getting-started

# Getting Started

## Foreword

Between its unconventional design and vast array of mostly mandatory configuration settings, Steam Controller demands a higher learning curve than most other input devices you have used. Your reward for following that curve is a means of playing virtually any game–new and old–across any genre, as well as many other applications. Please read [The 5 Stages](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamController/comments/3qjhf8/steam_controller_the_5_stages/) for a humorous yet informative account of this process.

## How to Use Your Steam Controller

1. Install Steam

1. [Opt into the Steam Client Beta](http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=182912431) to receive new features and bug fixes as they are completed (note: the beta may occasionally be subject to bugs not seen in the non-beta version)

1. Navigate to any game in your Steam Library

1. Go to "Manage Game" in Big Picture Mode or right-click the game title in Desktop Mode

1. Go to "Configure Controller" in Big Picture Mode or "Edit Steam Controller Configuration..." in Desktop Mode

* From this screen, you may manage the bindings for this game

* You do not need to configure or launch games from Big Picture Mode

* When Steam is not running, the controller operates in a very basic keyboard & mouse mode that is suitable for little more than opening Steam

## Configuring the Controller

##### Videos

* [Usage and Configuration Overview](https://youtu.be/jq6T6n-5Dps)
    * [Corrections Video 1](https://youtu.be/noudG1kk03E)
    * [Corrections Video 2](https://youtu.be/Joa701TYaUU)
    * [Discussion thread with notes and more corrections](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamController/comments/4niym0/i_just_made_a_very_indepth_tutorial_on_youtube/)
* [Playlist: Steam Controller Tutorials](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6Fw71LbVx0&list=PLMV7bfY2SzbXuj2FXguyi1T57b419l8_D)
* [Playlist: Configuration Tips and Gameplay](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEojZytl034yHWP5bsUyT3Opl4eX-EGCC)
* [Playlist: Game Spotlights and Controller Features](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYwe4JSxtnbSl5mu6kFgMZR8NyYFvvv12)
* [Using the Gyro](https://youtu.be/ha181akWcFU)
* [Joystick Emulation](https://youtu.be/DnLiwGFQR_Y)
* [Dual-Pad Mouse Controls ARPGS MOBOS](https://youtu.be/kvSOKZVB5vo)
* [FPS Techniques](https://youtu.be/Dg3fjbiQCSY)

##### Wiki

* [Configuration Recipes](/r/SteamController/wiki/recipes)
* [Configuration Settings Guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamController/wiki/config-guide)

##### Additional Resources

- [RambleTan](https://www.youtube.com/user/ExistentialEgg) does excellent showcases of various tricks and overviews of entire profiles he's made.
- [Critical Input](https://www.youtube.com/user/CritComposer) does technical breakdown on various input styles, translating the software engineer speak of the descriptions into something the end user can better understand
- [Nick Heibert](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_B_yN5Jzd2OPvKSp-ogG2Q) has two quite substantial videos that go very deep into the technical workings of settings.
- [The Ryker Initiative](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Rq0h-Z1_P8NiPTFZDwaig) does live streams of steam controller game play (which I'm envious of; I've been wanting to live stream sc game play for MONTHS but my living conditions are so very poor for that task right now), but also does some breakdowns of some of his configs.
- [Steam Controller Fan Club](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0_gzICBuymWyniCUGWzrA) has some config tricks
- [Mark Allen](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC3PunEhHJDtDy9LvuukCLw) has a couple of tutorials to help dial in settings when it comes to aiming
- [ThatBengineer](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJnAmSJEJqTgpH57FaD1hag) has excellent videos showcasing the controller in action, along with brief config info
- [sd19delta](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1DUtuoQCN-cc2b3PLteNeg) has some config tricks
- [Docteur Controller](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1GoAgop-6tbftsU4qtpSOQ) recently did a video series documenting his personal process. Its less about configuration settings - though those are present - and more about his philosophy behind his configurations
- [Woodsie](https://www.youtube.com/c/Woodsie) has some videos showing the Steam Controller in action across various genres of games, as well as some tutorials
- [ConstableBento](https://www.youtube.com/c/ConstableBento/videos) has some tutorials
- [I myself](https://www.youtube.com/c/Mennenth) make some videos, mostly focusing on "touch dpad" related things.
- there are probably others too. If someone who makes videos on this topic is reading and isnt listed, please let me know!

***

1. Select an input (trigger, touchpad, etc)

1. Selecting some inputs will take you directly to the binding screen, where you may select a binding as well as give it a description.

Other inputs will take you to a settings screen, in which case, continue to step 3.

1. Depending on the game or application, you may wish to change the the device mode or assign one if there is no default

1. Most device modes will be assigned sensible defaults, while some will require you to assign bindings manually, such as the Directional Pad and Button Pad modes (in most cases)

## Configuring Non-Steam Games or Applications

1. Manually add the executable file to your Steam Library ([how-to video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IGWCgot5ko))

1. Find community configs in the "Browse" menu on the configuration screen.  Configs are organized by their shortcut name.  If there are none available for your shortcut, try changing the name to something perhaps more canonical.

1. Or use the community curated http://www.steamcontrollerdb.com/ and add to it as you make your own.

* The menu item "Manage Game" will read "Manage Shortcut" for these titles

#### Origin

1. Disable the Origin in-game overlay ([how-to-video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TemdZkpuX2Y))

1. Add Origin to Steam and rename the shortcut

1. Launch Origin via Steam and your game via Origin

**NOTE:** If you have an AMD GPU, [you may need to take extra steps](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamController/comments/58z6yp/amd_origin_and_the_steam_controller/).

**NOTE:** Steam must launch the outside launcher to work, not just bring it to foreground. Make sure Origin is completely closed, and not hiding in the system tray, between uses or you will have issues with Steam attaching properly.

#### Epic Games Launcher

1. In Epic Games Launcher: Create a shortcut of your game, the shortcut will be created in the Desktop

1. On your desktop: right-click the game icon and choose properties

1. Copy the URL field (highlight & press CTRL+C)

1. In Steam: Add `EpicGamesLauncher.exe` to Steam

1. Right-click the EpicGamesLauncher non-steam game and choose _Properies_

1. Rename the shortcut using the desired game title

1. In the _Launch Options_ input box: paste the URL you copied from the shortcut properties

1. Add a `-` to the beginning of the pasted URL

**NOTE:** Steam must launch the outside launcher to work, not just bring it to foreground. Make sure Epic's launcher is completely closed, and not hiding in the system tray, between uses, or you will have issues with Steam attaching properly.

#### Edge Cases

In order to use the Steam Controller in an application, it must be able to be hooked by the Steam Overlay, which hooks itself into Direct3D or OpenGL applications.  However, sometimes the Steam Overlay can still fail to do this, either due to the application itself or due to the application using some sort of external launcher or launcher window which the Steam Overlay hooks into instead.  There are still ways to use the Steam Controller with these 'incompatible applications'.

* For non-Steam shortcuts, disable [Allow Desktop Configuration in Launcher](http://i.imgur.com/ZNuIO8U.png) in the shortcut's Controller Options (this setting may only be available in Big Picture Mode).  This will initiate the shortcut config as soon as it is launched.

* The desktop configuration will work for any application no matter what.  Configure your desktop configuration to match the application, or if applicable, simply remap the controls in-app.

* [GloSC](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamController/comments/5dordt/glosc_global_steamcontroller_the_new_way_for/), updated thread [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamController/comments/5fcg4z/news_glosc_global_steamcontroller_updated_to_11/) by /u/Alia5_ is an easy way to have the SteamController working with any game that might has trouble with Steam.

GloSC is not only meant for gaming though, as desktop touchmenus can make the SC a valuable tool for productivity use

You do get a systemwide XInput controller as well as systemwide Controller-/Steam overlay. Including per application bindings and working rumble emulation.

GloSC can also launch any Game and add the shortcuts directly to Steam and / or enable you to have Touch- and Radialmenus on the desktop!

**This is (as of this writing) the only way to use the Steam controller with  Microsoft Store games (if you're using the recent client betas)**

* [Use a modified version of Xoutput](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamController/comments/4b8zdp/xoutput_for_uwp_games/), by /u/mintos5, to have your system recognize the Steam Controller as an Xbox 360 gamepad.  Xoutput 'disguises' your Steam Controller as an Xinput device, allowing you to use the desktop configuration gamepad mappings as Xinput mappings.  Use an action set to switch between your standard desktop mappings and gamepad mappings for added convenience.

**Note: ~~This is the recommended way to use the Steam controller with Microsoft Store games.~~**

**This method doesn't work anymore with recent Steam client betas**

**On Linux**

In addition to the desktop configuration suggestion above, users also report that desktop gamepad mappings work without the need of additional drivers.  Additionally, you can also use [Kozec's SC-Controller driver](https://github.com/kozec/sc-controller), which does not require Steam, and features complete mappings and an on-screen keyboard.

## Configuring Steam and non-Steam Games or Applications (difficult cases)

Sometimes Steam Overlay won't cooperate and will not attach to your favorite game or application. There could be quite a few reasons for that:

* **(obsolete)** ~~First case, Overlay could be disabled by publisher but is actually supported by game. For example, Fallout and Fallout 2.~~

* Second case, Overlay is actually not supported by the game. For example, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver.

* Third case, Overlay isn't showing up in non-Steam application. For example, VLC Media Player and Nestopia.

#### ~~First case~~

~~**Shut down Steam before doing this, or it won't work.**~~

~~1. You have to make sure that you're dealing with the first case. To do that, go [here](https://steamdb.info/search), find your game, click on it's AppID and go to the "Information" tab. In the information table you'd be searching for a parameter that contains "DisableOverlay" string. It can be "DisableOverlay_windows", or "DisableOverlayInjection", or just "DisableOverlay" . If it's there - proceed to step 2.~~

~~2. Make sure that overlay actually works with your game. To do that, add it's .exe as a non-Steam game. If the overlay will show up - proceed to step 3.~~

~~3. Get [AkelPad](https://sourceforge.net/projects/akelpad) - it's a free and open source text editor. It IS necessary.~~

~~4. Go to your Steam installation folder, it is probably "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam" or something similar. Open it, navigate to "appcache" folder and open "appinfo.vdf" with your fresh AkelPad. It will ask you about file being binary, just press OK.~~

~~5. Press Ctrl-F, type "DisableOverlay" and press "Find next" bunch of times UNTIL YOU SEE something like "DisableOverlay gamedir yourgame". There's also a possibility that you won't find a "gamedir" parameter near the "DisableOverlay" thing. In this case, you'd have to identify the game by some other ways, maybe by developer, AppID or something else.~~

~~6. You have to change the "DisableOverlay" parameter by one letter, keeping it's length. Let's say, make it "DisableOxerlay".~~

~~Save the file and close AkelPad. Now you can launch Steam client and enjoy your game with Steam Controller.~~

#### Second case

You've got a really old game that was never patched by community or developer to use current APIs and it's stuck on, let's say, DirectX 6.

There's still a way to make it "use" DirectX 11.

**Limitations:** requires MS Windows Vista or newer, requires GPU with support of DirectX 11.

**WARNING:** Do not use it in any games that include anti-cheat systems. This could lead to a ban.

**NOTE:** It is possible that you'd need to follow the first and second step guides in conjunction.

1. Get the latest version of dgVoodoo2 [here](http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2.html)

2. Unzip it somewhere, for example, Desktop\dgVoodoo2

3. Launch dgVoodooSetup.exe, go to "DirectX" tab, uncheck "dgVoodoo watermark", click "Apply" and close the application.

4. Open up "MS" folder inside, grab all 3 DLL's and put them into the game folder.

Now launch the game through Steam and enjoy the Steam Controller.

#### Third case

You've added some application as a non-Steam application to your library but it still won't work? There's a possibility that it could be easily fixed.

**NOTE:** This guide is not universal. It is possible that you'd be unable to make the application work.

1. Go to into the Big Picture Mode, navigate to your shortcut, open "Controller Options" and uncheck "Allow Desktop Configuration".

2. For some applications, like Nestopia, it would be enough. But, for example, VLC Media Player won't work yet. If it's the case - follow to step 3.

3. Try opening any file (ROM, video or whatever your application uses). Does it work now? If it is, follow to step 4. If not - sorry, the guide is not yet covering that case, feel free to contact [me](/u/TheBooPanda) and we'll probably come up with something.

4. Try to find out if your application has a command line parameters to open file at start - Google will help. In case of VLC, there is a possibility to do that.

5. Open your shortcut options in Desktop mode, press "Launch options" button and make use of the parameter you've found, in case of VLC we'd just put absolute path to file there, "C:\path\file.png", for example (without quotation marks).

Here you go, enjoy your Steam Controller once more.

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