This will be my second Wii Portable build, but the first one that I actually design myself, and I'm super excited about it! It'll be a clamshell, featuring a whopping 7" screen. The gimmick for which it is named is the touchpad, which will be replacing the C-Stick / Right Joystick entirely. This is mainly aimed to improve the gameplaying experience within cursor-intensive Wii Games, such as Super Mario Galaxy (my favorite!). A GameCube controller will be emulated by an RP2040 Microcontroller, which serve mostly the same function as a GC+, except with the touchpad implementation. The specific touchpad that I've done testing with (and therefore the one I'll most likely use) is called the MIKROE Touchpad 4 Click. The portable will have a connector for "dock" which will essentially just be some 4 GameCube controller ports, as well video output (most likely through an integrated HDMI port, but possibly via DP Alt Mode).
In April, I did some baseline testing (don't worry, already confirmed with staff that it's still okay to enter
) and confirmed that the touchpad actually works quite well! I have already have a worklog stating my original goals and my current findings (I haven't yet built anything other than the testing code), but since I'm entering it in the competition, I suppose I will be abandoning it and sharing here instead. Here is a link to the original worklog though, if you want to check it out!
I've already made a few early decisions (possibly subject to change though) and bought some parts, including the PMS2 and PD3, as well as some 2170 Cells (I got a great deal on some, so I'm hoping that I can maybe achieve a nice, long battery life). Aesthetic is obviously very subject to change during the course of the project, but currently, I'm envisioning a nice translucent/sparkly blue shell with white buttons & joystick. I was originally planning to use the Thundervolt, but I just find the featureset of the PMS too appealing. As a compromise, I'll be using a dedicated Power Strip (thanks loopj!) PCB, as well as custom PCBs for holding the PMS and PD boards and buttons, joysticks, and the microcontroller.
I feel that it's important to state that my goal is NOT a "super small and compact" build! In fact, quite the opposite is true. I am aiming for a relatively large (within reason, of course) build. To be honest, I'm designing the build around my own preferences. Hence, large screen and convenient touchpad. The idea behind making it a clamshell is to allow for this large screen while still keeping a reasonable footprint.
Since I'm already writing code for the controller using an RP2040, I plan to let it emulate the button panel for the LCD driver as well. With some simple state machine logic, I should be able to easily handle things like turning the screen off when the system is closed or when external video output is used, as well as controller shortcuts for menu controls.
SUMMARY:
Essentials - Functional Wii Portable with clamshell form factor, 7" screen, external GC Controller dock, Bluetooth for WiiMotes, Video Output (i.e. HDMI), touchpad implementation, and custom PCBs for organization
Stretch Goals - DP Alt Mode for Video Output (I'll probably stick with the good ol' HDMI port), Built in IR LEDs to eliminate the need for a dedicated sensor bar (since it's a clamshell, you'd be able to set it on a table or wherever while the screen stays propped up on it's own!)
I'm sure that there are details that are escaping my mind at the moment, but I'll be sure to share all of my progress in here as time goes on! I'm super excited and really hope that I'm able to finish by the end of the competition!
In April, I did some baseline testing (don't worry, already confirmed with staff that it's still okay to enter
) and confirmed that the touchpad actually works quite well! I have already have a worklog stating my original goals and my current findings (I haven't yet built anything other than the testing code), but since I'm entering it in the competition, I suppose I will be abandoning it and sharing here instead. Here is a link to the original worklog though, if you want to check it out!I've already made a few early decisions (possibly subject to change though) and bought some parts, including the PMS2 and PD3, as well as some 2170 Cells (I got a great deal on some, so I'm hoping that I can maybe achieve a nice, long battery life). Aesthetic is obviously very subject to change during the course of the project, but currently, I'm envisioning a nice translucent/sparkly blue shell with white buttons & joystick. I was originally planning to use the Thundervolt, but I just find the featureset of the PMS too appealing. As a compromise, I'll be using a dedicated Power Strip (thanks loopj!) PCB, as well as custom PCBs for holding the PMS and PD boards and buttons, joysticks, and the microcontroller.
I feel that it's important to state that my goal is NOT a "super small and compact" build! In fact, quite the opposite is true. I am aiming for a relatively large (within reason, of course) build. To be honest, I'm designing the build around my own preferences. Hence, large screen and convenient touchpad. The idea behind making it a clamshell is to allow for this large screen while still keeping a reasonable footprint.
Since I'm already writing code for the controller using an RP2040, I plan to let it emulate the button panel for the LCD driver as well. With some simple state machine logic, I should be able to easily handle things like turning the screen off when the system is closed or when external video output is used, as well as controller shortcuts for menu controls.
SUMMARY:
Essentials - Functional Wii Portable with clamshell form factor, 7" screen, external GC Controller dock, Bluetooth for WiiMotes, Video Output (i.e. HDMI), touchpad implementation, and custom PCBs for organization
Stretch Goals - DP Alt Mode for Video Output (I'll probably stick with the good ol' HDMI port), Built in IR LEDs to eliminate the need for a dedicated sensor bar (since it's a clamshell, you'd be able to set it on a table or wherever while the screen stays propped up on it's own!)
I'm sure that there are details that are escaping my mind at the moment, but I'll be sure to share all of my progress in here as time goes on! I'm super excited and really hope that I'm able to finish by the end of the competition!
