👉 This page explains how to play GnollHack with the Steam Deck's built-in controls, which are available starting from version 3.32. It covers setting up the controls in Steam, the controls on the map, the radial menus, and using the controller in menus, the wiki, and Gnoll Overseer.
Button names on this page follow the Steam Deck. A strip of button hints at the bottom of the screen always shows what each button does at the moment, and it changes when you hold L1 or R1.
🏁 Setting Up the Controls
The Use Controller setting is on by default, so you only need to install GnollHack from Steam and start it. The setting is in Settings, under Controller.
GnollHack reads the controls through Steam Input. If the controls do nothing in the game:
- Press the Steam button and open Controller Settings.
- Select the Gamepad with Mouse Trackpad template.
If Steam Input is turned off for the game, turn it on in the game's Properties in Steam, under Controller.
The back grips need GnollHack's own Steam Input layout. With the Gamepad with Mouse Trackpad template, everything except the back grips works.
ℹ️ Note: Controller support is in the Linux Version, and it is built for the Steam Deck. The Windows, Android, and iOS versions do not have controller support yet.
Touching the screen, using the mouse, or pressing a keyboard key returns the game to its usual on-screen buttons until you use the controller again.
🗺️ Controls on the Map
L1 and R1 do nothing on their own. They are hold modifiers that change what the other buttons do. The game's commands and their keyboard shortcuts are listed in Commands.
| Control | Alone | With L1 Held | With R1 Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | The action available on your square; opens the Actions radial menu if there are several | Commands radial menu | |
| B | Search (s); first closes an open overlay, and interrupts an ongoing activity |
Search 20 times | |
| X | Pick Up (,) |
Pick Up and Stash (;) |
|
| Y | Repeat (Ctrl+a) |
Wait (.) |
|
| R2 | The action assigned to R2, by default Fire (f) |
Right Quick radial menu | Set R2 radial menu |
| L2 | The action assigned to L2, by default Kick (k) |
Set L2 radial menu | Left Quick radial menu |
| Menu | Game menu | Abilities (Shift+a) |
|
| View | Inventory (i) |
Equipment (*) |
|
| D-pad | Walk one step per press, repeating while held; press two directions together to walk diagonally | Up and Down zoom, Left toggles the minimap, and Right returns to normal zoom | |
| Left stick | Walk in eight directions | Run in that direction | |
| Right stick | Pan the map | ||
| L3 | Center the map on your character | ||
| R3 | Toggles radial menu |
Holding both L1 and R1 and pressing Y makes your character rest.
🎯 Trigger Quick Actions
L2 and R2 each have eight quick actions. You can change them in Settings, under Trigger Quick Actions.
| Trigger | Default Quick Actions | Assigned by Default |
|---|---|---|
| R2 | Fire, Swap, Chat, Throw, Cast, Quick Cast, Zap, Quick Zap | Fire |
| L2 | Kick, Drop Items, Pray, Yell, Engrave, Two-Weapon, Pick-axe, Polearm | Kick |
- The Right Quick and Left Quick radial menus run the action that you choose at once.
- The Set R2 and Set L2 radial menus choose which action the trigger performs when you press it alone.
🕹️ Back Grips
L4, L5, R4, and R5 default to Apply, Cast, Quick Cast, and Quick Zap. You can change them in Settings, under Controller.
📍 Choosing a Position
When the game asks you to choose a position on the map:
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Left stick | Move the cursor; a full push jumps eight squares |
| Right stick | Pan the map |
| A | Select |
| B | Cancel |
| L1 and R1 | Previous and next interesting spot |
| L2 and R2 | Previous and next monster |
| Y | Put the cursor on your character |
🧭 Choosing a Direction
When the game asks for a direction, press the D-pad to choose it at once, or press two D-pad directions together for a diagonal. You can also aim with the left stick and confirm with A. L1 is up, R1 is down, and B cancels.
⭕ Radial Menus
A radial menu stays open until you choose an item or close it.
- Select an item with either stick, or step between items with the D-pad.
- A activates the item, and B closes the menu.
- L1 and R1 change the page.
The radial menus on the map are:
- Actions: The actions available on your square, followed by pages of all commands. X switches between the two.
- Toggles: More Messages, Status Screen, Auto-Center, Look Mode, Auto-Dig, Ignore Stopping, Max Hit Points, and Max Mana.
- Quick and Set: The trigger radial menus described in Trigger Quick Actions.
📜 Menus and Dialogs
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Left stick, D-pad | Move the focus; in menus, D-pad Left and Right change the page |
| Right stick | Scroll |
| A | Confirm or select the focused item; hold A on a menu row for its count or actions |
| B | Cancel, close, or go back |
| X | Accept the selection in menus |
| Y | Select or unselect all items in menus that allow selecting several |
| L1 and R1 | Jump between sections in menus |
| L2 and R2 | First or last row in menus |
The main menu, Settings, Library, Top Scores, Replays, and other pages work the same way: the focus moves over the rows and the buttons, A presses the focused one, and B goes back. On the main menu, B does nothing.
During a replay, A pauses, L1 and R1 change the speed, and B quits.
⌨️ Typing Text
In Gaming Mode, pressing A on a text field opens Steam's on-screen keyboard. The keyboard's Enter confirms the text, and B ends the editing. When the game asks you to type something, such as a wish or a name, the keyboard opens by itself, and Y opens it again.
In Desktop Mode, pressing A only focuses the field. Press the Steam button and X to open the keyboard by hand.
🌐 The Wiki and Web Pages
Web pages, such as this wiki, open in the game's in-app browser, where a gold focus ring moves between the links and controls on the page.
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| D-pad, left stick | Move to the nearest link or control in that direction |
| Right stick | Scroll |
| A | Follow a link, press a button, or edit a text field |
| B | End a text edit, close an open menu, go back, or close the browser |
| X | Go forward |
| Y | Edit the page's search field |
| L1 and R1 | Previous and next section heading |
| L2 and R2 | Page up and page down |
| L3 | Top of the page |
| View | Move between the article, the sidebar, and the toolbar |
| Menu | Close the browser |
The right trackpad stays a mouse on these pages.
🐺 Gnoll Overseer
The Gnoll Overseer chat page is divided into areas: the menu, the chat controls, the chat list, the messages, and the area where you write. L1 and R1 step through the areas, and View cycles them. The D-pad and the left stick also move between them.
When you are in the writing area:
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| L2 | Go to the model selector |
| R2 | Go to the text entry |
| Y | Open the model selector |
| X | Write in the text entry |
While you are typing text, the D-pad and the left stick move the text cursor, L2 and R2 go to the start and end of the text, and B ends the typing. With nothing else to do, B leaves the page after a confirmation.
📁 File Dialogs
In Gaming Mode, attaching, importing, sharing, and saving files use a file dialog that works with the controller.
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| D-pad, left stick | Move between rows and buttons |
| Right stick | Scroll |
| A | Open a place or folder, select a file, or save to a place |
| X | Attach the selected files |
| B | Go up a level, then cancel |
| L2 and R2 | First or last row |
| Menu | Cancel |
Files can be attached and imported from Pictures, GnollHack Screenshots, Documents, Downloads, and SD cards. Saved files go to a GnollHack folder under Documents, Downloads, or an SD card, and saving never overwrites an existing file.