Two Player games: Different / same joystick(s) possible?

top-specci

Hi,
I try to configure some 2 player games, i.e.:

Frogger: Two players, one by one (same Joystick used)
Supertank: Two players, different joysticks must be used

I configure two joysticks, the Zerodelay and a simple USB-Joystick.
Both Joystick are working in principle with Retropie, thats not a problem.

When Supertank is configured as needed, the Frogger will not work longer as before and expected (and reversed).

I think the issue is, it's not possible to change game by game what joystick the 2nd player should use.

I try the Mame-Menu => Input-This game => but there only the keys from global defined joystick for 2nd player will accept.

Or should it work and it's only a configuration issue on my side.
Or it it a limitation from Retropie and his joystick-configuration? If so, ok, accepted. But if not, I will be happy if my wish configuration will work ...

mitu

@top-specci said in Two Player games: Different / same joystick(s) possible?:

When Supertank is configured as needed, the Frogger will not work longer as before and expected (and reversed).

Can you explain this better ? What configuration did you have to do to make it work ? If both gamepads are configured, then as long as both are present, they should work without any special configuration.

top-specci

Yes, shure.

But i.e. Frogger is a play where only one player is playing at the same time (2nd player plays after fist player lose a live)
So here also second player should use the "first" joystick (not the simple 2nd Joystick, this only should be used when 2 player play again in same time).

Should this be possible?
If yes, were have I to look to solve my issue?

mitu

How is Frogger it working right now ? Isn't the P1 gamepad usable with by the 2nd (consecutive) player ? It should.
Moreover, I don't see how this affects the other game (2 players simultaneous) and what exactly you had to configure when you say:

When Supertank is configured as needed...

Please, when you have questions like this, specify at least which emulator are you using, a lot of systems in RetroPie have multiple emulators.

top-specci

Oh yes, sorry,
I'm using for these games the mame -Libretro emulator.

Actuall Frogger's 2nd player is working, but now the 2nd player joystick for Tankforce is not working.

Actuall in the Archmenu I have Input user 2 ("User 2 Binds") set as "DragonRise", same as for Player 1 (so both are using same joystick).
Result is, also Tankforce is using for P1 AND P2 this joystick (and this make here no sense, because second player should have own joystick-control (USB-Gamepad).
In the Mame ingame menu I can set special "Input for this game", but there ony keystroke from the Dragonrise-joystick are accepted, pressing any key from the connected USB-Gamepad has no result!

And if I set in Archmenu "Input user 2" the USB-Gamepad, than only this joystick is useable for P2 in Frogger (but here the Dragonfire should be uses also for P2)

Hope now it's more clear what I mean ;-)

I attach 2 screens:

stoney66

@top-specci What you want is absolutely possible. Both controllers will show up as DragonRise, as long as they are wired exactly the same then they will work correctly. For your game control mappings I think you need to setup your normal p1/p2 configs (input general) for games like Tankforce. Then for games like frogger or any other games that need different configs from the general config you should be able to adjust the input for that game specifically.

When you hit tab to configure controls, do you have options like input (general) and input (this game) ?

top-specci

@stoney66 said in Two Player games: Different / same joystick(s) possible?:

When you hit tab to configure controls, do you have options like input (general) and input (this game) ?

Yes, shure, see my second screenshot, this is from Frogger, Mame-memu/TAB: "Input-this game".
For P2, pressing buttons from the USB-Controler has NO effect , only when pressing buttons from Dragonrise-Joystick (from P1) => this keys are set.

@stoney66 said in Two Player games: Different / same joystick(s) possible?:

Both controllers will show up as DragonRise, as long as they are wired exactly the same then they will work correctly.

Hmm, the Dragonfire is an ZeroDelay USB-Controller, the "USB-Gamepad" is simple 6-buttons USB controller,
how can (or should) they wired exactly the same?

In "User bindings 1|2| ...." I see the controllers "Dragonrise Generic USB" (see first picture, 3rd line) , the other as "usb gamepad"

This is what I mean: In the games, I only see the joystick I select there! Inside the game (in Mame / TAB) I only can change buttons from this global selected controller fpr P2. I can not change the controller there!

mitu

@top-specci said in Two Player games: Different / same joystick(s) possible?:

Actuall in the Archmenu I have Input user 2 ("User 2 Binds") set as "DragonRise", same as for Player 1 (so both are using same joystick).

That's not possible - P1 and P2 cannot be the same joystick in RetroArch. I assume the encoder (DragonRise etc.) it's actually seen as 2 gamepads - is that true ?

You should try and not mix the RetroArch and Mame input configurations. Switching gamepad indexes in RetroArch will also switch what MAME sees as RetroPad1/RetroPad2.

top-specci

@mitu said in Two Player games: Different / same joystick(s) possible?:

@top-specci said in Two Player games: Different / same joystick(s) possible?:

Actuall in the Archmenu I have Input user 2 ("User 2 Binds") set as "DragonRise", same as for Player 1 (so both are using same joystick).

That's not possible - P1 and P2 cannot be the same joystick in RetroArch. I assume the encoder (DragonRise etc.) it's actually seen as 2 gamepads - is that true ?

Hmm, in Retroarch I see this menu, and in the submenus for P1 till P4 I can set for all 4 players the "Device type: Retropad" and the "Device-index; Dragonrise IncGeneric USB"
And I think this is there correct, because if only one Joystick is connected, what else should P2 use ?

stoney66

@top-specci Sorry thought you were using a different controller that you have to wire each button to a usb encoder, what you have doesn't need anything special other than plugging it in.

top-specci

@stoney66 said in Two Player games: Different / same joystick(s) possible?:

@top-specci Sorry thought you were using a different controller that you have to wire each button to a usb encoder, what you have doesn't need anything special other than plugging it in.

As written repetitive before, it works, but if I select for P2 to use the same joystick as P1 (the big one ("Dragonrise") from a one player bartop), this is than for all games.
So in this configuration it's not possible to use a connected USB joystick for P2 (i.e. for sporting game where two players play at same time). I can not change this for this game (because inside the Game Mame emulator I don't see the USB Gamepad)

top-specci

Again ... for me still not possible to use the second (connected and in the menus working) USB controller, maybe there is a simply "mistake" on my side or change I have to do ...

Actuall the DragonRise Joystick is working in the MAME games (also in the menus),
the connected and configured 2nd USB Gamespad is only working in the RetroPie menus etc. (see example in 1st screenshot), not selectable in the Mame games.

Inside a MAME game, by pressing TAB to configure the Input for this game, only the buttons from the DragonRsie Gamepad are recognized.
Pressing a button from the 2nd USB gamepad take no effect inside the MAME input menu, see 2nd screenshot.

My intention is, most 2 player games should use still the same DragonRise connected joystick (sharing, playing one after one),
but for few 2 player games where the 2 players have to play at same time Si.e. sport games), the 2nd player should use the connected 2nd joystick.

I test it with jstest /dev/input/js0 => fine (this is the "2nd" USB connected joystick)
js1 is the DragonRise controler / main-joystick, also working fine with jstest.

PS: I have a good image backup (with #dd; and tested), so I can "destroy" my actuall settings and configuration without risk, but my wish is to bring it to run now ;-)

Inside Mame only the DragonRise Joystick is recognized, pressing the 2nd USB joystcik have no reaction:

Here in the menus also the 2nd USB Joystick is working fine:

top-specci

So,
for me I find "my" solution" to use two joysticks (for my 2P games) without any problem ;-)

The DragonRise USB adapter has the option to use (connect) 12 buttons (plus 4 for the directions),
I use 6 "inputs" for the second player joystick from one DragonRice Joystick-Adapter.
Three free connections on the DragonRise circuit board, and three connections which are not used when playing (like P1 and P2 start-button) and the button 4 (not used in most games), so I have totally 6 "inputs" for the 2nd players joystick.
To connect a joystick (I use my 25 years old competion pro joystick) I solder a 9 pole D-sub plug on it, on the Arcade station also a D-sub rifle.
The second player has "only" 2 buttons he can use (plus 4 for the 4 directions) , but in my most 2 player games this is enough.
In the Mame inside menu I only have to press the wanted buttons on the usual way to learn the buttons for the second player (game by game).

For me it works, no issues with a second USB controller etc .... player one and player two are using the same hardware "controller", only different inputs from this ...

I hope it's clear what i mean ;-)

D-sub rifle (nine pole; 7 used: 6 for the buttons plus ground):

Plugged in Competions Pro: