Unique hacks for newbs. Stuff that you can actually do.
Use an XBOX controller to play computer games
Published Monday, December 26, 2005 by outhouseinput | E-mail this post
Most PC gamepads are crap. Lets face it: no matter how hard gamepad manufacturers try, they won't be able to match a good old console gamepad. Fortunately for us, there are a few adapters for PS2 and Gamecube, but these require money to buy. And we all know newbs don't have any money, so I reccomend the following method to use your XBOX controller, for less than $4, to play PC games with a gamepad.
Here is a BIG warning to you all that might be uuber newbs: the XBOX controller uses USB. USB carries a charge to devices that you hook up to it, like iPods and PSPs. This means that you must be very careful to not cross any wires during the construction of this cable, because if you do you may get some smoke; in other words your PC usb chips will be fried, your XBOX controller will be dead, and your computer might melt down. Like a nuclear reactor. Not really, but just be careful.
To start, buy this stuff:
This is an XBOX extension cable. You can usually buy a nice long one used at Gamestop for $3. That's really cheap.
This is a regular USB cable. You can find these for super cheap at any major computer store. All you need in the male head, which is the rectangular one that would plug into your computer.
Alright, now that you have all the stuff let's get down to business.
Take each cable and cut it in half, so that you make the best use of your hard spent $5. Take the XBOX female side, and strip the outer layer off. There is lots of nasty wire thread here, just rip it all off. All you need to see are 5 wires on the inside, and they are all colored.
On the USB side, strip the outside off in the same way as the XBOX side until you have 4 colored wires showing. Make sure you have a female xbox stripped cable and a male USB stripped cable in your hands at this point.
Now, join like colors from each cable. On the XBOX side, disregard the yellow wire as it is simply for Microsoft to control your brain. Not really but it sounds like a nice conspiracy theory.
Okay, after the wires are twisted together, carefully tape everything up and make sure nothing touches (remember the warning?).
Now plug it into your PC. As long as no smoke comes out, you are cool and you can procede to the next step.
Download a program called XBCD from here: http://www.redcl0ud.com/xbcd.html
After you install it, you should be able to test your controller out, and then set up each button to a specific function.
In your games, you can now use the controller just like another gamepad.
Keep in mind that FPS games suck with controllers because their engines don't natively support them, so don't try to own others newbs on Counter-Strike with one of these.
CREDIT:
Here is a BIG warning to you all that might be uuber newbs: the XBOX controller uses USB. USB carries a charge to devices that you hook up to it, like iPods and PSPs. This means that you must be very careful to not cross any wires during the construction of this cable, because if you do you may get some smoke; in other words your PC usb chips will be fried, your XBOX controller will be dead, and your computer might melt down. Like a nuclear reactor. Not really, but just be careful.
To start, buy this stuff:
This is an XBOX extension cable. You can usually buy a nice long one used at Gamestop for $3. That's really cheap.
This is a regular USB cable. You can find these for super cheap at any major computer store. All you need in the male head, which is the rectangular one that would plug into your computer.
Alright, now that you have all the stuff let's get down to business.
Take each cable and cut it in half, so that you make the best use of your hard spent $5. Take the XBOX female side, and strip the outer layer off. There is lots of nasty wire thread here, just rip it all off. All you need to see are 5 wires on the inside, and they are all colored.
On the USB side, strip the outside off in the same way as the XBOX side until you have 4 colored wires showing. Make sure you have a female xbox stripped cable and a male USB stripped cable in your hands at this point.
Now, join like colors from each cable. On the XBOX side, disregard the yellow wire as it is simply for Microsoft to control your brain. Not really but it sounds like a nice conspiracy theory.
Okay, after the wires are twisted together, carefully tape everything up and make sure nothing touches (remember the warning?).
Now plug it into your PC. As long as no smoke comes out, you are cool and you can procede to the next step.
Download a program called XBCD from here: http://www.redcl0ud.com/xbcd.html
After you install it, you should be able to test your controller out, and then set up each button to a specific function.
In your games, you can now use the controller just like another gamepad.
Keep in mind that FPS games suck with controllers because their engines don't natively support them, so don't try to own others newbs on Counter-Strike with one of these.
CREDIT:
- Authors of XBCD for making the XBOX gamepad useful on the computer
- The devs who made the original XBOX controller