Windows software that runs game controllers

I think this goes here, but it has to do with hardware also.

I want to make my own keyboard for Unreal Tournament 2003.

I can't find tutorials or anything like that, that I can comprehend and it looks like making one takes a true genius, which I'm not.

what happens if I rig up some momentary push buttons and wire them to a joystick cable and just plug that into my joystick input....would it know that there are buttons there? would it work in game?

what would I need to do to get UT2 to recognize my own custom joystic?

what I really want to do, is make my own keyboard that has up down left and right buttons, and then has easy placement of weapon bindings, as well as chat bindings....possible?

 

I tried looking up something similar when I wanted to just have the numberpad and a few other buttons for an mp3 machine. I think the easiest way will just be to use an old keyboard and trace back the keys you need to the controller chip (there are loads of guides to the different controllers on the net if you search for them) and then just have some sort of pass through connected to the ps2 port.

 

Be a bit carefull of the key board hacks for games as you get key ghosting if you press too many keys at once!

you can get specific Keyboard encoders (designed for making Mame cabs / controls and they rock (no ghosting and dead easy to wire!!) try http://www.ultimarc.com/ for th I- PAC