Modded Saturn Twin Sticks for Xbox 360 - in progress

[Heiligekuh]

Alas, I wound up getting one of the newer-NEW Madcatz pads. Which isn't a huge problem since VO:OT doesn't need to use the triggers, but I haven't found a labeled picture of the reverse side of the PCB to show where the RC and LC contacts are. If I had a multimeter, is this something I could test?

[Billkwando]

Alas, I wound up getting one of the newer-NEW Madcatz pads. Which isn't a huge problem since VO:OT doesn't need to use the triggers, but I haven't found a labeled picture of the reverse side of the PCB to show where the RC and LC contacts are. If I had a multimeter, is this something I could test?

RC and LC?

[MentholMoose]

RC and LC?

Right "Click" and Left "Click"... i.e. the button activated when you press down on the analog sticks.

I haven't found a labeled picture of the reverse side of the PCB to show where the RC and LC contacts are. If I had a multimeter, is this something I could test?

You can test with a multimeter, however it should be possible to find by just looking. There should be a surface mounted button adjacent to the analog sticks that is used for the click buttons. Take a look at this photo:
http://www.oratan.com/forum/download/fi ... &mode=view

The white and blue wire is connected to the click signal. The surface mounted button has four legs and is mounted on the other side, so there are four solder points for it. You can see in the photo that two of the points are connected to ground (the bottom two in the photo), and two are connected to each other and to the signal (the top two in the photo). This is probably the same as on your control pad.

[Billkwando]

RC and LC?

Right "Click" and Left "Click"... i.e. the button activated when you press down on the analog sticks.

Ah, I thought that might be it, but wasn't sure. I call them L3 & R3.

All you really need is the thumbpad, the 4 face buttons (+Back), and MAYBE the bumpers if you want to change your music tracks in the lobby, right?


Edit: I've noticed that I invariably forget that the turbo & weapon buttons exist whenever this topic comes up.

Also, do you have any pics of the inside of that Madcatz joystick you used?

[MentholMoose]

Ah, I thought that might be it, but wasn't sure. I call them L3 & R3.

That's what I'd prefer to call them. The "click button" isn't a good name.

All you really need is the thumbpad, the 4 face buttons (+Back), and MAYBE the bumpers if you want to change your music tracks in the lobby, right?

Edit: I've noticed that I invariably forget that the turbo & weapon buttons exist whenever this topic comes up.

Also pause and guide.

Also, do you have any pics of the inside of that Madcatz joystick you used?

Yes, here:
Modded Dreamcast Twin Sticks for Xbox 360 - complete!!!

[Billkwando]

Yeah, I assumed Guide was a given, but pause? I don't believe in pause, good sir!

(we couldn't pause in the DC version because the pause button was on the adapter!)

[renesis8]

hi.. menthol,

can you provide the wire colour code for sega saturn twinsticks? just like what you did for your "Dreamcast Twin Sticks - Mod Guide"

[MentholMoose]

can you provide the wire colour code for sega saturn twinsticks?

The mapping is as follows:
Brown: Up
Black: Down
Orange: Right
Red: Left
Yellow: Ground

[renesis8]

as for the weapon and turbo button, it is the same as dreamcast's ?

[MentholMoose]

Yup!

[Heiligekuh]

Excellent! Thanks for that color listing Menthol!

[Heiligekuh]

Before I start I should say that while I have a great sentimental attachment to my Saturn Twin Sticks, it's all down to the fact that my wife watched my ebay habits enough to import them as a Christmas gift a few years back. I sold my Saturn years ago, and with the arrival of VO:OT on XBLA, I don't see myself using these for anything else in the future. I can respect people who want a reversible mod, but I'm not that guy.

I'm wrestling with where to put the BACK button. With a little Dremel work, it seems like the Guide button will fit in the Saturn START button spot nicely. The side panels are large enough to take a 24mm Sanwa button for 360 START (although I might go smaller, as START isn't a crucial constant-use button). But where the heck is a good place for SPECIAL/BACK?

I always found the center placement in the arcade and DC sticks to be really difficult. My hands are pretty small, and not overly dexterous, so tapping that while trying to due Temjin's Ram was always a mess. I don't know every character's special particularly well, so I keep trying ot find a place I could tap quickly while still keeping my hands on the sticks, and it's not coming to me.

Any suggestions?

[MentholMoose]

The Dreamcast Twin Sticks have a 30mm button in between the sticks, but closer to the user. Check if that location is comfortable. Alternatively, you could wire up a foot pedal!

[Billkwando]

Alternatively, you could wire up a foot pedal!

I thought I was really witty when I thought that up, only to scroll down and learn that you're stealing thoughts from my head.

Yeah, maybe an elbow button or an armpit button, otherwise, 1/4" jack and a momentary contact footswitch from Guitar Center or Sam Ash. Really cheap.


Edit: Actually you could put the footswitch in your armpit, or hit it with your elbow!

[MentholMoose]

Alternatively, you could wire up a foot pedal!

I thought I was really witty when I thought that up, only to scroll down and learn that you're stealing thoughts from my head.

Yeah, maybe an elbow button or an armpit button, otherwise, 1/4" jack and a momentary contact footswitch from Guitar Center or Sam Ash. Really cheap.


Edit: Actually you could put the footswitch in your armpit, or hit it with your elbow!

Or you could put one of those huge Pop'n Music buttons in between the sticks, and head-butt your controller as necessary. Definitely painful but you'll get some serious style points!!

[Heiligekuh]

I will admit to trying to head butt the middle button in the arcade at least once. The ideo of a jack and external button is appealing, even if it's not a foot pedal.

I find the Dreamcast placement a bit far for my thumbs to stretch. I'm considering the lower left or right, so that I could pop it with my heel. However, if I used an external button, I could still put it in that place and it would wind up that much higher and closer to my hand.

Off to button shop!

[Heiligekuh]

I wound up using a barrier strip between the 360 pad and the wires from the Saturn controller, which takes a bit more space but let me methodically test every connection as I made it.

I finished all of the wiring tonight and was able to play around in Training mode. Not to drill my new button holes and to to secure the wire mess inside the base of the Twin Sticks.

Pics to come in the next few days, but I wanted to thank Menthol and everyone else now for the help and info. I did all my soldering with at least one tab open to Oratan!

Now I just have to stop sucking at the game. If I keep my 4-20 record once I'm using the Twin sticks, I'll feel really damn silly.

[MentholMoose]

Congrats on the successful mod! Post some pics when you get a chance.

[Heiligekuh]

IN the end I couldn't settle on where I wanted the Special button to be placed, so I just skipped it. Let this be an object lesson of how bad a player I am. I did add two 24mm buttons to the side of the sticks as my Start and Guide, so at least I can navigate through the 360 menus without having to grab another controller.

The wiring should probably be an object lesson of how not to arrange space. My wires are all too long, and mushed here and there. But the connections are stable. Most of the tape you see is overing the metal plates, as insurance against a slipping PCB and very bad shorts.

As much as many of you may cringe when you see it, I'm very happy. It's my first serious controller mod, for one of my favorite games. It never would have happened without the guidance in info provided here.

Thanks!

DSC_0225.jpg

DSC_0227.jpg

DSC_0228.jpg

[Billkwando]

IN the end I couldn't settle on where I wanted the Special button to be placed, so I just skipped it. Let this be an object lesson of how bad a player I am. I did add two 24mm buttons to the side of the sticks as my Start and Guide, so at least I can navigate through the 360 menus without having to grab another controller.

The wiring should probably be an object lesson of how not to arrange space. My wires are all too long, and mushed here and there. But the connections are stable. Most of the tape you see is overing the metal plates, as insurance against a slipping PCB and very bad shorts.

As much as many of you may cringe when you see it, I'm very happy. It's my first serious controller mod, for one of my favorite games. It never would have happened without the guidance in info provided here.

Thanks!

DSC_0225.jpg

DSC_0227.jpg

DSC_0228.jpg

Nice!

As far as I'm concerned, that's pretty clean, and better than I could do. I'm not sure how much sense it makes to omit the special button completely, rather than simply put it in a less convenient location, but whatever works for you.

At least with the button placement you chose, your twin stick could double as an awesome pinball controller!