I've made a decision. I'm going to make the DIP switches redundant and allow the player to choose between PSCD32 button configurations during gameplay. Reaching forwards for the switches every time you want to change modes is way too much fuss.
Some other CD32 controller adapters have features like this, though I'm not going to go as far as to have a completely remappable pad. I'll have four or five different configurations which can be toggled using some of the unused buttons - like Select + something else.
How does the cased PSCD32 look next to the A500?
Like a block of butter trying to sneak inside a railway shed. But it's safe, and enclosed, kind of.
You'd be tempted to say that all CD32 games support the full pad, but since many retail CD32 games are rubbish ports of rubbish OCS or AGA games, some games don't use all the buttons, like Lamborghini American Challenge.
Games with full CD32 support:
• Brian the Lion
• Bubble & Squeak - The CD32 version of this game includes the original options menu with single, two-button and CD32 modes.
• The Chaos Engine
• Guardian
• Marvin's Marvellous Adventure
Games that are four or eight-directional:
• Alien Breed
• Bob's Magic Garden
Games with up to jump:
• Assassin
• Bubba & Stix - The game uses up to jump even in two button mode! I can't win!
• Wolfchild
Games with one and two-button modes:
• Apidya
• B.C. Kid
• Banshee
• Lionheart
• Project X
• R-Type
• Super Obliteration
• Turrican
I've decided on a simple system that will allow the player to change between a few useful modes with easy to use key combinations.
By default the pad will emulate a CD32 controller exactly. However, if you hold and press a face button, you can switch between four modes.
Please enjoy this fancy demonstration video.
Configurations:Default CD32 joypad behaviour
+ (or + )
This mode emulates the CD32 controller behaviour as closely as possible. This is the default behaviour when powered on.
This mode is good for ordinary usage if you don't need autofire, or are playing a CD32 game.
If a CD32-aware game is running, the , , and buttons are mapped to the coloured face buttons of the CD32 pad with respect to their CD32 position. and are mapped to the shoulder buttons of the CD32 pad, Rew and FF. is Play/Pause.
is Yellow.
is Green.
is Blue.
is Red.
Otherwise, if you're playing an ordinary Amiga computer game, this mode emulates the behaviour of a two-button joystick/joypad.
is Fire 2.
is Fire 1.
No other buttons have any effect.
Auto-fire mode
+
This mode emulates enhanced two-button joystick/joypad, regardless of whether a CD32-aware game is running.
This mode is good for side scrolling shooters like R-Type or Deluxe Galaga which don't have auto fire by default. It's also good for A500 The Chaos Engine, allowing you to have the option of rapid fire as well as the ability to use Special Power by holding down the primary fire. It's also good for games like Wolfchild or Assassin if you're used to Up to Jump.
The D-pad or the left analogue stick control the directions.
The fire buttons are laid out similar to a SNES:
is Autofire 2.
is Autofire 1.
is Fire 2.
is Fire 1.
Also, the shoulder buttons provide other Fire abilities:
is Fire 1.
is Fire 2.
is Autofire 1.
is Autofire 2.
Mouse mode
+
This mode emulates a two-button mouse.
The D-pad or the left analogue stick can be used to move the cursor. and are the Left and Right mouse buttons. and are also mapped to the Left and Right mouse buttons.
Don't forget to plug the PSCD32 into the appropriate port for mouse games!
Button to Jump mode
+
This mode emulates a remapped two-button joystick, with Up mapped to a button for games that use Up to Jump.
This mode is good for platformers that use Up to Jump, especially ones where you have an ability which is triggered by holding down the fire button, such as Wolfchild or Assassin.
The D-pad or the left analogue stick control the directions left, right and down.
is Fire 2.
is Autofire 1.
is Fire 1.
is Up.
R1 and R2 are Up and Down respectively, which can help in games with menus or ladders.