[Issue]: Device Motion Sensors X-Axis inverted

[DeWir3]

Describe the bug

When using the "Emulate gamepad motion sensor support" option to use the device's built-in motion sensors for gyro controls, the X-Axis for "roll" motions is inverted (tilting the device to the left moves the camera to the right and vice versa). "Yaw" motions, as well as the Y-Axis work correctly however. I have been able to reproduce this issue in two games with three different devices, so I assume it is a general problem. When using a controller directly connected to the PC, the "roll" motion works correctly in both games.

Devices tested: AYN Odin 2 Portal, Retroid Pocket 5, Anbernic RG Slide

Games tested: Horizon Zero Dawn Remasted (native motion controls), Control (emulated Mouse controls through Steam Input)

When using Steam Input, the X-Axis can be inverted to make the "roll" motion work correctly. However, this in turn inverts the "yaw" motion.

NOTE: I am using Sunshine for the server-side on my PC because I am running Linux (nobara).

Steps to reproduce

• enable "Emulate gamepad motion sensor support"
• enable gyro/motion controls in game or Steam Input
• use "roll" motion to look from side to side

Affected games

No response

Other Moonlight clients

None

Moonlight adjusted settings

None

Moonlight adjusted settings (please complete the following information)

No response

Moonlight default settings

Yes

Gamepad-related connection issue

Yes

Gamepad-related input issue

Yes

Gamepad-related streaming issue

Yes

Android version

Android 14, Android 13

Device model

AYN Odin 2 Portal, Retroid Pocket 5, Anbernic RG Slide

Server PC OS version

nobara Linux

Server PC GeForce Experience version

No response

Server PC Nvidia GPU driver version

No response

Server PC antivirus and firewall software

No response

Screenshots

No response

Relevant log output

Additional context

The same issue seems to be present in the upstream moonlight-android client. Since development on that one appears to have ceased 2 years ago however, I doubt it will be fixed there.

A possible solution might be to offer settings to invert the axes for motion controls, with separate settings for "roll" and "yaw" if possible.

[ClassicOldSong]

I think your devices happen to all have flipped gyro report, or it's a bug in Sunshine for Linux that emulated gyro in wrong orientation. I've tested on all my devices connecting to Windows host and they're fine.

[DeWir3]

I think your devices happen to all have flipped gyro report, or it's a bug in Sunshine for Linux that emulated gyro in wrong orientation. I've tested on all my devices connecting to Windows host and they're fine.

Thanks for the quick response! I was able to do some more testing to try and further narrow it down.

• I tested it with a Windows PC running Apollo: same behavior -> not an issue specific to Sunshine
• I tested it with a Redmagic Astra tablet and a Fairphone 6: same behavior
• I tested it with a DS4 controller connected to the Redmagic Astra: same behavior

I then decided to do a sanity check and connected that same DS4 controller to the PC directly only to see: same behavior. As I was beginning to question my sanity, I connected a Dualsense controller to the PC to once again observe: same behavior.

Honestly, I am very confused right now, but it seems that what I perceive to be inverted "roll" controls (right side of the controller towards me, left side away -> camera turns left) seems to be the intended direction with standalone controllers (Playstation ones at the very least).
On the Steam Deck however, the device I am using motion controls all the time on, that same movement moves the camera to the right instead (I tested the same two games on the Deck directly). When the display is between your controls, you're basically tilting the display along with the controls as if you're looking to the right, so the camera moves to the right. Doing it the other way around feels very unnatural.

At this point, I suppose my bug report is turning into a feature request instead because there seems to not be one true way of doing this. So the way to solve it in my eyes would be to offer the option to invert "roll" direction as I suggested in the opening post. I assume that having the display between your controls is a pretty common use-case for Artemis, be it on a handheld or on a phone/tablet with a telescopic controller.

I don't know how feasible this feature is but it would be amazing. And I hope all this didn't leave you as confused as it did me.