New big picture mode, after exiting game unable to use controller

[Jörmungandr]

Hi folks,

I don't know if this is a known issue or something on my part but after starting a game in big picture mode and exiting the game my controller turn unusable. The play button stays greyed out and the only way I can exit big picture is by using my keyboard. Anyone have the same problem or know a potential fix?

Thanks in advance.

[Balderick]

yes steam nw big picture tries to load the new gamepad-navigation config or is expecting touch event from Deck device. Regardless controller stops working for me after closing game steam still says press b to abort game and screen does not refresh until after a left click from physical mouse. Only then does controller work like expected again in newbigpicture ui.

guide button is also broken for me (again) if large mode is used to launch game but works fine in newbigpicture which was only just fixed with yesterdays update but broke with todays update

[Jörmungandr]

Originally posted by Balderick:

yes steam nw big picture tries to load the new gamepad-navigation config or is expecting touch event from Deck device. Regardless controller stops working for me after closing game steam still says press b to abort game and screen does not refresh until after a left click from physical mouse. Only then does controller work like expected again in newbigpicture ui.

guide button is also broken for me (again) if large mode is used to launch game but works fine in newbigpicture which was only just fixed with yesterdays update but broke with todays update

Well it sounds like this is gonna take some time to fix then. Glad I'm not the only one though. Seems to me they just ported the steam deck ui and figured it would work almost right out of the box. Slight annoyance so I'll just wait until it's fixed.

[анаЛизатор]

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[Limpperi]

Same issue here

[ronniecross]

Originally posted by Hellrazer:

Anyone have the same problem or know a potential fix?

Yes. I'm assuming you're using an XBox controller as that's what I'm using (specifically an elite series 2, but I doubt that matters). Even if you're not using XB controller, I'm sure this will still apply.

The controller doesn't work because big picture doesn't have focus.

Steam also refers to the xbox button as the 'chord' button, which can be held down to perform tasks independent of the game you are playing, and these commands work even when there is no game.

The 'click' chord command is XBox Button + RB.

So whenever you have this problem where exiting a game results in not being able to control the big picture UI with your controller, simply hold down the xbox button and press RB (or if your controller isn't XB, then the corresponding chord command for your controller) which will click on the big picture UI and allow you to control it as normal.

I've had this problem for about a week or two and will say the first time you have to do this, it will seem a bit un-necessary and awkward. But after doing it a few times it becomes second nature.

[ronniecross]

Originally posted by Hellrazer:

Seems to me they just ported the steam deck ui and figured it would work almost right out of the box.

Pretty much, yes. if you hold down the XB button (or equivalent) then press 'A', you'll get a little side-menu on the left. At the bottom of that side-menu is a 'Help' category, with a 'View Manual' option. If you click on that, it shows the manual for the Steam Deck.

[Balderick]

For me jan 24th upate fixed Guide button behaviour in newbigpicture. was able for first time show global chord shortcut list by holding guide button, quick access settings with guide +a and open steam overlay in game. other global chord shortcuts also worked in large mode.

The pronblem is after 25th Jan update guide button only ever opens steam settings, or opens big big picture but none of few of the global chord chortcuts are working now. Guide button is set to focus steam in general settings so for me just pressing guide button should be enough to get controller working in desktop after closing newbigpicture, or after exiting a game from new.big picture.

Log files say steam is trying to load lizard mode which is why no global chord shortcuts can work. Which is a bug.

EDIT: the lizard mode thing is not happening anymore but the issue that triggered that is still happening

[2023-01-25 22:29:05] Could not load local selection (), local override (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam/controller_config/basicui_gamepad.vdf), or user path (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\100326925\config/controller_configs/basicui_gamepad.vdf), checking last resort path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam/controller_base/basicui_gamepad.vdf

[2023-01-25 22:29:05] Loaded Config for Last Resort Path for App ID 769, Controller 0: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam/controller_base/basicui_gamepad.vdf

[2023-01-25 22:29:12] OnFocusWindowChanged to window type: k_nGameIDControllerConfigs_Desktop, AppID 413080

[2023-01-25 22:29:12] Loaded Config for Local Selection Path for App ID 413080, Controller 0: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Steam Controller Configs\100326925\config\413080\controller_xboxone.vdf

steam input can not find basicui_gamepad.vdf
the new gamepad-navigation ui hides the mouse cursor and using global guide chord shortcut Guide + RS click (hold) should show and move mouse cursor with right stick

The problem is guide button behaviour is now broken again so i need to rely on physical mouse

My old workaround for fixing guide button behaviour of using shift + tab mapped to always on section of global guide chord shortcut config is also broken now


Just been trying to use newbigpicture more after had working guide button but it getting harder to not just use -oldbigpicture . Even after several months of newbigpicture being available on windows it is barely functional and absolutely bug ridden. Still far to Deck centric.

[Jörmungandr]

Originally posted by ronniecross:

Originally posted by Hellrazer:

Anyone have the same problem or know a potential fix?

Yes. I'm assuming you're using an XBox controller as that's what I'm using (specifically an elite series 2, but I doubt that matters). Even if you're not using XB controller, I'm sure this will still apply.

The controller doesn't work because big picture doesn't have focus.

Steam also refers to the xbox button as the 'chord' button, which can be held down to perform tasks independent of the game you are playing, and these commands work even when there is no game.

The 'click' chord command is XBox Button + RB.

So whenever you have this problem where exiting a game results in not being able to control the big picture UI with your controller, simply hold down the xbox button and press RB (or if your controller isn't XB, then the corresponding chord command for your controller) which will click on the big picture UI and allow you to control it as normal.

I've had this problem for about a week or two and will say the first time you have to do this, it will seem a bit un-necessary and awkward. But after doing it a few times it becomes second nature.

I can try this. But I doubt I haven't already since I tried every button at some point to get any kind of response from steam and it didn't work. But nevertheless I'll give it a shot.

Originally posted by Balderick:

For me jan 24th upate fixed Guide button behaviour in newbigpicture. was able for first time show global chord shortcut list by holding guide button, quick access settings with guide +a and open steam overlay in game. other global chord shortcuts also worked in large mode.

The pronblem is after 25th Jan update guide button only ever opens steam settings, or opens big big picture but none of few of the global chord chortcuts are working now. Guide button is set to focus steam in general settings so for me just pressing guide button should be enough to get controller working in desktop after closing newbigpicture, or after exiting a game from new.big picture.

Log files say steam is trying to load lizard mode which is why no global chord shortcuts can work. Which is a bug.

EDIT: the lizard mode thing is not happening anymore but the issue that triggered that is still happening

[2023-01-25 22:29:05] Could not load local selection (), local override (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam/controller_config/basicui_gamepad.vdf), or user path (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\100326925\config/controller_configs/basicui_gamepad.vdf), checking last resort path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam/controller_base/basicui_gamepad.vdf

[2023-01-25 22:29:05] Loaded Config for Last Resort Path for App ID 769, Controller 0: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam/controller_base/basicui_gamepad.vdf

[2023-01-25 22:29:12] OnFocusWindowChanged to window type: k_nGameIDControllerConfigs_Desktop, AppID 413080

[2023-01-25 22:29:12] Loaded Config for Local Selection Path for App ID 413080, Controller 0: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Steam Controller Configs\100326925\config\413080\controller_xboxone.vdf

steam input can not find basicui_gamepad.vdf
the new gamepad-navigation ui hides the mouse cursor and using global guide chord shortcut Guide + RS click (hold) should show and move mouse cursor with right stick

The problem is guide button behaviour is now broken again so i need to rely on physical mouse

My old workaround for fixing guide button behaviour of using shift + tab mapped to always on section of global guide chord shortcut config is also broken now


Just been trying to use newbigpicture more after had working guide button but it getting harder to not just use -oldbigpicture . Even after several months of newbigpicture being available on windows it is barely functional and absolutely bug ridden. Still far to Deck centric.

So if I understand you correctly now it's actually broken? With no response from keyboard or controller? Got a bit too technical for me at some point. I do agree with the fact that the new big picture mode is bug ridden, it's like I said in a previous post; they ported over the ui from steam deck and with minimal tinkering expected it to kinda work. But then again it's still in beta so I guess that explains it.

[Balderick]

I just had to set recommended template for global guide chord shortcut config to get Guide button working again. The hold Guide button to show newbigpicture chord shortcuts does not work. But guide button does open settings like expected again.

You are not wrong. newbigpicture is far too deck centric and it may be more appealing if everything was not so bug ridden. but it isnt. feel like i am being forced to use it to just prove it is the cause of vast majority of bugs with steam in large mode.

[Jörmungandr]

Hmm, okay. I'll try that. See what happens. Hope they start fixing it though, and not one update fixes something and the other breaks a couple things. But yeah, that's what you get for opting into the beta.

[Balderick]

I only opted in to beta because of bugs on stable. Not enough Steam users reporting bugs. most folks have plenty of other better things to do if they cant play their games than trying to describe bugs.

[Jörmungandr]

Originally posted by Balderick:

I only opted in to beta because of bugs on stable. Not enough Steam users reporting bugs. most folks have plenty of other better things to do if they cant play their games than trying to describe bugs.

Same here. I barely get around to playing some games and most of the time, even in the beta, bugs don't bother me. Just this once since I wanted to check out the new big picture mode and well, you know the rest.

[Shomp]

Having the same issue, very frustrating that I have to keep getting up from my couch and can't have a console-esque experience :(

[Reznorio]

Still happening as of May 2023. Happens in every game I play on windows and big picture mode.

[RodolfoMT]

Same issue here. I've been exiting big picture every time it launches for a while now to prevent the issue from happening, but I would rather have this working.