Last edited by cyberfluxor; 02-24-2007 at 12:04 PM.
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Click here to view my collection.
DP FFXIV Username & Server List.
PSN, Switch, U, Steam, and Twitch: tellUwut
Yeah, I see that and might just make my own:
http://www.gamesx.com/controldata/usbsatpad/
Seems easy and I know where I can pick up some USB cables for $1 and extra controllers for $3 or less.
[Website] [Gallary] [Games List] [DP Feedback]
Click here to view my collection.
DP FFXIV Username & Server List.
PSN, Switch, U, Steam, and Twitch: tellUwut
I use this one:
Which is reviewed here:
http://www.joy-stick.net/reviews/gamepads/chusbpad.htm
I can't believe that site is still up.. I used to visit it all the time, but it looks like the last update was in 2004.
Someone (ALPS) made a Playstation controller with the exact same casing:
They're actually a lot more comfortable than they look, and they last forever (I've had mine for 6 years.). But I haven't seen one anywhere in ages.
I use this one:
The Powerramp Mite by ACTlabs
I looked around a lot for a contrleer that would suit my needs. It seemd like most that I saw were patterned after the Playstation controller, which meant that they only had four face buttons arranged in a diamond, which doesn't cut it for my needs. I would have bought the Saturn USB one, but it was too expensive. Then I found the Powerramp Mite. It's got a perfect layout, including four shoulder buttons like a Playstation controller as well as the six face buttons. The best thing about it, though, is that it's not USB or even 15-pin gameport, instead it actually plugs into the PS/2 keyboard port and is recognized as a keyboard. That means it's compatible with *EVERYTHING*--old DOS games, eny emulator, newer Windows games, flash games and even Windows itself if you turn on mousekeys under accessibility features--and doesn't require any drivers, installation, callibration or anything like that. All the buttons--including the dpad--are remappable to any keyboard key or even a series of keys and this is done on the pad itself rather than through a piece of software and you can five complete button settings set and select between them with the switch.
Based on all that, I was already sold on the controller, but I was especially happy to find that it's a really good controller physically as well. Very comfortable to hold, the buttons have a perfect feel and even the dpad--which I thought looked and felt pretty weird at first--turns out to be one of the best and most responsive I've ever used.
I've been meaning to buy another one so that I can play two player games. It has a passthrough for a regular PS/2 keyboard (this is also used for programming it with extra keypresses), but I think I should be able to plug a second PowerRamp Mite into it, too.
I just checked ACTlabs' page and the price for the thing has actually gone up from $10 to $20 since I ordered mine, which is sort of odd for such an old controller, but at least they still have it in stock.
...word is bondage...
I used the MS Sidewinder gamepad from its release until about a year ago. Then I snagged the Saitek P880. It is essentially a PS2 dual shock but with only one trigger on each side. The layout is perfect for all the must haves: NES, SNES, N64, MAME. I don't really care about Sega, etc. :P
I use the Thrustmaster Firestorm Dual Analog 3. Wow, that was a mouthful.
Seriously though, it rocks the house. You can get it with force feedback, but I don't prefer it. It is comfortable, responsive, and you get the dual analog controls for games like Robotron and Smash TV. USB Plug and Play and it is pretty cheap. I can't imagine a better controller.
http://www.thrustmaster.com/product....7&PlatformID=5
Such a perfect time for this thread. It's taking place exactly when i am setting up a new emulator box for my living room. I have an X-Arcade, but it's not exactly the greatest for when you are sitting on a couch or with guests.
Was literally doing gamepad research yesterday when i happened upon this thread.. heh
Mangar
http://www.lucid-vision.org
Check out the Thrustmaster I listed above. I have the exact same situation. I have an X-Arcade, but wanted something to play while sitting on the couch with friends. We play mostly arcade emulation like Mame and this thing is fantastic...
My only complaint is that I haven't been able to find a gamepad that has an option to set the gamepad or analog stick to 4 directional for games like Pac Man or Donkey Kong. That would be amazing, but I do not think it exists. It's not imperative to have this, but it would be nice.
Aside from the logitech precision and Saturn usb pads, almost everything posted in this thread has an atrocious dpad. I've used dozens of pc gamepads from gravis, saitek, thrustmaster, logitech, microsoft, and many smaller companies, and 99% of them are pure crap for any game that requires precise diagonals, like fighting games. The sidewinders are among the worst, with a dpad that's rotated about 15 degrees off center. The rest generally have the wonkiest shaped dpads ever, and even the dpads that have nice shapes are usually stiff and unresponsive.
usb to ps2... i find any d-pad other than nintendo or PS style to be unacceptably clumsy. (seems like this is due to patents) the messiness is most evident in games like Zelda which require precise 2d control. (i play Zelda on real hardware anyway because i'm paranoid about timing differences) also find them more comfortable.
Yeah, that's what I thought about the dpad on the Powerramp that I posted about, too, it looks like the most horrible thing I'd ever seen and I thought it would be pretty much useless for fighting games, but in actually using it, I find that I can hit a dragon punch type move more consistently than I even can with a Saturn pad, for example.
What I'd really like is a pad with a clicky stick like the Neo Geo Pocket has. Those are the best type of directionaly input, in my opinion--even better than a real joystick. The only PC pad I know of with that type of stick is the Blaze Viper pad, but unfortunately is has a Playstation button layout
...word is bondage...
I've only ever used the 'clicky' microswitch dpad on a NGPC, but I agree, they really are the best. I should have bought a 6 button NGCD-style pad for PS2 when they were available. I'll have to look into the Blaze Viper. I actually prefer the diamond button layout for everything but Genesis/Saturn games, so it may work well for me.
btw, what's up with that blue thing in the middle of the Powerramp?
Yes, the newer sidewinders are like this. I bought one to replace my gameport sidewinder, but had to return it due to the angled d-pad. Who was the idiot that thought of setting it up that way?
The original gameport Sidewinder has a really tight, accurate d-pad. It also came in a USB version later on. It just doesn't have analog sticks.
I use a USB Xbox 360 gamepad.
Axis pad with dual analog like ps2 controller. Works great as long as it stays calibrated.