I've got an implementation of NeoPixelBus library that's working on ESP8266, that I'll be soon confirming works with ESP32.

Here's my implementation of SHRGBLedsBase with NeoPixelBus (Leaving it up to the reader how to use this)

#ifndef __SHRGBLEDSNEOPIXEL_H__
#define __SHRGBLEDSNEOPIXEL_H__

#include "SHRGBLedsBase.h"
#include <NeoPixelAnimator.h>
#include <NeoPixelBrightnessBus.h>
#include <NeoPixelBus.h>
#include <NeoPixelSegmentBus.h>

#if (WS2812B_RGBENCODING == 0)
#define NEOPIXEL_FEATURE NeoGrbFeature
#elif (WS2812B_RGBENCODING == 1)
#define NEOPIXEL_FEATURE NeoRgbFeature
#else
#define NEOPIXEL_FEATURE NeoBrgFeature
#endif

static NeoPixelBus<NEOPIXEL_FEATURE, Neo800KbpsMethod> NeoPixel_strip(WS2812B_RGBLEDCOUNT, WS2812B_DATAPIN);

class SHRGBLedsNeoPixelBus : public SHRGBLedsBase {
private:
	unsigned long lastRead = 0;

public:

	void begin(int maxLeds, int righttoleft, bool testMode) {
    Serial.println("Starting NeoPixelBus");
		SHRGBLedsBase::begin(maxLeds, righttoleft);
		NeoPixel_strip.Begin();
		NeoPixel_strip.Show();

		if (testMode > 0) {
			for (int i = 0; i < maxLeds; i++) {
				NeoPixel_strip.SetPixelColor(i, RgbColor(255, 0, 0));
				NeoPixel_strip.Show();
			}
		}
	}

	void show() {
		NeoPixel_strip.Show();
	}

protected:
	void setPixelColor(uint8_t lednumber, uint8_t r, uint8_t g, uint8_t b) {
		NeoPixel_strip.SetPixelColor(lednumber, RgbColor(r, g, b));
	}
	
};

#endif

-button worked well

-leds seems worked, need to figure out the custom serial protocol (didn't work).

to do:

-back to the main topic (ws2812 how to get it work on esp32)

-add something like (tm1638, oled, or small lcd to get worked on)

#include 
#include "BluetoothSerial.h"
#include 
#include 
#include 

#if !defined(CONFIG_BT_ENABLED) || !defined(CONFIG_BLUEDROID_ENABLED)
#error Bluetooth is not enabled! Please run `make menuconfig` to and enable it
#endif

BleGamepad bleGamepad("F1Wheel", "mbohben", 100); // Shows how you can customise the device name, manufacturer name and initial battery level

//def
#define ROWS 5
#define COLS 4
#define BUF_SIZE 64
#define REV_LIGHTS_COUNT 8
#define WS2812_PIN 5

//fastled
char simHubMessageBuf;
BluetoothSerial EEBlue;
CRGB leds;

const byte ColorNone = {0, 0, 0};
const byte ColorBlue = {0, 0, 168};
const byte ColorGreen = {0, 168, 0};
const byte ColorYellow = {168, 168, 0};
const byte ColorRed = {168, 0, 0};

int spd;
int revs;

//keypad
uint8_t rowPins = {13, 12, 14, 27, 26}; // ESP32 pins used for rows      --> adjust to suit --> Pinout on board: R1, R2, R3, R4
uint8_t colPins = {15, 4, 16, 17}; // ESP32 pins used for columns   --> adjust to suit --> Pinout on board: Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4
uint8_t keymap =
    {
      {1,2,3,4},
      {5,6,7,8},
      {9,10,11,12},
      {13,14,15,16},
      {17,18,19,20}
};

Keypad customKeypad = Keypad(makeKeymap(keymap), rowPins, colPins, ROWS, COLS);

void setup() {
  BleGamepadConfiguration bleGamepadConfig;
    bleGamepadConfig.setAutoReport(false);
    bleGamepadConfig.setControllerType(CONTROLLER_TYPE_GAMEPAD);
    bleGamepadConfig.setButtonCount(20);
    bleGamepadConfig.setHatSwitchCount(0);
    bleGamepadConfig.setWhichSpecialButtons(false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false);
    bleGamepadConfig.setWhichAxes(false, false, false, false, false, false, false, false);
    bleGamepadConfig.setWhichSimulationControls(false, false, false, false, false);
    Serial.begin(115200);
    Serial.println("setup");
  memset(simHubMessageBuf, 0x0, BUF_SIZE);
  bleGamepad.begin(&bleGamepadConfig);

  FastLED.addLeds<NEOPIXEL, WS2812_PIN>(leds, REV_LIGHTS_COUNT);
}

void loop() {
  if (EEBlue.available() > 0) {
    EEBlue.readBytesUntil('{', simHubMessageBuf, BUF_SIZE);
    int readCount = EEBlue.readBytesUntil('}', simHubMessageBuf, BUF_SIZE);
    simHubMessageBuf = 0x0;
    processMessage();
    memset(simHubMessageBuf, 0x0, BUF_SIZE);
  }
  FastLED.show();
  KeypadUpdate();
  delay(10);
}


void processMessage() {
  char msgType = simHubMessageBuf;

  switch (msgType) {
    case 'R': {
      sscanf(&simHubMessageBuf, "%d", &revs);
      int numOfLightsToShow = round((revs / 100.0f) * REV_LIGHTS_COUNT);
      for(int i=0; i < REV_LIGHTS_COUNT; i++) {
        const byte *color = i < numOfLightsToShow ? ledColor(i) : ColorNone;
        leds.setRGB(color, color, color);
      }
      break;
    }
    case 'S':
      sscanf(&simHubMessageBuf, "%d", &spd);
      break;
  }

  Serial.print("Revs: ");
  Serial.println(revs);
  Serial.print("Speed: ");
  Serial.println(spd);
}

const byte* ledColor(int index) {
  switch(index) {
    case 7:
      return ColorBlue;
    case 6:
    case 5:
      return ColorRed;
    case 4:
    case 3:
      return ColorYellow;
    default: 
      return ColorGreen;  
  }
}

void KeypadUpdate()
{
    customKeypad.getKeys();

    for (int i = 0; i < LIST_MAX; i++) // Scan the whole key list.      //LIST_MAX is provided by the Keypad library and gives the number of buttons of the Keypad instance
    {
        if (customKeypad.key.stateChanged) // Only find keys that have changed state.
        {
            uint8_t keystate = customKeypad.key.kstate;

            if (bleGamepad.isConnected())
            {
                if (keystate == PRESSED)
                {
                    bleGamepad.press(customKeypad.key.kchar);
                } // Press or release button based on the current state
                if (keystate == RELEASED)
                {
                    bleGamepad.release(customKeypad.key.kchar);
                }

                bleGamepad.sendReport(); // Send the HID report after values for all button states are updated, and at least one button state had changed
            }
        }
    }
}

there is my sample code, tested with matrix and direct button. its works well. but cant figure out how to make fastled connect to simhub over esp32.

*edit: cant upload ino file

/*
 * This code programs a number of pins on an ESP32 as buttons on a BLE gamepad
 *
 * It uses arrays to cut down on code
 *
 * Before using, adjust the numOfButtons, buttonPins and physicalButtons to suit your senario
 *
 */

#include 
#include  // https://github.com/lemmingDev/ESP32-BLE-Gamepad
#include 

BleGamepad bleGamepad("F1esp32", "mbohben", 100);

#define numOfButtons 21

byte previousButtonStates;
byte currentButtonStates;
byte buttonPins = {13, 12, 14, 27, 26, 25, 33, 32, 35, 34, 39, 36, 23, 22, 1, 3, 21, 19, 18, 5, 17};
byte physicalButtons = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21};

///////fastled/////

#define BUF_SIZE 64
#define REV_LIGHTS_COUNT 16

#define WS2812_PIN 12

char simHubMessageBuf;
BluetoothSerial bleGamepad;
CRGB leds;

const byte ColorNone = {0, 0, 0};
const byte ColorBlue = {0, 0, 168};
const byte ColorGreen = {0, 168, 0};
const byte ColorYellow = {168, 168, 0};
const byte ColorRed = {168, 0, 0};

int spd;
int revs;

//////////////////

void setup()
{
    for (byte currentPinIndex = 0; currentPinIndex < numOfButtons; currentPinIndex++)
    {
        pinMode(buttonPins, INPUT_PULLUP);
        previousButtonStates = HIGH;
        currentButtonStates = HIGH;
    }

    BleGamepadConfiguration bleGamepadConfig;
    Serial.begin(115200);
    bleGamepadConfig.setAutoReport(false);
    bleGamepadConfig.setButtonCount(numOfButtons);
    Serial.println("setup");
    memset(simHubMessageBuf, 0x0, BUF_SIZE);
    bleGamepad.begin(&bleGamepadConfig);

    FastLED.addLeds<NEOPIXEL, WS2812_PIN>(leds, REV_LIGHTS_COUNT);

    // changing bleGamepadConfig after the begin function has no effect, unless you call the begin function again
}

//////////////////

void loop()
{
    if (bleGamepad.isConnected())
    {
        for (byte currentIndex = 0; currentIndex < numOfButtons; currentIndex++)
        {
            currentButtonStates = digitalRead(buttonPins);

            if (currentButtonStates != previousButtonStates)
            {
                if (currentButtonStates == HIGH)
                {
                    bleGamepad.press(physicalButtons);
                }
                else
                {
                    bleGamepad.release(physicalButtons);
                }
            }
        }

        if (currentButtonStates != previousButtonStates)
        {
            for (byte currentIndex = 0; currentIndex < numOfButtons; currentIndex++)
            {
                previousButtonStates = currentButtonStates;
            }

            bleGamepad.sendReport();
        }

        delay(20);
    }
    
    if (EEBlue.available() > 0) {
    EEBlue.readBytesUntil('{', simHubMessageBuf, BUF_SIZE);
    int readCount = EEBlue.readBytesUntil('}', simHubMessageBuf, BUF_SIZE);
    simHubMessageBuf = 0x0;
    processMessage();
    memset(simHubMessageBuf, 0x0, BUF_SIZE);
  }
  FastLED.show();
}

////////////fastled/////////

void processMessage() {
  char msgType = simHubMessageBuf;

  switch (msgType) {
    case 'R': {
      sscanf(&simHubMessageBuf, "%d", &revs);
      int numOfLightsToShow = round((revs / 100.0f) * REV_LIGHTS_COUNT);
      for(int i=0; i < REV_LIGHTS_COUNT; i++) {
        const byte *color = i < numOfLightsToShow ? ledColor(i) : ColorNone;
        leds.setRGB(color, color, color);
      }
      break;
    }
    case 'S':
      sscanf(&simHubMessageBuf, "%d", &spd);
      break;
  }

  Serial.print("Revs: ");
  Serial.println(revs);
  Serial.print("Speed: ");
  Serial.println(spd);
}

const byte* ledColor(int index) {
  switch(index) {
    case 7:
      return ColorBlue;
    case 6:
    case 5:
      return ColorRed;
    case 4:
    case 3:
      return ColorYellow;
    default: 
      return ColorGreen;  
  }
}

https://www.simhubdash.com/community-2/postid/5430/