XAG 107: Input

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Goal

Ensure a player can operate the gaming interface through input mechanisms of their choice.

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Overview

Games often assume certain physical abilities — rapid button mashing, holding triggers for seconds, precise mouse aim, two-stick control. Any of those can exclude a player who can’t meet the physical demand. It’s fine to offer a primary input for your game. It’s not fine to require it. Always provide alternate inputs with equivalent functionality.

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Scoping questions

Wherever the game requires analog input (mouse, stick, trigger), also offer single-press digital equivalents.

• Menu navigation — what inputs are required (mouse, keyboard, D-pad, stick)?
• Character movement — does it require analog?
• Analog triggers — does it require them (racing acceleration, etc.)?
• Are there places where a player must press buttons quickly or hold for 2–3+ seconds?

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Beyond remapping

Remapping alone doesn’t remove every input barrier. Consider:

• Speed. Rapid attack windows are hard for players using switch mounts on head, arm, or leg. Allow game-speed reduction.
• Complexity. Multi-button combos and rapid sequences require memory and coordination. Allow remappable actions, not just controls (e.g. pick up item remapped to X, instead of remapping A + B).
• Duration. Long holds cause fatigue. Provide toggles / auto-holds (auto-jump, auto-fire, auto-sprint).

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Implementation guidelines

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Navigation

• All UIs (menu and in-game) support both digital and analog navigation.
• All UIs are navigable using single, non-simultaneous key presses.
• UIs support keyboard-only operation, including start, settings, gameplay, and exit.

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Remapping

• Games provide in-game remapping of all controls, regardless of platform-level remapping.
• Includes analog and digital controls, X- and Y-axis inversion individually per stick, and PC Esc.
• Ideally, actions can be assigned to any input — not just swapped between existing bindings.
• Remapped bindings update hints, tips, tutorials, and controller diagrams.
• Interface components are fully operable with digital input even when the primary is analog.

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Timing and combos

• Avoid rapid multi-press mechanics (QTEs).
• Avoid requiring key/button holds for extended periods.
• Avoid requiring simultaneous button presses.
• Where the above are unavoidable, provide an alternative that is less demanding, or allow the player to bypass or skip that content.

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Gestures and pointer input

• No required multi-point gestures. Any pinch/two-finger gesture has a tap / click / long-press alternative.
• No required path-based gestures (swipes, drag-shapes) — alternatives exist.
• For single-pointer input:
  • Activation happens on the up event, not the down event.
  • Provide a way to cancel before completion.
  • If cancel isn’t possible, provide undo.
  • Exception: essential down-event actions (piano keys, firing a weapon) may activate on down.

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Non-traditional inputs

• Any gameplay-critical input using speech or motion has an alternative digital input.

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Analog sticks and D-pad

• Don’t require two sticks (or stick + D-pad) to complete mechanics.
• If a stick click is used as an input, it must be remappable.
• If D-pad is used for weapon / item selection, it must be remappable or accessible via menu.

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Sensitivity

• Provide in-game sensitivity adjustment for each analog input individually (stick, joystick, trigger, wheel, mouse) with a range of at least ± 50% of the default.

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Mobile input guidelines

A touch target is any defined area on-screen that activates a control upon touch.

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Alternative input types

Offer:

• Standard controllers
• Adaptive controllers
• Physical keyboards
• Mouse
• Platform assistive technologies (switch access, voice input, camera-based head movement)

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Mobile-native accessibility

• Switch control support so players using head/arm/leg-mounted switches can scan and select.
• Voice control support so players can activate on-screen inputs by voice.

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Orientation

• Support both portrait and landscape. Players with mounted devices may be locked to one orientation.

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Customization

• Allow adjusting size, spacing, and position of all touch targets.
• Provide a range of pre-set layout options (e.g. Combat Pro, Builder Pro).

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Default touch target sizing

Scale linearly as DPI increases. Space targets widely enough to prevent accidental activation, ideally with a buffer of inactive screen around each.

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Cancel and correction

• Allow Short Press and Drag to cancel a button press.
• Provide an Undo button for reversible actions.
• Let players release a held object by pulling it outside the playable area.

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Sensitivity and simplification

• Allow tuning of swipe sensitivity, camera zoom, etc.
• Offer simplified control schemes / options that reduce the number of touch controls (auto pick up, auto fire, one-tap fire modes).

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Avoid / provide alternatives for

• Prolonged touch holds
• Dragging / swiping
• Rapid taps
• Multi-point gestures
• Multi-finger simultaneous presses
• Speech input
• Gyroscopic tilt / shake

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Timing

• Control activation happens on touch-end (finger lift) or mouse-up, not down.

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Text input

• Support speech-to-text / dictation in text-input fields and text chat.

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Customization accessibility

• The customization UI itself is fully accessible — resizing, moving, re-assigning, and selecting layouts.

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Potential player impact

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Resources

• Ensure key actions can be carried out by digital controls
• Include an option to adjust sensitivity of controls
• Avoid requiring multiple simultaneous actions
• Avoid repeated inputs
• Avoid / provide alternatives to requiring buttons to be held down
• Provide a macro system
• Simple control schemes compatible with switch / eye-tracking
• Do not rely on motion tracking of specific body types
• Use Switch Control on iOS