Dusk Gyro Aim & Mouse Aim — Complete Settings Guide
Configure gyro aim or mouse aim in Dusk. All 10 input settings explained verbatim from the source code, with platform-specific recommendations.
Dusk supports both gyro aim (motion-based aiming via a gyro-equipped controller) and mouse aim (added in v1.0.0-rc.1). This is one of the headline upgrades over the original GameCube release — bow and slingshot aiming with modern precision controls.
This guide is verified against src/dusk/ui/settings.cpp on the main branch — every setting name and helpText is verbatim from the source.
Where the settings live
Settings → Input → Gyro
That section contains 10 distinct settings (verified verbatim):
- Gyro Input Method —
SensororMouse - Gyro Aim — toggle
- Gyro Rollgoal — toggle
- Gyro Pitch Sensitivity — slider
- Gyro Yaw Sensitivity — slider
- Rollgoal Sensitivity — slider
- Gyro Deadband — slider
- Gyro Smoothing — slider
- Invert Gyro Pitch — toggle
- Invert Gyro Yaw — toggle
Gyro Input Method — Sensor vs Mouse
This is the most important toggle. Two modes:
Sensor mode
Reads motion data directly from the controller’s gyroscope/IMU. Fast, low-latency, no translation layer. This is what you want with:
- DualShock 4 / DualSense
- Switch Pro Controller
- 8BitDo Pro 2 / Ultimate
- Steam Deck (LCD or OLED)
- Any other controller with native gyro
Mouse mode (added v1.0.0-rc.1)
Treats whatever input is configured as a virtual mouse and uses mouse movement as the aim signal. This was added in the v1.0.0-rc.1 release notes (verbatim):
“Added Mouse input for ‘gyro source’ (mouse aiming)”
Use mouse mode when:
- You want literal mouse aim (PC + keyboard/mouse setup)
- You’re routing gyro through Steam Input’s “gyro to mouse” feature (e.g., on Steam Deck if you prefer that workflow)
- A controller’s gyro doesn’t expose itself to Dusk natively but Steam Input can read it
⚠️ Don’t use both at once. If you enable native sensor mode in Dusk and also enable Steam Input’s gyro-to-mouse for the same controller, the inputs fight each other.
Per-platform recommendations
Windows desktop (no Steam involvement)
- Sensor mode — DualShock / DualSense / Pro Controller / 8BitDo Pro 2 connect via Bluetooth or USB and Dusk reads gyro directly
- Mouse mode — for keyboard + mouse players
Windows desktop (via Steam)
- Sensor mode if you want native low-latency
- Mouse mode if you’ve already invested in a Steam Input gyro-to-mouse profile
macOS
- Sensor mode for DualShock 4/5, Switch Pro Controller (iOS 16+ and macOS 13+ support it)
- Mouse mode for keyboard+mouse, BUT note keyboard binding is currently broken on macOS (#830)
Linux desktop
- Sensor mode — Linux’s
hid-nintendoandhid-playstationkernel modules expose gyro to userspace; Dusk picks it up
Steam Deck
- Sensor mode for the Deck’s native IMU — recommended
- Don’t double up with Steam Input gyro-to-mouse
Android
- Sensor mode — Bluetooth controllers with gyro (8BitDo Pro 2, DualSense) work
- The phone’s own gyro is not currently used as input source
iOS
- Sensor mode — DualShock 4/5 paired via Bluetooth, Switch Pro Controller via Bluetooth (iOS 16+), and 8BitDo Pro 2
Each setting explained
Gyro Aim (toggle)
The master switch. Off = no gyro influence on aim. On = gyro contributes to aim direction.
You’ll only see gyro effects when actually aiming (bow, slingshot, hawkeye, etc.) — Dusk doesn’t apply gyro to camera or movement during normal play.
Gyro Rollgoal (toggle)
“Rollgoal” refers to the marble/ball-rolling minigame (Plumm’s village minigame, the rolling stages). This toggle enables gyro for that specific minigame.
Gyro Pitch Sensitivity (slider)
How fast vertical aim moves in response to gyro tilt up/down. Higher = faster.
Gyro Yaw Sensitivity (slider)
How fast horizontal aim moves in response to gyro turn left/right.
Rollgoal Sensitivity (slider)
Independent sensitivity for the rolling minigame (so you can have, e.g., low pitch/yaw sensitivity for archery, but high sensitivity for the minigame).
Gyro Deadband (slider)
The minimum amount of gyro motion that registers as input. Higher = ignores small hand jitter; lower = more responsive but pickier. Set this if your aim drifts slightly when standing still.
Gyro Smoothing (slider)
How much Dusk smooths input over time. Higher = stable but laggy; lower = responsive but noisy.
Invert Gyro Pitch / Yaw (toggles)
Flip the corresponding axis. Useful if your preferred motion direction differs from the default.
Recommended starting values
These are reasonable defaults — adjust to taste:
| Setting | Starting value |
|---|---|
| Gyro Input Method | Sensor (or Mouse for keyboard+mouse) |
| Gyro Aim | On |
| Gyro Rollgoal | On (if you’re going to play that minigame) |
| Gyro Pitch Sensitivity | 50% |
| Gyro Yaw Sensitivity | 50% |
| Rollgoal Sensitivity | 50% |
| Gyro Deadband | 10–20% (raise if drift, lower if missing small motions) |
| Gyro Smoothing | 20% (lower if you want twitch precision) |
| Invert Gyro Pitch | Off |
| Invert Gyro Yaw | Off |
These are guidelines, not measurements — TwilitRealm hasn’t published a recommended preset.
Mouse aim setup (PC keyboard + mouse)
If you want to play Dusk like a PC FPS:
- Settings → Input → Gyro → Gyro Input Method →
Mouse - Settings → Input → Gyro → Gyro Aim → On
- Bind aim/fire to your mouse buttons via Settings → Input → Controller → Configure Controller (the keyboard/mouse binding system added in v0.6.2)
- Adjust Gyro Pitch / Yaw Sensitivity to taste — these become mouse sensitivities in Mouse mode
⚠️ macOS keyboard binding is broken at v1.0.0 (#830). Use a controller until patched.
Common gyro issues and fixes
Aim drifts when standing still
Increase Gyro Deadband. If still drifting, your controller’s gyro may need calibration — check the controller’s manufacturer firmware tools.
Aim feels jittery / oversensitive
Increase Gyro Smoothing and decrease Pitch/Yaw Sensitivity.
Aim feels laggy
Decrease Gyro Smoothing.
Gyro doesn’t respond at all
- Make sure Gyro Input Method is set to
Sensor(notMouse) - Make sure Gyro Aim is toggled on
- Verify your controller’s gyro is recognized by your OS — try a gyro-supported game outside Dusk to confirm
- On Steam Deck specifically: don’t have Steam Input gyro-to-mouse enabled for the same controller
Gyro works but only sometimes
Gyro typically activates only during aim (bow/slingshot). It doesn’t move the camera during normal play. Confirm you’re holding the aim button.
Gyro on iPhone via Bluetooth controller
The DualShock 4/5 expose gyro to iOS only on iOS 13+. The Switch Pro Controller exposes gyro on iOS 16+. Older devices won’t have native gyro support.
Gyro feels different in different rooms
Gyro readings can be affected by the controller’s resting position when paired. If you’ve moved between locations, repair the controller.
Settings paths summary (verified verbatim from source)
| Goal | Path |
|---|---|
| Switch between gyro and mouse aim | Settings → Input → Gyro → Gyro Input Method |
| Master toggle gyro on/off | Settings → Input → Gyro → Gyro Aim |
| Gyro for rolling minigame | Settings → Input → Gyro → Gyro Rollgoal |
| Tune gyro vertical speed | Settings → Input → Gyro → Gyro Pitch Sensitivity |
| Tune gyro horizontal speed | Settings → Input → Gyro → Gyro Yaw Sensitivity |
| Reduce hand-jitter input | Settings → Input → Gyro → Gyro Deadband |
| Smooth out gyro response | Settings → Input → Gyro → Gyro Smoothing |
| Flip gyro vertical | Settings → Input → Gyro → Invert Gyro Pitch |
| Flip gyro horizontal | Settings → Input → Gyro → Invert Gyro Yaw |
Related
- Verified known issues at v1.0.0 — including #830 macOS keyboard binding
- How to install Dusk on Steam Deck — gyro is excellent on Deck
- Dusk graphics backends
Last updated: 2026-05-10. Settings tree verified against src/dusk/ui/settings.cpp on main branch.
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