Guide: Advanced Controller Mappings

[mediamogul]

@Mayki

Ah... nice! OK, There's a command to force Bluetooth to load and pair known devices that can be added before the xboxdrv command. From memory I believe it's called 'modprobe' or something like that. I'll be more than happy to help you out with it, but to be honest, I'm starting to fade and should get some sleep. I'll look into it further after a few ZZZs, but feel free to read ahead. I'm curious about this myself and I remember thinking that this could potentially be a problem with Bluetooth as the system starts.

[Mayki]

It's as if Sony gamepad connected via a cable already at system startup, log on as an X-Box gamepad.

I: Bus=0003 Vendor=045e Product=028e Version=0110
N: Name="Microsoft X-Box 360 pad"
P: Phys=
S: Sysfs=/devices/virtual/input/input3
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=js1 event3
B: PROP=0
B: EV=20000b
B: KEY=7cdb03c0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B: ABS=3f
B: FF=1 3f870000 0 0

If Sony gamepad connects to the system startup via Bluetooth, so the X-Box driver not lead.

[mediamogul]

@Mayki

With any luck, forcing Bluetooth to load and pair known devices at startup should correct the problem. The fact that it connects via USB at startup is a good sign.

[Mayki]

O.K. Thank you so much for your help in solving the problem.

[mediamogul]

@Mayki

Not a problem. I get the benefit of learning from this too. Try adding rfcomm bind 0 XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX 1 in a line just before the xboxdrv command in rc.local, substituting your controller's Blutooth address for "XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX" of course.

[Mayki]

This is probably not the right way, it wanted the script to be run after connecting the PS3 gamepad via bluetooth. They must be written in rc.local?
Gamepad itself does not connect If you press the PS button.

Idea:

• 1 - Start Retropie

• 2 - Press PS button on gamepad (gamepad connected as PS3)

• 3 - Run script (with similar content) :

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
	--evdev /dev/input/event2 \
	--silent \
	--detach-kernel-driver \
	--force-feedback \
	--deadzone-trigger 15% \
	--deadzone 4000 \
	--mimic-xpad \
	--dpad-as-button \
	--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1,ABS_Z=x2,ABS_RZ=y2,ABS_#48=lt,ABS_#49=rt \
	--evdev-keymap KEY_#302=a,KEY_#301=b,BTN_DEAD=x,KEY_#300=y,BTN_THUMB=tl,BTN_THUMB2=tr,BTN_BASE5=lb,BTN_BASE6=rb,BTN_TRIGGER=back,KEY_#720=guide,BTN_TOP=start,BTN_TOP2=du,BTN_PINKIE=dr,BTN_BASE=dd,BTN_BASE2=dl \
	--calibration x1=-32767:0:32767,y1=-32767:0:32767,x2=-32767:0:32767,y2=-32767:0:32767

• 4 - PS3 gamepad via bluetooth logs on as MICROSOFT X-BOX 360 PAD

Is it real?

[Rion]

@BuZz Having this kind of functionality build in to the Retropie setup would be very useful.

[mediamogul]

@Mayki

Your idea should work. Give it a try and see how it goes.

[Mayki]

@mediamogul said in Guide: Advanced Controller Mappings:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The foundation has been laid. Controller's have been fine-tuned. Next, we'll take a look at how to map keyboard keys and mouse movements to a controller's analog sticks and buttons for use in emulators that lack native controller support and how to launch and maintain multiple mappings accordingly.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, what's the continuation of the manual? I can hardly wait ... :-)

[mediamogul]

@Mayki

It's coming. There are just a few things I want to test to make the multiple mappings as easy as possible.

--spoiler rosebud=sled \

[Jon_Ge]

@mediamogul Hi! Your guide is very interesting.
I was wondering if it is possible to map the configuration you are describing outside of /etc/rc.local and instead use a .cfg file like one described in the Retropie Wiki . I would like to be able to switch between left-analog and D-Pad easily, and it seams to be a right way to do it. Any clue? Thanks again!

[mediamogul]

@Jon_Ge

You can launch a config file along with an xboxdrv instance for any controller. However, if you're referencing the ability to switch between config files with a designated toggle button, I believe that function is only available for actual XBox 360 controllers. I seem to remember trying it, but I might be mistaken. Give it a shot and see.

If it doesn't work, in theory you could create a single map that switches between the two control schemes when a button is pressed. This would mean that the button must remain pressed for it to work, but you could then set that button to remain active once pressed and then to release when pressed again. I'm not able confirm that it would work at the moment, but it would look something like the last two lines here if it did, using the 'Guide' button as the toggle:

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
	--evdev /dev/input/by-id/* \
	--silent \
	--detach-kernel-driver \
	--force-feedback \
	--deadzone-trigger 15% \
	--deadzone 4000 \
	--mimic-xpad \
	--evdev-absmap ABS_*=x1,ABS_*=y1,ABS_*=x2,ABS_*=y2,ABS_*=lt,ABS_*=rt,ABS_*=dpad_x,ABS_*=dpad_y \
	--evdev-keymap BTN_*=a,BTN_*=b,BTN_*=x,BTN_*=y,BTN_*=lb,BTN_*=rb,BTN_*=tl,BTN_*=tr,BTN_*=guide,BTN_*=back,BTN_*=start \
	--buttonmap guide=guide:toggle \
	--axismap guide+x1=dpad_x,guide+y1=dpad_y,guide+dpad_x=x1,guide+dpad_y=y1 \
	&

[Jon_Ge]

@mediamogul Thank you Mediamogul for the quick reply.
Actually I have a genuine Xbox 360 controller. And the Toggle Button is working pretty well in order to switch between configurations files. I am just looking for the basic config file, in order to change it to match my needs. In last resort I think that what you are describing might be useful in order to create a basic config file, from scratch. But I need to know how to map it from /etc/rc.local to a xboxdrv cfg file. Do you know any documentation about it ? I did'nt find anything. Thanks again!

[Jon_Ge]

@Jon_Ge Well. I think I got it https://github.com/xboxdrv/xboxdrv/tree/stable/examples I will try that this weekend. Thank you anyway.

[mediamogul]

@Jon_Ge

No problem. I hope it works out.

[mediamogul]

I added a section on key-mapping. This includes:

• Mapping keyboard keys to the controller buttons
• Mapping mouse movement to the analog sticks
• Mapping keyboard keys to the analog sticks
• Launching specific mappings alongside a specific emulator
• Managing global and individual mappings

I used ScummVM as the example, which should also help those suffering through the current control issues found in the native joystick support. I just beat 'Monkey Island 2' the other night using these controls and it was a joy to play.

[Sevik]

@mediamogul said in Guide: Advanced Controller Mappings:

I added a section on key-mapping. This includes:

• Mapping keyboard keys to the controller buttons
• Mapping mouse movement to the analog sticks
• Mapping keyboard keys to the analog sticks
• Launching specific mappings alongside a specific emulator
• Managing global and individual mappings

I used ScummVM as the example, which should also help those suffering through the current control issues found in the native joystick support. I just beat 'Monkey Island 2' the other night using these controls and it was a joy to play.

Thank you very much. I used the scummvm part. Now I can finally play again!
Also thanks @Mayki for asking some questions for the ps3 controller. I used your configuration and it worked fine.

Now I will create some settings for dosbox. With this tutorial it is much easier using xboxdrv than the mapper from dosbox.

[dudleydes]

Thank you for this guide. The Intellivision emulator maps the numeric keypad to the hat axes. The PS3 controllers has no hats so I was able to use xboxdrv to make use of the XBox controller's hat axes.

Thanks @Mayki for the PS3 configuration, saving me a heap of time. I did find that the left analog stick axes were inverted so I had to add --axismap -y1=y1,-y2=y2 \ to my configuration to fix this.

[mediamogul]

@Sevik, @dudleydes

I'm glad the guide has helped and that this space has been used to share ideas. I made a mapping for DOSBox just the other day specifically for 'Chex Quest' that's a lot of fun to control. Also, speaking of Intellivision, I thought I'd share my own mapping for jzintv that I'm particularly proud of:

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
	--evdev /dev/input/by-path/platform-3f980000.usb-usb-0:1.2:1.0-event-joystick \
	--detach-kernel-driver \
	--force-feedback \
	--dpad-as-button \
	--trigger-as-button \
	--deadzone-trigger 15% \
	--deadzone 4000 \
	--device-name "Logitech Rumblepad 2 (xboxdrv)" \
	--silent \
	--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2 \
	--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1,ABS_Z=x2,ABS_RZ=y2,ABS_HAT0X=dpad_x,ABS_HAT0Y=dpad_y \
	--evdev-keymap BTN_THUMB2=a,BTN_THUMB=b,BTN_TOP=x,BTN_TRIGGER=y,BTN_BASE3=back,BTN_BASE4=start,BTN_TOP2=lb,BTN_PINKIE=rb,BTN_BASE5=tl,BTN_BASE6=tr,BTN_BASE=lt,BTN_BASE2=rt \
	--ui-axismap X1=KEY_S:KEY_D,Y1=KEY_E:KEY_X,X2=KEY_1:KEY_2,Y2=KEY_3:KEY_4,lt+X2=KEY_5:KEY_6,lt+Y2=KEY_7:KEY_8,rt+X2=KEY_9:KEY_0,rt+Y2=KEY_MINUS:KEY_EQUAL \
	--ui-buttonmap a=KEY_LEFTSHIFT,b=KEY_HOME,x=KEY_LEFTCTRL,y=KEY_LEFTALT,lb=KEY_F1,rb=KEY_F12,lt=KEY_HOME,rt=KEY_HOME,tl=KEY_HOME,tr=KEY_HOME,du=KEY_E,dd=KEY_X,dl=KEY_S,dr=KEY_D,start=KEY_PAUSE \
	--ui-buttonmap back=cycle-key:KEY_F6:KEY_F5 \
	--ui-buttonmap guide=void

Notice that with the use of 'lt' and 'rt' modifier keys applied to the --ui-axismap variable, I was able to map the entire twelve button keypad to the right joystick without changing any of jzintv's default settings:
--ui-axismap X2=KEY_1:KEY_2,Y2=KEY_3:KEY_4,lt+X2=KEY_5:KEY_6,lt+Y2=KEY_7:KEY_8,rt+X2=KEY_9:KEY_0,rt+Y2=KEY_MINUS:KEY_EQUAL

Also, using the 'cycle-key' variable, I can make use of the emulator's ability to switch controller mappings on the fly for games that require player one to be using the second controller, without taking up two keys to do it:
--ui-buttonmap back=cycle-key:KEY_F6:KEY_F5

I could geek out on this stuff all day and there's still a lot more that xboxdrv allows for. I want to add a smaller section about adding rapid fire capabilities to any button sometime soon. Anyone who might find the Intellivision mapping of interest, below is a similar example for player 2 that also conforms to jvintv's default settings.

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
	--evdev /dev/input/by-path/platform-3f980000.usb-usb-0:1.4:1.0-event-joystick \
	--detach-kernel-driver \
	--force-feedback \
	--dpad-as-button \
	--trigger-as-button \
	--deadzone-trigger 15% \
	--deadzone 4000 \
	--device-name "Logitech Rumblepad 2 (xboxdrv)" \
	--silent \
	--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2 \
	--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1,ABS_Z=x2,ABS_RZ=y2,ABS_HAT0X=dpad_x,ABS_HAT0Y=dpad_y \
	--evdev-keymap BTN_THUMB2=a,BTN_THUMB=b,BTN_TOP=x,BTN_TRIGGER=y,BTN_BASE3=back,BTN_BASE4=start,BTN_TOP2=lb,BTN_PINKIE=rb,BTN_BASE5=tl,BTN_BASE6=tr,BTN_BASE=lt,BTN_BASE2=rt \
	--ui-axismap X1=KEY_J:KEY_K,Y1=KEY_I:KEY_M,X2=KEY_KP1:KEY_KP2,Y2=KEY_KP3:KEY_KP4,lt+X2=KEY_KP5:KEY_KP6,lt+Y2=KEY_KP7:KEY_KP8,rt+X2=KEY_KP9:KEY_DOT,rt+Y2=KEY_0:KEY_ENTER \
	--ui-buttonmap a=KEY_RIGHTSHIFT,b=KEY_HOME,x=KEY_RIGHTCTRL,y=KEY_RIGHTALT,lb=KEY_F1,rb=KEY_F12,lt=KEY_HOME,rt=KEY_HOME,tl=KEY_HOME,tr=KEY_HOME,du=KEY_I,dd=KEY_M,dl=KEY_J,dr=KEY_K,back=KEY_HOME,start=KEY_PAUSE \
	--ui-buttonmap guide=void

[dudleydes]

@mediamogul That's pretty impressive stuff. My approach was more straightforward as I wanted to take advantage of jzIntv's default mappings to play Deadly Discs. I swapped the hat with the right analog stick and created a keyboard hack file for JS1.

I have only tested the PS3 controller by USB for 1 player games so I may be taking a closer look at your configs later.

It may be an idea to create a repo on Github, like the one @Jon_Ge posted above, to collect configurations specific to RetroPie, maybe by controller and by emulator.