Enable force feedback rumble for Xbox360 Controller

A quick guide on how to enable force feedback for this game and others that use DirectInput for Force Feedback rather than XInput, to get force feedback on the Xbox360 and compatible controllers using the same driver.

The problem

Euro Truck Simulator 2 has force feedback support, but it simply is not working for many people (myself included).

The problem appears to be that the Xbox360 controller does not support either the older DirectInput or the newer XInput libraries, and instead uses its own controller-specific method. A game needs to specifically support this in order to have rumble on the Xbox360 controller and ETS2 does not have this support.

Download the software

Fortunately a Japanese coder named 'Masahiko Morii' has created a library that seemlessly maps the existing inputs to the Xbox360 controller's customary method, enabling rumble.

Go to http://lavendy.net/special/driver/xi/index.html and download the proper version for your system.
Backup link: http://ledyba.org/bkup/xbox360driver/xi/
(mirror: http://erbkaiser.com/xinput - please only use if the above is nonresponsive)


If you run a 32-bit version of Windows 7, get xi.win7.x86.en.zip for Windows 7 (English)
If you run a 64-bit version of Windows 7, get xi.win7.x64.en.zip for 64-bit Windows 7 (English)

Ditto for Windows Vista and older Windows versions.

For Windows 8.1 64bit, download the Windows 7 64-bit driver and right-click the installer for compatibility mode.

For Windows 10 64bit, right-click the installer and choose 'Troubleshoot compatibility'. On my system it automatically applied 'Skip Version Check', which allowed the install to proceed.

You can find out what kind of windows you have by doing the following:

1. Open System by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking System.
2. Under System, you can view the system type.

Make sure you download the english version. The installer is a simple click, it will install itself in the system and you need to take no further action.

Enable Force Feedback in the game

In the game, go the main menu with ESCAPE.
Click the OPTIONS button
Go to the CONTROLLER page.
Make sure the 'Force Feedback' button is checked.

Optionally, you can control the intensity by using the sliders below it.

You should notice it specifically when driving on non-paved roads, but depending on how sensitive the settings are, you can even notice when your truck passes over lines on the road by a slight rumble. Crashes also result in the controller shaking.

Other games

Since the driver is a system wide translation of the libaries, installing it will also enable force feedback for other games that should support rumble, but don't specifically support the Xbox360 controller.

Other controllers

I own a wired Xbox360 controller which works, and I've been told it also works for a wireless one.

It will NOT work for most other controllers, even the ones that claim to be 100% compatible.

For the XBone controller, see this guide.

[roughnecks]

Thanks, unfortunately I really need Steam Input, so it's a no-go for me.

[Erbkaiser]

@roughnecks correct, if you use Steam Input it uses Steam as the controller interface, so this driver won't be able to get rumble to work.

If you use the default Xbox360 controller input method, this driver still works.

[roughnecks]

It looks like if you have Steam Input enabled, then the controls option aren't working anymore: https://steamcommunity.com/app/227300/discussions/0/1639787494968692280/

[roughnecks]

Oh, well, to me it doesn't work: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2591684683

[roughnecks]

Does this still work today on Win 10 64Bit?

[два долбаеба]

don't working, my Thrustmaster Dual Power 3 goes to trash can.

[guib]

thanks

[Wusiwug 69]

In combination with the new guides \ Xi Input \ Direct Input it´s worth of a price. Jordi.

[DaysofKnight]

Well, I take that back. It works, but... I only noticed it when I hit one of those invisible bumps upon entering a PoSpeed lot, and only then it was kinda soft

[DaysofKnight]

Doesn't work on Windows 7 x64 for me