Input Issues with Steam Games Launched with BigBox

[flanx]

I'm having a strange issue with Steam games launched with BigBox that causes input issues with player 2 stick controls. No other issues with any other emulator using keyboard controls. This is my setup. I have 2 IPAC Ultimate I/O boards (4 player arcade setup) and I use a program called XArcade to XInput to convert my keyboard controls into Xbox 360 controllers for Windows (Steam) games. The program works perfectly fine. When I test all the controllers all inputs work as they should. I have an AHK that launches the XArcade to XInput program when the game starts and it closes it when I exit the game (setup in the Additional Programs section). I also use an AHK to launch the Steam games based on the Steam game ID for LEDBlinky to work properly (used in the Launching section) I cannot get LEDBlinky to work for Steam games otherwise, but thats a whole other can of worms. When I launch the game through Launchbox, all works perfect. But when I launch the game through BigBox I have input issues for player 2 controls only. These issues mainly revolve around the stick controls. Holding a direction does not "hold" in that direction. For example, pressing down to crouch will cause your character to crouch and stand repeatedly as you're holding down. Or if you press forward (or backward) it may count as a dual input causing your character (in this case MK 11) to dash forward or dash backwards with a single press. Like I said, these issues do not occur on any player besides 2 and only when games are launched from BigBox. Activating the XArcade to XInput program from within Windows and running the Xbox 360 controller tester in Windows shows no issues, holding down will remain down until released. Same with launching the game through Launchbox, holding down will cause the character to remain crouched. I read somewhere that Steam could be causing issues, but I've ruled that out because I've disabled all controller controls in Steam and it only happens when launched through BigBox. I can supply screenshots and or my AHK codes if needed. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[C-Beats]

I'm going to assume not given the description, but are you running Big Box as shell? Is about the only reason I could think of for any difference. LaunchBox and Big Box fire the exact same code when launching a game so there being a difference between the two doesn't make a ton of sense to me.

[flanx]

No, I'm not running BigBox as shell yet.

[flanx]

4 hours ago, C-Beats said:

I'm going to assume not given the description, but are you running Big Box as shell? Is about the only reason I could think of for any difference. LaunchBox and Big Box fire the exact same code when launching a game so there being a difference between the two doesn't make a ton of sense to me.

After doing more testing, I think the issue is linked to LEDBlinky somehow. When I disable LEDBlinky integration in Launchbox, the input issues go away. I'm going to do some further testing.

[flanx]

Nope, not an issue with LEDBlinky. Now all signs are pointing to my second Ultimarc IPAC. I've emailed Andy for assistance.

[Gangor]

@flanx I'd be interested if Andy comes back with anything. I have a similar setup as you and I just installed Killer Instinct 2017 via Steam and the 2nd player controls will not work nor save after I edit them in-game.

Edited November 26, 2023 by Gangor

[flanx]

@Gangor After a lot of troubleshooting, it turned out to be my common ground wiring. I had used a single ground wire for all joysticks and a single ground wire for all buttons. So this means I had the ground wires for players 2 and 4 plugged into IPac used to control players 1 and 3, my common ground span between my 2 IPacs. So I ended ripping all common grounds out and isolating the common ground wire to the IPac the buttons and joysticks were connected to. Ie Player 1 and 3 common ground ran to IPac 1 and players 2 and 4 common ground ran to IPac 2. Once I did this, all button issues went away and its worked perfect since. Are you using the X-Arcade to XInput software as well?

[Gangor]

@flanx interesting. I'm currently not using any controllers in my setup, but I have the 4-player cab with 2 ultimate iPac's and using ledblinky. I've only loaded one Windows game so far and seeing the 2-player control issue, but I am seeing issues with a few Mame games that just don't make sense to me relating to controls and behavior. I do have a single ground running to all controls, so guess I'll need to look into switching this up and see if it resolves the issues. Thanks for the response!

[flanx]

@Gangor To clarify. You're not using a keyboard to XInput conversion software at all? So are you using just keyboard inputs? I know some newer Windows games don't like to have 2 players programmed to the same input device (ie keyboard) How are your IPacs setup? Players 1 and 3 to Ipac#1 and players 2 and 4 to IPac#2? Do you have the second IPac flashed with the #2 firmware?

[Gangor]

@flanx correct. I'm currently only using keyboard inputs (down the road I'll be adding light guns, virtual pinball plunger and potentially controllers) and yes to the ipac assignments and firmware. Overall it's working great for mame, there are just a few oddities occurring in some of the 4 player mame games. Other than updating the grounding to be specific to the controls for their respective ipac, do you have any suggestions to address the windows single input issue? You're making me think that as I load other games, I'll experience a similar issue with them.

[flanx]

@Gangor If you plan to use your control panel for modern Windows games, I highly recommend using a program like "xarcade-xinput." This will remap your keyboard inputs to act as X Input devices (Xbox 360 controllers) while active. The IPacs can do the same thing with a certain key combination, but in that mode LEDBlinky can no longer control the colors of the buttons. If you use "xarcade-xinput" you can still use LEDBlinky to customize your button colors. I use an AHK to activate the xarcade-xinput program when the game is launched and then close when the game is closed. If you're interested in going that route, I can share my xarcade-xinput config (which you'll have to modify for your mapping) and a sample AHK script.

[Gangor]

@flanx I appreciate the offer. Sure, I'll take you up on this to get me started...so much for the simple platform add ;).

[flanx]

@Gangor Sorry if its complicating, but this is the best way I could get mine to work without issue.

1. Add Additional App screenshot - This is to create the app within Launchbox that will run the AutoHotKey script to launch xarcade-xinput program when you launch the game.

2. Create Additional App screenshot - Name your application (can be anything). Browse to where AutoHotKey is installed (this comes with Launchbox). Application Command-Line Parameter is the full path to where the AHK is for Killer Instinct to launch the xarcade-xinput program

3. Application Path screenshot - This will point to the AHK to launch your game. The reason this is needed is because this is the only way I could get LEDBlinky to detect the game running and change the lighting accordingly

 

Sample Killer Instinct AHK - This is the AHK to run xarcade-xinput when game is run. This is used in the Additional App section.

Sample Killer Instinct Launcher.AHK - This is the AHK that I have in place to launch the game so LEDBlinky will detect the game properly. This is used in the "Launching" section.

4 Player IPAC.json is the config file for xarcade-xinput, The key binding you'll change is the text in the quotes on the left, change to the key you want bound to that input. This is for 4 player games. If all you want is 2 players, there are config files included in the program directory in the "mappings" folder. You can use any text editing program to make the changes.

 

Hope all this makes sense. I used Killer Instinct as an example as this was the game you mentioned above.

 

4 Player IPAC.json Sample Killer Instinct AHK.ahk Sample Killer Instinct Launcher.ahk

[Gangor]

@flanx wow, I appreciate the details very helpful and because of that it looks pretty straight forward. I'll let you know how it goes. 

Thanks again Flanx!