rom hacks to support 2 buttons with genesis controllers

[Omegamatrix]

A button phasers

B button warp

 

down direction photon.

up direction impulse power.

 

Yes, warp is the issue.

The 2600 can use buttons B and C on the Genesis controller. Which button would you like to be phasers, and which would you like to be warp? This should be easy enough to do.

 

 

Genesis controller:

 

[psquare75]

B phaser and C warp would work.

[Omegamatrix]

Here try this:

 

StarTrek(SegaGenesis).zip

[Omegamatrix]

I did a disassembly of Enduro almost a year ago. I made a 2 button hack from it.

 

Button B on the Sega Genesis Controller is acceleration. I moved the brakes to button C instead of pressing down. There's still 76 bytes free in this disassembly.

 

 

Enduro(2button).zip

[RevEng]

Nice work Omega!

 

I've added both Enduro and Star Trek to the first post.

[psquare75]

Oh sweet! I didn't see these. I'll try em when I get home tonight. Thanks!

[nems]

Here is one I have wanted for a long time. It is a suggestion for the awesome homebrew Man Goes Down: Keep all control as is, but also map the right/east control to button C.

 

This will enable play using independent thumbs for left (on left arrow of the D-pad) and right (on button C) movement. This will increase your accuracy and improve response time when playing. If you are lucky enough to make it to the bubble in the game, then you can still use your left thumb on the D-pad to navigate the bubble in all 4 directions.

 

Last version of this brilliant but still unfinished game is here. I hope someone with skills (not me) can map the right movement control to button c.

Edited March 18, 2011 by nems

[rorysl]

This is a REALLY interesting thread, I must say, and one of the first concepts to really attract me to buying a Harmony cart. I had thought of mentioning the 2600 version of Ghostbusters thinking the second button on a Genesis controller could be used to activate the map screen and bait the Marshmallow Man but had forgotten that those activities are linked to the difficulty switches not a button press or move on the joystick...

[Omegamatrix]

Try this for Ghostbusters:

 

 

Ghostbusters(2button).zip

 

 

I don't have my Genesis controller with me though, so this is largely untested! You should be able to exit the menu screen by pressing C, and you should be able to bait the Marshmallow Man by pressing and holding C when he appears. Note, I think you have to select at least one trap to exit the menu screen.

[c_t_f]

I have a suggestion for a 2-button game... In Plaque Attack, instead of having to use the joystick to face/shoot up or down, you could use button 1 to face/shoot up, and button 2 to face/shoot down. That way, you could move around however you want and still be able to shoot in the direction that you need to.

 

 

@CTF@

[toiletunes]

I have a request: Quest for Quintana Roo. It's a bit awkward to keep reaching for the console to hit select mid-game.

 

Edit: Another request- Pole Position. Currently the fire button is the brakes and up/down shifts gears. Sometimes I accidentally shift gears. If someone could make button 1 shift up and button 2 shift down, and down on the joystick could be the brakes (like enduro) that would be great.

[toiletunes]

One more (unless it's already been done) - Tomarc the Barbarian. Currently, pressing down switches between the two playable characters. It's too easy to switch accidentally.

[+stephena]

I've added ROM properties for the ROMs in this thread to Stella; they will be in the next release. If anyone creates more ROMs such as these, please let me know so I can update Stella.

[the.golden.ax]

Would anyone be interested in some NES/2600 two button themed controllers? They don't mess with harmony. I was thinking red with redbox style 2600 logo in white. Similar to these DK7800 pads I did.

 

 

I'm trying to gage interest before proceeding with dye and that kind of thing. Someone here had asked me to make a standard grey (looks just like an NES pad) and those go for $15.00. A red with overlay would run about $29.

 

Thanks,

AX

[killersquirel]

Has there been any new 2 button hacks or interest in continuing? There were some cool suggestions at the end of this thread for potential 2 button conversions.

 

-mike

[RevEng]

There haven't been any new ones, to my knowledge.

 

Its been my intention to revisit this effort and check off some more hacks, but I've had my hands busy with other projects and life. Eventually I'll make it back here.

[killersquirel]

There haven't been any new ones, to my knowledge.

 

Its been my intention to revisit this effort and check off some more hacks, but I've had my hands busy with other projects and life. Eventually I'll make it back here.

 

 

Awesome news.

[Omegamatrix]

RevEng, would you be able to link Ghostbusters to the first post?

 

 

I've completed conversions for Plaque Attack, Pole Position, Quest for Quintana Roo, and Tomarc the Barbarian:

 

Quad Pack - Plaque Attack, Pole Position, Quest for Quintana Roo, Tomarc the Barbarian.zip

 

 

Plaque Attack:

 

 

This game is pretty fun once you get going. You can fire while moving in an opposite direction as I've kept the firebuttons and the D-pad independent.

 

; Press button B to fire upwards

; Press button C to fire downwards

; ** At the very top or bottom the toothpaste will flip,

; and face inward no matter what button is pressed.

;

; This game uses a second controller for the second player.

; Pressing buttons B or C on either Sega Genesis controller will start the game.

; Pressing reset will also start the game.

 

Pole Position:

 

 

One of my favorites as a kid.

 

; Pressing Button B, Button C, or Reset will start the game.

;

; Down = brakes

; Left = move left

; Right = move right

;

; Left difficulty switch in postion 'A' (Pro)

; Button B = Lo gear

; Button C = Hi gear

;

; Left difficulty switch in postion 'B' (Amateur)

; Button B = Hi gear

; Button C = Lo gear

Quest for Quintana Roo:

When I first tried this game a few years ago I gave up because I didn't understand what to do. While converting it I came across Stan's instructions, and it cleared it all up. I was pleasantly surprised by this game and now consider it a hidden gem in the 2600 library.

; - Press button C to choose a tool or weapon (Sam changes color)

; - Press button C (or RESET) to drop a stone (Sam changes from orange to white)

;

; For more instructions on how to play the game:

; http://atariage.com/forums/topic/169397-quest-for-quintana-roo-walkthrough/

;

; Also, the instructions for the Telegames version are more clear than the Sunrise,

; and in particular leaving all 5 stones in the chamber room before trying them is a good idea:

;

; http://www.atarimania.com/2600/boxes/hi_res/quest_for_quintana_roo_telegames_pal_i.jpg

 

 

Tomarc the Barbarian:

 

 

This game essentially boils down to Tomarc finding a sword and traveling to a room to free a girl (Senta) locked in a cage. The sword is in a random room, and along the way there are rats to avoid. The jumping scheme is a little bizarre. You can jump straight up, which is kind of useless unless a rat is below you, or you can jump diagonally to try and fit into openings to get in other rooms. If you are standing on a horizontal door and jump straight up you will fall all the way to the bottom level.

 

What is neat about this game is that you can control both characters (Tomarc and Senta). Switch back and forth between them with the C button, especially when you hear the warning sound for danger. The ninja star that Senta throws looks pretty sweet and I liked the bat graphics too. By far the biggest surprise for me was that the rats can climb walls to get Tomarc on the platform. That was pretty cool.

 

I spent a lot of timing fixing the scanline count in this game, but it is stable now, and I also made a PAL60 version of it too. Enjoy!

 

; - Pressing Button B, Button C, or Reset will start the game.

; - Press Button C to switch between Tomarc and Senta playing screens.

[RevEng]

I've added Ghostbusters, Plaque Attack, Pole Position, Quest for Quintana Roo, and Tomarc the Barbarian to the first post.

Congrats Omega! You've authored the largest number of 2 button hacks.

[PFL]

This is great stuff. Just today I made a post asking about rewiring a controller for 2 button support and then was pointed to this thread the above Mr RevEng. I had no idea there were so many games that had been hacked for two buttons. Such a simple thing breathes so much new life into loads of these games. I'm particularly looking forward to Tomarc and Defender Arcade.

[PFL]

Follow up:

 

I decided to try these hacks out on Stella before I get the bits and bobs for the controller. How the hell do I set up 2 button or Megadrive controller in Stella... I'm sure I'm missing something obvious (I usually do!)...

[RevEng]

Random Terrain has instruction on how to setup genesis controllers in stella.

 

I'll go ahead and add that link to the FAQ in the first post.

[Omegamatrix]

If you are using a Sega Genesis controller on real hardware then it is always a good idea to see if the buttons are working. Sometimes the contacts are dirty and need a good cleaning. A long while back I made a test program for both controllers. I'll going to post it here too though since this is a relevant thread.

 

 

 

Genesis Button Tester.zip

 

 

I'm pretty sure Stella hasn't been set up for this rom. To use it in emulation you would have to configure Stella to have a Sega Genesis controller plugged into the P0 and P1 ports.

 

 

 

Princess Rescue is also a game that can use a Sega Genesis controller, as well as Space Rocks, and the upcoming Stay Frosty 2.

[PFL]

Thanks for the help. Boy, is that an obscure way to set up a second fire button... Booster Grip button=Megadrive button 2? It's made all the more confusing as the Game Properties menu is already aware that the game uses a Megadrive (Genesis) controller. I inferred from that that Stella would have just mapped a 2nd button automatically. I've just made a request to Stephena regarding the GUI so I think I'll wait until I've given him a gift (I can't use Paypal where I am just now) before asking for anything else but I think I'll ask for just a 'straight' Genesis controller option in the input menu. After all, there are quite a number of games that support it now thanks to you lot.

[maiki]

I think the common problem with Genesis gamepads is the wiring getting worn out just where it leaves the shell. I have 3 out of 4 controllers here, all have perfectly working contacts, but wires are broken and need to be replaced or shortened.