Problems Configuring Micro Center's Atari Dual Fight Stick and Trackball USB with Steam and Atari Vault

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LunatechFringe
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Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2021 3:08 pm

Problems Configuring Micro Center's Atari Dual Fight Stick and Trackball USB with Steam and Atari Vault

Post by LunatechFringe »

I've run into a few issues getting the Micro Center Dual Fight Stick and Trackball to work with Atari Vault in Steam. The controller is detected as two Xinmotek devices in Windows 10. All sticks and buttons test successfully.

I managed to get the controllers configured in Steam, which work well in the menus. Once I start a game (I'll use Centipede as an example), the only controls that respond are the trackball and start button. I had the same experience with Asteroids Deluxe, Millipede, and Missile Command. In addition to this, I've noticed a cursor follows the shooter (with a lag), and it is extremely annoying and distracting.

The controller works fine in Cuphead on Steam, so it seems to be a problem with Atari Vault.

Is there a fix for this? Thanks!
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CodeMystics
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Re: Problems Configuring Micro Center's Atari Dual Fight Stick and Trackball USB with Steam and Atari Vault

Post by CodeMystics »

Do you mean the shooter follows the cursor with lag? This is intentional. These are emulations and as such the game will not violate the capped travel speed of the shooter for the original ROM, no matter how fast you move your Windows cursor.

That said, in the Options > Control configuration screen within the game, there is an option to switch from "Follow Mouse" to "Trackball" mode, which will eliminate the cursor and give you a more authentic arcade experience (but of course still cap travel as the arcade game did).

Regarding other compatibility issues with the controller, it is probable the controller is appearing as Controller #2 instead of Controller #1. This would be a consequence of driver configuration and choices. You can check this by trying a 2-player game (or 4-player game, if necessary).
LunatechFringe
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Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2021 3:08 pm

Re: Problems Configuring Micro Center's Atari Dual Fight Stick and Trackball USB with Steam and Atari Vault

Post by LunatechFringe »

Changing the mouse settings to Trakball helped. The cursor no longer shows up, and that is what I wanted. Thanks!

I tested my controller again in MAME. It works with fighting games (each player works independently and simultaneously), while games where you take turns between two players work off the same (player one) controller successfully.

I tried a two-player game of Millipede in Atari Vault, which gave me control of the second set of controls for the second player, but only for the second player. The first (left) set of controls still does not function, other than being able to start the game. Do you have any recommendations for fixing that? I've reset the controller by editing control.vdf in Steam, but it just doesn't work for both players.
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CodeMystics
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Re: Problems Configuring Micro Center's Atari Dual Fight Stick and Trackball USB with Steam and Atari Vault

Post by CodeMystics »

Atari Vault works differently than MAME in that Player 1 and Player 2 use separate controllers. They do not share the same controller.

What is evidently happening is your controller is identifying as Controller #2, rather than Controller #1. This can happen occasionally with XInput devices. Usually there was another controller you used at some point that Windows decided is Controller #1, pushing this controller to #2. Even after you disconnect the other controller, this controller remains #2.

Moving it back to Controller #1 depends on the driver. Though, something that works for some drivers and controllers is to unplug the controller, remove the driver, power cycle your computer, then plug it back in.
LunatechFringe
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Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2021 3:08 pm

Re: Problems Configuring Micro Center's Atari Dual Fight Stick and Trackball USB with Steam and Atari Vault

Post by LunatechFringe »

I've verified that the controller used for my pinball cabinet is acting as Player 1. The problem is, I don't see a way to configure the controller order in Steam. I've browsed around online and found various screenshots and instructions for getting to this option, but it is not available. Was this an option that was removed from Steam, and if not, what is required to access it? I will try your suggestion of removal and rebooting to see if that corrects the problem.

I have an additional question. Is there a way to force Atari Vault to load on a specific monitor?
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CodeMystics
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Re: Problems Configuring Micro Center's Atari Dual Fight Stick and Trackball USB with Steam and Atari Vault

Post by CodeMystics »

Preferably, you should not have Steam manage your controller for Atari Vault. We find, for XInput controllers, you should just let Atari Vault communicate with it directly. At that level it recognises the controller as whichever player XInput says it is.

There is no way to direct the monitor it launches on that we know of. That's determined by Unity.
LunatechFringe
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Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2021 3:08 pm

Re: Problems Configuring Micro Center's Atari Dual Fight Stick and Trackball USB with Steam and Atari Vault

Post by LunatechFringe »

I've got both controllers working, although they are swapped. Since the game doesn't communicate directly with the controller, I had to configure it in Steam under General Controller Settings.

I looked at the controller's wiring, and the Player 1 controls are definitely wired to Player 1 on the control board. For whatever reason, Steam will only allow me to configure the Xinmotek Controller for Player 1 using the Player 2 controller. Therefore, Player 1 uses Player 2 controls (and vice-versa).

Detected Controllers (arranged in this order):
Xbox One Controller : Xbox One Controller 2 (works as Player 1)
Xbox One Controller : Xbox One Controller 1 (works as Player 2)
Xbox One Controller : Generic Gamepad (my pinball controller)
LunatechFringe
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Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2021 3:08 pm

Re: Problems Configuring Micro Center's Atari Dual Fight Stick and Trackball USB with Steam and Atari Vault

Post by LunatechFringe »

Just a heads-up...Steam was able to reproduce this. It will be fixed in a future beta.

Thanks!
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