How SpecialEffect Access the PlayStation 5 Console | Video

Intro: 

At SpecialEffect we use a range of controllers to help people to access games on PlayStation 5 consoles.  

Some of the controller set-ups we create are based on a DualSense controller, whilst others allow you to create a fully customised controller layout, with a range of different connected joysticks and buttons.  

Some controller set-ups are a combination of both of these. 

In this video we will take a look at some of the equipment we have in our kit to give an overview of some of the options available to access PlayStation 5 consoles and games. 

In most instances, the controllers mentioned can be paired to use alongside another of the controllers using the PlayStation’s ‘Assist Controller’ feature.  

Standard DualSense Controller: 

The DualSense controller is the controller that comes with a PlayStation 5 console.  

If someone we are working with is able to use some parts of a standard DualSense controller, we will start by seeing if we can use the controller as a starting point.  

Sometimes we will mount the controller to help free up the use of someone’s hands, if holding the controller reduces how well they can access it 

We may also add some toppers to the thumbsticks to help players to access these.  

Sometimes we will remap the controller on the console itself to move controls to the buttons, triggers or joysticks that are most comfortable for someone. However, this can be better to do in-game if a title has remapping options. Doing this in-game means that onscreen prompts should be updated, so the game tells you the correct input to press to complete an action. 

We might also look at other menus in the games someone wants to play, to see if there are other options which could make the game more accessible for them. 

If someone is not able to access all the controls they need for a game, we might use the Assist Controller option in the PlayStation system settings. This allows you to pair a second controller to the primary controller, which may be able to be accessed with another part of the body. It is also an option for it to be used by a second player, to share controls to play cooperatively. 

You can also pair a DualSense controller to one or two Access controllers, which we will look at a bit more later on in this video.  

Low-Force Controller: 

If someone is able to hold a DualSense controller but may not have the strength to use its inputs, we may use a modified low-force controller.  

This is a controller that has been taken apart and had modifications made to reduce the force required to press buttons or move the thumbsticks.  

Like a standard DualSense, we will often mount the controller to free up the hands to reach the inputs without needing to hold and support the controller.  

We may also pair it to a second DualSense controller or another compatible controller, either to spread the controls out for access, or for a second player to share controls and play cooperatively. It could also be paired to one or two Access controllers. 

Evil Controllers’ One-Handed Controller: 

For players, looking to use a controller with a single hand, we often try out the one-handed Controllers from Evil Controllers with them. These are modified DualSense controllers that have additional inputs on one side of the controller, on the side that the player is using.

They can also have the thumbstick that would be out of reach housed externally, which allows this to be positioned to access with another part of the body, such as the chin. 

We will often mount the controller to remove the need for the player to support the controller, freeing up their hand to access the controls.  

As it is an official DualSense controller that has been modified, it can also be paired using the Assist Controller setting to utilise a second compatible controller alongside it, either yourself or by a second player to play alongside you. It can also be remapped at system level, or in-game if the game allows this. 

It could also be paired to one or two Access controllers. 

Controller modifications can be configured and personalised online when ordering. 

More information on these One-Handed controllers can be found in our video, linked below. 

Access controller: 

The Access controller is a wireless controller that includes one joystick and up to ten customisable buttons, including the stick click button. 

 It is also an interface, which enables accessibility switches and compatible joysticks to be connected into the four 3.5mm input ports on its side.  

You map the controller joystick and buttons via your PlayStation 5 console where you can also assign what inputs the switch or joystick connected to each port will carry out.  

You can pair it with a second Access controller or with a DualSense controller.  

You can also pair it with a second Access controller and a DualSense controller simultaneously, to use all three controllers as part of a set-up.  

In some set-ups we create with people, we do utilise the joystick and buttons on the Access controller. For others, we just use the Access controller as an interface and use connected peripherals instead of the built-in buttons and joystick.  

We use a range of switches with the Access controller. These vary in their size and also the force required to activate them. 

We use a range of joysticks with the Access controller. The joysticks we use which have a 3.5mm connection to fit the Access controller are usually thumbstick-style standard force or low-force joysticks.  

 Whilst these are similar in appearance to a standard thumbstick on a controller, we can position them to be used where they are most comfortable such as with a finger, hand, chin or foot. To use the larger joysticks in our kit, which tend to have a USB connection, we would need to use a HID-Remapper v7 from OneSwitch. 

Some very low-force joysticks also have USB connections which would also need to be connected this way.  

If we are using USB joysticks we may also use an alternative controller interface instead of the Access controller, which we will look at in the next section. 

We have a video which introduces the Access controller in a bit more detail which we will link below. 

Catch 22 PS5 Interface: 

Whilst the release of the Access controller means that support for accessibility switch use is now available using a first-party controller, some players may be looking to add additional switches to their controller set-up.  

The Catch 22 from OneSwitch is a wired controller interface that allows you to connect compatible joysticks and accessibility switches to create a fully bespoke controller set-up.  

It has 18 3.5mm switch inputs, with ports available for many of the button and trigger inputs you would find on a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller.  

We can use the same digital switches that we use on the Access controller, with the Catch 22.  

The Catch 22 also has four USB ports, allowing you to connect a joystick for Left Stick, Right Stick and the D-pad directions. The joysticks with a USB connection that we use, tend to be the larger joysticks. Very low-force joysticks we use also tend to have USB connections.  

To use a joystick that has a 3.5mm connection, you could use an HID Remapper v8 adapter to convert it to a USB input.  

The joysticks we use that have a 3.5mm connection, tend to be the standard-force thumbstick style joysticks and the low-force thumbstick style joysticks.  

The Catch 22 also has a port labelled ‘Help’ that can be used to connect a standard compatible game controller. You could use this controller as part of your own set-up or a second player could use it to play alongside you. 

As with the other controllers we have looked at, you can also pair the Catch 22 to another controller using the Assist Controller feature. This could be a DualSense controller or one or two Access controllers, for instance. 

To work on the PlayStation 5, the catch 22 comes with an adapter.  

We have a video on the Catch 22 which covers the equipment we use with it in some more detail, linked below. 

Additional options: 

Alongside the controllers we have already looked at that form the core controller options we use for accessing PlayStation 5, we also have the following options in our kit: 

PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks Controller: 

Another controller we have available in our kit, is the PlayStation 5 (4) Reassignable Jacks Controller from Evil Controllers. This has 4 switch ports, and these are remappable.  

You do this via a combination of button and switch presses on the controller itself, rather than through software. The controller is fully functional and can be used alongside the connected switches.  

The controller can be paired to use alongside another DualSense controller (or another compatible controller), or with one or two Access controllers to increase the number of switch ports available. 

We have more information about this controller in our article on it.

19-Switch DualSense Interface: 

The 19-Switch DualSense Interface from OneSwitch is a modified DualSense controller for another compatible controller, which has a switch interface connected to it. 

This allows you to use a large number of switches alongside the DualSense, if there are button or trigger inputs you cannot use on the controller itself.  

The interface can also be paired with a compatible controller, such as a second DualSense controller, or one or two Access Controllers. 

We have an article which has more information on this controller, which we will link to below. 

Adapters: 

Console adapters are another piece of equipment we keep in our kit. These allow us to use controllers from other platforms on PlayStation 5, when these are more accessible for someone. It is worth noting that these adapters are not always guaranteed to be supported following console updates.  

These may allow you to use compatible controllers from other consoles or controllers like the QuadStick. 

Currently we are using the Brook Wingman FGC2 and P5 converters to use alternative controllers on PlayStation 5. 

Sometimes we will want to use a technique we refer to as ‘profile shifting.’ This allows an input on a controller to be used for multiple actions in-game. To do this we will use an adapter called a Titan Two. This will currently need to go into another adapter like the Brook to be used on PlayStation 5.  

More information on profile shifting can be found in our videos linked below. 

PS Remote Play: 

As an alternative to using an adapter, sometimes it is suitable to use the PS Remote Play feature, which allows players to control their PlayStation 5 remotely from a PC or mobile device. Using Remote Play successfully requires a fast and stable internet connection to be used. 

Connected compatible controllers on your PC or mobile device, such as a DualShock 4 controller, can then be used to access the console. Touch screen controls are also available through the app on mobile devices.  

You will see the game playing on your device, but it will also continue to show on the screen connected to your PS5, too.  

We have some more information on using PS Remote Play on the GameAccess site, which we will link to, below. 

Game Accessibility Features: 

Alongside setting up equipment to improve access to games, we will take a look at the games someone wants to play to see if there are any settings or features that could also help alongside this. 

Some features will be built into the core gameplay by default, whilst others may need to be turned ‘on’ through the games’ menus. 

For instance, we may look for features that can reduce the number of controls required to play. Examples of this would be the One- and Two-Button modes in EA FC, the Assist Presets in Gran Turismo 7, and the single stick controls option in The Last of Us.

We also look at features which may make gameplay itself simpler.  

For instance, the Game Speed option in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and the extended Puzzle Timing setting in God of War Ragnarok. 

You can find information about accessibility features in PlayStation 5 games by using the ‘Games’ category and choosing ‘PlayStation’ under ‘Platform.’ 

You can also use the accessibility feature tags on the PlayStation store, to find out which features are in PlayStation games. More information on these tags can be found in our article on them. 

We hope that this video has been useful in getting an overview of some of the options available for accessing games on the PlayStation 5 console. For more information on the equipment mentioned in this video, please use the links to our other articles and videos below. 

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