Use a Wii Les-Paul Controller With Frets on Fire Mac Version

[NickAVV]

This might be useful for Mac-using, Wii-using, Guitar Hero fans like me. I just spent the last two or three hours getting this damned thing to work, so listen up kids.

Step 1
Download Darwiin Remote, which is a Wii Remote Interface for the Mac. This version is edited (not be me) to work with accessories, such as the Wii Les-Paul Controller.

Step 2
Download this Frets on Fire game which has been modded to let it run correctly on Intel Macs!

Step 3
FoF usually uses the Function Keys (F1-F5) as fret buttons, but Darwiin Remote doesn't support the F-Keys. To fix this, go into Frets on Fire and press Settings>Keys> and change the keys that player 1 uses for frets 1-5 to be the actual 1-5 keys on the keyboard. Be sure to change Player 2's keys as well, because they originally are the 1-5 keys, and it will create a conflict if they aren't changed.

Step 4
Open Darwiin Remote and get your Les-Paul with Wii Remote attached. Now, on the computer, press the "Find Wii Remote" button. While this is searching, press and hold the 1 and 2 buttons on the Wii Remote to sync. You might have to try this step a few times.

Step 5
Now we have to get the Wii Remote buttons to be the same as the Frets on Fire buttons. Go into Darwiin Remote's File>Preferences. Now, add a new profile and call it "Frets on Fire". Click on the Classic Controller tab, and change these values.

Up > Return
Down > Return
a > Key (and in the text field enter "1" without the quotes)
b > Key (and in the text field enter "2" without the quotes)
x > Key (and in the text field enter "3" without the quotes)
y > Key (and in the text field enter "4" without the quotes)
ZL > Key (and in the text field enter "5" without the quotes)
+ > Esc

Press OK. Now leave Darwiin Remote open in the background and open Frets on Fire

Step 6
Use the keyboard to navigate menus in FoF, because the strum bar will not function as up and now (we set it to be used as strum) and the green fret will not work for selecting (we set it to be used as a fret). Start a song and start rocking out with the guitar controller!

If you have any problems, just let me know, because this might be a little confusing!

-Nick

[Jessy]

I'm not playing unless I can use the whammy. Any word on that?

[NickAVV]

Frets on Fire has no whammy support because Pygame doesn't support pitch bending. However, Darwiin Remote DOES register the whammy bar, so if a version of Frets on Fire is released that does include whammy, it will work near instantly.

[Jessy]

Huh! Pygame sounds like a terrible choice to make a Guitar Hero clone with then! Thanks for the info!

I do think the songs that come with Frets on Fire are better than a lot of the Guitar Hero stuff, though. Anything that FORCES me to listen to KISS gets no love from me.

[NickAVV]

I personally hate the three songs that FoF provides. >.< That's why you can customize what songs are in it I guess.

[Jessy]

Hah! To each his own. I think Tommy Inkila's pretty talented, but I'd probably just make my own tracks if I were more into Frets on Fire. I tried importing the GH I and II tracks, but I wasn't that into it without the 3D characters and extra style.

[NickAVV]

Well, I brought in my GH2 tracks for one reason. My Guitar Hero controller for PS2 is just plain painful to use, whereas the GH3 Les-Paul is just plain perfect.

[Ulognep]

I dare someone to make a Unity game that uses the Wii remote with Les Paul controller. I double dare you!

[NickAVV]

XD. I'll do it. It might not be guitar themed, but what the hell, right?

[Ulognep]

That's the spirit! Who says it has to be a guitar game? There's gotta be a bajillion different things you could do with that controller.

For example, this one seems kind of neat: http://www.fretnice.com/

[NickAVV]

That looks cool. I'm doing a space shooter. Hold the frets for colored lasers!

EDIT: The controls are done, and work nicely with the guitar. Strum up and down to move your guitar on the screen, and hold the different frets to shoot waves of colored energy. Next I'll be adding enemies of some sort to randomly assault you.

[bliprob]

I bet the UniWii plugin would work with that. Hmmmm.

[NickAVV]

I still am making this, by the way. I just put it on hold for Puppet Flight (Wanilla's first game to sell, so clearly its more important).

[Jessy]

Puppet fight, to me, sounds like a game that should be played by waving the Guitar Hero guitar around.

[NickAVV]

That'd be silly, trust me.