All iCade-compatible controller mappings in one PDF

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by ChaoticBox, Nov 3, 2012.

  1. ChaoticBox

    ChaoticBox Well-Known Member

    Oct 8, 2008
    878
    6
    18
    Male
    Developer
    Toronto Canada
    Not sure how many folks around here support iCade controllers but I've put together a PDF showing relative button mappings for every iCade-compatible controller I could find: http://www.chaoticbox.com/amalgamatedicademappings.pdf

    Please let me know if you spot any errors or omissions. That link will always lead to the latest revision, so just hit it anytime you think your copy might be stale.
     
  2. Wow, this is useful, thanks! I don't support iCade (et al) yet, as it isn't fitting for my current projects, but a future project will indeed see support for these game pads!

    Thanks for putting this together!

    Cheers,
     
  3. Adams Immersive

    Adams Immersive Well-Known Member
    Patreon Bronze

    Dec 5, 2008
    1,718
    5
    38
    Freelance interactive design and programming
    Ohio
    Just saw this—thanks!

    It’s also a good memory-jog to see all the iCade-compatible devices together like that. I had forgotten some!
     
  4. ChaoticBox

    ChaoticBox Well-Known Member

    Oct 8, 2008
    878
    6
    18
    Male
    Developer
    Toronto Canada
    There are some off-brand iCade compatible controllers popping up that aren't included in the PDF, like this dual-shock rip off: http://www.avitoy.com

    If anyone can provide mapping info for that or any others please let me know and I'll add them to the list. Unfortunately I can't buy'em all :D
     
  5. Freeman,Gordon

    Freeman,Gordon Active Member

    Nov 30, 2011
    35
    0
    0
    Thank you! Very useful!
     
  6. Silvanis

    Silvanis Well-Known Member

    Nov 2, 2012
    131
    0
    0
    co-owner of Silver Moonfire
    Wow, that's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Given that they've even copied the 4 lights from the PS3 controller, I have to assume they are using the same molds or maybe even the same parts.

    At any rate, I have to wonder where people get the API/mappings for this device. I can't find that info anywhere on the website, and I see no reason to include it with the device itself (since that's the consumer side, not the developer side).
     
  7. Wow, this is a bluetooth wireless joystick compatible with icade? Looks pretty impressive, does it work well? Is it compatible with all icade games? Really want a bluetooth joystick bad for my ipad. Icade doesn't make a wireless joystick right?
     
  8. ChaoticBox

    ChaoticBox Well-Known Member

    Oct 8, 2008
    878
    6
    18
    Male
    Developer
    Toronto Canada
    All iCade and compatible controllers are wireless (bluetooth). I can't vouch for that avitoy thing as I don't have one. For all I know the mapping is all out of whack and it doesn't work with any games - that's why I was asking if anyone had more info.

    Personally I like the look of the SteelSeries: http://steelseries.com/products/other/steelseries-free-mobile-wireless-controller but it's not a full-size controller, and I don't have one of these either so don't take this as a recommendation :)
     
  9. ChaoticBox

    ChaoticBox Well-Known Member

    Oct 8, 2008
    878
    6
    18
    Male
    Developer
    Toronto Canada
  10. Adams Immersive

    Adams Immersive Well-Known Member
    Patreon Bronze

    Dec 5, 2008
    1,718
    5
    38
    Freelance interactive design and programming
    Ohio
    Thanks!

    I'm increasingly thinking that if/when (when!) my game is done I'll support the iCade and Core with reasonable default mappings, but also allow people to configure the buttons freely--supporting whatever controller they might have.

    I'm thinking very simple: Press the button you want for Fire. Press the button you want for jump. Etc. No on-screen GUI of the control mapping. (Except for a static reference showing my iCade default mapping.)
     
  11. DistantJ

    DistantJ Well-Known Member

    Jan 25, 2012
    406
    0
    0
    Wow, the 8-bitty is ridiculous isn't it? The mapping is exactly the opposite of what it should be... Start and Select are important face buttons on the other controllers... I guess it's a matter of either compromising between the two or offering users an option to pick a 'mode'...
     
  12. ChaoticBox

    ChaoticBox Well-Known Member

    Oct 8, 2008
    878
    6
    18
    Male
    Developer
    Toronto Canada
    Yeah it's increasingly getting to the point where custom user mappings will be a requirement. There are at least 4 other controllers I know of that aren't on that PDF due to lack of info, and the list will just grow...

    For now, you can usually get away with letting a user pick between a few preset mappings, since there are generally only 2 common layouts for the buttons: 5,6,7,8 and 9,0,E1,E2 - the iMpulse kinda threw a wrench into that :rolleyes: In Silverfish and Match Panic I let people choose a preset in the options menu by hitting up/down on their controller - that option is hidden otherwise since 99% of folks won't care.
     
  13. BravadoWaffle

    BravadoWaffle Well-Known Member

    Sep 25, 2010
    420
    0
    16
    Game Designer
    This is awesome! Thanks a ton! We will most certainly be including iCade compatibility in our upcoming game.
     
  14. DistantJ

    DistantJ Well-Known Member

    Jan 25, 2012
    406
    0
    0
    MANOS doesn't have a settings menu, so I'd have to make one just for this one option...

    The way I've figured it for now is...

    Jump/B = 5, 9, 0, 8
    Shoot/A = 6, E1, E2
    Pause/Start = 7

    Button 7 would work as 'Start' because that's the top button on the iCade Mobile and a button not many people are going to want to use on the iCade, and will feel authentic as the 'Start' button on the 8-Bitty. when it says 'Press Start' on the title screen, any button will work, so owners of iCades won't have to try to search for which button functions as 'Start'.

    The buttons which work as A and B then will have the correct NES layout on the 8-Bitt, the Super Mario All-Stars SNES layout on the iCade Mobile, and a decent layout on the original iCade too. The only real downside is that on the 8-Bitty, 'Select' would function as a jump button, which might seem a little weird, but oh well. It also would be a bit lame for iControlPad users to not have the middle buttons function as pause, but they are going to have to blame 8-Bitty for that, heh.

    I think I'll probably have to have mapping options in any projects which work out any more complicated than this one, though I do try to keep my number of buttons to a minimum for the sake of simplicity for those using the touch screen. In Awesome Land every button but 7 (Pause) can be Jump, a la Sonic, and I don't plan on any of my virtual button platformers being any more complicated than 2 buttons, so hopefully this model can continue to work.
     
  15. Do you guys know if the Gameloft Duo Gamer Joystick will ever open up to games other than Gameloft? It is a great joystick, but the lack of games is the archilles heel of it. Any of you developers ever inquired about it to use in your games? Or do you think that joystick will just stick to Gameloft titles? And is Apple coming out with a wireless joystick like in the rumours?

    I was going to buy a 8 bitty, but hearing all the mapping problems makes me think twice. And is there no way for your apps to autosense which icade is being used, and automatically remap?
     
  16. ChaoticBox

    ChaoticBox Well-Known Member

    Oct 8, 2008
    878
    6
    18
    Male
    Developer
    Toronto Canada
    There's no public SDK for the Gameloft brick AFAIK, but I don't know their plans. I wouldn't hold my breath for an Apple branded controller...

    No way to detect these devices (without using private APIs). iCade input is a clever (but ugly) hack. Apps just put up an invisible text input field and watch for characters to show up. Technically, you can play an iCade-enabled game using the software keyboard - there's no difference as far as the app is concerned.
     
  17. ChaoticBox

    ChaoticBox Well-Known Member

    Oct 8, 2008
    878
    6
    18
    Male
    Developer
    Toronto Canada
  18. Adams Immersive

    Adams Immersive Well-Known Member
    Patreon Bronze

    Dec 5, 2008
    1,718
    5
    38
    Freelance interactive design and programming
    Ohio
    Lots of interesting products out there. Nyko seems to support every platform on Earth EXCEPT iOS! Although if it's just a BT "keyboard", they don't have to. (Still, you'd think they'd list iOS support, as the largest mobile gaming market.)

    Maybe they don't list it because they haven't worked out the analog sticks fully.
     
  19. ChaoticBox

    ChaoticBox Well-Known Member

    Oct 8, 2008
    878
    6
    18
    Male
    Developer
    Toronto Canada
    Yeah it's really obvious that iOS was an afterthought (and not a very well thought-out afterthought!) The only place "iOS" or "iCade" are mentioned are in their FAQs.

    I was a bit reluctant to include Nyko in the list for those reasons, but their controllers seem to be more readily available and lower priced than many of the other "official" products, so there's a chance users might pick these up vs other options.
     
  20. Mr Qwak

    Mr Qwak Well-Known Member

    May 23, 2010
    179
    0
    16
    This is *very* useful, thanks so much Chaotic Box.

    Is Bluetooth iCade style the most most common way of connecting a controller to an iOS device now?
     

Share This Page