How to modify your PSP D-pad
First off I would like to thank UfighterX.com for coming up with this brilliant technique to tackle the problem of the PSP d-pad. Surly the PSP D-pad is great and all but when it comes to play fighting games such as Darkstalkers, Street Fighter Alpha 3 or Tekken Dark Resurrection; it really pisses a lot of the hardcore gamers out there when they can’t even perform a simple fireball.
I wrote my own version of this tutorial and I have omitted some of the stuff that ufighterX.com uses in their guidelines. It may look the same to you but you’ll find some simple differences. Note: Do not attempt to use this tutorial if you’re not confident enough in opening up your own PSP. Otherwise you’ll probably end up in damaging it. If you are confident enough then Go for Broke!! Enjoy and please let me know how your results turn out. :D
The tools that you’ll need:
1. Scissor
2. Scotch Tape (Not thick one)
3. Sharp Blade
4. A Screw Driver
5. A Hole puncher *Preferably, a 1 hole*
6. Couple of Optical lens cloths.
7. An old NES sleeve or some black board paper that is about 0.5 mm in thickness. Not too heavy and not too light. Should have a feel of at least 3 – 4 A4 paper stapled all together. (You’ll be using it to create a cross hair)
8. Cross hair Template from UfighterX.com or here is my add-on version of the template.
Link: http://darkwolf.eprofile.us/images/CrossTemplateUfighterX.jpg
Preparing the Template:
1. Print out the template.
2. Cut a piece of the cross hair template and use a scotch tape to stick it on the NES sleeve or the black board paper. Before cutting the template of the NES sleeve, use the hole-puncher to create a hole in the middle. After that cut the template out and you should have your own cross hair ready.
3. Take a piece of scotch tape and roll it inside out so that you’ll have both sides sticky. *Optional, 2 sided sticky tape*
4. Cut the tape in a small circle format just enough to fill all four sides of the cross hair and stick it.
Opening the PSP:
1. Open up the battery cover and remove the battery from your PSP. Also remove the warranty sticker as of from this point your voiding your warranty. There are seven screws in total and they all need to be removed. Follow the picture below:
2. Have your optical lens cloth ready. During your work make sure that your PSP screen faces the table and that there is a lens cloth underneath. Lift up your PSP system from the face plate.
3. Immediately cover both your PSP system screen and your PSP “back” faceplate with the lens cloth as shown in the picture below. The reason, to avoid dust from touching your screen including your own finger prints. In addition to avoid usage of a can of air. Although a can of air is an option and that it is not essential.
The D-pad Fix:
1. On your face plate you’ll notice a rubber thingy is in place of the d-pad. Remove both the rubber and the d-pad.
2. Use the template that you have just created (make sure that it is taped inside out) and stick it on to the PSP d-pad (Not the rubber but the plastic one). Make sure that your template is in place exactly in the middle of the d-pad.
3. Place in your newly modified d-pad on to the PSP faceplate and patch up your entire PSP.
4. Test your PSP d-pad movement. The pad should not have a feel of thickness but normal (in a way, it should have a new feel to it).
5. Lastly, test your d-pad with Street fighter Alpha 3. This is mandatory because you have to perform a simple fireball so that your entire work would be a complete success. Other than that, I think Ryu is Capcom’s symbol in all 2D fighting games. He is a basic character and a key for all normal maneuvers of Street Fighter characters or any other fighting games out there by Capcom. If you can jump in all directions and that you can perform all of Ryu’s moves perfectly without any hassle; then give yourself a pat on the back for you have just modified your own PSP d-pad.
Here is an example of my modified d-pad results:
Link to video result
