XBox 360 controller calibrates in Windows 10 but Steam won't recognize it

[Red Ninja]

Trying to play Mass Effect Legendary Edition but when I get into the game, it's clear that there's some drift on the left analog stick even though it physically seems fine. I went into Windows calibration (via "joy.cpl") and it looked like it was drifting low and left. But I was able to do calibration in Windows and it was clearly fixed / centered properly.

But when I go into Steam, it seems to ignore this calibration and still senses the drift. For some reason, Steam opts to ignore Windows calibration in favor of its own which isn't really calibration at all. Just setting a deadzone size from the center only which is totally useless.

Is there any way to force Steam to recognize the Windows calibration? This just seems like ridiculously basic stuff. Thanks in advance.

[ReBoot]

Disable Steam's input mapper for XInput and restart Steam

[Red Ninja]

Thanks for responding. I'm not sure I found "XInput", though. Best I could tell, I needed to turn off Steam Input. Went into game > Properties > Controller > override for Mass Effect and chose "Disable Steam Input". Then restarted Steam.

But that didn't solve the issue. So I went into Steam > Settings > Controller > and turned off all the checkboxes. Restarted Steam. Still it is not recognizing the Windows calibration. Also tried disabling Steam Overlay and unplugging / replugging in the controller's receiver from USB. Steam is still refusing to take the Windows calibration.

Am I missing something? Where is "XInput"? I tried searching internet but really nothing was there for Steam. Thanks in advance again.

[Red Ninja]

Any other ideas?

[Red Ninja]

Why does everything with Steam have to be so damn complicated

[Bee🐝]

Originally posted by Red Ninja:

Why does everything with Steam have to be so damn complicated

Have you calibrated the controller in Steam yet?

If you haven’t, run the actual tool from Big Picture mode.

[tintingaroo]

The Windows calibration only applies to DirectInput. Steam (SDL) doesn't read xb360's via DirectInput by default. Most games will be reading the xb360 via XInput.

You can set a variable so Steam reads it with DirectInput but would face the Xbox trigger limitation over DInput (triggers are set on a shared axis so can't be used independently) and also get no rumble, so would recommend using the tool XinputPlus.

https://sites.google.com/site/0dd14lab/xinput-plus
Site Google translated: https://sites-google-com.translate.goog/site/0dd14lab/xinput-plus?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Steps

1. Extract the files & run XinputPlus
   
2. Click 'Select' > navigate to and select steam.exe > Open
   
3. Go to 'Sticks' tab > Advanced
   
4. Adjust 'CenterOffset X' and 'CenterOffset Y' so the red 'Output' dot (back on the main window) is centered > OK
   
5. Go to 'Setting' tab > 'Dll Files' sub-tab > tick XInput1_4.dll
   
6. On the 'Others' sub-tab you can set whether there is a beep when things initialise. Best to have it on so you can tell something is happening.
   
7. Click 'Total Test' and you should have the Left Stick centered > OK
   
8. Apply > OK > OK

Launch Steam and you should hear the init beep.
Check Steam's Controller Calibration page and it should show the stick centered.
Enable Xbox Configuration Support
Set the per-game override for Mass Effect back to Default (or enabled)

(btw disabling/enabling Steam Input or Configuration Support doesn't require Steam restarts)

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

If you have controller stick drift it means you need to increase your dead zone, and windows doesn't allow you to fix that manually.

You can fix that using Steam as it has support to allow you to manually set dead zone size, solving your issue.

Now to be fair it not true fixing, but more like delaying the problem before it get worse overtime as controller stick drifting is something that is wear and tear, and all you can do is keep making dead zone bigger, but there be a point where you just have to either replace the stick if know how to solder, or get new controller.

[Kweeb]

use deadzone type configuration instead of calibration .
Or a custom deadzone

[Red Ninja]

I appreciate the responses. I'm going to try the Xinput-Plus. The stick is physically fine. The controller is pretty new and solid so the idea that it's physically damaged doesn't make much sense. Especially bc it was fine and only started doing this after I took a month break from gaming and it wasn't even touched during that time.

I am confused by the idea that calibration is just setting "deadzones". That just sounds like a different definition of "calibration" from every other kind I've encountered in my life. Windows joy.cpl tool calibrates the controller fine (centers it as expected). Besides, setting the deadzone to its maximum didn't do anything to help at all.

Anyway, I'm gonna try XInput Plus. Thanks again all.

[Red Ninja]

Originally posted by tintingaroo:

The Windows calibration only applies to DirectInput. Steam (SDL) doesn't read xb360's via DirectInput by default. Most games will be reading the xb360 via XInput.

You can set a variable so Steam reads it with DirectInput but would face the Xbox trigger limitation over DInput (triggers are set on a shared axis so can't be used independently) and also get no rumble, so would recommend using the tool XinputPlus.
...

I really appreciate the attempt to help. I downloaded X-Input Plus and followed your instructions. It seemed like it would be great as XInput Plus showed it as centered in the Total Test (same like Windows calibration did in joy.cpl).

When I went into Steam Controller setup, it looked like it was dead center as well. So I had high hopes. However, when I started Mass Effect, the situation was the same as before. It didn't seem like anything had changed. I went back into Steam Controller setup and it was back to showing left / downward drift.

I tried messing with deadzones and changing some settings in X-Input Plus but nothing changed. I don't know, maybe I just need to buy a new controller. Sucks because this one is only like a year old and I'm not a very hardcore gamer. Should've lasted a lot longer than this. Thanks anyway.

[tintingaroo]

Are you getting the beep when you launch Steam?

If getting the beep:
In Controller Settings, if you test the stick does it become offset, or does it return to center?

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Originally posted by Red Ninja:

Originally posted by tintingaroo:

The Windows calibration only applies to DirectInput. Steam (SDL) doesn't read xb360's via DirectInput by default. Most games will be reading the xb360 via XInput.

You can set a variable so Steam reads it with DirectInput but would face the Xbox trigger limitation over DInput (triggers are set on a shared axis so can't be used independently) and also get no rumble, so would recommend using the tool XinputPlus.
...

I really appreciate the attempt to help. I downloaded X-Input Plus and followed your instructions. It seemed like it would be great as XInput Plus showed it as centered in the Total Test (same like Windows calibration did in joy.cpl).

When I went into Steam Controller setup, it looked like it was dead center as well. So I had high hopes. However, when I started Mass Effect, the situation was the same as before. It didn't seem like anything had changed. I went back into Steam Controller setup and it was back to showing left / downward drift.

I tried messing with deadzones and changing some settings in X-Input Plus but nothing changed. I don't know, maybe I just need to buy a new controller. Sucks because this one is only like a year old and I'm not a very hardcore gamer. Should've lasted a lot longer than this. Thanks anyway.

Try another few other game just to verify what your saying.

Which Mass effect are you playing? If it the classic mass effect not the remaster then it not controller friendly as doesn't have native controller support, but I look into later.

It could just be the game itself, but do you have any other devices connected to your PC besides mouse, and keyboard, and the one controller in question?

If yes are they other type of controller, or other inputs that can give input command such as keyboard pressing wasd, or controller input?

If no then only thing I can think of is either need to remove controller driver, and replug the controller, or the game has a conflict for controller driver issue either it fighting Steam for control, or using two inputs at once. Just to test right click on game > properties > controller > disable Steam input, and test if it works then it seem might be game issue, and just leave it off anyway.

[Red Ninja]

Originally posted by tintingaroo:

Are you getting the beep when you launch Steam?

If getting the beep:
In Controller Settings, if you test the stick does it become offset, or does it return to center?

Yep I was getting the beep. When I test the stick in Controller Settings, it starts off centered but as soon as I move the stick even the slightest bit, it immediately becomes offset like it was before. Down and to the left.

Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds 🐉:

Try another few other game just to verify what your saying.

Which Mass effect are you playing? If it the classic mass effect not the remaster then it not controller friendly as doesn't have native controller support, but I look into later.

It could just be the game itself, but do you have any other devices connected to your PC besides mouse, and keyboard, and the one controller in question?

If yes are they other type of controller, or other inputs that can give input command such as keyboard pressing wasd, or controller input?

If no then only thing I can think of is either need to remove controller driver, and replug the controller, or the game has a conflict for controller driver issue either it fighting Steam for control, or using two inputs at once. Just to test right click on game > properties > controller > disable Steam input, and test if it works then it seem might be game issue, and just leave it off anyway.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition. I played through all 3 Mass Effect games with this controller earlier this year. So I know it used to work with these games. Only inputs are mouse, keyboard, and this controller. I tried disabling Steam input for the game with the XInput-Plus enabled to see if that would fix it but no dice. I had already tried disabling Steam Input before I got XInput-Plus and that didn't work either.

I doubt it's a driver issue. I'm probably looking at having to buy a new controller. Just seems so strange that it would happen like this.

[crunchyfrog]

I wouldn't buy a new controller as that likely won't do a thing. If the controller works under one situation then it ain't faulty.

Sadly there are some games where this sort of thing happens, and I've not yet found a way to fix it. I have a similar issue with Deadly Premonition.

But don't waste time getting a new controller.

[tintingaroo]

Do you have Xbox Extended Feature Support enabled*? It means the controller isn't being read with Xinput but Steams Xbox driver. Disable it and check if the XInputPlus settings now apply.

(* It's on the Controller Settings screen and will be shown when you have Xbox Configuration Support enabled.)

Also just thought to add this:
Using the XInputPlus method like described, you'll want Xbox Configuration Support / Steam Input enabled. XInputPlus is calibrating your controller to Steam, and Steam sends its emulated controller to games based on that. Disabling Steam Input means the game is reading your controller directly. An alternative is to apply XInputPlus calibration to the game rather than Steam (would need to enable the correct DLL files for the game), but going the XInputPlus > Steam route means the calibration is easily utilised by many games.