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Xbox will block third-party controllers to "preserve the console experience"

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Re: Xbox will block third-party controllers to "preserve the console experience"

#171

Post by erfgh »

serf wrote: post #74

This is a money grab with the polish of a pro-gamer cheat-cleanup. Why do I say that? Microsoft can fix most of the 'cheats' that a software controller can implement in software. Auto-fire is trivial to detect, as is a KBM setup where it doesn't belong. Out of the ordinary joystick characteristics/speed/hysteresis/range would make it obvious to them which controllers are aftermarket if they cared to disallow them aft…

Anything is trivial to detect as long as the malicious party is not aware that you are detecting it.

Re: Xbox will block third-party controllers to "preserve the console experience"

#172

Post by nirvdrum »

0dayz wrote: post #138
Cthulhu_ wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not every way; you have more control over quality and experience in a closed system. I mean yeah it sucks, but so does spending money on a controller that isn't good enough. edit: I'm reading somewhere else it's to stop cheat enabled controllers. Wouldn't want to play multiplayer games if someone has an unfair advantage like that.

If this was true then Microsoft could've made it so that you gave to have a certified controller.

Isn’t that what they’re doing with this change in policy?

Re: Xbox will block third-party controllers to "preserve the console experience"

#174

Post by COGlory »

shkkmo wrote: post #144
izacus wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's not true? That games block open hardware with excuse of cheating prevention just like Microsoft blocks other hardware with same excuse on Xbox? That's trivially verifiable. For end user it makes no different whether it's a side effect or not.

If it is "trivially verifiable" then you should be able to provide examples. Some anti cheat tools, such as "Easy Anti Cheat" are supported on Steam Deck, some are not supported yet. Perhaps some will never be supported. AFAIK these later categories are generally due to anti cheat hooking into low level windows functionality that Proton doesn't support. You could argue this is "blocking open software" but that would…

There are games that will ban your account if they detect Proton. Destiny 2 comes to mind.

Re: Xbox will block third-party controllers to "preserve the console experience"

#175

Post by katbyte »

mathieuh wrote: post #165
solardev wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OK, maybe I'm biased here as a PC gamer who frequently uses a controller... but why not just allow both? Some games like Gears of War on Xbox already do this. Others, like Fortnite, offer crossplay and just show a symbol over each player's head. Do mouse and keyboard players have an advantage? Sure. So do players with bigger TVs or Series X graphics or less worn controllers or the Elite controller. Big deal? The PC e…

Problem is a lot of games give controllers aim-assist, and using one of these devices means the game still sees your input device as a controller so you get that aim-assist but you also get the benefits of using a mouse.

Real problem here seems to be games doing aim assist in multiplayer

Re: Xbox will block third-party controllers to "preserve the console experience"

#176

Post by katbyte »

qalmakka wrote: post #80

> players have been encountering error “0x82d60002” OT: Microsoft should be banned by decree from showing naked error codes to people, I've been fighting them for decades now

No, error codes are far better then “something went wrong” as you can at least google them

Re: Xbox will block third-party controllers to "preserve the console experience"

#177

Post by Zambyte »

kibwen wrote: post #161
orf wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s always fun to see that viewpoint run face-first into real life, as it inevitably and immediately devolves into a cesspool of cheating that either drives everyone off the platform or loops back around to being forced to run anti-cheat software you don’t have power over. These vapid comments about freedom And abstract notions of ownership always strike me as naively and comically libertarian

"Won't someone please think of the children^W cheaters?" This argument is preposterous. If you want to solve multiplayer game cheating, there's no solution other than to make your game fully server-based and stream a video feed to the client. Meanwhile, these draconian anti-multiplayer-cheating methods obliterate single-player-game freedoms by removing all potential for modding, which is the only good thing about the…

There is also the solution of running "competitive" games in person, and providing equipment to play on.

Re: Xbox will block third-party controllers to "preserve the console experience"

#178

Post by twodave »

smcl wrote: post #151
numpad0 wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Using unauthorised accessories compromises your gaming experience. For this reason, the unauthorised accessory will be blocked from use on 11/12/2023,” read the pop-up on the console. It then advised the player to return the product to the store or talk to the manufacturer. It seems the proper wording is displayed along the code, though, just the article elaborates later. If you think the existence of such code itse…

Interesting how they render the date, there will be players in the UK who will see that and think they can use their controllers until the 11th of December. I don't know why they didn't just use "12th of November, 2023"

That assumes it renders the same in all locales. Most likely it doesn’t.

Re: Xbox will block third-party controllers to "preserve the console experience"

#179

Post by papruapap »

anonymousab wrote: post #66
jack1243star wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> How hard is it really to have two queues based on your input type? Basically impossible. Some players will always try to spoof it, either for an advantage or the challenge.

Isn't the problem de facto solved by matchmaking? The player that aims better will quickly win more and be elevated to the level of opponents on par with them. From the perspective of the player that loses to them, it's no different than losing to a regular player who aimed really well; you're quickly separated from them in the queue. This wouldn't apply to games with only a few hundred active players but I think mos…

Problem is that console gamers are by default cheaters on FPS since all of them have aim-assist. If I were a competitive player I would be pissed off if a console player is higher in the ranking because of it.

Re: Xbox will block third-party controllers to "preserve the console experience"

#180

Post by katbyte »

harry8 wrote: post #13
0x500x79 wrote: post #7

I think that this is a response to the rising usage of the Cronus and/or other controller modification tools that give players advantages (cheats). For example one of these "Mods" for Cronus state that they are: a dynamic, fully-automated Anti-Recoil system that transforms your in-game character into a laser-guided juggernaut we've affectionately dubbed as [BEAM] Battling cheaters in video games is a never-ending cha…

They've gone into every xbox owner's house and destroyed their property with prejudice. 3rd party controllers, all of them, including all never used to cheat become non-functional and worthless. At that point I don't give a flying fig what excuse they are using. Neither should the law when it comes to wanton destruction of property. Property rights are a thing!

The time to do this was at the start of the generation or the next not mid way when people had invested in hardware. I think Sony already did this with the ps5, but from the get go so it’s fine

It’s just poor planning punishing xbox owners creating a ton of e waste

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