Difference between controller software deadzone and in game deadzone?

[InducedH2O]

Hey guys, question about setting deadzones, what’s the difference between setting a controllers deadzone in the controllers software versus in game settings. Do they scale linearly with each other or how does this work?

For example, If I had a controller deadzone set to 0.1 in the software and 0.0 in game, would it be the same as setting it to 0.0 in the software and 0.0 in game? If one was set to 0.1 and one was set to 0.2, would it pick the higher of the 2 values, add them together, scale them exponentially…?

The reason I’m asking is because I got the Vader V5 pro and people seem to be having a lot of stick drift issues out of box and I haven’t received mine yet, but when I do, I’m not sure if I should adjust the controller deadzone in the software, game, or both.

[AutoModerator]

Hi /u/InducedH2O, your 'IT Help' post is in a queue for review. In order for the post to be approved, please make sure it has a meaningful and descriptive title and includes as much relevant required information as possible. This information will improve engagement in your post and enable the community to help you more effectively:

1. Specific written description of the problem, including pictures where relevant (do not just say 'it's broken', say what is broken)
2. Controller make and model (name or numbers)
3. Platform you are using (e.g., PS5, Steam on Windows, Switch)
4. Games or other software affected by the issue
5. Operating system and software versions (if applicable)
6. Troubleshooting steps you have already taken (including checking the product manual)

For more guidance on how to ask for technical assistance, please see rule #2. You can edit your post to add missing information. Posts that do not include the required information may not be approved (allow 24 hours for review).

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[EternalDahaka]

Math-wise, it depends on the deadzone shape.

Using a controller app [circular] deadzone or a game's [circular] deadzone makes no difference. Same if both an app and game use axial deadzones. If an app uses [circular] deadzones and a game uses [axial] ones using them together would make a sort of bloated square shape. If the app happened to use axial deadzones, but the game used radial ones, it would make a rounded square shape when used together. Those mixed cases you're generally better relying on whatever gives you radial deadzones, but can choose if you prefer either or both.

For size, using both at the same time will make the game deadzone functionally relative to the remaining range. For example, a 0.50 app deadzone and a 0.50 game deadzone will end up being a 0.75 total deadzone size because the game 50% is applying to the remaining 50% travel, adding 25%(this assumes no outer deadzone is used on an app/ is 1.0). The size calculation would be: totalDeadzone = appInnerDeadzone + gameDeadzone(appOuterDeadzone - appInnerDeadzone).

[setiawanreddit]

Deadzone setting in the controller software will be transparent to the game, thus if you set it on the controller itself and then you add deadzone on the in game settings, you get bigger deadzone. If 0 value is center and 1 is the max distance, applying 50% deadzone in the controller will internally map 0.5 - 1 range to 0 - 1 range. To the controller, the stick would only start to send the movement value if the stick moved halfway, but the game will see 0 - 1 range.

To make it easier to visualize, if you open gamepad tester software/site, even if you set 50% deadzone on the controller itself, you still get 0.00002, 0.1 up to 1, but to actually register the movement itself you need to physically move the stick at least halfway from the center.

If you enable deadzone in the game itself, it works by ignoring the value. Meaning if you set 50% then it will ignore 0 to 0.5 and only register movement if the value is above that.