Ideas/Suggestions

[oolunchbox]

In assembling my first GPA I had a couple ideas to potentially implement if a V3 is produced.
For the X/Y buttons, would it be possible to use the same silicone pads/buttons that are used for the start/select buttons to give a similar feel? They seem to be about the same size as the tactile buttons used on V2.
Is there room to possibly add a wifi module? I'm not an engineer so this may be a pipe dream, but it would be immensely helpful. I'm currently using a HubPiWi, but I have to add and remove as needed.
Lastly (for now) would some sort of battery level indicator be possible? Again, I'm not an engineer so this may not be possible since there isn't a standard battery being used.

[oolunchbox]

Update on the wifi idea.
I found this giuide and have one of these (experimental) and two of these (I know these work out of the box) ordered.
Ideally I'll run a battery test without to get an idea of battery life on the 2000mAh battery and then with it installed to get to see how much of an impact it has.

[Flavor]

I am very interested in hearing how this WiFi mod goes for you. I think it's not something everyone will want to perform, but it's definitely a nice option if it works well.

I have also thought about your X/Y idea with silicone pads. The main problem here is that they would require a custom plastic button shaft to to fit down through the holes in the main PCB. The main problem with X/Y is that there isn't room on the main PCB, so that's why we implemented the long-shafted tactile (clicky) buttons. If we had such a shaft to use with the silicone pads, then I think it could work.

From what I know, the only battery status we can get from the charging module is if the battery is almost dead. This is the red light that you see that comes in next to the green power light. I don't know a way to get anything more than a "low battery" indicator.

[AkAdam44]

I have a suggestion...have you considered having custom injection molded GBA cases created to perfectly fit your Freeplay Zero and CM3? I feel that if a product like that were available then just about anyone could put one of there together without much trouble at all. Maybe even do another Kickstarter just for the case!

[Flavor]

We've put a fair bit of thought into producing a shell, but it's just too early for us to focus on that. We need to get our heads above water on everything we're already working on first.

[jakejm79]

Maybe you could have a small daughter board raised above or below the main PCB to allow some more/less room for the rubber pads.

[Flavor]

That’s kinda what we do for the long tactile X/Y buttons. We have put some design work into making those out of silicone rubber, but it’s not done and then we’d have to figure out how to produce them and a circuit board to go with them.

It could work, but right now it’s just an untested theory.

[jakejm79]

Maybe use something like these: https://www.adafruit.com/product/3101

[Flavor]

Maybe use something like these: https://www.adafruit.com/product/3101

We have actually looked at those.  I think we have some just like it, in fact.  I've not found any with long shafts like the X/Y require.  That's why I think we'd need to manufacture our own if we wanted that soft (non-tactile) feel.

[jakejm79]

Maybe use something like these: https://www.adafruit.com/product/3101

We have actually looked at those.  I think we have some just like it, in fact.  I've not found any with long shafts like the X/Y require.  That's why I think we'd need to manufacture our own if we wanted that soft (non-tactile) feel.

Yes I was thinking you'd combine them with some shafts. I'm thinking just some pieces of plastic solid tubing cut to the correct length you could super glue them to the rubber membranes and then covers to them.