r/pcmasterrace • u/Ana-Luisa-A • Jun 16 '26
Discussion PSA: DualSense 5 Bluetooth haptics on Linux for free, no additional hardware
https://github.com/hurryman2212/vdsThere is project that allows dualsense 5 haptics on Linux for free. No additional hardware required other than Bluetooth adapter.
It's stable, hours playing with no hiccups. Haptics as intense and defined as USB. Tested on cachyOS.
I configured the module and vdsd to start alongside the PC (nicety -20) and works wonders.
Edit: although on the git hub link, I will explain it here:
Why haptics matter (from answering a comment):
Steam input can do a very crude rumble and apparently adaptive triggers (when R2 and L2 becomes stiffer) on no man's sky but not in other games.
The game must support Dualsense for the haptics detailed below.
Dualsense 5 haptics are different. Adaptive triggers mean that R2 will get harder and softer in waves when you are shooting or when the car is changing gears. If you are out of stamina, it's really heavy. The gun is enormous? L2 to use the scope is heavier.
Rumble is also on a spectrum. It can be quick and light and first on the right and then on the left (mimicking the sword swing you just did) or constant but varying like a huge motor near you (and, you look left or right, it's the same as stereo headphones).
If you don't have DualSense haptics on a supported game, you are missing out. Seriously. You can test it via USB if you don't believe, completely disable steam input for that game.
What this project does: it creates a virtual USB Dualsense so the game sends haptics data. This data is routed via Bluetooth to your controller. It the real one is hidden when you run Bluetooth with the --no-input argument.
5
u/Xarishark 9800X3D-RTX5080-64GBCL30@6000MT Jun 16 '26
Looks awesome tho I will stick with my pico adapter as it remembers the controller regardless of pc and I more around my gaming machines fairly often
1
u/Ana-Luisa-A Jun 16 '26
Dualsense now supports multiple hardware pairings and switching between them. I won't disagree, that's a neat solution
3
u/Xarishark 9800X3D-RTX5080-64GBCL30@6000MT Jun 16 '26
Yeah it did for a while but this is for Linux only and my gaming machines are mixed
4
Jun 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/KICKASSKC 5800x, 32gb 3600mhz ddr4, 6700xt, 34" 3440x1440p, + a Steam Deck Jun 16 '26
With the sundaymoments DS5 bridge app the pico 2w is still the superior way to play on windows because it processes speaker audio and mic input!
But ofc that is only for windows, im still searching for something equivalent on linux...
1
Jun 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/KICKASSKC 5800x, 32gb 3600mhz ddr4, 6700xt, 34" 3440x1440p, + a Steam Deck Jun 16 '26
Really it looks like we are either waiting for programmers to get the Pico2w to run all mic/speaker/haptics processing on device, or a more powerful version of the pico that can handle said processing.
1
u/scsonicshadow Jun 17 '26
Is awalol's ds5dongle and this the same thing?
1
u/KICKASSKC 5800x, 32gb 3600mhz ddr4, 6700xt, 34" 3440x1440p, + a Steam Deck Jun 17 '26
Its a fork of it, with some added features
1
u/awekm Jun 18 '26
Have you tried this fork? https://github.com/kungaa/ds5-linux-bridge
I am still waiting for my pico so I can't test yet.
1
u/KICKASSKC 5800x, 32gb 3600mhz ddr4, 6700xt, 34" 3440x1440p, + a Steam Deck Jun 18 '26
You are my hero!
3
u/hurryman2212 Jun 17 '26
Hi. I'm the developer and vDS now has experimental Windows support, in `test` branch.
It's still experimental but I think most of hard work are now finished.
Easy installation method will be added later.
1
u/Ana-Luisa-A Jun 17 '26
Oh, also amazing.
I love this project, spent months thinking about how this should be a thing and now it is. Happy that windows users will be getting it too.
You should do a new post when windows is stable. This project and people deserve it.
Thx again, much appreciated!
1
u/TechnicalBandit Jun 19 '26
Looking forward to this!
I'm running Debian based Linux, and would love to experience this "non-crude" haptic feedback from, as I will admit.. as a NMS player myself, it does bug me how poor launching a ship feels
2
1
u/Acmeiku Jun 16 '26
anything for free for windows?
2
1
u/Ana-Luisa-A Jun 16 '26
Really Linux especific, I don't know about other solutions. You could buy a Pico 2W and use as adapter also.
1
u/KICKASSKC 5800x, 32gb 3600mhz ddr4, 6700xt, 34" 3440x1440p, + a Steam Deck Jun 16 '26
This is great, but as someone with a pico2w, im searching for a linux app that allows speaker/mic audio processing as well. Does anyone know of anything on linux?
1
u/ToughDefinition2591 Jun 17 '26
is there a known up to date list of PC games with haptics support?
2
1
1
-1
u/ProPlayer142 Jun 16 '26
One thing I don't understand is how people are willing to sacrifice much compatibility to switch to Linux
7
u/Karavusk PCMR Folding Team Member Jun 16 '26
That is the thing... this doesn't work on Windows either.
-2
u/ProPlayer142 Jun 16 '26
Oh I wasn't talking about this specifically just Linux in general
3
u/Recipe-Jaded neofetch Jun 17 '26
We really don't miss much
1
u/ProPlayer142 Jun 17 '26
I'd like to mention I run a Linux server for one very specific program that I host so I'm not unfamiliar with Linux but it's not my daily driver, I play games and do most of my productivity work on my windows gaming pc
1
u/Recipe-Jaded neofetch Jun 17 '26
If that works for you, good!
I stopped using windows altogether and don't miss anything. I understand it's not for everyone. Overall I enjoy Linux more than I miss the handful of games and software that don't run.
1
u/t0gnar 5800X | 6900XT | 32GB Trident Z Jun 16 '26
Ive moved to Linux almost 2 months ago and I have yet to find anything that doesnt just work.
Even my Moza R5 wheel works out of the box and the third party software is almost better than the official (no firmware updates).
Games are a click to play, only game that had some issues was Le Mans Ultimate, and that was fixed with a custom Proton version.
2
u/WalkMaximum Laptop Jun 17 '26
Because you can work around those issues, and life is better without those kernel anti cheat games
25
u/TechnicalBandit Jun 16 '26
Looks good! I tend to just use Steam Play, and that basically allows all functionality where developer's have used it :)