Author Topic: Controller usage problems (Read 19488 times)

Soulshudder · « **on:** September 03, 2008, 05:49:04 PM »

I had posted on Acid mods a little while back but only today noticed the game Accessibility section I really need to pay attention and read more. lol Ok back on topic I have a disability that badly limits my mobility and strength more and more over time slowly. 2 yeas ago my only problem for the 360 controller was useing left & right joystick click buttons that I got my dad to fix by adding buttons to the controller. Unfortunately now My problem is that I can't reach the right joystick and that makes it impossible to play any of my games.

So I was hoping if any one could could do a controller up like Foo Foo's and move the right stick to the top but instead of putting the ABXY button one back I would need the extra buttons on the controller face as close to the right side of it as possible under the moved right stick along with the right & left joystick click ones to if this possible it would rock.

I would also pay the person who did this. Also I live In Ontario Canada If anyone likes to know. sorry for long post. Thanks

802Chives · « **Reply #1 on:** September 09, 2008, 12:57:08 PM »

Your post is a little confusing, but what I think you are wanting is to have a joystick put in where the abxy are, and keep abxy somewhere near there?

Pictures are worth a thousand words, so if you can make a little sketch in paint of what you are looking for we can go from there.

also, maybe relocating that right anolog stick to the center of abxy cluster may work, but would have to find a smaller package analog to fit in there, n64 comes to mind as well as dreamcast controller analog but cant remember how big they are.

Soulshudder · « **Reply #2 on:** September 10, 2008, 09:11:31 AM »

Hey thanks for answering & sorry it was confusing XD here's what I photoshoped up now u can use whatever buttons are needed for the ABXY The picture Is basically what I am looking for.

802Chives · « **Reply #3 on:** September 10, 2008, 10:02:27 AM »

oh, so move joystick up and have 6 buttons on face: A B X Y Left click, and Right click. That is an intense mod! But completely doable by all means.

Let me explain the easiest way of doing it, then I will try to look for modder that does this sort of thing for hire for you.

so the body of the controller will need a similar type bondo job seen here in RDCs sinsister sp
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=554324

You will have to do it differently tho obviously

As for the ABXY buttons, you can just throw those away as it would be way too difficult to keep them. Instead we will replace them with buttons like what your dad already did with the thumb click buttons on the smooth bondo like surface you are going to have to make.

To sum it up, we would have to move the whole right joystick assembly and solder wires to jump it to original location. Then we would have to install 6 face buttons in the very simple fashion of running both sides of the switch wires to the the correct traces of the buttons(something I know ur dad can already do)

I think that bondo stuff is the hardest part, and I am sure you could live with a bit of an ugly controller as long as the function is there. So I say try to get ur dad to help you and go for it. If not I will look for an installer for you. Hope you can get back to gaming soon.
-Chad

Soulshudder · « **Reply #4 on:** September 10, 2008, 10:56:21 AM »

Yea that is what I need now I was talking with my dad and he told me he would prefer if I found someone to do this. Mainly because he had a difficult time doing it because of his "big sausage fingers" lol his words. So if you could find someone for me to do this we can go from their. Thanks

802Chives · « **Reply #5 on:** September 10, 2008, 12:51:23 PM »

Sausage Fingers....that is funny, is he a mechanic? My girlfriend's father's nickname is sausage for that very reason, worked on farm and drives truck so all those years of working with hands and diesel tends to swell the fingers.

Was hoping to see someone jump into this thread and offer to mod for you, which may still happen, cept this section is a bit elusive to the avg user to read. I looked briefly and did not find any controller modders for hire.

So here is what you can try in the meantime, if you havnt already, sign up over at Xbox Scene forums and post in the Buy/Sell/Trade section that is here: http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showforum=176

tell them about your problem and that you are looking for someone to mod your controller and that it requires moving a joystick, post your photoshop pic, and explain that you really just need the 6 buttons not the original ABXY packaging. You can also link to this thread since all the info is here. (tell them to skip first couple posts cuz they are confusing) I don't think it should cost too much as it is a good experience builder for a modder and they could document as example of work and post. But don't write that in B/S/T thread, just be as clear as possible and to the point.

I will keep an eye out there and try to clear up any questions people post. Other than that, it will be a couple of months b4 I would be able to tempt this, as my plate is overflowing with stuff right now.

oh yeah, make sure to read the rules with as with any forum there are people just lurking about waiting to bust peoples balls
Good Luck

Soulshudder · « **Reply #6 on:** September 11, 2008, 10:23:52 AM »

Hey thanks I'll give that forum a try & hopefully somebody else will offer their help

thanks again for helping me out.

802Chives · « **Reply #7 on:** September 11, 2008, 11:37:56 AM »

no prob, like I said before, if you don;t find someone, let me know. When my plate clears I will take care of you but as of now my slave driving business partners are running me ragged

but cant blame em cuz they work hard too.

Soulshudder · « **Reply #8 on:** September 12, 2008, 12:26:16 PM »

Well don't let them work you to hard lol Well thanks again And I let you know if do or don't find any moders to help me.

Soulshudder · « **Reply #9 on:** September 12, 2008, 06:15:45 PM »

One other question what do you the think would be the max something like this should cost? like $200 or something. Thanks

802Chives · « **Reply #10 on:** September 12, 2008, 06:37:08 PM »

Not sure, depends on how nice of a job someone does, and how much you want to spend.

Do you want nice paint, expert finish work, painted buttons, rapid fire,rol mod, I would say that would be worth $200

But if you really just want to play, make sure they know that it just has to be functional and have halfway decent body work, and you may be able to do finish work with your dad, if money is tight.

Honestly I was hoping you wouldn't spend more than $50, but that seems like for a basic job $100 is fairly reasonable.

If you want to forward me PMs, or me to talk to who you find, my username over there is chadives. Feel free to forward me anything or ask me quick questions, I usually am there a couple times a day.(as well as here)

Back to the project solution, just mount buttons on like and 1/8" thick piece of plastic or lexan that is cut to a pill shape, and then fit that into the controller with some Bondo (fiber glass resin). would make the mod a lot simpler then doing pure bondo job. Same Idea to fill spot where stick used tobe.

Soulshudder · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2008, 10:37:27 AM »

I've be thinking what exactly has to be done to move the joystick? Do you just have to attach a wire from each original solder point back to the joystick in is new position?

802Chives · « **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2008, 02:47:10 PM »

That is what you would have to do, getting the joystick off the circuit board may be a little tricky, would want to try using either a heat-gun, or there is this some stuff called chipquick that gameroms told me about, that may work:
http://www.curiousinventor.com/store/product/102

Don't know for sure if it will work cuz it is made for surface mount stuff, but may do the job nicely.

then you just have to make sure you isolate the area that you are moving it to with a thin coat of epoxy or JB Weld so the thumbstick doesnt short anything [(make sure you know where you are going to make your button connections before this process called "conformal coating")]. Then with your jumper wires already soldered on to the thumb stick assembly, bond that in the position you want with the same epoxy or JB Weld you used to isolate the area earlier.

If you are thinking of tempting this, let me know and If you need me to I will mark up a photo of the connections on the board you will need to make.

Soulshudder · « **Reply #13 on:** September 14, 2008, 10:10:43 AM »

hey If you don't mind a picture would be good.

I am pretty sure on what to do now but the more help the better.Also if if my attempt at this doesn't work I will just wait till you got the time to do it and pay you for your work.

thanks

802Chives · « **Reply #14 on:** September 15, 2008, 09:10:37 AM »

If you don't have one already, get a Digital Multimeter, or voltage meter(will help a lot) First off I don't know what controller you will be using, so I picked the Matrix version cuz it has been around the longest and is most common. If you have CG version, you will have to cross reference it to these photos. These photos are taken by RDC and for all his pics and wisdom on controllers follow this link:
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=471958
goto controller section and read up!

Here is pic for the six buttons, picture does not represent where I suggest making button connections, rather a place to start and look for where you want to make connections. The colors that RDC used in the pictures are the same from front to back so just cuz I have it marked on the front doesn't mean the connection cant be made on the back.(you will see what I mean by looking where the left thumbstick is supposed to be)

Now here is the pic for the back of the controller with right thumbstick marked(it is on left side of pic cuz it is the bottom and everything is flipped)

since the thumbstick press is being added to another button there are really only 6 connections that need to be made from the thumbstick assembly to the pads. In all reality it will probably be only be 4 connections since the outside pads of each of the 3 pads are most likely common to eachother(one is 1.5v positve rail one is groundish for each set of three). You can check if they are common by using a multimeter continuity checker(checks for electrical connection and beeps) and checking all the 6 pads to each other in all combinations. But don't stress you can always just make the 6 connections and not worry bout it.

The pads marked with light yellow are mounting pads and do nothing electrically, so no need to reconnect. Wires from thumbstick can go through holes and be soldered on the bottom since top has soldermask over holes (I think) Just keep asking questions when they come up. Good luck

I have no problem if you want me to do it, but would like you to see u guyz attempt it cuz it is actually pretty simple mod. But regardless I will be available hopefully end of Oct or Nov, depending on how well deer season goes for me

(Bow and or Rifle, for your sake hopefully I tag out in Bow)

Soulshudder · « **Reply #15 on:** September 16, 2008, 12:03:42 PM »

Hey your

thanks. When it gets started I'll keep you post on the progress hopefully with pictures.

Thanks again.

Soulshudder · « **Reply #16 on:** September 24, 2008, 09:38:41 AM »

Well it finally had been started right now the abxy are all set up to go on the bored.So It's progressing

802Chives · « **Reply #17 on:** September 24, 2008, 09:50:28 AM »

Yaaa! Was wondering if you guys were actually going to try this. I think getting the joystick off the board is going to be the most trouble. I think gameroms did it recently with a product called chip quick. When the time comes if you have difficulty, I will get him to post some pointers on how to do it.

Keep on keepin on.
-Chad

Soulshudder · « **Reply #18 on:** October 02, 2008, 02:04:07 PM »

Ok just got the joystick rewired but when I test it with halo 3 it just keeps spinning left any Ideas on how to fix it? thanks

802Chives · « **Reply #19 on:** October 03, 2008, 06:32:13 AM »

can you get it to stop turning left with the joystick by pushing it right? sounds like your connections are a little screwwed up, if you tied the middle line of that potentiometer in the joystick to either side of where it is supposed tobe this would happen. I would triple check your connections to make sure you didnt bridge any solder from the middle pins to either the outside ones.(on the board and joystick)

There is also a chance this could be a mechanical issue where the joystick actual connects to its potentiometer. I have never lookd at that interface so I am not sure that it is even possible for that to happen. But if it was like a rack and pinion setup it may have slipped and caused that effect. Let me know what you find out, and if you cant figure it out take a picture of your connections and what not.

Soulshudder · « **Reply #20 on:** October 03, 2008, 01:52:05 PM »

my dad redid it again an now it goes left & right & up but always goes down unless I push the joystick in another direction. I will send a picture as soon as I find my camera.

802Chives · « **Reply #21 on:** October 21, 2008, 11:12:32 AM »

ATTENTION MODDERS: Soulshudder needs some help getting this mod done to a controller. If anyone is interested in performing the work for a small fee Please contact me.

I can also sweeten the pot with some Acidmod's Rapid Fire Kits or a AM PreModded Rapid Fire Controller if people are into a bartering for the service.

I cant take time to do the mod myself but am busy trying to help with making Acidmods #1 with new mods and products.

I really want to get this guy up and gaming again because he has been really patient with trying to do it himself and he has given it his best try. So please help, I will be available for support with this mod if questions arise.

SN!P3R · « **Reply #22 on:** October 21, 2008, 01:09:59 PM »

hey chives, i can do it. i PM'ed you. my cousin broke his wrist, so i made a arcade style controller for his ps2. it took a week, but i got it done.

WatIis · « **Reply #23 on:** October 24, 2008, 11:13:25 AM »

You should look at ben hecks custom controllers. He makes controllers for people with all sorts of dissabilities. I know he has one for one handed people. You should contact him, im sure he would be happy to help you out, and he uses cnc machining, so it would be very customizable.

Soulshudder · « **Reply #24 on:** October 24, 2008, 04:35:09 PM »

Thanks i will check that out.

treemty · « **Reply #25 on:** November 05, 2008, 01:54:29 PM »

Pssst,
soulshudder I am almost done

Soulshudder · « **Reply #26 on:** November 06, 2008, 02:25:30 PM »

really cool because i thought only 1 person was working on one thanks. do you have any pictures? I would love to see your progress.

treemty · « **Reply #27 on:** November 06, 2008, 05:44:22 PM »

do you have aim or msn? I want to keep the progress as secret as possible

802Chives · « **Reply #28 on:** November 07, 2008, 05:43:07 AM »

progress isn't really secret per say, just want to keep everything under wraps so that when Treemty does finish he will have nice clean slate to post his work on.

Want to avoid preposting critizism and worthless comments that so many projects suffer from. hate having to look through 2 pages of is it done yet posts or where is the tutorial posts

Soulshudder · « **Reply #29 on:** November 07, 2008, 08:26:52 AM »

Ok sorry about that I completely understand I wouldn't like a bunch of comments like that either. I just got super excited hearing that there was work being done.

I have also been following Systems redesigned 360 controller I am thinking now that i'll need to get one of those as well to see which one works best for me

although I would need the opposite joystick moved to the top.

I really think it's cool

what can be done to the controllers it makes me really optimistic that playing games will be fun again and not so hard.

News:

Author Topic: Controller usage problems (Read 19488 times)