Analog control support in emulators

curt_grymala · Post by **curt_grymala** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 11:43 am

I'm not necessarily talking about 360 degree support. I am talking more about the simple eight-point support (just like you get from the d-pad), I would just want it translated to the analog controller. Wouldn't it be possible to have the emulator translate the movements of the analog controller into the simple eight-point directional control? It's obviously somewhat possible, because DreamSNES makes use of the analog control, as well as Nester and DCGnuboy. Obviously the creators have already written in some type of analog translator. All I'm asking is that they allow us (the users) to choose to switch back and forth between the original controls that they have programmed into the emulator (the d-pad controls the game, while the analog stick controls the frame skip), and the opposite (the d-pad controls frame skip, while the analog stick controls the game). Wouldn't that be possible? I mean, they have already programmed in support for the Arkanoid paddle, the light gun, etc., why would this be so difficult? Any thoughts?

curt_grymala · Post by **curt_grymala** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 11:48 am

BTW - when I mentioned eight-point control, I meant the following: up, left, down, right, up-left, down-left, down-right, up-right.

someoneElse · Post by **someoneElse** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 4:11 pm

Herby wrote:Wasn't the NES max controller (the one with the moveable thumb knob) an analog controller? I seem to remember it being advertised as 360 degree control.

I have one, and they seem to function the same as a d-pad, only with a 'thumbstick' nub sliding around on top.

I liked them. Whenever I pull out my NES stuff, this is the controller I still use. Very comfortable, even if it seems a little small now..

Captain Skyhawk · Post by **Captain Skyhawk** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 5:49 pm

WHurricane16 wrote:Not true I'm not really sure about implementing it in emulation but I'm sure it's all the same. If I can find a DC example of analog controls then I can give a better answer.

Jimbo used it in his games but it seems his sources are missing on the net :-/ I'll check Boob.

Ah! I thought it was the game the need to support this. I was thinking it in this way, for example with Mario Bros. (?1984), when you press left a signal is send to the game that moves Mario left and Mario walks with 1 speed left. Pressing and holding the B button plus left, Mario walks 2x the speed. If a signal is send that is between 1 and 2 speed the game don't now how fast that is because it is only programmed to let Mario walk 1 or 2x speed.

If what you says is true the emulator can actually control the game in that way, what the game originally isn't programmed to do? If so that would be great. Maybe FrNES already support this, I will try it out soon. Hope you can give me some more info on this.

WHurricane16 · Post by **WHurricane16** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 6:34 pm

I'm still trying to find more code using the DC's stick myself :-/

BlackAura · Post by **BlackAura** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 7:03 pm

I don't have any working examplecode on me, but... what do you want to know?

JoeyStyles66 · Post by **JoeyStyles66** » Thu Jun 05, 2003 8:55 pm

i dunno guys, NES gams were made with a d-pad in mind and i've always played them with a d-pad. i couldn't play an NES game without it

WHurricane16 · Post by **WHurricane16** » Thu Jun 05, 2003 9:52 pm

Hey, I'm a D-pad purist but I do wonder how some games would feel by using the analog pad. Anyhoot, I need to hit you up, BA. Bill Kendrick has been wondering if I was going to get analog control in the port of Circus Linux so I decided to get it in there. He actually owns a DC

I'm probably going to be on my instant messengers after 1 PM EST tomorrow and I might visit #dcemu and #consolevision. Depends if you hang out there, I don't care for irc anymore :-/

Pyrosurfer · Post by **Pyrosurfer** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 3:32 pm

Maybe you guys can find out how to do it from DreamMsx. It had analog and digital support. I would really like to play with analog, it would be easier on your thumbs.

Alexvrb · Post by **Alexvrb** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 9:10 pm

Depends on the game, but as others have mentioned, you could have it simulate analog for racing games etc. by having it press the button a certain number of times depending on how much you depress the analog stick. If you push it all the way left, it would send constant left d-pad input, but if you're pushing halfway it would sent left dpad input half the time (at rapid intervals), so your car or whatever doesn't turn so sharply. You can do this manually with the dpad, but it'd be interesting to be able to use the analog to achieve a more consistent, but still flexible result. Of course you'd be limited to the 8 directions of the d-pad, but that's not a problem.

WHurricane16 · Post by **WHurricane16** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 9:17 pm

Actually, I would still like to know more about how to use it if anyone would like to explain here

Post by **pixel** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 9:44 pm

WHurricane16 wrote:Actually, I would still like to know more about how to use it if anyone would like to explain here

Minus burner0's NesterDC 6 controller edit, newbies to NDC keep using the analog stick and often get frustrated. That's the same with the L-Stick (which burner's edit "fixed" also)
IMO, it would be nice, as it would be more, how do you say, standard? Most DC games use the analog.
IMO, the analog wouldn't be anymore functional, but for some, it would seem more logical and elegant

jessman · Post by **jessman** » Mon Jun 09, 2003 10:53 am

hey, what would happen to turbo in nester? i mean, i really want analog, but it's only digital with the d-pad.

Pyrosurfer · Post by **Pyrosurfer** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 5:55 pm

Any progress on this yet?

Warmtoe · Post by **Warmtoe** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 2:00 am

All the versions of MAME I have done have analog controls (at least the analog stick) - can't think of any good example games off hand.

Analog control support in emulators

Re: NES max?