True analog controls for Armored Core (Playstation)

Supported versions:

• USA (SCUS_941.82), USA (SLUS_013.23 – Reprint edition)
• Japan (SLPS_009.00)
• Europe (SCES_008.42)

Each patch includes an “Inverted Look Up/Down” version in a separate folder.

The patches work ONLY with these versions, and only work if the relevant .bin files are clean, i.e. not already patched with something else (undubs etc.)

Analog input processing inside these games was retro-fitted using algorithms from AC Nine Breaker.

Left analog sends the following commands: strafe left, strafe right, forward, backward.
Right analog sends the following commands: turn left, turn right, look up, look down.

The analog controls keep working exactly the same ^, even if the user changes the control scheme for the digital buttons, so the buttons can be remapped in-game as you like.

Most importantly, the right analog movement uses the same algorithms as those from Armored Core: Nine Breaker, so it is not just a remapping: the movement is actually smoothed out, different areas of joystick displacement are treated differently based on the analog value received (not just 0 / 1). In other words, no more junky looking / turning around.

Note that even in these PS1 games, the control scheme is pretty much the same as “Type B” in later PS2 games (AC Nexus and after). Therefore implementing a kind of “Type A” control scheme (analog-based) should provide a big accesibility boost without adding an unfair advantage (i.e. the ‘Fairness’ paragraph in the PS2 section still applies). On the contrary, any old school AC player would tell you that “Type B” still has the advantage.

Notes:

The original game only works with the controller in ‘digital’ mode. Patched game only works with the controller in ‘analog’ mode.

Normally this can be configured in your PS1 emulator settings, or by pressing the controller ‘digital/analog switching mode’ button, if it has one.

Duckstation emulator knows that the game only works in digital mode, therefore by default it won’t allow switching to analog mode from the GUI. BUT, you can still switch to analog mode by pressing your controller’s analog button (and this is the simple, recommended approach).

Usage:

Use the relevant .ppf file with PPF-O-MATIC 3.0 and the game’s original .bin file to create a patched .bin.

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