After I returned from vacation, I thought about what I wanted my next project to be. I’m happy with how the video game controllers came out. I’m thrilled with how many people have downloaded them. Here’s the count as of December 9, 2024:
| Name (ordered by release) | Console | Downloads |
|---|---|---|
| 1DS | Nintendo DS | 1939 |
| Fierce SNES | Super Nintendo | 434 |
| Action GBA | Game Boy Advance | 711 |
| Action NES | Nintendo Entertainment System | 530 |
| Action GBC | Game Boy Color | 462 |
| Grapple 64 | Nintendo 64 | 317 |
| Idle SNES | Super Nintendo | 597 |
| Idle GBA | Game Boy Advance | 2621 |
| Idle GBC | Game Boy Color | 1187 |
Adding them up, 8,798 downloads makes these controllers the most popular thing I’ve created by myself in over a decade.
Now, these numbers are great because Delta is a tremendous app (it just won MacStories’ App of the Year) and I know about these numbers because deltastyles.com is a very well run website (and the only reason I even know about these numbers). I wouldn’t have gone down this road if Delta’s controller documentation wasn’t so user-friendly, or if their discord wasn’t full of awesome designers. Even small projects like this require communities, friendly chats, and cheerleaders.
I’m really proud of this project, and want to make it better.
So, it’s been a few months since I’ve worked on 1DS, my last controller. Looking back on this project, there are a few things I’d like to do to improve the controllers. I think the Action set is complete. The two fightpads, Fierce and Grapple, accomplish what I set out to (make Street Fighter and WCW Revenge fun on phones). But Idle, my set of one-handed controllers, could use some improvement.
My next project is a revamp of Idle, with a plan to ship new versions of it to every console available on Delta.
Two thoughts I have about Idle so far are that I’d like it if all the systems looked more related to one another. It can be jarring to have different arrangements. I designed these controllers one at a time, and improved the design as I went. But because the GBC one came first, it looks the least polished (but the A button is still in my favourite spot).
The other thought I have is, it is a bit of a pain to decide to use the left or right-handed controller and be stuck with that. Currently, the player has to install two skins in Delta if they want both left and right-handed versions, and you need to go into the menu to swap them. What if you need to quickly change hands? I want to make that available if I can.
So, here’s what that project will look like:
| Name | System | IPhone | iPad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idle NES | Nintendo Entertainment System | Brand New ✨ | Brand New ✨ |
| Idle SNES | Super Nintendo | New version | Brand New ✨ |
| Idle GBC | Game Boy Color | New version | Brand New ✨ |
| Idle 64 | Nintendo 64 | Brand New ✨ | Brand New ✨ |
| Idle GBA | Game Boy Advance | New version | Brand New ✨ |
| Idle DS | Nintendo DS | Brand New ✨ | Brand New ✨ |
Writing it out like this, it really looks like I’ve given myself a lot of work! It also makes me think I should separate out the “new versions” from the “old versions.” For one, I think they’ll be different enough to not just be a “2.0”. For two, I hate it when older versions of things becomes unavailable. What if someone prefers the older one?
So, I’ll have to come up with some kind of naming scheme. “New Idle” kind of rolls of the tongue, and is a nice tribute to the New 3DS, the best retro game console of all time. Maybe that will work.
It’ll take some time to build, test, and ship them. For now, here’s a preview of New Idle. Let me know if you’d like to try it out!
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