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steam-deck-tools/docs/steam-controller.md
Kamil Trzcinski 5ad0f5b9b6 Update README.md
2022-12-10 02:00:15 +01:00

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Steam Controller

This is highly experimental "opinionated" implementation of Steam Controller that is meant to replace SWICD and Glossi. This is hard piece and it is rather unsupported (by me), so if it works it works.

It offers 3 main modes of operation:

  • Desktop
  • X360 emulation (with Haptics) - activated automatically when entering Playnite Fullscreen
  • Steam - active automatically when running Steam Gamepad UI, Steam Big Screen UI or running Steam Game

You can easily switch between Desktop and X360 by holding Options button (3 horizontal lines, on top of the right joystick). When profile is switched you will hear a beep.

It is strongly advised that you uninstall (unless you know what are you doing):

  1. SWICD
  2. Glossi
  3. HidHide

Requirements:

  1. Ensure that you have SWICD, Glossi and HidHide disabled, stopped or uninstalled!
  2. Ensure that HidHide is disabled, or ensure that Steam Controller.exe can see Neptune Valve Controller.
  3. Install latest version of https://github.com/ViGEm/ViGEmBus/releases.

1. Possible setups

The are various ways how Steam Controller can work with Steam. If you do not use Steam this is simple, just run it and enjoy. Since when there's no Steam, there's no problem at all.

1.1. Most compatible - Use X360 Controller with Steam

This pretty much work always. It hides the Valve Software Steam Controller from Steam.

It is out of box experience. In this mode you would use either Desktop or X360 controls, and all Steam games would use X360.

The Back Panel buttons can be assigned to some user-defined keys.

1.2. Works, but sometimes finicky - Use Steam Input with Steam

It is required to configure Steam as described in Configure Steam.

This is setup that allows you to enable Steam Input and use community provided profiles on Steam. However, this requires special configuration and in some cases is finicky.

The SteamController.exe automatically detects Steam running game and disable itself for the duration of game play switch to specially currated Steam profile (non selectable, and hidden).

The are two primary ways how to use it. The best experience is achieved when STEAM IS NOT RUNNING IN BACKGROUND. Use Playnite Fullscreen to start game on the Steam and close it after session (there's an option in Playnite settings). Keep Steam closed otherwise at all times.

Alternative if Steam is running in background it should be pretty stable when configured desktop mode buttons. There will be sometimes finicky behavior when using STEAM button shortcuts. However, this is mostly stable otherwise.

Getting controllers support is hard especially with Steam not making it easy to disable it. I'm doing this to solve my usage pattern. So, I might have limited will to fix all quirks of handling Steam running in background alongside Steam Controller. This will never be supported mode of operation.

1.3. If you know what you do - Ignore Steam

This makes Steam Controller to disable Steam detection. Now, you would have to do everything you were doing before: like HidHide, additional controllers, etc.

It is not needed to configure Steam as described in Configure Steam.

In this mode you would use either Desktop or X360 controls, and all Steam games would use X360. When running in this mode you would have to switch between Desktop and X360 mode with Options button or with PowerControl.

Of course you will have access to all described shortcuts.

2. Shortcuts

See it here

3. Configure Steam

If Steam is running in background it is essential to remove Desktop mode configuration to make SteamController.exe the one mapping those.

3.1. Disable Desktop mode in Steam Gamepad UI (preferred)

  1. Run steam.exe with -gamepadui.
  2. Click Steam button, go to Settings > Controller.
  3. Scroll down to find Desktop Layout, click Edit and Edit Layout.
  4. Go to Action Sets > Add Action Set.
  5. In Add Action Set type Empty and Continue.
  6. Now click on Default, Remove Set and Confirm.
  7. You can now exit with B (Back).

3.2. Disable Desktop mode in Steam Desktop (slightly buggy on Steam Deck)

  1. Run Steam.
  2. Go to Steam > Settings > Controller > Desktop Configuration.
  3. Click Add Action Set.
  4. In new window type Empty and click OK.
  5. At top select Default.
  6. Now click Menu button (the button on top of left joystick with two squares) on Steam Deck (or Manage Action Set button).
  7. In a new window click DELETE.
  8. Now click B or DONE.

4. Fullscreen Scaling Hotkey (Steam + Up Pad Press)

Many games in Windows will crash when attempting to start in fullscreen. To have a fullscreen experience on the Steam Deck, you can use this keybind in any fullscreen scaling application to provide a shortcut capable of toggling the scaling.

Example of Scaling software: https://store.steampowered.com/app/993090/Lossless_Scaling/

To configure the hotkey in Lossless Scaling:

  1. Launch Lossless Scaling
  2. Open "Settings"
  3. Select the "Scale hotkey"
  4. Press "STEAM + DPad Up"
  5. Verify that the hotkey was set to "CTRL + ALT + U"
  6. Close the settings dialog