Powered Up custom controls for 42099/42109 and MOCs

[kbalage]

Control+ is still carved in stone, Powered Up has no easy way to control cars. I challenged myself to come up with a code in the Powered Up free play area that replicates the basic functionality of Control+ and some extra:

• Proper return to center steering
• Calibration process to set the zero position for the steering
• Ability to fine tune the zero position with buttons
• Toggle button to use the unused port(s) of the sets to attach lights
• Slider or Joystick control
• Relatively easy port reconfiguration for different sets/creations

Well as it turns out it wasn't trivial  Spent some weeks with fine tuning the code but now it works (more or less reliably).  Please note that I always had issues with coding in school so I'm almost sure it can be done in a more effective and/or elegant way but at least it showed me the challenge anyone could face if tries to create this relatively basic functionality in the current version of the PU app.

Here's a video about it:

 

An overview of the code itself (yeah it's not that simple):

Here's a link the pdf file if you want to try and play with it.

[allanp]

3 hours ago, kbalage said:

Control+ is still carved in stone, Powered Up has no easy way to control cars.

It has no easy way to control anything, let alone simple cars, except for the model that comes in the box (with the question of weather or not controlling a model on a completely flat screen with no option to use a proper tactile controller being easy, or fun, still being debatable). We are now into February 2020 and the powered up app is still not what it needs to be. Do we know if they working towards the ability to make your own custom control layouts or are these pre-designed layouts and code blocks it? Are Lego looking to release a complete product or are they counting on the fan base to work for free, filling the holes that TLG can't be bothered to fill? Tune in next year! 

Edited February 6, 2020 by allanp

[kbalage]

@allanp honestly I'm not sure where this whole thing is heading. I'm afraid the team will not ditch the code block-based concept and it will be quite a big challenge to build a simple and usable system on this foundation. The only possible way is see is the creation of specialized composite blocks that can be used and applied relatively easily, e.g. create one composite block for calibration, one for steering, one for a toggle button etc. This way the possibility of tinkering remains within the composite block but they could be used relatively easily by beginners as well. But documentation and tutorials are essential for this variation as well.

I'd be happy to see an official mid-level solution with something like the current BuWizz or BrickController 2 apps. No code blocks and complicated concepts, just control elements (joysticks, buttons, sliders) assigned to hubs and outputs where the type of the attached motor can be selected, period. I'm afraid this won't come from TLG but from a 3rd party sooner or later.

 

[Maaboo the Witch]

25 minutes ago, allanp said:

It has no easy way to control anything, let alone simple cars, except for the model that comes in the box (with the question of weather or not controlling a model on a completely flat screen with no option to use a proper tactile controller being easy, or fun, still being debatable). We are now into February 2020 and the powered up app is still not what it needs to be. Do we know if they working towards the ability to make your own custom control layouts or are these pre-designed layouts and code blocks it? Are Lego looking to release a complete product or are they counting on the fan base to work for free, filling the holes that TLG can't be bothered to fill? Tune in next year! 

No, they're just rehashing a model from a few years back, adding an extra axle, and desperately hoping that bigger equals better. 

[allanp]

@kbalage Sounds like the easier thing to do at this point is just add a new section to the app (or a new app entirely) which is fully customisable and also allows for the use of third party physical controllers.

[kbalage]

@allanp that's the logical thing to do but does not necessarily fit in the corporate strategy. I can't imagine the support of 3rd party controllers in the official app even in the best case scenario. 

[allanp]

Just now, kbalage said:

@allanp that's the logical thing to do but does not necessarily fit in the corporate strategy. I can't imagine the support of 3rd party controllers in the official app even in the best case scenario. 

I fear you are right, even though the whole system relies on third party smart devices already.

[allanp]

I quickly threw this fake image together is MS paint 

Looks rough but you get the idea. I think something like this would be much better and easier than the code block approach (probably wouldn't need documentation with some playing around) and allow for really simple to really complex setups. For example, lets say I want to have three pneumatic valves, each with their own servos that move 45 degrees either side of centre (to match the range of motion of the valve) and I also want a forth motor to automatically run (for a compressor) any time any of the servos are not in the centre position.

Select edit at the top and add your desired controllers to the screen.

Select edit > edit controller > select the controller you want to edit > hub > 1 > Port > 1 > device > servo > calibration > auto > Range of motion > 1/8 > select equal > done

Repeat 2 more times for servos 2 and 3, selecting ports 2 and 3 for each servo.

Now to add the automatic compressor open up each controller again and select:

add device > hub > 1 > port > 4 > device > motor > non proportional > done.

And there you are, a 3 channel pneumatic control setup with automated compressor done in a couple of minutes. 

In the image above, in the window where it asks for "motor", "light" or "servo" I guess I could have added a forth option for "sensor", and I should have added another window after that where you select the actual device that plugged in (such as L motor, XL motor or whatever). But this is simply an idea of what I'd like to see from Lego.

You may also notice there is an option for "ext controller" which is where you would be able to select from a list of third party physical controllers. You could then assign each of the apps virtual controllers to each of the physical controllers.

There are of course many more options you could add to what's seen here, such as ramp up/down times for motors and so on. Adding a ramp up/down time of a second or 2 to tank tracks would really give the model a sense of weight for example.

I think it all fits on a smartphone screen rather well. Hobby grade RC remote controllers give you similar amounts of options on a tiny LCD screen so this shouldn't be a problem to use up the much bigger smartphone screen to make it easier for the target audience. It's much easier than the code blocks we have now 

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by allanp