Steam - Windows Planning to make a custom controller; any help would be appreciated.

[DapperEntity]

Spoiler: Reasoning; You can ignore if you just want technical stuff.

Hello there! Those of you who know me, move on. Those who don't, move on. Those who couldn't care less, move on.

After playing Skullgirls for a few days, I fell in love with the controls on keyboard. However, the buttons on my keyboard don't fit my fingers that well, and they're noisy at that. This made me decide to buy an arcade stick. However, I've had some bad experiences with joysticks (I'm looking at you, Mahvel blocking), so I planned on going joystick-less. But wait! I couldn't just buy a Hitbox controller; the directional inputs were on the wrong side! After using arrow keys on the right side of my keyboard for so long, I can't switch the directional inputs to my left hand just like *that*. Which brings us to this, my left-handed stickless controller designed specifically for Skullgirls.

So, basically, what you're doing here is remapping a keyboard with less keys.

The controller I have in mind is kind of like a left-handed Hitbox controller, to put it simply. Those of you unfamiliar with a Hitbox, that means it has directional buttons instead of a stick. I've never made a controller before (or anything physical, for that matter), so I was hoping to get some assistance with things such as:

• How do I map keys? The stick won't do any good if I can't actually use it.
• Is there anything in particular I need to know about the construction/electrical work so I don't blow myself up?
• Is it worth the potential costs? I've yet to put together an actual price on how much it'll cost to make, but if it's too pricey, it's not worth it.
• What buttons would you guys recommend? I know this sounds silly, but I'd really like some medium-sized ones with a kind of "click" when they've registered a press.
• Preference in button placement? I've got a layout in mind, and I think it'll work for me, but I'd like some input (no pun intended) from experienced stick players.

Spoiler: The layout; excuse the poor MS Paint drawing

Probably the most important bit; would a macro for LP+LK and other button combinations be tournament-legal? As in, one-button grab? I recognize that different tournaments have different rules, so I ask this for common tournaments. If it's typically fine, I definitely want to put that in there, as I've been burst-baited so many times because I accidentally got j.LP instead of a tech.

TL;DR I can't find a tutorial to make a left-handed stick-less PC controller, so I'm relying on you guys to help and explain things.

 

[Vadsamoht]

Don't have time to write out a long post, but my general suggestion for approaching this (also what I did for this):

1. Buy a cheap stick that works with your system, then open it up and use the parts out of it. Notably, you're going to want pretty much everything as it already is and you'll basically just be cutting the wires to the switches on the joystick module and soldering your new buttons onto that.
2. Buy the buttons you're going to use, then get a shoebox or something sturdy and mess around with different button configurations on the face until you're happy with it.
3. THEN worry about the electronics.

It's not hard. I'd also suggest looking at Sanwa 24 or 30mm buttons for directions or else Cherry MX keyswitches of whatever colour suits your tactile preference.

 

[Fizzxwizz]

macros are very legal in skullgirls. I don't know about other ones though.

Also I don't know if you're going to find a reasonable solution for an input peripheral that is quiet. Sticks are kinda loud, unless you get silent buttons.

As far as button sizes go, for arcade sticks there are like two sizes to choose from.

There is very little chance you'll blow anything up, but there is always the possibility of breaking your PCB in the process.

 

[DapperEntity]

Sorry, but what's a PCB? It's getting late and I can't be bothered to look it up at this hour. I'm assuming it's not something I want blown up.

Vadsmoht, we're probably going to be making a custom frame for the controller, as what you're saying about buying a cheap stick and swapping parts out won't exactly work well unless we find a frame for a left-handed stickless controller... Which we can't, which is why we're making a custom controller in the first place.

And to clarify: I'm not left-handed, I just prefer using my non-thinky hand for combos.

 

[Stuff]

But you had time to type all this you would've found out if you just looked it up. It's the circuit board in a controller or stick or a lot of things that use electricity thing is it's what makes your controller work by receiving and sending inputs.

Not only that you can get someone to make a custom plate to replace the plate from the stick. There are people who have modified their te2s to support the hitbox layout. Or you can do it yourself if you have the tools. (If I had money I could cut out my own plexi to make my eightarc stick support the hitbox layout)

 

[Vadsamoht]

PCB = printed circuit board. The green bits with the electronics. I'm suggesting that you buy a stick for this bit, the USB cable and the buttons, then throw away the case and build your own.

 

[DapperEntity]

Ah, got it. Thanks for the explanation.

So, to recap, and make sure I actually understand what you guys are saying:
You want me to buy a cheap stick, harvest its PCB and any parts I may need from it, then stick it in my own frame?

 

[Vadsamoht]

Basically, yes.

EDIT: Also, you'll need to learn to solder, if you don't already know. It's not hard, but somewhat unavoidable.

 

[DapperEntity]

Also, you'll need to learn to solder, if you don't already know. It's not hard, but somewhat unavoidable.

I happen to live with a guy who used to fix cars for a living, so I think we're good on that part.

So thanks, everyone! I think we ("we" being my stepdad and I) are good to go! It'll probably be done by August if everything goes well.

 

[IsaVulpes]

I've been burst-baited so many times because I accidentally got j.LP instead of a tech.

I don't get this statement; you will also trigger burst if you input LP+LK?!

On that note, a standard macro button should be fine.. no need to hardwire LP+LK;
In the games where buttonbinds are allowed, they generally are possible in the menu (see: Skullgirls).

 

[DapperEntity]

I don't get this statement; you will also trigger burst if you input LP+LK?!

On that note, a standard macro button should be fine.. no need to hardwire LP+LK;
In the games where buttonbinds are allowed, they generally are possible in the menu (see: Skullgirls).

I meant reset. Blergh. I'll fix it. Regarding macros, I'm pretty sure it only gives me HK+MP and MK+HP. I dunno.

 

[Pickles]

I have no idea how it is on stick but on pad you just have like button1, button2, etc. and in SG at least you just bind "button7" or whatever to be the macro button and set what the macro button does from within SG, no need to wire the macro button to any specific input combination like Isa said. Because of this you should also be able to macro any combination not just those default ones you listed.