Measurements and tests
Opposite directions (SOCD)
On a leverless board, left and right are separate buttons, so both can be held at once, and so can up and down. What the board sends then, called SOCD (simultaneous opposite cardinal directions), its firmware decides, and fighting games read each answer differently.
The results
PadBench reads what the pad reports while both directions of a pair are held:
- Both reported: the pad passes both on, and each game decides.
- Neutral: neither, as if no direction were held.
- Last pressed wins: the direction pressed second takes over.
- First pressed wins: the direction held first stays.
- One direction always wins, such as Up wins, which many boards set for up and down.
The check
The Controller tab has the check for a leverless layout, the keyboard, and any pad once it has reported a pair together; any other pad with a d-pad has a line with Check. It takes eight steps, each holding a direction, adding or letting go of its opposite, and pressing an attack button to mark the moment.
Watching alone proves only that both were reported, which PadBench notes while you play. Results last while the pad stays connected. A direction let go of too early reads as one winning, so check again to be sure.
Where a pad, or the way it is read, can't report both at once, as a hat switch can't, such as a DualSense's d-pad or a browser that turns a d-pad into a hat, Neutral is what a game receives too.
GP2040-CE's settings
Boards running GP2040-CE choose one of five settings, and PadBench reads each as:
- Up Priority: up wins over down, and left and right cancel to Neutral.
- Neutral: both pairs cancel to Neutral.
- Last Win: last pressed wins.
- First Win: first pressed wins.
- Off: both reported, except in its PS3, PS4 and Switch modes, which clean to Neutral whatever is set.
Its 4-way mode, which allows no diagonals, reads as last pressed wins. In its modes that send the d-pad as a stick, the check sees no d-pad, so it shows nothing.
Tournament rules
Tournaments usually forbid a controller from sending both directions of a pair at once, and some games' rules allow only some settings. Each event's rules say which, so check them before you play, and check your board here after changing its mode, since many boards keep a setting for each mode.