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Steam DualShock 4 support is now live

Just set this up and gave Dark Souls a try. Works perfectly other than the prompts still being XBOX but I can live with that. I only expected correct prompts if the game had them like if you just plugged the controller in with a wire and were using it as a direct input devices. Anything that eliminates extra software running and sometimes being finicky is a win for me.
 
I only expected correct prompts if the game had them like if you just plugged the controller in with a wire and were using it as a direct input devices.
this is what I'm trying to find a workaround for now. A quick solution for basically disabling steam support interference when the game has its own support
 
giving this a try, configurations took some steps with configuring the DPad. Still steam big picture mode with PS button prompts was feeling pretty good. Then I open god eater resurrection which auto recognizes a DS4 and shows DS4 prompts is now showing xbox prompts.

I'm guessing that steam is feeding the controller through as Xinput?

EDIT: Hmmm, then if I change the game preference and uncheck "Use Steam Configurations for PS4 Controllers" the game in settings once again recognizes "Wireless Controller" for the DS4 with the correct prompts, but no actions from the controller are registered. I'm guessing Steam is still eating the inputs

Make sure to disconnect and connect the controller again after you uncheck that option.
 
Just hold down the PS button for 10 seconds and it will shut off.
Hmmm, so trying that with the individual game setting I got the same result. No controller inputs recognized by the game.

I went and disabled the global "PS4 Configuration Support" and recycled the controller and got a different kind of problem. A constant swapping between xinput prompts and DS4 prompts in game.

I'll toy with it some more later.
 
You sure? Axiom Verge and Shovel Knight were released long before Steam get DS4 support and they supposed to be working with dualshock out of the box, no?
If you want Steam Controller functionality, you need to have it enabled in Steam.
If you don't enable it, then it's up to the game to handle controller support - and it's clear that most games with their own DS4 implementation are not compatible with the new DualShock 4s.

Since very few games have DS4 support at all - fewer still with support for the new DS4s - and the majority have XInput support, you should enable the Steam Controller functionality and get used to seeing Xbox prompts.

giving this a try, configurations took some steps with configuring the DPad. Still steam big picture mode with PS button prompts was feeling pretty good. Then I open god eater resurrection which auto recognizes a DS4 and shows DS4 prompts is now showing xbox prompts.
I'm guessing that steam is feeding the controller through as Xinput?
When you enable Steam Controller support, the games no longer see the DualShock 4.
The controller talks to Steam, and Steam's virtual device talks to the game.
The game only sees the virtual controller that Steam is presenting to them - which can be a combination of XInput, keyboard, and mouse inputs.
XInput means that you get Xbox button prompts.
There's no way around this unless the game has an option to switch the prompts manually.

What games should be doing, is not implementing DualShock 4 support at all, but implementing Steam Controller API support instead.
With the Steam Controller API, games automatically display the correct button prompts, just as they are mapped to your controller.

EDIT: Hmmm, then if I change the game preference and uncheck "Use Steam Configurations for PS4 Controllers" the game in settings once again recognizes "Wireless Controller" for the DS4 with the correct prompts, but no actions from the controller are registered. I'm guessing Steam is still eating the inputs
Did you disconnect the controller and wireless receiver like it tells you?
I just tried this and it worked perfectly, with Shovel Knight seeing it as a DualShock 4 and giving me PlayStation button prompts instead of Xbox prompts.
Of course you also lose all Steam Controller functionality, since you disabled it.
And if you're using a new DualShock 4 it seems that support in those games is broken, so it won't work properly - that's nothing to do with Steam.
 
If you want Steam Controller functionality, you need to have it enabled in Steam.
If you don't enable it, then it's up to the game to handle controller support - and it's clear that most games with their own DS4 implementation are not compatible with the new DualShock 4s.

Well, it wasn't clear before (for me anyway), too bad, even Ubisoft games, which were first who implement DS4 support don't recognize my controller (ie The Division). Maybe it will be changed in future (i hope).
But instead of Steam controller functionality i use DS4Windows, it is a little easier to use (and i don't play in Big Picture very often)
 
But instead of Steam controller functionality i use DS4Windows, it is a little easier to use (and i don't play in Big Picture very often)

You don't actually need Big Picture Mode to use Steam Controller functionality, but yeah, DS4Windows seems like a better option for most of people for now.
 
Well, it wasn't clear before (for me anyway), too bad, even Ubisoft games, which were first who implement DS4 support don't recognize my controller (ie The Division). Maybe it will be changed in future (i hope).
But instead of Steam controller functionality i use DS4Windows, it is a little easier to use (and i don't play in Big Picture very often)
How is DS4Windows any easier to use?
Both just emulate an XInput controller by default.
DS4Windows requires that you install custom drivers and requires administrator access to enable exclusive mode every time you connect a controller, using a hack which can cause problems for other input devices.

Steam Controller support provides a lot more functionality than DS4Windows does, and is easily configured in-game via the overlay.
Gyro aiming is amazing and completely changes FPS/TPS games with a controller.
Touch menus are extremely useful for many types of game.
 
How is DS4Windows any easier to use?
Both just emulate an XInput controller by default.
DS4Windows requires that you install custom drivers and requires administrator access to enable exclusive mode every time you connect a controller, using a hack which can cause problems for other input devices.

Steam Controller support provides a lot more functionality than DS4Windows does, and is easily configured in-game via the overlay.
Gyro aiming is amazing and completely changes FPS/TPS games with a controller.
Touch menus are extremely useful for many types of game.

Well, i just install DS4Windows and it works smoothly without any hacks, just sits minimized in tray and autostarts with windows.
Steam Controller support a little buggy for me (headphone jack audio always disappears), but yeah, in the future it will be great (but not yet, for me)
 
Well, i just install DS4Windows and it works smoothly without any hacks, just sits minimized in tray and autostarts with windows.
Steam Controller support a little buggy for me (headphone jack audio always disappears), but yeah, in the future it will be great (but not yet, for me)
Are you not using exclusive mode with DS4Windows?
Because that might explain why you think the Steam Controller support is behaving differently (games not seeing the DS4 itself) and not using exclusive mode causes many games to receive double inputs. (DirectInput + XInput simultaneously)
 
Are you not using exclusive mode with DS4Windows?
Because that might explain why you think the Steam Controller support is behaving differently (games not seeing the DS4 itself) and not using exclusive mode causes many games to receive double inputs. (DirectInput + XInput simultaneously)

I'm not.
And what do you mean by double inputs? Don't think that experience that problem..
 
I'm not.
And what do you mean by double inputs? Don't think that experience that problem..
Some games only support XInput - Xbox controls, or DirectInput - seen as a generic controller or DualShock 4 depending on the game.
Other games support both types of input.

When DS4Windows emulates an XInput device, the game receives DirectInput and XInput commands every time you press a button.
If a game supports both types of input, every button press will be doubled-up - or it can cause other problems like the game just not responding to inputs at all.
If I remember correctly, the Dark Souls games broke completely when this happened.

Exclusive Mode blocks the DirectInput commands from being seen by the game, so that it only receives XInput commands and thinks you're using an Xbox 360 controller.
Windows 10 requires a hack to get Exclusive Mode working ever since the Anniversary Update.
This means that it requests administrator access every time you connect a controller in Exclusive Mode, and enabling it can also cause problems for some input devices.

The Steam DS4 support seems to manage it without that hack, or requiring administrator access.
The game only sees an XInput device and it just works.

Of course if that game has specific DS4 support - which is rare - then it won't see your controller as a DS4.
But it sounds like most games with DS4 support don't work anyway if you have one of the new controllers.
 
Some games only support XInput - Xbox controls, or DirectInput - seen as a generic controller or DualShock 4 depending on the game.
Other games support both types of input.

When DS4Windows emulates an XInput device, the game receives DirectInput and XInput commands every time you press a button.
If a game supports both types of input, every button press will be doubled-up - or it can cause other problems like the game just not responding to inputs at all.
If I remember correctly, the Dark Souls games broke completely when this happened.

Exclusive Mode blocks the DirectInput commands from being seen by the game, so that it only receives XInput commands and thinks you're using an Xbox 360 controller.
Windows 10 requires a hack to get Exclusive Mode working ever since the Anniversary Update.
This means that it requests administrator access every time you connect a controller in Exclusive Mode, and enabling it can also cause problems for some input devices.

The Steam DS4 support seems to manage it without that hack, or requiring administrator access.
The game only sees an XInput device and it just works.

Of course if that game has specific DS4 support - which is rare - then it won't see your controller as a DS4.
But it sounds like most games with DS4 support don't work anyway if you have one of the new controllers.

Thanks for info!
 
Has anyone tried it with Telltale games? Those are a pain to play on pc, since they don't support the xbox one controller for some reason, just the xbox 360 controller. And I don't have any of those anymore.
 
Anybody tried Dead Rising 2: Off the Record with Steam DS4 support? It just don't respond to button presses and i can't even enter main menu.
DS4Windows works fine by the way.
 
Dead Rising 2 has the worst xinput support known to man. I remember certain 360 users having problems, maybe wireless users. I had to use a keyboard config with my Steam Controller.
 
Has anyone checked if it works with just generic direct input controllers? The DS4 is seen asa direct input game pad before you install any software for it so maybe steam will be able to use any older game pad the same way. Or is it definitely only the DS4?
 
Dead Rising 2 has the worst xinput support known to man. I remember certain 360 users having problems, maybe wireless users. I had to use a keyboard config with my Steam Controller.

My old xbox one controller works, wired or through wireless adapter.

GUILTY GEAR Xrd -REVELATOR- - reporting about this title:
Plain DS4 v2 - works, but some buttons are messed up (ie xbox button "A" is Circle, not Cross)
Steam DS4 - just excellent, all buttons corresponded to their playstation equivalent.
DS4Windows - don't work at all (which is strange).
 
With the native DS4 functionality turned on Retroarch doesn't recognize my controller. I mainly want to play emulators on the couch visa the Steam Link so I have to launch via Steam shortcuts. Choosing to disable the PS4 configuration for Retroarch doesn't solve the problem either, I have to turn it off entirely. I can still just go into settings and turn off the PS4 configuration each time I want to use an emulator but it's kind of annoying.
 
How is DS4Windows any easier to use?

Because you just install it once and it works system wide with little to no configuration.
With Steam you have to enter BP to enable it, remove and replug your BT adapter, and then it only works in Steam games. It's difficult to get it working with certain non-steam games and outright impossible to get it to work with UWP.
DS4Windows just werks
 
Because you just install it once and it works system wide with little to no configuration.
I would agree with that until exclusive mode broke in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.
Since that happened, you have been required to grant DS4Windows admin access every time you connect a controller to the system, which is why I stopped using my DS4 completely until Steam added support.
If you're not using exclusive mode either, then I guess we must be playing different games because not using exclusive mode frequently meant that controls would be broken in some way for me.

With Steam you have to enter BP to enable it, remove and replug your BT adapter, and then it only works in Steam games. It's difficult to get it working with certain non-steam games and outright impossible to get it to work with UWP.
DS4Windows just werks
You only have to reconnect the controller/adapter the first time you enable DS4 support in Steam. You never have to touch it again.
When a controller is connected to the PC, it will automatically use the big picture overlay when you launch a game, you don't need to enter big picture mode.
You do need to launch the games through Steam, but I was already doing that because I prefer to have all my games in a single place.

Having one less custom driver on the system is a benefit too, as I see them all as a security risk.
NVIDIA just pushed out new drivers a couple of days ago to fix a security hole for example.
They're a massive corporation with far more resources than a homebrew project has access to and that still managed to happen.
 
So I can't get this to work, am I right to assume that this doesn't work when you connect the controller through bluetooth? As in, without the wireless adapter but the bluetooth on your PC?
 
My old xbox one controller works, wired or through wireless adapter.

GUILTY GEAR Xrd -REVELATOR- - reporting about this title:
Plain DS4 v2 - works, but some buttons are messed up (ie xbox button "A" is Circle, not Cross)
Steam DS4 - just excellent, all buttons corresponded to their playstation equivalent.
DS4Windows - don't work at all (which is strange).

About GGXrd Revelator - DS4Windows works if you tick Hide DS4 Controller setting, nice!
 
So I can't get this to work, am I right to assume that this doesn't work when you connect the controller through bluetooth? As in, without the wireless adapter but the bluetooth on your PC?

It works via bluetooth for me.
 
That's fixed
No, the "fix" is the hack that causes DS4Windows to require admin access.
Prior to the Anniversary Update you just connected a controller and it had exclusive access automatically without messing with your HID devices.
I just downloaded and installed the latest version of DS4Windows and it still launches a UAC prompt every time I connect a controller with exclusive mode enabled.

About GGXrd Revelator - DS4Windows works if you tick Hide DS4 Controller setting, nice!
Yes, that's exclusive mode.
As I said earlier, a large number of games won't work correctly without it - and it's a pain to use ever since the Win10 AU release.

EDIT: Since I have it installed now, I can confirm that DS4Windows' 360 controller emulation is picked up by Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, while Steam's XInput support is not.
But that game has notoriously bad input handling, having problems with real Xbox 360/XB1 controllers on some systems, so I wouldn't be putting the blame on Steam for that one.
 
Prior to the Anniversary Update you just connected a controller and it had exclusive access automatically without messing with your HID devices.
I just downloaded and installed the latest version of DS4Windows and it still launches a UAC prompt every time I connect a controller with exclusive mode enabled.

If that bothers you, just start DS4Windows as admin.
 
Tried it with Dark Souls 3, started the game, the camera is mapped to the controller's movement. Unplayable, obviously. Made a few settings changes, tried again and the right stick moves the camera so fast that it's unplayable. Yeah, no thanks. I'll stick to InputMapper which doesn't require as much work.
 
Tried it with Dark Souls 3, started the game, the camera is mapped to the controller's movement. Unplayable, obviously. Made a few settings changes, tried again and the right stick moves the camera so fast that it's unplayable. Yeah, no thanks. I'll stick to InputMapper which doesn't require as much work.

All I had to do to fix that was select one of the default gamepad presets in the controller settings.
 
All I had to do to fix that was select one of the default gamepad presets in the controller settings.

Yeah, I tried that and that's what caused the right stick problems. I just don't see the need for this (personally) when I already get the same benefits from an outside source and with less fuss.
 
Been using this all day and it's been amazing so far. I can live with Xbox prompts for now, if it means not having to tinker with settings and other programs, so I'll keep using my DS4 over Bluetooth for the time being.
 
When I set the gyro to activate when touching the "right" touchpad with the DS4, it is like setting always activated. Weird bug.
I won't use the DS4 for FPS/TPS games, but for fighters and platformers it will work great :)
 
When I set the gyro to activate when touching the "right" touchpad with the DS4, it is like setting always activated. Weird bug.
I won't use the DS4 for FPS/TPS games, but for fighters and platformers it will work great :)
I think Valve may have done that to improve compatibility with Steam Controller profiles, since it would be really awkward to use the controller like that.
Or it may just be a bug.

I usually map things so that the left trigger (ADS) activates the gyro instead of the touchpad.
Makes a lot more sense for the DS4 controller too, rather than trying to keep a thumb on the touchpad all the time.

Tried it with Dark Souls 3, started the game, the camera is mapped to the controller's movement. Unplayable, obviously. Made a few settings changes, tried again and the right stick moves the camera so fast that it's unplayable. Yeah, no thanks. I'll stick to InputMapper which doesn't require as much work.
I tested out Dark Souls 3 and the problem is that the game has specific support for the Steam Controller built in, which doesn't really translate that well to a DualShock 4 - so it's not a typical situation.
If you bring up the controller settings and hit square to browse the available configs, the top community profile for the DualShock 4 is "Like PS4" and it does what it says.

If you want to do absolutely zero configuration and just have the DS4 act like an Xbox 360 controller, perhaps DS4Windows or InputMapper is what you want.
The main appeal of Steam support is the additional flexibility that it gives you - though in most cases it should just act like a 360 controller by default.

If that bothers you, just start DS4Windows as admin.
That still messes with your HID devices every time you connect a controller.
And I would rather not give admin access to a program which is going to be running in the tray at all times. That's a massive potential security risk.
For some programs it is necessary, but when there are alternatives that don't require it, I'd much rather use them.
 
So what's the best setting for Gyro aiming?
I set it to activate when pressing down the left trigger in MGS5 but the aim just goes haywire and I can't really influence the movement.
 
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