Controllers and Login

Best Practices

Login Flow

We’ve taken two different approaches across our games, which each have merit: auto-login all platforms that allow it for the player’s convenience (Rogue Company does this) OR require input from the user before logging in regardless of platform for consistency’s sake (Paladins does this). Unfortunately, Microsoft requires that we allow players to change the current user before logging in, so we can’t just auto-login all platforms.

Relevant Cert Requirements: Xbox Change User Before Login

Safe Frame

When playing on Xbox, show a screen that allows players to adjust their safe frame if this is their first login with this particular user. PlayStation has their own way to adjust safe frame for the whole console (not per-game).

Relevant Cert Requirements: Xbox Safe Frame

Controller Disconnect

When the current primary controller is disconnected, show a prompt letting the player know that communication has been lost and accept the next controller that gives any input as the new controller for the logged in user.

Relevant Cert Requirements: PlayStation Controller Disconnect, Xbox Controller Disconnect, Switch Controller Disconnect

Terminology

We’ve built a system to allow for per-platform overrides, particularly with regards to controllers in our Settings system, but we try to use platform agnostic terms whenever possible. For example, Nintendo doesn’t like the word “Tap” and instead prefers “Press”, which Microsoft and Sony are also perfectly okay with.

Additionally, Sony Europe requires “Spanish” to mean Spain’s Spanish, which is where we’ve added support for _Alt versions of text. The main word that’s different between LatAm Spanish and Spain Spanish is “Controller” (“Control” in LatAm versus “Mando” in Spain). Here are some examples from Rogue Company:

Controller Settings Section Title

PS4 (English): DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller
PS4 (LatAm Spanish): Control inalámbrico DUALSHOCK®4
PS4 “Alt” (EU Spanish): Mando inalámbrico DUALSHOCK®4
PS5, XB1, XSX, Switch (English): Controller
PS5, XB1, XSX, Switch (LatAm Spanish): CONTROL INALÁMBRICO
PS5 “Alt” (EU Spanish): Mando

Controller Disconnected Title

PS4 (English): DUALSHOCK®4 Wireless Controller Disconnected
PS4 (LatAm Spanish): Control inalámbrico DUALSHOCK®4 desconectado
PS4 “Alt” (EU Spanish): Mando inalámbrico DUALSHOCK®4 desconectado
PS5, XB1, XSX, Switch, PC (English): Controller Disconnected
PS5, XB1, XSX, Switch, PC (LatAm Spanish): Control inalámbrico desconectado
PS5 “Alt” (EU Spanish): Mando inalámbrico desconectado

Gyro Section Title

PS4, PS5: Motion Sensor
All other platforms: Gyro

Relevant Cert Requirements: PlayStation Controller Terminology, PlayStation Gyro Terminology, Xbox Terminology, Switch Terminology

Cert Requirements

PlayStation

Controller Disconnect: Sony requires the player to be notified that communication with their controller has been lost.

Controller Terminology: For PlayStation 4, the first mention of controller needs to read “DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller”, but every subsequent mention can simply be “Controller”. A controller must never be referred to as a “Gamepad”.

Gyro Terminology: When referencing the gyroscopic functionality for PlayStation products, it must be referred to as “Motion Sensor”.

Xbox

Change User Before Login: Microsoft requires that you allow a player to change their Xbox User associated with the controller prior to logging them into the game.

Safe Frame: Microsoft requires games to allow players to adjust their safe frame setting before landing on the main menu.

Controller Disconnect: Microsoft requires the player to be notified that communication with their controller has been lost and that another controller be seamlessly usable by the logged in user.

Terminology: Microsoft requires that you use their terms or generic terms, never referencing proprietary names for competing hardware/software. For example “Force Feedback” should instead be “Vibration”.

Switch

Controller Disconnect: Nintendo also probably has some rules here, but I can’t remember them for the life of me.

Terminology: Nintendo requires that you use generic terms wherever possible, never referencing proprietary names for competing hardware/software and preferably not using proper names for their hardware/software either.