Portal 1 and 2 are short games. Portal 1 is an evening to a day, and Portal 2 is a weekend.

Once one "gets the nack" I'm sure they are but it's finding the time to get into that mindset.

How well does the Steam Controller work for recent-ish Windows games (like Dishonored, Wolfenstein and Tomb Raider) running in Wine?

I'm buying one today. I plan to play the last third of Alien Vendetta (that's the DOOM level set I'm currently playing) with it.

Okay, I have it. Remapping the controls requires the native Steam Overlay to be working with the game. So if you want to use it with a non-Steam game, you add the game to Steam and make sure the Steam overlay is working with it. If you want to add a Wine game (including a Steam game running in Wine), you add it to the Linux version of Steam and make sure the Linux Steam overlay is working with it.

So far, here are the results of my tests:

• gzdoom 2.x works perfectly
• prboom-plus 2.5.14 works perfectly once it's set to use OpenGL mode
• Crispy DOOM doesn't work with the overlay and therefore doesn't allow the controls to be remapped
• DOOM Retro won't take input from the Steam Controller at all
• Quakespasm works perfectly.

That was rather disappointing, as my savegames were in Crispy DOOM and I'd been hoping to continue playing with the Steam Controller.

I don't know.

You'd need to run Nethack in a terminal that works with the Steam Overlay, for starters... If you can find or set up a terminal that works with the Steam Overlay and supports the Steam Controller's key remappings, then the answer should be yes.

Okay, I'm starting to see the learning curve. I'm playing Quake with it, and the two fiends at the end of e1m3 are getting me every time.

I was only joking but thanks for the answer. I bought Portals some time ago but I haven't had time to install it. I am going through some serious game crisis. I like the idea of good, stimulating games but after 30min either I get bored or start feeling guilty for not using my time effectively eg. On Learning JavaScript. On the one hand it is a good thing. On the other, I do see the value of games and want to devote some reasonable, guilt-free time to them. It is like I enjoy the idea of games but not necessarily playing them... If that makes sense.

So are you saying portal 1 can be finished in 1 evening? I will try to it one evening this week.

Sorry for the off topic comment. I feel better now

Do you use the left-pad or the left-stick to walk in first person shooters? I set Quake up to use the left stick as walk/run (depending on how far you push it) and the left pad as the number keys (to select weaponry). I find that optimal, but I'm aware that some people have it the other way around.

I was just using it to play Mushihimesama (a Windows Steam game) in Wine, and I think I finally managed to get the use of the left pad as a D-Pad.

First, of course, I downloaded Mushihimesama in Windows Steam running in Wine.

I created a launcher for it named /home/dugan/.local/bin/mushihimesama:

I created a .desktop file for it in /home/dugan/.local/share/applications:

I downloaded the rectangular banner image at the top right of the game's Steam store page and put it in ~/.local/share/steam, renamed to a game-specific filename.

Then I fired up Linux Steam...

I added it as a non-Steam game (+ ADD A GAME -> Add a Non-Steam Game...)

In Steam's Grid View, I right-clicked on it, choose "Set Custom Image", and set it to the banner image I downloaded earlier. Now the game was nicely set up in Linux Steam.

In Big Picture Mode, I was then ready to set up the Steam Controller bindings. Mushihimesama has native Xbox 360 controller support when running in Wine, so I chose Manage Shortcut -> Controller Configuration -> Browse Configs and then chose the "Gamepad" template. For the left pad I changed the following:

• Requires Click: Off
• Layout: Radial With Overlap
• Haptic Intensity: High
• Dead Zone: maybe 40 %

The "Radial with Overlap" layout is appropriate for games where you can move diagonally (like Mushihimesama), and the Dead Zone is just high enough so that I don't move if my thumb is resting at the centre of the pad, but I do (and feel force feedback) if I sside it even slightly. You adjust it to match the size of your personal thumb.

The game is then set up. When I want to play it, I launch Windows Steam and have it running in the background, then launch Mushihimesama from Linux Steam.

I assume everyone's using the left touchpad (with haptics turned to high and click turned off) as a D-Pad? How long did it take you to get used to orienting your thumb in the center of the pad, so that you don't drift in the wrong direction? I'm finding that that's very much a skill that takes time to develop and get used to.

I've tried Minecraft with the left pad as "mouse" and find it better. Well, since the stick can't be set as a convincing mouse.
For Metro 2033 Redux the Steam Controller seems to be unsupported. Ditto for DOTA but I haven't actually tried DOTA properly.
I think it is probably one of those things that if you take to it it's amazing but if you don't then it's hard to find a use for.
I must keep looking for a way to turn the stick into a mouse though as I think it would be good for aiming if it worked.

Use the gyro for aiming.

I might give it a go, thanks.
I'm still not convinced I'll get things working consistently enough though.

I've since remembered that I could just increase the size of the deadzone in the center of the pad.