External controllers cause duplicate inputs and stick drift

[cunningmunki]

I really want to know if anyone else is getting this problem, because I can't find any info about it anywhere.

When I connect either a PS4, PS5 or Switch Pro controller to the Deck (running SteamOS 3.3 Beta Channel 20220726.100) via Bluetooth I'm getting duplicate inputs as if both the external controller and the Steam Deck controller are inputting at the same time.

So if I press a button on the external controller, the input from the corresponding button on the Steam Deck controller will also press (not physically, obvs!). In a couple of games this is hardly noticeable, but it makes most games utterly unplayable, especially if I have separate inputs bound to different buttons on each controller.

If I remove ALL of the inputs from the Steam Deck controller so only the external controller had any inputs bound to it, then this solves the problem (but is a terrible workaround). However this doesn't seem to the the only problem...

A second issue seems to be that any external controller gets horrible stick drift after a few seconds of playing. Both the left and right sticks will push to the left, or up-left. Increasing the dead-zone works sometimes, but most of the time the issue returns.

Also, somewhat bizarrely, if I connect an ext. controller while in the Steam Deck menus, I can navigate the menus just fine. But when I exit a game with the ext. controller, the hideous stick drift returns, meaning the menu selections just constantly move to the left or upwards, making any further navigation of the Steam Deck menus impossible. This also happens if I go into the Steam Deck menus while playing the game, although not always, weirdly.

I've tested a number of "Supported" games like Half-Life 2 and Stray, along with "Playable" games like HL1, Slime Rancher, The Forest and Duke Nukem 3D. The same thing happens in ALL games.

Am I really the only person with this issue? Can anyone replicate?

[joshyftw]

I'm seeing this too

[Jesus Crisis]

Experienced this last night, 4 player local coop, 1 controller was picking/controlling two characters in Streets of Rage 4

[HammerOfDawn]

Same problem here with a brand new Xbox controller model 1914. Controller, Deck and Dock have the latest firmware (stable release). When connected via Bluetooth, the right stick has random drift. Does not happen if the Controller is connected via USB.
Controller is mechanically okay: no drift observable when playing on my PC via Bluetooth.

/EDIT
False alarm. I have made modifications to the in-game dead zone settings, and they seem to have clashed with the dead zone settings in steam.

[Lucidius]

Originally posted by Jesus Crisis:

Experienced this last night, 4 player local coop, 1 controller was picking/controlling two characters in Streets of Rage 4

This is the exact issue I am experiencing with SOR4. Appears my second controller and the Decks controls are creating double inputs.

[yargh]

Just to verify, I've experienced the very same. The only way I was able to cure this (temporarily) is to disable Steam Input via the Steam button in game I think it was, implying that this is an issue with the Steam Client/Steam OS and not the Streets of Rage 4 client. I sincerely hope that this issue is on the developer's radar.

[dejp1993]

I have this problem too, with various 8bitdo controllers. Another workaround is to switch from Bluetooth to wired - plug the controllers into the Steam Deck dock via a cable.

[Deliri]

I have the same Problem with 2 Generic Controllers but they are wired.. both of them (new from Amazon Xbox like wired Controller) have different Problems in each Game. one are seen as Player 1 and Player 4 and the other are working normal. But if you just use the one who was good alone.. it have the same Problem but now i'm Player 1 and at the same Time Player 2. Then i trying around and have every time i start a new Game with one or two Controllers different Problems.. in Death Stranding my "select" Button was the "start" Button (Sorry i'm a 90's Kid and dont know how to call the Xbox alternative).. and so on but just in Games.. in Steam Menu the Controllers work fine

[dejp1993]

Since my last post, I have also noticed that going wired doesn't solve the problem in every game. Notably, RetoArch sometimes sees all the duplicate controllers, exactly as you described @Deliri (one controller inputs for both player 1 and 4, etc) even with everything wired. Another option that might help (but not solve) this problem is disabling Steam input for a specific game. I guess the bottom line is that there is no silver bullet for this duplicate/ghost inputs issue, and a lot of games will need to be fiddled with

[retrogunner]

This sounds like it should be moved / posted the Bugs forum for more attention from the Devs.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1675200/discussions/1/

[DsAds]

Have solved this by reordering the controllers and shifting the steamdeck to the very bottom of the list. It needs to be beyond the number of players you are trying to connect.

[CaptnYesterday]

Originally posted by DsAds:

Have solved this by reordering the controllers and shifting the steamdeck to the very bottom of the list. It needs to be beyond the number of players you are trying to connect.

...but you have to do this EVERY time, right? I believe this duplicate input also impacts any controller that uses a dongle for ultra low latency. It detects the supported controller in-game as 'Steam Virtual Input' (like normal) and the dongle as, usually, whatever the controller's real name is. Both receive inputs from the physical controller and thus double inputs.


The alternative workaround is to disable steam input from each controller for each game that uses a dongle. When selecting a game, don't "Play" but select the controller icon and disable steam input. But no one wants to disable Steam Input as its an excellent feature that allows templates and remapping of any controller regardless of the game supporting remapping and certain button types)

EDIT: Multiple bugs reported (https://steamcommunity.com/app/1675200/discussions/1/4038102936183913896/), but no word from Valve.

[poppy]

Originally posted by cunningmunki:

I really want to know if anyone else is getting this problem, because I can't find any info about it anywhere.

When I connect either a PS4, PS5 or Switch Pro controller to the Deck (running SteamOS 3.3 Beta Channel 20220726.100) via Bluetooth I'm getting duplicate inputs as if both the external controller and the Steam Deck controller are inputting at the same time.

So if I press a button on the external controller, the input from the corresponding button on the Steam Deck controller will also press (not physically, obvs!). In a couple of games this is hardly noticeable, but it makes most games utterly unplayable, especially if I have separate inputs bound to different buttons on each controller.

If I remove ALL of the inputs from the Steam Deck controller so only the external controller had any inputs bound to it, then this solves the problem (but is a terrible workaround). However this doesn't seem to the the only problem...

A second issue seems to be that any external controller gets horrible stick drift after a few seconds of playing. Both the left and right sticks will push to the left, or up-left. Increasing the dead-zone works sometimes, but most of the time the issue returns.

Also, somewhat bizarrely, if I connect an ext. controller while in the Steam Deck menus, I can navigate the menus just fine. But when I exit a game with the ext. controller, the hideous stick drift returns, meaning the menu selections just constantly move to the left or upwards, making any further navigation of the Steam Deck menus impossible. This also happens if I go into the Steam Deck menus while playing the game, although not always, weirdly.

I've tested a number of "Supported" games like Half-Life 2 and Stray, along with "Playable" games like HL1, Slime Rancher, The Forest and Duke Nukem 3D. The same thing happens in ALL games.

Am I really the only person with this issue? Can anyone replicate?

I have the same issue about external controller stick drift, do you find any solution?

[Automulus]

Having the same problem with my 8BitDo controller and OLED SD

[LastNightsGrime]

Have the same issue but in reverse. After I stop using an ext. controller the input on the right Steam Deck joystick is totally miscalibrated. This is the only thread I can find about this problem.