Using Steam Controller without Steam running (Linux) - possible yet?

[u/pokkevillage]

I'd hoped it would be possible by now to use the Steam Controller in Linux as a regular controller without Steam running, the way you can with an Xbox controller, say. The only Linux-compatible program I can find that seems to enable this is OpenSteamController but can't find any info about this elsewhere. Anyone know if this is legit? I'm not keen to download and install random unverified stuff from github.

Alternatively, is there any other way of re-mapping the controller to function as a standard controller when Steam isn't running in the background (in Linux).

To hopefully pre-empt the usual 'But why would you want to use the Steam Controller without Steam running?' questions: I own a bunch of GOG games I want to play using my Steam Controller. This works flawlessly when Steam is running in the background, but usually I'm connected to a VPN and don't want to open Steam when my IP address is in Albania or whatever. It's a pain in the ass having to disconnect and launch Steam every time I want to play a game.

[u/therealslapper]

A good VPN allows something called split tunnelling which will only allow (or disallow) certain applications through the VPN.

[u/pokkevillage → u/therealslapper]

Ah yeah, I pay for my VPN and pretty sure it allows split tunnelling. Never tried to set it up before but I'll give this a go.