Xbox controller clarification

[Mark Stringer]

Hi. 

I downloaded Calypso for Mac yesterday having seen it mentioned on the Cosmo forum and got through the first 3 modules with an iPad. I don't have an Xbox controller yet and just wanted clarification on what is best to get. I was looking on eBay and there seem to be wired and wireless controllers and various models. Am I ok with a genuine Microsoft wired Xbox 360 controller (cheapest) or is there an advantage to a wireless controller or Xbox One controller?

I've had great fun with Calypso so far but find the keyboard controls very laggy so am keen to get a controller in the hope it will be better. I don't want to show Calypso to my son until it is a bit less frustrating to use. Overall though it looks great - well done! I struggled a bit trying to get a Fire with OS 5.6 working as I could not get into developer mode (I think the shortcut has changed). I then double-checked the requirements and saw that iPad was listed as well even though the setup did not mention it. I managed to get it working easily on the iPad and was impressed with the live view and the modules I have done so far.

Thanks,

Mark.

[in...@calypso.software]

Hi, Mark. Thanks for trying Calypso!

The genuine Microsoft wired Xbox 360 controller is the best choice. It works on all platforms (Windows, Mac, and Linux), and you never have to worry about a battery running down. There is no advantage to using a wireless controller unless you really hate cables and don't mind dealing with batteries. The Xbox One controller works okay on the Mac except I think there is an issue with the Back button (we're working on it). But you can just press the Delete key on the Mac keyboard to substitute for the Back button. There is no advantage to using an XBox One controller over an Xbox 360 controller, and the latter is usually cheaper, so that's what I recommend. Note that if you do use the Xbox One wired controller you will need to install a device driver fix, which you can read about in our Help Center: https://calypso.software/apps/help-center#!can-i-use-an-xbox-one-controller-with-calypso

One option that will NOT work on the Mac right now is the AmazonBasics controller. Apple has screwed up gamepad support and we're seeing totally different behaviors with different versions of MacOS. Plus the 360Controller device driver fix mentioned above does not yet support the AmazonBasics controller. We're working on fixes for these issues but it may be a while before we have something to release. Also, don't buy any off-brand controllers (e.g., GameStop or Rock Candy) because we don't support them and they may not  work on the Mac.

If you're finding the Calypso keyboard controls to be laggy, I'm afraid that switching to a gamepad will not make things any better. I suggest killing all other applications and closing all other browser tabs when running Calypso. The Calypso software uses serious artificial intelligence algorithms (e.g., OpenCV for computer vision), and this takes a certain amount of processing power and memory. On Windows machines we've seen performance problems with computers that lack adequate RAM; you need at least 6 GB. I don't know what the minimum should be for Macs, but 8GB should be sufficient and 4GB is probably not enough.

Regarding the Fire tablet: I just checked the instructions for enabling developer mode on Amazon and they haven't changed. You go to Settings -> Device Options and then tap on the Serial Number option 7 times to reveal the Developer Options button. Is this not working for  you?

Regards,

Dave Touretzky

[IrishClanger]

Thanks for the quick reply Dave. I finally figured out how to get into developer mode! I was signing in to the Fire tablet with my user which is not the primary user on the device. Once I signed in with my wife’s account the tap 7 times thing worked! I’ll probably use my iPad anyway but at least I now know what was wrong.
I’m watching some Xbox controllers on eBay so hopefully should get one soon. I take it a PS3 controller connected with a wireless dongle does not work.
Cheers
Mark

[IrishClanger]

I'm happy to report that I have successfully used a Wii U Pro Controller paired with an Wireless Bluetooth 8BitDo receiver to control Cosmo via a Mac and iPad: 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wireless-Bluetooth-8Bitdo-Receiver-USB-Converter-For-Nintendo-Switch-NS-Adapter/302654024871?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

The X Y A B buttons on the Wii U Pro Controller don't correspond to those on the Xbox but in drive mode they are not used anyway. I'm also happy to report that I am not experiencing the control lag that I get when using the keyboard arrow keys :)

Maybe you could update the software to allow selection of the controller type and change the button labels appropriately.

Cheers,

Mark.

[in...@calypso.software]

Glad to hear you're no longer experiencing the lag, Mark. If you're using the arrow keys to drive the robot (as opposed to just moving the pencil around) then I could see how that would not perform as well as the left stick. In editor mode (as opposed to execution/drive mode) the gamepad and keyboard should perform the same. In execution/drive mode the A/B/X/Y keys are used to provide inputs to the user's program, e.g., you can write a rule that says when the A button is pressed the robot should drop the cube it's carrying. Also, the left and right bumpers are used to control the lift in drive mode.

As for supporting other gamepad models: it's a nightmare. Not only do different browsers behave differently, we're also seeing different behaviors in the same browser with different versions of MacOS. And of course there are differences between MacOS, Windows, and Linux.

Right now we have good support for genuine Microsoft controllers in Chrome under all three operating systems. Our next goal is to get the AmazonBasics controller working properly under MacOS and Linux, because that controller is readily available and super cheap.

Best,

Dave

[IrishClanger]

That's cool, I understand it can be a complex process. I'll make do with the Wii U controller for the moment until I can score a bargain Xbox controller. Is this the Amazon controller you mean?

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Xbox-One-Wired-Controller-Black/dp/B01M4NISMM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1524410183&sr=8-2&keywords=amazon%2Bbasics%2Bcontroller&th=1

It does not seem to be available on Amazon UK so I'll have to stick with the official controller. 

Cheers,

Mark.

[in...@calypso.software]

Yes, that's the controller I was referring to. The black model is currently out of stock but the white one is still available, at least in the US. At $25 it's a bargain.