Joysticks were first used as controls for aircraft in the early 1900s. In the late 60s Sega introduced a two way joystick. By 1973, a four way joystick was released by Taito as part of an arcade racing game! The classic Atari joystick with a single button wasn't released until 1977. Shortly afterward in the mid 80s, Nintendo's d-pad became the standard game controller!

To start inventing your own controller, let's create both a divergent (or different than normal) d-pad controller with Play-doh and then craft a scrappy joystick with paperclips!

After creating a few examples, you will be challenged to invent your own controller like Mr. Fogle's class!

Create four contacts with Play-doh to control your soccer player moving up, down, left, and right.

To keep your alligator clips clean, consider clipping to a paper clip and pushing the paper clip into the play-doh.

Attach Play-doh Dpad to Makey Makey

Test your controller with the Makey Makey Soccer app.

(Note: This is an adapted build from Michael Carroll's Scrappy Joystick)

To recreate an 8 point joystick you are going to create a joystick that is able to move by using a paper clip! You will also use paper clips as the conductive inputs for each directional input.

Unfold the small end of a paperclip to a 90 degree angle from the large end of the paperclip. This will be our joystick base.

Poke this through a 3"X3" square of cardboard. (Use a pencil if you need to pre-poke a hole!)

Place tape over the large end on the bottom of the cardboard to stabilize your joystick.

Take a 3" X 3" piece of cardstock and roll it up to be your second layer of joystick. Use a pice of tape to keep it together. Place onto your paper clip base.

Use a 4" by 4" piece of foil. Roll the cardstock with the foil. You will have extra left over the end. You need it for the next step!

Place the foil covered cardstock onto the paper clip joystick base. Take the extra end of foil off at diagonal to the corner of your cardboard.

Alligator clip to the foil to create an EARTH connection.

How does playing the same game with different controller types change the experience of the game? What other ways could you alter the size, materials, and locations of inputs to make a diverse controller?

It's time for you to invent your own controller!

• What is your idea for a divergent controller for the soccer app?
• What materials will you need?
• How will the player close the circuit?

Follow this design cycle to create your invention. Test your idea with others and share your divergent controllers with us on social media! (Make sure to ask for parent permission if you are under 18.)

 Here are even more custom controllers to inspire you from AlexVsCoding!