That's unusual, it should generally just work out of the box. How exactly are you launching the game? And does it work fine with the default config or does it only have problems when you select different settings?

Well I have exactly same problem and I just bought this game today....

I launch it through the default operating system, I haven't had issues with any other game I've tried on steam deck.

I've tried the game settings and the steam controller settings.

Alright in that case could you elaborate on the issue exactly? Or show a video or what specific controls are not working? From our Steam deck testing it should work mostly fine, which is also why it is greenlit for the Steam deck since as far as I know the game works fine on it for most people. Which is why I am curious as to what exactly breaks on your side. Does a specific button not work? Or are you trying to combine the touch controls with the standard controller controls?
Just so we can try and replicate the issue and whether there is a way to replicate the issue, since you mentioned that buttons stop just randomly working does it happen just totally randomly or is there a way to replicate the point at which the button stops working? Perhaps when combining certain actions and such.

Originally posted by Ronin-XIII:

So I've been spending hours trying to make this game fun with the steam deck and the shear amount of problems I've run into are driving me insane.

It seems random if the game actually uses the controller settings you select. Sometimes certain buttons seem to just stop working, inventory management is just impossible to make work in any realistic way.

Sorry just really frustrated on why I can't make this work without sacrificing most of your controls making the game unplayable.

Has anyone actually figured this out? I tried the top few controller setups by the community to and none of them completely work.

Ps. Honestly don't think the game should be green lit for steam deck if you can't fully play the game on your steam deck without insane amount of issues and effort.

Hi, I ran into this problem myself today after getting a dockingstation for my Steamdeck and a wireless Xbox controller. It's exactly as you describe for me and I'm glad I can also give you a solution. When PZ starts up, in the main menu go to options, then use the R1 button to navigate to controller. For me I see two SteamVirtualGamepads enabled here. If you go to the Testcontroller: field on the right select the one that corresponds to the wireless Xbox controller. For me it's the first one, this might be different for you depending on your Steamdeck settings but it's the one that when you select it, you can see which buttons you press on it. The other one for me is the default Steamdeck controls. If you accidently select the wrong one to test you will physically have to walk to your steamdeck and button A+Y out of the test and select the other one. If you have the right one you can A+Y out of the test with the Xbox controller then X to accept the settings/controller (I missed this crucial step the first time. Save with X for that controller to work!) Now it should work to start the game with A after it says This is how you died at the start of the game. Not sure if this setting persists after ending the game and starting it new. I ran into this myself just now, looked for a solution online and after not finding one came back to this thread and other ones to report what I did to fix it. Hope this helps other people who run into the same thing. Also, I hope I don't have to set this everytime I start the game new. I want to get some game time in now, if tomorrow I have to set this again when starting the game I will try and find a permanent solution and if found report it here. Enjoy PZ it's a great game :-P

My experience playing with controller is the first time the game load make sure no keyboard or mouse was touch and and the controller already turn on before starting the game. Otherwise the game will use K+M setting. You'll know when you see the UI, if the game shows hotbar then its K+M if that happen you have to reboot the game. If not you can still play although some of the input will not working.

In case playing on SteamDeck make sure the default steam control for already set to gamepad, so maybe you can check the the SteamDeck control didn't emulate K+M.

Maybe if I can sum it up, make sure the first input is gamepad input not K+M.

Not related to OP but it might help for controller user, mods that help playing with a controller. https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2986758614