Hihi!

So I have the GOG version of this [edit: Sands of Time] and want to try it with my Steam Controller. Loaded up a config, started the game through Big Picture, but couldn't get it to recognize any inputs from the controller at all. I've alt-tabbed back and forth between Big Picture and the game to no avail. Anyone know why this might be?

[edit: Might it have something to do with the fact that you have to launch the game with (and set the shortcut to) princeofpersia.exe, even though the game itself launches through POP.exe?]

[edit: Never mind, controllers simply don't work in the menus. Fun.]

I do a workaround, as I always do with a bunch of games that aren't on steam by default.
Go to your big screen, settings and chose to edit teh desktop defaults. Edit it the way you want to play the game. Quit steam and start it as admin, now start the game, no need to set it on steam at all, it will recognize the desktop settings and you can play normally. Just be warned that steam often crashes at admin mode...

The same problem happens with Warrior Within and the fix to "The Sands of Time" is the same. Running the game in admin mode is the problem. Aside from the security problem this entails, it also breaks Steam controller functionality.

Here is what I do to fix this:

1) Ensure to install the game into a path that is not a system protected path (by default it installs under system folders "C:\Program Files" or "C:\Program Files (x86)"). Instead, install it under something like "C:\Games\PopSOT".
2) Choose a path WITHOUT spaces in it (like in my above example).
3) After installation locate the files PrinceOfPersia.exe and POP.exe, right-click --> properties --> Compatibility and UNCHECK "Run this program as administrator" for both of these files.
4) Add the game to Steam as a non-steam app: Steam --> Games --> "Add Non-Steam Game to My Library..." (specifying the PrinceOfPersia.exe as the executable).
5) Launch the game and you should see the Steam Overlay kick in (that is your sign that it will work in non-elevated mode and that it will work with Steam).
6) Program the steam controller for the game as you like or choose (I choose the "Keyboard WASD and Mouse" Steam template so that I can even control the menu) and customize from there.

OPTION 2 (If you already have the game installed)
There is another option if you already have the game installed under "C:\Program Files (x86)" for example. Choose a folder outside a system folder, say "C:\Games". Now create a symbolic junction link so that it appears to be installed under C:\Games. To do this, open a command prompt and navigate to the C:\Games (using this example) and run the following command:

MKLINK /J PopSOT "C:\Program Files (x86)\GalaxyClient\Games\Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time"

That will create a link so that the system "thinks" that the program is installed in C:\Games\PopSOT. Now continue from step (3) and the rest.

This is working for me and I can even stream the game to my Steam Link in the living room and use my Steam Controller.

Good luck!

--Charlie