It is a neat idea, but controllers have an absolutely massive downside compared to a keypad. They require two hands, probably wrapped around the controller, to comfortably use. A keypad can...
It is a neat idea, but controllers have an absolutely massive downside compared to a keypad.
They require two hands, probably wrapped around the controller, to comfortably use.
A keypad can generally be put to the left or right of a standard keyboard and can be accessed with a flick of the wrist for the occasional press. For a controller to work, you have to take both hands off of the keyboard and reach across to pick it up and set it back down.
This might sound like it isn't that big of a deal, but I can say from experience working on games that it can be quite frustrating reaching to pick up a controller regularly.
Does anyone here have any workflows that regularly involve picking up a secondary device? I would love to hear someone making this work well.
The blog post specifically shows controllers like the 8bitdo Micro being used one handed, more as a presentation style pointer than full on controller, and in conjunction with a drawing tablet...
They require two hands
The blog post specifically shows controllers like the 8bitdo Micro being used one handed, more as a presentation style pointer than full on controller, and in conjunction with a drawing tablet setup. Having used 'macro pads' of all types since the N52 (and a variety of video editing stations of God knows the manufacturers) I think there's very much a place for controllers. Your standard macro pad might work in place of a keyboard or something but if you have a nonstandard workspace, like a standing desk, you may want something else. If your job requires reading PDFs all day you might only need four or so macros and your mouse. I've used an 8bitdo Zero as a presentation pointer before and when doing some graphic design I mapped the buttons to the few commands I needed.
I have something of a fondness for specialty computer controlling hardware, but I almost always find myself annoyed at how hacky they are in practice. I wish that there was some kind of...
I have something of a fondness for specialty computer controlling hardware, but I almost always find myself annoyed at how hacky they are in practice. I wish that there was some kind of standardized interface for basic doo-dads like spinners, sliders, and the like, so that software would be better written to support them.
I think that VIA is starting to work to bridge that gap but somehow "scroll sideways" has always, ALWAYS felt like black magic if the program doesn't specifically support it.
I think that VIA is starting to work to bridge that gap but somehow "scroll sideways" has always, ALWAYS felt like black magic if the program doesn't specifically support it.
It's not an idea, it's a huge number of people already using controllers this way. You can see the controller in the photo, it's literally made to be used one-handed! Same with the Nintendo Switch...
It's not an idea, it's a huge number of people already using controllers this way. You can see the controller in the photo, it's literally made to be used one-handed! Same with the Nintendo Switch JoyCon. And the Nintendo Wii remote. Artists and designers are using these controllers one-handed, I'm not inventing anything here. Figma are even selling their own. The novel thing in my blog post is the per-app remapping.
I can definitely see a case for some of those smaller split/1-handed controllers. The article does mention Xbox and Playstation controllers (though mentioning the downside) and I believe that I...
I can definitely see a case for some of those smaller split/1-handed controllers. The article does mention Xbox and Playstation controllers (though mentioning the downside) and I believe that I got hung up on that line a bit too much.
A keypad still seems like the ideal solution for a standard workspace but the controllers could definitely apply for smaller or odd workspaces. I could definitely see a use case in a coffee shop bar or something.
If you want to see use cases you can simply watch some videos of artists drawing at their desks with a stylus in one hand and a controller in the other. it's not theoretical so there's no need to...
If you want to see use cases you can simply watch some videos of artists drawing at their desks with a stylus in one hand and a controller in the other. it's not theoretical so there's no need to imagine anything! Just YouTube "procreate controller" etc
My first dip into controllers as alternative input devices was using a wiimote with Open Sound Control and some synthesisers tied into some animation control software. That was a fun time!
My first dip into controllers as alternative input devices was using a wiimote with Open Sound Control and some synthesisers tied into some animation control software. That was a fun time!
I have an EPOMAKER EK21 coming in the mail soon for my htpc / second system (its on a screen to my left.) I'm using a remapped keypad now for media controls. Fairly basic, but this new one will...
I have an EPOMAKER EK21 coming in the mail soon for my htpc / second system (its on a screen to my left.)
I'm using a remapped keypad now for media controls. Fairly basic, but this new one will also do this and some more. I control that system with barrier (nKVM), but having a quick play/pause, skip etc is fantastic. I also control that system with an old media center remote (an HP one) with the usb IR receiver and all :)
But yeah, you can easily make something like a streamdeck out of these things
I'm interested in trying the infrared route again. I last tried that on a Windows media center PC. I have a little Philips remote that I'd love to use as a macropad, rubbery buttons feel so good....
I'm interested in trying the infrared route again. I last tried that on a Windows media center PC. I have a little Philips remote that I'd love to use as a macropad, rubbery buttons feel so good.
I'd also like to try to hook up the accelerometer of the Wii remote, so that I could hold the B button and move/twist the remote to do, say, scrolling.
I've had this remote and receiver for... 20 years? Its been a long time and I've got a couple of them. They're great and the remotes are easy enough to remap with Kodi. The wiimotes should work...
I've had this remote and receiver for... 20 years? Its been a long time and I've got a couple of them. They're great and the remotes are easy enough to remap with Kodi.
The wiimotes should work well. There are probably other more traditional remotes with a keyboard on the back and an accelerometer. I feel like a lot of people are using 2.4 remotes and stuff like the rii instead of using simple and quick IR that never sleeps.
@gingerbeardman, since you have posted links to your blog and various game creations quite a few times since you've joined, I think it's worth pointing out Tildes self-promotion rules. I'm not...
@gingerbeardman, since you have posted links to your blog and various game creations quite a few times since you've joined, I think it's worth pointing out Tildes self-promotion rules. I'm not trying to totally discourage you from posting here on Tildes, but I wanted to point out the rules just in case you weren't aware of them... and so you don't inadvertently get banned for spamming:
Self-promotion
If you have your own site/project/channel/etc. that you'd like to share on Tildes, that's generally fine (in moderation), but it shouldn't be the primary reason that you post on the site. Tildes is a community, not a free advertising platform. Sharing your own content is welcome as long as you're involved in the community, but don't just treat Tildes as a source of an audience.
Thanks, I'm aware. Disappointing to read this though, of course. Not cool. Really takes the shine off this excellent place. Yes, I'm an active blogger but the majority of blog posts are not about...
Thanks, I'm aware. Disappointing to read this though, of course. Not cool. Really takes the shine off this excellent place.
Yes, I'm an active blogger but the majority of blog posts are not about myself. Yes, I'm a developer but most development blog posts are about concepts. But, spam? Come on.
Posting links to my blog posts isn't my main reason for being here. I post links from many sources, I'm an active commenter, and even follow some sections via RSS. My posting history on here shows I'm active in the community, that I've received Exemplary labels, and that I'm not just dropping drive-by links.
Look, just to be clear, I have no real authority here on Tildes. I simply volunteer my time here, and try to help out as best I can. And one of the ways I try to help is by giving new users a...
Look, just to be clear, I have no real authority here on Tildes. I simply volunteer my time here, and try to help out as best I can. And one of the ways I try to help is by giving new users a friendly warning about the self-promotion rule whenever I notice a pattern of them posting a disproportionate number of ‘user created’ / ‘original content’ posts. And I do that because I genuinely don’t want to see anyone get inadvertently banned for spamming. Especially in your case because I actually have enjoyed reading several of your posts, including this one. So when I said I didn’t want to totally discourage you from posting, I really meant it.
I apologize if my warning came across as some sort of personal attack, or judgment against the substance of the content you have created and shared here. That was absolutely not my intent. It truly was just intended as a friendly warning, in case you weren’t aware of the rules, and so that you wouldn’t get inadvertently banned. And since I noticed that the majority of your posts were ‘user created’, I thought it pertinent to warn you about that rule and possibility, is all.
Sorry, I'm going to have to set a boundary here: I absolutely object to this. It's simply unfair, uncalled for, and more importantly untrue. You offer an apology and then reiterate...
Sorry, I'm going to have to set a boundary here: I absolutely object to this.
It's simply unfair, uncalled for, and more importantly untrue. You offer an apology and then reiterate "disproportionate number" and "majority of posts", both of which are simply not true.
I counted, just to be certain, and the number of topics I've posted that are links from my own blog are less than one third of all my total topics. The number is even fewer if you accurately filter what is truly user created, or original content. And this gives no consideration to my comments and other varied input on this site.
To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. Bah humbug!
It is a neat idea, but controllers have an absolutely massive downside compared to a keypad.
They require two hands, probably wrapped around the controller, to comfortably use.
A keypad can generally be put to the left or right of a standard keyboard and can be accessed with a flick of the wrist for the occasional press. For a controller to work, you have to take both hands off of the keyboard and reach across to pick it up and set it back down.
This might sound like it isn't that big of a deal, but I can say from experience working on games that it can be quite frustrating reaching to pick up a controller regularly.
Does anyone here have any workflows that regularly involve picking up a secondary device? I would love to hear someone making this work well.
The blog post specifically shows controllers like the 8bitdo Micro being used one handed, more as a presentation style pointer than full on controller, and in conjunction with a drawing tablet setup. Having used 'macro pads' of all types since the N52 (and a variety of video editing stations of God knows the manufacturers) I think there's very much a place for controllers. Your standard macro pad might work in place of a keyboard or something but if you have a nonstandard workspace, like a standing desk, you may want something else. If your job requires reading PDFs all day you might only need four or so macros and your mouse. I've used an 8bitdo Zero as a presentation pointer before and when doing some graphic design I mapped the buttons to the few commands I needed.
I have something of a fondness for specialty computer controlling hardware, but I almost always find myself annoyed at how hacky they are in practice. I wish that there was some kind of standardized interface for basic doo-dads like spinners, sliders, and the like, so that software would be better written to support them.
I think that VIA is starting to work to bridge that gap but somehow "scroll sideways" has always, ALWAYS felt like black magic if the program doesn't specifically support it.
It's not an idea, it's a huge number of people already using controllers this way. You can see the controller in the photo, it's literally made to be used one-handed! Same with the Nintendo Switch JoyCon. And the Nintendo Wii remote. Artists and designers are using these controllers one-handed, I'm not inventing anything here. Figma are even selling their own. The novel thing in my blog post is the per-app remapping.
I can definitely see a case for some of those smaller split/1-handed controllers. The article does mention Xbox and Playstation controllers (though mentioning the downside) and I believe that I got hung up on that line a bit too much.
A keypad still seems like the ideal solution for a standard workspace but the controllers could definitely apply for smaller or odd workspaces. I could definitely see a use case in a coffee shop bar or something.
If you want to see use cases you can simply watch some videos of artists drawing at their desks with a stylus in one hand and a controller in the other. it's not theoretical so there's no need to imagine anything! Just YouTube "procreate controller" etc
My first dip into controllers as alternative input devices was using a wiimote with Open Sound Control and some synthesisers tied into some animation control software. That was a fun time!
I have an EPOMAKER EK21 coming in the mail soon for my htpc / second system (its on a screen to my left.)
I'm using a remapped keypad now for media controls. Fairly basic, but this new one will also do this and some more. I control that system with barrier (nKVM), but having a quick play/pause, skip etc is fantastic. I also control that system with an old media center remote (an HP one) with the usb IR receiver and all :)
But yeah, you can easily make something like a streamdeck out of these things
I'm interested in trying the infrared route again. I last tried that on a Windows media center PC. I have a little Philips remote that I'd love to use as a macropad, rubbery buttons feel so good.
I'd also like to try to hook up the accelerometer of the Wii remote, so that I could hold the B button and move/twist the remote to do, say, scrolling.
I've had this remote and receiver for... 20 years? Its been a long time and I've got a couple of them. They're great and the remotes are easy enough to remap with Kodi.
The wiimotes should work well. There are probably other more traditional remotes with a keyboard on the back and an accelerometer. I feel like a lot of people are using 2.4 remotes and stuff like the rii instead of using simple and quick IR that never sleeps.
I'm half serious with this... look up the Logitech G Farm Sim Vehicle Side Panel and dare to dream of making a macropad out of that! :)
Woah! It's like a modern day Steel Battalion controller!
right! Imagine the possibilities!
@gingerbeardman, since you have posted links to your blog and various game creations quite a few times since you've joined, I think it's worth pointing out Tildes self-promotion rules. I'm not trying to totally discourage you from posting here on Tildes, but I wanted to point out the rules just in case you weren't aware of them... and so you don't inadvertently get banned for spamming:
https://docs.tildes.net/policies/code-of-conduct#self-promotion
p.s. Please label this comment as Offtopic so it doesn't detract from any on-topic discussion.
Thanks, I'm aware. Disappointing to read this though, of course. Not cool. Really takes the shine off this excellent place.
Yes, I'm an active blogger but the majority of blog posts are not about myself. Yes, I'm a developer but most development blog posts are about concepts. But, spam? Come on.
Posting links to my blog posts isn't my main reason for being here. I post links from many sources, I'm an active commenter, and even follow some sections via RSS. My posting history on here shows I'm active in the community, that I've received Exemplary labels, and that I'm not just dropping drive-by links.
Look, just to be clear, I have no real authority here on Tildes. I simply volunteer my time here, and try to help out as best I can. And one of the ways I try to help is by giving new users a friendly warning about the self-promotion rule whenever I notice a pattern of them posting a disproportionate number of ‘user created’ / ‘original content’ posts. And I do that because I genuinely don’t want to see anyone get inadvertently banned for spamming. Especially in your case because I actually have enjoyed reading several of your posts, including this one. So when I said I didn’t want to totally discourage you from posting, I really meant it.
I apologize if my warning came across as some sort of personal attack, or judgment against the substance of the content you have created and shared here. That was absolutely not my intent. It truly was just intended as a friendly warning, in case you weren’t aware of the rules, and so that you wouldn’t get inadvertently banned. And since I noticed that the majority of your posts were ‘user created’, I thought it pertinent to warn you about that rule and possibility, is all.
Sorry, I'm going to have to set a boundary here: I absolutely object to this.
It's simply unfair, uncalled for, and more importantly untrue. You offer an apology and then reiterate "disproportionate number" and "majority of posts", both of which are simply not true.
I counted, just to be certain, and the number of topics I've posted that are links from my own blog are less than one third of all my total topics. The number is even fewer if you accurately filter what is truly user created, or original content. And this gives no consideration to my comments and other varied input on this site.
To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. Bah humbug!