controls:controller_basics_1
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+ | ===== A Controller Primer ===== | ||
+ | ==== What is a controller? ==== | ||
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+ | **A controller is a series of devices** - usually switches - that converts user actions into electrical signals the game system can understand. | ||
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+ | Back in the old days, while your parents were walking to school in four feet of snow over broken glass in bare feet (uphill both ways!), we had simple controllers. These controllers were comprized of a very simple set of switches and some wire, a little plastic, and a complete lack of ergonomics. One common wire connected all of the switches, and each switch (one for each direction and button) had a wire that ran back to the console. Five switches, six wires. Simple. | ||
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+ | Then came the modern generation. More buttons and analogue controls meant more complicated connection methods were needed, primarily to reduce the number of wires from controller to console. A communications system was designed that allowed the controller to communicate your moves to the console. A Playstation Dual-Shock controller has 14 buttons, two motors, four analogue devices, and a light. This would require a thick-ass cable stuffed with **twenty-two wires**, and a connector with many pins. A quick look at your playstation controller shows it actually uses only nine pins. //How does that work?// you might ask. I'll tell you how! | ||
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+ | **Encoders!** Using silicon chips, sometimes custom and other times off-the-shelf, | ||
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+ | This is how a modern controller works. As you saw on our original controller primer, when a switch is closed the voltage changes, usually from +5v to 0v (Ground). The encoder chip recognizes this voltage change as "Hey, a switch is closed!" |
controls/controller_basics_1.txt · Last modified: 2019/08/27 20:45 by 127.0.0.1