Thoughts re Programmable Gamepads

[toasty]

OK, I'll preface this by saying that I recognize that it is sacrilege to discuss using PC store-bought gamepads for MAME on the BYOAC forum, but I can't imagine that I'm the only person that has had this issue come up before, so here goes:

For a host of reasons, I need to pick up a couple of controllers to supplement my 2P CP.  My current configuration wouldn't lend itself to adding more controls on my existing CP, and I don't need 4 controls often enough to justify building a whole new CP anyway.  Besides, I was thinking about loading some of the games I play more frequently on a laptop to play when I travel, and it's much easier to take a gamepad with me, obviously.   

I saw these Logitech controllers on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=014&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=330118382175&rd=1&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=014&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=330120031034&rd=1&rd=1

Seemed like it might be a fairly inexpensive way to satisfy this need, since the buttons look to be programmable.  I would assume I could set it up to work with a frontend and MAME no problem.

Anyone ever use any of these for this purpose? Do they work OK?  Big concern would be whether there is any way to limit the d-pad to 4 way.

Again, I realize this isn't an ideal place to ask this, but not sure who else to ask.

TIA

[braces for flames]

[toasty]

and another thing -- would the analog joysticks work as analog controls in MAME games?

[ahofle]

I have used gamepads many times for MAME (and other emulators) with no problems.  I plug one in for Gauntlet if I happen to have 4 people over (my CP only has 3 players).  They also work great for 2 player dual stick games like Smash TV.  I'm not sure if you'll have any luck restricting it to 4 way though.  And yes, the analog sticks work fine in MAME as analog controls.

ALso, you shouldn't have to 'reprogram' any of the gamepad buttons.  Just map the controller to the appropriate player in MAME's input settings.

[knave]

I use a gampad to play Mame all the time...I use joytokey and it works great.  I have a few profiles set up for different games, IE dual stick, four button, six button etc...

...And that Logitec wingman was one a highly rated pad a while ago.  I don't have one myself but I hear there are some gamers who covet them.  I use a Logitec rumblepad 2.  And I like it.

[ahofle]

Why do you use joytokey?  MAME accepts joystick input just fine.

[gonzo90017]

I'm sure he  uses it for other emus. I'm using mamewah and it allows you to load a different profile for each emulator with joytokey it loads it with the emu and closes it when you exit. I use yame for turbografx16. I mapped Alt+F4 to the select button on my playstation pad to exit the emulator. With Zsnes I have to use Esc so I mapped select as esc. And mamewah lets me do that.

[toasty]

Thanks for the input (pun not intended)!  I ended up picking up 2 of the wingman controllers for $4 each -- not bad at all...

[knave]

I use joytokey because I can set it up once and use it for multiple versions of mame/emus etc....

I'm still a Noob and that's part of it, but i also am still trying out all sorts of new stuff.  I havn't really messed around with the Mame joystick support but the different profiles in joytokey are pretty useful. 

That said now I'm curious...I'll have to check out the native support in mame.