I've been using my gamepad a bit more lately to try and make it work with more PC games. It's an old Sony Playstation 1 DualShock that I use with a MayFlash USB adapter. Making any DirectInput controller work correctly requires a bit of tweaking with tools such as JoyToKey and XPadder. They're both excellent programs that allow you to do almost anything... except adjust analog stick sensitivity, range, gain, scaling, etc.

Note: I'm focusing on DirectInput here. Modern XInput devices have other issues entirely.

Back in the late 90s, there was a program called CTFJ3 that would allow users to modify deadzones, scaling, gain, range, input curves, etc. Simple and highly effective, it works great for Win9x systems and gameport devices. Sadly, it doesn't work so great with USB devices and NT-based operating systems.

I've been doing some research to try and find something similar to CTFJ3 that will work with modern systems and devices. I haven't found much, but I want to share what I've discovered:

DXTweak2
This old tool by Logitech allows you to set deadzones and range. By reducing range, you can sort-of reduce sensitivity. Likewise, you can sort-of increase sensitivity by increasing range. However, you can't modify input scaling/curves. I have tested this under Win7 and it works OK, except that the final version won't let you save your adjustments. However, there is an older version that will let you save your adjustments.

Joystick Curves
Just as the name suggests, this app by XedocProject allows users to adjust input curves. Exactly what I was looking for! ...almost. You have to setup a virtual joystick to make it work. So, while it does indeed work, it's a total pain in the ass to get it going. By the time you've got this working, you'll have JoyToKey or XPadder running along with a virtual joystick program and Joystick Curves. That's alot of hacking just to smooth out your joystick inputs! (Also, you can't download the complete program. The installer downloads the actual program, so forget about archiving a copy in your software collection. That's bullshit!)

Virtual Joystick Programs/Drivers
VJoy-SourceForge & VJoy-HeadSoft
(There appears to be two separate and independent programs named "VJoy" by two different authors.)

Universal Joystick Remapper
This tool will allow users to completely remap inputs from one device to another virtual device. It has some options for adjusting sensitivity, but I haven't personally tested this program to see how well it works. Also, like Joystick Curves, you'll need to use a virtual joystick program to make it work. Another total pain in the ass. Anyway, there is a tutorial here and here on how to make it work.

Pinnacle Game Profiler
This isn't freeware and I haven't tried it out. The listed features include "Get more out of analog controls by ... adjusting sensitivity on-the-fly". I'll download the trial later and give it a spin.

Padstarr
It looks like the author of Pinnacle Game Profiler decided to rewrite, rename, and rebrand his product. I'll try this one out later too.

Update: I attempted to try both Pinnacle Game Profiler and Padstarr, but neither installer works. Apparently, some Windows updates in early 2016 have broken both the installers and the programs themselves. The support forums have plenty of posts from angry users who are also having the same problem. Worse yet, both programs seem to have been abandoned. The author is suffering from health problems and hasn't provided any support or updates in a very long time. 😢

That's all I've got. Does anybody else have a tool they use to adjust analog joystick inputs? If so please reply and share.

(X360CE and Durazno might also be solutions, but they output as XInput devices.)