Update [Wed 11 Dec, 2024 12:30 GMT]: RockerGaming has offered an update on "Project Renaissance" — their multi-year project to create a high-quality parts and replacements for the N64 analogue stick.
In a new set of tweets , the manufacturer explained that they currently have injection molds designed and created for most of the necessary parts, which are now in the process being tuned. This process is apparently taking a while as they are having to dial the mold to "approximately 1/3rd the width of a human hair", but once it is finished, this should mean that they will be able to create extremely high quality parts on a regular basis, effectively ending what they are dubbing the "controller lottery".
As they later went on to reveal, some parts they have developed have already made their way out to speedrunners and enthusiasts within the retro community, who will be responsible putting them through their paces ahead of their final release.
The plan seems to be to release these parts one at a time, starting early next year with the sticks and gates, with the idea being to work their way up to a full N64 module that "is performant enough for professionals and affordable for enthusiasts".
Original Article [Sun 14th Jan, 2024 11:05 GMT]: The N64 analogue stick is a unique beast. One of the first interfaces of its type on a mainstream console, it revolutionised how players interacted with games, making titles like Super Mario 64 possible.
Because of its unusual design, the stick has been notoriously tricky to reproduce, but a group of modders are making it their mission to replicate it as closely as possible.
"For the last year, I have spent 100s of hours of my life and $10s of thousands of dollars to effectively recreate the original N64 stick as close to Nintendo's OEM spec as possible," says RockerGaming. "Once that was achieved, I began to modify the module to bring it into the modern age."
How will this be achieved? RockerGaming elaborates: "Most of this surrounds quality of life changes: such as having the nib be replaceable with a $0.15 off the shelf component, the bowl insert being replaceable, and the use of theaded inserts to secure the parts, but it extends further... Because this is 2024 and not 1994 we can take advantage of modern materials to make the parts even better. This means things like the gears can be made from a combination of POM and PTFE instead of just POM like the originals, along with tighter tolerance on the injection molds."
The end goal is to make a replacement N64 pad which can provide the same level of precision as Nintendo's version, but one that can withstand the pressure of modern gaming trends.
"The N64 scene, the speedrunning and competitive smash, has really been on the rise and I have thoroughly enjoyed watching those individuals PB and make new WRs," adds RockerGaming. "I hope this project allows those individuals to fuel their passion and not rely on the controller lottery!"