xbox 360 controller timed auto-repeat?

[Longwing]

So I'm trying to solve a very specific problem with the game Hyper Light Drifter. It's an excellent game, but it has an extremely frustrating dash mechanic that requires ridiculously precise timing to function.

What I'd like to do is set up an AHK script that modifies the behavior of a standard Xbox 360 controller's A button. When pressed and released, it should function normally. When held down, it should repeat at 150 milliseconds between presses until released.

Is this possible? I've been experimenting with a keyboard version of this, which works perfectly in notepad, but doesn't register in the game. Frustratingly, the game will only accept either keyboard or controller input at any given moment, not both. I'd prefer to play with a controller, though I could switch to playing with keyboard/mouse if I can get this script to register in-game. I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Here's what I have for the keyboard, though this doesn't seem to register in-game:

Code: Select all

#NoEnv ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
#UseHook
#InstallMouseHook
#InstallKeybdHook
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%  ; Ensures a consistent starting directory.

$Space::
 While GetKeyState("Space","p"){
  Send {space}
  Sleep 150
 }
return

[Longwing]

After some experimentation, I've made progress but I'm still working my way through issues. First, here's the current version of the script:

Code: Select all

#NoEnv ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
#UseHook
#InstallMouseHook
#InstallKeybdHook
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%  ; Ensures a consistent starting directory.
SetKeyDelay, 140

$Space::
While GetKeyState("Space","p"){
     Send, {space down}
     Sleep .5
     Send, {space up}
     return
}

This variation gets the timing right and allows a chain auto-dash to continue indefinitely. Curiously, dropping the Sleep delay below 1 causes AHK to throw an anti-infinite-loop warning as soon as the key is released. This is worrysome. I know the warning can be disabled (this may be needed to make the script viable), but I'm leery of telling an infinite-loop blocker that it needs to shut up.

I have yet to swap this over to running controller commands. That will likely be my next step but requires learning the ins and outs of AHK's interactions with controllers.

[Longwing]

I tried the Joystick script (https://autohotkey.com/docs/scripts/JoystickTest.htm) to detect button presses, but it doesn't seem to find the button presses from an Xbox 360 wireless controller. Nothing registered in the script. I suppose I'll have to find another way to identify the A button.

[tank]

Moved to gaming at request of OP

[evilC]

This is not possible at the moment.
Currently, the ONLY thing that I am aware of that alters how a PHYSICAL xbox controller reports is x360ce

[Longwing]

That's a pity. Well, I CAN play the game with a keyboard and mouse, even though it's "Designed" for a controller. Any thoughts on my infinite loop problem? I was reading somewhere in the docs that you can just instruct AHK to shut up about it, but that seems like a terrible idea if there's a better alternative available.

[evilC]

should be ok then - write a script such that when A is pressed on the controller, it spams the keyboard equivalent of A

[evilC]

Sleep .5 Sleeps are in milliseconds, not seconds.
Half a second is 500

[evilC]

Assuming your joypad is stick ID #1 and the keyboard equivalent of the A button is Space:

Code: Select all

SetKeyDelay, 0, 50	; Hold all keys for at least 50ms - many games need this
1Joy1::	; 1st number is joystick ID, 2nd is button number
	while (GetKeyState(A_ThisHotkey)){	; while the button is held...
		Send {Space}
		Sleep 100	; Wait for 100ms - as the key is held for 50ms, then space will be sent once every 150ms.
	}
	return

[evilC]

Oh, just noticed this requirement:

When pressed and released, it should function normally. When held down, it should repeat at 150 ms

This is not as simple as it sounds.
When the button goes down, AHK cannot look in the future to know if you will keep holding the button.
So @ 150ms, what does it do?

The way this is generally solved:
When the button is pressed, do nothing. If the button is still held after <timeout>, then assume hold.
If the button is released before <timeout>, then that was a press - so the output gets pressed *at this point* for a tap.