Add Gamepad module

[nkymut]

Adds gamepad support for Strudel, allowing users to use game controllers as expressive input devices for live coding music.

Examples

const gp = gamepad(0) //initialize gemepad

// Use button values to control amplitude
$: stack(
  s("[[hh hh] oh hh oh]/2").gain(gp.tglX).bank("RolandTR909"), // X btn for HH
   s("cr*1").gain(gp.Y).bank("RolandTR909"), // LB btn for CR
  s("bd").gain(gp.tglA).bank("RolandTR909"), // A btn for BD
  s("[ht - - mt - - lt - ]/2").gain(gp.tglB).bank("RolandTR909"), // B btn for Toms
  s("sd*4").gain(gp.RB).bank("RolandTR909"), // RB btn for SD
).cpm(120)

// Use analog stick for continuous control
$: note("c4 d3 a3 e3").sound("sawtooth") 
  .lpf(gp.x1.range(100,4000)) 
  .lpq(gp.y1.range(5,30))
  .decay(gp.y2.range(0.1,2))
  .lpenv(gp.x2.range(-5,5))
  .cpm(120)

// Define button sequences
const HADOUKEN = [
  'd',               // Down
  'r',               // Right
  'a',               // A
];

const KONAMI = 'uuddlrlrba' //Konami Code ↑↑↓↓←→←→BA

// Check button sequence (returns 1 when detected, 0 when not within last 1 second)
$: s("free_hadouken -").slow(2)
.gain(gp.btnSequence(HADOUKEN)).room(1).cpm(120)

// hadouken.wav by Syna-Max
//https://freesound.org/people/Syna-Max/sounds/67674/
samples({free_hadouken: 'https://cdn.freesound.org/previews/67/67674_111920-lq.mp3'})
`} />

Testing Done

• Tested with Logitech Gamepad F310
• Tested with Xbox controller
• Tested with PS4/PS5 controller
• Tested with Nintendo Switch controller

[felixroos]

this is super cool, I have to test this. I especially like that you can do sequences!
I can test it with my gamepads as well. A docs page for this would also be very good (similar to the README).

[nkymut]

Thanks! I’m glad you liked the key sequences.
I’ve added a documentation page, and I’m hoping that other input methods—such as MIDI-in or serial input—can also be documented on the same page.

[felixroos]

is this ready for merge? we can test the controllers when its live i guess

[felixroos]

currently testing it with my snes gamepad. only the blue (X) buttons seems to work, not sure why. can test more later. I also wonder why we need to poll the gamepads in an animationframe? could we only poll it inside the signal? it might save some work. i can try to do that if you also think it's worth trying

[nkymut]

The code I referenced was mostly related to p5.js (and game related), which is why it’s polling against the animation frame. But yeah, for Strudel, it makes more sense to handle the polling inside the signal.

That might also be connected to the fact that some button signals were only recognized after adding .segment().

// Add these lines to enable buttons(but why?)
$:pad.D.segment(16).gain(0)
$:pad.R.segment(16).gain(0)
$:pad.A.segment(16).gain(0)

[felixroos]

i've tested again, this time all buttons seem to work as expected! I've changed the docs a bit to use mask instead of gain, which makes things more clearer + more performant, as they are not played when inactive.

[felixroos]

in theory, buttonMap would need to be configurable, for example, my controller doesnt match the naming, e.g. x = b etc. not sure if we need this in this PR yet