Confused - multi controllers Retroarch

[Elmo80]

Hi All, 

I've got myself in a spin trying to understand how multi controllers work on Retroarch and in particular hot keys. 

I've been reading a lot through the forums and i'm getting confused, partially due to Retroarch evolving overtime. The steps don’t line up and my computer skills are not advanced with editing config files.

I have an xbox series 2 elite controller which Retroarch automatically assigns as “xinput bluetooth controller” including all buttons – Port 1 & Port 2. I’ve then saved hotkeys for certain things. All works great.

I’ve introduced an 8bitdo Nes30 Pro controller which Retroarch also recognises and automatically assigns as “Nes30 Pro” and assigns buttons (as auto) n- Port 1 & 2. It works ok.

First thing – when I assign the buttons on the Nes30 Pro for Port 1 & 2 rather than it being auto and then save the device configuration in the port 1 & 2 setting  it overwrites the controls for xinput bluetooth controller with the same, so I always have to go back to default settings – this is okay because both controllers work fine independently so there is no need to actually assign buttons over the auto for the Nes30 Pro. However, I don’t really understand why assigning buttons to one controller, i.e. the Nes30 Pro and saving overwrites the other?

Second thing – hot keys. xinput bluetooth controller has button 10 as a hot key for the Retroarch menu. If I change this hot key when the Nes30 Pro is connected, it also changes it for the xinput bluetooth controller. I can’t seem to have independent hot keys for each controller. This is a problem because button 10 on the  xinput bluetooth controller is the xbox button which I have adopted for the Retroarch menu, but on the Nes30 Pro button 10 is the select button which is also the c64 keyboard overlay hotkey for that particular emulator. Therefore, when I need to use the c64 keyboard overlay I always get the Retroarch menu and can’t access c64 keyboard overlay. I realise I could set a hot key with a button or combination that roughly works for both controllers for things such as the Retroarch menu but that seems awkward.

I have read that it’s possible to have independent hot keys for each controller but this must be done through the individual configuration files for the controller but I’m confused. Is this correct and how is this done?

It be great to have a solution, as I’d like to use one of the Atari VCS joysticks (which have less buttons) for some of the old c64 games and open up the Retroarch menu’s and etc with defined hot keys.

This is an issue for launchbox hot keys too but i wont complicate things further. 

Thanks in advance for anyone that can help.

 

[Kefka2b]

I don't know about modifying config files, but Retroarch hotkeys don't remap when switching controllers indeed, so here's what I've done:

Emulate all my controllers as xbox360 controllers and remap button appropriately using reWASD (I used Ds4windows but it started to be too limited at some point). This way controller buttons in Retroarch will remain consistent across all my controllers. You can also autodetect programs running with reWASD if for example while CEMU is running, you want to switch to a Dualshock 4 profile automatically if you have a gyro capable controller and want to use motion controls.

On top of that it wiil also allow you to navigate through BigBox with all controllers consistently (as long as you have enough buttons on the controller, and you can also use an autodetect remap with reWASD if needes), this was also something important to me.

Here's my controller list and all work perfectly like this in any emulator (Retoarch hotkeys are consistent) and BigBox:

2 DualSense BT

1 8bitdo M30 BT

1 8bitdo Arcade Stick BT

1 Exlene GameCube BT

1 Brawler 64 BT

I also have a Sinden Light Gun where I could also map Retoarch hotkeys to keyboard inputs also mapped on the gun, as Retroarch allows for a controller and a keyboard input mapping for hotkeys. I also managed to find a way to achieve some basic Bigbox navigation 

The only controller I had to setup differently is my Dualshock 3 where I had to use the HidHideMini and Bluetooth drivers to be able to use pressure sensitive face buttons in PCSX2 and RPCS3 as it is the only way. I am not able to use BigBox with this one

 

[Elmo80]

Thanks for the response. 

Does reWASD need to be set up as an app within LaunchBox or is it a program that is installed and run in the background of Windows? 

Also, my experience is, Retroarch automatically detects the controller that is connected to Windows. Do you need to turn any settings off in Retroarch? What i'm thinking is if Retroacrh is running, when i turn the Nes30 Pro controller on, it will automatically utilise the auto settings rather than what reWASD would apply. 

 

 

Edited February 3 by Elmo80

[Kefka2b]

4 hours ago, Elmo80 said:

Thanks for the response. 

Does reWASD need to be set up as an app within LaunchBox or is it a program that is installed and run in the background of Windows? 

Also, my experience is, Retroarch automatically detects the controller that is connected to Windows. Do you need to turn any settings off in Retroarch? What i'm thinking is if Retroacrh is running, when i turn the Nes30 Pro controller on, it will automatically utilise the auto settings rather than what reWASD would apply. 

 

 

reWASD is a software that runs in the background in Windows.

Retroarch will keep auto detecting but will recognise all your controllers as xbox360 controllers so button labels will remain consistent across all your controllers.

[Elmo80]

Ok great thanks.

i'l check out the software. It seems like what i need for sure.  Though i can't tell if the price for lifetime is in USD or my currency Australia. 

[Elmo80]

Unfortunatley, things still are not working out with this problem. 

I've tried both Ds4Windows and reWASD. 

Ds4Windows did not want to recognise the 8bitdo Nes30 Pro controller (even when in switch mode) nor the Atari VCS joystick. 

reWASD did eventually find the 8bitdo Nes30 Pro controller but only as a dualshock controller and when i set it up as a virtual xbox controller, Retroarch identified it as a bluetooth gamepad with relatively few buttons mapped. If i change the control settings in Retroarch that will screw up my Xbox elite settings. In fact, i conenected my PS4 controller to reWASD, and turned it into a virtual xbox controller and still came up as a bluetooth gamepad in Retroarch. 

The Atari VCS joystcik wont be recognised by reWASD. 

I'm really not sure what i can try. RetroarchI is really frustrating, save configuartion for a controller doesn't actually do what is described.... it's save configuration for all controllers. 

Any other ideas? 

 

 

Edited February 5 by Elmo80

[Kefka2b]

Hmm I understand if the Atari controller is not recognised, it's quite uncommon. However I find it very strange that Retroarch wouldn't recognise your controller as Xbox360 controller, since it should be exactly the same as actually connecting a real 360 controller. Make sure this option is checked:

[Elmo80]

Thanks for the tip. That setting in reSWAD preferences was checked. I’m not sure why it didn’t recognise the ps4 controller as Xbox in Retroarch but perhaps I’m not understanding the program well enough. I’ve deleted reWASD and ds4windows. I’ll try reSWAD again. Do you set new game pad config as a new game? 
 

I did manage to get the Atari controller to work in Retroarch as a bluetooth game pad and save/configure the control. The trick was to set controls back to default so not to affect the other configured controllers. It worked alright but as there isn’t enough buttons to emulate the Xbox- controller for the various hot keys, so it’s not good for big box. Keyboard is needed. 

Fun to use a joystick again but feels like we did it harder back then when compared to modern game pads. 

[Kefka2b]

2 minutes ago, Elmo80 said:

Thanks for the tip. That setting in reSWAD preferences was checked. I’m not sure why it didn’t recognise the ps4 controller as Xbox in Retroarch but perhaps I’m not understanding the program well enough. I’ve deleted reWASD and ds4windows. I’ll try reSWAD again. Do you set new game pad config as a new game? 
 

I did manage to get the Atari controller to work in Retroarch as a bluetooth game pad and save/configure the control. The trick was to set controls back to default so not to affect the other configured controllers. It worked alright but as there isn’t enough buttons to emulate the Xbox- controller for the various hot keys, so it’s not good for big box. Keyboard is needed. 

Fun to use a joystick again but feels like we did it harder back then when compared to modern game pads. 

Make sure the controller profile you created is added to slot 1 of your controller (you have 4 slots). Appart from that I'm not sure what else to do...

[Elmo80]

Will do. Thanks for your assistance.