Xbox1 Controller Not Being Picked Up By ED

[hakxdotxsnow]

I have managed to figure out pretty much everything right up until I try to use my normal, second generation Xbox 1 controller that connects via Bluetooth. In both VR and, normal menu screen...the controller does not work. If I use my keyboard and mouse and go to the drop down menu underneath Options>Controls I see the different profiles that I could select. However, no matter what I select, the controller just does not respond to input. I cannot navigate / confirm / back out of menus. It does not work loaded into the game nor in VR. I can verify connectivity by pressing the Xbox button in the middle and the Xbox overlay appears. I can then switch focus back to ED and it still doesn't work. I have verified that Steam sees the controller via the Options menu and the "Xbox Controller Support" box is ticked.

I have uninstalled / reinstalled the Bluetooth drivers. I have deleted and, re-paired the controller itself to Windows. Works in other games such as Rust, Empyrion etc etc. I attempted the "Update the driver" method with no success.

I have a support ticket open with Frontier to see if they could help but, so far they've come up with deleting the keybinds in the AppData folder which, I already did at one point because I swapped to a different style Xbox controller to see if it was the controller itself causing issues and both yielded the same results. Oh and in a later response to un-tick the "Generic Gamepad" box in controller settings....which was never ticked to begin with.

Don't tell me to "just get a HOTAS". I don't have money to shell out and even if I did, I'd probably get a better headset first since mine is going bad.

So in a nutshell, Windows has it installed properly, Steam shows it as actively connected, Devices & Printers shows a positive silhouette, ED shows the different controller profiles available for that controller including the standard Keyboard / Mouse options but it's like the input signal is going to a null place.

I have also tried to "disengage" the controller from Steam and tried to allow ED to "directly" access it without a middle-man but, that only yields ED showing a "Generic Joystick" underneath Options>Controls. I did this by right-clicking on the ED title in my Steam library and went to Properties > Controller and disabling. I also tried going into Steam > Settings > Controller > General Controller Settings > then un-ticking the boxes. Both yielded the same results of doing nothing.

Just as a "what why not", I have uninstalled and re-installed ED....yeah, nothing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

---------------------------------------------------

This is bit is more of a personal rant but jesus christ is this experience turning into a #$%ing hassle. The whole forum account creation process is absurd in my opinion. I literally had to reset my password for a Frontier account that I never set a password for, to begin with. What sense does that make?

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

try connecting the controller with a usb lead then unplug it (this game don't like Bluetooth whilst the device may work they are not supported)
I heard you can trick it to recognizing it that way but no one confirmed that else you will need a dongle see this post

X-Box wireless controller - how to get it recognised by Elite?

Just that really - got a new laptop and I splurged on a wireless controller for Forza but I cannot get Elite to recognise it (I don't play Elite via Steam). I can assign the buttons and axes in Elite controls page as if it were a joystick (s) but unless I connect the controller to the laptop...

forums.frontier.co.uk

 

[hakxdotxsnow]

try connecting the controller with a usb lead then unplug it (this game don't like Bluetooth whilst the device may work they are not supported)
I heard you can trick it to recognizing it that way but no one confirmed that else you will need a dongle see this post

X-Box wireless controller - how to get it recognised by Elite?

Just that really - got a new laptop and I splurged on a wireless controller for Forza but I cannot get Elite to recognise it (I don't play Elite via Steam). I can assign the buttons and axes in Elite controls page as if it were a joystick (s) but unless I connect the controller to the laptop...

forums.frontier.co.uk

So effectively you're saying that I need to plug / unplug a USB cable to a wireless Xbox1 controller, to get the game to use the controller? Every time? Yeah...that's a solid pass. I would literally take a refund over having to do that every time. Just simply not worth the hassle.

Oh, I tried the whole dongle approach in a way, already. My wife uses an Xbox 1 Elite controller which requires the dongle since gen 1 didn't have bluetooth. Tis a no-go.

Appreciate the help though!

Edit:

Just for funnies, tried the controller wired up and it's still a no go.

 

[MickyG1982]

If the controller has been detected there should be a control scheme called "default context" if it's there try that.

 

[hakxdotxsnow]

If the controller has been detected there should be a control scheme called "default context" if it's there try that.

I'm afraid not.

I'm thinking it has to do something with the PID\\VID in addition to how GUIDs are handled.

My controllers PID\\VID was not in their data base located at

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Elite Dangerous\Products\elite-dangerous-64\ControlSchemes\DeviceMappings.xml

I believe the problem is how Xbox controllers are picked up by the system vs how ED picks them up.

This is just me rambling but this is what I'm going off of..

GoDOTEngine Github

Basically....

On Windows, all XBox controllers should be picked up as XInput devices, irrespective of it's GUID. If Godot detects an XInput device, it just assigns it the XInput mapping. Godot doesn't even try to determine the GUID, which is why there is no GUID. So, aside from not returning the GUID when requested, the original issue is not an issue.

So my theory now is that ED is having the exact same issue.

Why I think this is the case is because of a .log located at..

C:\Users\Player1\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings\BindingLoadingErrors.log

Output reads..

Failed to find GUID for device: 045E02E3 Failed to find GUID for device: 045E02E3 Failed to find GUID for device: 045E02E3

Break that apart as..

045E PID = Microsoft
02E3 VID = Xbox Elite Controller

Reverse Lookup of PID//VID

So, I'm thinking basically ED is actually indeed picking up the controller, but it has no reference GUID to associate to.

Perhaps it's looking for XINPUT_DEVICE or the actual GUID of the device 030000005e040000130b000000000000

Per the SDL_GameControllerDB Github..

030000005e040000130b000000000000,Xbox Series Controller,a:b0,b:b1,back:b6,dpdown:h0.4,dpleft:h0.8,dpright:h0.2,dpup:h0.1,guide:b10,leftshoulder:b4,leftstick:b8,lefttrigger:a2,leftx:a0,lefty:a1,rightshoulder:b5,rightstick:b9,righttrigger:a5,rightx:a3,righty:a4,start:b7,x:b2,y:b3,platform:Windows,

All of this is speculation but, it's all I have to go off of. If anyone knows how GUIDs are handled in this game, any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[hakxdotxsnow]

Well, not so much progress as it is progress...

By disabling Xbox controller support through Steam and connecting via BT, ED now actually reads some kind of input from the controller...it's just a bit wonky...

A = Joy 1
B = Joy 2
X = Joy 3
Y = Joy 4 etc...

So basically I'm pretty sure ED now thinks my controller is just a joystick of some sort according to the drop down menu at the top. I have K/M etc etc and Generic Joystick as profiles to select.

If I keep Xbox controller support disabled and plug in the controller, the different gamepad profiles populate but, now no longer accepts input from controller....

Fan-#$^ing-tasic.

Edit: Typo

 

[Templar01]

Did you run the Joystick control panel? What does the OS report it sees as a joystick? Does it see a generic joystick or does it see an XBox controller? If it shows a generic joystick then that points to incorrect drivers. If it shows an XBox controller then I'm afraid you're you have to have wait and see what Frontiers answer is.

 

[Ashnak]

The XBone controllers have various problems with connecting to Windows games in general when using BT. Check the Microsoft forums for details.
ED may be affected harder than other games, ultimately due to its flexibility regarding controllers - the downside of that flexibility is that ED will default to kb+m as least common denominator when the controller connection breaks, and won't switch back automatically (like your common shooter with a fixed controller layout will do).

The workarounds for Windows are either, as already mentioned, to use the wired connection, or to use Microsofts game controller dongle.

 

[hakxdotxsnow]

Did you run the Joystick control panel? What does the OS report it sees as a joystick? Does it see a generic joystick or does it see an XBox controller? If it shows a generic joystick then that points to incorrect drivers. If it shows an XBox controller then I'm afraid you're you have to have wait and see what Frontiers answer is.

It picks up an Xbox controller like it should.

The XBone controllers have various problems with connecting to Windows games in general when using BT. Check the Microsoft forums for details.
ED may be affected harder than other games, ultimately due to its flexibility regarding controllers - the downside of that flexibility is that ED will default to kb+m as least common denominator when the controller connection breaks, and won't switch back automatically (like your common shooter with a fixed controller layout will do).

The workarounds for Windows are either, as already mentioned, to use the wired connection, or to use Microsofts game controller dongle.

Amazingly, this is the first time I've had an issue with using a BT Xbox controller. Hell, even Project:Wingman picked it up without an issue....and every other game in my library. Who knew, guess I'm lucky. Solid pass on MS forums. I have no urge to read repetitions of people saying "just do sfc /scannow".

Affected harder? I'll say...

The work arounds don't work. That's what I've been saying this entire thread. I've stated that I've tried the dongle and, I've tried wired. Still accepts no input from the controller.

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

try backing up your binding folder to your desktop (the game must not be running at this time)
then delete it from frontier
when you restart the game a new binding folder will be created (because its missing you just deleted it)
but before you do this make sure your x box controller is wired & plugged in to usb and is recognized by windows from pc boot up to be sure
goto ingame presets and default context should be there or in odyssey control pad default if not then your pc seems to work differently to everybody elses it would seem and I give up
C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings (just to ensure we are on the same page)

 

[hakxdotxsnow]

try backing up your binding folder to your desktop (the game must not be running at this time)
then delete it from frontier
when you restart the game a new binding folder will be created (because its missing you just deleted it)
but before you do this make sure your x box controller is wired & plugged in to usb and is recognized by windows
goto presets and default context should be there if not then your pc seems to work differently to everybody elses it would seem and I give up
C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Bindings (just to ensure we are on the same page)

The very first post..third paragraph down...

"I have a support ticket open with Frontier to see if they could help but, so far they've come up with deleting the keybinds in the AppData folder which, I already did at one point because..."

Edit: Removed question

 

[ShimEnki]

Just now my Xbox controller that was working only after I unplugged and replugged it back in is now not working at all.

The device manager says its working just fine

It is detected just fine in New World.

What's up with this

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

@ShimEnki
the tread marked lost your binds? stuck to the top of this pc subforum should have you solve the problem...…………..
if this game is started without a controller plugged in all your bindings can reset to mouse and keyboard and basically get trashed (I know right! )
do yourself a big favour and make sure they are all plugged in before starting this game and pref same usb ports too
(but that wont help if they are already trashed and saved that way will it)
else a renamed file as per my guide should restore it if not already corrupted
but if you want to use the default xbox controls there should be a default context selectable in the in game binding presets or in odd its called default game pad or simular

 

[hakxdotxsnow]

Just now my Xbox controller that was working only after I unplugged and replugged it back in is now not working at all.

The device manager says its working just fine

It is detected just fine in New World.

What's up with this

Well, my issue got swept underneath a rug so I've given up on the game. Maybe I'll try and pick it back up later, maybe not. Who knows. Huge bummer, when I learned about the Fuel Rats I was super pumped but this has all but veered me away from the game.

Hope your experience is different.

 

[Para Handy]

I went through this too (thread here). Turns out that the wireless XBox controller needs to use a dongle for Elite to see it properly as a controller (thanks @INaeem for that). I spent the money and got one of these and all works great now did you use the actual Microsoft dongle?

Microsoft Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows – Microsoft Store

Microsoft® Xbox One Roca Xbox One English,French,Spanish US/Canada 1 License

www.microsoft.com

(It is blinking annoying though that one needs to spend another £20 to use the controller relieably on a PC.)

 

[hakxdotxsnow]

Mods,

Please lock this thread.

As I've explained numerous times..the controller(s) do not work...

1.) Corded
2.) Bluetooth
3.) Xbox Wireless Adapter (Yes, the actual MS variety, not the knock offs)
3a.) (I have the first gen Xbox Elite controller which REQUIRES a dongle.)

The best case scenario I got was corded and I have to plug / unplug after ED starts and when the controller randomly loses connection. FDev isn't interested in actually solving the problem so it would be best that this thread get locked and swept under the rug like my support ticket did.

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

a wired controller randomly looses a connection?
that don't sound too healthy does this controller work fine in other direct x games?
(elite is very particular of a constant good connection to a control device somthing to do with the sheer amount of controls unlike other games)
but yea could have been coded way better but most find x box controllers do work I assure you the fact that the game was released on x box kinda confirms that

 

[hakxdotxsnow]

a wired controller randomly looses a connection?
that don't sound to healthy does this controller work fine in other direct x games?

You're wasting your time. I've literally given up, hence me asking the mods to close this thread.

The controller(s) < (note it being plural) work perfectly fine in every other game in my library.

I've said this before...multiple times.

Amazingly, this is the first time I've had an issue with using a BT Xbox controller. Hell, even Project:Wingman picked it up without an issue....and every other game in my library.

Mods,

Please close this thread. I have no urge to beat this dead horse any longer.

 

[STRONTIUM DOG]

agreed please close as per op request

 

[hakxdotxsnow]

but yea could have been coded way better but most find x box controllers do work I assure you the fact that the game was released on x box kinda confirms that

The fact that it was released on Xbox really means nothing. It means they came up with a controller scheme that works...on console.

Doesn't mean they took the time to implement controller support properly on the PC version.