Mod Idea, Joystick for Defender 2

[Trinity]

How about a joystick mod so that it would be possible to play stargate/defender2 with just one joystick?

[homerwannabee]

How about a joystick mod so that it would be possible to play stargate/defender2 with just one joystick?

Would the Sega Genesis controller work?

[Trinity]

How about a joystick mod so that it would be possible to play stargate/defender2 with just one joystick?

Would the Sega Genesis controller work?

 

 

I don't think so. You need to use both controller ports to play the game properly.

 

But I figure it could be done with two controller cords going to one joystick. And you would need four extra buttons very well placed in the joystick.

 

The "very well placed" part would be the tricky part.

[+RevEng]

Would the Sega Genesis controller work?

A version of Defender 2 that uses the Sega Genesis controller is in the 2 button hacks thread, along with a bunch of other converted games.

 

The genesis B button is the regular fire, and the C button is smart bombs until you run out of smart bombs, then inviso until you run out of inviso, and finally hyperspace. The joystick 2 inviso/hyperspace selection still works too.

 

It's a compromise, but I find it way more playable than trying to use 2 joysticks. I concede that a custom controller would be the best solution.

[Lord Helmet]

How about a joystick mod so that it would be possible to play stargate/defender2 with just one joystick?

Would the Sega Genesis controller work?

 

Yes, I have one wired for this very thing. I had to sacrifice the cord from a second one to do it. It has two cords (one for each joystick port). The left cord is soldered to the d-pad and A button, the right cord is soldered to the B,C,X, buttons for hyperspace, inviso, and smart bombs. It works well. The only real irritant is how the game cycles through the buttons for the second stick depending on whether you are out of smart bombs or inviso. If they were tied to a specific button it would be better IMHO.

[+SpiceWare]

Using the booster grip would give you 3 distinct fire buttons.

[nems]

The 2600 console was born ready to accept a controller with three buttons (i.e. the standard button over pin 6, plus two others via the "paddle" pins 5 & 9), yet it never materialized. If only Atari had introduced something similar to the Sega Genesis controller. The Booster Grip by CBS Electronics seems like another missed opportunity. CBS could have introduced a stand-alone controller with 3 buttons, rather than a band-aid fix for the CX40.

 

It seems the closest the 2600 has to a 3 button controller is the Sega Genesis controller. It has 3 buttons (A,B & C) and two of them (B & C) are already wired for compatibility with the 2600. Unfortunately, the A button is not wired correctly for communication with the 2600. So close, yet still so far. The only solution I can think of is to create a custom circuit board (based upon a simple design) which mimics the footprint of the board found within a Genesis controller. Then have a small run printed up and sell them to Atari fans who pop open Genesis controllers and swap boards, creating a 2600 controller with 3 buttons.

Edited August 20, 2010 by nems

[+RevEng]

It seems the closest the 2600 has to a 3 button controller is the Sega Genesis controller. It has 3 buttons (A,B & C) and two of them (B & C) are already wired for compatibility with the 2600. Unfortunately, the A button is not wired correctly for communication with the 2600. So close, yet still so far. The only solution I can think of is to create a custom circuit board (based upon a simple design) which mimics the footprint of the board found within a Genesis controller. Then have a small run printed up and sell them to Atari fans who pop open Genesis controllers and swap boards, creating a 2600 controller with 3 buttons.

Actually, it's a fair bit simpler than that. If you swap the wires to pin 5 and 7 in a genesis controller, then a 2600 program can read the "other set" of buttons (A and start) while the paddle capacitors are grounded.

 

I've had the sneaking suspicion this was the case for a while, and I just tested it out a few minutes ago. The few regular 2 button games I tried out worked as they usually do, and a quick test program I wrote was able to read A and start. Harmony definitely wasn't happy with the controller though.

 

I also believe it may be possible to read the remaining buttons on a 6-button controller without further hardware mods, as getting to them is just a matter of handshaking.

[nems]

If you swap the wires to pin 5 and 7 in a genesis controller, then a 2600 program can read the "other set" of buttons (A and start) while the paddle capacitors are grounded.

 

I've had the sneaking suspicion this was the case for a while, and I just tested it out a few minutes ago. The few regular 2 button games I tried out worked as they usually do, and a quick test program I wrote was able to read A and start. Harmony definitely wasn't happy with the controller though.

 

I also believe it may be possible to read the remaining buttons on a 6-button controller without further hardware mods, as getting to them is just a matter of handshaking.

 

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa... my brain just exploded.

 

That is awesome news. I'm ripping open my Genesis controller as soon as I get home.

Edited August 20, 2010 by nems

[jhd]

Long ago I asked about hacking Defender II to use the keypad controller, but I understand that there is not enough CPU cycles available to do this (or something like that; I am not a programmer).

 

I was just blown-away with the graphics when I first played that game, but the control scheme is bloody awful.