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Thread: All-digital PS2 controllers? (Read for Clarification)

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    ServBot (Level 11) Edmond Dantes's Avatar
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    Default All-digital PS2 controllers? (Read for Clarification)

    So,

    Recently I picked up the Mega Man Anniversary Collection. Usually with retro compilations on PS2, I plug in a PS1 controller because PS2 controllers were when Sony was messing with everything, including buttons, being analog so you could mash them harder for more of an impact (like going slightly faster in a racing game). I dunno about most people, but I find PS2 controllers make retro games a bit of a pain and make me less confident in my playing (also playing Mega Man 7 with a PS2 controller actually hurt my thumb, I kid you not).

    But MMAC is one of those games that decided to be a bastard and FORCE you to use a PS2 controller. I tried using a PS1 controller and the game outright told me that it needs to be a PS2 controller.

    Well that sucks.

    So, I'm wondering what controllers exist that are for PS2 and will work with games like MMAC but are all-digital? The only ones I'm aware of are the Nuby Street Fighter Anniversary controllers.

    Thanks in advance.

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    Peach (Level 3) Koa Zo's Avatar
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    Sorry I'm of no help here, but just wanted to chime in with my own gripe about PS2 and digital controller.
    The PS1/PS2 line of accessories has to be the most convoluted of any platforms.

    From my experience (going through a library of over 100 PS2 games, very few PS2 games allow use of PS1 digital controllers.
    My sore realization of this came after years of searching for an ASCii Stick Zero 3 (and paying nearly $200 for a mint boxed one). The Zero 3 is the only optical stick with a rumble feature, it was to be my ultimate PS2 Rez controller.
    Imagine my disbelief when after years of searching online retailers (this was late 2000s. They are more readily available now, though still rare), I finally get one and feverishly unbox it and get ready to play and then the directional input is just stuck in the down position.
    And then I find out that PS1 digital sticks just aren't compatible with DualShock protocol! WTF.

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    Default

    I ran into a similar situation. Many, many years ago when I went to build my first arcade stick I used the PCB from an old PS1 Madcatz dual-shock knockoff pad that was complete garbage so it wouldn't be missed. Imagine my surprise after soldering all the points up and installing everything that it would not work on a lot of PS2 fighters.

    I ended up buying a cheap digital-only PS2 pad from Wal-Mart for $9.99 and have not had any incompatibility issues since then. I cannot for the life of me remember the brand or anything, but I bought it around 2001/2002.

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    ServBot (Level 11) Edmond Dantes's Avatar
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    So, I tested my Street Fighter Anniversary controller on the Mega Man Anniversary Collection, and guess what?

    THE GAME WON'T ALLOW IT! It still says to plug in a Dual Shock 2.

    Head, meet desk.

    Seriously, they must've realized the mistake because the later X collection lets you use PS1 controllers just fine (as do both the Capcom Classics Collections).

    But right now I'm thinking my best bet might be to use a daisy chain of adapters, similar to what people do to get a neGcon working with PS2 games... like plug a PS1 controller into a PS2->Gamecube adapter, but then plug that adapter into a Gamecube->PS2 adapter. I have no idea if this'll work but if I can find the adapters cheaply enough, its worth trying.... well kind of.

    I honestly almost wish I had gone for the Gamecube version instead. The only problem I had there was the Gamecube's D-pad is small and basically unusable. Some people complain about how B is jump and A is shoot, but to me that makes sense due to the controller's layout (I remember once using a PS2 to Gamecube adapter tho and, well, Square for Jump is just awkward).

    Either way, I'm becoming more and more convinced the only thing this collection is good for is owning the two arcade games. Speaking of which, I played Power Battle this morning and did I just get good, or has this game always been piss-easy? (I only died twice, once was to Heat Man, another was to the Yellow Devil)

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    I've have a few different PS1 and PS2 digital controllers that I've collected over the years, none of them work. I've tried PS2 Saturn & SF Anniversary, PS1 Hori, Ascii, and Madcatz. Except for the Madcatz pad, all of these controllers have the official Playstation logo on them, but I guess that wasn't good enough.

    Oh well, if the converters don't work, the Mega Legacy Collection 1 & 2 is available on various platforms so you can buy all these games again.

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    ServBot (Level 11) Edmond Dantes's Avatar
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    I really want to pick up Legacy Collection 2 at least. I never owned any of the consoles MM9 and 10 originally released on so for me the LC is my first real ability to play those games (kinda wish they'd come to GOG but I'll end up getting Steam if its necessary... or I might possibly buy a Switch since that can be played as a portable unit and thus I won't have to get an HDTV for it).

    As it is, now I'm burned out on Mega Man, so in my current state I could just as easily do a long game of saving up and buying cartridges individually (though as mentioned, I already have a multicart of all the NES ones, wouldn't have even thought to buy real carts if not for that post about how repros can damage NESes and my NES gave me a bit of a scare recently).

    Still wanna play 9 and 10 tho just because I remember the Happy Video Game Nerd raving about 9 but then being a bit of a downer about 10 and I wonder if that was just him being burned out or if there's legit issues there. (Also he claimed to not be able to get Sheep Man's weapon to help him but the footage he showed looked like he was just messing up and... well, do you ever watch other people play a game and you wonder if you could do better? Not as an egotistical thing, but just like, you think you see what the problem is but since its a video on the internet, you can't exactly test your theory?)

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    Apparently the Steam versions, unlike the vast majority of single player Steam games, do not work when Steam is in offline mode. I also read that the Switch physical version will only have Legacy Collection 1, Collection 2 will be a download code. That might be something to look into if you decide to go the Switch route.

    I don't think the collections will be released on GOG since they would have to be DRM free.

    Might be worth buying a clone system to use your multicart on. You can get something like a Retron 1 for around $20-30 shipped, from what I've read it works with multicarts. Not sure what the quality of the system is, though. Given that I was buying games back in the day and later when prices online were much lower, I just can't pay the prices that some of these games go for now.

    My Mega Man skills aren't the the greatest (so I'm fine with the PS2 collections, even using the standard controller), but there's definitely times where I see other people playing and wonder what they are doing. Then again, sometimes I'll die in a game and then wonder afterwards about why I didn't do some other things. Guess it depends on where your mind and emotions are at the time you are playing.
    Last edited by sancoa; 03-22-2018 at 10:02 PM.

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    ServBot (Level 11) Edmond Dantes's Avatar
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    I'm thinking about getting a clone, though I actually have two working NESes (one I just found in storage, cleaned and tested and got it working) but yeah...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Edmond Dantes View Post
    I honestly almost wish I had gone for the Gamecube version instead. The only problem I had there was the Gamecube's D-pad is small and basically unusable. Some people complain about how B is jump and A is shoot, but to me that makes sense due to the controller's layout (I remember once using a PS2 to Gamecube adapter tho and, well, Square for Jump is just awkward).
    There's a hack available for the Gamecube version that swaps the buttons. (Of course, to use that on a real Gamecube, you'd need a mod of some sort.) I imagine hacking PS1 pad into the PS2 version is probably not so straightforward.

    Speaking of which, I played Power Battle this morning and did I just get good, or has this game always been piss-easy? (I only died twice, once was to Heat Man, another was to the Yellow Devil)
    I think it's one of those games that is more about setting high scores and best times. I remember it made a nice quick break one year when I was studying for exams.

    There's a standalone Japanese-only PS2 release named "Rockman Power Battle Fighters" that apparently includes some nice new features not found in the Anniversary Collection version. (Maybe it supports PS1 controllers?)
    "There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." --Bertrand Russel (attributed)

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