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hacking a PS2/XBOX gamepad, HOW?
jaydog:
Just wondering if anyone out there have don this before. I opened up a PS2 pad hoping that it would be as straight forward as a madcatz DC pad, unfortunately that wasn't the case. What it is I want to do is build an arcade fighter joystick for my PS2 and XBOX. I want to connect the two gamepads to a printer switchbox that goes to the arcade controlles and have a few questions I hope you guys can help me on.
1. Where are the solder points on the PS2 and XBOX game pads (pictures are helpfull :))
2. Are their any third party game pads that are easier to hack than the main manufacturers? (like the DC MadCatz controller)
3. Is their an easy/safe way to disable the force feedback of the gamepads? I don't want these things jumping around in my arcade controlls, That might be a problem
Again let me take this opportunity to thank all of you in advance for helping me out, u guys ROC!!!!!!!!!!
Jakobud:
Short answer: you really can't.
Long answer: You can't because there are too many analog buttons and joysticks. PS2 controller: every button and joystick is analog....as for the XCrap controller, I think most of the buttons (if not all of them) are analog.
You can't hack analog stuff unless you REALLY know what you are doing. It's not like just soldering two wires for a simple digital button/joystick...
this topic has been discussed many times before...
jakobud
SNAAAKE:
okay dude...the previous guy is right...ps2 is 100% analog so its impossible...WHY KILL YOURSELF and loose all your hair ON HACKING SOMTHING THAT HARD :-[>>>i dont think it even works..so here is a better idea...hack a cheap $5 psx pad...they work with ps2 perfect..and get one of these for x-box...
http://levelsix.com/images/products/xbox/Xbox-PS.jpg
they works super good...very easy to use...and for the switch box..if you really have problem changing the contorls then you can hack 2 psx pads and make a printer switch box interface...TRUST ME>>>this is the easiest way....i am doing this for MAME,DREAMCAST,PS1,PS2,and just got an x-box....me no like x-box :P...
GOOD LUCK DOIN..anything you dont understand....emails are always welcome...
Howard_Casto:
Jakobud, I think your being a bit biased. Xcrap controller? I think not.
Actually it's pretty doable with the xbox as I've yet to find an xbox game that doesn't give you the option of using the dpad and by-passing all of the analog controls. Most of the games actually play pretty good in either mode too. Also since the xbox controller doesn't have all those buttons like the ps2 does, you generally don't run into the same problems we both pointed out in the previous thread. The two "L" buttons are the only analog buttons on the pad. Those two buttons are analog, but i believe the pots (or whatever) that they connect to are on a seperate mini board similar to how the old snes pads were done. But more info on that could be found at xboxhacker.net or some of the other sites.
Also the xbox has one feature that the ps2 lacks which makes it very tempting for hacking, namely it can run mame now!! I'm not talking about a crappy port either, it can run 80-90% of the mame games at full speed! You have to mod your xbox to run it though. There's a new german company that is promising to make a mod chip that will be very easy to install and allow the box to play 3rd party games and apps. There are already mod chips out there but i wouldn't reccomend them as they are hard to install.
Here's the link to the upcoming mod chip I mentioned.
http://workshop.mugenn.de/konsolen/microsoft/xbox/openxbox/index.php?showpage=startenglish.dat
I hate to say it but your right on the psx2 though, it's just too difficult to hack, mostly due to the fact that the controller has way too many buttons and game authors never give you the choice of using the d-pad.
And for the record hacking the xbox to play xbox games with arcade controls is rather pointless. There aren't ANY arcade style games on the xbox except for maybe doa 3. Trust me the xbox games require time to finish and you don't want to be standing in front of a panel while playing. The mame element makes it a good hack though.
jaydog:
thanx a bunch for the feedback. that PS to XBOX adapter looks like it will solve my problem. In response to what games I plan on useing my fighter stick for the XBOX, there are some great fighers comming to that system in the near future, such as soul caliber II, Mortal Kombat:Deadly Alliance, and hopefully Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution (granted, all of these are comming out for the ps2, but i would rather have them running on the most powerful hardware available, wouldn't you?)