New input device

Hi all, I am interested in using input devices other than the mouse and keyboard. I would like to use an RC controller in-game, like the kind you get with an RC car or plane or boat. Anyone know how to do this, or where to begin?

I have an esky usb controller: http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Simulator-Training-Airplanes-Helicopters/dp/7293000014/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1277949630&sr=8-1 It has a usb connection to the computer and is used by some flight sim softwares so I know the hardware works, question is how to make it work with unity.

If you have any experience doing something similar please advise. Thank you. Gary

Yeah.. Joystick buttons. General explanation about it Edit->Project Settings->Input. class-InputManager Use KeyCode's for Joystick : KeyCode

As the original answer says, you can most likely treat it as a joystick in Unity as a quick search revealed it to be used in games/simulators as a replacement for standard controllers. If it is treated as a standard USB joystick, you just need to determine the mapping, this page may be useful for that.

If that doesn't work ( though i'd be very surpised if it doesn't) you'd need to find information on drivers it uses and preferably a dll to talk directly to it via USB. Though that is probably unlikely to happen unless the manufacture has released it to the public.

A final option, though a bit pointless with this controler since it comes with usb is to go the direct electronic route, that is cracking open a controller and directly soldering wires to the circuit board, linking them to a USB controller circuit board, then using a dll /plugin to interface with Unity. I've done that in the past with Director based on this tutorial and proved to be great fun. I used MiniBee in this case, but Arduino is also popular and I'm sure I remember reading that someone had a plugin or some other support for it in Unity.