Is it possible to map multiple different kinds of controllers per console?

[Fuzzykropolis]

I am trying to find a good tutorial on how to map multiple controllers to Launchbox to match the console I am playing. For instance, Using a Playstation 2 controller to play Playstation 1 & 2 games, an Xbox 360 controller to play Xbox games, a Gamecube style Nintendo Switch controller to play Gamecube games, etc. Does Launchbox have this feature?

[damageinc86]

There are USB adapters for PS2 controllers and Gamecube.  Wired versions of Xbox360 and Switch.  So all you'd have to do is map the controllers in the emulators for each console.  Just make sure to never unplug them while the computer is running, or else Windows will shuffle all the controller ids and you'll have to re-map everything all over again.

[Sbaby]

5 hours ago, damageinc86 said:

There are USB adapters for PS2 controllers and Gamecube.  Wired versions of Xbox360 and Switch.  So all you'd have to do is map the controllers in the emulators for each console.  Just make sure to never unplug them while the computer is running, or else Windows will shuffle all the controller ids and you'll have to re-map everything all over again.

best wishes 😅 . To get around this problem, you can use x360ce, which allows you to map multiple controllers to a single port. It keeps the controller id in memory, so even if you disconnect or reconnect, it will always correctly assign the position of the controllers in Windows and the buttons you choose. You can also assign multiple controllers to a Windows id and use them all at the same time, Windows will only detect one xbox360 controller. In other words, you can keep the controllers all connected and use the one you want as player 1 (or even other players for other controllers, you choose). As a prerequisite, you must have non-x-input controllers, as they will be converted to x-input compatible and Windows will detect them as xbox360 controllers.

 

@FuzzykropolisYes , you can 👆

 

as you can see I have four controllers connected and combined into one (Windows only detects one joypad)

Please note, at the moment they are physically disconnected so you see the grey ticks and yellow square, if I connect them they turn green, for windows on the other hand one controller is always present, this is cool

Edited November 17, 2023 by Sbaby

[damageinc86]

Wow,...I had that program years ago, but never was able to really get it to work before.  Probably user error lol.  So this gives you the ability to swap in and out and have the PS2, GC, etc., controller profile be loaded automatically when you plug in the different controllers?  And then since you mapped that controller ID in the emulator beforehand, it is still looking for that controller ID and sees it just fine then huh?  Looks cool!

[Kefka2b]

I do the same as @Sbaby but with ds4windows (it supports a lot more than dual shocks), basically I create a profile linked to each controller (all emulated as xbox360 controllers) with remaps as required, ds4windows detects the Mac address of the controller which is unique so no mixup possible and you can also hide the original detected hardware from windows to avoid issues like double input. Gyro supported controllers will also work like dual sense or Exlene GameCube controller for Cemu for example. The idea is to keep a consistent button mapping between both bigbox navigation and pause screen as well as games.

[Sbaby]

1 hour ago, Kefka2b said:

I do the same as @Sbaby but with ds4windows (it supports a lot more than dual shocks), basically I create a profile linked to each controller (all emulated as xbox360 controllers) with remaps as required, ds4windows detects the Mac address of the controller which is unique so no mixup possible and you can also hide the original detected hardware from windows to avoid issues like double input. Gyro supported controllers will also work like dual sense or Exlene GameCube controller for Cemu for example. The idea is to keep a consistent button mapping between both bigbox navigation and pause screen as well as games.

i also use ds4windows for my ps4 controller but i am not sure if it does the job our friend requires. it supports very old joysticks with adapters ? Can you combine many controllers into one ? If you keep 10 controllers plugged in can you make sure you use the one you want as player 1 in each game or does windows detect 10 ? x360ce does it

[Kefka2b]

29 minutes ago, Sbaby said:

i also use ds4windows for my ps4 controller but i am not sure if it does the job our friend requires. it supports very old joysticks with adapters ? Can you combine many controllers into one ? If you keep 10 controllers plugged in can you make sure you use the one you want as player 1 in each game or does windows detect 10 ? x360ce does it

Humm seems like a very specific use case. Why have 10 controllers connected all the time? Just plug-in or turn on bluetooth when needed? Ds4windows will give P1 to first detected controller and so on so turn them on in the needed order.

[Sbaby]

12 minutes ago, Kefka2b said:

Humm seems like a very specific use case. Why have 10 controllers connected all the time? Just plug-in or turn on bluetooth when needed? Ds4windows will give P1 to first detected controller and so on so turn them on in the needed order.

Here we talk about playing via usb adapters with the original controller of any old console by switching between games via emulators.

[Sbaby]

On 11/18/2023 at 4:21 AM, damageinc86 said:

Wow,...I had that program years ago, but never was able to really get it to work before.  Probably user error lol.  So this gives you the ability to swap in and out and have the PS2, GC, etc., controller profile be loaded automatically when you plug in the different controllers?  And then since you mapped that controller ID in the emulator beforehand, it is still looking for that controller ID and sees it just fine then huh?  Looks cool!

of course!  If you have problems getting it to work, try pairing the Nefarious HidHide Configuration Client tool together.

 

If you only have recent console controllers you can also use DS4windows

Edited November 19, 2023 by Sbaby

[Fuzzykropolis]

"i also use ds4windows for my ps4 controller but i am not sure if it does the job our friend requires. it supports very old joysticks with adapters ?"

I never said I was using old USB. That was someone else's comment. Most of my controllers are wireless (xbox360) or bluetooth (switch pro, dualshock). It sounds like ds4windows is the better option for newer controllers? The goal would be to no matter which controller I am using for whatever console; I could pick it up, turn it on, and it would just work (correctly mapped).

[Kefka2b]

59 minutes ago, Fuzzykropolis said:

"i also use ds4windows for my ps4 controller but i am not sure if it does the job our friend requires. it supports very old joysticks with adapters ?"

I never said I was using old USB. That was someone else's comment. Most of my controllers are wireless (xbox360) or bluetooth (switch pro, dualshock). It sounds like ds4windows is the better option for newer controllers? The goal would be to no matter which controller I am using for whatever console; I could pick it up, turn it on, and it would just work (correctly mapped).

Hey yes for me it works great, currently using a dualsense and an M30 (but getting an Exlene GC controller and brawler 64 N64 controller all set as switch pro controllers the M30 as well) emulated as xbox360 controllers via ds4windows.

It allows me to have a consistent button mapping for all emulators and windows/BigBox and their functions, like home button for pause screen in BigBox as well as select button as hotkey toggle and various other hotkeys for retroarch, PCSX2 and Dolphin for example. 

For Retroarch cores, I just remap the buttons as profiles in DS4Windows according to the default mapping of cores for the X360 controllers, which allow me to play with other controllers or have a player 2 with another controller type without having to remap in the core options.

Edited November 20, 2023 by Kefka2b

[Sbaby]

ok fine. i have both softwares, i don't have the flag for one or the other.
Having a cabinet with arcade control panel. I honestly don't feel like unplugging it every time I want to use player 1 with a joypad, so I prefer the combination of controllers in 1

I can play on the fly as player1 with any joystick I want to connect without any problem or configuration for anything, I just have that and it already does everything

I can even connect them while they are already inside the game and nothing happens as Windows does not understand the disconnection 

 

...

@FuzzykropolisDs4Windows is perfect for you

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by Sbaby

[Fuzzykropolis]

Thanks! Installation went pretty smooth except I don't understand how to install the FakerInput driver. The link sends me to Github, and I can see where to download the package as a zip file, but it doesn't contain any installation files. This seems like source code or something? I can read a little programming, but am not a programmer. Maybe I am clicking the wrong download link?

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to support the controller I am trying to use. (Ds4Windows doesn't seem to recognize my controller?) Then I saw this and thought I would share for those who are new to Ds4Windows. You might want to check out the supported controller list first; https://ds4-windows.com/supported-controllers/.

The main goal is to use these PowerA GameCube style controllers for GameCube and N64. They are very nice, and feel almost like the original GameCube controllers. https://www.amazon.com/PowerA-Wireless-Controller-Nintendo-Switch-GameCube/dp/B07GXLBCC3. I emailed the Ds4Windows devs asking if they had any plans to add them to the compatibility list. We'll see what happens.

Edited November 30, 2023 by Fuzzykropolis

[Kefka2b]

9 hours ago, Fuzzykropolis said:

Thanks! Installation went pretty smooth except I don't understand how to install the FakerInput driver. The link sends me to Github, and I can see where to download the package as a zip file, but it doesn't contain any installation files. This seems like source code or something? I can read a little programming, but am not a programmer. Maybe I am clicking the wrong download link?

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to support the controller I am trying to use. (Ds4Windows doesn't seem to recognize my controller?) Then I saw this and thought I would share for those who are new to Ds4Windows. You might want to check out the supported controller list first; https://ds4-windows.com/supported-controllers/.

The main goal is to use these PowerA GameCube style controllers for GameCube and N64. They are very nice, and feel almost like the original GameCube controllers. https://www.amazon.com/PowerA-Wireless-Controller-Nintendo-Switch-GameCube/dp/B07GXLBCC3. I emailed the Ds4Windows devs asking if they had any plans to add them to the compatibility list. We'll see what happens.

Hey is the controller setup as Switch Pro controller? Windows and DS4windows  should be able to recognise it like that (Make sure Switch pro emulation is enabled in DS4Windows).

I've received the Exlene GC controller, I was  able to detect it in WIndows and DS4WIndows as Switch Pro controller however, it was always showing 0% battery in DS4windows and would always disconnect and reconnect, however setting it as X-Input mode directly perfectly recognised it as Xbox controller and configured all the buttons exactly as expected except A-B-X-Y being reversed, it is changeable in Dolphin but not Bigbox since it would affect all controllers  (just like my dual sense would be configured as xbox controller via ds4windows so I didn't even need it in the end, my 8bitdo M30 also works perfectly with DS4WIndows when set as Switch pro mode after doing a bit of remapping since it is a 6 button controller, in X-Input I just was not able to get Retroarch hotkeys to work on both controllers due to very different mapping, I will receive a Brawler64 today normally and will provide also feedback once I set it up)

Edited November 30, 2023 by Kefka2b

[Fuzzykropolis]

No. It is not a Switch Pro Controller. It is a PowerA GameCube style switch controller. There's a link there if you want to see it.

Edited November 30, 2023 by Fuzzykropolis

[Kefka2b]

1 hour ago, Fuzzykropolis said:

No. It is not a Switch Pro Controller. It is a PowerA GameCube style switch controller. There's a link there if you want to see it.

I understand but how does windows detect it (ie. which name is given to it in the connected devices) when you connect it?

Edited November 30, 2023 by Kefka2b

[Fuzzykropolis]

They are not mapped the same. I didn't check the whole controller but I know the main buttons are different. Using Joytokey here is how they are reading (looks like they are slightly reversed).

The problem I am having is Ds4windows is not seeing my controller at all. I followed this video and when he connected his PS4 controller it popped right up. My Power A (non supported) doesn't seem to pop up in the software.

A good video for newbies to Ds4windows. You don't need to follow the website's messy installation instructions. This is much easier.

1. Install the software and open.
2. Go to the settings tab
3. Click on the Controller/Driver Setup link. Here you can install the ViGEmBus, HidHide, FakerInput Drivers (built right into the software).

[Kefka2b]

@Fuzzykropolis The only thing that might still solve it for you is this:

In the ds4windows settings tab, go to "Device Options" at the mid right. Here you can select all the controller types you want to be recognized by DS4Windows.

Pro controller is unchecked by default! Just enable everything honestly it won't do any harm anyways.

Maybe now it will recognise it. You need to restart the program I think.

Edited December 1, 2023 by Kefka2b