no longer has an xbox. He must have been keeping it at a RV storage facility, it wouldn't fit anywhere else.
So you can look at this two ways: If you let me borrow something with the promise I clean it, I will do my best by cleaning it inside out
or if you leave something with me, I will tear it apart.
Oh yeah, lots of pictures. I know that is good for some and bad for others but I think it is necessary in this case.
Steel Battalion, look at this thing, I mean just
look at it.[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8515/8425011013_e52d5e1bae_o.jpg[/img]The foot pedals. This thing is so complex it even uses a clutch. What driving simulator does that?
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8368/8426102484_ce7ec7c437_o.jpg[/img]The Steel Battalion controller is very well constructed. The metal plates on the foot pedals have nuts and bolts.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8509/8425011161_35745df0c3_o.jpg[/img]The "left block." The main part of the controller is in three sections which are held on by plates and screws.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8468/8426104778_e80cf8896f_o.jpg[/img]Left block with bottom cover removed. Notice the use of ide cable, like you would see inside of a pc. Not all of the wires on the cable are in use. I like that they used these.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8364/8425013335_3e42b86fae_o.jpg[/img]Underside of the circuit board for the gear selector. On the left of the picture is the underside of the gear shifter, the white stuff is grease. It is hard to see in the picture but in the upper part of the greased section is a square piece which has two connectors that contact the underside of the circuit board. On the left side of the circuit board are the led's which fit up into the red and green light covers.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8077/8425013139_a089dc1877_o.jpg[/img]The switch panel removed.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8503/8426104114_db4b116c86_o.jpg[/img]The "right block." Notice the covered eject button?
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8510/8425012721_57d114c72e_o.jpg[/img]Underside of the right block with cover removed. You can see the unused wires of the ide cable in the upper right of the picture.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8510/8425012485_7def26ef8a_o.jpg[/img]Circuit board removed. The white plastic on the circuit board houses the led lighting. The other white plastic is the lighted buttons, fortunately I took this picture
before I dropped it. All those buttons are loose and went all over, needed the picture to see how they went back, ha!
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8189/8425012269_3e54f8441b_o.jpg[/img]The center panel.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8518/8426103246_94d09f963f_o.jpg[/img]Underside of the center panel. This houses the allen wrench and a sticker with the serial number. Also, names of the creators are molded into the plastic. Judging by the names, I going to guess they were mostly....Germans?
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8075/8425011837_c621573088_o.jpg[/img]With plate on underside of center panel removed.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8327/8425011613_4b18f48397_o.jpg[/img]Better picture of circuit board. The square cutout was used for the circuit board of the "Tuner Dial," which you can kinda see in the above picture.
[img width=700 height=356]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8094/8426102576_3001cc6e9f_o.jpg[/img]Since this thing is so incredibly big, I wanted to provide some other items for size comparisons. Here, an NES Advantage.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8088/8425009327_72dc84fab8_o.jpg[/img]Rockstar guitar
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8468/8426101126_de87cd56ab_o.jpg[/img]Saitek X52 controller
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8334/8426101854_c8327baba0_o.jpg[/img]Maybe you don't have those controllers above, lucky for you, I can still help you out. TV Scoreboard
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8332/8426100916_c1d6ab722e_o.jpg[/img]Don't have a TV Scoreboard? Space Math cassette for the VIC-20 than
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8220/8426101672_c881531a21_o.jpg[/img]Maybe an AGP2. You've got to have one of these. And why aren't these in the database? It has interchangeable cartridges :p
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8082/8425010377_6031215372_o.jpg[/img]Okay fine. You don't have any of those things so you still can't tell how big this thing is. You've got to have one of these Burger King handhelds.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8054/8425009093_8172c57482_o.jpg[/img]Okay, if you didn't have any of that stuff, at least everyone knows exactly how big Ba Bomb is.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8332/8425009567_cb8def1464_o.jpg[/img]
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Ah, the TV Scoreboard. Getting some face time with it's great grandkids.
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What, no comparison photo featuring an Atari Lynx handheld?
Elitist.
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Nifty pictures!
I once had to fix a friend's SB controller myself, and was thrilled at how simple it is to break the whole thing down. His just needed some wiring reset, which reminds me: the interface wiring joints between each of the three 'blocks' has too much pressure on the wires if the controller is not on a flat surface. I have a piece of plywood cut to the size of the bottom of the entire controller to rest it on at all times to prevent any accidental strain on those joint wiring harnesses. (it types out more complicated than it really is  )
Also, that's not a clutch for the third pedal: that's the dodge pedal. Just like on our Subaru. 
Green buttons, that means your buddy picked up one of the more rare first series; the reprints featured blue ones.
You gotta get that thing back together and play it!
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And I thought I had one of the only Tv Scoreboards out there...guess we need to start a club.
As for SB, Its a great game...deff worth all the effort of trying to set the damn thing up. Try it out and let us know what you think!
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Darn it. I was going to make a joke about popping the clutch or something. You know, me pushing the stalled VT and then you... you know... popping the clutch. Woo. Awkward. So, my wife found a place that sells authentic tasting Snow Balls. She's kinda tee'd off at me for eating one, but, well. You know. Snow Balls. Crap, is it hot in here. Wow.
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That controller is a beast!
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@bombatomba:Don't feel bad. Tough crowd, what with Zag and Raz in the peanut gallery
@Link41:Yeah, nothing says 'I'm committing to this game' like Steel Battalion. But oh-so-worth it to a Battletech style mech fan (myself.) Truly belongs in the 'simulation' category, and it amazes me how thought out and detailed it is for something based in fantasy.
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Whats with all the funny stuff going on in here?.......see, I was going to make a joke there too but you guys used up all the funny.
@NeoMagicWarrior:We can totally start a club.
@Zagnorch:Elitist? Yes, of course. What else?
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@nupoile:
@Zagnorch:Elitist? Yes, of course. What else?
Ummmm... you smell.
BTW didja get "Ba Bomb" from RetroRage? What a cool guy, huh?
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@Zagnorch: No, RetroRage's creations are melted much nicer.
I have several "melty bead" thingys. My wife worked with kids and would sometimes make me these. A couple of them I made when I went to see her at work.
I tried, but failed, to get her to make the kids build these assembly line fashion for me.
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