node-pad

Is a library for using game controllers with nodejs. Currently only the dualshock 3 is supported, but support for xbox360 controller is planned for a future release.

##Installation Easy install using npm

npm install node-pad

Beware it uses a third party node module with c++ bindings to communicate with hid devices and is not guaranteed to work on your system.

Preview

First, some taster code. Just to blow your mind.

var dualshock3 = require('node-pad').dualshock3

dualshock3.on('connect', function(controller) {

  var player = game.createPlayer()
  
  controller.on('join', function(){
    
    player.joinGame()

    controller.lthumb.on('move', function(event){
      player.moveInDirection({
        x: event.x,
        y: event.y
      })
    })

    controller.lthumb.on('release', function(){
      player.stopMoving()
    })

    controller.rthumb.on('move', function(event){
      player.updateCameraDirection({
        x: event.x,
        y: event.y
      })
    })
    
    controller.rthumb.on('release', function(){
      player.stopCamera()
    })
    
    controller.r2.on('press', function(){
      player.fireWeapon()
    })
    
    controller.l2.on('press', function(pressure){
      player.throwGrenade(pressure)
    })
    
    controller.cross.on('press', function(pressure){
      player.jump(pressure)
    })
    
    controller.l3.on('press', function(){
      player.enterCrouchingPosition()
    })
    
    controller.l3.on('release', function(){
      player.leaveCrouchingPosition()
    })

  })

  controller.on('disconnect', function(){
    player.exitGame()
  })
})

Connecting controllers

The nodepad module fires a connect event on the coresponding controller type when a new controller is plugged in.

nodepad.dualshock3.on('connect', function(controller){
  // controller object is available
})

In the case of the dualshock3 there is an additional event join that is fired when a controlle is connected and has started to send data. Sometimes it starts right away and sometimes it waits for the ps button to get pressed. This has to be figured out in a future release.

nodepad.dualshock3.on('connect', function(controller){
  controller.on('join', function(){
    // Bind events
  })
})

controller object

The controller object has buttons, dpads and thumbs(sticks) that you can bind events to. What kind of elements it has depend on the controller layout and naming.

dualshock3

The dualshock3 controller object has this layout:

Pressure buttons

Thes following buttons are pressure sensitive.

• controller.cross
• controller.square
• controller.triangle
• controller.circle
• controller.r1
• controller.r2
• controller.l1
• controller.l2
• controller.dpad. up down right left

They emit the followng events

Event 'press'

function(pressure){}

Event 'pressurechange'

function(pressure){}

Event 'release'

function(){}

Buttons

The following buttons are regular buttons:

• controller.start
• controller.select
• controller.l3
• controller.r3

They emit the following events

Event 'press'

function(){}

Event 'release'

function(){}

Thumbs

Thumbs are controller joysticks and has a y and x position.

• controller.lthumb
• controller.rthumb

They emit the following events

Event 'move'

function(event){
  event.x
  event.y
}

Event 'move:x'

function(x){}

Event 'move:y'

function(y){}

Event 'release'

function(){}

Development

To hack on this module please fork it and get all ninja on it. But remember to install the node-hid dependency.

# clone your fork
git clone "your.fork.url"
cd node-pad
# install dependencies
npm install

To run tests

cd node-pad
npm test