Dual Joystick control

[dc.onbusiness]

Hey,

I wanted to make an arcade controller that constitutes two separate joysticks but feed through the same cable so can be used as a single controller on a range of platforms.

Basically, I want to split a playstation/xbox controller in half so that one joystick performs the function of a thumbstick, d-pad, and triggers, and the other joystick performs the function of the other thumbstick, the A B X Y/triangle square 0 X buttons, and the other triggers.

Are these sorts of controllers already out there?

Or, does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

[DaveMMR]

Well the second joystick would really only cover the face buttons (A, B, X, Y or Triangle, X, Circle, Square).  It only has four switches.     Yes, you can map the diagonals but that's really only hitting two "face" buttons at once.  And likewise, you can't add shoulder buttons" to the first joystick. There's no where to put them.

And practically speaking, if you needed to work the shoulder buttons in line with the joysticks, it'd be almost impossible to play.  What it you needed to move while hitting the shoulder button.

These dual-joystick setups are for games where one stick is move and one fires.  The second joystick would not work well for, as an example, Street Fighter II or anything requiring more than four buttons (in reality two since you cannot physically move the joystick in two opposite directions at the same time whereas you can hold down two buttons quite easily). 

Unless this setup is strictly for Robotron, Smash TV, etc. it's not very practical.

[dc.onbusiness]

Thanks, but just to clarify, I'm talking more complex joysticks (like pc joysticks) that have multiple buttons and triggers on them, such as those used in flight simulators.

I want to be able to play first person shooters with them.

[DaveMMR]

Thanks, but just to clarify, I'm talking more complex joysticks (like pc joysticks) that have multiple buttons and triggers on them, such as those used in flight simulators.

I want to be able to play first person shooters with them.

Ah, gotcha. Those are still technically buttons though so it's really nothing outlandishly complex if you were to hack something together. And the sticks would be analog for that purpose (mapped to the thumbsticks).  The hat-switch would be the digital-only D-Pad.

That being said, a PC joystick is probably the worst control for an FPS.  The thumbsticks on the PS3/360 controllers are merely "okay" for them (particularly because many have gotten used to them). But mouse and keyboard are the best.  I've seen that people who make controllers on consoles are doing it mostly for fighters, not needing to worry about the various complexities of hacking the analog portions of the pad.

But I've seen various specialty controllers online that work with PS3/360 and seems to be close to what you're looking for. Do you have any specific game(s) in mind with your proposed set-up? 

[MacGyver]

If you get hung up on finding info, look for "modifying controllers for handicapped players".  It's pretty much our hobby, and the handicapped that chop up and modify controllers these days (also Ben Heck).