The new DualShock & DualSense support has glaring problems.

[KingKrouch]

Now that I try out the beta, the controller indicators for PlayStation controllers are neat and all, but not having an option to override inputs for games with native support really sucks.

Not to mention, some games that don't actually have native support for PS controllers (or button prompts) despite it being listed, like HiFi Rush, which just completely break controller support in this update without forcing SteamInput and as a result simulating an Xbox controller (and the game doesn't have PlayStation prompts either). This system of doing things is incredibly jank and requires developers to act in good faith and to not do strange things like using share as select.

I simply don't think this beta update actually addresses any of the issues with PlayStation controllers on PC. Some of them brought on by bad implementations, while others are brought on thanks to Valve adopting really jank solutions that DS4Windows started (like using share for select when in most console games, the trackpad is used for that, this would be like saying the iPhone 4's home button is a dedicated jump button in games).

Some games with native support (like Code Vein) use Unreal’s Windows RawInput plugin which scrambles the input bindings over Bluetooth because they appear differently over Bluetooth than USB. THPS 1+2 and other games (like Call of Duty: Black Ops 3) support DualShock 4 prompts, but don't have any alternate route that handles DualSense controllers.

These are things that Valve could fix without needing third-party drivers like vigembus, simply by passing through a virtual DualShock (or DualSense controller) in software much like Xbox controllers already are in SteamInput. Some people also still want features like gyro aim to be usable, and I personally bind the share to screenshots (much like how it behaves on consoles, but I also add a press and hold for saving instant replays like on PS and Switch) on a per-game basis, so disabling SteamInput entirely for games with native support sounds like a bad idea.

I'd argue that this is actually a negative change, and I wish Valve would just simulate controllers being connected rather than approaching this sub-par solution that requires developers to not not botch their implementations for controller support (for example, not binding share to what the touchpad usually does, or the issues that I mentioned with games like Code Vein or THPS 1+2) for it to work in practice.

Please consider releasing a proper fix for this new system of doing things.

[AL2009man]

Originally posted by KingKrouch:

but I also add a press and hold for saving instant replays like on PS and Switch) on a per-game basis, so disabling SteamInput entirely for games with native support sounds like a bad idea.

quick correction: with the new "Enabled in Games w/o Support" toggle (which is the default going forward), Steam Input can be either enable or disable based on what the developer has assign the Controller Support tag for.

theoretically, if a developer correctly uses the system: Steam Input Translator (and Steam Input API) can be entirely disabled whenever I connect my PlayStation Controller because it *knows* it supports the Controller natively.

For games like BallisticNG: this is great because the game has proper support for PlayStation Controllers regardless of connectivity method.

But if it doesn't support PlayStation Controllers on Bluetooth mode; then Steam Input will be enabled-- but they tell you to plug it to your USB Cable. If you plug it to your USB: then Steam Input will be disabled.

If a game decides to use Steam Input API and the devs wants to use it (see: Portal 2 or Aperture Desk Job); then it'll always default to Steam Input regardless, and you get a pop-up telling you how Steam Input API works! (finally!).

But; if it has either "Partial/Full Controller Support" tag: then Steam Input will be enabled and they'll tell you that it doesn't have native support. (even if the game actually has native support)

this entire system hinges on developers/publishers, and thus: there will be incorrect, misreading or they totally forgotten to update it by the time it rolls out to the Storefront.

I am more disappointed with the absolute lack of automation process for the Steam Input API and Legacy+ portion of the Controller Support tag. these are the kind of stuffs that is done automatically within Steamworks partner opt (or heck; even on SteamDB, or directly via game files), so you would expect a ton of SIAPI games being listed and be filtered out correrctly-- but no.

it has to be done manually by the developers.

[LAN021]

Originally posted by KingKrouch:

[...]
I'd argue that this is actually a negative change, and I wish Valve would just simulate controllers being connected rather than approaching this sub-par solution that requires developers to not not botch their implementations for controller support (for example, not binding share to what the touchpad usually does, or the issues that I mentioned with games like Code Vein or THPS 1+2) for it to work in practice.

Please consider releasing a proper fix for this new system of doing things.

I agree with everything you wrote and especially that adding proper DS4 emulation is a better solution than this. This has been suggested in a thread from June 2020, but the staffer AustinP claims it is too invasive. Perhaps users got to agree to some sort of terms to install the drivers needed for DS4 emulation; it certainly doesn't bother reWASD users so why would it bother Steam Input users? I also suggested a solution for the Share/Touchpad issue here:

Maybe add an "Emulation Settings" button to the "Controller" tab of the game's profile, which leads to a sub-menu with three options: XInput, DualShock 4 v1 and DualShock 4 v2. Perhaps also an option to convert Back/View to Share instead of Touchpad click (which should be default).

I honestly think Valve should skip this half-baked solution for now and instead just recommend that developers either add an in-game option to change prompts (the universal solution to everything) or use Steam Input's helper function for button prompt display. They actually have suggested the latter in the Steamworks update here:

If you have an existing game with good Xbox Controller support, you might just need to add calls to get the right glyphs to show for players using a PlayStation Controller. If that's the case, check out our Steam Input Gamepad Emulation - Best Practices documentation.

There are just too many factors and issues with this, so I think it's better that Valve leaves it until they are ready to add proper DS4 emulation. It requires too much work from publishers and developers, so the tags may never be added properly to many games.

So in summary, a better solution would be:

1. Actual DS4 emulation that can be toggled in the game's properties, with an option for using either Touchpad click or Share for Back/View in the conversion.
   
2. More encouragement from Valve to developers to add an in-game option for switching to PS prompts or using the Steam Input helper function. They do actually recommend having an option here (bottom), but not many devs follow that recommendation, which is regrettable. Let's hope at least some devs follow the recommendation in the Steamworks update for using Steam Input's helper function.

A well-intentioned change from Valve and certainly something that shows that they care about PS controller users--but the actual implementation may cause more issues and frustration than it's worth.

[KingKrouch]

Yeah, and with VIGEmBus being discontinued due to the trademark over VIGEmBus, It’s going to negatively affect software like DS4Windows or DSX, as the foundation would need to be updated to fix vulnerabilities and then be signed accordingly thanks to it being a system driver.

[LAN021]

Another thing I dislike about this new system is that I have to see the controller support information window in every game page in the Library, which means that every game that hasn't updated its information shows as unknown controller support, even though it, of course, works fine with Steam Input's XInput emulation. I would like an option to hide this information as well as the supported controller type information in the actual Steam Input UI. Having it in the game's store page is more than enough, it's not needed in the game's library page as well. Here's[imgur.com] an image showing the two parts of the UI I would like an option to hide. With that change and with PlayStation controller support set to enabled, it would be the same as before, which is a lot better to me personally.

Furthermore, just adding a tutorial the first time you start Steam Input that clearly explains that Steam Input emulates XInput and will therefore show Xbox prompts in the game would have been sufficient, since that is where most of the confusion regarding Steam Input comes from--players and devs both actually don't know it's simply an XInput emulator. SIAPI has a separate tutorial that explains how it works.