Custom modding a 360 controller for manual "legacy" or inverted controls.

[SkiDragon]

I've been thinking about doing this to my 360 controller, so that I am able to play some recent, well-reviewed games like Bioshock and Orange Box that don't allow for legacy. It would also make it easier to steer vehicles in Halo. I hesitate to call them "good" games because any game that does not allow standard control options loses quite a few points on my scale.

I want to add at least one switch to manually switch between default and legacy modes, and possibly a second switch to invert the right joystick y-axis.

I am assuming this should be relatively simple, but I would need the right kind of switches, and a good place in the controller to mount them. Any idea/suggestions?

[SkiDragon]

The switch I need (for the legacy mod) is the kind that takes two inputs and switches between four outputs. Basically just two normal switched in one. I don't know my switch terminology. What kind should I look for? Is this a "Radio Shack product" or will I have to order off of DigiKey or something?

Also, it should be easily mountable on a 360 controller. And, it should obviously be a "flick" switch, not a momentary switch.

Thanks.

EDIT: Ok, I am looking for a DPDT switch.

[SkiDragon]

I don't think anybody cares, but for posterity, here is what I did:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/SkiDragon/DSCF1077-1.jpg

My pathetic workbench. Joysticks removed.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/SkiDragon/DSCF1078-1.jpg

Board with wires installed.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/SkiDragon/DSCF1079.jpg

The only hole I could think of to make the wires come out of. I had to cut down the interior peg of this screw hole as well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/SkiDragon/DSCF1080.jpg

Finished product. The hardest part was getting it back together. It works, but I plan on later mounting it to the controller with hot glue, and maybe shortening the wires.

I used some of the info from this non-switch mod: http://altcntrlgmr.com/?page_id=26

A lot of these pictures are blurry for some reason.

[SkiDragon]

I still don't think that anybody has been following this, but I thought I should inform people that my controller, after working fine for two nights, suddenly stopped working. I started spinning to the right uncontrollably, which is equivalent to the left joystick being held to the right. All other buttons seemed to work. The switch had no effect. I figured a wire must have come loose or shorted out or something, but I could not discover the problem, even after wiring it up like normal and checking for continuity. I have a suspicion that I may have static shocked the exposed wires next to the switch and fried something.

If you try this make sure you insulate all the wires. I should have globbed some hot glue in the switch pins when I did this. I will probably buy a used controller for parts and try again, because the one night of Portal that I was able to play had me hooked.

[whopacha]

iam also a fan of the legacy thumbstick layout and just bought the orange box....

god damn no legacy controller layout....

i modded an original xbox control back in the the day... without a switch... for legacy controller type... i think i'll do the same for my 360 so i can play the oragne box properly....

thx for your continuing posts of your adventure in modding a control... and your links..... greatly appreciated.

[SkiDragon]

Well then you should know that I successfully modded a second controller after the first broke. This time I wore a grounding strap the entire. Removing the joysticks is not necessary. I just cut the traces the second time. Since there is a switch it is automatically reversible. I globbed hot glue like I said, and it has been working fine for a couple of weeks.

Oh, and if I can do it with a soldering iron, I am pretty sure the developers could do it with a few lines of code. I've had enough programming experience to know. I would really like to see a poll of how people preferably control FPS games. I bet they could do that automatically through Halo 3 or something.

[whopacha]

Halo 3 indeed does have the option for legacy control type. as did halo 2 and halo:CE

all of which are awesome games btw.... :)

i did it at work when i was probably supposed to be doin other stuff.... so i didnt do the most professional job ever.... but it works fine... the hardest part was putting the control back together... i realised after i had soldered that i should have run the wires through the opposite side of the board...

if i did it again i'd change how i did a few things... but oh well... it works fine and ive been playing the orange box.... portals in particular.. :)

here are a few pics of my legacy mod....

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2252/1934699986_9d225a739a.jpg

back view.... who needs a seventh screw... i used the hole for my wires :)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2310/1933868703_73c048bc1c.jpg

hardly noticable from the top and easy to switch:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2318/1934701578_0ed98f4e68.jpg

:)

[Ratcoon2]

By Chance could one of you post or email me a step by step on how to perform this mod? I would really like to have a permanent Legacy controller that I can use for all those (crappy) games that do not support the legacy controller type. I don't need the switch, but everywhere I look for how to make a legacy controller I only fine the Southpaw mod - and am not sure which parts to change to make it work for Legacy. Thanks.

Just saw the link to ALT CNTRL GMR, sorry missed it somehow the first time. Thanks

[SkiDragon]

My second controller has now broken as well. I bought a new one to mod, but the controller was a different model, and the traces were in different, less convenient places. I also managed to ruin this controller by pulling the trace up.

Apparently the controllers go through board revisions like the actual 360. My earlier one was "copyright" 2005, and was a "Krypton" model. The newer one was "copyright" 2007, and was a (I think) "Typhon" model.

There is a copyright year on the plastic container the controller comes in, so I am guessing that is an indicator of the year. I now have to find another older model and mod it.

[omnedon]

Your troubles are why I don't take on job requests like that one. Good Luck though.

[SkiDragon]

Just so people are aware, I am pretty sure a static shock killed it. I thought I had insulated everything, but apparently I was wrong. It's strange that it worked for so many months without a mishap and then this happened. I think I found the weak point so I can prevent it next time.

[phreak97]

if you just mounted the switch properly inside the controller instead of having it hanging out, you probably wouldnt have any trouble. it's not so unlikely that wiggling the wires that go back into the controller has moved something in a way that caused damage.

before you give up on the dead controllers, try restoring them to factory, see if they work normally, if they do, then you can start over.

also, how are you wiring the switch? i think theres only one way that would work, but im interested anyway..

[Nitrosport]

Make a small opening at the front of the controller (I don't mean the top), and have the switch be mounted flush. Like Phreak said, the movement of the wires could end up causing a short.

[SkiDragon]

The thing is, I felt myself shock the external switch, and then the next time I tried the controller, it didn't work. I guess I didn't try to restore that one to the original condition. That would require me to bridge the traces that I cut. I don't have a picture of my more recent revisions, but the switch is now solidly hot-glued onto the top of the controller, and I have insulated all of the exposed wires with electrical tape and hot glue. The wires are folded up along the middle of the backside. I didn't want to bother with drilling into the controller to make an opening, and there is very litttle room inside anyway.

I am using a DPDT switch. I could make a diagram, but it is sort of obvious.

[phreak97]

yeah, i thought thats the switch you'd use, id have done it the same.
still, if this one ends up dying you should mount the next one inside.
if you use a wireless controller i believe itll be less susceptable to static as it has no ground line leading anywhere.

[Hifeno]

If anyone is interested I can do this mod for them but without the switch. I just did my wireless controller without cutting any traces. I also did my friends wired controller for him. Email me if you are interested. We can work something out. I am working on doing this one with a switch but it seems kinda unnecessary considering. Most people have two controllers and can switch between the two without risk of ruining a good controller.