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28 votes
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Why is ‘left stick to sprint’ so unpleasant in games?
32 votes -
An update on Steam Input and controller support
25 votes -
Fear the Mad Catz - The worst video game controllers ever
13 votes -
Looking for games that can be played with only the mouse
Hello, due to some unfortunately circumstances I need to have my left hand in a cast for some time and I'm looking for recommendations for games I could play only using my right hand (so only...
Hello, due to some unfortunately circumstances I need to have my left hand in a cast for some time and I'm looking for recommendations for games I could play only using my right hand (so only using the mouse). I have a few in my library that I've already been playing like Super Auto Pets and Let's Revolution, but I'm a bit bored of them. I also tried a tower defense game called Super Sanctuam TD, which was in my library, so I've tried looking for some other TD games but couldn't find anything that caught my eye.
Edit: I only listed what I've played recently, but I don't really want to limit myself to any genre, the only requirement is to be playable only with the mouse.
33 votes -
Magic SNES controller from Abe's Projects
16 votes -
Accessibility in gaming expands with Sony’s new Access Controller for PS5
9 votes -
Controller support shown in Steam library and store expands to now include PlayStation controllers
32 votes -
Xbox's new policy — say goodbye to unofficial accessories from November thanks to error '0x82d60002'
42 votes -
Yes, you can use lightguns on LCDs-- sometimes
18 votes -
Modern controls are needlessly convoluted
Now the topic may be inflammatory, so let me walk it back and say "in some cases" - let me explain; Just got me this gamepad and I absolutely adore it - for folks not wanting to click on a link,...
Now the topic may be inflammatory, so let me walk it back and say "in some cases" - let me explain;
Just got me this gamepad and I absolutely adore it - for folks not wanting to click on a link, think of it as a fancy SNES pad.
I got it as a fightpad and for that it is marvelous - and while I have no intentions of playing a 3d action game with it, I booted up some 2d indies and platformers to take it for a spin ... and realized that apparently, 6 buttons + dpad just aren't enough anymore.
Since when do you need to have a light and hard attack as separate buttons? And need an analogue stick on top of the dpad to navigate through inventory? The amount of "simple" games needing to use all the buttons on the modern controller - without a viable alternative - is ridiculous.
Yes, there are some workarounds but just wanted to vent.
I'm installing some random titles from my backlog (I have 800+ on my backlog through bundle deals, giveaways, etc.) and it's a crapshoot, not in my favor.
Thanks for coming to my TedTalk.
Edit: Yes I realize the modern controller is standardized to the "two sticks + pad + 4 face buttons + 4 shoulder buttons" design; what I'm saying is that while for some game that design is essential, a lot of other games use up all the buttons without a baked-in viable alternative, or worse yet, use buttons for the sake of using buttons!
25 votes -
This is Microsoft’s new disc-less Xbox Series X design with a new controller
22 votes -
Nintendo files patent for magnetic anti-drift joysticks, similar to "Hall Effect" sticks
21 votes -
Turn your Xbox controller into a Switch Pro controller
15 votes -
How to make your Xbox Elite Series 2 controller work properly with Steam
Context: Last year I struggled for a long, long time to make my new Xbox Elite Series 2 gamepad work properly with Steam. After more than a day of frustration and following various trails of other...
Context: Last year I struggled for a long, long time to make my new Xbox Elite Series 2 gamepad work properly with Steam. After more than a day of frustration and following various trails of other discussions on the topic, I finally figured out the exact series of actions needed to solve the issue. I posted these steps on Reddit, and they ended up getting me dozens of comments and messages, even as recently as yesterday people still let me know that I saved them from the same frustration. With reddit in its current state of uncertainty, I'd hate for this guide to be lost, so I'm hoping new readers and controller fanatics will find it useful here.
The Problem: You have a Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller, which you are trying to use in Steam on Windows. When using the default (no profile lights) profile mode, the paddles are detected and can be mapped in Steam Controller config. However, they still register no input in-game when pressed. Here is how to fix your problem:
The Solution:
Step 1: You must first revert the firmware of the controller to version 4.8.1908.0. On a PC with your controller plugged in, open the Xbox Accessories app (from the Windows Store), then hit Windows + R to open the Run dialog. Run this command:
xboxaccessories:\firmwareupdate?legacyDowngrade=true
This should give you option to revert. Do it.
Step 2: In Steam Big Picture, go to Gear Icon -> Controller Settings and Enable Xbox Extended Feature Support if it isn't already checked. After enabling it you will have to Reboot. If it's already enabled, there is no need to reboot.
Step 3: Back to the desktop, make sure the Xbox Accessories app is CLOSED. If it is open, you must close it, then disconnect the controller entirely, then power it off, and then finally reconnect it to the computer.
Step 4: Press the central profile button on the controller a few times until it cycles through the profiles. You need to cycle it until the profile light turns off, indicating the controller is in its default layout.
Step 5: Open Steam's controller configuration for your game of choice, and you should now be able to re-map the paddles therein.
Every time I have done the above process, the paddles on the default profile (with no lights on) are now mappable in Steam and usable in-game. I have completed this successfully now with five total controllers, and all worked with Steam flawlessly afterward.
Notes & Clarifications:
- You do not have to uninstall the Xbox Accessories app. However, if ever you use it to modify the controller at all, you must repeat step 3. If you try to use the steam-remapped paddles in the game with the app open, they won't work. You have to turn off the app, disconnect and power cycle the controller, and then reconnect, and very specifically do not re-open the accessories app. I'm assuming this is because the Accessories app inserts some kind of override layer that only goes away after removing the controller and closing the app.
- This process will almost certainly make the Bluetooth connection wonky, if it even works at all. Instead, you'll want to use either a direct cable connection and/or the official wireless adapter. In fact, all of the above steps worked for me with the wireless adapter connection just as well as with the wired connection. As a bonus, you can seamlessly transition between wired and wireless mode this way by simply plugging or unplugging the cable.
- At least as of May 2023, I've received now multiple reports saying that newer purchases of the Elite 2 controller are being shipped with the controller now pre-flashed with a default firmware that is newer than the one that was available in the above post. As a result, this means that rolling back the firmware might not work, as it can't be rolled back to version 4.8.1908.0 anymore. However, I have since purchased two more new controllers of my own since then, and neither had this issue, and in fact both worked with Steam immediately out of the box (after telling Xbox app "no!" to firmware upgrades, that is).
I hope I have posted this correctly (it's my first post here!), and that others continue to find it useful.
18 votes -
rokt leeg!!! – Potentially innovative controller bindings for Rocket League
I started playing Rocket League at the beginning of Season 9, and am only plat (1s/2s) and gold (3s), so take with a grain of salt. However, knowing that it's very difficult to adjust to new...
I started playing Rocket League at the beginning of Season 9, and am only plat (1s/2s) and gold (3s), so take with a grain of salt. However, knowing that it's very difficult to adjust to new controller bindings, I took a lot of time to find a layout that was as ergonomic and low-effort as possible. I think this is objectively better than the alternatives.
These bindings are for a DS4 with the official back button attachment. They can apply to any traditional controller layout with at least one set of back paddles.
The key points:
- Reverse is moved from an analog trigger to a binary button, freeing up an analog input for boost
- Boost is moved from a binary button to an analog trigger, making feathering the input easier
- Directional air-roll is bound to the right thumb-stick, giving analog adjustment precision
Full control bindings:
- LB: powerslide
- LT: drive forwards
- L paddle: drive backwards
- RB: jump
- RT: boost
- R paddle: toggle ballcam
- LS: pitch and yaw
- RS: directional air roll left and right
Camera bindings can be put on the face buttons or sacrificing some of the d-pad buttons. If you're using DS4Windows, you can also do a macro to make holding L3 toggle RS into a camera input. In either case, you lose precision since the camera input is no longer analog, but I think that tradeoff is worth it because most camera use is just checking teammate position before kickoff.
7 votes -
Twelve years before the Nintendo Wii took over living rooms, Sports Sciences released Batter-Up, a motion-controlled baseball bat for the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, and personal computers
6 votes -
A gift from the Stadia team & Bluetooth controller functionality info
14 votes -
Why do people think using this controller is cheating?
7 votes -
The scientists studying why some gamers invert their Y-axis controls
6 votes -
What are your favorite third-party controllers?
What are the best controllers for console and PC that you've used that aren't just official console controllers? I'm a nerd when it comes to getting a million different input methods for games,...
What are the best controllers for console and PC that you've used that aren't just official console controllers? I'm a nerd when it comes to getting a million different input methods for games, and I'm always looking for new ones to play with.
Glad we'll never go back to the hellish days before Valve and various FOSS projects fixed the nightmare that controllers on PC used to be.
15 votes -
Exhibition of the PS1 mouse | Punching Weight
5 votes -
Introducing DualSense, the new wireless game controller for PlayStation 5
15 votes -
Dad builds custom Xbox adaptive controller so daughter can play Zelda: Breath of the Wild
13 votes -
Pour one out for the Steam Controller, now on closeout sale for just $5 plus shipping
27 votes -
The best game controller buttons of all time
9 votes -
Google Stadia's controller will only work wirelessly with a Chromecast Ultra at launch, and must be connected to PCs and phones with a cable
7 votes -
Nintendo Switch - A closer look at the Ring-Con, Leg Strap, and Ring Fit Adventure, coming October 18th
6 votes -
First look at a new Wii Fit-like "exercise ring" for Nintendo Switch, more info coming September 12
6 votes -
The world of Wii Sports speedrunners: A duel to become the fastest motion-control golfer
9 votes -
In total control - From the arcades to the living room, how the controller has evolved—and why one tech historian, Benj Edwards, started building his own
7 votes -
The GameCube controller’s A button subtly taught us how to play
21 votes -
Valve revamps its next controller, should make using hands in VR feel way cooler
12 votes -
The ASUS ROG phone has a 90HZ screen, vapor cooling, and a plethora of gaming accessories
6 votes -
In the lab with Xbox's new Adaptive Controller, which may change gaming forever
13 votes -
‘Fortnite,’ ‘PUBG’ led to rocketing headset sales, Turtle Beach says
7 votes