Resolved Compatible PPC Mac game controllers?

[TheShortTimer]

This is really puzzling. For the past decade, I've happily used the Tattiebogle driver for gaming with the wired Xbox 360 game pad on my Sawtooth G4 under Tiger but yet it will not work with my Mac Mini G4, also under Tiger. I have tried every compatible version but with the same outcome, the controller is listed within System Report but the green LED does not illuminate and the device is not detected in the System Preferences pane utility.

There was an alternate version but it has been withdrawn and the currently maintained driver is for Intel machines only and even the oldest version requires Snow Leopard as the minimum OS. I'm thinking that it might be easier to just purchase a controller that works natively within (PPC) OS X instead of driving myself insane trying and failing to troubleshoot this. Can anyone recommend a compatible controller?

 

[pochopsp]

Have a look here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/help-me-building-latest-xbox-360-controller-driver.2112525/

 

[TheShortTimer]

I've had a look and that driver has been written for Leopard only.

 

[davisdelo]

I use my wired Nintendo switch usb controllers with usb overdrive, no problems so far.

 

[Slix]

Our family got one of these Gravis GamePad Pro controllers: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gravis-Gam...475725?hash=item3416012f0d:g:3q4AAOSwEFhdplwu (mods, not my auction!)
when I was little, and I still have it. I believe it works on OS X, but I generally used it for Cro-Mag Rally or Star Wars Episode 1 Racer on Mac OS 9. I don't remember seeing a Preference Pane for it, but it had native game support in OS 9 games (GameSprockets I think it was called?).

Is there a chance you have something enabled or disabled on the Mac Mini that's causing it to not connect fully?

 

[TheShortTimer]

I use my wired Nintendo switch usb controllers with usb overdrive, no problems so far.

That's interesting. Have you tried it/are you using it under Tiger?

Our family got one of these Gravis GamePad Pro controllers: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gravis-Gam...475725?hash=item3416012f0d:g:3q4AAOSwEFhdplwu (mods, not my auction!)
when I was little, and I still have it. I believe it works on OS X, but I generally used it for Cro-Mag Rally or Star Wars Episode 1 Racer on Mac OS 9. I don't remember seeing a Preference Pane for it, but it had native game support in OS 9 games (GameSprockets I think it was called?).

It's rather pricey in the UK but that's one for the list.

Is there a chance you have something enabled or disabled on the Mac Mini that's causing it to not connect fully?

It's possible. I could create a secondary Tiger installation and see if the problem persists.

Edited to add: I created a second partition with a fresh Tiger installation: without password protection and still encountered the same problem. It looks like a natively Mac compatible controller will have to be the way forward for gaming on the Mini.

 

[Slix]

It's rather pricey in the UK but that's one for the list.

I linked to a new sealed one, but take a look around for that same model, I saw some for about $7 yesterday while browsing quickly.

 

[TheShortTimer]

I linked to a new sealed one, but take a look around for that same model, I saw some for about $7 yesterday while browsing quickly.

Thanks but the shipping costs from the US to the UK were a tidy sum. Instead, I went with this:

It was listed by the manufacturer as natively Mac compatible and I found it online for £13 GBP, including delivery! Works perfectly with my Mini and I was configuring my preferred settings for my fave fighting game and trading blows with international opponents almost immediately.

Hopefully this information will be of help to others in a similar situation.

 

[Project Alice]

Thanks but the shipping costs from the US to the UK were a tidy sum. Instead, I went with this:

It was listed by the manufacturer as natively Mac compatible and I found it online for £13 GBP, including delivery! Works perfectly with my Mini and I was configuring my preferred settings for my fave fighting game and trading blows with international opponents almost immediately.

Hopefully this information will be of help to others in a similar situation.

Is this OS 9 compatible?
I’ve been trying to get into the old Tomb Raider games and replay some of my old favorites on PC. I’m using an iMac G3 for TR because CRT>modern displays.

Anyways turns out the un-changeable controls are extremely difficult with this game… I should have a controller anyways. I just use an XB1 controller for modern games but somehow I don’t think OS 9 will know what to do with that…

 

[TheShortTimer]

Is this OS 9 compatible?

I'm not certain - I don't recall trying it out in OS 9. Though I could check.

CRT>modern displays.

Understood. I own a Panasonic Viera plasma (which is sadly now approaching its demise) and although the picture quality is fantastic, its predecessor - a Sony Trinitron 100hz flat-screen CRT TV, won hands down in terms of the nuances of colour representation. This is a topic that I could discuss ad-infinitum, so I'll stop here.

Anyways turns out the un-changeable controls are extremely difficult with this game… I should have a controller anyways. I just use an XB1 controller for modern games but somehow I don’t think OS 9 will know what to do with that…

No, I wouldn't think that OS 9 would contain that kind of functionality either. The Xbox 360 controllers require a third-party driver for OS X and from what I've browsed, even recent incarnations like Catalina and Big Sur still don't offer compatibility out of the box. Apple committed a major blunder by failing to effectively promote the Mac's viability as a gaming platform but anyway, back to your question! At some point this week I can download TR from the Garden and set up my iMac G3 or an iBook and see if the Thrustmaster controller is compatible with OS 9.

 

[Project Alice]

At some point this week I can download TR from the Garden and set up my iMac G3 or an iBook and see if the Thrustmaster controller is compatible with OS 9.

Thank you?

No, I wouldn't think that OS 9 would contain that kind of functionality either. The Xbox 360 controllers require a third-party driver for OS X and from what I've browsed, even recent incarnations like Catalina and Big Sur still don't offer compatibility out of the box. Apple committed a major blunder by failing to effectively promote the Mac's viability as a gaming platform

I plugged in the controller just to see what would happen and OS 9 did actually say that a “controller” was plugged in and attempted to search the web for drivers. A feature I didn’t even know was available in OS 9. It obviously was unable to find anything but I thought it was cool.

What’s funny is that Apple supports both XB1/Series X (seriously Microsoft, these naming schemes are getting USB bad) and Sony Dualshock 4 and 5 natively on iOS and tvOS. You’d think the same would be true for macOS at the least.

Understood. I own a Panasonic Viera plasma (which is sadly now approaching its demise) and although the picture quality is fantastic, its predecessor - a Sony Trinitron 100hz flat-screen CRT TV, won hands down in terms of the nuances of colour representation. This is a topic that I could discuss ad-infinitum, so I'll stop here.

Plasma’s definitely had their advantages in other areas, though. I bet it’s still a cool display. Unfortunately all of my higher end CRT displays are having problems. I have 2 eMacs, one has the plagued capacitor problem and the other just decided to not power on one day. I have two Apple Studio displays, a 21” and a 17”. Both of which seem to be experiencing flyback failure.
I do have a couple nice CRT TVs but, those are obviously not helpful for PC or in this case Macintosh gaming. So my options are iMac G3, or my ancient but for some reason perfectly working Apple Multiple Scan 720 display. For most games I play that would actually benefit from a CRT work just fine on the iMac. If for some reason I need more horse power than a G3 and Rage 128 I would plug the ol’ beige display into my G5.
(I actually tried to plug it into my Mac Pro once, I thought it would be amusing. Unfortunately it turns out all the DP to VGA adapters I have must be passive because nothing was recognized)

 

[TheShortTimer]

Argggghhhhhh! I'd forgotten how much I hate OS 9.

After using OS X for prolonged periods and then returning to OS 9, you're struck with how harder everything is than it should be. End of rant.

I tried the Thrustmaster pad with an iBook G3/800 running 9.2 and Tomb Raider's configuration program detected the buttons, the hat and the left analogue stick and allowed me to save the settings but confusingly, it still reported that the keyboard was the only available option. Rebooting and reopening the program didn't make a difference.

It does appear that the pad is compatible with OS 9 but Tomb Raider has problems recognising it. If you'd like me to test another OS 9 title from the Garden that has joystick support, let me know. Should a 2nd game also prove problematic then we'll know for certain that it's not compatible.

 

[Project Alice]

Argggghhhhhh! I'd forgotten how much I hate OS 9.

After using OS X for prolonged periods and then returning to OS 9, you're struck with how harder everything is than it should be. End of rant.

I tried the Thrustmaster pad with an iBook G3/800 running 9.2 and Tomb Raider's configuration program detected the buttons, the hat and the left analogue stick and allowed me to save the settings but confusingly, it still reported that the keyboard was the only available option. Rebooting and reopening the program didn't make a difference.

It does appear that the pad is compatible with OS 9 but Tomb Raider has problems recognising it. If you'd like me to test another OS 9 title from the Garden that has joystick support, let me know. Should a 2nd game also prove problematic then we'll know for certain that it's not compatible.

Thanks for testing this.
The only other OS 9 only games (that would benefit from a controller) I usually play are Dark Forces and Dues Ex. And I haven’t played Dues Ex since my eMac quit working.

 

[TheShortTimer]

Thanks for testing this.

You're welcome.

Here's some screenshots that demonstrate the problem.

The configuration program recognises the controller by its name (which indicates that OS 9 is able to obtain and relay the firmware info) and correctly detects activity from the device...

Yet after saving the settings, the joystick isn't recognised.

The only other OS 9 only games (that would benefit from a controller) I usually play are Dark Forces and Dues Ex. And I haven’t played Dues Ex since my eMac quit working.

I can test Dark Forces - that would be a pleasure because I love that game!

 

[Macbookprodude]

Does anyone have the driver for the Griffin game pad ?