Interview with an Xbox Controller Modder

I recently got an Xbox 360. The problem I had was there wasn’t a 360 equivalent of the Gamester FPS Master controller, which has the A, B, X, and Y buttons on the handles, so moving and jumping, reloading, etc. at the same time were very easy (on my original Xbox). I also used a Radica Phoenix Revolution PS2 controller (with an adapter) for my original Xbox; that controller allowed me to move the sticks, buttons, and D-pad around as desired, which I needed for games such as Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth (lacks a southpaw setting, which I prefer even though I’m not a lefty). My solution? I had “RDC” from the Xbox-Scene community modify a Phoenix Revolution controller for me (he added A, B, X, and Y buttons to the handles). I used an XFPS 360 adapter to connect the Phoenix to the 360. He only charged $20 for the work, and the turnaround time was very fast. I asked if he would do an interview for me, and he agreed:

YS: How long have you been doing this?

RDC: I've had my hand in anything with electronics in it for I don't know how many years now, started off tearing whatever I could get ahold of apart. I’ve been doing custom controllers ever since GRAW came out with no Southpaw support. I made 1 controller and that guy got on the UBI forums then next thing I knew I was getting e-mails day and night about the things.

YS: Which console controllers do you modify (for which systems)?

RDC: mainly the 360, but I've also done the S-controllers and Dukes (original XBOX controller), but can or would work on just about anything. PS3 too.

YS: What is the most exotic mod you've done?

RDC: probably Sinister, Wireless version, swapping the D-pad to the A, B, X, Y and vice-versa.

RDC: buttons are labeled to show what they are, it never made it to paint, again, first one was ruined by the painter. That's all internal though and can't be seen. External would be the shell part of Sinister where I actually swapped the D-pad and A,B,X,Y. The Sinister thread has all the steps and pics on how to do the wired controller.

RDC: don’t know if I have a real good shot of the insides of the Wireless, kind of a secret and so hard I don't want others doing it and ruining their controllers.

YS: What are some of the most common mods you do?

RDC: Southpaw by far, game makers are leaving those poor guys out in the cold.

RDC: I prefer to do custom setups to the users' needs.

RDC: that way every one is different and has its own challenges.

YS: I understand you've done mods for handicapped individuals? Can you elaborate?

RDC: It's bad enough with the 'next generation' of console gaming that some feel the need to leave out Southpaw controller setups, let alone the option to completely customize your controller buttons to however you want. When you're handicapped you're in an even worse situation than just a lefty gamer that has to deal with backwards controls. You may only have one had or partial use of the other one, and adapt and overcome can only get some people so far. I've setup a few custom controllers for guys that had special needs to be able to play so they could enjoy the gaming experience and not have to deal with fighting a controller that's made for one type of individual. If games had the option to setup what button to do whatever you wanted (like how PC games have been for ages) then it wouldn't be that big of an issue, but some people need a controller setup a certain way so they can actually use it and not have it be an obstacle or hindrance while trying to play and have fun.

RDC: I could go on and on about that subject.

RDC: that guy plays flattop; he doesn't hold the controller.

YS: What is the most complicated mod you've done?

RDC: the D-pad to ABXY swap, took weeks to figure out how the 360 controller was setup (doesn't use a common ground like most controllers do) then to figure out what to cut where and then wire to what, was a real pain on the Wired controller, then the Wireless made that one look simple, it's a beast.

YS: What do you charge to do modifications (what is your price range)?

RDC: depends on the way the customer wants the controller setup, harder to do doesn't always mean costs more, some thing I prefer to do more for the challenge, but they range from $15 up to around a couple hundred, just depends on what has to be done.

YS: What challenges did you encounter, if any, with my Phoenix mod?

RDC: nothing really, but it's not what I'd call a 100% success even though it will work right, the thing is really setup to work just like it is and not have anything added or subtracted to it without having a drawback or two.

YS: What are some drawbacks?

RDC: the way that controller works, with adding in the extra buttons like I did, you have to keep the button module in the spot it was setup in, so if you stick say the D-pad in that socket, the extra buttons will then do what that module does, and not what you originally wanted, with any other controller you don't have that problem.

YS: What other things do you like to tinker with?

RDC: I work on just about any type of consumer electronics, TVs, Stereos, PCs, things of that sort, but I tinker with whatever I usually get my hands on, not much of what I own hasn't been taken apart to at least see what was in there.

RDC: I like to repair what others would consider trashed beyond repair.

YS: So you like to "reverse-engineer"?

RDC: to an extent, you have to find out how some things work in order to make it work how you want, like with the 360 controllers, they use a 'matrix + diodes' setup for the buttons, not 'common ground' like most people that mess with this type of stuff are used to, so I had to trace al that out and figure out what went where to figure out how to break connections to move buttons around.

YS: If someone would like to mod his/her own controllers, where do you recommend he/she go to get started?

RDC: Depends on what they're looking to do, but soldering is going to be involved for sure, unless you just want it painted, and then there are lots of aftermarket controller shells to change the appearance, but I'd have to say Google, if you can't find the answer there then you typed the question wrong. After that there are lots of “gamer” forums to get help as well as show what you've done.

YS: Which forums do you recommend?

RDC: Right off, XS, xbox-scene.com, since that's where I am and post a lot, the Llamma forums are good, but just about any game forum has a Hardware section where you can get all kinds of info and talk with others that are into the same kind of thing.

YS: What do you do for a living (your "day job")?

RDC: I work at a local electronics repair shop, before that I spent 5 years as a Rebuild, PSU, Alignment, Troubleshooting tech at a company that worked on cable amps and line equipment.

YS: Anything else you'd like to add?

RDC: practice, practice, practice if you’re going to get into or try ANY of this stuff, ruin something that's already bad or you don’t care about before hacking into a $50 controller or something that costs more. ;)

RDC: read on forums; ask questions, even if the answers are rude at times.

YS: What is the best way for a person to get in touch with you to do a mod?

RDC: I post on the XS forums, RDC, you can PM me ["RDC"] there.

YS: Thanks for your time.

The underside of the Phoenix mod he did for me: