Is this type of game controller used much anymore?

[sdrob04]

Was rummaging through my 'stuff' and found this gamepad-style controller - are these used much anymore?  I purchased it new sometime in the late 80s-early 90s while in the bay area and never put it to use...it's still NIB.  It does require a 15-pin game port on a PC, along with an early Windows OS (DOS, 3.1 or Win95).

I was never much into console gaming, so definitely not my area of expertise.  Curious to hear what people think about this style of control...

[drventure]

Good luck, I've never had any luck getting old style gameport controllers to work in any modern version of Windows.

Maybe linux supports them?

I'm not even sure it'd work running an old OS as a Vm would be able to see it.

You might be able to hack it, but USB controllers are cheap, so probably wouldn't bother.

[Fursphere]

As far as I know, the 15pin gameport adapter drivers were dropped after Windows XP.   (I'm not even sure they work in XP to be honest).

[Automark]

Maybe this works?


http://www.ebay.com/itm/251385609923

I alway likes those pads though,

[drventure]

Nice, that might work.

I tried something similar for a Force Feedback sidewinder Wheel once and got no joy at all. But that's a pretty peculiar controller.

[Eddie_Brock]

Unfortunately what's been posted above is correct. The lastest versions of windows do not have any sort of support for the old "Game Port" controllers.

I have an old ThrustMaster ( ) Joystick that I would have loved to dust off to use with Battlefield, however there was just no way to make it work.
I have a GamePort to USB adaptor as well, and was never able to make it work.


Back to the box it goes, it'll save you a headache.

[DeLuSioNal29]

LOL.  I found my old Gravis Gamepad a while back and just tossed it.  I love how you could screw a joystick in the center of the gamepad!



Edit:  Here's a pic of it with the joystick screwed in:


DeLuSioNaL29

[SavannahLion]

LOL. I have one of those still. It's the model with the stackable 15 pin plug on the end. It required Gravis' drivers and IIRC support was dropped prior to XP. I used to use mine with the SNES emulator back then.

I was never sure if the Gravis method was better than MS solution of daisy chaining the controllers.

[mgb]

Oh yeah,
Those controllers come in very handy for...

holding doors open
playing fetch with your dog
skeet shooting or any kinda target practice
put one in your toilet tank to reduce water consumption
steady an uneven table leg

[AmericanDemon]

LOL.  I found my old Gravis Gamepad a while back and just tossed it.  I love how you could screw a joystick in the center of the gamepad!



Edit:  Here's a pic of it with the joystick screwed in:


DeLuSioNaL29

I played so much Commander Keene on one of those gravis gamepads. Even played doom on it, but it felt weird. Lol.

[DarakuTenshi]

I used to love those gravies pads for Mortal Kombat.

[offset]

Bliss Box - http://spawnlinux.dyndns.org/Bliss-Box/

I think their Facebook page has the latest information.