Using Bottango with a Gamepad

Learn how to control your animations and servos in real time using a USB gamepad or joystick.

Want to control your servos live — like a puppet? Bottango supports USB gamepads and joysticks, letting you trigger animations or control servo positions in real time. Great for live performances, interactive demos, or fun robot battles!

🎮 Compatible Devices

Bottango supports most USB gamepads and joysticks, including:

• Xbox controllers
• PlayStation controllers
• Generic USB gamepads
• Flight sticks and arcade sticks

🔌 Plug in your controller before launching Bottango to ensure it’s recognized.

🛠️ Step 1: Enable Gamepad Input

1. Open Bottango
2. Go to Devices > Gamepad Settings
3. You should see your controller listed
4. Test buttons and joysticks to confirm they register

🎚️ Step 2: Assign Gamepad Controls

You can assign gamepad inputs to either:

• Trigger animations (e.g., press button A to wave)
• Directly control servo positions (e.g., move a joystick to control a jaw)

To trigger an animation:

1. Go to the Triggers panel
2. Click Add Trigger
3. Choose Gamepad Button
4. Select the button (e.g., Button A)
5. Set the action to Play Animation and choose your animation

To control a servo directly:

1. Select your servo in the timeline
2. In the Servo Settings, choose Gamepad Axis under input method
3. Select the joystick axis (e.g., Left Stick Y)
4. Set the range (min/max) to match your servo’s limits

🧪 Test It Out

• Press your assigned gamepad button — the servo should move or play an animation
• Move a joystick — the servo should follow your movement in real time

🎯 You can control multiple servos simultaneously with different axes!

🧠 Creative Uses

• Real-time puppet shows (control eyes, mouth, head)
• Remote-controlled robots with expressive motion
• Assistive tools (e.g., gamepad-controlled grippers)
• Multiplayer animatronic props or characters

⚠️ Tips for Smooth Gamepad Control

• Use easing curves or filtering for smoother servo movement
• Avoid using the same axis for multiple servos unless needed
• Keep servo limits in mind to avoid jitter or strain

With a gamepad in hand, your project becomes a live, expressive performer.

Try it Yourself

Time to take control! Try these gamepad exercises:

1. Button Triggers: Set up four buttons to control a servo:
   • Button A → Move servo to 0°
   • Button B → Move servo to 90°
   • Button X → Move servo to 180°
   • Button Y → Play a custom animation you created

   Practice switching between positions quickly!

2. Joystick Control: Connect a servo to the left joystick Y-axis:
   • Moving stick up → Servo moves to maximum position
   • Moving stick down → Servo moves to minimum position
   • Center stick → Servo returns to 90° (neutral)

   How smooth can you make the movement?

3. Multi-Servo Puppet: If you have 2+ servos, create a simple “puppet”:
   • Left stick Y-axis → Controls vertical head movement
   • Left stick X-axis → Controls horizontal head movement
   • Right stick Y-axis → Controls jaw open/close
   • Button A → Trigger a “blink” animation (if you have eye servos)

   Practice “performing” with your puppet!

4. Animation Playlist: Create 4 short animations (2-3 seconds each):
   • D-Pad Up → Play “nod yes”
   • D-Pad Down → Play “shake no”
   • D-Pad Left → Play “look left”
   • D-Pad Right → Play “look right”

   Create a sequence by pressing buttons in order!

Advanced Challenge: Build a “live performance system”:

• Joysticks control real-time servo positions
• Buttons trigger pre-made animations
• One button acts as “home” position (resets all servos)
• Practice a 30-second performance combining both control methods

Pro Tip: Invert an axis if your servo moves the “wrong way” when you push the stick!

Common Issues

• Problem: Gamepad not detected in Bottango
• Solution: Plug in controller before launching Bottango, then restart the application

• Why: Bottango scans for controllers on startup

• Problem: Servo jitters when controlled by joystick
• Solution: Add a small deadzone (5-10%) and enable smoothing/filtering in servo settings

• Why: Joysticks have sensitive analog inputs that can cause micro-movements

• Problem: Joystick axis controls servo backwards
• Solution: Invert the axis in Bottango’s gamepad settings or servo configuration

• Why: Different controllers map axes differently (positive/negative)

• Problem: Multiple button presses don’t work smoothly
• Solution: Ensure animations are set to “interrupt” previous animations, not “queue”
• Why: Queued animations will play in sequence, causing lag

Next up: Course Summary and Next Steps

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