Game Cotroller Using Arduino UNO

I saw some videos about game controllers and I wanted to make one. But I didn't know that I couldn't make them with Arduino UNO until I programmed it. The libraries used (keyboard.h) in those projects allow the 32u4 and SAMD based boards (Leonardo, Esplora, Zero, Due, and MKR Family) to appear as a native Mouse and/or Keyboard to a connected computer, so an Uno(ATmega328p) won't work directly. Hmm, but I know another way to do it that's what I am sharing here.

• push button x 4
• Resistors 220 ohm x 4
• Arduino UNO x 1
• Breadboard
• Cardboard
• Glue gun

When I didn't know c++ I used to program Arduino using python. While using python the Arduino always transmits and receives data. So I can utilize that to make our USB Game controller. For this project, we also need to install pyfirmata and keyboard(just open a command prompt and type "pip install pyfirmata keyboard"). Before that, we also need to upload a sketch called standard frimata from Arduino ide to establish serial communication between the PC and the Arduino.

just wire it up.

Connect the pushbuttons and resistors as shown in the schematic

When we play car games we usually press the keys 'W', 'A', 'S', 'D' so here also when we press the push buttons we just need to give those characters to the computer.

First Connect the circuit as shown in the schematic then place everything on a breadboard but do not connect it to the Arduino now. Use cardboard to cover the breadboard and add a little flavor to it(some stickers) and now place the Arduino to the back of the cardboard and connect all the wires to Arduino. And don't forget to put some holes in the cardboard for the pushbuttons. I also hot glued some pieces of pens to the pushbuttons so it will give some height and be much more comfortable.

Just connect it to your computer and run the given python code then take a game and start playing voila!!!

Do not forget to install pyfirmata and keyboard

Game - SuperTuxKart

If you need further more explanation about the code and other kinds of stuff then try watching this video

Thanks to Boppreh for the Keyboard module for python

Keyboard module by boppreh

''' Game controller

python for serial communication

what to do

when pressing a pushbutton send w/a/s/d to the computer'''



"""https://github.com/boppreh/keyboard"""

import pyfirmata

import keyboard

import time



board = pyfirmata.Arduino('/dev/ttyUSB0')   #Find the port from arduino ide



it = pyfirmata.util.Iterator(board)

it.start()



w_pin=board.get_pin('d:6:i')

a_pin=board.get_pin('d:11:i')

s_pin=board.get_pin('d:13:i')

d_pin=board.get_pin('d:8:i')





while True:

    w=w_pin.read()        

    if w==1:           

        keyboard.press("w")

    elif w==0:

        keyboard.release("w")

           

    a=a_pin.read()

    if a==1:

        keyboard.press("a")

    elif a==0:

        keyboard.release("a")

       

    s=s_pin.read()

    if s==1:

        keyboard.press("s")

    elif s==0:

        keyboard.release("s")

       

    d=d_pin.read()

    if d is True:

        keyboard.press("d")

    elif d is False:

        keyboard.release("d")