This unique program (I could find no equivalent!) allows you to use the keyboard
for games which require a CD32 Joypad. I wrote it because Payback only allows
one keyboard player in multiplayer mode; now two players can play Payback using
the keyboard. It will not work with joystick-only games, because it only
patches the lowlevel library.
It is probably not very useful for cheap keyboards (like the A1200 has), because
too many simultaneous keypresses will prevent other keys from being detected.
But with a non-cheap PC keyboard (such as may be used on Amithlon PC systems), I
have successfully got atleast 6 keys pressed at once (which works well for
Payback).
I think this program is only really useful for Amithlon, since Amithlon does not
provide joystick/joypad emulation. And since no-one on the official Amithlon
list has shown an interest in this program, I guess no-one else will be
interested either! So I make this program publically available, despite having
the expectation that it won't be used by anyone but me...
Currently the keyboard mapping (i.e. what key makes what joypad signal) is
fixed (hence the v0.9 status), but should there be some (unexpected!) interest,
then I could pretty easily write a config problem.
History
+++++++
v0.9a (20-12-02) - Patch now reports if the Joypad emulation is being used.
v0.9 (10-12-02) - Fixed program reporting outdated key mapping!
v0.9 (06-12-02) - First aminet release.
Important
+++++++++
This program was written entirely for my own uses, but I am making it freely
available (in the public domain) for use under the conditions that it is used
entirely at your own risk AND that no warrenty of merchantability or fitness for
a particular purpose is expressed or implied.
This program seems to work fine on my machine, but I am not the most experienced
AmigaOS C programer!
General usage
+++++++++++++
The program must be run from the shell. I have provided an icon should you not
want to use the shell. The emulated joypad is on port 1.
When you have finished using it, you simply press enter in the shell window. If
someone can tell me how to wait for a Ctrl-C signal using C, that would be
great!
Currently the fixed keyboard to joypad mapping is:
Key = Joypad signal
-----------------------------
UpArrow = Up
DownArrow = Down
LeftArrow = Left
RightArrow = Right
Num0 = Red (Fire)
Num1 = Blue
Num2 = Yellow
Num3 = Green
Num+ = (Shoulder) Forward
NumEnter = (Shoulder) Reverse
Num. = Play/Pause
(NumX is the standard abbreviation for X on the NumPad.)
It is possible that the keyboard mapping will be different for unusual (or maybe
real Amiga) keyboards. This is unavoidable due to the use of rawkey codes, but
would not matter if a config program was written.
Possible Questions
++++++++++++++++++
Q. "FakeCD32Joypad patch doesn't seem to work with some game."
A. Start v0.9a (or later) of the patch, then start the game. Try to actually
start playing, then quit the game. Now read what the patch displayed.
If it says that something used the patched function, then your game SHOULD
work with my patch (but no guarantees). If it DOESN'T say that, then your
game must be accessing the joypad through some other function, and therefore
I cannot help. Sorry.
Q. "Some game doesn't use CD32 Joypads. Can you patch the joystick instead?"
A. The short answer is no, I cannot. Sorry.
The long answer is that it might be possible for a FEW games, but that I do
not have the expertise to do that, nor the motivation to try.
Payback usage
+++++++++++++
On my keyboard at least, I can have two people sharing the same keyboard without
getting the problem of some keys blocking the signals of other keys (for typical
Payback usage). For the current fixed joypad mapping, I set "Multiplayer CD32
Joypad 1" to the following configuration:
Accelerate = Up = UpArrow
Reverse/brake = Down = DownArrow
Turn left = Left = LeftArrow
Turn right = Right = RightArrow
Shoot/horn = Blue = Num1
In/Out vehicle = Reverse = NumEnter
Brake only = Green = Num3
Next weapon = Yellow = Num2
Prev weapon = Forward = Num+
The other player must configure "single player keyboard" controls to use the top
two rows of keys below the row of numbers; I found the following worked well:
Accelerate = i
Reverse/brake = k
Turn left = j
Turn right = l
Shoot/horn = e
In/Out vehicle = ; (the key right of "L")
Brake only = d
Next weapon = w (note: Payback disables this in multiplayer!)
Prev weapon = q (note: Payback disables this in multiplayer!)
Repeat message = m
To save you setting-up these controls, I have provided my Payback.config file,
which should go in your S: directory (remember to keep a copy of your old one,
just in case). You will need to run PaybackSetup before playing Payback, so
that you don't use my screenmode preferences!
BTW, this config file may not work for early versions of Payback (such as
provided on the game CD), but it definitely works with Updates 5 to 7. Anyway,
early versions of Payback did not allow you to redefine the controls, so this
program would be useless anyway!
Final comments
++++++++++++++
If you know of any other games which my program works well with, I would like to
know! If you discover any bugs, I would like to know. In fact, if you use this
program at all, I would like to know!
Remember to remove the anti-spam stuff in my email address before emailing me!
Hints: Remove the "NOspam ", and replace "AT" with "".
Have fun :-)
Happy Xmas!
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