I want to create an arcade stick for the Wii. I don't want to use the GC controller, I want to hack my Classic Controller. I also want to keep Analog Control intact using analog joysticks or even just having the thumb sticks on there, but I'd rather use the actual joystick. As remnants of my failed MAME controller, I already have an analog joystick, the UltraStik 360 (from Ultimarc). Is there anyway to hack on of those to send signals to the Wii through my Classic Controller.
@metakirby, I've been toying with this notion for a while now and can't formuate a gameplan either. I think it comes from the fact that there is no third-party market for nintendo controllers now...maybe try the indie developer forums somewhere else, where they discuss stuff like people using the balance board to control WoW and people doing the IR tracking demos or something...maybe you could figure out how the controller communicates on one of those sites, but I haven't found any info on how the Classic "talks" to the system, and short of taking one apart and trying to figure out how the microswitches work or even if that traditional design is still at work in the classic (and even so, you'd still need to make it wirelessly interface with the Wii) I am out of strategies. I'm stuck using my X-arcade in my GC adaptor and hoping/praying the game supports GC controllers.
I don't even know how you'd attempt analog joystick support...8 "button" arcade joysticks make perfect sense, but analog has always eluded me.
I would be okay with just a 4 way joystick, but I want the analog so if any analog joystick arcade games come out on the VC. I could probably just mount the thumb sticks, but I already have an analog joystick. I could always sell it on craigslist, but I bought it so I could play arcade games authentically.
I think your main hurdle would be calibrating the analogue stick; you might try to find some general documentation on analogue joysticks relating to restoring old arcade cabinets or from people who've built rigs for custom MAME cabinets or built custom analogue controllers for Playstation just to get some theory.
I've built my own Jaguar and Playstation controllers using arcade parts and bits of scrap wood, but I was strictly working with the digital side of thing and didn't attempt to implement any analogue controls.
I wish I could find a way to mod my HORI Wii Fighting Stick so the stick is mapped to the analog stick of the Classic Controller as opposed to the D-pad! I can't play ANY Smash Bros. with this thing, and that's what I originally bought it for!
Because of the VC Arcade. I am one of those purists who buys all the adapters or plays them on the original system. Unfortunately, for arcade and quite frankly NEO GEO, it's just too expensive. And if an analog arcade game comes out, I'll be stuck with crappy thumb sticks. And the GC controller, just flat out sucks to use on some games.
@ 8. Catham
That's another reason I need an analog joystick. For enjoying fighting games the way they were meant to be enjoyed.
I've made that same post...I think people have incorrectly used the term analog...
@Chatham, @ataffa1, @those who own any arcade-style stick and are confused about analog sensitivity
As far as I understand, HORI's cannot emulate analog sensitivity. If you look "under the hood" (if it's anything like my two setups and the third I plan on building) you'll see 4 buttons, pressed by levers, activated when the joystick presses against them....I don't know how analog devices sense pressure, but I know this is why arcade joysticks had so much customization and could pull off such exact moves--there were no in-betweens. You'd need a completely different part for an analog joystick, and it wouldn't be in any arcade sticks...they all do the 4 or 8-direction thing only, depending on the insides.
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I know you say you don't like gamecube controllers, but have you ever thought about cutting the middle man (the wii remote) and using a wavebird that you modified into an arcade stick? Ah, but then there is the compatibility issue with certain games.... either way more power to you, and make sure to take pictures of your work (if you dont video record it) not only does it make an interesting thing to look at for everyone else but you can see where you might have messed up in the previous step while building it. oh and btw, heed the wise words of seanaaron (#6) calibrating analog sticks is no fun from what I hear. You would be better off just getting an eight direction stick and trying to put one of those bad boys in there. Analog is nice but is it worth the hassle?
Not just classic ones, SSBB is one. Also any game with analog control or just dual joystick.
Fair enough, I thought you were focused on playing arcade games that come to the Wii with arcade controls.
You should definitely read up on potentiometers which is what analogue joysticks and some paddle controllers use (some use encoding wheels like the spinner in Tempest or the Atari 2600 driving paddle) to send signals indicating positional information to the CPU. If you get an arcade analogue stick the part maker could be helpful.
I would say that you're not likely to get great results using an analogue joystick with a game built for digital controls due to the greater amount of travel they tend to have and less precision. If you're serious about it you're probably looking at two different controllers: one for digital and one for analogue. I just adapted to using a dual-stick pad with a nice d-pad (the Classic Controller) since that seems to cover it; the wiimote will make a nice paddle/spinner controller in the right hands (either pointer or twisting information seems to work great for that).
If you do proceed it would be great to post your results for others to use in their own projects.
That would be sweet if there was a Wii controller that looked like the joystick for plug and play Namco. I wish I could find a way to mod my HORI Wii Fighting Stick so the stick is mapped to the analog stick of the Classic Controller as opposed to the D-pad! I can't play ANY Smash Bros. with this thing, and that's what I originally bought it for!
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Topic: Wii Classic Controller Hack
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