What does HackerNews think of sc-controller?

User-mode driver and GTK3 based GUI for Steam Controller

Language: Python

#124 in Python
Now offering 2TB SSDs for Steam Deck in the Framework Marketplace | Feb 2023
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I think the most unusual driver you'll need for the Deck is the controller. There's upcoming mainline Linux support[0], which Steam Controller already has. The default behavior either has it emulate a mouse/keyboard, or requires Steam to act as a driver. There's an open source project to do gyro mapping and all that the Steam client does, and they're working on Deck Controller support[1]

[0] https://www.phoronix.com/news/Steam-HID-Steam-Deck-Linux-6.3

[1] https://github.com/kozec/sc-controller
Show HN: Linux driver for the Xbox One wireless dongle | Dec 2019
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Not OP, but there is a history of writing game controller drivers for linux:

https://github.com/chrippa/ds4drv

https://xboxdrv.gitlab.io/

https://github.com/kozec/sc-controller

I recently bought myself a dualshock4 for use with Kodi and RetroArch. No driver was needed, even for bluetooth!

Edit: formatting
The Steam Controller Configurator's Untapped Power | Jan 2017
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It's not about using the controller without Steam. It's possible already to some degree. See https://github.com/kozec/sc-controller

It's about these new APIs. If they'll be tied to Steam, and games will use them, then controller will be useless when those games will be distributed through GOG and other non Steam stores.
The Steam Controller Configurator's Untapped Power | Jan 2017
The main concern raised, how can you use it without Steam?

This isn't very promising:

> Aside: my (personal!) hope is that the Steam Controller initiative will eventually become a new universal -- and open -- standard for PC gaming input. I'm definitely not speaking for Valve on this particular point as I have no idea what their long term plans are.

Tying hardware to a distributor is a nasty practice. While there is now a Steam-less driver for the controller[1], if developers will start using these new APIs, how is it supposed to work for games released through GOG for instance? Are Valve planning to release these APIs as FOSS and without tying them to Steam? I'd say developers should not fall for this lock-in, until it becomes truly open.

1. https://github.com/kozec/sc-controller

The Steam Controller Configurator's Untapped Power | Jan 2017
There are projects to make standalone drivers to use a steam controller in Linux without Steam, though I can't say how well they work. https://github.com/kozec/sc-controller