PIIXEL RETROPAD, an optimized gamepad overlay

[PiixelNerd]

Hello, I’m here to present to you a gamepad overlay (input overlay) that I created for my personal use. I’ve been venturing into RetroArch in PC and Android for a long time (years and years) and although I find its concept incredible, gamepad overlays have never been a strong point of RetroArch (neo-retropad was a good evolution, but I’ve been here since the standard was the retropad, so believe me, it was more complicated). Because I like RetroArch and want to make my experience playing on a touchscreen more enjoyable, and in a way, more optimized for various consoles and game genres, I’ve been adjusting, improving and creating my own gamepad overlay for touchscreen. I think it can be useful for other people and I hope it can make your gameplay more enjoyable. So, I share it with you, PIIXEL RETROPAD.

::ABOUT::

• Designed for devices with a 16:9 aspect ratio or higher.
• Buttons positioned and sized to avoid overlapping the game screen.
• Buttons with additional areas to optimize gameplay.
• 4 different overlays: Directional pad, Single analog stick, Dual analog sticks and Lite.
• 2 different orientations: Landscape and Portrait.
• 2 different styles: Standard and NEO.

::SOME FEATURES::

• L3 and R3 are invisible, but are positioned at the top near the center (landscape mode) and in the upper corners (portrait mode).
• L1, L2, R1 and R2 have larger horizontal areas than the actual button design, making them easier to access.
• ABXY have combo areas, facilitating their combined use (Y+B, for example).
• Submenu Exclusive for quick access to certain functions.

::CONFIGURATION::

Feel free to customize it to your liking, but I have it set up as follows and recommend it:

• Overlay opacity (0.50)
• Hide overlay in menu (unchecked)
• Show inputs in overlay (touched)
• Diagonal directional sensitivity (90%)
• Auto-rotate overlay (checked)
• Automatically resize overlay (checked)

If any new ideas or improvements that make sense for the overlay come up, I’ll try to add them.
Finally, HAVE FUN!

::DOWNLOAD::

• It’s already in the RetroArch database. Update the overlays and go to Piixel-Gamepads folder.

::CHANGELOG::

v0.9.7

• Minor improvements to button design, position and functionality.
• Redesign of some buttons.
• Changing position of some buttons.
• Created Lite Mode.

v0.9.5

• Minor improvements to button design, position and functionality.
• Redesign of some buttons.
• Changing Submenu position.
• Reduced amount of overlay options.
• Added Overlay Change button.
• Created NEO Version.

v0.9.3

• Minor improvements to button design, position and functionality.

v0.9

• Redesign of all buttons.
• Changing Submenu position.

v0.7

• Minor improvements to button design, position and functionality.
• Redesign of some buttons.
• Added Overlay Options in Submenu.

v0.5

• Redesign of all buttons.
• Changing the position of the shortcut buttons from top to bottom.
• Added Submenu button with quick access to Load, Save, Menu and Hide Overlay.
• Added L3 and R3 buttons.

v0.3

• Just a modification of Retropad.
• Added Fast Foward, Load, Save and Hide Overlay buttons on top.

v0.1

• Just a modification of Retropad.
• Added combo areas in ABXY.

[Kidkaiju64]

Hi, I love this overlay soo much its perfect. I have an issue with the menu button (the one on the lower right) it doesn’t work, it showed clicked animation but the menu doesn’t shows up and it just get back to the original layout. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

[PiixelNerd]

I’m glad you liked the gamepad overlay I created! About that issue, it has already been fixed! Update the RetroArch Overlays and select the overlay again (I say “select again” because I made a small change to the gamepad overlay directory).

[MatheusWillder]

Commenting here just to say that you did an great job with this gamepad overlay. The fact that it has large buttons and two analog sticks, in my opinion, makes it way better and much more comfortable to play with than the current default overlay (neo-retropad).

My default gamepad overlay for years has been RGPad, but I’m seriously thinking about switching to Piixel Retropad, although both are great.

The only problem I’m having is that the face buttons (A, B, X, Y) are very low on the screen when in landscape mode, although this might be due to my habit of playing with RGPad, which has them mostly in the center of the right side. I think that being in the center of the right side makes sense for phones with bigger screens, while being more at the bottom makes more sense for smaller screens. Its D-Pad isn’t a problem, since among the multiple layouts, in one of them the D-Pad is more centered in the left side (and, by the way, the multiple layouts to the buttons positions are another thing I loved about your gamepad and that RGPad lacks).

Anyway, great gamepad overlay! Thanks!

Edit: and by the way, it seems you’re also Brazilian like me

[PiixelNerd]

I’m very happy to read your comment, thank you very much! It’s great to see that he’s improving the mobile experience for other people.

Regarding your feedback about the face buttons being low, it may be exactly what you said, your habit of using RGPAD which has higher buttons. My intention was to allow access to the face buttons with the thumb finger and also allow access to the shoulder buttons with the index finger in a “comfortable” way (as if you were holding a controller), to raise the buttons I would have to change the entire hitbox structure I put in. I have a 20:9 device and feel the same discomfort when I try to use RGPAD (but it’s a great overlay too). But I think it’s just a matter of habit.

And once again, thank you very much for the feedback and comment!

E SIM, sou brasileiro tambem! xD

[MatheusWillder]

to raise the buttons I would have to change the entire hitbox structure I put in.

Leave it as it is, my comment about it I was more of a reflection than a feature request, your overlay really is great as it is and, of course, it’s not possible to please all user-cases.

My intention was to allow access to the face buttons with the thumb finger and also allow access to the shoulder buttons with the index finger in a “comfortable” way (as if you were holding a controller)

I see. Usually, I don’t try to play on my phone exactly as we do with a gamepad, I have the habit of holding it in landscape mode and mapping the X/Y buttons to R1 or R2 (going in Quick Menu>Controls>Port 1 Controls), which allows me to tap/hold them (to run, or to fire, etc.) with my index finger at the top right, while I tap in B or A (mostly to jump) with my thumb. I literally can only play most games this way, I think at some point I should create an overlay with these concepts, although it would probably end ugly and that only I would like lol

In any case, again, you did a great job! Thanks!

E SIM, sou brasileiro tambem! xD

Aquela bandeirinha no post entregou logo haha

[PiixelNerd]

Wow, that’s a “different” method, using shoulder buttons as X/Y, really different. Do you make this kind of change depending on the game, or is it your standard way of playing? Was it something that led you to this method of playing? Is it comfortable to play games like Mega Man or Mario World like that?

[MatheusWillder]

Was it something that led you to this method of playing?

I think this is going to be a long story, but here we go: I’ve been emulating since the days of my old Nokia phone with physical buttons, back in 2007/2008, when I had installed an NES emulator called Nescube. When I moved to smartphones/touchscreen, these bluetooth gamepads that can be attached didn’t exist yet (I think?), and I could barely play any game that required two buttons pressed at the same time (for example, Super Mario games to “jump” and “run” at the same time).

But later I realized that in Super Mario Advance games (GBA), the R key could also be used to “run”, and I could play them in the touchscreen very well that way. That’s when it clicked.

Do you make this kind of change depending on the game, or is it your standard way of playing?

It’s possible to set it as default for all games, since many games share the same basic button layouts/actions, but I prefer to do it for each game individually. To run in Super Mario World it can be X or Y mapped to the shoulder button, but in Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3 it needs to be Y. In Super Metroid, I map the X, which will be used to fire the beam.

Basically, the premise is to map to the shoulder button the second most used action in the game.

Is it comfortable to play games like Mega Man or Mario World like that?

I find it very comfortable, my skill level playing this way is close to playing with a physical gamepad. Sure, some actions will be hard to do, depending on the complexity of what the game requires, but many games will be perfectly playable. I was able to beat games like Super Mario World, the Donkey Kong Country trilogy (which are hard games), Super Metroid, New Super Mario Bros. (DS), and the list goes on. Later I’ll make a recording and post the link here. Edit: here it is, Mega Man X played this way: https://imgur.com/a/BzyqhIb

By the way, after some more testing I decided to definitively switch to Piixel Retropad overlay

The size and position of the buttons make it very comfortable to play this way. So, I only have a suggestion/feature request, but of course, it’s entirely up to you whether to implement it or not.

It already cover almost all the buttons available on RetroPad, except L3/R3. I think it would be great if you could add them to the last layout, the one that has two analog sticks.

I know the space is filled, but perhaps replacing that L1 near the face buttons and putting the other on other side would do the trick.

Just a suggestion.

[PiixelNerd]

Oh, that’s great! Our history with mobile emulation is quite similar, I also emulated on Nokia during that period (good nostalgia). When the touch era arrived, it was still a bit difficult to play those types of games we mentioned (running and jumping was a constant battle xD). I saw your gameplay video, you adapted very well! And I know you’ve already gotten used to your way of playing, but in my overlay it’s very easy to do that B+Y combo using only your thumb finger, try it later! https://imgur.com/a/tq3Twbp

Of course, you’re already very adapted to your way of playing and that’s fine, the important thing in the end is to have comfortable gameplay!

Regarding the L3 and R3 buttons, they’re already in the overlay, take a look at the beginning of the post, in the Features section xD.

And once again, I’m glad you’re giving the overlay I created a chance and that you liked it.

[MatheusWillder]

Regarding the L3 and R3 buttons, they’re already in the overlay, take a look at the beginning of the post, in the Features section xD.

Oh, I hadn’t noticed that!

And I know you’ve already gotten used to your way of playing, but in my overlay it’s very easy to do that B+Y combo using only your thumb finger, try it later!

To this day I’ve never found a single overlay that let me play that way, and believe me, I’ve tested a wide variety of overlays in RetroArch and many standalone emulators, both free and paid ones.

But anyway, I’ll try that this night.

Our history with mobile emulation is quite similar, I also emulated on Nokia during that period (good nostalgia).

The main consoles of that era were the PS2, GameCube/Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360, and it’s amazing to think that now we can carry their games on our phones and play whenever we want. My younger self from that time would be so happy to live today lol

Anyway, thanks again!