With the form factor as well as official Bazzite support, it seems like Framework was just waiting for someone to turn their Framework 12 laptop into a mobile gaming device (despite the constant warning about low specs).
I initially tried designing my own custom controller modules like Wiktor_Tomanek’s Joystick Modules but with the shoulder buttons that I consider essential, but when I saw the quote for assembled PCBs (I don’t have the ability to do SMD soldering yet), I realised I was much better off adapting a commercial product instead. Joycons are great because not only do they have all the necessary inputs for most games, they also have rumble and gyro as well. Furthermore, with the release of the Switch 2, I expect the second hand market to begin flooding with controllers. There’s also a lot of 3rd party Joycons that can be used as well.
While I have reverse engineered charging circuitry for the Joycons, the price of custom circuitry is a bit prohibitive at the moment. If there is enough interest in the project, I may come back to add charging to the modules too.
Some points to improve on:
- The rails should be raised up a little so that the laptop can lie flat, the triggers currently prop it up a little
- The rails completely block the slots next to them, maybe some sort of cutout would allow access to the other slots
- Light channels to see the LEDs that show pairing information
- Charging circuitry