Getting started with modding controllers

[Raiser]

I'm new to the controller modding scene, and I have a few questions I'd like to ask, though I haven't had much luck with Google.  So, I hope that you guys are able to point me in the right direction:

Is there any sort of definitive guide on controller modding, from which I can learn the basics?  I've never hacked a controller before, and it would save others from having to explain the simplest things to me.

Edit:  I didn't find the controller primer until after I made this post.

My goal is to eventually create either a Genesis 6-button controller that is useable on the Gamecube, or a converter to use a Genesis 6-button controller on the Gamecube.  I'm aware that Ultimate Dev'r has made something similar.  Though the page with the information about it is down, I recall  that you had to plug the Genesis controller into a modified Gamecube controller, and that only the A, B, and C buttons worked.

I'm looking to make use of all the buttons, so I was also wondering: can Mode be used as a regular button?  If so, that would solve the problem of the L/R buttons, as they could be mapped to Mode and C.

Anyway, if anyone could help me out, I'd appreciate it.

[atom]

You basically want a gamecube controller in the shape of a gennie pad. So take the chip from inside of a generic NGC controller, and mark how each pin corresponds with the buttons. You can then transplant the chip over to the gennie controller, except hooking it up to the Gennie buttons. You could probably tranfer a motor over there as well, buy the mini controllers.

[phreak97]

my suggestion for the motor in small controlelrs was to use a mobile phone motor.
also, i dont know how youre gonna go with making the digital pad act as the analogue stick.

[Raiser]

Actually, the controller won't have an analog stick. The Genesis D-pad will act as the Gamecube's D-pad.  I'm making it for games like Super Smash Brothers Melee, Alien Hominid, the Megaman games, Sonic Mega Collection, etc. which allow you to use the D-pad as your main method of control.

I managed to get a hold of a Saturn controller, so now it can have proper L and R buttons.  The only thing Im struggling with in the planning stage is the lack of a c-stick, and the lack of a use for the C-button.  It would be cool to be able to hold the C button and use the D-pad as the c-stick, but that again brings up the problem of using the d-pad as an analog stick.  What I'll probobly end up doing is make the C button function as a second A button so you have a choice between a Genesis setup where A is to the left of B, or a pseudo Gamecube setup, where A is to the right of B.