Controller issues with PS2 Emulator

[highQualityBread]

I have been playing Maken Shao on the PCSX2 emulator (via Emudeck on Steam Deck) and I am having an issue with my PS4 controller (which is connected via USB). When I am playing, sometimes the game will stutter and my controller will disconnect for a while. This increases in frequency as I continue playing, reaching to a point where it is frustratingly difficult to do even basic things. I don't know why this is happening as I have played other things on Steam Deck with the controller and they have not had this issue.

 

[RETRO-VETRO RETRO-VETRO]

That sounds super frustrating, especially when the game starts getting good and your controller bails on you. A few things you might want to check:

• Power draw issues: The PS4 controller via USB can sometimes draw more power than expected, especially during intense gameplay. Try using a powered USB hub or switching to Bluetooth to see if it stabilizes.
• Background processes: Emudeck and PCSX2 can be sensitive to system load. Make sure nothing heavy is running in the background that could cause stuttering or USB dropouts.
• PCSX2 input settings: Double-check your controller config in PCSX2. Sometimes the input plugin or polling rate can cause weird behavior, especially if it's set to something like 'DirectInput' instead of 'XInput'.
• Steam Deck performance mode: If you're running in a lower power mode, try switching to Performance or Balanced. It might help with the stuttering and controller stability.

Also, maybe test the controller with another emulator on Emudeck just to rule out if it’s a PCSX2-specific issue. Tell me if that works, if it doesn't I'll try to help you through it.

 

[sadasa]

It may be that the USB cable does not have the capacity to handle the power and/or data from the controller, a fault in the USB cable, a fault in the controller's overpower protection system, or a problem with the USB connector on the controller/PC, or both.

 

[RETRO-VETRO RETRO-VETRO]

It may be that the USB cable does not have the capacity to handle the power and/or data from the controller, a fault in the USB cable, a fault in the controller's overpower protection system, or a problem with the USB connector on the controller/PC, or both.

Consider testing with a different USB cable, as faulty or low-quality cables can cause intermittent connection issues.

 

[highQualityBread]

I went to go double-check how other games worked with the controller on the Steam Deck. I checked Maken Shao again and it still had the issue. The issue persisted a bit to the Steam Deck menus, and the controller seemed to disconnect briefly whenever I closed some games. I checked the other PS2 game I had (KOF Maximum Impact Regulation A) and it had next to no connection issues. I played a bit of Deltarune and some of the Dreamcast games and I was able to get the controller to stay connected consistently. I'm not sure how to change the Steam Deck's performance mode.