This is being posted in multiple groups but is NOT cross linked to
reduce spam to groups that it gets no hits on. Hoping someone will
respond, either with an alternate suggested topic line or additional
newsgroups to try in. :P I'm not even sure what to call what i'm
looking for, but i'm hoping i'll get a hit somewhere.
PROBLEM:
I've encountered several games which have limited or problematic
reprogrammability for their controls. (examples - final fantasy 7,
you can only use a keyboard OR a 10button controller, and most
controllers arent 10 buttons whereas i'd happily use the KB for the
rarer commands if I could use my 8 button pad most of the time.
Driver - can use a 10 button wheel/joystick or the keyboard but not
both, same problem (with my 6 button driving controller).
PROBLEM:
Certain gaming controlers have limitations themself and don't provide
standard inputs or are missing drivers. Ie - the nonstandard
accel/brake axis on the Thrustmaster Charger, making it unusable in
win2000 or probably XP. (I tried using it in GTA 3 but the pedals are
dead, whereas Mafia worked just fine because I could reprogram it to
anything in Mafia.) Or most of the 3axis driving controllers which are
completely incompatible with 2axis type games. (and things like the
ACT labs USB shifter)
SOLUTION?
It seems like some kind of utility could process all of the various
inputs and outputs and fix all these problems at once. Ie - would
take inputs from keyboard, mouse, 2 gameport joysticks, and any number
of USB controls in parallel, and let you reprogram anything to control
anything. Possibly adding additional features (macro sets and
whatnot) in the process. So you could force a 3axis driving
controller to work in a 2axis game without further software, or could
use a few buttons on your fancy USB joystick at the same time as your
gameport driving controller just because it's more conveniently
positioned by your wheel than the keyboard, or anything else you can
think of. Maybe it could even translate analog axis to multilevel
keyboard presses, or vice versa. (tapping a keyboard key for light
brakes, medium brakes, heavy brakes as an example. Or the flying
games which used keys 1-9 to set throttle level.)
Problem is, I don't even know what this kind of program would be
called, or if anyone has ever tried to make one, or even talk about
one, or have interest in creating one. It could possibly have uses
outside of games as well (I could give examples if desired). This
seems like a wonderfully useful piece of software which doesn't yet
exist. And of course I would much prefer freeware or open source and
user extendable, since no commercial program is likely to do
everything I want it to do. (and if I have to spend $30 I might just
buy a new controller then :)
Can anyone offer any leads?
Jason Steele
No solution, but I'm with you on this.
This sort of of program / utility has been needed for ages and would be
great. Enabling remapping of inputs and being able to choose what a program
see's as the outputs, all software driven.
I"m no programmer, but I resume it wouldn't be impossible.
Any ideas? Budding software guru's? :0)
JM2C,
James
