107 replies to this topic

[MWeston]

Here is a new test build I would like people to try, especially those who don't find the nub performance reliable. I have been talking with the nub manufacturer and asking about calibration issues people might be having. I got a new firmware module that alters the calibration algorithm a bit. Now it should be slower to start changing calibration numbers once it has found all the initial values it needs (ie. nub dance). The idea is that this is an attempt for the nubs to not get out of control after you have been using them for a random period of time.

I built this module into my firmware and gave it some basic and quick testing to make sure it works. The nub performance seems fine on my prototype so at least the foundation for something useful is there. If I broke anything in this build please let me know but it should be like previous builds as long as I remembered to build all the necessary features.

The only other changes in this code from v2.0 are the ability to bring up the on screen keyboard with the SELECT + L SHOULDER +R SHOULDER buttons as described in some other topic and a new mapping of the game buttons in iCade emulation mode (again from another topic).

Please let me know how this goes and see if it makes any difference. Try to give it as much time as you can before voting.

(SEPT 13: Added v2.1a which allows onscreen keyboard toggle for any HID keyboard type mode)


Thanks!

Attached Files

•  icp_firmware_v2_1_test.zip   20.94K   162 downloads
•  icp_firmware_v2_1_a_test.zip   20.96K   447 downloads

Edited by MWeston, 14 September 2011 - 12:01 AM.

[Gadgetoid]

Can't get the on-screen keyboard to show up. I'm using iCade mode and pressing various combinations of SELECT and L SHOULDER to no avail.

I checked the keyboard thread, but can't find any definitive final button combination mentioned.

[MWeston]

That was my mistake on remembering how the button combo went. Looking at the code, I can see it is BOTH shoulder buttons and the select button.

The new button mapping is talked about here in this pinned topic: http://boards.openpa...button-mapping/

[Gadgetoid]

Aha. I did try that, but evidently didn't hold it long enough. Tried again and it's perfect. Obviously spams the focussed input with letters, but they are easy enough to delete.

The new iCade mappings are extremely screwy in SuperMegaWorm, which is one of the few games that worked before. Hopefully we can lobby developers to provide some input mapping options.

Can't win either way, really!

[MWeston]

No one else is going to try this? Maybe I should post a pointer topic in one of the more popular sections?

[wermy]

I've just tried to test it, but I keep getting "error opening channel" whenever I try to flash from osx... Any ideas? I'm using the tools in this thread: http://boards.openpa...are-update-v20/


Edit: Nevermind, got it working. I'll try it out now. Thanks!

Edit 2: So far so good! I do have a question though: my game needs to have the icp in the special packet HID keyboard mode in order to use the nubs. The Select+L+R doesn't seem to be bringing up the keyboard in that mode (for high score entry) - should it be, and I'm just not doing something right?

[MWeston]

No, I only had it do the on screen keyboard toggle in iCade mode because the other special packet mode was going to be removed due to the lag it causes when passing huge amounts of data from the nubs. I will can support this with the special packet mode but I'm not too sure how long that one is staying in the code when the code space becomes necessary for something else.

Should I make this toggle work in all keyboard modes then? I don't know what this will do if you send the toggle command to a PC/Mac instead of an iPhone. I've never tried that.

[Gadgetoid]

Added a link to this thread from the 2.0 update thread: http://boards.openpa...are-update-v20/

It should probably also be plugged on the website. I'll find out.

[wermy]

No, I only had it do the on screen keyboard toggle in iCade mode because the other special packet mode was going to be removed due to the lag it causes when passing huge amounts of data from the nubs. I will can support this with the special packet mode but I'm not too sure how long that one is staying in the code when the code space becomes necessary for something else.

Should I make this toggle work in all keyboard modes then? I don't know what this will do if you send the toggle command to a PC/Mac instead of an iPhone. I've never tried that.

Well that's bad news... It actually works pretty well in my game, I was going to release it using the nubs that way. Any idea if there are other games that need it like mine? Will there be another way to support the nubs in a non-jailbroken app?

[Gadgetoid]

No, I only had it do the on screen keyboard toggle in iCade mode because the other special packet mode was going to be removed due to the lag it causes when passing huge amounts of data from the nubs. I will can support this with the special packet mode but I'm not too sure how long that one is staying in the code when the code space becomes necessary for something else.

Should I make this toggle work in all keyboard modes then? I don't know what this will do if you send the toggle command to a PC/Mac instead of an iPhone. I've never tried that.

Well that's bad news... It actually works pretty well in my game, I was going to release it using the nubs that way. Any idea if there are other games that need it like mine? Will there be another way to support the nubs in a non-jailbroken app?

That would be very interesting to see in action.

At the moment, there doesn't appear to be enough interest in the iControlPad specifically for nub support to be widespread in non-jailbroken Apps. All the interest is in the iCade, and the iControlPad is simply piggy-backing that.

At the moment there's no guarantee that the code space *will* become necessary for something else. And if it ever is, there's always the possibility of having a couple of Firmwares on the go.

[wermy]

That would be very interesting to see in action.

At the moment, there doesn't appear to be enough interest in the iControlPad specifically for nub support to be widespread in non-jailbroken Apps. All the interest is in the iCade, and the iControlPad is simply piggy-backing that.

At the moment there's no guarantee that the code space *will* become necessary for something else. And if it ever is, there's always the possibility of having a couple of Firmwares on the go.

Yeah. I suppose if it ever does it taken out I can just say "firmware X is required" or something. There is a small amount of lag, varying from hardly noticeable to annoying, but the majority of the time it's perfectly playable and pretty fun on the nubs.

[Gadgetoid]

That would be very interesting to see in action.

At the moment, there doesn't appear to be enough interest in the iControlPad specifically for nub support to be widespread in non-jailbroken Apps. All the interest is in the iCade, and the iControlPad is simply piggy-backing that.

At the moment there's no guarantee that the code space *will* become necessary for something else. And if it ever is, there's always the possibility of having a couple of Firmwares on the go.

Yeah. I suppose if it ever does it taken out I can just say "firmware X is required" or something. There is a small amount of lag, varying from hardly noticeable to annoying, but the majority of the time it's perfectly playable and pretty fun on the nubs.

Having now tried Vertex Blaster with the dual analogue, I can confirm that it plays extremely well. I never expected analogue to work with official apps, much less work this well. You, sir, are a genius. Actually, the fact you've explicitly supported "The iControlPad" rather than it relying on iCade mode makes for an absolutely fantastic experience, with buttons doing exactly what you'd expect.

MWeston: This mode has totally got to stay!

Wermy: Can you bestow upon us any knowledge/sourcecode for getting the iControlPad so beautifully supported? I'd like to add some sort of guide to the developers page on iControlPad.com.

[MWeston]

Okay, it is still in there. I had a lot of trouble trying to map some discrete nub values in order to support them in iCade emulation mode and so it may never work in the space I have. It is hard to map circular patterns into pin point values while trying to use as little code space as possible! It will be abandoned for now in favor of the special packet mode which now has official support and shouldn't be removed. Perhaps I can tweak that further in the future to control lag if necessary.

I just updated the original post to include firmware 2.1a that allows toggling the onscreen keyboard in any keyboard mode and not just iCade emulation mode. Hopefully Gadgetoid can give it a try and see if I broke anything. I just built it now while I have a few minutes and posted it to be tried. It was just a minor change that should 'just work'. I hope many others will give it a try too!

[wermy]

Looks like it (the keyboard-showing/hiding) is causing some issues in my game (and actually crashing it). I'm sure it's something on my end, though - I'll figure it out and put it in the next update. Thanks again!

[wermy]

Ok, it was something silly I was doing on my end with the keyboard detection. I'll have a fix in the next update. Great work!

[Juliano]

I have been playing TMNT on my notebook since yesterday with this new firmware and I can feel that the nubs are much better (very responsive) compared to Firmware 2.0.
Thanks for this.

[smilespray]

Just wanted to say the iCade mode seemed completely bonkers in 2.1A test.

Finally managed to downgrade after a couple of hours' struggle.

[Gadgetoid]

Sorry, I haven't had a chance to try this out yet. I've been tinkering with multiple-iControlPad-support in SNES 9x EX and trying to get some good photos of the new universal holder.

Will get 'round to it soon!

[stdanko]

I using the beta 2.1a and everything works great so far on iPad and iPhone 4 both running beta iOS 5. I have every iOS game that is iControlPad or iCade ready. Need to get iMame4All still....

If you need any testing help with games or firmware let me know get ahold of me at stdanko@gmail.com
I'm not J/B ...

[warm_concrete]

Used 2.1a and the Xpadder to map nubs as analogs, and I was higly impressed with the improvements. Earlier today I used 2.0 fw, but I didn’t like the experience, so I could conclude that 2.1a method is way much better. But it could be improved anyway, since sometimes nubs behave not very responsive.

BTW, I played “The Binding of Isaac”, the game is great!