Prompts in mixed-input play should show the device actually in use
Aliases: active device · mixed input · input modality · controller detection
What it is
Active input device indication presents prompts for the device that has actually just driven game control, rather than a preferred, connected, or preset primary device. It resolves prompt ownership: an instruction on screen should be directly executable by the set of movements the player is using now.
Why it happens
Connection state does not reveal control intent. A keyboard and mouse may remain attached while the player holds a controller; a connected controller may sit idle. Prompts based on connection order or a settings choice then describe controls that exist but are not in hand. Meaningful action events tie the cue to the immediate perception–action loop and reduce interruption spent finding the right control.
Where it stops holding
Actual use is not simply the final hardware signal. System shortcuts, trackpad accidents, assistive hardware, and background controllers can emit events without intended game control. Where keyboard movement and mouse aiming coexist, action-specific or composite prompts are usually more truthful than forcing the entire interface into one device mode.
Applying it
- Update active-device state only from inputs that can change game state; exclude system events, analogue values inside dead zones, and unfocused-window events.
- For mixed actions, show a composite prompt or group prompts by action—for example, keyboard for movement and mouse for aim—instead of hiding the split behind one global glyph.
- Verification: enumerate connection, unplugging, background input, two-handed mixed use, and assistive-device cases; confirm that each displayed prompt remains directly executable.
Related
- Same group: W3.09.1 Prompts should update when players switch between controller and keyboard/mouse · W3.09.3 Default sensitivity and dead zones need independent settings per device · W3.09.4 Switching devices should not interrupt an ongoing action sequence
- Nearby: W3.01 Button mapping and discoverability · W3.07 Remapping and personalized controls · W5.02 Multimodal feedback
- Search terms:
active input device·mixed input·input modality·controller detection