Lucas Lac124

I'm still working on manufacturing, disassembly, and calibration documentation for the controller, but long story short there are adjustment potentiometers in the controller that should be able to fix this issue, and calibrate it to your console specifically. It is a bit tricky to disassemble without knowing how to do so, which is why I'm making the documentation in the first place. In any case, I believe that this would fix any issues where certain directions work and others do not.

Here's a public link to purchase the controller for any who would like it: https://sites.google.com/view/lucaslac124store/store.

The consistency of the issue makes it seem as if a connection came loose in shipping. If you'd like I can send you a return label, fix it, and return it to you. That being said, it is strange to me that it goes in all four directions in pac man, and not in other games; this could also be a console issue, and not a controller issue.

I've finally begun to produce the 5200 VX Controller in small quantities! As I produce, I will contact those who have privately messaged me in order of date of message so they can purchase the controller if they so desire. I hope to set up an online store when I've built up a sufficient backstock. I've tested the controller with my entire 34 game collection, and am yet to find a game that it is incompatible with (including Missile Command and Super Breakout). For those awaiting purchase of a controller, there are several things you should know; firstly, the controllers are 3D printed. This means they will not have the uniform, impeccable appearance that comes with mass produced products. Secondly, the controllers take a long time to make, and are being constructed during my free time; you should expect having to wait a while before receiving a controller. Lastly, they cost $150 each. I know this is a lot- more than expected or previously indicated- but I've invested a lot of time, money, and effort into making them a reality, and hope to pay for a bit of college tuition with them. Thank you for all of the feedback and support provided during years of off-and-on development. I believe this is the single best way to play Atari today.

The original had 4 total fire buttons (two on each side), but only two different functions among them. This has two total buttons with the same total of two functions, just like the Atari 7800 controller. I did things this way to simplify design and so that I could use bigger, better internals.

Work on the controller has resumed... I'll update further in the coming months.

I'm in college now, but I've already purchased everything required to make the first batch of controllers. All I need now is some spare time, and it may be several months before I have any of that. Rest assured, the controllers are still coming, but it would not be reasonable to give a time frame, because I have no clue what the immediate future holds.

For this production run at least, everything will be 3D printed (injection molding is still pretty expensive at this scale). I spent a ton of time making sure that all of the buttons line up well, as I wanted to avoid any issues with them. I've found that when 3D printing, it often makes sense to greatly increase non-essential tolerances, that way interference is less of an issue overall, and slight manufacturing variances from controller to controller matter less.

Another quick update: things are moving along nicely. I will make no promises, but we are on track for some small availability in about 30 days.

I understand your concern. I maintain that the controller does work with such games, and I will make sure to create a video demonstration of the controller sometime soon in order to back this up.

My intention in making this controller was to make something better than the 80s experience, not to replicate it. The original controller's joystick is not self centering: this one is. The original controller has mushy trigger buttons: this controller has more satisfying ones. The original controller used a flexible PCB that almost invariably stops working: this controller uses a normal PCB, and therefore is not prone to the same issues. If you don't like the controller, that's fine. I just don't want you to get the wrong idea about it.

This is a very good description of the joystick. The joystick is effectively analog to a user, even if it isn't technically analog all the way down the chain.

What do you mean, "digital stick"? The whole point of this project from the beginning was to make a controller with an analog, self centering joystick in the original form factor. Missile command will work with this controller.

Yes, about $100 per controller. Its a bit more than the $75 quoted a while ago, but this is my last summer before college, and I need this to be worthwhile financially in order to do it.