RetroArch vibration strength preference is not honoured

[gingerbeardman]

Describe the bug

RetroArch vibration strength preference is not honoured

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Start a game with rumble support
2. Witness rumble in a reproducible way
3. Change Settings > Input > Haptic Feedback/Vibration > Vibration Strength to less than 100%
4. Reproduce rumble in game and check whether the intensity of the vibration has changed

Expected behavior

• vibration strength preference should be honoured
• vibration strength/intensity should change accordingly

Screenshots
n/a

EmuELEC version:

• Version 4.5 stable

Device (please complete the following information):

• SOC: RK3326
• Brand: GameForce
• Model: Chi
• Version: beige

Additional context

i just got rumble to work in the PS1 game I'm playing by editing the libretro-database .dat files, generating updated .rdb files and copying them onto my Chi libretro/libretro-database#64 (comment)
Default rumble in RA on Chi is fierce! I thought it could be changed at Settings > Input > Haptic Feedback/Vibration > Vibration Strength but it makes no difference

[Langerz82]

You might want to raise this with retroarch as it is an input setting in retroarch that is not working.
see:
https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/issues?q=is%3Aissue+vibration

[gingerbeardman]

You might want to raise this with retroarch as it is an input setting in retroarch that is not working.
see:
https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/issues?q=is%3Aissue+vibration

I'm sorry @Langerz82 can you clarify what you mean?

The link you posted takes me to a multitude of seemingly unrelated issues.

How did you come to the conclusion that it's the RetroArch setting that is broken?

[Langerz82]

Sorry I should have been more specific. It's an issue within retroarch that the vibration is not turning down right? Retroarch is a package of EmuELEC but it's developers are on the Retroarch github, you should lodge the issue there (as a new issue if one is not present). Retroarch configurations do not persist outside of Retroarch to EmulationStation and the other emulators.

This is the version it's occurring on if you are using EE v4.5:
https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch/tree/7bdcc8bfe179aa0eee2e60858c4d5b806d34445d

[gingerbeardman]

It's an issue within retroarch that the vibration is not turning down right?

This is an assumption. This is what I want you to explain @Langerz82. I feel it's an incorrect assumption, given my experience with similar EmuELEC bugs. (this sort of EmuELEC problem has happened in the past with screen brightness and various other settings)

How do you know it's RetroArch and not EmuELEC not hooking the value of the slider?

[Langerz82]

EmuELEC does not hook into retroarch, it merely pass on settings through config files. I'm a dev of this project I know a bit about it lol. If you dont believe me I dunno what to tell you lol.

edit:
I double checked that the ES controller configs have any rumble setting that affects retroarch controller configs but they don't.

[shantigilbert]

This is an assumption.

Sure, but I already told you we are not sure the motors are PWM or "on/off" A thing you can do is to try another distro, and see if the rumble work as you want there. Lakka is a good choice since its 100% Retroarch.

I feel it's an incorrect assumption, given my experience with similar EmuELEC bugs. (this sort of EmuELEC problem has happened in the past with screen brightness and various other settings)

Can you elaborate? this was a Retroarch issue and it was fixed IN Retroarch, EmuELEC does not control what Retroarch do other than the settings, and AFAIK there are no settings in EmuELEC to affect vibration/rumble.

[gingerbeardman]

Sure, but I already told you we are not sure the motors are PWM or "on/off"

You did. Another uncertainty. I'll try to use another distro soon.

Can you elaborate?

At one time screen brightness set in EmuELEC was not honoured in RetroArch after it booted (was full brightness). Thanks for clarifying it was fixed in RetroArch, not EmuELEC.

It was my (mis)understanding that EmuELEC base Linux OS also governs how RetroArch can interact with the host hardware?

[Langerz82]

Not sure if it's even retroarch as it probably would have been reported by now. I think it might be the driver that connects the physical device to retroarch. If you open in SSH /tmp/joypads and find your controllers config file it should which list input_driver= it uses.

[gingerbeardman]

Here we go, udev

[Langerz82]

You could try manually changing the percentage in /storage/.config/retroarch.cfg to input_rumble_gain = "50". If that does not work I suggest asking GameForce support if they can look into the issue. I looked for alternative input drivers you could use but could not find any for GameForce controls.

You could maybe try and load it with this file no guarantee it will work though, but it's worth a try:
https://gist.github.com/Langerz82/216e3dba45406f41e2dbbce739c858db

[gingerbeardman]

The percentage can be set through RetroArch menu system, the issue is that it is not honoured.