jstest-gtk Is A Joystick Testing And Configuration Tool For Linux
Joysticks are an essential part of gaming consoles and are also preferred over a keyboard or mouse by gamers. Many joysticks can have compatibility issues that can cause functionality problems. As we already know that many developers have been exploring different ways to manipulate the use of joysticks. An example is Nintendo’s Wiimote. Recently we covered WiiCan which allows using the Wiimote with a Linux based app. This time we have jstest-gtk which is an open source software for Linux users that provides a list of attached joysticks, and displays available options for buttons and axis. It provides a dead-simple way to remap axis and buttons and to calibrate your joystick.
You can use jstest-gtk even if your do not have any joystick related problems as the calibration option lets you get rid of overlarge default deadzones. These are used by many joysticks and are a noticeable problem in some games. Depending on how your pad state the stick must move a certain amount in either the A or B direction before any non-zero values are reported for the joy stick input. As for how sensitive the gamepad deadzone should be, depends on how a user prefers using the joystick. Hence using the calibration option, users can manage their deadzone settings for a smoother game play.
