Sinphaltimus Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 (edited) Reading about arcade controllers and multi-button joysticks, I had a thought. An atari compatible gamepad with 6 buttons (like the genesis one). I don't know what kind of electronics are inside these or if they have chips and such. I imagine them being analog. I don't know, but would it be a stretch of the imagination to think one of these types of game pads could have 2 cables (one for Joy1 and the other for Joy2) with the 4 directions gamepad and one button going to the Joy1 then have the remaining 5 buttons wired to a JOY2 connection with 4 buttons configured for the directional and the remaining 5th button for Joy2?This way in basic you can call joy for both ports 1 and 2 and have the Joy2 inputs coded for a completely different action. For games like Tilda and others?Yeah I know i have to many unfinished projects right now but I do plan to start up the 4 port cart switch this weekend, finalize a v2 to my Musick program since i need that before July, Then of course rework Zombi. If I had a better understanding of how these joysticks worked internally I may even explore this dual cable idea for single player games. So I'd like to hear back from those in the know on this thought of a gamepad design. EDIT: And I just had another idea. One I couldn't possibly do myself at this time. But with the uberGrom being used for rs232 now, what about a gamepad port on the uberGrom? Edited May 24, 2017 by Sinphaltimus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+adamantyr Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 Thierry described on the tech pages how to modify the console as well as create an adapter board that would allow you to hook up PC joysticks to the TI. Ideally, you'd want to be able to hook up a multi-pad controller directly to the TI without needing to use an expansion card or special sidecar peripheral, but I don't know if that's possible without a lot of modifications to the console. Honestly, I'd be happy with just a second button! If there was a quick and dirty way to check the unused pins in the joystick design (#1 and #6) in software to let you hook up a joystick that used those as a second or third button... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted May 24, 2017 Author Share Posted May 24, 2017 (edited) I'm thinking my idea wouldn't require anything more than the Atari joysticks adaptor readily available at low cost and a modified two port game pad. It would still function as a regular joy1 stick for existing games and have the option already in basic for programming the additional 5 buttons using joy2 calls. EDIT: Heck, if the 2 port Atari adaptor could be fitted inside of the controller then all you'd need is a joy port patch cable. Or just build the cable as part of the game pad and be done with it. That would produce a finished 6 button 8 directional gamepad that works out if the box on all unmodified consoles. Edited May 24, 2017 by Sinphaltimus 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+adamantyr Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 Ah, so you would sacrifice the 2nd joystick to have a more complex first one. That makes sense, I couldn't see any other way you could achieve that without modifying the TI console in some way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted May 24, 2017 Author Share Posted May 24, 2017 (edited) I think most of us enjoy single games. And with no modifications to the console it wouldn't take away from two player games that people currently enjoy. It would not address for multiplayer 6 button games though. I try to think in terms of "I can probably do this with my current knowledge" processes. I hate coming up with ideas for others to create (things I couldn't possibly do myself at this time). So I try to keep it simple because I'm simple in terms of what I can achieve right now. Edited May 24, 2017 by Sinphaltimus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted May 24, 2017 Author Share Posted May 24, 2017 Well, I'm kind of jumping the gun here but I just ordered 2 Sega controllers. I will mutilate them upon arrival. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteE Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 I've been wondering about this a lot lately as well. I bought a Genesis 3-button controller, but I haven't taken the soldering iron to it yet. For a 6-button controller, I had an idea of using some sort of 3 state machine to map the 6 buttons onto the existing 5 data lines. The software would have to read each joystick 3 times to get all the buttons: State 1: FIRE=off UP=up DN=down LT=left RT=right State 2: FIRE=on UP=off DN=button1 LT=button2 RT=button3 State 3: FIRE=on UP=on DN=button4 LT=button5 RT=button6 This of course wouldn't be compatible with existing games, would require specially written games to use this method (TI needs more fighting style games) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted May 24, 2017 Author Share Posted May 24, 2017 (edited) (TI needs more fighting style games) Hell yeah! Edited May 24, 2017 by Sinphaltimus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asmusr Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 It's an excellent idea. If joystick 2 fire was mapped to button 2 on a single 2-button joystick I could easily modify both TI Scramble and Super Mario Bros to work with this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitkraft Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 (TI needs more fighting style games) The TI is a lover not a fighter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ti99iuc Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 I Remember that a user of AA, JChase1970 done something similar in 2010, isn't it ? http://atariage.com/forums/topic/166557-proplay-new-4-button-gamepad-for-ti/?do=findComment&comment=2057882 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airshack Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 I like this idea! All you need to do is code your program to read both joysticks after building your mutilated Genesis FrankenStick. Read button #2 and UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT on joystick #2 to get five more buttons. You then have a six button joystick after writing the appropriate code for the thing. SINPHALTIMASTER SYSTEM!!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted May 25, 2017 Author Share Posted May 25, 2017 I Remember that a user of AA, JChase1970 done something similar in 2010, isn't it ? http://atariage.com/forums/topic/166557-proplay-new-4-button-gamepad-for-ti/?do=findComment&comment=2057882 Whoa, yeah! Definitely same idea. I'll have to read that entire thread to see whatever came of it and lessons learned. Thanks for sharing!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted May 25, 2017 Author Share Posted May 25, 2017 (edited) Without reading that other post yet, The way I think it's going to go is I will desolder one cable from the second controller and solder it to the first controllers 5 addition buttons using the pinout diagrams I found for the controllers I've ordered. This will give me one 6 button controller with a DPad direction and two cables coming out of it that I will connect to my atari joystick adaptor attached to the TI. I'll update more once the controllers arrive. Edited May 25, 2017 by Sinphaltimus 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airshack Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 (edited) Looking forward to photos of this one! Sent from my iPhone using Tapata Edited May 25, 2017 by Airshack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ti99iuc Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 (edited) this was the JChase1970's version i have, them are not SEGA original gamepad and i must say them haven't a good quality about gameplay. I am pretty sure that using original ones it could be better Edited May 25, 2017 by ti99iuc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted May 25, 2017 Author Share Posted May 25, 2017 I'm going straight for 6 buttons. 2 buttons are too little, 3 buttons are too odd, 4 buttons are two short, 5 buttons? Oh come on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted May 25, 2017 Author Share Posted May 25, 2017 (edited) Anyway, I won't know the quality until I receive them on Tuesday. I'm not expecting much at 9 bux a pair. I just wanted something I could use to test out the idea. I wouldn't know how to mass produce a working idea. Edited May 25, 2017 by Sinphaltimus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airshack Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 I use the Hyperkin Genesis controllers which sell for only $8.99. They seem to have good build quality and work well. So...yours will probably be pretty good. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Try pressing both joystick buttons at the same time in Parsec and watch what happens. I just might build a new joystick if new games start coming out to support this. It's a great idea Sinphaltimus! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+adamantyr Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Try pressing both joystick buttons at the same time in Parsec and watch what happens. I just might build a new joystick if new games start coming out to support this. It's a great idea Sinphaltimus! Yeah, my brother and I discovered that back in the day... using the 2nd joystick while playing had some weird effects on the game too! Maybe that was just a one time screw-up, but we started getting random palette color changes, random enemies, the laser lines remained drawn on the screen... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airshack Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Have you resolved handling the single port issue? Apparently pins two and seven select Joyst 1/2? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted May 25, 2017 Author Share Posted May 25, 2017 (edited) The way I imagine it in my head. Rewire the button buttons to the top, require the top to accommodate 5 additional buttons. Because the boards are likely to be chipped, I need to bypass those chips for connections coming from or going to a different board. I think it's going to be that simple. I'm not thinking of finishing aesthetic touches for looks. Have you seen my modded peb? Edited May 25, 2017 by Sinphaltimus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted May 25, 2017 Author Share Posted May 25, 2017 (edited) Have you resolved handling the single port issue? Yes. Two cables coming from the controller and going in to an Atari joystick adaptor. EDIT: this is gong to be prototype 1. For me to make it one cable to the console, I would needed to purchase the Atari adaptor from arcadeshopper, place it inside the controller and build the controller out of wood. That's my skill level at the moment Edited May 25, 2017 by Sinphaltimus 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airshack Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 So you'll bypass the chip logic inside the second controller? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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