Changing controls in Retroarch for Atari

[KevinP]

I am trying to change the controls for Atari 2600 in Retroarch to keyboard since I have a keyboard based arcade controller.  In "Input User 1 Binds" I can assign the keys but it doesn't work in the game. 

[LogicalEgo]

Have you tried making changes, going into quick menu, save as core over ride? You can also open up the .cfg with Notepad++ and manually edit in the keys.

[neil9000]

16 hours ago, KevinP said:

I am trying to change the controls for Atari 2600 in Retroarch to keyboard since I have a keyboard based arcade controller.  In "Input User 1 Binds" I can assign the keys but it doesn't work in the game. 

Yeah, just to clarify and elaborate on what @keltoigael said, the user 1 binds you are referring to are in the general Retroarch settings correct? Because those are the "general" settings which are used across the ui and are the default for any core you launch. To change emulator specific controls you need to load a game in the core you want to change controls on then open the Retroarch gui (F1 by default) then as kelto said you go to the "quick menu" then controls, change them to your liking, then in the same menu is a "save core override" option, use it. That will save your changed controls for that core only, and leave everything else as you set it in settings/input/user 1 binds.

[LogicalEgo]

25 minutes ago, neil9000 said:

Yeah, just to clarify and elaborate on what @keltoigael said, the user 1 binds you are referring to are in the general Retroarch settings correct? Because those are the "general" settings which are used across the ui and are the default for any core you launch. To change emulator specific controls you need to load a game in the core you want to change controls on then open the Retroarch gui (F1 by default) then as kelto said you go to the "quick menu" then controls, change them to your liking, then in the same menu is a "save core override" option, use it. That will save your changed controls for that core only, and leave everything else as you set it in settings/input/user 1 binds.

Also to add this you can also save per game control remaps with the quick menu once the core is loaded. This is very useful for platforms like Arcade or if you wanted to completely change a games control layout. Its very handy.

[neil9000]

4 minutes ago, keltoigael said:

Also to add this you can also save per game control remaps with the quick menu once the core is loaded. This is very useful for platforms like Arcade or if you wanted to completely change a games control layout. Its very handy.

Correct, just thought i would start with a default override before i mentioned the per game one. 

[LogicalEgo]

20 minutes ago, neil9000 said:

Correct, just thought i would start with a default override before i mentioned the per game one. 

True

[KevinP]

I have the keys set up properly in the general menu. In the Quick menu when I go to Controls, I can change the inputs but only to what it lets me. For example for Fire it allows A button, etc but no keyboard inputs. I did save core override and the strange thing is that the number pad works for movement but it doesn't transfer through to the joystick. 

[neil9000]

1 minute ago, KevinP said:

I have the keys set up properly in the general menu. In the Quick menu when I go to Controls, I can change the inputs but only to what it lets me. For example for Fire it allows A button, etc but no keyboard inputs. I did save core override and the strange thing is that the number pad works for movement but it doesn't transfer through to the joystick. 

I'll be honest with you. i have never used a keyboard for controls in Retroarch, but at the top of the quick menu/controls it should say what its using for input, that can be switched, left or right, to something else. Not sure if keyboard is one of those though.

[neil9000]

Also there are free programs out there that will convert keyboard presses into controller button presses.

What controller are you using?

[KevinP]

1 minute ago, neil9000 said:

Also there are free programs out there that will convert keyboard presses into controller button presses.

What controller are you using?

http://www.recroommasters.com/Xtension_Two_Player_Control_Board_Emulator_Edition_p/rm-xt-sd-board-ee.htm

[KevinP]

4 minutes ago, neil9000 said:

I'll be honest with you. i have never used a keyboard for controls in Retroarch, but at the top of the quick menu/controls it should say what its using for input, that can be switched, left or right, to something else. Not sure if keyboard is one of those though.

It only allows Retropad, Retropad with Analog or None.

[neil9000]

Ouch that's expensive.  

Ok so is it just Atari 2600 or every emulator in Retroarch? Have you tried any others?

[KevinP]

Just now, neil9000 said:

Ouch that's expensive.  

Ok so is it just Atari 2600 or every emulator in Retroarch? Have you tried any others?

Yeah had more money than sense at the time I bought it  I was trying to change the Stella core so all Atari games could be played on the controller board. I will look for a different emulator for Atari.

[neil9000]

1 minute ago, KevinP said:

Yeah had more money than sense at the time I bought it  I was trying to change the Stella core so all Atari games could be played on the controller board. I will look for a different emulator for Atari.

I didn't mean for atari, just curious if nes, for example works or your stick is just not acknowledged as a input device.

[neil9000]

This is the issue we run into sometimes, your stick and buttons are recognised as keyboard inputs. And they will work just fine inside Launchbox/Bigbox no issues at all. But the emulator will not agree. It want's button presses.

[KevinP]

Atari is the only thing I have in Retroarch right now. Using mame, fusion364 for others with no problem with this control panel.

[neil9000]

Just now, KevinP said:

Atari is the only thing I have in Retroarch right now. Using mame, fusion364 for others with no problem with this control panel.

Well, you answered my question, thank you.  

So i will take it as a Retroarch issue. There are way's around it of course, but it's a specific stick issue.  

[KevinP]

Thanks for all the help guys!

[neil9000]

I don't mind diving a little deeper with this if you wan't, i just can't check as i don't have your exact device.

Happy to help though.  

 

[Retro808]

I can recreate the issue also with my Xarcade Tankstick. Retroarch does not like to let you do core overrides in the quick menu for keyboards keys mapped to a control. So any cores I need specific button mappings I have to save a separate config file for the core and have Launchbox load that in the default command line. 

Edited September 13, 2017 by Retro808