ARC-1: an open-source podracer controller for Star Wars: Galactic Racer
ARC-1 is a twin-throttle racing controller you can print and build yourself. Like on a real pod, there is one lever per engine: push both forward for full thrust, ease one back to turn toward that side.
The firmware runs on the controller and shows up as a standard Xbox 360 controller, so the game needs no mods and the PC needs no extra software. It was designed and tuned for Star Wars: Galactic Racer and works with any game that takes an Xbox controller.
What's inside
- Afterburner gate: push both levers through a spring-loaded wall at full thrust to latch the afterburner.
- Twist grips for pitch, with boost, drift and ability buttons under the thumbs and fingers.
- A firmware trick around the game's fixed stick deadzone, so small steering corrections actually steer.
- Ordinary parts (Arduino Pro Micro, potentiometers, skateboard bearings) and parametric OpenSCAD files; every part fits a 220 × 220 mm print bed.
The community reacts
The video of the first races was shared on Reddit, in the r/StarWarsGalacticRacer community, where players discussed the build. ARC-1 is still a working prototype: the CAD, firmware and build notes are open on GitHub, and photos of your own builds are welcome.
It is a side project, but it uses exactly what we do for our clients: mechanical design for 3D printing, embedded firmware and real-time control.