Jump to content
IGNORED

Replacing the Jaguar d-pad with a clicky thumbstick


Bratwurst

Recommended Posts

28 minutes ago, Machine said:

That is sweet. Got pics of the inside or how you made it?

I'm still working on it for someone, but when it's finished I'll take pictures of the guts. It is a 3D printed harness that holds the switches, levers and thumbstick in place, a variation of the Neo Geo Mini modification I came up with last month:

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FkSCK2W.jpg

 

I do plan on modifying some to sell later, but it will be some time before I can get to that. Plastic had to be cut to make room for the mechanism and I still need to sort out how to cut the PCB to retain the pause/option and A-B-C buttons. As you can see it takes up some space underneath the d-pad. This particular orientation is also specific to make room for switches mounted directly behind it to make it 'left handed':

 

M5ernNY.jpg tXkNgHX.jpg

 

So I may be able to get away with orienting the mechanism so I don't have to cut so much of the PCB for 'normal' controllers.

 

2 hours ago, BeefMan said:

Also any chance it would fit in a pro controller?

 

Probably, but I'd only want to chop up one of Starwander's reproductions instead of an original. I haven't looked too closely at the internal differences between it and the three button pad.

 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, Bratwurst said:

Probably, but I'd only want to chop up one of Starwander's reproductions instead of an original. I haven't looked too closely at the internal differences between it and the three button pad.

If it ever comes time to try it, I have a Starwander pad with a crap d-pad I would love to have hacked up (assuming it works afterwards, haha!). So definitely keep it in mind, I bet others would be interested too.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hey everyone! Bratwurst recently finished this controller for me. I want to share some feedback about it in case anyone else is interested in the clicky thumb-stick.

 

The quality of this build is excellent, and it seriously looks and feels like the controller was manufactured this way. The stick is a comfortable height. I played entirely through Doom and I experienced zero fatigue, stress or discomfort in my thumb.

 

I received the controller on Friday, and by Saturday night I already had a chance to test it for several hours. As stated before, I played through the full Doom campaign, but I also played multiple levels of Wolfenstein, Alien vs Predator, Tempest 2000, I-War and Cybermorph. AVP, I-War and Cybermorph instantly felt natural while using the new thumb-stick. The controller also offered many improvements while playing Doom, Wolfenstein and Tempest 2000, but there was a learning curve for me with those games. At first, while playing Doom and Wolfenstein, I was overreacting with the thumb-stick. I was used to using the hard/ridged D-pad, but somewhere while playing each game, my thumb/brain adapted. In fact, I noticed after just a few minutes that my movements were a lot smoother and best of all, no thumb fatigue. I can't wait to pick up Raiden and give that a shot. I'm guessing from my previous experience, with that game in particular, having the thumb-stick will be a much welcomed improvement.

 

Anyhow, that's my two cents. Bratwurst, thanks you did great work! Excellent communication too. 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/27/2019 at 7:15 AM, Bratwurst said:

Thanks so much for your positive remarks RREDDWARFF. I do plan on taking a look at the pro controller soon, I have some of my own, just a matter of being busy with other commitments at present.

Do you think it could be possible to add a thumb stick and keep dpad?  Maybe you can  get with the guy that doing the repros and work out a gen 2 with thumb stick. You could even add rudimentary feed back by using the sound out put. To drive a motor instead of speaker. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/30/2019 at 6:43 AM, Kalani said:

Do you think it could be possible to add a thumb stick and keep dpad?  Maybe you can  get with the guy that doing the repros and work out a gen 2 with thumb stick. You could even add rudimentary feed back by using the sound out put. To drive a motor instead of speaker. 

 

Sounds like you want the DPad from the Atari 7800 EuroPad Controllers. They had a removable thumbstick. Perhaps the first thumbstick actually crafted to cup the thumb [the thumbstick on the earlier SMS Pads didn't do that].

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Lynxpro said:

 

Sounds like you want the DPad from the Atari 7800 EuroPad Controllers. They had a removable thumbstick. Perhaps the first thumbstick actually crafted to cup the thumb [the thumbstick on the earlier SMS Pads didn't do that].

No I mean add a thumbstick in addition to a dpad like place thumb stick Bellow  dpad

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I've had some time in between projects to work on this some more. I do apologize for going quiet on this for a few months. While I have a design for the 3 button controller more or less 'ready', ( it would require some tweaking since I had made it with an elaborate 3 button harness on the back for RREDDWARFF, that most people would not want or use ) the feedback in here convinced me I should focus on a dedicated mount for the 6 button propad. I can always go back to the 3 button controller later.

 

3zhAtzQ.jpghfvetHY.jpg

 

Once you start cutting into this bad boy there's no going back. :P

 

On 8/18/2019 at 8:35 PM, Austin said:

If it ever comes time to try it, I have a Starwander pad with a crap d-pad I would love to have hacked up (assuming it works afterwards, haha!). So definitely keep it in mind, I bet others would be interested too.

 

I would like to make a run of pre-modded controllers available first to folk on Atari Age and then other people elsewhere, but I could do something for your specific situation too. Anyone unsatisfied with their d-pad I could see arranging some kind of partial credit in exchange, like a core charge.

 

On 8/30/2019 at 10:10 PM, joeatari1 said:

Color me curious!  Any more pics or vids?  I am in of you are producing a run to sell or modifying one I send you.  Love it!

 

Just what you see for now, I'll be posting pictures and video with more regularity. I hope. :P

 

On 8/30/2019 at 9:43 AM, Kalani said:

Do you think it could be possible to add a thumb stick and keep dpad?  Maybe you can  get with the guy that doing the repros and work out a gen 2 with thumb stick. You could even add rudimentary feed back by using the sound out put. To drive a motor instead of speaker. 

 

lol sorry but no. That's just asking to chop up way too much plastic and hang some kind of hinky monkey off the side of the pad. Why would you want two simultaneous sets of inputs that function the same? This would not be like the Playstation or Xbox where the games have analog and digital controls. The Jaguar's library is entirely digital input excepting the Tempest rotary mod. If you want to use the original d-pad the 99% of unmodified ones left in the world are waiting to be held in your hands.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...