A new line of controllers...

[kattanFAN]

I have come up with this weird idea. You know how "universal acessories" only work on newer consoles?

Well, I've come up with an even better idea. Omni acessories.

Basically, they are specialized controllers (flight sticks, arcade sticks, racing wheels, etc.), but instead of having any on-board encoders, there is actually a separate component that can be swapped out and used on other devices of this nature.

Say, for example, that you have a racing wheel for the SNES, but you also want one that is compatible with all your other systems. Instead of invest in another racing wheel for each system (or one and deal with a crudload of adapters and convertors), you simply take an Omni racing wheel and a separate system board. Now, after playing Super Mario Kart on your SNES, just replace the Omni-to-SNES component with, say, an  Omni-to-Xbox component, and voila. The same wheel you just played Super Mario Kart with and play Project Gotham Racing.


For a more simpler explanation, look at the following:

System <---> Controller component <---> Omni controller

Now, the controller component is basically the IC from a basic controller, along with any other tiny components to keep the controller from malfunctioning (i.e resistors). From there, a small plug in the back attaches to a space in the Omni controller.

Hopefully, my lack of any decent modding jargon didn't prevent anyone from understanding what I'm trying to do.

[kendrick]

KF, not to steal your thunder or anything, but X-gaming has had a product on the shelf in the US and Europe that does exactly what you describe. Button inputs are on a separate component that use a universal connector to a series of abstracted encoder boxes. Have a look at the link here:

http://www.x-arcade.com/htm/installation.shtml

-KKC, busy unpacking giant robot toys...

[kattanFAN]

KF, not to steal your thunder or anything, but X-gaming has had a product on the shelf in the US and Europe that does exactly what you describe. Button inputs are on a separate component that use a universal connector to a series of abstracted encoder boxes. Have a look at the link here:

http://www.x-arcade.com/htm/installation.shtml

-KKC, busy unpacking giant robot toys...

Yeah... but this supports ALL systems. NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, PlayStation, PlayStation2, GameCube, Xbox, and possibly Xbox 360. I might do support for Jaguar, 3DO and so forth, but probably not.

The thing you showed me would only work on all systems made after 1999. It's still cool, but unless it also adds support for all the older systems, it can only be so cool. And even then, what about racing wheels and flight sticks?

[benzaldehyde]

actually, i have something like this i made at home. it's just signal tapping, and i figured i wasn't nearly the first person to concoct it. basically, it lets me use my ddr pads, saturn pads, or joysticks on my xbox, ps1/2, gamecube, and dreamcast. i really don't have any further interests outside these, and the builds i employ defeat lag (which could cripple a fighter or music game).

you're on the right track, though! well, excpet for the jaguar and 3do. there's really nothing to play on them. really!

well! unless you have a great sense of humor. :D

[kendrick]

KF, you're free to build or buy anything you like. The only problem I have with a truly universal set of controller encoder boxes is with the commercial appeal. If it's your intent to market or to sell such a thing, then in your place I would seriously want to do research about who it is that would be buying.

I do want to fly off-topic for a little bit and defend both the Jaguar and the 3DO. The finest versions of Tempest 2000 and Iron Soldier are available only on the Jaguar, as is the original Aliens vs. Predator. The 3DO library is a little weaker only because most of its best games have already been ported to newer consoles, but some games are still not available elsewhere. Lucienne's Quest is a fine Final Fantasy-styled RPG whose only English language version was found on the 3DO, as was the best version of the Return Fire series (and its underrated sequel.) The 3DO also has multimedia games like CPU Bach, a music generation program of a type that's only now beginning to become popular.

-KKC, regretting his late dinner plans.

[kattanFAN]

If it's your intent to market or to sell such a thing, then in your place I would seriously want to do research about who it is that would be buying.

For one, this is just an idea that I'm throwing around in the back of my already-cluttered mind (the kind that worries about a Rocky Horror version of Star Wars as I toss and turn in bed late at night in a vain attempt to achieve sleep).

For another, if I was interested in selling this idea to a company with enough clout and interest in this, it'd be targeted towards more die-hard gamers by saying that the actual controllers and an encoder box for each system would in fact be less expensive than buying arcade sticks and racing wheels for each system.

One example: I have a PS1, PS2 (not working ), GameCube, Xbox, Xbox 360, Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast (not working   ), Nintendo 64 (I already have a Racing Wheel for it, but no games to play it with), and a PC (but I could use an Xbox controller with it thanx to that Xbox-to-USB thing I made). I have a ton of games altogether that could benefit from specialty controllers, but not enough room for an assload of racing wheels and arcade sticks and flight sticks.  But just one of each and an encoder box for each of my systems would take up less space.

[eastx]

Well, good luck interfacing the 360 pad with any sort of universal design... It uses a Matrix + diodes setup, and you'll need a port with a heck of a lot of pins to negotiate the headaches that entails.

I actually sell arcade sticks that support Xbox 360, Xbox, and PS2 (plus PC/PS1) by using a custom circuit board (thanks Viletim!) to connect 2 different PCBs. Just $165 plus shipping! Hee.

Rather than the modular approach you've described (which is awesome, but runs into problems with some control setups), I think the answer is to make a stick that works with like NES-Turbo Duo, then maybe a Saturn/PS1/Jag/3DO type deal, a current-gen stick (Xbox/PS2/GC), and finally, a next-gen stick (XBox 360/Wii/PS3). Each of those will appeal to a fair # of customers, while reducing headaches from widely different electrical systems. 360's still gonna be tough for ya though.

[kattanFAN]

I'm not gonna deal with the 360, even though I have one now.

And now my PS2 and DC are working again. And since getting my DC back, I've been getting into playing CD-Rs on it, and with all the games I now have, I hate myself for inadvertently ruining my DC arcade stick.

[ulao]

kattanFAN , sounds interesting ever complete it?

I did something in the opposite fashion. I created a device that allows any controller to usb ( with help from raphnet ) I built a custon panel for a fellows arcade machine




Would be cool to go from my device to yours if you knew of a way to accept usb, but I would imagine you would need a button config and calibration means to get it to work with everything  no?

Oh and BTW, the 3DO was extremely easy to interface with. Unlike the snes it does not use a latch. It has a p/s line and I think that's for the second controller?  Anyways, if you just set the clock to 2 us and rise it, collect the data, then lower it for 2 us. you will get the data. There are two 8  registers like the snes. Very simple controller