Controller controls: mapping, dead zones and what happens on disconnect
Slipline Garage supports controllers that the browser reports with the standard gamepad layout. Connect the controller, press any button so the browser exposes it to the page, and drive: left stick to steer, right trigger to accelerate, left trigger to brake, A for the handbrake.
Mapping
| Action | Control |
|---|---|
| Steer | Left stick, or D-pad left/right |
| Accelerate | Right trigger (analogue) |
| Brake / reverse | Left trigger (analogue) |
| Handbrake | A, B or right bumper |
| Recover to the last gate | Y |
| Change camera | X |
| Pause | Start |
Button names follow the Xbox convention. On a PlayStation-style pad, A/B/X/Y are Cross/Circle/Square/Triangle.
Why a controller suits drifting
A keyboard throttle is on or off, so part throttle means tapping. A trigger is analogue: squeeze it halfway and the car gets half throttle. Holding a steady slide — the skill in Lesson 5 — becomes a matter of trigger pressure rather than rhythm. The stick gives the same advantage for steering.
Dead zones
Sticks rarely rest at exactly zero. The game ignores the first 14% of stick travel and the first 6% of trigger travel, then rescales the rest so you still reach full lock and full throttle. If your car creeps to one side with the stick released, the stick is drifting beyond that margin — a hardware issue the game cannot fully hide.
Switching inputs
Whichever device you touched last is in control. Pick up the controller mid-run and it takes over; tap a key and the keyboard does. On-screen touch controls hide while a controller is active.
If the controller disconnects
A dead battery or a pulled cable mid-slide should not wreck a run. When the browser reports a disconnect:
- All controller inputs are cleared, so nothing stays “held”.
- The run pauses.
- A message tells you what happened. Keyboard and touch keep working.
Reconnect and press a button, or carry on with the keyboard.
Troubleshooting
Nothing happens. Browsers hide controllers until a button is pressed while the page is focused. Click the game, then press a button. Settings → Controls shows whether one is detected.
Buttons are in the wrong places. The controller is not reporting the standard layout. Controller remapping is not available yet; keyboard keys can be remapped.
It works in one browser but not another. Gamepad support differs between browsers and operating systems. Try a current Chrome or Edge.
Tested controllers
The mapping follows the browser’s standard layout. No specific controller models were physically tested during development, so this page does not list any as verified. If yours works — or does not — a short note through the contact page with the model and browser helps build an honest list.
See also keyboard controls. Back to the drifting games overview.