Intellivision has 16 directions over 4 lines: https://arcarc.xmission.com/Web Archives/Deathskull (May-2006)/games/tech/intvcont.html
However the controller is prone to failing due to cheap aluminum circuit that aren't sealed (can't seal it anyway) and the side button are often awful so people have built custom controllers with keypad and buttons but all of them have used a more common 8 direction joystick interface like Atari 2600.
I have built an adapter that lets me use Atari Jaguar controller on an Intellivision with success, since the controller has everything except for 16 direction control. Many games work fine with only 8 but there are a few that sucks with only 8 direction, and a few that are unplayable like Vectron.
If there a current source of 16 direction controller that can be used in a custom replacement controller? If not, does anyone know if an X-Y axis analog joystick can be converted to 16 digital direction? I'm lousy with math and can't quite figure out how to define X and Y range to determine North, NWN, NW, WNW, West, WSW, SW, SWS, South, etc. and have neutral (centered)
I've used Arduino for Jaguar interface, and other people have used either off the shelf logic chips or CPLD for custom built controller with common 3x4 keypad and 3 or 4 buttons (2 side action buttons away from user are the same on Intellivision controller while other 2 buttons closer to user are separate, see more at above link for pinout and truth table)
However the controller is prone to failing due to cheap aluminum circuit that aren't sealed (can't seal it anyway) and the side button are often awful so people have built custom controllers with keypad and buttons but all of them have used a more common 8 direction joystick interface like Atari 2600.
I have built an adapter that lets me use Atari Jaguar controller on an Intellivision with success, since the controller has everything except for 16 direction control. Many games work fine with only 8 but there are a few that sucks with only 8 direction, and a few that are unplayable like Vectron.
If there a current source of 16 direction controller that can be used in a custom replacement controller? If not, does anyone know if an X-Y axis analog joystick can be converted to 16 digital direction? I'm lousy with math and can't quite figure out how to define X and Y range to determine North, NWN, NW, WNW, West, WSW, SW, SWS, South, etc. and have neutral (centered)
I've used Arduino for Jaguar interface, and other people have used either off the shelf logic chips or CPLD for custom built controller with common 3x4 keypad and 3 or 4 buttons (2 side action buttons away from user are the same on Intellivision controller while other 2 buttons closer to user are separate, see more at above link for pinout and truth table)