Creating control scheme for DirectInput HIDs

[tabulatouch]

Hello,
I am trying to support more than 4 gamepads, one solution is to use EasySMX wireless gamepads which can be used both in XInput mode (but with the limitation of having just 4 recognized by Unity) or DirectInput.

When using DirectInput mode they show as ESM-xxxxx devices, which are categorized as Joysticks.

If i create a map, i cannot find a way to support them as generic joystick, it only works if I create specific actions for each specific controller.

Please note that while named differently, model but also firmware revision, they have actually the same data layout, and they show up identical in the input debug view.
I am almost there… and I would like to create a map that works for any “ESM-*” device.

How can I proceed?
Thank you!

[tabulatouch]

auto-answering myself in search for a confirmation.

If I don’t rely on the automatic join and revert to the manual join behaviour, i can just look at device names containing “ESM” and joining the player providing the custom control scheme (that works accross models).

[tabulatouch]

Just FIY, in Unity 2022.3 XInput has been upgraded to Windows.Gaming.Input and supports more than 4 XInput devices, don’t know exactly how many.

related forum topic

Unity won't detect more than 4 controllers for local multiplayer using new input system.

Hello @Schubkraft , can you confirm which is the limit of XInput gamepads? I read from the Windows.Gaming.Input documentation that it could be 8 but maybe that depends on Unity internals setup. Thank you ,that’s quite important for local multiplayer party games.