Console Emulation

[mlalena]

I was just wondering how people dealt with emulation with newer consoles, and the great number of buttons required.

Newer game console emulators can have up to 21 buttons.
I figure a standard joystick + 7 button layout can be used as 13 buttons:

• Joystick: as the main joystick on the controller - Acts as 4 buttons
• Standard 7 button layout
• P1 Start: as the start button
• P1 Coin or Pause: use as select

Most people seem to ignore the lower trigger buttons and the D-Pad to get down to a normal button count. I was wondering if anyone did anything different. My kids are too young (think button mashers) so a shift-key concept won't work.

I don't want 2 joysticks + 13 buttons for player 1. I want something small and flush with the CP that is obviously for special purpose. I don't want to dedicate control panel space for a new joystick just so I can look around without moving in 007 on N64.  I looked for other options and found this:
Starpoint Joystick Pushbutton: http://gamingstuff.com/game_joy.asp

Note that I can't even find this product on the manufacturer's web site: http://www.starpoint.uk.com/
I can't find a price and it doesn't look like it will mount to wood.

Found this on Digikey, but too expensive: http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=CKN9538-ND

This might work but looks fragile. Only $1.40 but minimum order is 1000 units. This is more like something you put into a stereo.

http://www.newark.com/alps/skquaaa010/navigation-switch-4way/dp/59M1981
This version can be pushed: http://www.newark.com/alps/skqucaa010/navigation-switch-5way/dp/59M1983

I will continue to look, but does anyone else have any ideas?

These are the snapshots of the controller layout screens in the different emulators.
PSX - 14 buttons


PS2 - 21 buttons


Nintnedo 64 - 18 buttons


Gamecube - 21 buttons


XBox and PS3 emulation isn't really working yet, but figure a similar button count and layout

[severdhed]

it has been my experience that most console games just don't play that well with arcade controls.  yeah, certain genres work ok like fighters or platformers, but trying to play goldeneye on arcade controls just plain sucks.  why not just use gamepads?  emulators exist so you can closely recreate the experience of playing the original game...thats why we want arcade cabinets for arcade emulators.  so why not use a gamepad when emulating console games that were originally played with a gamepad?

it is pretty easy to make a few adaptors to use original xbox controllers on your PC, they have plenty of buttons for just about any emulator you want to play.

[dkubarek]

Here is a simple solution. Make/Keep your cab the way you have it and include a USB hub under the control panel. That way you can plug aftermarket controllers into it. I got a Phillips dual-shock PS2 controller that works for about anything with analog sticks for $15US. I plan to do this for my next cab to also make room for more players. In the rare case when 4 people want to play, players 3 and 4 can just plug in to play.

[DJ_Izumi]

I agree with the idea of just putting ports on the cab to allow for external controllers when needed.

Goldeneye 64 (or ANY FPS game) on an arcade CP would just plain suck.

[mlalena]

OK, I will investigate the hand held controllers.

Follow up question.

My P1 & P2 buttons are driven from my U360's w/ the button harness. This means that they are recognized as game controller buttons and do not generate key click events.
The emulators for some of the consoles don't support game controller buttons - NES...

Is there a solution to this? Is there a U360 (or 3rd party) plug-in / driver that can convert the game button events into key click events?

[dkubarek]

I'm a newbie so I might not understand the question. But there are programs that convert to keystrokes. Not sure offhand what they are. For the handheld controllers, some can do keystrokes or game controller (via analog/digital toggle switch). The one I mentioned does. You could just use the start and select buttons on the controller for those emulators, too.

[Dazz]

On my cabinet we went with control adapters.  It is by far the next best thing to having the original console hooked up.  I have all original console controls hooked up, but trying to keep them all organized is a nightmare.

[dkubarek]

yea, they're pricey, too. that's why I went with a universal one. But it does suck for Golden Eye and other N64 games, for sure.

[Franco B]

Just FYI, arcadeshop.de has a 4-way digital panel mount thumbstick for 4 Euro's, I don't know if its of any use to you.



[Linky]

[mlalena]

Found an answer to my second question.
This will convert joystick input to keyboard input.
http://www.electracode.com/4/joy2key/JoyToKey%20English%20Version.htm

[Bluedeath]

back in the 80's and 90's people used to spend bug bucks to play their videogames games with proper arcade controls. some games (beat/shoot'em ups)  played better some worse (try to play catlevania X with an arcade joystick and you will und3rstand what i mean), best compromise for console is to buy a good PSX -> USB adaptor find one that has a very low lag, and you are done. if you want to use it in ca cab just create an hidden USB port somewhere.

[Todd H]

I've been trying to get PS1 and N64 games to play well on my panel and I've just about given up. I have a four port USB hub mounted under my control panel and I think I'm just going to buy some X-Box 360 controllers and use them for those consoles.

[massive88]

I already have an Xbox360, so for console emulation I use the wireless dongle which stays totally hidden.

My second controller is normally synced with the arcade machine, and if I need another one its easy enough to get to that its not a huge hassle.

There is a small amount of latency, and the Dpad on the controller stinks, but the dongle was only $15, and it keeps it totally hidden and wireless, which is great imo.

 http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360wirelessgamingreceiver/

If a game needs all the buttons to be played, you wont want to play it without a real controller layout anyway.  Those games that work well on the arcade machine are the ones that only require an 8-way and up to 6 buttons.

[Todd H]

Another advantage I've found is that a lot of PC games that don't work with arcade controls work very well with a 360 controller. The last PC version of Madden works like a champ with 360 controllers but doesn't work well at all with my U360.

I've been thinking of buying that dongle so that I can use the wireless 360 with the PC version of Guitar Hero.

[massive88]

Personally I love it.

I played through Super Metroid, half of Super Mario World and so far 14 hours of FF12 with it.

I noticed on some of the more timing specific aspects of Super Metroid and Super Mario World that it was a little more frustrating than I remember it being on the actual machine, but it was totally playable, and the ease of how it works is worth it imo, again, especially since I already had the 360 controllers.

I currently also have a USB to PSX2 converter for using my PS2 Guitars on FoF.  I could use them with my ps2 controllers to reduce the latency, but I always resort to the ease of wireless.

[getnate]

I already have an Xbox360, so for console emulation I use the wireless dongle which stays totally hidden.....

That's what I'm doing. My cab is not done but the wireless dongle will be hidden on the keyboard tray. It would be nice to play a console game with the original controller but that's a lot of controllers. I really like the feel of the xbox360 controller so I am using it for all my console games.

Another nice aspect is that I only built a 2 player cabinet so I can't play 3-4 players games (teenage mutants, gauntlet, simpsons, rampage, etc..) . But my 2 extra xbox360 controllers allows two more players for 4 player action. It's not authentic but atleast they aren't left out.