Solved Steam overlay does not work when enabled, and disables controller/gamepad input

[TerrorPenguin]

Update: Version 1.5.5 seems to have fixed all of the issues I was having, however the controller will still not work properly if connected while the game is already open. Just relaunching the game seems to fix this. The solution below may still work if you have the same problems I was experiencing.

Solution: To anyone else wondering how to solve this, for me it was caused by running stardew valley as an administrator. I was doing this to prevent the game from crashing when saving files, however this also breaks the overlay & other steam functionality.
To fix it, run steam as an administrator instead of stardew valley.

Trying to open the steam overlay in-game using shift+tab doesn't work, regardless of it it's enabled or disabled. Changing the hotkey does not work.
While the overlay is enabled, the game doesn't receive any inputs from my ps4 controller. I have not tested with other controllers.

Reinstalling the game does not fix this issue.

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

Is Stardew Valley the only game that does not work with your controller? What about other games?

 

[TerrorPenguin]

Is Stardew Valley the only game that does not work with your controller? What about other games?

The controller & steam overlay both work in other games (games tested: portal 2, bastion, nuclear throne, rage)

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

Could you try to change from "auto-detect" to "force off" in the SV setting specifically in Gamepad Mode section?
Then, quit the game without saving.
And, load the game again and put the setting back again from "force off" to "auto-detect."
Let me know how it is reacting.

 

[TerrorPenguin]

Could you try to change from "auto-detect" to "force off" in the SV setting specifically in Gamepad Mode section?
Then, quit the game without saving.
And, load the game again and put the setting back again from "force off" to "auto-detect."
Let me know how it is reacting.

I've just tried this, does not work still. As I've said, the controller only works when you disable the steam overlay, so the issue with the steam overlay being broken seems to somehow affect controller input (the overlay & controller both work in other games).

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

I've just tried this, does not work still. As I've said, the controller only works when you disable the steam overlay, so the issue with the steam overlay being broken seems to somehow affect controller input (the overlay & controller both work in other games).

Are you using mod?or Smapi?

 

[TerrorPenguin]

Are you using mod?or Smapi?

No. I have Smapi installed, but am not using it. I can uninstall it if you think it's somehow causing the problem.

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

No. I have Smapi installed, but am not using it. I can uninstall it if you think it's somehow causing the problem.

I guess you need help from the mod community.
I suspect that smapi is the biggest culprit because smapi tend to modify some of your files without noticing.

When you uninstalled the smapi, some modified files will never change back to normal.
The only people that know how to deal with it are the mod community.

I suggest you should create a new thread from mod support.

https://forums.stardewvalley.net/forums/mod-support.29/

EDIT:

SMAPI is considered a mod:
SMAPI is an open-source modding framework and API for Stardew Valley that lets you play the game with mods. /QUOTE]

 

[TerrorPenguin]

I guess you need help from the mod community.
I suspect that smapi is the biggest culprit because smapi tend to modify some of your files without noticing.

When you uninstalled the smapi, some modified files will never change back to normal.
The only people that know how to deal with it are the mod community.

I suggest you should create a new thread from mod support.

https://forums.stardewvalley.net/forums/mod-support.29/

EDIT:

For confirmation that it's not smapi causing this, I've just tested on two other pc's that have never had stardew or smapi installed.
On the windows 7 pc, the steam overlay and controller work flawlessly.
On the windows 10 pc, the steam overlay does NOT work, and the controller only works when the overlay is disabled.
For reference, my current pc is also windows 10.

Edit: the only other difference on the windows 7 pc was that the steam friends network failed to connect, though signing out of friends does not seem to fix the issue on windows 10. It could be that the version of steam installed on the windows 7 pc is outdated, and the overlay & controller still worked on this old version of steam.

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

Follow this instruction to see if it works if Windows 10 is not compatible with Steam Overlay.

[edit: Nov 20, 2021]

10 Ways to Fix Steam Overlay not Working in Windows 10/11

If the Steam Overlay is not working in Windows 10, make sure you run the app with admin privileges and check solutions and workarounds below.

windowsreport.com

 

[TerrorPenguin]

Here's my problem in this discussion... I find it contradictive... Would you please correct me if I am wrong again?
Today, you gave me new information which I find more confusing after you mention about windows 10....
I need some clarification too.



You said all your games were working with the controller when your steam overlay was enabled.
I thought your SV is the only game that does not work with your gamepad when your steam overlay is enabled. – it works when disabled...

If you are 100 % sure that your Steam Overlay is not compatible with your windows 10,
why all of your games are working with your gamepad when your steam overlay is enabled?
Why is SV not working?

You might end up following this kind of instruction even though you don't need it.

10 Ways to Fix Steam Overlay not Working in Windows 10/11

If the Steam Overlay is not working in Windows 10, make sure you run the app with admin privileges and check solutions and workarounds below.

windowsreport.com

Therefore, your argument that "Steam Overlay not being compatible with Windows 10" does not make sense to me because your gamepad is still working with every game when your steam overlay is enabled. –but not SV.
((Sorry for being repetitive))

I cannot answer why the overlay is broken only in stardew valley- that is why I am here, reporting this issue.

I'm not sure if you think I'm being dishonest here or something, but the reason I specified windows 10 as having the issue is that the pc I tested running windows 7 had no problems, so the difference in operating system seems like the most obvious thing to point out. I never said the steam overlay itself does not work at all on windows 10, just that on the 2 windows 10 pc's I have available, it does not work in stardew valley specifically (it works in all other games).

I will follow that guide and see if it affects the overlay in stardew valley, and come back later with any results.

Although you did not use SMAPI for a long time, there is a possibility that SMAPI has corrupted some of your files.
I have done some research and googling here.
I am not sure exactly...I guess it is best to allow the technicians at the mod support to verify if SMAPI modified some of your files.

There is no possibility that SMAPI has corrupted files causing this issue, as this issue is also present on a fresh installation of stardew valley on a new pc which has never had stardew valley installed on it. The owner of the second windows 10 pc does not own stardew valley, and I have never logged onto my steam account on that pc before this.

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

I cannot answer why the overlay is broken only in stardew valley- that is why I am here, reporting this issue.

My bad. I was self-questioning myself to express my confusion.
Edit:
I don't think you are being dishonest.
I was confused.

I will follow that guide and see if it affects the overlay in stardew valley, and come back later with any results.

Please let me know.
I am curious to know if this method is working in your windows 10.

There is no possibility that SMAPI has corrupted files causing this issue, as this issue is also present on a fresh installation of stardew valley on a new pc which has never had stardew valley installed on it. The owner of the second windows 10 pc does not own stardew valley, and I have never logged onto my steam account on that pc before this.

After you finish following the instruction,
Let's discuss it further.
According to my experience, I have been dealing with many people who have SMAPI installed or uninstalled.
Many of them have different symptoms, but they have the same technical issue.
It is really difficult to fix it because SMAPI messed up some of their data.
I am encouraging you to give a chance to mod technicians to fix it for you.

 

[TerrorPenguin]

Please let me know.
I am curious to know if this method is working in your windows 10.
After you finish following the instruction,
Let's discuss it further.

So, I've followed this guide and it has resolved this issue, however I'm not 100% sure which step fixed it, or perhaps it resolved itself somehow (this is what I get for testing after just waking up...). I didn't test the game without changing anything first. Steam and stardew are already allowed through firewall, so I skipped this. The second step (disabling overlay in global settings then enabling per game) is not possible, as steam now greys out the option per game when it's disabled, so I re-enabled then skipped testing the game. I then tested steam in administrator and the overlay worked, however then exiting steam and running without administrator also works now.

I'm thinking, disabling the overlay for steam entirely then re-enabling it may have fixed it, but I'm fairly sure I did this already. I'll see when I can access the other windows 10 pc and do more thorough tests, running the game before and after every step to see when the issue resolves.

Edit: when the steam overlay is enabled, it seems to load controller profiles after loading the overlay, so now that the overlay works, controllers also work.

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

So, I've followed this guide and it has resolved this issue, however I'm not 100% sure which step fixed it, or perhaps it resolved itself somehow (this is what I get for testing after just waking up...). I didn't test the game without changing anything first. Steam and stardew are already allowed through firewall, so I skipped this. The second step (disabling overlay in global settings then enabling per game) is not possible, as steam now greys out the option per game when it's disabled, so I re-enabled then skipped testing the game. I then tested steam in administrator and the overlay worked, however then exiting steam and running without administrator also works now.

I'm thinking, disabling the overlay for steam entirely then re-enabling it may have fixed it, but I'm fairly sure I did this already. I'll see when I can access the other windows 10 pc and do more thorough tests, running the game before and after every step to see when the issue resolves.

Edit: when the steam overlay is enabled, it seems to load controller profiles after loading the overlay, so now that the overlay works, controllers also work.

Thanks for the report. Please report back if there is another issue.
Let's see how it works in a long term.

edit:(Play for one week and report back again if it works, I need to make sure if it is fully solved. )