Controller wont work inside games

[ryan_turner]

Hi,

I'm trying to run retropie-4.0.2-rpi2_rpi3.img on an rpi3 with 8bitdo controllers. I've followed setup guides, and I've gotten the controllers connected via bluetooth and then configured within retrostation. It successfully created the entries under /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch-joypads. However, when I launch a rom, only the keyboard works; the 8bitdo controllers dont have any impact on the game.

cat 8BitdoNES30Pro.cfg
input_device = "8Bitdo NES30 Pro"
input_driver = "udev"
input_r_y_plus_axis = "+3"
input_l3_btn = "24"
input_r_x_minus_axis = "-2"
input_l_btn = "19"
input_load_state_btn = "19"
input_start_btn = "22"
input_exit_emulator_btn = "22"
input_l_y_minus_axis = "-1"
input_up_btn = "h0up"
input_r_y_minus_axis = "-3"
input_a_btn = "11"
input_b_btn = "12"
input_reset_btn = "12"
input_down_btn = "h0down"
input_l_x_plus_axis = "+0"
input_l_y_plus_axis = "+1"
input_r_btn = "20"
input_save_state_btn = "20"
input_r2_btn = "18"
input_r3_btn = "25"
input_right_btn = "h0right"
input_state_slot_increase_btn = "h0right"
input_x_btn = "14"
input_menu_toggle_btn = "14"
input_select_btn = "21"
input_enable_hotkey_btn = "21"
input_l_x_minus_axis = "-0"
input_y_btn = "15"
input_left_btn = "h0left"
input_state_slot_decrease_btn = "h0left"
input_r_x_plus_axis = "+2"
input_l2_btn = "17"

What is my next step in troubleshooting? Im baffled. The controller has no impact within retroarch's config menu either.

[ryan_turner]

Just FYI, I followed https://github.com/retropie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/First-Installation initially using my keyboard, then I followed https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Setting-up-an-8bitdo-Bluetooth-controller. As I said in my first post, the controller is working great in the menu, just not doing anything within any games.

[meleu]

@ryan_turner can you confirm if the directional pad works in game?

[ryan_turner]

@meleu: good catch. Yes, the dpad appears to be working without any of the buttons working. I also noticed that Start on the 8bitdo seems to be pressing A. I was able to test this by launching a NES game and using my keyboard to get past menus, then use the controller to move around.

What's this tell us?

[meleu]

@ryan_turner you said you followed the wiki instructions for setting up the 8bitdo controller. In the step 4 there's an instruction to turn off the "8bitdo hack". If you turned it off, try again with this option turned on.

[ryan_turner]

@meleu thank you for the instruction. I will toggle this setting and test during my lunch break today and report back.

[meleu]

@ryan_turner let me describe better: toggle this option and then reconfigure your controller in emulationstation. ;-)

[ryan_turner]

Thanks for the detailed steps @meleu. I followed them and the controllers started working!

So, as a recap, here are the issues I faced and how they were resolved:
(outside of this forum post) I installed the latest retropie and found that it did not correctly generate entries in retroarch-joypads; that resulted in in-game keypads not working, and somehow the keyboard esc button being mapped to the left dpad. I resolved that by reimaging the retropie.

I installed the latest retropie and found that my 8bitdo controller wasn't doing anything in the games. I was able to get the dpad to work by restarting the rpi.

I found that the 8bitdo controller's dpad worked in games, and the Start button pressed A. Nothing else worked. I resolved this by disabling the 8bitdo hack menu option in retropie's settings.

This issue is now resolved thanks to @meleu's help.