N64 Controller Remap / Label as Pro Controller

[shmuga9]

Feature Description

The N64 controller doesn't allow button remapping. I'd like to see one of these options become available.

1. Relabel the N64 controller as a Pro controller. This would automatically unlock the ability to remap buttons, as it's available for pro controllers.

2. Native support. This would allow you to remap the C-buttons as extra buttons, rather than only being seen as the 2nd joystick.

I'm completely fine with #1, which should be easy to implement. #2 I'm throwing out there as an idea, but I have no clue how much work that would take, if possible.

Rationale

It would allow compatibility for more games.

The N64 lacks the X/Y face buttons, but plenty of games don't need ZL/ZR or L/R (or stick clicks). So being able to remap buttons as replacements for X/Y would mean the controller could be used for more than just the N64 Online app. And you would be able to close apps from the home menu (it requires the X button).

Games like Mario Party Superstars (a remake of the N64 games), New Super Lucky's Tale, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land are some examples that only need access to X or Y to be fully compatible, if the unused buttons could be used in their place.

Additional Details

No response

[ndeadly]

See if this build does what you want. It may be as simple as changing a few of the identifying fields like I have done, but there may be more to it depending on what the input data reports etc look like.

Also, be careful not to attempt any firmware updates or similar, as I have not yet added any safeguards against potentially writing a firmware for the wrong controller.

MissionControl-0.7.0-n64-as-pro-controller-ea799f6.zip

[shmuga9]

Thanks for the quick response. I made sure to "uninstall" the previous version and cleared my bluetooth pairing database (I had the N64 controller paired before this), and rebooted to make sure I tested it cleanly. Unfortunately, while all the markers show it as a pro controller, it still says you can't remap buttons.

I'm guessing there's some other signifier where it knows it's not a pro controller. For instance, before I cleared my bluetooth database, I tried this test. It showed a pro controller icon in all places (bottom menu, change grip, etc), except the top left notification when you reconnect a (previously paired) controller. Up there it appeared as an N64 controller. After I deleted the database and restarted, it would pair... but there was no top-left notification at all. If you were in the controller applet it would just pop up in one of the squares. Whereas any other controller (including the N64 one when normal) would have the top left notification to accompany it.

Thought I'd mention that in case it leads to something. Also, I'm running 14.1.1 if that makes a difference. I updated some time ago, so it's not something I could've avoided for this.

[ndeadly]

Ok, that's a start. Maybe there are more identifiers used to determine whether the controls can be remapped. Here I've changed it to also modify the device name string presented to the system. I think this should bring it in line with the other non-nintendo controllers I support.

MissionControl-0.7.0-n64-as-pro-controller-e09f6e8.zip

[shmuga9]

Tried it, but I didn't notice any differences on my end.

[shmuga9]

How does making the other controllers compatible work? Do you edit a file to tell the switch that the Playstation circle button is the Switch's B?

If that's the case, you could make (or explain how to make) a few presets instead. Circumventing having the system read it as a proper pro controller that allows button remapping. Just a thought. Not sure how any of this works, lol.

[ndeadly]

There is source code defining how to map the incoming data format to the one the Switch recognises. We also need to fake a bunch of responses to make the console think it's talking to a legitimate controller. Currently I am letting most of the original data from the controller pass, but taking this to the extreme, we would end up with an emulated controller handler like the others. I don't think it needs to be that extreme though, there is probably just some small thing missing. I've been sick with covid this past week or so and haven't been able to look at this further. I will take another look at it in an hour or two when I get home

[shmuga9]

No worries, and get better. Just spitballing ideas. Would've tested myself, but I couldn't figure out how to edit any of this stuff.

[ndeadly]

Try this one. I'm now faking the MCU data response too. This is required for spoofing joycons, so maybe it's the missing piece. If this doesn't work I think I'll need to enable some logging and get you to log what your controller is sending to the console.

MissionControl-0.7.0-n64-as-pro-controller-ed92189.zip

[shmuga9]

Ya... looks like we'll have to try logging, lol.

[ndeadly]

Ya... looks like we'll have to try logging, lol.

Damn, thought this would be easy...

Try connecting the controller with this one, no need to verify whether remapping works - I haven't changed anything in that regard. This will log the responses from the controller to a file on the root of your sd card mc-mitm.log. Upload it here for me to take a look at and compare to a pro controller.

MissionControl-0.7.0-n64-logging-dbb1ef1.zip

[shmuga9]

Okay done. I'm not sure if it matters what buttons I press (if the log has unique identifiers for each button) but I'll write out the order just in case. Looking it over, there aren't enough entries for that to make sense... but I already wrote it down anyway, lol.

mc-mitm.log

N64 controller connects
A, B, L, R, ZL, ZR, Screen Capture, Home, Start, D-Pad (L/R/U/D), C-Buttons (L/R/U/D), Joystick Up (each direction pressed, clockwise). Home button (Joycon), Touch screen (album icon).

[ndeadly]

Nah, button inputs aren't important as I'm not logging them currently. It could be interesting to see which input format it's using though. You can view the raw data in real-time with this app I wrote https://github.com/ndeadly/MissionControl/files/7628384/hid_report_viewer.zip

[shmuga9]

Neat. The shoulder buttons place an @ in specific parts of the code. Didn't see any other buttons trigger anything. Unless it was in the spots where it was randomly cycling letters/numbers. I'm guessing that's par for the course of one device connecting to another.

[shmuga9]

It's been a bit. Just curious if you were able to decipher anything from that log.