I did take my old wired XBOX 360 controller apart and cleaned it according to a manual as left and right triggger buttons would be seen as the same button being pressed on my freshly installed Windows 11 on my new PC and also joysticks with force feedback no longer worked.
It appears, to be still not working in certain games, while it does work perfectly in other games like Star Wars Outlaws and others like RDR I and II, etc.
It also worked when I still used the controller on my previous PC which was based of a Windows 8 installation upgraded to 8.1. then to 10, then finally to 11.
And here is the catch I found:
If it was a hardware fault, it would not explain why it did work on my old PC and then suddenly stopped when I used it for my new PC.
I dug into the topic a bit deeper and found the following facts and references:
-For Windows XP, 7.1. and 8.0, Microsoft released a separated “XBOX Controller Accessories” program with driver package.
This driver and package has been discontinued with the release of Windows 10 and a driver was provided using Windows Update.
The way how Left Trigger and Right Trigger changed depending on driver used and method used by the game.
Here you can read more: It has to do with DirectInput vs XInput, more about this can be read here: XInput Plus v4.15.2.90 – Tools – PCGamingWiki PCGW Community
By Coincidence, this is also the download page by a tool that is supposed to bridge communication to the old method so the new Win10/11 drivers from Windows Update still work.
I was also able to pin down the issue vs games that work and games that don’t:
Games which do not work, detect the LT and RT as the exact same button
The method the Win10/11 drivers do it, LT and RT are on the same axis, but separated by certain values.
While with the method the Win XP / 7 and 8.0 drivers do it, LT and RT are separated sliders.
I also re-installed the 3rd tester app from the Windows store showing the problem via “classic testing method” vs “new testing method”.
I will make a OBS screencast of this so you can see it:
What you can see: New Interface: LT = 87%, RT = 12%
Old Interface: Both Triggers misdetected as Left Triggers, Right Trigger input not detected.
Games I could verify the wrong behaviour:
-Split/Second: if I press LT fully down, car drives reverse. If I press RT half way down, car also drives reverse. (car is supposed to accelerate forward instead).
-ReMatch: In the Prologe: LT pressed down: player tackles, RT half way down also tackles (player is supposed to shoot instead)
The issue is also discussed as early as 2011 in the Unity Forums as of here:
Xbox Controller LT+RT at same time – Unity Engine – Unity Discussions
So the next steps to verify this is:
1) Either installing Xinput Plus on this new PC with a rather fresh Win 11 install
or
2) Fire up my old PC, use the free too DriverMax and backing up the old Win8 driver from this system and try to inject it into the Windows 11 installation of my new PC as possible.
The fact that RT works correctly in some games like Star Wars Outlaws rules out a hardware failure in my book. Especially since pressing 50% on games where RT do not work suddenly is detected as LT, backs this up.
Additionally, this appears also to be the reason, why force feedback joysticks no longer work, force feedback appears to be no longer part of XInput.
TL;DR:
in summary, Microsoft switched with Windows 10 and newer DirectX releases from the old method “DirectInput” to the never method XInput.
XInput is not supported by XBOX360 controller and older.
While DirectInput is not supported by Windows 10 and Windows 11 anymore.
So you will not want to go through that headache.
And tools that inject a transition layer into games like “XInput Plus ” are often seen as cheat software because of the injection method. Which would result in our players getting VAC banned on Steam. etc.
We never should go down this road, it is a sure desaster.