Joystick Hacks

[babbagesmachine]

A lot of people are unhappy with the joystick being stiff/slippy/sharp so this thread is for solutions to that problem - no complaining about deadzones please or it being too easy to hit diagonals - those problems require different sollutions - anyway
In this thread (The Joystick)
> Cave suggested using stick top from a retrocon pad
> Titousensei suggeted gluing fake nipples on to the pad (insert joke about slippery nipple here)

I've stuck one of those round adhesive rubber feet you find on scanners/monitors/pc-cases etc on the end of the stick and its just the right size feel perfect!! (tested on pacman and metal storm)

So If anyone thinks of a better solution post it here B)

 

[TelcoLou]

I actually used the Retocon mod :lol:

What used to be a good stick IMO is now perfect! The little concave dimple in the middle makes a world of difference!

Thanks to Cave for actully doing the first mod (and posting a pic) and thanks to Magus 86 for the initial idea

 

[Quiest]

Can you post a pic, please?

 

[TelcoLou]

Can you post a pic, please?

​

Hang on a bit ...

Well, here ya go:

I left the stick a little higher, as I liked the feel of the extra 1-2cm between my thumb and the body of the unit. The throw is the same, if not less.

I also painted the white plastic of the Retrocon's stick to help in blending in with the unit

Note; the dust is only visible with ultra-bright flash bulb-type lights

 

[barnesy]

I had a dig round and found a little circular velcro pad with a sticky back. I've stuck the hooked part on the top of the stick, and it's much grippier now. It doesn't look the best though! But it'll do until I find a better stick top to use (the retrocon ones sound great). I don't want to modify anything that's not replaceable.

Edit - And there's a pic of the retrocon stick mod if you scroll down on the thread linked at the top of this one

 

[grahf]

That retrocon one from the other thread looks badass.
In any case since it looks like they just snap on and off, replacements would be easy.

 

[Magus 86]

I actually used the Retocon mod :lol:

What used to be a good stick IMO is now perfect! The little concave dimple in the middle makes a world of difference!

Thanks to Cave for actully doing the first mod (and posting a pic) and thanks to Magus 86 for the initial idea

​

Hehe, no problem, Lou. I just have a couple questions... Other than painting it, did you have to modify the RetroCON stick cap at all? Cave said he had to shorten it and make the hole bigger... If that's true, and you had to do it too, what'd you use to do it?

 

[Cbass182]

Yeah, if someone could do a HOW TO for the RetroCon Mod, that would be great...I've got a RetroCon that I don't use anymore

 

[yaustar]

Now I have to find a Retrocon...cant think when the last time I saw one :/

 

[Magus 86]

Well... Since I have 2 of them, I can sacrifice one for its stick caps, and there's no sense in keeping one of them on... so I suppose I could just mail one of the stick caps to you... unless Gamepark Holdings offers a better solution before I get my GP2X.

 

[Rayek]

hey, i don't know what the inside of the gp2x looks like, but will this work?

it's a gp32 joystick from lik sang... they cost 2.50 usd and 2.15 eu...

 

[Magus 86]

No, somebody else already tried it, and the hole is too big. I guess if you wanted to epoxy it on you could, but then it would be a pain in the ass to get it off if you ever needed to.

 

[Flexinoodle]

If the hole is too big you could always create a shim from plastic or metal tubing

 

[Magus 86]

But tubes are usually round, and the hole inside the GP32 stick cap isn't. Also, I know that the Retrocon sticks and caps are rectangular, so I'm assuming the GP2X stick is also rectangular because the Retrocon stick cap fits on it... So that wouldn't really help.

 

[Flexinoodle]

Ah OK
It is possible to make a shim though using other techniques but it would be too over the top for this application

 

[TelcoLou]

I actually used the Retocon mod :lol:

What used to be a good stick IMO is now perfect! The little concave dimple in the middle makes a world of difference!

Thanks to Cave for actully doing the first mod (and posting a pic) and thanks to Magus 86 for the initial idea

​

Hehe, no problem, Lou. I just have a couple questions... Other than painting it, did you have to modify the RetroCON stick cap at all? Cave said he had to shorten it and make the hole bigger... If that's true, and you had to do it too, what'd you use to do it?

​

I had to cut off roughly 1/3 of the Retrocon shaft (I used an X-acto blade), and widen the hole a bit with a small heated nail.

Best. Mod. EVER.

Thanks again for the idea.

 

[slygamer]

Hmmm. I shall have to try to source a Mad Catz PS2 controller. The Micro Con seems to have the same stick and is cheaper.

 

[Magus 86]

Eh??? This

is definitely NOT the same as this

. The first one is a microcon... and the analog sticks are just mini versions of the regular PS2 controller. The retrocon's sticks have caps like the GP32 and GP2X that can actually be separated from the rest of the analog mechanism.

 

[PSyMastR]

If I take off the original stick. Will it go back on if i want to add it later?

 

[nubie]

If I take off the original stick. Will it go back on if i want to add it later?

​

It Absolutely will. I have pulled mine off about three or four times, not a problem, it is plenty sturdy.