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reki107

Keyboard/NES Controller Mod

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I've decided to modify a keyboard and a spare NES controller I have lying around so I can play Doom with an NES controller.

What I'm going to do is to take the pressure pads from the keyboard (arrow keys, CNTRL, Space, ESC, Y) and put them where the pressure pads from the buttons are (D - Pad, A, B, Start, Select).

WHAT I'D REPLACE:
ARROW KEYS ... D - Pad
CNTRL ... B
Space ... A
ESC ... Start
Y ... Select

I'm going to use a PS/2 connection keyboard, so it'll work in both my old laptop (ZDoom) or my Windows 95 (Doom 95)

Questions and Comments wold be nice.

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Sounds like it'll be terrible to play with. A SNES controller or anything similar to that I can see, but it seems like it would be difficult to actually PLAY with the NES controller. Still a fun experiment I suppose.

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You could just buy one of these.

If you really want to make it youself, why bother hacking up the insides? Just run the pins on the connector to a parallel port or something.

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You must have left some details out of your project description...are you placing the controller's mechanism inside a PS/2 keyboard and hardwire some of the keys, or implanting the keyboard's buttons on an NES controller? Sound weird either way.

In the first case (using a keyboard's circuitry to interface with the NES controller?) you'll need a lot of electronics modifications...what's exactly that you want to do?

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I think it sounds like an interesting idea, although I can't imagine it would be easy playing doom on something as unresponsive as an NES controller. At this point my NES controllers barely recognize left and right on the d-pad, and at points the start and select button require a ball point pen to press them in. I assume you're going to use 'select' to forward through the guns. Overall I'm just really surprised to realize that you can effectively boil down the doom controls to work with a d-pad and four buttons. I see a few comments stating "It's been done easier" and "There's already a product for that" but I give kudos for doing it on your own. If you can expand your own knowledge on something by doing it yourself in your own way, then why the hell shouldn't you? Personally I like the satisfaction of doing something myself as opposed to buying a commercial product that does the same thing. Learning experiences for the win.

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Yeah, An SNES controller would be a lot easier, seeing as it has plenty of buttons. I had totally forgotten about the weapon switching keys. I think I'll probably go down to the exchange and buy one. They're only like, two dollars.

Also, to clear up some confusion, I'm taking only the keys I need, and tossing all the rest away. I'm perfectly fine with this, because I have way too many keyboards and I need to get rid of some.

EDIT: New Plans (for SNES controller)

Move ... D - Pad
Fire ... A
Use ... B
Shift Weapon Up ... X
Shift Weapon Down ... Y
ESC ... Start
Y ... Select

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If you just want to play Doom with a controller, I find it hard to go past a PS2 DualShock + USB adaptor. Probably the most perfect games controller design made to date (and the market agrees, as everything except the Wii is attempting to recreate it).

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Even better, an USB-ready clone of a PS2 dual-shock controller. These are really a dime a dozen now. I can understand wanting to use a classic gamepad/joystick with a modern PC (I have some obscure console controllers catching dust somewhere, as well as an excellent quality gameport arcade joystick with microsticks), but Doom wouldn't be the first use that'd come to mind.

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I'd prefer to play with the genuine article. Cheap knockoffs are always less sturdy and of lesser quality, and definitely don't last as long. I still have PSX controllers older than Doom working fine!

To get a decent brand-name controller like a Logitech you pay as much as a Sony controller costs anyway. I also find the shape of the official Dual Shock to be perfect. Not just pretty good - perfect - which no other manufacturer can make a mould of and copy for legal reasons.

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Super Jamie said:

Not just pretty good - perfect - which no other manufacturer can make a mould of and copy for legal reasons.


Explain this to the famiclone sweatshops in China that by now come with PSX-like controllers (and must I say, the shape is advantageous even for them)

And also to the makers of a pretty darn good USB "dual shock" gamepad I have, which is definitively not Sony or Logitech ;-)

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Super Jamie said:

I find it hard to go past a PS2 DualShock + USB adaptor.


I don't mean Playstation, I mean the PS/2 plug used in many old computers such as most Windows 95 computers and the Compaq nx9010 laptop.

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Super Jamie said:

If you just want to play Doom with a controller, I find it hard to go past a PS2 DualShock + USB adaptor. Probably the most perfect games controller design made to date (and the market agrees, as everything except the Wii is attempting to recreate it).


I take your PS2 Dual-Shock and raise you a Pelican Chameleon controller. I love the stepped down R2/L2 buttons and smaller size that fits in my hands perfectly. Best. Controller. Ever.

I hate to admit, though, that the 360 controller is probably the most comfortable controller I've ever used. They at least learned their lesson with that huge fucking POS from the original XBox. Even the smaller XBox-1 controller was cumbersome and useless.

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I use a Logitech Dual Action, and it works just fine for me, though I don't use a gamepad for much.

fraggle said:

You could just buy one of these.

That's really cool. I see they have SNES stuff, too. Thanks.

Nomad said:

the 360 controller is probably the most comfortable controller I've ever used.

/agree

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