Big box, ROG ally, and dual sense controller help!

[Wozcause]

Hello, 

I have owned an ROG ally since launch and got launchbox and big box up and running on it. I have enjoyed it so much that I want to make it into my coach gaming system so I can have it function like a Nintendo switch with the option for docked mode or handheld mode.

 However...I am running into an issues with controlling big box with my wireless controller (dual sense).  I have performed numerous attempts to get the controller functioning perfectly so I can remain on the couch hopping between games using my premium big box as my gaming hub.

 

I keep trialing and erroring to see what works and what doesnt. Here is a list of a few new things I've done that might help log the issue in case anyone else has a similar problem. Unfortunately, I still haven't figured out a permanent fix but I'm open to some suggestions.

 

I turned off the embedded controller in the command center left hand quick menu button on the ROG Ally (The button underneath what I would consider "select" on a traditional controller). This worked for prioritizing the dual sense as the controller for emulators like yuzu but does not fix the issue I have after exiting. The dual sense controller becomes unrecognizable by big box.

In yuzu, If I don't turn off the embedded controller and try and use the dual sense, the controller  turns red, indicating that it is player two. When I turn off the embedded controller it stays blue, indicating that it is remaining player one.

 

I use big box as my front end and I am able to use the dual sense for navigation purposes when I initially turn the controller on. This works regardless of the embedded controller command center function being on or off

 

I have set up a command key to "exit active window" by PlayStation home button + select together [I think this is button 13 + button 9.] And to "exit" set to button 13+button 3. I set it up using the dual sense in launch box and big box through control mapping. This allows me to exit games from the couch.

 

However - I'm having mixed results with the controller use functionality after exiting certain emulators or game launchers like steam or epic games.

 

When I enter and exit out of the certain emulators like yuzu by any means (mouse/keyboard, dual sense command, or reneabling the embedded controller) all three ways result in big box no longer recognizing the dual sense.

 

 A quick dual sense controller turn off and gets it working again but I want to see if there is a better more efficient way to make it so I don't have to turn the controller off and on for each game exit. Any ideas?

 

So far I think I've narrowed it down to being a "controller prioritization" issue. The ROG ally seems to rufuse to recognize the dual sense as controller 1 in big box even with the embedded controller turned off. I tested this through turning off embedded controller in the command center and then using the active dual sense, turning off the "allow all active controllers for navigation" (this isn't the exact wording on the thing but its something similar to this) in big box settings. Turning off this checkbox in big box made the dual sense stop working so this leaves me to believe that it is viewing the dual sense as controller 2. 

 

I'm just trying to find out specifically if there's a way to fix this either in window settings, big box setting or on a system-wide level setting I could be missing that could simply fix my issue.

 

A few specific notes I've gathered from trial and error from different emulators:

 

Emulators like retroarch give me no issue. I can enter a game and exit that game through either the in-game retroarch menu, through a mouse click, alt f4, or dual sense close active window command. When I do any of these I can still use the dual sense in big box without issue.

 

PCSX2 (not running through retroarch, I confirmed this cause I thought maybe that explained why it was working where others aren't). works with the controller throughout the entire process and even afterwards without requiring a turn on and off.

 

Rpcs3 from big box - the controller works in game, however... my built in exit command (close active window) does not appear to be working. I am able to only exit through the built on rpcs3 menu exit (which I have set to touchpad to open). Once exiting rpcs3 the turn off and on method to get controller working again on big box is needed. Additionally, instead of launching a game through BB, if I just click "open RPCS3" and then exit through a mouse click, alt f4 or through in built in RPCS3 menu, the dual sense controller no longer works on big box. It requires the same "turn off and on method.

 

Yuzu/ryujinx from big box - the controller works in game and I am able to use my big box hotkey to "close active window" to exit the emulator menu.  With embedded controller turned off in the ROG ally command center my dual sense stays blue, when I have the embedded controller turned off the controller changes red. Once I exit the program regardless of the dual sense bar being blue or redz big box stops recognizing the controller. The turn off and on method to get controller working again on big box is needed. Additionally, instead of launching a game through BB, if I just click "open Yuzu/ryujinx" and then exit through a mouse click, alt f4 or through the big box hotkey I set up, the dual sense controller no longer works on big box. It requires the same "turn off and on method.

 

Dolphin launches and works with the dual sense controller. I set up one for GameCube and One for Wii. However, BB settings for my dual sense controller to exit the active window is not functioning. I set up manual controls in dolphin to exit with a Hotkey. I run into the same issue in BB requiring the turn off and on method again. Additionally, instead of launching a game through BB, if I just click "open dolphin" and then exit it the dual sense controller no longer works on big box. It requires the same "turn off and on method.

 

When launching a game I have on epic games, the game loads and the controller appears to be recognized and functional. However my BB close active window hotkey does not function. When exiting the game and epic games however the controller still appears to work on BB when making big box the active window without turning the dualsense on and off. (I tested a similar thing for all the other emulators and game clients but this is the only one where the male active window thing worked).

 

Steam big picture doesn't appear to play well with big box. I have had to turn it off when I load games like elden ring. The dual sense works for playing games but again, I lose my active big box "close active window" hotkey.  The controller also becomes.unrecognizable by big box requiring the turn on and off method. 

 

I hope this list helps out others in the process of trouble shooting like me.