MiSTer FPGA Forum

Is there a way to create multiple controller layouts in a single core, saving them per game. Specifically for N64 and PSX.

Light Gun games. Turning on the appropriate settings when starting the game and deselecting those settings when closing the game.

N64, some games want to use the controller held in the middle with the Z button being the primary action button, while others want the controller held like a traditional controller with the A button being the primary action button. IE: Crusin USA vs Crusin World/Exocita.

PSX, well there are 2 sets of shoulder buttons on the stock controller. Having a preset for R1/L1 and a preset for R2/L2, game dependent.

Thoughts, Ideas on how to handle this?!? Ideally, I am looking for something where a person could select the game from the favorites menu and not have to do any controller config to be able to play the selected game.

Get an N64 controller then you don't have to worry

If you are using a favorites menu, then I suppose that you load games via MGL files. You can edit the MGL files and give an alias to the corresponding core using setname. The configurations that you make in the core menu will then be saved to a file specific to the alias. You can use a different alias for each controller setup. A caveat is that there will also be a separate game directory for each alias.

Example:

<mistergamedescription>
	<rbf>_Console/N64</rbf>
        <file delay="1" type="f" index="1" path="dummy.z64"/>
	<setname>youralias</setname>
</mistergamedescription>

It's been my most-wanted feature for a long time.

https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_Mi ... 1795467806

Sadly, Sorgelig keeps shooting it down, though I'm still not sure wheteher it's just not possible to do, or he just doesn't like the idea.

DiamondDave wrote: ↑Thu Feb 22, 2024 9:15 am

Get an N64 controller then you don't have to worry

LOL. Yeah, that doesn't help...
Why should I spend upwards of $50 on an OOS hard to get controller, that i dont like, just to play a handful of games, that already work fine - if i could set a custom controller layout per game.

As it is now, I just avoid any games that use the Z button or both the D-Pad and Analog Stick.

12characters wrote: ↑Thu Feb 22, 2024 7:38 pm

If you are using a favorites menu, then I suppose that you load games via MGL files. You can edit the MGL files and give an alias to the corresponding core using setname. The configurations that you make in the core menu will then be saved to a file specific to the alias. You can use a different alias for each controller setup. A caveat is that there will also be a separate game directory for each alias.

Example:

Code: Select all

<mistergamedescription>
	<rbf>_Console/N64</rbf>
        <file delay="1" type="f" index="1" path="dummy.z64"/>
	<setname>youralias</setname>
</mistergamedescription>

This is how I mostly launch my games. Of via NFC cards.
This is worth checking into. Thanx.

akeley wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23, 2024 1:11 am

It's been my most-wanted feature for a long time.

https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_Mi ... 1795467806

Sadly, Sorgelig keeps shooting it down, though I'm still not sure wheteher it's just not possible to do, or he just doesn't like the idea.

Yeah, I read thru the comments and see what you mean.

Sometimes buying another controller is NOT the answer tho... I mean, in the example I gave, why would I buy a controller for 2 games I rarely play? I likely would play them more if I could make custom controller mappings per game. Probably Retroarch? Was in my hacked NES Classic, because of the oddity of the N64 controller, needed per game customizability. I was able to customize per game and it worked great. Never having to mess with it after the fact.

Another example would be Genesis/32X/CD games that use the 3 button controller vs 6 button controller. Only a handful of games use the 6B. While I am using a Saturn controller, I remap ABC to XYZ for turbo as my default GEN/32X/CD setup. Because of oddities in the 6 Button controller, a bunch of 3 Button games will not play correctly (more 3B games misbehave in 6B mode, than 6B games exist). Why would I buy another controller for this instance? in the end, Im using a 6B controller for both cases...

PCE 2 button vs 6 button? Outside of Street Fighter series, not sure what games even use it?

midline_slippy wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 5:43 pm

DiamondDave wrote: ↑Thu Feb 22, 2024 9:15 am

Get an N64 controller then you don't have to worry

LOL. Yeah, that doesn't help...
Why should I spend upwards of $50 on an OOS hard to get controller, that i dont like, just to play a handful of games, that already work fine - if i could set a custom controller layout per game.

As it is now, I just avoid any games that use the Z button or both the D-Pad and Analog Stick.

You already spent like $450 on your MiSTer, so why complain about buying a $15 USB N64 controller?

DiamondDave wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 11:04 pm

midline_slippy wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 5:43 pm

DiamondDave wrote: ↑Thu Feb 22, 2024 9:15 am

Get an N64 controller then you don't have to worry

LOL. Yeah, that doesn't help...
Why should I spend upwards of $50 on an OOS hard to get controller, that i dont like, just to play a handful of games, that already work fine - if i could set a custom controller layout per game.

As it is now, I just avoid any games that use the Z button or both the D-Pad and Analog Stick.

You can get great quality N64 USB controllers for like $12

Define Quality?
Wired controllers are not an option with how my setup is setup. MiSTer is mounted behind the TV.

I appreciate the effort, but still not an option for me... Why would I BUY ANY controller, for a handful of games, when my existing controller(s) work just fine for those games, if i could set a custom controller layout per game.

Besides, even with the N64 controller, my initial issue with Crusn USA vs World/Exotica still exists... changing the controller doesn't change how the controller setup is different between those 2 games, that should control the same way. As it is now, I avoid Crusn USA because of the use of the Z button. With a N64 contoller, that wouldn't change.

I dunno man, the majority of people with a MiSTer also own several controllers (not counting duplicates I probably have close to ten), to recreate playing various consoles as accurately as possible.

I'd say the amount of MiSTer owners who want to play everything with just a single controller are an extremely small number based on everything I've ever seen or heard.

The "just get another controller/use keyboard/it wasn't meant to be played this way" arguments in regard to this topic are non sequiturs and so completely redundant. Might as well say "just play on original hardware".

This request is about a QoL feature, not unlike many others already present on MiSTer. So I'd much rather hear something along the lines of "it can't be done" or "it's too low on my priority list" - these kind of explanations would at least make sense.