Bacteria's N64/GBA combined portable - Nintendo 64 Advance

dudex77 · Post by **dudex77** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:43 am

The case is cool but different. I'm guessing you dont play too much tony hawk games, mischief makers, pokemon stadium, or kirby but whatever too each his own. I think you should paint the inside of the case white so it would look kind of ipodish.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:10 am

Yes, it is different; however the difference with this case against an official N64 button layout is that I can feel where the C buttons are and press them with my design, rather than having to look on the controller first (as I have to at the moment) - they aren't placed in good places on the controller I believe. My case incorporates all the functionality of an N64 controller; all I have done it to make it easier to use - "ergonomic".

I play Banjo Kazooie (and many others), I don't know if you are familiar with this game, but this uses the C buttons, A, B, right shoulder and Z buttons all the time, so your comments aren't an issue.

dudex77 · Post by **dudex77** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:29 pm

bacteria wrote:I play Banjo Kazooie (and many others), I don't know if you are familiar with this game, but this uses the C buttons, A, B, right shoulder and Z buttons all the time, so your comments aren't an issue.

Everyone's familiar with Banjo Kazooie. The layout wouldn't make a difference in a game like that or any of the games i mentioned other than mischief makers. But when the game uses the c buttons similar to a dpad with thhe layout like in all the fps games on the n64 or games like Bakuretsu Muteki and maybe Sin and Punishment.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 3:16 pm

Ah, ok; I have about 70 N64 games (most of the PAL ones) but not the two games you mention. I have only played a selection of these games I own to date, the rest I will so in time (bought on e-bay). Most games using the "C" buttons on the N64 seem to use them for camera angles or as extra functions, like opening a door in Doom 64 for example. Yes, if a game uses the "C" buttons more like direction buttons then my style would not be quite so intuitive, although you would get used to it, in the same way as using the cursor direction keys on your keyboard when playing old-style games. Mind you, a number of N64p's made don't have a left shoulder button apparently (mine will have it), so there will be games you can't play so well without this, perhaps Mario Party (which I like)?

An N64p (or N64/GBA) project is quite personal, as it depends on how you want to make it, what you want to play on it, and other factors like hand size, etc; and comfort vs size. I am using a unique layout; different to the usual "cut out the button area and place them on the N64p" style; which has its merits of course, personal choice. No single button layout is perfect for playing games on the N64, especially the official one. Nintendo made a great improvement to the controller system with the GameCube.

dudex77 · Post by **dudex77** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:20 pm

Well now thinking about it since your PAL what im saying doesnt make a difference. PAL N64s cant play Japanese n64 games like an NTSC one can. So Your pretty much down to FPS's as far as really needing the n64's c buttons in the layout how they are so if you dont like Goldeneye or Perfect Dark then I guess your set.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:21 pm

Ben Cebhrem · Post by **Ben Cebhrem** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:43 pm

Man, those holes look very nice. Kudos to you and your patience, there's no way it could be done better.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:21 pm

CFC Fodder - Thanks, high praise indeed!

Making the holes for the four I have done was hard enough, the "C" buttons are similar (because I am using the buttons from the SuperPad, which has a flat surface on the controller front case, the buttons are all the same size and flat, unlike regular controllers); the hardest parts of the making of the front case are (easiest task first):

1) The speaker hole, for the grills. These will be 40mm diameter, big enough to look fine, but also gives me a border of about 7mm or so, so I can hot glue this in place behind the plastic sheet (once spray printed).

2) The joystick hole - I need to make a perfect circle on my computer, exactly the right size, print it out, cut it out, tape it to the rear of the case and then dremel. As I intend to just make the hole and have no surround, I need to make a tightly fitting hole for the joystick to wedge it in.

3) The D-pad. As above, as i'm not wanting to have a surround, I will have to try the ultimate dremel test of patience; cut out a perfect D-pad cross shape in the plastic - exactly the same size as the NES controller. This is of course especially difficult as using circular drill tools to cut the corners! Fortunately I have a couple of engraving dremel bits, one of which goes to a fine point, which will be helpful in this quest. I will then have to dremel out the circle of plastic from the inside NES controller for the rubber pad to sit in, hot glue it in place (once the rear of the plastic sheet has been spray printed). If this proves too hard, I will have to dremel out a perfect circle from the NES controller surrounding the D-pad and get that mounted inside the plastic sheet. Fun, fun, fun.

THON · Post by **THON** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:14 pm

Patience to make your case look more professional is one of the most important tools in portable making. You're probably gonna be playing this thing a lot and the small things (like button holes) haunt you every time you turn it on if you don't take your time like you're doing. No pressure

Twisted Warthog · Post by **Twisted Warthog** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:37 pm

Banjo Kazooie and Banjo Tooie are two of the best platformers out there. I still play them a lot.

I just can't wait until Banjo Threeie comes out for the 360.

THON · Post by **THON** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:57 pm

Banjo Threeie? That's the best they could do?

I could understand Banjo Thrii for the Wii, but come on Rare.

Twisted Warthog · Post by **Twisted Warthog** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:01 pm

Dude.. Banjo Threeie sounds Epic.

And now your on my death list for dissing RARE.

THON · Post by **THON** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:33 pm

It had a good life; Frogger, etc. But they should've quit in the '64 days (while they were ahead).

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:09 am

A little off topic, but I am about half way through Banjo Kazooie, I bought it for about Â£4 but had to pay Â£31 for the sequel as it is a rare game to get now. I love Super Mario 64 and keep coming back to it, but the camera angles and blocky graphics can be wierd sometimes. The writers of Banjo were obviously fanboys of Super Mario as there are a lot of similarities, which is good. Yes, Banjo is better, but Mario will always be special to me!

I wasn't aware of a third installment, let's hope it doesn't fall into the realms of other sequels, brought out on the back of their predecessors and not on their own merits. Unless it comes out on the Wii, I won't be able to play it as I have no interest in getting a PlayStation or Xbox. I don't have a Wii yet, waiting for the prices to tumble on the system and game (another year?). With a stack of PC games unplayed and 70 N64 carts, I am not exactly in a rush to get Mario Galaxy yet (I will do)!!

Anyway, time for a little project work before I pop out for a while; then more project later - will post more pics in the afternoon as progress develops.

dudex77 · Post by **dudex77** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:04 am

THON wrote:It had a good life; Frogger, etc. But they should've quit in the '64 days (while they were ahead).

No the problem was Nintendo on this one. I honestly think if Nintendo hadn't given Rare the boot we would still have good Donkey Kong games coming out on nintendo platforms.