Plateau Manual
Introduction
This guide will help you get acquainted with your Plateau controller and its features.
The Plateau ships with Haybox firmware, which is an open source platform fighter firmware. This guide covers the important functions you'll need to start playing, but for more guidance, you can view the official Haybox readme here on Github.
The Plateau shares common components and pinouts as many other rectangle style controllers and so it is compatible with other firmware. This guide will show the basics of how to flash new firmware, but will not guide you on usage of alternatives. Use them at your own risk!
Getting Started
Haybox can be a bit tricky to get used to, but once you get the basics down, you'll find it mostly just works.
The most important thing to know about Haybox is that the different control schemes are separate settings from the console mode. The console is automatically detected when you plug in your controller. You can use shortcuts to change control schemes if you want. For example, if you plug the controller into a PC, you'll get the Melee control scheme by default. But you can change it to Rivals of Aether 2 by pressing Start + Mod X + R. You can use any control scheme with any console, for the most part.
Gameplay Controls
Use the following button combinations after you plug in the controller to change your controls.
- Start + Mod X + L - Melee mode (default)
NOTE: D* is the "Dpad Toggle" button. Holding this button down changes the C-stick inputs to D-pad inputs.
- Start + Mod X + Left - Project M/Project+ mode
- Start + Mod X + Down - Ultimate mode
NOTE: It looks like the d-pad inputs on Ultimate mode are currently not working due to a bug with Haybox. The d-pad toggle button will not work on this control scheme.
- Start + Mod X + Right - FGC mode
- Start + Mod X + B - Rivals of Aether mode
- Start + Mod X + R - Rivals of Aether 2 mode
You can re-map any button for any control scheme using the Remapper tool. See below section for more details!
Console Compatibility
You can use your Plateau controller on a variety of different consoles, including N64, GameCube, Wii, Wii U, Switch, and PC. To play on N64 or Gamecube, you'll need the appropriate cable or adapter to connect to those consoles.
Although the console is detected automatically when you plug in the controller, there are a handful of extra settings you can use to help with compatibility issues. You most likely won't need to do this, but if you are having problems, you should read this section.
Hold the following buttons as you plug in your controller to change the console compatibility settings:
- X: Nintendo Switch Pro Controller mode (this also sets your control scheme to Ultimate)
- Z: Dinput mode. This is for PC games that don't support the more modern Xinput mode.
- A: GameCube mode with polling rate change disabled. This might be needed for GCC adapters.
- C-Left: N64 mode with 60hz polling rate. No idea when you'll need this.
Dolphin and Slippi
You need to do some extra configuration if you want to use your Plateau with Dolphin and Slippi.
First, head to the Haybox github page to download the appropriate controller profiles:
- HayBox_XInput.ini for Windows
- HayBox_Xinput_Linux.ini for Linux
Next, place the file in your dolphin installation in the following location:
<YourDolphinInstallation>\User\Config\Profiles\GCPad\
You should be good to go after this!
Remapper Tool
The Remapper tool can be used to change button layouts, SOCD settings, and enable some extra settings on your controller.
To access it, head to the following website: https://remapp.ing/
If you see an error that your browser isn't supported, try Chrome.
Once you're on the site, hold Start as you plug in your Plateau controller and then click Connect. You should see an available option that corresponds to your USB port (it will say COM4 or something similar). Pick it and click Connect. From there, you can change your button layout or settings.
Firmware Updates
To update or change the firmware, you need to put the controller in BOOTSEL mode and then upload a firmware file in .uf2 format.
To put the controller in BOOTSEL mode, first locate the small button labeled BOOTSEL on the PCB on the top of your controller. This should be just to the side of the USB-C port on the top. Then insert something flat and rigid into the top of your case (I use a butter knife) and press down on the button while you plug in your USB cable to your PC. Try not to damage the delicate components on your PCB.
If you did it right, you should see a new drive appear on your computer called RPI-RP2. You will drag the .uf2 file into the RPI-RP2 drive and your controller will reboot automatically with the new firmware.
It is highly recommended to use the "flash nuke" .uf2 file prior to updating the firmware. This is a file that you upload to your controller that fully erases the existing firmware. Once you upload it, it will automatically reboot the controller back into BOOTSEL mode after a few seconds. You can download the flash nuke .uf2 from the GP2040-CE website here.
Note on Nerfs
The Melee community has been debating about the fairness of rectangle controllers for a long time, and many tournaments have started to implement nerfs and additional requirements for folks who use them. This will differ from event to event, and you'll need to do your own research to determine if the Plateau is usable at events you wish to participate in. In general, the Plateau will be compatible with nerfed firmware, but the default Haybox firmware it ships with is unlikely to meet the requirements for tournaments that require nerfs.
For now it looks like the CarVac fork of Haybox is the go-to nerfed firmware for many major events, but this may change at any time. Note that while the remapper will work with this fork, it may not be able to bind all buttons. In our testing we've had difficulty using the D* button with this build. Try the "Pico" or "Rana Digital" builds which should be compatible with the Plateau.
Care, Wear and Tear
What do I need to watch out for?
The case and button caps are printed from PLA Pro plastic. They should be plenty durable, but cannot survive high temperatures (above ~130°F/~55°C). So don’t leave your controller in a hot car, it will warp.
How do I clean my controller?
I recommend isopropyl alcohol (70% or higher concentration) and paper towels to wipe down the surfaces.
How do I take my controller apart?
To take your controller apart, pull out all of the switches from the front of the controller. Then you can gently tap on the front of the controller until the PCB comes out from the open top. If you grab on to the top, watch out not to damage the electronics which are close to the top of the PCB.
To put it back together, insert the PCB into the top of the controller with the electronics and hotswap sockets on the bottom side. Then insert the switches and button caps into the front of the controller.