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Cheap, Rugged, Multiplayer Gamepads for Linux

Posted by michael on from the thumb-callus dept.

IceAgeComing writes "Anyone interested in exploring multiplayer games under Linux should know: you can now pick up a four-way gamepad hub, with four gamepads, for under $15. It is known as the Gravis Multiport, and now it is supported under Linux. The link describes patches for Linux 2.4, but the drivers are now included in Linux 2.6. This input system used to cost more than $100, but it has been abandoned by Gravis since Windows 98. Now it's possible to pick them up extra cheap. Four-player Gauntlet under XMAME, anyone?"

9 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. Not quite. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, I find the d-pads on these things horrendous, especially after a month or so of use.

    Your better bet by far would be to get several Dual-Shocks (PS1 version would be fine) and some -$10 USB adapters from Radio Shack. I did, and it works great.

    1. Re:Not quite. by zumbojo · · Score: 5, Informative

      XBox controllers are much easier to connect to computer hardware; they are USB controllers in disguise (read: "with proprietary connectors"). My friend simply bought a USB cable for two dollars and wired it inline on one of his XBox controller cables. Now he can use that controller on his PC (he uses it often to play NES emulators at work) and if he so wishes, plug USB devices into his hacked XBox. When he wants to fire up Halo, all he does is reconnect the controller.

      Side note: The XBox proprietary connector is actually 5-pin (+, -, data, ground and "strobe") though with the fifth (strobe) wire disconnected the controller works just fine. Maybe it is for some as yet unreleased peripheral, but the controllers sure as hell don't use it.

  2. Here's a starter list. by Blaede · · Score: 5, Informative

    Tomb Raider series
    Thief
    Max Payne
    Prince of Persia
    007: Nightfire

    Keyboards are hell with these type of games.

  3. Re:Great! by __aatgod8309 · · Score: 5, Informative

    It sounds like it's aimed at retro-gamers. (I play SNES and Genesis games on my machine, and joypads are the only way to go)

  4. I had one of these things, it sucked by SexyKellyOsbourne · · Score: 4, Informative

    I got one of these -- just the controllers, not the gamepads -- back in the day when I was looking for a good emulator controller. It looks like it has 8 buttons, but it actually only supports the old standard of 4 -- the extras are just "turbo" buttons. Even though that's good enough for NES, they're still unwieldy due to the crooked cross controller, making Contra hard to play when you have to aim down -- it keeps running forward.

    Linux's USB Sidewinder Pro support is perfectly fine, and they're not longer made and cheap. For $15, you get a controller with 9 buttons and good handling, more than enough for any console emulation.

  5. It's a good price... by cowbutt · · Score: 4, Informative
    ...but I think I'd prefer the flexibility of a Sony PlayStation Dual-Shock controller together with a USB adaptor. In the UK, the adaptors are easily available from Maplin for 7.99. Alternatively, they also do USB pads for 5.99 each.

    I have no connections with Maplin, I'm just a satisfied customer.

    --

  6. Re:gaming on linux: by ciryon · · Score: 4, Informative

    Not true. I've had many hours of gameplay on linux. First off, many windows games work very well with Wine or Transgaming.

    I've also played a lot of old nintendo games. I hooked up my box to the TV (using a nvidia card with TV-out) and then I inserted two Gravis Gamepads which only need one gameport. Kernel modules worked just fine, and this was some years ago. Grab the latest SNES9X-emulator and start gaming!

  7. Drivers by shione · · Score: 3, Informative

    I like to use the USB cable that comes with a usb memory disk to do this mod. The cables are expensive when purchased on their own but they are virtually free with most flashram drives. HAve a look around you (not the parent) probably have one or two lying around.

    Assembling the cable is childs play, all thats required is chopping the female plug off one end of an usb extension cable and wiring it up colour matching colour with the cable on an xbox controller.

    To get it working on a PC Windows drivers are needed which can be found at:
    http://sourceforge.net/projects/xboxhid/
    or
    http://grooveyardfunk.com/projects/xid/
    or
    http ://members.cox.net/lazerman/downloads.html

    The drivers are made by different people so find the one that works best for you. some are picky about the version of windows. I do not know if there are Linux drivers.

    I always thought the inline release on the xbox controller a marketing gimmick but it comes in quite useful when you do this mod because if you have another unmodified xbox controller cable you can still use the xbox controller on the xbox just by plugging the unmodified cable into where the inline release is.

  8. Re:Retro Hardware for Retro Gamers! by ukyoCE · · Score: 4, Informative

    Did you even RTFA? This "ancient piece of hardware" is obviously quite useful, and the reason it's so cheap? WINDOWS XP DOESNT SUPPORT IT! So linux actually has better device support in this case, as in many others.

    And btw, afaik all modern video cards (ie: radeon and nvidia) are very well supported in linux, and DVD+-RW drives should work flawlessly as well. I've heard RAID does too, but have never used it myself.