They was updating the installer now, but i can still not smile because apparently the gamepad functionality is broken now... my gamepad does not work anymore. On Version 5.0.1 the pad was working, on 5.2.4 it stopped working now... checked all the config... nothing to be found, it is simply becoming broken. I was going back to Version 5.0.1 now and the pad works again.
Dunno what they was screwing up but the pad was surely never important to them.
Perhaps they are using the Steam gamepad interface now, so their game "natively" becomes broken yet... i do NOT recommend to totally attach a game to a platform because this is exactly "how DRM works".
No clue... all i can finally say... it is broken for me.
Most likely on the dev process, they do not touch the pad one single time and it may not even become noticed to the devs, lot of guessing, i will simply have to report the issue.
Checking out the differences between the versions: They indeed made a major "overhaul" on the input-section of the menu, as mouse-kb/pad is separated now... but yes, unfortunately it became broken, at least for those not using Steam. Steam probably is "fixing" the missing input-overlay (it should not have a foreign overlay at all... ).
I got only one game with comparable issues: "Viking, Wolves of Midgard". This game was probably never intended for gamepad use, yet it still is supporting it in a raw condition. However... i have to use "Legacy-mode" , because the advanced pad-functionality is not working at all. It will as well not work with any non-dedicaded (IGPU, APU) GPU... one of the few games being hostile to non dedicated GPUs (verified, as on my Notebook this game fails to run). Most PC gamers may not notice those issues as with a chance of 99% play it on a standard PC monitor, with KB/mouse and a usually rather old or mid range (at best) peformance dedicated GPU.
Not including games simply not made to support a pad at all... for example Civilization, as those games works only with KB/mouse. Still not a absolute thing because there are indeed versions of this game (PSX, Xbox, PS5) that are supporting a pad, just not on PC.
Ah yes, i play on my couch... even while using a PC... not typical for a PC gamer but it works for most games... even on a KB/mouse game... although in most cases i do prefer using a gamepad. A good mouse is tracking that well... it even works on a rough surface... no need for a mouse-pad... those days are over for many years already.
Besides: I use a cheap (but good... passed my tests for a long time, a pad does not need to be super expensive°°) Nacon GC-100, it got a switch between Direct Input (the advanced interface) and the legacy "XInput"... although the game only currently works using the legacy interface (X-input) which means it got reduced functionalities. The legacy is almost never required anymore, just if a game (or pad emulator... although i do not use them) is extremely old and barely supporting any pad at all. Or if a game in general barely can handle to use a pad because it may depend on another interface. °°Yes i use some "fancy pads" on the PS5 Pro, so i know its experience, but i do not really need it for enjoying a game.
From the "space shooters" i own, which are 10+, SpaceBourne 2 is actually the only one with those issues. Underspace, as well in development, lacks any initial pad support but it can be remapped and the remapping works... it has been tested. Freespace 2 as a true classic never had any initial pad support because at that time a single Joystick "was the way to go"... although by using a updated engine the pad works properly for a long time already. There was a fatal flaw with the newest engine, but it has been fixed now:
https://www.gog.com/forum/freespace_series/freespace_2_how_to_play_freespace_2_with_newest_mod_manager_and_fso However... albeit SpaceBourne 2 is considered "Early Access", i do consider it "Alpha" as there are so many bugs and issues, it will need years of fixing for getting to a "proper condition"; according to my feelings (and testing). Despite that critical prognosis... i think this game got huge potential, if they do lot of work.
Underspace is in my mind "a step further ahead"... more close to become matured.
