Anyone got a gamepad? Which rocks and which blows?

Computer Hardware
#1

Hello fellow freaks. I have done the unthinkable and gotten involved in Top Spin, the roxxoring game that everybody thought were xbox-only but turned out to be released in PC flavour on oktober 15th. A demo is already out and I am currently playing that on keyboard, which of course gets a little awkward. But I am too poor/cheap to buy an xbox.

I have a joystick and a wheel and pedals but alas, a gamepad is missing. So I turn to you to tell me which gamepad is the most leet gamepad.
Buying an xbox controller and an adapter could be fun but those MS things cost fortunes. I am more looking at Logitech and Saitek stuff.

#2

I stopped buying gamepads, I now mod my own from the original.

I believe that games are made to be played with with design of the current console in mind, and that such a gamepad is best for that game.

You can always buy imitaion gamepads I suppose, but making your own is so much more fun and after its done and works, you get great gratification from it.

#3

Article ID 32-4050 @ clasohlson.se if you have a PSX laying around, works very well although I haven’t tried it with Top Spin.
//Danne

#4

FOUND IT

just in case you are interested

 
PlayStation Controllers
To hook up the second controller duplicate all connections except DB25-10
and DB25-12. For pad 2, replace the DB25-10 connection with a connection
to DB25-13, and the DB25-12 with DB25-15. Note that the parallel port
may not be able to supply enough power to run a second controller, and
you may only be able to run one at a time without using an external power
supply.
This interface has been built and tested by different folks on several
analog, digital, Sony(tm) and clone pads. Be aware that it is different
from SnesKey's interface, and that I will not be supporting SnesKey's
version since I cannot get it running reliably on my system.
The PSX-POV controller differs in that the d-pad is used as a POV hat
instead of the U-V axis pair. Most games that support POV hats will
work with this controller configuration.
If you've double-checked your wiring and are still having troubles,
try using the Advanced tab in the control panel to increase the PSX
scan delay, try between 3-10 and hit Apply!, then check the Configure
tab to see if the slowdown helped out.
Playstation Force Feedback
The optional line is only necessary if you are running a Dual-Shock pad
and want to use force feedback. If you're not running a dual-shock pad,
or don't want to use force feedback, don't hook anything up to the
optional (pad pin 3) pin/line.
Please take care when hooking up the 9V supply! Incorrect hookup may
cause problems with the pad or printer port. Do not attempt to power
the shock motor from your parallel port, this will not work and could
cause damage to the port.
I've only got a few games to test the interface on, and most work
just fine within the pad's simple limitations. A known issue with
Flight Simulator 98 is that after a crash no shock vibrations will be
felt. The simple workaround is to deselect "Crash Effects" in the
forces setup dialog. Other games, like NFS3, Viper Racing (demo),
and Rogue Squadron work fine with some tweaking.
**Note to Users of Genuine Sony Dual-Shock Pads
I've been informed that the first time force feedback is initialized
in the game your pads may switch from analog to digital mode. There's
no workaround other than to just reselect analog mode on the pad. My
clone pad uses a physical switch so it doesn't suffer from this
problem, nor can I debug it.
#5

i have a Saitek P880 and it’s great if you don’t mind having a cord and don’t need rumble. the button layout is similar to an original xbox controller, but the dual analog sticks are positioned like a ps2 controller (which i prefer). the P880 would get a lot more playing time if i didn’t also have an xbox. :stuck_out_tongue:

their rumble and wireless controllers have the same layout, so if you want/need those features, you should look into one of those.

#6

I got myself a P880 after reading AZI’s comments and now it is even easier to get a powershot on Topspin :bigsmile:
Though my hands are getting sweaty from that rubber-coating (but they do that on Xbox -controllers too).

Installation and setup has been a breeze so far, and it has a blue LED too! (shiny shiny)
And it didnt cost a fortune (like cough MS controllers cough) either.

#7

I’m still using my classic MS Sidewinder controller :slight_smile:

@Airhead: For handsweat you should get one of those funny fan gamepads

#8

Thats a cool thingy! But I think finding one on this side of the atlantic may be as easy as finding TY in a local supermarket…

#9

Not that hard…


//Danne

#10

Just a little sidenote: the Logitech XBOX controllers rock! I have both MS and Logitech controllers and I think the Logitech controllers are so much better… they feel better, react better and are about 30% cheaper!

Connecting a PS2 controller to the PC could be a great option as well. I know they work in Linux, so I guess they’ll do the job in Windows as well. All you need is a little convertor. A friend of mine bought such a convertor, along with a gamepad, together for just €49.

#11

Somebodys been playing with a marker pen on that one… :stuck_out_tongue:

#12

Well the xbox controllers use standard usb hardware so rewiring those to pc is a snap. And drivers are readily available too. I also modded a usb port into one of my xbox controllers, the standard ms one, and now I can use my usb jumpdrive as a memory card :slight_smile: I also have the wireless logitech xbox gampad and it feels great. It should also work on PC with proper wiring of the receiver.

Also a sidenote, having the usb stick able to plug into controller makes it easy to load gamesaves from the pc to xbox (Wink wink :wink: :wink: )

#13

you will never go wrong getting a sidewinder USB tho

#14

i like the interact axispad … much like a PS2 controller, but the vibration in XP is a bit shakey … doesnt always like to work right.

and, at wallyworld, you can pick one up for about 17$.

screw paying M$ 30-50 dollars for a creaky, feelin-like-its-breaking gamepad.

oh ya - the axispad is just a little bigger than a PS2 dual shock - little more comfortable if you got big hands.

#15

Jep, i got me and adapter from normal usb to the xbox controller usb connector. The drivers work great under windows xp. It makes an excellent joypad, although i highly prefer the (very rare) Microsoft Sidewinder + rumble + gyroscope ( :bow: :bow: ), with that one you could actuall play flightsims just by moving the entire pad somewhat to the left/right/up down.

But i can’t find a driver which will enable my XBOX Thrustmaster USB flashcard on windows xp :frowning: :frowning:

#16

It is real easy to make your own Xbox to USB adapter. Take an Xbox extension cord and a USB extension cord. Cut open, match color to color (the Xbox had a 5th wire that did not factor into the usb conversion, I have heard it is for an accessory like a light gun), I soldered the wires together so that I could make it look less bulky looking (read: hacked) and used heat shrink tubing on each individual wire then a large HST for the outer covering. Bingo. Instant Xbox to USB converter. Then you have to D/L the software driver (forgot the website) and you can use any Xbox controller you like, on your PC (by that I mean any company’s version of the handheld gamepad controller, don’t know if the steering wheels, flying joysticks or light guns will work).

For PSX/PS2 type gamepads, there are a few clones on the market for <$30 (for corded models) that are for use with the PC. I saw one at WalMart a few weeks ago for <$15. There was one that I saw a while back that I might pick up, was not quite a clone of the PSX/2 gamepad but was real close and had two additional buttons in a “trigger” position (one for each trigger finger). Can’t remember the name, but I do not believe it was a Saitek product.

I must say that gamepads for the PC have come a LONG way since the advent of USB. The gameport was just too limiting to have much better than a NES style gamepad.

#17

My girlfriend plays some console style games on her PC, we got her a Thrustmaster. Has force feedback and is a PS2 type gamepad. She seems to like it. I think it was like $30-35 US.