Controller Stick Stutter Issue - Dev Input Desperately Entreated

[Callum Hurley]

Hi there,

 

I have an odd controller issue that I have not been able to find even mentioned anywhere else online. Can we pretty please try to get a dev to weigh in, at all? I love the game, but this has - infuriatingly - prevented me from playing it for literal years at this point!

 

When using an Xbox One controller both the triggers and the right stick (but not left) 'stutter' their inputs randomly when activated. This can be clearly seen in the controller test menu, in which those inputs can be seen flickering on/off randomly even with the controller at idle. (File size limitations mean that I cannot attach a video, but one is available on request). 

 

This is such that, for instance, weapons cannot be aimed, as the aiming process will be repeatedly entered and existed (not unlike an autofire, but at irregular intervals). Equally attempting to run can cause the character to sputter and stop randomly. 

 

Bafflingly, this issue only began to present after well over 20 hours of play, and took a few more to grow to a point at which the game became unplayable. Even now there is a ~10 minute window at the start of a session where it is far more occasional, but it quickly gets worse as time goes on. 

 

 

Things that I have tried: 

 

• Assuming that it was a Bluetooth issue I have tried several Bluetooth adaptors, to no avail. My Macs bluetooth otherwise works flawlessly. 
• Multiple different controllers translate to the same inputs in Project Zomboid (and that game alone).
•  Resetting, reconnecting, and reinstalling - many times. 

[Beard]

Do you perhaps have any mods enabled? As some can conflict with the controller settings.
Additionally, does this same issue happen in the Steam Controller test? You can test and configure your controller when switching to the Steam Big Picture mode.

[Callum Hurley]

Thank you sincerely for getting back to me. 

After a little testing, I have discovered that the stuttering issue does not occur during the Steam configuration nor, in fact, whilst tested on the main menu of Project Zomboid! It would thus seem that it is specifically making stick/trigger inputs during a game - regardless of whether mods are enabled or not - that causes it to occur. 

 

Hence why no amount of chopping and changing controllers/Bluetooth ever made any difference - both had been working fine all along! If anything, this only leaves me more baffled: does this mean it is somehow performance-related? Or related specifically to my laptop? Surely it would be a known issue otherwise.

 

Would decidedly welcome any further input. 

[Beard]

That is useful extra info, it is certainly possible to be performance related, as specifically Steam Deck controllers had a similar issue if they had the FPS uncapped. Which would result in the Deck working overtime for those extra frames and would cause stutter in the controller.

Could you check whether your current FPS are uncapped? And whether capping the frames, preferably to your monitor refresh rate or lower would help with this happening in-game?