how do analog sticks avoid counting “snapping back” as an input?

Question

When you let go of an analog stick it snaps back to the center, how is this not counted as an input? Is this an hardware or a software thing?

In: Technology

Answer 1

Analogs typically have 2 potentiometers, 1 for up and down, 1 for left and right. Being in the middle should be a 0 value for both. Moving it up will raise the value, like windows joystick panel shows up to a value of 128. Pressing down gives a value of -128. Right would be up to 128 on the other potentiometer and left would be -128.
It’s up to game devs stuff like walking will be 0-80 and 81-128 would be running, etc. So pressing right all the way would be 128 and you letting go will snap it back to center which should be 0. Now potentiometers often dont really rest at 0. It may sit at 5, -6 let’s say. So devs have to decide something like any value between -10 to 10 will be considered 0. This is where stick drift comes in. Over time let’s say the sensors get looser and you’re center is now -11 on the left/ right potentiometer. Now you will walk left when you let go.

Side note arcade sticks are typically digital so no varying values like in an analog stick. So a super tight spring can potentially cause 2 inputs. Holding right and letting go quickly may make it snap left for a moment and trigger an unwanted input.