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DSX game mod support

This optional compatibility listener lets supported DSX game mods on this PC control a physical DualSense or DualSense Edge's adaptive triggers and lights. It is not a replacement for DSX and does not receive audio/PCM haptics.

Setup

  1. In DS4Windows Settings → Integrations → Game mod support (DSX), enable Let game mods control triggers and lights.
  2. Press Start in DS4Windows and connect your DualSense or DualSense Edge.
  3. Set your mod to address 127.0.0.1, port 6969, unless you selected another local endpoint under Connection details.
  4. Check the status below the checkbox. Enabled is a saved preference; Listening means the listener actually started.

Only one app can listen on an address/port. If the port is busy, close the other listener (for example DSX), or choose the same new port in DS4Windows and the mod, then choose Apply / Retry. Only loopback addresses are supported; this is not a network/LAN server and does not require opening firewall ports to other PCs.

Controller indices are zero-based DS4Windows slots. A controller in slot 2 uses index 1, even if it is the only DualSense connected. Other controller types are not listed as supported devices and never silently redirected to slot 1.

What takes priority?

  • Trigger Lab wins on each trigger where it is enabled.
  • A mod can temporarily own one trigger without blocking the other.
  • Mod light/trigger settings are temporary; they do not rewrite your profile.
  • ResetToUserSettings, disabling this option, stopping DS4Windows, or retiring the physical controller releases that session's overrides.
  • Reset restores the current underlying game/profile state. It must not require a new game packet to stop an old mod effect.

Closing a mod does not itself send a UDP disconnect event. Mods should send ResetToUserSettings when leaving their effect mode or exiting. Disable the checkbox to release an override from a mod that did not reset itself.

Protocol boundary

The wire contract is checked against Paliverse's DSX v3.1+ example, and effect packing against Nielk1's documented DualSense effect factories. Verified legacy preset values also use numeric protocol evidence from DualSenseY.

The server validates a complete bounded packet before dispatch. It also accepts the official legacy v2 RGB form without brightness (full brightness) and empty status instructions with null parameters. Invalid packets do not fall back to controller 0 or an invented effect. Recognized but unsupported instructions return an explanatory status and do not partially apply a batch. Nonzero emulation trigger thresholds are not supported: input mapping remains owned by the DS4Windows profile. A zero threshold is accepted as no added input restriction. This compatibility boundary must not be described as full DSX parity.

Supported trigger modes are Normal/Off (0, 20), the verified GameCube preset (1), parameterized modes 13–18 and 21–26, and CustomTriggerValue (12) with verified submodes 0–8 and seven byte parameters. Legacy presets 2–11 and 19, and custom submodes 9–16, are explicitly unsupported until their output semantics are verified. Calibration commands are never forwarded. Mods that require these unsupported modes or DSX-specific app discovery need further compatibility work; they should not be advertised as already supported.

utils/test_dsx_mod.ps1 queries status by default. Its explicit -TestEffects switch briefly tests low-force right-trigger resistance and light output, then requests reset. Do not run effect tests while gaming. Unit tests use fake devices and ephemeral loopback ports, not physical controllers.