Custom game controller?
Custom game controller?
Who would be the first person someone would speak with if they wanted a crazy custom game controller professionally made?
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shaktazuki
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Re: Custom game controller?
A crazy custom game controller professional?Octopus wrote:Who would be the first person someone would speak with if they wanted a crazy custom game controller professionally made?
Duck: “So, what’s that horn for?”
Unicorn: “Oh, you know, to stab my foe. I know, that sounds pretty harsh and brutal, or whatever. And it grants wishes! It also just looks good on a unicorn, *rawr*.”
Unicorn: “Oh, you know, to stab my foe. I know, that sounds pretty harsh and brutal, or whatever. And it grants wishes! It also just looks good on a unicorn, *rawr*.”
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Foil
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Grendel, or maybe SuperSheep. They've both created some custom analog controller mods.
If you're really serious, just be aware it's quite a few hours of work, and at rates a professional would charge, it could be expensive.
[You might also ask Bubbalou where he got the specs for his 'frankenforce' CH joystick mod.]
If you're really serious, just be aware it's quite a few hours of work, and at rates a professional would charge, it could be expensive.
[You might also ask Bubbalou where he got the specs for his 'frankenforce' CH joystick mod.]
Re: Custom game controller?
No.. but maybe a super custom game controller mega senior professional.shaktazuki wrote:A crazy custom game controller professional?Octopus wrote:Who would be the first person someone would speak with if they wanted a crazy custom game controller professionally made?
Professionally made? Do you want a really cool game controller for yourself, or a product you want to sell. I'll answer as if you want something really cool for yourself mainly. Because this is a pie in the sky question, I'll give a pie in the sky answer.
Check out web sites on DIY flight sim controllers or Flight sim cockpits. These are the most serious guys regarding making their own controllers, including software, electronics and mechanical stuff. There's some pretty amazing stuff in the flight sim community. Ultimately, though, your main issue is the mechanical design, requiring either custom molded parts, or machined parts from a CNC. None of this custom stuff is cheap, but all of it is easy to do if you have money.
A good starting place is:
http://www.flightsim.com/cgi/kds?$=main/howto/mind.htm
The Mjoy project is a key resource Grendle used for the 3DP-vert project.
Also, check out the Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS at:
Main community site:
http://cougar.frugalsworld.com/
Cougar Forums:
http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/foru ... &forumid=8
You wouldn't want to use this for Descent (no twist), but it's probably the best, most sturdy programmable joystick/throttle on the market - if anything because of the community support. It's a Thrustmaster product, which has some problems, but there's also a good community of people doing upgrades for this stick. Better gimbals, hall effect sensors instead of pots, etc.. If I could figure out how to add a twist to it, I would use it for Descent. It could be done and would be worth doing it for this all metal joystick vs. a plastic POS. You could also potentially mold your own stick handle because the joystick handle is replaceable. Anyway, I point out the Cougar HOTAS as an example of what a company can do when they decide to make a good game controller. Alas, it's not something we'll ever see again.
Check out alternatives you might not have thought of such as Touch Buddy ( http://www.touch-buddy.com ). It's a touch screen based programmable game controller. I have a 15 inch LCD touch screen which I use with Touch Buddy to provide a reconfigurable button layout. All you need is Photoshop to make the graphic layout, and a little time programming it using a simple but powerful macro setup.
Again, this is all pretty much driven by the flight sim community.
Check out web sites on DIY flight sim controllers or Flight sim cockpits. These are the most serious guys regarding making their own controllers, including software, electronics and mechanical stuff. There's some pretty amazing stuff in the flight sim community. Ultimately, though, your main issue is the mechanical design, requiring either custom molded parts, or machined parts from a CNC. None of this custom stuff is cheap, but all of it is easy to do if you have money.
A good starting place is:
http://www.flightsim.com/cgi/kds?$=main/howto/mind.htm
The Mjoy project is a key resource Grendle used for the 3DP-vert project.
Also, check out the Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS at:
Main community site:
http://cougar.frugalsworld.com/
Cougar Forums:
http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/foru ... &forumid=8
You wouldn't want to use this for Descent (no twist), but it's probably the best, most sturdy programmable joystick/throttle on the market - if anything because of the community support. It's a Thrustmaster product, which has some problems, but there's also a good community of people doing upgrades for this stick. Better gimbals, hall effect sensors instead of pots, etc.. If I could figure out how to add a twist to it, I would use it for Descent. It could be done and would be worth doing it for this all metal joystick vs. a plastic POS. You could also potentially mold your own stick handle because the joystick handle is replaceable. Anyway, I point out the Cougar HOTAS as an example of what a company can do when they decide to make a good game controller. Alas, it's not something we'll ever see again.
Check out alternatives you might not have thought of such as Touch Buddy ( http://www.touch-buddy.com ). It's a touch screen based programmable game controller. I have a 15 inch LCD touch screen which I use with Touch Buddy to provide a reconfigurable button layout. All you need is Photoshop to make the graphic layout, and a little time programming it using a simple but powerful macro setup.
Again, this is all pretty much driven by the flight sim community.
Re:
Thanks.Drakoz wrote: Because this is a pie in the sky question, I'll give a pie in the sky answer.
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SuperSheep
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You can see this thread here for starters...
viewtopic.php?t=7254&highlight=
I delved into that after getting sick and tired of the stick breaking all the time. Basically, I ripped out the hat switches, created a new circuit board and wired in an analog hat. I was planning on replacing all the pots with hall effect sensors but it was right about that time that I took a break from d3 for a while.
I think you need to specify what exactly you are looking for. You want a joystick that is made specifically for you (1 of a kind), or a modified joystick already on the market. The difference in cost could be thousands of dollars.
What is your price range and what do you want? I would be willing to do either for you, but I need to know how custom you need.
viewtopic.php?t=7254&highlight=
I delved into that after getting sick and tired of the stick breaking all the time. Basically, I ripped out the hat switches, created a new circuit board and wired in an analog hat. I was planning on replacing all the pots with hall effect sensors but it was right about that time that I took a break from d3 for a while.
I think you need to specify what exactly you are looking for. You want a joystick that is made specifically for you (1 of a kind), or a modified joystick already on the market. The difference in cost could be thousands of dollars.
What is your price range and what do you want? I would be willing to do either for you, but I need to know how custom you need.
Regarding pots vs. hall effect sensors. One of the things that made the Sidewinder 3DPro (and other MS joysticks) so great is they used an optical sensor to detect the position of the stick. No pots to wear out. I kind of got spoiled by this using my 3D Pro for so many years. The buttons or plastic might wear out eventually, but the axes were always spot on. Then I bought the Cougar HOTAS for flight sims, which is a great stick & throttle, except it uses pots. It's a $250 stick and throttle and the pots are crap after a year or two of heavy use.
It's not so bad. They are easy enough to replace, and cheap - Thrustmaster will sell you replacements for just a few bucks (for the DIY people). I bought two complete sets for my Cougar for less than $20 shipped. Their support department is very good about this. It's not just a Thrustmaster issue. ALL sticks using pots wear out. But what a pain for a stick you really use a lot.
That's why I mentioned the hall effect sensor retro fit kits people have made for the Cougar. They never wear out because they use magnetism with parts that don't touch each other - hence no wear. So, any good game controller project should use hall effect sensors, not pots - unless you don't mind replacing your pots every 1-3 years depending on use.
It's not so bad. They are easy enough to replace, and cheap - Thrustmaster will sell you replacements for just a few bucks (for the DIY people). I bought two complete sets for my Cougar for less than $20 shipped. Their support department is very good about this. It's not just a Thrustmaster issue. ALL sticks using pots wear out. But what a pain for a stick you really use a lot.
That's why I mentioned the hall effect sensor retro fit kits people have made for the Cougar. They never wear out because they use magnetism with parts that don't touch each other - hence no wear. So, any good game controller project should use hall effect sensors, not pots - unless you don't mind replacing your pots every 1-3 years depending on use.
Re:
Only for the 1st batch made. I would not recommend to use it for a new project, use AVR-USB instead. Check out the AVR-USB HIDs for some examples.Drakoz wrote:The Mjoy project is a key resource Grendle used for the 3DP-vert project.