South of Midnight Disable Mouse Smoothing/Acceleration: How to Fix

That floaty, imprecise mouse movement in South of Midnight driving you crazy? You’re not alone. Fresh into the game and already battling the controls instead of the monsters? Same here.

Let’s cut to the chase—South of Midnight’s mouse controls feel off because they were designed with controllers in mind, leaving keyboard and mouse players struggling with frustrating input behavior. That sensation of drift, unpredictable acceleration, and the floaty camera movement makes even basic navigation feel like wading through molasses.

I spent hours testing solutions, and I’ve got good news: there are several effective fixes. Let’s dive into exactly how to disable mouse smoothing and acceleration in South of Midnight for a more responsive, precise gaming experience.

Why South of Midnight’s Mouse Controls Feel Off

Before we jump into solutions, let’s understand what’s happening. South of Midnight suffers from three main mouse input issues:

1. Mouse smoothing – Creates a delay between your physical movement and on-screen response
2. Mouse acceleration – Makes cursor speed inconsistent based on how quickly you move your mouse
3. Input lag – Adds a noticeable delay between your actions and the game’s response

For competitive gamers and anyone who values precision, these “features” are actually major hindrances. They make aiming feel unpredictable and can even cause motion sickness in some players.

Official Developer Response

The good news is the developers have acknowledged these issues. They’ve already released a patch extending the mouse sensitivity slider range, allowing for finer control over settings. They’re also reportedly working on proper in-game options to address these problems at their source.

But if you’re playing right now and need a fix immediately, don’t worry—I’ve got you covered with several working solutions.

Quick Fix: Update Your Game

First things first—make sure you’re running the latest version of South of Midnight. The developers have already released patches addressing some mouse input problems, including:

• Extended mouse sensitivity slider range
• Initial improvements to raw input handling
• Reduced default smoothing values

Simply restart your game client to check for updates, or verify your game files if you’re playing through a platform like Steam.

Comprehensive Fix: Editing Configuration Files

For those still experiencing issues after updating, here’s the most effective solution—editing the game’s configuration files. Follow these steps carefully:

Step 1: Check Windows Mouse Settings

Before diving into game files, verify your Windows mouse settings aren’t contributing to the problem:

1. Open Windows Control Panel
2. Navigate to Mouse > Pointer Options
3. Uncheck “Enhance pointer precision” (this is Windows’ name for mouse acceleration)
4. Set pointer speed to the middle of the slider (6th notch)
5. Click Apply and OK

Step 2: Create or Edit Input.ini File

Now for the game-specific fix:

1. Close South of Midnight completely
2. Open File Explorer
3. Copy and paste this exact path into the address bar:

   %LOCALAPPDATA%\SouthOfMidnight\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor

4. Look for a file named Input.ini
5. If it exists, open it with Notepad
6. If it doesn’t exist, create a new text file and name it Input.ini

Step 3: Add Mouse Smoothing Disable Code

Copy and paste the following code block into your Input.ini file:

[/script/engine.inputsettings]
bEnableMouseSmoothing=False
AxisConfig=(AxisKeyName="MouseX",AxisProperties=(DeadZone=0.000000,Sensitivity=0.700000,Exponent=1.000000,bInvert=False))
AxisConfig=(AxisKeyName="MouseY",AxisProperties=(DeadZone=0.000000,Sensitivity=0.700000,Exponent=1.000000,bInvert=False))

This does several important things:

• Explicitly disables the mouse smoothing algorithm
• Sets zero dead zone (eliminating unresponsive areas)
• Configures a balanced sensitivity (0.7 is a good starting point)
• Sets linear response curve (Exponent=1.0)

Step 4: Save and Test

1. Save the file
2. Launch South of Midnight
3. Test the mouse movement in a safe area of the game

Notice how much more responsive and precise your mouse feels? The floaty sensation should be significantly reduced or eliminated entirely.

Fine-Tuning Your Mouse Settings

The default values I provided (Sensitivity=0.700000) are a good starting point, but everyone’s preferences differ. Here’s how to customize your experience:

Adjusting Sensitivity

If the camera moves too quickly or slowly after applying the fix:

1. Close the game
2. Open Input.ini again
3. Find the “Sensitivity” values
4. For faster movement: Increase the value (try 1.000000)
5. For slower movement: Decrease the value (try 0.500000)
6. Save and restart the game

Remember: Sensitivity is highly personal. What works for one player might feel too fast or slow for another. Experiment until you find your sweet spot.

Tweaking Advanced Parameters

For mouse movement experts, you can also modify:

• DeadZone: The region where small mouse movements are ignored (0.000000 for maximum precision)
• Exponent: Controls the response curve (1.000000 is linear, higher values create a more gradual acceleration)
• bInvert: Flips axis direction (set to True to invert an axis)

Controller Fix: For Console-Style Players

If you prefer playing with a controller but still want to eliminate that sluggish feel, here’s a separate fix for you:

1. Open or create Input.ini as described above
2. Add these lines to the file:

AxisConfig=(AxisKeyName="Gamepad_RightY",AxisProperties=(DeadZone=0.1,Sensitivity=1.500000,Exponent=1.000000,bInvert=False))
AxisConfig=(AxisKeyName="Gamepad_RightX",AxisProperties=(DeadZone=0.1,Sensitivity=1.500000,Exponent=1.000000,bInvert=False))

This dramatically improves right stick responsiveness compared to the default settings. I’ve set the sensitivity to 1.5, which provides significant improvement without becoming too twitchy. You can adjust this higher (more sensitive) or lower based on your preferences.

How to Fix South of Midnight Disable Mouse Smoothing/Acceleration: Advance

If you’re still experiencing mouse issues after applying all the previous fixes, try these more advanced solutions:

Solution 1: Graphics Driver Update

Outdated graphics drivers can sometimes cause input lag that feels similar to mouse smoothing:

1. Identify your graphics card (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel)
2. Visit the manufacturer’s website and download their latest official driver
3. Install the driver and restart your computer
4. Launch South of Midnight and test

Solution 2: Verify Game Files

Corrupted game files can cause many strange behaviors:

1. Access your game library (Steam, Epic, etc.)
2. Find South of Midnight
3. Select the option to verify or repair game files
4. Wait for the process to complete
5. Launch the game and test

Solution 3: Additional Configuration Tweaks

For hardcore tweakers, you can try these additional settings in your Engine.ini file (located in the same folder as Input.ini):

1. Create or open Engine.ini
2. Add the following lines:

[/script/engine.engine]
bSmoothFrameRate=False
MinSmoothedFrameRate=5
MaxSmoothedFrameRate=144
bUseVSync=False

[SystemSettings]
r.VSync=0

These settings disable frame rate smoothing and V-Sync, which can sometimes contribute to input lag.

Common Problems & Solutions

“My Input.ini file keeps getting reset”

This happens when game updates overwrite your configuration files. Solution:

1. Set your Input.ini file to read-only after editing:
   • Right-click the file
   • Select Properties
   • Check “Read-only”
   • Click Apply

“Mouse still feels floaty after all fixes”

Try these additional steps:

1. Close any background applications that might be capturing input
2. Disable Game Mode in Windows
3. Set South of Midnight to “High Priority” in Task Manager:
   • Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc
   • Find South of Midnight
   • Right-click > Set Priority > High

“Game crashes after editing config files”

This usually means there’s a syntax error in your edits:

1. Verify you copied the code exactly as shown
2. Check for extra spaces or characters
3. If problems persist, delete your edited files and let the game regenerate default ones

Why This Matters: The Impact on Gameplay

Mouse smoothing and acceleration might seem like minor issues, but they significantly affect gameplay in South of Midnight:

• Combat precision: Fighting enemies requires quick, accurate movements
• Environmental navigation: Exploring the richly detailed world becomes frustrating when controls feel sluggish
• Puzzle solving: Some puzzles rely on precise timing and camera control

With these fixes applied, you’ll notice immediate improvements in all these areas. Combat becomes more fluid, exploration more enjoyable, and puzzles less frustrating.

The Technical Explanation: Why Games Use Smoothing

You might be wondering why developers implement these “features” in the first place. There are legitimate reasons:

• Console optimization: Most games are designed with controllers in mind, where smoothing helps compensate for thumbstick limitations
• Cinematic feel: Some developers believe smoothing creates a more film-like camera movement
• Motion sickness reduction: For some players, smoothed camera movement causes less nausea

However, for mouse users—especially those accustomed to competitive FPS games—raw, immediate input is almost always preferred.

Future Updates: What to Expect

The development team has acknowledged the mouse control issues and is working on proper in-game solutions. According to community managers, we can expect:

1. Dedicated mouse smoothing toggle in the options menu
2. Enhanced sensitivity controls with separate X/Y axis options
3. Raw input support

Until then, the configuration file method described above is your best option for enjoying South of Midnight with responsive, precise controls.

Conclusion: 14/4/2025

South of Midnight is a remarkable game with its atmospheric southern gothic setting and intriguing gameplay. Don’t let control issues prevent you from fully enjoying this unique experience.

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can transform your mouse controls from a frustrating impediment into a seamless extension of your will. The floaty, imprecise movement that plagued your initial hours with the game will be replaced by sharp, responsive controls that enhance rather than hinder your immersion.

Whether you’re battling supernatural creatures or solving environmental puzzles, these optimized controls will ensure that any failures are due to your decisions—not your input device.