Do gamepads always deteriorate from extended disuse and is there anything to be done about it?

[BACK]
Do gamepads always deteriorate from extended disuse and is there anything to be done about it?
Posted On: May 15, 2023

I've owned two USB gamepads for PC now. The first was some noname pad I got really cheap in a supermarket. The second was (and is) Logitech Rumblepad 2. In both cases I've had the same problem: When I first bought the gamepad I played with it and for a while all was well. Then I moved on to other games and the gamepad was put away in a drawer. After a year or two I came again upon a game which played better on the gamepad. But now the joysticks seem to have heavily deteriorated. They are wildly inaccurate and sometimes even jump around randomly without any action from myself. Calibration makes things a bit better, but it can do only so much to compensate, and the end result is still unsatisfactory.


Is this inevitable? Are gamepads supposed to be changed every two years? Or perhaps I should have stored them in some special way? Is there anything that can be done now perhaps?


Question from user Vilx- at gaming.stackexchange.com.


Answer:

I'm answering my own question 13 years later! Necromancy badge, here I come!.


But it's for a good reason - during this time I've gotten older and wiser and now know what was actually going on.


The thing is - most (but not all, see below) game controllers use a slider potentiometer (or something similar) to measure where a joystick is. That's a small piece of a metal rail and a contact that slides along it. The metal is chosen so that it has a fairly high resistance, so when you change the point where the contact touches it, the resistance of the whole circuit noticeably changes, and that can be measured.


The problem is - when you don't use the joystick for a while, the rail tends to slowly oxidize. And oxide wreaks havoc with resistance measurements, since it has a very high resistance of its own.


Fortunately there is a simple solution - just move the joysticks around for a bit. This will rub off the thin oxide layer and restore normal operation. That Logitech Rumblepad 2 is still alive and kicking even today without any issues!.


Now, there are alternatives. Just recently I got a fancy controller for my birthday that uses contactless magnetic sensors. Theoretically the joysticks should last forever with ideal precision. Will see how that works out.


Answer from user Vilx- at gaming.stackexchange.com.



[BACK]
Do gamepads always deteriorate from extended disuse and is there anything to be done about it?
Posted On: May 15, 2023

I've owned two USB gamepads for PC now. The first was some noname pad I got really cheap in a supermarket. The second was (and is) Logitech Rumblepad 2. In both cases I've had the same problem: When I first bought the gamepad I played with it and for a while all was well. Then I moved on to other games and the gamepad was put away in a drawer. After a year or two I came again upon a game which played better on the gamepad. But now the joysticks seem to have heavily deteriorated. They are wildly inaccurate and sometimes even jump around randomly without any action from myself. Calibration makes things a bit better, but it can do only so much to compensate, and the end result is still unsatisfactory.


Is this inevitable? Are gamepads supposed to be changed every two years? Or perhaps I should have stored them in some special way? Is there anything that can be done now perhaps?


Question from user Vilx- at gaming.stackexchange.com.


Answer:

I'm answering my own question 13 years later! Necromancy badge, here I come!.


But it's for a good reason - during this time I've gotten older and wiser and now know what was actually going on.


The thing is - most (but not all, see below) game controllers use a slider potentiometer (or something similar) to measure where a joystick is. That's a small piece of a metal rail and a contact that slides along it. The metal is chosen so that it has a fairly high resistance, so when you change the point where the contact touches it, the resistance of the whole circuit noticeably changes, and that can be measured.


The problem is - when you don't use the joystick for a while, the rail tends to slowly oxidize. And oxide wreaks havoc with resistance measurements, since it has a very high resistance of its own.


Fortunately there is a simple solution - just move the joysticks around for a bit. This will rub off the thin oxide layer and restore normal operation. That Logitech Rumblepad 2 is still alive and kicking even today without any issues!.


Now, there are alternatives. Just recently I got a fancy controller for my birthday that uses contactless magnetic sensors. Theoretically the joysticks should last forever with ideal precision. Will see how that works out.


Answer from user Vilx- at gaming.stackexchange.com.



[BACK]

What is CP in PokemonGo? What is CP in PokemonGo?

Posted On: April 24, 2023
Pokémon have a statistic called CP. What does it do, and why is it relevant? Is it a substitute for the nonexistent levels and statistics, or is it something completely different? Questio...[More]


How do I unlock scenes in Star Wars Tiny Death Star? How do I unlock scenes in Star Wars Tiny Death Star?

Posted On: April 21, 2023
Are scenes only unlocked from bitizens with a "?", or any bitizen may trigger them? Because I'm at level 25, and I don't remember the bitizen that triggered my only scene. Ques...[More]


Is it impossible to be a certain rank, say, Gold 3, without having won or drawn against an opposing team where at least 1 player was at least Gold 2? Is it impossible to be a certain rank, say, Gold 3, without having won or drawn against an opposing team where at least 1 player was at least Gold 2?

Posted On: January 26, 2023
Note 1: I think this question is the same for csgo or valorant, but if you want I can double ask this question, 1 for each game. It'll have the same answers anyway I believe. Up to you. To avoid such ...[More]


Is there a minecraft command to become immune to damage? Is there a minecraft command to become immune to damage?

Posted On: July 4, 2023
Is there any minecraft command to become completely immune to damage? Question from user Pika Supports Ukraine at stackexchange. Answer: This command will make you invulnerable to most types ...[More]


Is it possible to do The Pitt without a slave outfit in Fallout 3? Is it possible to do The Pitt without a slave outfit in Fallout 3?

Posted On: June 19, 2023
I found the slave camp before I found The Pitt guy. I killed the slavers, freed the slaves, talked to The Pitt guy and didn't choose the right dialog options. Then went back to Megaton to do a who...[More]


Where can I find a Mercenary Guild envoy? Where can I find a Mercenary Guild envoy?

Posted On: April 22, 2024
I'm exploring the new space station's layout (after some recent updates), but I was only able to find a Merchants Guild envoy.Where are Mercenary Guild envoys located? I have a few pirate transponders...[More]


What kind of DLC do you wish for for Hogwarts legacy? What kind of DLC do you wish for for Hogwarts legacy?

Posted On: August 25, 2023
These are the DLC I wish to see for Hogwarts legacy (yes, DLC, I do not want another game with a new character, I dont want to spend hours on learning basic spells, I want to expand on the world I alr...[More]


Is there a way to easily spot unopened chests in Genshin Impact? Is there a way to easily spot unopened chests in Genshin Impact?

Posted On: February 20, 2023
I was looking at the Genshin Impact trophies I had left, and most of them are 'Open 100, 200, 300, 400 chests in the Area'. I did not note which chests I did or not open; so having a map th...[More]


Is it possible to change powers without pausing in MegaMan Legacy? Is it possible to change powers without pausing in MegaMan Legacy?

Posted On: February 26, 2023
Is it possible to cycle through Megaman's powers without pausing the game in MegaMan Legacy Collection? Question from user Ryre at gaming.stackexchange.com. Answer: Unfortunately this is ...[More]


I beg your pardon? I beg your pardon?

Posted On: August 30, 2025
She just,,,,teleported back up?? It didn't say she used her special ability, homegirl just changed her mind.Question from user Unique_Interview_193 at BaldursGate3 at reddit.com.Answer:They added thin...[More]