Feature Request: "Native Gyro"/"Gyro Passthrough" Input Style

[Mennenth]

https://youtu.be/CiSS5OsNCNU

This news broke this morning; Fortnite has native gyro on pc... but only if you use a dualshock 4 or dualsense.

This got me thinking; Fortnite could be the first domino in the chain that causes loads of developers to implement native gyro into their games... and not all of them will be Steam games and even the ones that are may not implement the Steam Input API.

This means normal Steam Input gamepad/kbm emulation users are locked out of those native gyro implementations should they not be using a sony controller (switch controller and steam controller users; soon to be Deck users).

So I propose a new Input Style specific to the gyro; "Native Gyro"/"Gyro Passthrough"

This input style would do one thing and one thing only; send the quaternion to the game, so the game can do whatever it wants with it from there.

EDIT: As an aside; if the user maps the gyro to something else it would then be beneficial to hide the gyro from the game itself to prevent conflicts.

[Jibb]

It's definitely been a hurdle when playing some games with native DualShock 4 gyro support, having to *disable* Steam's PlayStation controller support to play them.

This probably means telling the game it's a virtual DualShock 4 instead of an Xbox controller, and I know JSM's solution can't pass through gyro, so I don't presume it's an easy thing. But it sure would be nice.

This could also mean Switch and Steam Controller / Deck could be converted to the DualShock 4's units / space and games that normally only support DualShock 4 gyro would automatically work with those other controllers thanks to Steam.

Just for some technical context for OP's benefit: the game would be expecting angular velocity and accelerometer rather than a quaternion.

[Mennenth]

Whatever data from the imu the game needs is what the hypothetical Input Style would send. Maybe that could be a setting of the style just to future proof/ensure compatibility too.

Assuming it is possible to do. I understand it could be hard, but its kind of necessary to keep up with innovations in games.

It would be a shame for nintendo/steam controller/deck users to miss out.

[Moskeeto]

+1

The solution to me seems to be emulating either a DS4 or DualSense. Now, I understand the downside to that is that it would further disincentivize developers from implementing SIAPI, but there are many, many games now that have native DS4/DualSense support but show me improper glyphs while using Steam Input and take away touchpad features (Detroit). And I don't want to use anything but Steam Input because it works over bluetooth (unlike native PS controller support) and lets me easily remap my controls.

Additionally, I believe Valve needs to do a better job explaining SIAPI to developers with more documentation, videos, an example game with tutorials explaining what SIAPI is doing, and official plugins for all major game engines.

[QuizzicalCube]

I'm not sure what the best way to add a feature like this would be, but I think it would be great for current games as well as future games that hopefully use Gyro more commonly.

I can see this as I good reason to add DS4 spoofing, even if that's probably not easy. Something more general would be good as well and I'd hope for something like Mouse-Joystick, just in case the user NEEDS to remap Gyro to another Input.

[Berenlut]

+1 this would be really good

[P. Sebs]

DualShock 4 spoofing could also bring the benefit of having the Steam Deck or Steam controller to spoof the DS4's trackpad

[DaMu]

Boomerang X is a separate game that I've had a similar issue with, and would wish that Steam Input managed a way to forward the actual gyro to the game, but I have to force it off for this one game for native gyro to work. I'm thankful that the game's settings have free button remapping and sensitivity controls, but not all games will have this luxury, would rather the game receive the gyro as-is and have Steam Input handle configuring everything else.

(The Endless Wave Demo is on Steam for free: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1170060/Boomerang_X/ )

[Moskeeto]

Originally posted by DaMu:

Boomerang X is a separate game that I've had a similar issue with, and would wish that Steam Input managed a way to forward the actual gyro to the game, but I have to force it off for this one game for native gyro to work. I'm thankful that the game's settings have free button remapping and sensitivity controls, but not all games will have this luxury, would rather the game receive the gyro as-is and have Steam Input handle configuring everything else.

(The Endless Wave Demo is on Steam for free: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1170060/Boomerang_X/ )

Yeah, that's a game I bought because it had gyro controls and immediately refunded when I realized it didn't use SIAPI.

[YoSteggas]

surprised this thread is so short, and that this isn't a feature that's been added to steam input already. Gyro is such a good control option and having better gyro passthrough would better get it through the door than it is on PC at the moment.

[DonutSteel]

When playing a game that already has Gyro support using Steam Controller enabled, I see there is no way to pass Gyro directly to the game but you have to map it to something but this is plain problematic. How difficult is it to just add "Passthrough" to the list of Gyro options?

Edit: Forgot to mention, I can work around this by disabling Steam Input. BUT THEN. When I navigate menus in Steam, the game keeps getting input.

[x.iso]

Originally posted by Moskeeto:

+1

Now, I understand the downside to that is that it would further disincentivize developers from implementing SIAPI

idk about that, it seems like most devs are quite ignorant when it comes to controller support to begin with. If someone makes game with SIAPI, it usually means they know and care about it. One counter example though that I've stumbled upon was Deus Ex Mankind Divided. they have Steam Input API support on paper, but a really botched one. no matter what it makes mouse sensitivity cranked to max with terrible movement resolution that you can't fix as long as you use Steam input and trying to use mouse input. Proper example is something like Warframe, where it supports various actions and layers, so you could actually customize your inputs to actions in game with specific context.

[AL2009man]

Originally posted by x.iso:

Originally posted by Moskeeto:

+1

Now, I understand the downside to that is that it would further disincentivize developers from implementing SIAPI

idk about that, it seems like most devs are quite ignorant when it comes to controller support to begin with. If someone makes game with SIAPI, it usually means they know and care about it. One counter example though that I've stumbled upon was Deus Ex Mankind Divided. they have Steam Input API support on paper, but a really botched one. no matter what it makes mouse sensitivity cranked to max with terrible movement resolution that you can't fix as long as you use Steam input and trying to use mouse input. Proper example is something like Warframe, where it supports various actions and layers, so you could actually customize your inputs to actions in game with specific context.

However, Warframe's SIAPI has been outdated since....around 2014-2016. As Warframe continues to get overhauls every 2 years or so: the SIAPI implementation continues to be broken overtime due to lack of maintenance check, unlike No Man's Sky.

Warframe is not a great example for it.

[AL2009man]

that being said, Ever since SDL_GameControllerGetType/SDL_GetGamepadType[github.com] added support for Steam Input's glyph detection system (which means: retroactive Steam Hook Input support without needing Steamworks SDK): SDL3 and Steam Input has been getting closely intergrated together.

Thus: I believe it might be a good time to properly introduce a Gyro Passthru option that specifically works for Steam Input API, Steam Hook Input and SDL3 Gamepad API.

[x.iso]

Originally posted by AL2009man:

Originally posted by x.iso:

idk about that, it seems like most devs are quite ignorant when it comes to controller support to begin with. If someone makes game with SIAPI, it usually means they know and care about it. One counter example though that I've stumbled upon was Deus Ex Mankind Divided. they have Steam Input API support on paper, but a really botched one. no matter what it makes mouse sensitivity cranked to max with terrible movement resolution that you can't fix as long as you use Steam input and trying to use mouse input. Proper example is something like Warframe, where it supports various actions and layers, so you could actually customize your inputs to actions in game with specific context.

However, Warframe's SIAPI has been outdated since....around 2014-2016. As Warframe continues to get overhauls every 2 years or so: the SIAPI implementation continues to be broken overtime due to lack of maintenance check, unlike No Man's Sky.

Warframe is not a great example for it.

oh, I didn't do extensive mapping on it, so didn't notice anything broken so far, just that it was there. thanks for clarification. I wonder why they don't keep it updated? in the end it's like with most games where one of the most important aspects - the means of interaction with interactive media, gets forgotten about entirely.

[Renn]

Gotta bump it. It's even more critical if you have DualSense Edge because disabling Steam Input means losing the ability to map back buttons easily, enabling means losing gyro...