Ask X3F: DRM Doldrums Edition

I have a similar issue with one of my controllers. It's about a year old, and has seen a lot of use. I've only just noticed it with GRID, where it seems like I've always got my foot *slighty* on the gas - I'll rev up to the redline while on the starting grid without touching it.

That said, it doesn't affect me at all - I think that for most games, the off-center-ness is still within the stick's deadzone, so it's not been an issue so far. If it becomes an issue, I'll switch over to using my second controller, and relegate the primary one to secondary.

With regards to the left leaning analog stick problem:
I have the same exact issue with one of my first 360 controllers. My guess is the first generation of game pads are all susceptible to this type of occurrence. I later got a newer, black controller and after many hours/days of game play it has worked great. I have no real fix for this problem but at least you know it’s not just you.

Wow, i thought it was just me with the controllers, hey, not for nothing, but could you guys do a quick record of teh ask x3f read, sometimes i think i would rather hear it on the car stereo. I think it would be a great addition. Just a thought

Controllers sticking left - I bought a brand new Elite, and the wireless black controller had this problem out of the box.

I phoned MS customer support who agreed to replace it. I shipped it back but they don't cross ship so I had to use my spare controller in the meantime (no more gaming with my wife), and then got a wired white replacement. I called and complained again, and they sent out a proper replacement which works fine, and let me keep the wired one for my "troubles".

Two of my controller's analog sticks also suffer this issue. Both were fine at launch, both are stored with nothing touching the sticks, so it is general wear.

It isn't too bad, unlike my D-Pads that don't work at all.

omg I have the exact same problem, only happens in GTA IV Niko starts going in circles imitating Zoolander

"If you're honestly not torquing your sticks too hard*
*That wasn't supposed to sound dirty ...."

LOL ooohh but it did, I'll take the advice

I haven't had any problems with my 7 controllers. But older controllers usually do have problems with the joysticks. I know I have had my joysticks messed up after 2-3 years on some of my old controllers like N64, PS2, Dreamcast, etc. I also had it happen to an original Xbox controller. My 360 controllers have been fine though, but I imagine some of them will get a little bad in another year or more, especially with how much they are used (a lot).

I would recommend opening the controller up (torx bit, you can google search how to do it) and at least cleaning the joystick ball. Maybe you can even try to adjust it slightly back to normal. Worth a try if the controller is really bothering you.

I'll throw my name on the pile of people with a "slight left drift" on the left stick. You really notice it with things that try to do digital directions -- it drove me nuts when I was trying out Sudoku, as I'd bump the stick left to move one square, and it'd slide over three or four until I gave it a tap to the right to recenter it. >:(

I have the same problem with controllers. My original console had the problem. My replacment elite also had it + the 2 spares I bought. I have since replaced 2 controlers with the buy return trick at retail and those have also been under the influence. Once more from a warranty exchange and still an issue. Thats a total of 8 controllers all from me which have the issue.

The problem is with ALL 360 controlers. Even those still in production. The problem occurs right out of the package, and worsens over time. The reason their has not been widespread complaints is because most players dont notice it or have it effect them. This is because it only occurs on games with low deadzone threasholds. This means with 99% of games, you wont notice it until you have played a good 500+ hours with the controler, and even then only on the more sensitive games.

IF you really want to experience the problem, go play a game thats ultra sensitive to movement. The best game for this is on XBLA - Marble blast ultra. Go download the demo. Now make a marble movement to the left, and release your thumb from the stick so the stick naturally flicks back to center. The marble or screen will be moving left ever so slightly. More-so the worse off your controller is. If you move the stick manually back to the center or tap it a bit after its stuck, there wont be a problem.

Me theory as to why this happens is because of our thumbs poistioning on the left stick. Notice how your thumb is curved when resting on the stick, and its higher in position then the other right stick. This cause more preasure to be put on the left side of the stick when stick clicking and moving fast. So over time it effects the controller.

I think the problem could be fixed in a hardware change internally with perhaps better parts for the left stick. I dont see that happening tho as no1 seems to complain about this problem. My complaints in the past have been met with name calling and accusations of being a troll. Im glad to see this that others are noticing the problem too. Its been my only complaint with the 360 controller from launch (oh and the dpad)

It didn't sound dirty until you mentioned it.

same problem, except both my sticks pull to the left, the left stick more-so than the right though.

I'm a pepper... on a left-leaning stick.

I'd like to chime in on the DRM issues...

It took me 7 months to get my licenses onto my new console.

I find this new "tool" is not going to be on the users side but on MS side.

Even if it will be easier for MS to re-license a console it will still be within their margins of repaired by MS or a warantee replacement.

People like myself who had RROD got a replacement console and then "upgraded" so to speak [I bought the Halo 3 Edition Console the day it came out] will still be out of luck.

It took me 60+ hours on the phone 27+ support tickets and escalating 18 times to get them to re-license my console.

I feel like the DRM will still be broken in this manner and the user will feel no effect save for the time it takes for them to actually re-license. They will still have to investigate like they do every single case.

Do not expect this to be an instant solution I feel like it will be far from an overall solution.

Sign my name on the analog stick problem as well. My wired controller is now so messed up I can no longer use it. Not only does the left analog stick drift to the left, both LT and RT get stuck. What I mean by this is not that the button gets physically stuck down, but sometimes when I press and release the triggers it will "half-press" it as fast as a turbo controller. This only affects games that are sensitive enough to detect those half-presses but it renders those games unplayable. I had to buy a Quick Charge Kit so I could use my wireless controller exclusively without eating through batteries. So far it has worked without a hitch but it's a pain to buy a new controller. MS needs to ensure that new controllers will not have this problem, although judging by the previous posts this does not seem to be the case.

You can add me to the list of people with left analog stick problems. My COD4 controller sticks in the forward position, and the left "click" doesn't always work. That's why it's my COD controller, I must jam on it a lot when running. I've replaced it once.

yah my controller has the same problem .. its less than a year old... really noticed it in gta

just to be different, my brand new elite controller's right stick sometimes sticks in the up direction. noticed it when playnig skate and kept doing nose manuals without touching the stick.

I'm sorry to hear you had this with a new controller, that sucks, that does sound like a hardware fault in that case for sure!

This is in my experience a pretty common issue with controllers that have seen some use, especially on the first xbox. If you're having this issue, there's a simple solution that generally works for me:

Jiggle the affected thumbstick as quickly as you can in as many different directions as possible... generally 10-15 seconds of this seems to solve the problem for me at least.

It's my understanding that the upcoming S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game is a prequel, not a sequel as I originally thought. Either one would be fine with me but GSC Gameworld needs to get moving. I can't imagine what else they'd be working on for the 360.

I have this problem also, but i rarely notice it for the most part.

Happend to me a couple of times in Halo and GTAIV

I'm having the left stick issue as well. Interestingly it only occurs on my white wireless gamepad, my wired one has no such issue. I have a couple of games that are affected by it. Quake Wars, Arkadian Warriors, Ace Combat. I phoned Customer Support about this and got a new controller, but out of the box it had the same issue. I'm loath to shell out 40€ AGAIN, so I'm trying to get by.

OK, so do I win the award for most awesome question ever asked here? It seems everyone here has the problem.

Regarding the controller issue, I think this is helpful in maybe addressing the issue most people thought they were alone in and forwarding to MS so that it is not an "isolated incident."

Keep the responses coming so they can't just ignore us.