what came before directinput? as in...how did game systems communicate

Every game had to support whatever input devices were popular at the time, programmed by the dev themselves.

>>4157370
I remember playing some NHL 2001 game I think with that gamepad on an old compaq computer

>>4157370
what are you even asking

>>4157370
Hey, I still have my Logitech Rumblepad, back from when I used a Win98 machine. It's a good pad.

>>4157702
PC controller APIs muthafucka

>>4157804
I played mario 64 and tons of snes games with it, can confirm that it's great

File: I_wanted_a_Roland_MT-32_plugged_in_instead.jpg (541KB, 2592x1944px) Image search: [Google]

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>>4157370
I just remembered my Sound Blaster (1) had this game port on the card. Never could afford a Roland MT-32, still can't. I recently got this for $3, pretty cheap since not many took advantage of controllers on computers then or they were for flightsticks for all the awesome space sims like Wing Commander and X-Wing/Tie Fighter.


>>4157815
That's pretty cool. Now I just need someone to make a controller adapter for the gameport so I get a better D-pad for some of my favorite old DOS games. Still jealous of your P3 retro machine, why P3 over Athlon XP?

I love that controller and still use it.

>>4157370
On DOS it was probably raw input.

On Windows mmsystem.dll, which has interfaces for various multi media related stuff, can be used for polling joysticks.
This was probably used before DirectInput.

>>4157804
>>4158026
Recently scored a logitech Wingman rumblepad for $2 from the goodwill, hooked it up and it works like a charm. I don't know if that model's a well-regarded controller but it feels good in the hand so far.

File: 1424599272793.jpg (41KB, 526x526px) Image search: [Google]

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Most controllers back then came with their own plugin/drivers on a floppy or CD.

>>4157370
I was using that exact pad for as far as 2014, it isn't even that old.

>>4158035
It wasn't too bad. face buttons feel cheap, and the dpad is spongy as fuck, but it sure was reliable.

I still have to use OPs controller pic whenever I play san andreas because a more modern controller wont work right

good controller, only flaw is that the sticks are that square shape which is weird

>>4157370
Usually the OS comes with a set of drivers that work with controllers from major or at least popular manufacturers. Somewhere along the line they eventually came up with generic drivers that can work even with obscure china shit.

>>4160019
Oh wait that was Win95 onwards. Before that even mouses came with diskettes to install their own drivers.

>>4159993
Use Ginput. Sounds like you need to hear about Silent patch too.
>>4158896
And possibly a very terrible and slow profile application.

File: 1496150761117[1].jpg (2MB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

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>>4158027
>why P3 over Athlon XP?
Honestly because it fell in my lap for $10 with a Radeon like 9800 in it and a "real" Creative Labs SB that turned out to not be 110% compatible with DOS/98se SB drivers but it got remedied easier than finding dos drivers for the sound chip in this laptop and its ATI Rage chipset makes Deus Ex and Half Life run like dogshit which are kind of an acid test for me on "retro gaming" performance.

>>4157370
I hated that controller. I was so glad when I got a better one.