First post, but I've been lurking for awhile, and I think I finally have something worth saying 
. As many if you I'm sure already know, with the release of iOS 7 and OSX Mavericks came official support from Apple for third party game controllers. (Under the MFi hardware licensing program.) For the gamers among us out there, this is pretty sweet! We've had controllers for macs but never for ios, and never ones that were so fully integrated into the system. But, well, there's a lot of bad news too. So far the controllers available just plain suck. They're super expensive, and as far as game controllers go, aren't too high quality either. (And frankly, there's only like two choices available right now anyway. Not even a wireless one out there yet!) They are so bad, that comparing them to console gaming controllers is simply laughable. So, as a general Apple fan, techie, and DIY nerd, I've been throwing a few things around in my head as of late, just theoretical mind you, I haven't done anything about it (yet...hopefully)...
But anyway, here's the proposal, I'd like to get some thoughts on it. The goal would be to make (think about it for a minute) create a method of making an xbox 360 controller spoof an "official" Mavericks and iOS 7 gaming controller. Crazy, I know, but the more I think through it, the more theoretically plausible it seems.
Here's the outline I've kinda go in my head so far. If ya'll want more details just ask.
I've said it before, but so far this all seems technically feasible to me. The only difficulty would be discovering the method ios 7 uses to determine whether or not a given controller is “legitimate.” But it's presumably done through software, and I would imagine just involves sending a signal that says “Hey I'm a real controller!” To our device of choice. I'd just have to set the program to mirror that signal in its output.
So what's everybody think? Does this sound do-able to anyone else? Would anyone be interested in such a program/hack if it worked?
. As many if you I'm sure already know, with the release of iOS 7 and OSX Mavericks came official support from Apple for third party game controllers. (Under the MFi hardware licensing program.) For the gamers among us out there, this is pretty sweet! We've had controllers for macs but never for ios, and never ones that were so fully integrated into the system. But, well, there's a lot of bad news too. So far the controllers available just plain suck. They're super expensive, and as far as game controllers go, aren't too high quality either. (And frankly, there's only like two choices available right now anyway. Not even a wireless one out there yet!) They are so bad, that comparing them to console gaming controllers is simply laughable. So, as a general Apple fan, techie, and DIY nerd, I've been throwing a few things around in my head as of late, just theoretical mind you, I haven't done anything about it (yet...hopefully)... But anyway, here's the proposal, I'd like to get some thoughts on it. The goal would be to make (think about it for a minute) create a method of making an xbox 360 controller spoof an "official" Mavericks and iOS 7 gaming controller. Crazy, I know, but the more I think through it, the more theoretically plausible it seems.
Here's the outline I've kinda go in my head so far. If ya'll want more details just ask.
- The project would start with reverse engineering the method of which iOS 7 game controllers send their data to our iOS devices. This would require intercepting the data being sent from the controller to the iOS device somehow. I've got a few idea about how to do that, but right now the specifics don't matter, I'm just talking in theory. After this is accomplished, I'd use this method to discover which signals are sent upon which button presses, etc. etc...
- Next would be to discover the methods of which xbox 360 controllers do the same thing. Which signals are sent with each different button press etc. etc... There are many resources online deciding this very thing, so hopefully this won't be as difficult.
- Finally, I'd write a program to take input from an xbox 360 controller, and spit back the corresponding signal which a Mac or iOS device will recognize as legitimate, initiating the intended action.
I've said it before, but so far this all seems technically feasible to me. The only difficulty would be discovering the method ios 7 uses to determine whether or not a given controller is “legitimate.” But it's presumably done through software, and I would imagine just involves sending a signal that says “Hey I'm a real controller!” To our device of choice. I'd just have to set the program to mirror that signal in its output.
So what's everybody think? Does this sound do-able to anyone else? Would anyone be interested in such a program/hack if it worked?
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