[SUGGESTION] Please consider running a crowdfunding campaign for your custom gameport-adapter (possibly with different firmware) on Crowd Supply or other similar crowdfunding platform?

Hedda commented 1 year ago

@Kreeblah can I suggest you consider a crowdfunding campaign on Crowd Supply for a your custom gameport-adapter + possibly in combination with a different open-source firmware that would make it compatible with even more joysticks and gamepads?

That is, organize and run a crowdfunding campaign on a crowdfunding platform (such as example crowdsupply.com) to fund the development and manufacturing of a larger batch of a your custom gameport-adapter PCB + pre-flashed open-source firmware + a matching custom enclosure that you arrange to have manufactured professionally one or several factories then distributed/shipped to backers/customers.

Crowd Supply is usually the perfect fit for funding and launching this type of project/products designed and made by creators:

https://www.crowdsupply.com/about
- https://www.crowdsupply.com/apply

At least I for one would love the idea if more people could enjoy and contribute to a gameport-adapter project licensed under the Open Source Hardware (OSHW) the and using open-source licensed firmware and I think a crowdfunding campaign would help put the word out and grow the user base which at some point would hopefully lead to more actively contributing developers.

Motivation; while your gameport-adapter is still a niche product with retro-gaming becoming more popular I think that today and in the near future probably a lot (relatively speaking) of retro-gaming enthusiasts and collectors would be very interested in buying a preassembled and pre-flashed version of gameport-adapter if it came in a nice enclosure and had the same feature set as your existing gameport-adapter already have if sold as a complete product that has been tested to compatible out-of-the-box with a list specific joysticks, gamepads and gaming wheels.

The things that I think are missing compared to your existing in order to make it a successful project as a crowdfunding campaign:

By default ship with an open-source firmware / open-source software licensed (GPL-3.0 license?).
- See example the firmware for Necroware's GamePort Adapter -> https://github.com/necroware/gameport-adapter
Optional: Add some DIP-switches to the board for setting different controller modes via hardware.
- See example the firmware for Necroware's GamePort Adapter -> https://github.com/necroware/gameport-adapter
- Bonus if also add Bootloader mode to be used for flashing new firmware.
Include a 50-cm long USB-C to USB-A data extension cable in the package (as the adapter will not work without a cable).
Include a custom-designed adapter enclosure/case in the standard package (needed both to protect PCB and look good).
- Open source the adapter enclosure/case CAD designs to allow users to 3D-print their own case.
- See example -> https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5457006
Use the OSHW logo (with "open source hardware" text) -> https://www.oshwa.org/open-source-hardware-logo/
Optional: Use custom PCB with SMD components for pick-and-place machine for resistors all in factory manufacturing?
- Optional: Debug Header + unused IO pins (for developers if make a custom PCB with the SoC as SMD).
Publish versioned precompiled firmware binaries, and optionally provide some kind of easy-to-use firmware flashing tool.
- Also check out BootloadHID for firmware hex file upgrade via USB -> https://www.obdev.at/products/vusb/bootloadhid.html
Dedicated community forum, like for example GitHub Discussions in main project repo-> https://github.com/features/discussions
Documenting the project with wiki -> https://docs.github.com/en/communities/documenting-your-project-with-wikis

Then you should really just need some good marketing by reaching out to different retro-gaming communities to help spread the word.

More advanced ideas (not low-hanging-fruit so possibly not achievable if the main goals includes low-cost and easy-to-use?):

Add a vJoySerialFeeder" and/or "vJoy/vJoystick" mode (serial port to a virtual joystick) to support custom/hacked joysticks via VJoySerialFeeder compatible software/drivers -> https://github.com/Cleric-K/vJoySerialFeeder or https://sourceforge.net/projects/vjoystick/ (for POC see https://backofficeshow.com/shop/ultimate-joystick-interface)
- This requires data coming through the serial port should be structured in a specific way in order for the feeder to recognize it, (e.g. IBUS, SBUS, DSM, MultiWii Serial Protocol, KISS serial protocol, and/or CrossFire. etc.). After data is received it can be mapped to any virtual joystick axis or button in very flexible and configurable way via the vJoySerialFeeder GUI software.
Add an expansion port on the gameport-adapter (e.g. a GPIO-header accessible through an opening in the enclosure) that allows the user to add custom accessories, (such for example adding as a few trim pots that can work e.g. as elevator trims, aileron trims and rudder pedals in your favourite flight simulator game).
RetroArch out-of-the-box compatibility with Automatic Controller Mapping with default controller profiles that make the tested and supported joysticks/gamepads -> https://www.retroarch.com/index.php?page=controller-autoconfig
- Perhaps informally partner with Team Libretro to send the prototypes for help with RetroArch compatibility? By the way, they are also working on the development of an unrelated "RetroArch Open Hardware" -> https://www.libretro.com/index.php/introducing-the-retroarch-open-hardware-project/
If not too cost-prohibitive, maybe consider using a modular "Arduino Shield" design based on Arduino Pro Micro compatibility to make it possible for the user to replace the MCU board as a piggyback daughterboard.
- See example Necroware's GamePort Adapter -> https://github.com/necroware/gameport-adapter
Base the new gameport-adapter on the Raspberry Pi Pico RP2040 SoC instead as it would probably get a lot more people interested in the project, see for example the Raspberry Pi Pico Gamepad/Joystick Library -> https://gitlab.com/realrobots/PicoGamepad (which can today be used with https://monsterjoysticks.com/9-pin-joystick-to-usb-adapter )
- Anyway, only mentioning this because the fact is RP2040-based products/projects gain more notability simply as Raspberry Pi is so very famous/popular so if you wanted to get loads of contributors to this as a project then basing it on Raspberry Pi Pico RP2040 SoC would surely fast track it as a product project and a building community around it.

Maybe even consider asking if someone more, like example tloimu (from the Adapt-FFB-Joy project) or someone else with similar skills, would be interested in partnering on a such project to share the load of both running a crowdfunding campaign and engineering the product + developing the firmware as well as getting everything manufactured and eventually shipped?

Tip on other one-stop-shop turnkey PCB and embedded circuit board manufacturers partners, and if keeping it as open-source hardware then should know that some offer open project pages so that anyone today relatively easy (and inexpensive) can just submit the KiCad PCB layout files directly to some PCB-prototype board manufacturers like Oshpark or PCBWay who will take it then make + ship a few of the PCB boards and needed components as a kit, all without them having to use KiCad yourself or even having to understand the PCB layout:

Oshpark https://oshpark.com
- See example project (rev 0.2.1 of Necroware gameport-adapter board) -> https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/rzwJjMoP
PCBWay https://www.pcbway.com
JLCPCB https://jlcpcb.com
Seeed Studio (Seeed Technology) https://www.seeedstudio.com
Elecrow https://www.elecrow.com
PCBgogo https://www.pcbgogo.com
Makerfabs https://www.makerfabs.com
OSpcb https://www.cnospcb.com

FYI, Chinese PCB manufacturers will usually make around 20 simple PCB board like this for less than $10 and ship them to you for around $20, so depending on your country's import tax you have those at home for around $30-40 in around a months time.

PS: If you do not have time to run a crowdfunding campaign for the hardware then as an alternative your might want to consider arranging for a company like PCBWay (or another similar company) to make it for you and have them sell it from their store so you do not have to carry stock or sell it yourself, or? ...at least you should be aware to some companies like PCBWay do offer such full shop services where they not only make and assembly your design but also act as a reseller with shipping directly to the customer:

https://www.pcbway.com/project/gifts-sell.html
- https://www.pcbway.com/project/gifts.html

PPS: For some more related inspiration may I recommend you check out these other similar projects/products liked below:

Monster Joysticks 9 Pin Joystick to USB Adapter product/project:

The Backoffice - Ultimate Joystick Interface:

Hedda commented 1 year ago

@Kreeblah As a workaround for now, do you know where we can buy preassembled adapters (preferably in the Europe Union)?

Hedda commented 1 year ago

@Kreeblah have you by any chance given any throughs on this idea or other ideas related to selling a finished product?

As mentioned above, an option today for semi-hobby projects who already have a working prototype is to outsource the manufacturing and distribution to partners who offer one-stop-shop turnkey PCB and embedded circuit board manufacturers, and some even offer to ship directly from China or one of their distribution points around the world.

Some companies like for example PCBWay, JLCPCB, and Oshpark do offer such full shop services where they not only make and assemble your design but also act as a reseller with shipping directly to the customer via their own shop and store. See example:

https://www.pcbway.com/project/gifts-sell.html

https://www.pcbway.com/project/gifts.html

Kreeblah / SidewinderToUSBV2

[SUGGESTION] Please consider running a crowdfunding campaign for your custom gameport-adapter (possibly with different firmware) on Crowd Supply or other similar crowdfunding platform? #6