BeetlePSX: analogue controls perform differently than on hardware?

I’ve been playing a bunch of PS1 games through emulation using the BeetlePSX core, and with Touge MAX G, I completed Gymkhana mode but there was always this niggling feeling that something wasn’t quite right with the handling. Not lag, per se, though there was a little of that… but more sensitivity of the analog stick.

It varies wildly between my DualShock 2 (quite slow response) and my PS1 Analog controller (very rapid reponse) being sure to set input type to the correct type of controller.

It’s even the case with the neGcon - indeed one of the in-game controller setup screens for neGcon is where I noticed something was not quite right.

If I had to guess I would say that the response curve (eg. linear, cubic, quadratic, sinusoidal, etc) is wrong. But I don’t really know for sure.

What I’ve tried:

  • polling behaviour: early/mid/late
  • analog deadzone:
  • analog sensitivity:
  • neGcon twist response: (BeetlePSX core option, applies to neGcon only)

What I’ve seen:

  • Touge MAX G plays a little odd but I could cope; completed Gymkhana mode.
  • Touge MAX and Touge MAX 2 are so twitchy they’re unplayable, even with my “less sensitive” DualShock 2.
  • Runbabout 2 I found a tiny bit odd but could cope; completed Story mode.

Real Hardware

  • comparing Beetle to running on real hardware (PS1 game disc in PS2) the difference is night and day. Real hardware is understandably perfect and Beetle is off in a way that I can’t quite understand or put my finger on.

What I need to try:

  • compare other PS1 cores/emulators
  • some PS1/PS2 controller debug homebrew

I am using a USB adapter and putting controllers into Analog mode before configuring buttons.

Does this sound familiar to anybody?

Am I missing a specific RetroArch setting? Do I need a different USB adaptor? Should I use a different controller?

Q: why don’t the controls exhibit the same behaviour in BeetlePSX as they do on original hardware?