Padhack?
wire to a controller instead of using a cthullu.
My only concern with that is, will we be able to add more systems in the future?
Depends on how it gets set up. I’m not sure that motion control is the sort of thing that’s going to be easily translated from one system to another.
I’m not worried about the motion control translating. I just meant like will we be able to add 360 later to this if we padhack?
Padhacking won’t make adding support for other systems more difficult than using a hobbyist PCB. I’m confident that I can dual mod something like this, but it’s in analog-land, so not the sort of thing that people here do often, and, quite probably, is something that ends up being specific to a particular models of controller. I need to think about the dual/multi-mod support some.
One of the big issues for me with this project is that I’m in California which is a long way from Buffalo, NY, and, really, with a bespoke thing like this, there ought to be at least two meetings - one near the beginning of the process, and at least one ‘fitting’ to review how well it works, and make any necessary adjustments. We’ve been going back and forth on this for a little while, and dual/multi mod hasn’t come up until now. (Though, it’s obvious in retrospect.) That has me wondering if there’s other stuff that I’ve missed. If we were local, a lot of this stuff would be easier, and I’d be better able to ensure a good outcome.
I may be guilty of some level of inattention, but it seems like the things you’ve mentioned as ‘wants’ are:
- Trackball support & layout
- Hold support.
- Turbo support
- Dual/Multi Mod.
Can you think of other stuff you might want on a stick?
You are right. We do need someway to make sure everything is how we need them. This was my reasoning for basing it on a standard controller in the concept pictures - I know I can use that. Alternatively, Montoia mentioned about a cardboard setup for the PAP to test it. I think that is also an option for this.
As for dual/multi-modding this (and the PAP), that has always been an option. Back when this idea was first thought up (2 years ago), I had both a 360 and a PS3. Right now though, I only have a PS3. This is why I said “PS3 Base” in the thread titles. But, will wherever I go have a PS3? Probably not. So…
Also, trackball support and layout, and hold support are both “needs”. Turbo support is a “really want/almost need” (for example, some of God of War’s QTEs are impossible for me. Press X 20 times in 5 seconds) and dual/multi-modding is a “want”
Modularity:
I think you could go with a modularly designed controller. This thread is the background information on how it would work.
Instead of the DB-25 connector you should use a Jamma fingerboard.
http://www.lizardlick.com/LL-Edge-Connector-56-Pin_p_141.html
http://www.lizardlick.com/Sanwa-Fingerboard-56-Pin_p_236.html
Basically your controller box inputs would be wired to a jamma connector on it to allow all of the electronics to be routed to what ever controller pcb you need in a separate box. There is some difficulty with the trackball hacking and I am not sure if that would add a lot of bulk. Just throwing ideas out there.
Turbo:
Hacking a turbo is certainly possible using a 555 timer chip, but the question is, how would it be implemented? Do you want a separate turbo button for each button? a separate button to be held down to activate turbo to all buttons? Have it handled like the TE(harder to do)? a flip switch?
At Radio Shack i believe the chips labeled as LM555.
Modular is something that I started thinking about as soon as a second system was mentioned. It obviously also helps with future proofing.
Is there a particular reason you suggest the JAMMA connector? Having worked a little with them, they don’t seem particularly appropriate here.
^ This is all going over my head here. lol
I picked Jamma because it is the first thing that I thought of with a shit load of pins. Assuming that he wants full functionality of the Six Axis he will not be able to use a common ground connection. With analogs modularity for non common ground switches he will need 2 pins for each input. So let me count.
8 for digital directions
4 per analog stick so 8 (each analog has a: High, Low, Wiper X, Wiper Y)
12 for the 6 buttons
6 for analog triggers
8 i’ll assume for sixaxis tilt and accelorometer.
1 for voltage if needed.
So that is 39 pins used on a modular connector so far. But the extra stuff such as trackball would make me more comfortable if there are 10 more pins for a little lee way.
I just selected a Jamma connector because those are cheap and available and had a high number of pins. But if you can find some other type of high pin connector that is more suitable cheap and easily obtainable, then by all means. It might be worth looking into using a 40 pin ide cable like for a ATA Hard drive now that I think about it. I believe that there are SCSI ribbon cables that are like 60 something pins.
Honestly, even the 15-wire cables that I’ve been able to find have been a bit heavy. I suppose it does add cost, but I find myself thinking in terms of putting A/Ds in the controller and running a serial bus instead.
I’d like a honest opinion:
Is it bad that this pad is (slightly) more important/urgent to me right now than the PAP?
I’m not sure what you mean by ‘bad’. It certainly makes sense.
“Bad,” because this is a fighting game board, so one would think the PAP would be more important. But it isn’t. This is.
I just realized a potential snag: We have donators for the PAP, but do we have any for this?
Well… me. I bought a trackball so I could pull it apart and look at the guts, but unless I chop it up, and use it, it’s still a perfectly good trackball. I ordered a bunch of buttons from LL last week. If I don’t use them in this project, they go to my parts bin, and end up in something else. Until I’m confident I can get things right, I’m not going to be comfortable taking money from other people anyway.
Cool, thanks. Let me know when the parts are in, so we can get this made. This is my main objective right now. Fighting games are released every so often (UMvC3 this year… & KoFXIII? TTT2, SSF4AE2012, SFxTK & SC5 next year), but there are a shit-ton of games I wanna play now/in the immediate future (Batman, Uncharted 3, Dark Souls, Mass Effect 3, etc)
As for money, PM me. This is all new to me, I dunno what to do
<shrug> Money isn’t going to be the hard part.
True, but I doubt you’ll do this absolutely free of charge?
I know people are kind, but one’s kindness can only be extended so far?