Hollow Knight Gamepad Recorder

Tool-Assisted Speedrun (TAS) tool for Hollow Knight

Record and replay gamepad inputs with frame-perfect precision. Perfect for mastering Path of Pain, White Palace, and other challenging sections!

✨ Features

• Precise Recording - Capture gamepad inputs with millisecond accuracy
• Frame-Perfect Playback - Replay through virtual gamepad (ViGEm)
• 30 Recording Slots - Store multiple sequences for different sections
• Fast Combo Support - Captures rapid button combinations (10-20ms)
• Quantized Inputs - Discrete stick values for deterministic playback
• Interference Detection - Auto-switch to recording if you take control
• Modern UI - Glassmorphism design with overlay
• Auto-Save - Recordings saved automatically after each session
• Fully Configurable - Extensive JSON configuration options

📋 Requirements

• Windows 10/11
• Xbox-compatible gamepad (Xbox One, Xbox Series, or compatible)
• ViGEm Bus Driver ⚠️ REQUIRED! Must be installed before use

📦 Installation

1. Download and extract the ZIP file
2. Install ViGEm Bus Driver (download ViGEmBusSetup_x64.msi)
3. REBOOT your computer (required for driver to work!)
4. Connect your gamepad
5. Run HollowKnightGamepadRecorder.exe

🎮 Quick Start

1. Start the app - The overlay will appear in the top-right corner
2. Press L3 (left stick click) to start recording
3. Perform your sequence - Play the section you want to record
4. Press L3 again to stop recording
5. Press R3 (right stick click) to replay your recording

Your recordings are automatically saved!

⌨️ Controls

Gamepad Controls

• L3 (left stick click) - Start/Stop recording
• R3 (right stick click) - Start/Stop playback
• D-pad Up/Down - Switch between slots (1-30)

Keyboard Shortcuts

• S - Save recordings manually
• L - Load recordings
• Q - Quit application
• O - Toggle overlay visibility
• T - Toggle always on top
• 1-9 - Quick slot selection

Overlay Controls

• Left-click drag - Move overlay
• Double-click - Close overlay
• Right-click - Context menu
• Animation - Pulsing border shows recording/playback status

⚙️ Configuration

Edit config/user_config.json to customize:

• Polling rate - Higher = more accurate (default: 1000 Hz)
• Stick deadzone - Filter hand tremor (default: 0.05)
• Quantization - Discrete stick values for consistency
• Auto-save - Automatic recording saves
• Loop playback - Repeat recordings
• UI theme - Customize appearance

🔧 Troubleshooting

Virtual gamepad not working?

• Install ViGEm Bus Driver
• Reboot after installation
• Check gamepad_recorder.log for errors
• Try running as administrator (rarely needed)

Playback doesn't match recording?

• Enable V-Sync in Hollow Knight
• Limit game FPS to 60
• Close resource-intensive applications
• Increase polling rate to 1000 Hz in config

Recording file too large?

• Enable stick quantization
• Increase stick deadzone
• Record shorter sequences

💡 How It Works

1. Recording Phase: Captures all gamepad state changes with precise timestamps
2. Quantization: Converts analog sticks to discrete values (-1.0/0.0/1.0) for consistency
3. Playback Phase: Uses ViGEm virtual gamepad to replay inputs at exact timestamps
4. Optimization: 1000 FPS polling for ~1ms latency

⚠️ Known Limitations

• Unity's physics engine has minor non-determinism (1-3 pixel variations possible)
• Best for: Short sequences, frame-perfect combos, difficult platforming sections
• Not ideal for: Very long runs requiring pixel-perfect positioning over minutes

Perfect for Path of Pain, White Palace, and challenging boss fights!

📄 License

MIT License - Free to use, modify, and distribute

🔗 Links

• GitHub Repository: https://github.com/Ermakovartem97/hollow-knight-gamepad-recorder
• ViGEm Bus Driver: https://github.com/ViGEm/ViGEmBus/releases
• Report Issues: https://github.com/Ermakovartem97/hollow-knight-gamepad-recorder/issues

🙏 Acknowledgments

• ViGEm for the amazing virtual gamepad driver
• Hollow Knight speedrunning and TAS community
• Team Cherry for creating Hollow Knight

Enjoy mastering those impossible platforming sections! 🎮✨