X56 Joystick not recognized in game

[Xstincshun]

Hi everyone,

I am having an issue with getting the game to recognize my HOTAS (X56). I have a Logitech 3D Pro, and if I connect that, it works fine. However, my Saitek X56 is not recognized on the key binding. I sees the device, but none of the buttons will map in the controller setup up screen. The only other option I have not tried is to map all the keys with the Saitek Programming software. Any ideas you can throw my way to try.

[Gibsonm]

Welcome.

 

Whilst not directly related (in that you are talking about a different controller) this may help:

  

On 2/15/2019 at 6:36 PM, Ssnake said:

I don't think it's the controller per se, but the question is which one is registered under Windows as the "preferred device".

For Windows 10: Hit the Windows key once, type in "Gamecontr" to start the Gamecontroller app. There you'll see the list of devices registered as a game controller (e.g. in my case, it's ALSO listing the mouse, which may be counterintuitive). Click the button "advanced properties..." or whatever it's called in English Windows versions (mine is German, sorry), then select the joystick that you want to use with SB Pro.

 

If you don't want to use a gamecontroller at all: In Steel Beasts you can open the "Controls" dialog from the main menu (or hit Alt+C at pretty much any time). In the upper left corner there are radio buttons to select either Joystick, or Control Handle input; below them is a box to "Disable Joystick input".

 

 

Edited June 6, 2021 by Gibsonm

[Xstincshun]

41 minutes ago, Gibsonm said:

Welcome.

 

Whilst not directly related (in that you are talking about a different controller) this may help:

  

 

 

Hi Gibsonm,

yes I tried that as well. It does show my controller as preferred device. Tried with just the stick and not the throttle as well, no change 😕

[Ssnake]

I'm not a Saitek expert. The fact that the Logitech stick works suggests that Steel Beasts does recognize a valid joystick signal. So the question is, what's the difference between the Logitech and your Saitek stick that the former generates a signal that Steel Beasts can process while the latter doesn't.

SB Pro only accepts signals from the preferred device. So if the Logitech one works, I suppose it is the preferred device. Are you sure that the Saitek is configured correctly?

[Xstincshun]

Yes, 100% positive. I use the X56 mostly for my DCS flight sim games, but it works fine with other games (Arma III, Enemy Engaged, Flight Sim 2020, etc.). SB will not detect any axis movements or buttons. So now i'm stumped.

[Ssnake]

I don't doubt that either stick works.

But the by far most likely reason that one is being recognized by SB Pro while the other is not is that only one of them can be the preferred device. Did you unplug the Logitech stick before testing the Saitek? Have you accessed the Saitek's Advanced Properties and set it to be the "preferred device"?

Maybe try logging off from Windows, and then logging on again. This gets most services restarted, maybe it helps with the recognition of the device.

 

The next question is the joystick settings in Steel Beasts. Maybe the axes are assigned wrong, or the checkmark is set to use a palm switch or something like this?

[Xstincshun]

6 hours ago, Ssnake said:

I don't doubt that either stick works.

But the by far most likely reason that one is being recognized by SB Pro while the other is not is that only one of them can be the preferred device. Did you unplug the Logitech stick before testing the Saitek? Have you accessed the Saitek's Advanced Properties and set it to be the "preferred device"?

Maybe try logging off from Windows, and then logging on again. This gets most services restarted, maybe it helps with the recognition of the device.

 

The next question is the joystick settings in Steel Beasts. Maybe the axes are assigned wrong, or the checkmark is set to use a palm switch or something like this?

Hi Snnake,

Actually, you and I have conversed in the recent past via email on this topic:

 

Quote

Hello Paul,

Monday, March 22, 2021, you wrote:

PH> Ever  since  the  latest  patch, my joystick is not recognized. It
PH> worked  fine  in  all  previous versions, but not any longer. I've
PH> re-installed  the  game,  updated  all drivers and Win 10 updates.
PH> This  is  the  only game the HOTAS is not recognized. Is there any
PH> direction you can provide. I'd appreciate it

I  can  assure you that we haven't suddenly decided to hate the X56. I
don't  think  we  have made changes to the code base lately that would
change the way we're handling joysticks.

SO, I have only general directions to offer.

Is  your  stick  still  the  "preferred  device"  per  Windows's  Game
Controller settings (advanced properties)?
Has  Joystick  input  been  disabled,  per chance, in the Steel Beasts
"Controls" dialog (Alt+C)?
Does  the  strick  still work in other games/is it still recognized by
Windows,  does  it  respond  in  the  calibration function of the Game
Controller settings?

I  hope  that one of these hints helps you to guide your investigation
in  a  useful direction. Please let me know if you come up empty, so I
can pass on your case to the programmers for comment.

Sincerely yours,


Nils "Ssnake" Hinrichsen
Director
eSim Games Deutschland GmbH

 

I've tried just having the Stick and disconnecting the Throttle stick.. same issue. I unplug and plug in the 3D Pro.. works just fine 😕

[Xstincshun]

I take it that this has dropped off the radar since no response as of June..lol. Not sure what has changed, but before the last patch in 4.1.. My X56 worked just fine. Since updating to 4.265 .. not even detected and i just have the joystick connected with the Throttle unplugged. Still not recognized in game. I hate to have to switch joysticks to my Saitek 3D Pro when I want to play 😕

[Ssnake]

I can but repeat, are you certain that your X56 is the preferred device per the Properties (Advanced...) of the game controller?

[Xstincshun]

3 hours ago, Ssnake said:

I can but repeat, are you certain that your X56 is the preferred device per the Properties (Advanced...) of the game controller?

Yes, see attached. I've also worked with Nils "Ssnake" Hinrichsen Director under multiple threads. He was to go check with the Developers .. but never heard anything back 😕

 

"

Nils Hinrichsen <Ssnake@esimgames.com>	Sun, Mar 28, 8:13 AM
to me

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Paul,

Saturday, March 27, 2021, you wrote:

PH> I did try in Safe mode.. no dice.
PH> I  have a Logitech 3D Extreme Pro and it recognizes that, but once
PH> I go back to the Saitek X56.. dead stick ;-/

Now, that's an important clue (aside from the obvious workaround).

To  me it suggests that Steel Beasts, "in principle" isn't broken with
respect  to its joystick support, as limited as its implementation may
be. But the Saitek stick might deliver the signal in a form that Steel
Beasts  doesn't  recognize.  The  most  likely  reason  for  that is a
configuration  in  the  Saitek  driver. Unfortunately I'm not familiar
with them, so I can't give you a direct clue where to look for.

But  the  stick  is  programmable, so maybe there's a profile selected
that  isn't  suitable  for  Steel  Beasts,  or  the mini joysticks are
interfering  with  the axis assignment (there seem to be a row of them
on this model).

I  admit that I'm guessing as much as you do at this point, but my gut
feeling tells me to look for trouble on the driver software side.

Sincerely yours,


Nils "Ssnake" Hinrichsen
Director
eSim Games Deutschland GmbH
mailto: ssnake@esimgames.com

Seegershof 9
D-30163 Hannover

Tel +49-(511)-410-6317

                  http://www.eSimGames.com
                 http://www.SteelBeasts.com

eSim Games Deutschland GmbH
Director: Dipl.-Wi-Ing. (FH) Nils Hinrichsen
Commerzbank Hannover, IBAN DE52 2504 0066 0450 0526 00
Registered at Amtsgericht Hannover, Nr. B 60884"

[Ssnake]

Well, I suppose if you had sent me a reminder email I would have poked the developers to give me a reply. When you open a new thread in the forum without giving me the reference to our prior exchange, how am I supposed to make the connection that it is the same case? So naturally we start all over with the process of analyzing the problem when we were already past that stage.

I'm going to revive the case from March now.

[Xstincshun]

Sorry, but not to sound quirky. I posted this originally in March via email threads with you. Then this post started in June and on June 7th, I provided our previous email conversation again. So I had already provided it twice. 

[Grenny]

36 minutes ago, Xstincshun said:

Sorry, but not to sound quirky. I posted this originally in March via email threads with you. Then this post started in June and on June 7th, I provided our previous email conversation again. So I had already provided it twice. 

Well, that issue does not really look important. And tbh most likely looks like an issue on the user side...

I can understand why it does not receive any priotity.

[Xstincshun]

26 minutes ago, Grenny said:

Well, that issue does not really look important. And tbh most likely looks like an issue on the user side...

I can understand why it does not receive any priotity.

Well, I never said it was a show stopper, but more of an inconvenience, having to switch joysticks to play this one game. Also, the fact that the X-56 worked just fine before I patched it to the latest release. Which was the main reason I brought it to their attention.

 

The last update to the X-56 Drivers was over 3 years ago:

 

X56 Space/Flight H.O.T.A.S. Software

Installs drivers and software allowing you to program your X56 H.O.T.A.S.

Why Update?

• • Added deadzone adjustment for mini sticks (accessed through Game Controllers in Windows)
  • Added to DirectOutput SDK, so game developers can now address the RGB LEDs
  • Added optional Analytics

64bit

• Software Version: 8.0.213.0
• Last Update: 2018-09-24
• OS: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows 10
• File Size: 31.17 MB

[Ssnake]

Well, I revived the case and passed it on to a different programmer for comment.

[Ssnake]

Well, we couldn't replicate the problem. But we finally got around to replace the old library that was used to handle joystick input with a more modern one, which, hopefully, also fixes this issue. More importantly for everybody, we finally killed the need to define a "preferred device" in order for Steel Beasts to accept your input. Of course, all this still needs to be tested.

 

So there's hope that by replacing the joystick input library this will also eliminate whatever prevented the proper recognition of your X56. If, after the next patch or upgrade (whichever materializes first) the issue persists, we'll have to look into the matter again. Until then I can but ask you to hold out.

[Xstincshun]

4 hours ago, Ssnake said:

Well, we couldn't replicate the problem. But we finally got around to replace the old library that was used to handle joystick input with a more modern one, which, hopefully, also fixes this issue. More importantly for everybody, we finally killed the need to define a "preferred device" in order for Steel Beasts to accept your input. Of course, all this still needs to be tested.

 

So there's hope that by replacing the joystick input library this will also eliminate whatever prevented the proper recognition of your X56. If, after the next patch or upgrade (whichever materializes first) the issue persists, we'll have to look into the matter again. Until then I can but ask you to hold out.

Thank you Sir! Look forward to trying this out!!

[Xstincshun]

Hola, yup.. it's me again.. Sorry. I just ran the installer for the latest upgrade 4.267.

 

I let the .exe uninstall all the old game files/installation. Started the new install, all the files downloaded just fine and the installer completed without issues. Unfortunately, same issue remains.

 

I started it up, went into controls, none of the Axis's are recognized from the X-56 HOTAS. I unplugged the Throttle stick, leaving just the joystick, and axis doesn't move in game. Is does under Windows properties.

 

Took out my old Logitech 3D Extreme, plugged it in, started game. Worked like a charm. So not sure if it's due to the fact that the HOTAS is not just configured in a way the game will not recognize it but it looks like if I want to play it, i'll have to keep switching my Joysticks out 😕

 

The attached vid is my Logitech 3D working as intended.

[Ssnake]

I think we had to revert the replacement of the joystick input software library because it caused a problem that we haven't yet properly identified. We didn't want to delay the release of this patch, so we decided to hold back the change that I mentioned before until the upgrade 4.3 next year, so we have enough time to iron out whatever kink may still be there.

 

I'm sorry that I created false hopes with my premature report of triumph above, but I hope that you can still live with either no joystick, or joystick swapping for a few more months.

[Xstincshun]

Thank you sir. I have no problems swapping. Been enjoying the new updates. Much appreciate the quick feedback!!

[Maroszek]

Well...I'm glad I found this post.  My wife got me SB Pro for Christmas and I've been tearing my hair out trying to get my X-56 to work with it.

Stick works great with DCS, IL2, Elite, etc...but after finding this I'm happy it is being worked on.

 

Subscribing to watch for the updates!

 

[Xstincshun]

Yeah, patiently waiting to see if they can implement the new libraries. I recently updated with 4.268 and I can assume the libraries were not updated then either, as the HOTAS is still not recognizable. 

[Ssnake]

No - it'll come with version 4.3; needed more testing as some unwelcome side effects were discovered shortly before releasing one of the late 4.2 patches.

[Maroszek]

I'll hang in there--you guys are working it so I'm not too worried (and thank you guys for the updates!!!).  I'll just keep learning the game with the mouse/keyboard for now.

 

If I have time I'll try and dig out my old Saitek/Logitech X-52 and see if that reacts the same and report back.

[Skoop]

I need some help with this as well.  Game won't recognize my Virpil warbird joystick or Virpil throttle.  It only sees my VKB rudder pedals.  I'm guessing it's the same issues mentioned in this thread.  I'd love to see your control profiles updated to support the modern hotas out there so they are plug n play with no hassle.

 

Update....The game controller tip in the second post fixed it.

 

Would be nice to use more than one controller though.

Edited April 16, 2022 by Skoop