A way to reassign controller #s on the fly in Windows?

[Deleted User]

Ok here's my issue. I have a steering wheel that is hooked up to my PC at all times. It automatically takes the place of controller #1. If I want to play an emulator it usually it not as issue as the emulator let's controller #2 or #3 or whatever number enter binds it doesn't care. However when it comes to playing most PC games, it expects the controller to be #1 or it won't work. I even have a program called usbdeview that can disconnect the wheel however I still have to reboot for my Xbox 360 controller to be player 1. If I have no other choice I will just continue doing that but ideally I would like to have a way to change the 360 controller at will without having to disconnect/reboot. It just seems dumb that Microsoft doesn't have a gui that just lets you assign whatever controller you want to whatever number you want but there is no such feature that I'm aware of.

 

[FAST6191]

Possible simple option. Find a USB extension. Throw it wherever you sit on the PC, simple disconnect without getting up and fiddling around or hoping the software is good. If you are doing more remote things then that is harder, though there are still choices in hardware there that can switch USB on and off (some of the KVM stuff might be a plan if buying a dedicated device is not an option).

Main alternative. Might be easier to get some kind of fancy virtual controller/joypad to keyboard type program and map everything accordingly. That way everything presents as one controller or key presses and goes accordingly, should then be a matter of shutting down the joypad to keyboard thing when necessary rather than fiddling with disabling hardware (the simple windows hardware manager should be able to do that without an external program by the way) and rebooting.
I don't know what the kids are using these days for such things and the old standard of joy2key seems to have become mired in drama and nonsense last I looked. Bonus though is you can also do macros with a lot of them, or easily enough, which can be nice way to make games easier or more playable if a controller lacks buttons.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Out of curiosity, could you list some of the games that have this problem?

I've got multiple controllers connected to my PC most of the time (a USB Genesis pad, a PS3 controller, plus an N30 Pro via bluetooth I turn on occasionally), and I've never had any issue with controllers being assigned some kind of arbitrary "order", pretty much every game I play will swap on the fly between any of my controllers.

 

[Deleted User]

Out of curiosity, could you list some of the games that have this problem?

I've got multiple controllers connected to my PC most of the time (a USB Genesis pad, a PS3 controller, plus an N30 Pro via bluetooth I turn on occasionally), and I've never had any issue with controllers being assigned some kind of arbitrary "order", pretty much every game I play will swap on the fly between any of my controllers.

Just today I've had this issue with DOOM Eternal and Control. Both pretty new games. You're lucky. Ever since I've had this wheel (about 6 months) it's always taken slot #1, there's no swapping on the fly. It's hooked up through usb while all my controllers are wireless I don't know if that's the reason or not.

Possible simple option. Find a USB extension. Throw it wherever you sit on the PC, simple disconnect without getting up and fiddling around or hoping the software is good. If you are doing more remote things then that is harder, though there are still choices in hardware there that can switch USB on and off (some of the KVM stuff might be a plan if buying a dedicated device is not an option).

Main alternative. Might be easier to get some kind of fancy virtual controller/joypad to keyboard type program and map everything accordingly. That way everything presents as one controller or key presses and goes accordingly, should then be a matter of shutting down the joypad to keyboard thing when necessary rather than fiddling with disabling hardware (the simple windows hardware manager should be able to do that without an external program by the way) and rebooting.
I don't know what the kids are using these days for such things and the old standard of joy2key seems to have become mired in drama and nonsense last I looked. Bonus though is you can also do macros with a lot of them, or easily enough, which can be nice way to make games easier or more playable if a controller lacks buttons.

Since I made the thread I actually did do that with joytokey, seems to work ok. It just isn't great because almost every game has totally different buttons/keys doing different things so it's not really ideal. Might still be the best solution none the less. Joytokey even has an option to assign controllers to the # you choose, but some games just ignore it all together.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

That's odd, I've at least played Doom Eternal with my setup above and had no issues swapping between I'll have to toss some more controllers on my PC and see if I can get it to happen, because most modern games should work just fine with any combination of controllers.

Have you tried setting the 360 controller as the preferred controller device in control panel?

WIN+R->joy.cpl, choose Advanced, and then select your 360 controller in the list. Normally meant for super old titles, but I would imagine it should change things there, too.

 

[Deleted User]

That's odd, I've at least played Doom Eternal with my setup above and had no issues swapping between I'll have to toss some more controllers on my PC and see if I can get it to happen, because most modern games should work just fine with any combination of controllers.

Have you tried setting the 360 controller as the preferred controller device in control panel?

WIN+R->joy.cpl, choose Advanced, and then select your 360 controller in the list. Normally meant for super old titles, but I would imagine it should change things there, too.

Already tried that. I find it a totally useless feature at least from the times I've tried it. Joytokey is probably the only solution.

Actually with DOOM Eternal it doesn't even matter. My steering wheel actually conflicts with the game and makes it where I can't even get through the menus to it just twitches a lot. The only way I can play DOOM Eternal is by disconnecting the wheel. Been happening since I first tried DOOM Eternal. As soon as I disconnect the wheel it's perfectly fine. Never seen that with any other games.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Ok here's my issue. I have a steering wheel that is hooked up to my PC at all times. It automatically takes the place of controller #1. If I want to play an emulator it usually it not as issue as the emulator let's controller #2 or #3 or whatever number enter binds it doesn't care. However when it comes to playing most PC games, it expects the controller to be #1 or it won't work. I even have a program called usbdeview that can disconnect the wheel however I still have to reboot for my Xbox 360 controller to be player 1. If I have no other choice I will just continue doing that but ideally I would like to have a way to change the 360 controller at will without having to disconnect/reboot. It just seems dumb that Microsoft doesn't have a gui that just lets you assign whatever controller you want to whatever number you want but there is no such feature that I'm aware of.

Disconnect/disable the steering wheel before you turn on the 360 controller. It should become #1 then. Doesn't help if you disconnect and reconnect the controller, it keeps the same number as before.

 

[Deleted User]

Disconnect/disable the steering wheel before you turn on the 360 controller. It should become #1 then. Doesn't help if you disconnect and reconnect the controller, it keeps the same number as before.

Just to make sure I just did that exact thing. I haven't touched the 360 controller since booting, disconnected the wheel (actually disconnected and disabled) in usbdeview turned on the 360 controller it goes to player 2. Even though usbdeview can technically disable any usb device the wheel still shows the top left hand corner as in player 1 (the wheel is also recognized as like an Xbox 360 controller and has the same circle with 4 player options as the 360 controller) So Windows still assigns the 360 controller to player 2 so that doesn't work. The only way I've been able to get a controller other than the wheel to be player 1 is by booting without the wheel plugged in. And then I have the opposite problem the wheel won't go to player 1 and I have to reboot to make it player 1.

Maybe it has to do with just 360 controllers that have this issue idk. I also have a dualshock 3 connected through bluetooth but it uses SCPServer and that makes Windows think the Dualshock 3 is a 360 controller also by installing 360 drivers.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Just to make sure I just did that exact thing. I haven't touched the 360 controller since booting, disconnected the wheel (actually disconnected and disabled) in usbdeview turned on the 360 controller it goes to player 2. Even though usbdeview can technically disable any usb device the wheel still shows the top left hand corner as in player 1 (the wheel is also recognized as like an Xbox 360 controller and has the same circle with 4 player options as the 360 controller) So Windows still assigns the 360 controller to player 2 so that doesn't work. The only way I've been able to get a controller other than the wheel to be player 1 is by booting without the wheel plugged in. And then I have the opposite problem the wheel won't go to player 1 and I have to reboot to make it player 1.

Maybe it has to do with just 360 controllers that have this issue idk. I also have a dualshock 3 connected through bluetooth but it uses SCPServer and that makes Windows think the Dualshock 3 is a 360 controller also by installing 360 drivers.

I think I've "fixed" that by unplugging and replugging the 360 wireless receiver. to reset the state so the first controller to connect will be #1 again. You should be able to disable/enable it in device manager for the same effect.

 

[Deleted User]

I actually had the best answer laying around in my room and I didn't even think about it until now.

I have a Mayflash Magic S adapter that works on some consoles and PC. All I did was plug it in, then synced my Dualshock 3 to it through usb, then it works wireless. Then I plugged my wheel into the adapter that's plugged into PC. Wahlah, both Dualshock 3 and steering wheel are both player 1 now. I just tried Doom Eternal and the wheel being plugged in was messing up the game, not anymore and the Dualshock 3 works fine. Also tested the steering wheel and it's working fine. I have to change a lot of controller configs for a lot of my racing games that use my wheel (because it changes all the device info that the PC sees) but it's worth it.