My awesome invention: DDR shoes (complete with modded pad)!!

[star4wars]

I had three soft pads. One that was completely broken, and two whose buttons are not responding, especially the left button. So I took it upon myself to create a pad for myself…and I came with a special pad and SPECIAL DDR SHOES!

Here are some pictures: https://home.comcast.net/~onidrake/SonnyDDR/

The Beginning
I used this website as my guide: http://www.harmlesslion.com/stuff/text/ddr/. However, I couldn’t find most of the materials I needed at Home Depot. In the end, I used aluminum foil, sponges from the local market, and cardboard from Staples (they were corrugated boards used for displaying stuff). However, at 2’oclock in the morning, my pad did not work! The sponges, which initially were soft, got really stiff and couldn’t serve as a good separator between the common and the specific plane…I was very sad.

The Epiphany
At 3 o’clock, I was wondering how I could solve this problem of the foam. It plagued the soft pads I had (they would bunch up, and you would have to tear up the pads to straighten them out). Then an idea came to me: TAKE OUT THE FOAM ALTOGETHER! So how could I separate the two planes of metal? Then a chain reaction of ideas occurred, and I came up with the idea of reversing the common plane and the specific plane…basically I designed a pad that was basically upside down. Then, I created shoes that had the common plane on the soles of the shoe. Once you put on the shoes and step on the specific buttons, you complete the circuit and you have successfully pressed the button!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Let’s start with the bad. (1) The original planes were created with aluminum foil, and after 300 calories of the workout mode, it shredded to bits. However, durability could be achieved by using metal screens used for doors and windows. (2) the shoes are ALWAYS attached to the pad through wiring… you always have to put them on for them to work. (3) Tripping. I haven’t really tripped on the wire, but I constantly stepped on them. You get use to it. (4) Electrocution. Hasn’t been a problem, and I am not sure that it will be…but its possible. (5) You can’t practice moves that are used solely for performance. No freestyle dancing, peeps. However, you can still dance with your upper body, which makes up half of your performance (or not…jk).
The good. (1) After fortification with aluminum screening, it is pretty durable. (2) NO problem with foam bunching up, or the plastic bunching up. (3) Ultra sensitivity. No more banging down on your soft pad for it to respond. (4) Easier to maintain. You can always replace the aluminum screening if it breaks.
And…its ugly because you can’t decorate the arrows (except with maybe a marker). You have to leave the metal bare so it can contact the metal in the soles. Also, you can’t play doubles (unless you play with the pad and have a controller in your hand simultaneously).

It might not be a totally practical pad, but it does help you out by keeping responsive to your steps. It serves as a good substitute for my soft pads until I get one of those cool metal pads. PLEASE POST YOUR THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, WARNINGS, or better yet, create your own IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PAD! Thank you!

[crazed1]

Can those shoes expand or do they only fit your feet?

[star4wars]

the initial design used socks as the "shoes", they were expandable until i basically covered it all up with duct tape. the best way to keep it semi-expandable is to allow the top and bottom free of tap, and just tape to the sides of the feet, unless someone else can come up with a better idea

[Charly]

very interesting....
maybe you could attach your design to some old slippers, instead of putting miles of duct tape to your socks... ...it would be easier for your feet, no good about those wires though....
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want to fix your soft pads.....visit my website -->www.ddr-pad-fix.tk
or....http://home.galileo.edu/~guzmanverbena

[Verified]

the screen idea was brilliant... I love the idea, sans wires. I've thought of ways to negate wires, but it'd be really hard to do.

Normal Ebay metal pads use a copper contact similar to a button. where ground and hot are on the same surface.

\/\/\/\/\/\/-hot
/\/\/\/\/\/\-ground

when a piece of metal touches both the hot and ground, it completes the circuit. IF there were a way to put this on a better scale.. i suppose it would work.

--------------|
|----------------
--------------|
|----------------

and so on, but smaller, all over the dance pad, basically a zigzag like the tri,x,square,circle buttons on a controller work. you could just wear metal on the bottom of your shoes, or the mesh would work... how's that???
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[star4wars]

Wow...i should have thought of that...that would definitely get rid of the wire. but yea, it would take a while to make. Definitely worth the challenge, though. If i get around to making it, i'll definitely keep it posted. Thank you!

[Verified]

yeah, if you get that done, you should really post pics, this has me interested, it's really made me laugh.
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[MaXxX]

Congratulations, Sonny.

Now let's apply 220V to that mat of yours, and we'll see you REALLY dance.

:]

[Tomo_kun]

There is only one problem that would just get in the way for me personally, is the fact that you really cant freestyle with these. If you where to spin you would get tangled, and "hand plants" really dont work here. WONDERFULL idea though for PA.
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Cutriss wrote:

FLCL, God of Gods wrote: Uh... so when do we get the porn forum? If you can't find porn on the Internet, you're not trying.

[VxJasonxV]

[diabloslayer469]

I remember doing something similar to this about 2 years ago with my 3rd party metal pad. All the arrow panels were cracked so I decided to take them off one day, so that only the copper sensor is seen, and then I glued aluminum foil to bottom of an old pair of socks. It worked pretty well, but because of the design of the pad, I sometimes hit my foot on the metal railing dividing each panel.

[statikeffeck]

This is hilarious!!! very creative
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[star4wars]

Thanks to AmericanTokyo's posting, I have been thinking about better solutions...

In order for me to successfully apply his idea, i was thinking of using electrically conductive tape. I heard about it somewhere, but can't seem to find it. I was thinking that it would definitely be a lil more durable than cutting up screen and taping each little piece...

If someone could help me find the name of this product, and where to buy it, that'll be great. Thanks!

[Verified]

Okay, try going here...

http://www.tedpella.com/SEMadhes.htm

and look for the product
3M Copper Conductive Tapes
Single Adhesive Surface

Me thinks that should do wonders.

EDIT: oh yeah, you should go with the 1/4 inch, maybe even cut ut smaller... 1/2 inch would be way to big and you might not complete the circuit.
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