Ah, Linux Mint—the “it just works” distro, except for when your joystick decides that “slightly to the left” is the new “center.”
Calibrating a controller on Mint is actually quite straightforward because the operating system usually sees gamepads as standard input devices. Depending on whether you want a quick GUI fix or a deep-dive command line calibration, here are your best routes:
1. The Easy Way: jstest-gtk
This is the most popular graphical tool for testing and calibrating controllers on Mint. It isn’t installed by default, but it’s in the standard repositories.
Install it: Open your terminal and run: sudo apt update && sudo apt install jstest-gtk
Calibrate: 1. Open jstest-gtk from your application menu. 2. Select your controller and click Properties. 3. Click Calibration and follow the on-screen prompts to move your sticks to their extremes. 4. Click Apply to save the new center and range.
2. The Steam Way (Best for Gamers)
If you are primarily using your joystick for gaming via Steam, don’t bother with system-level tools. Steam’s built-in “Input” layer is incredibly powerful and will override most system settings anyway.
Open Steam and go to Settings > Controller.
Click on Calibration and Advanced Settings.
Here you can adjust Deadzone (if your stick is drifting) and calibrate the range of motion.
3. The “No-Install” Terminal Way
If you don’t want to install extra software, you can use the classic jscal tool which is likely already on your system.
Identify your device: Run ls /dev/input/ (usually it’s js0).
Run calibration:jscal -c /dev/input/js0
Follow the prompts: It will ask you to leave the stick centered, then move it to minimum and maximum positions.
Pro-Tip: Dealing with “Stick Drift”
If your character is slowly walking off a cliff even when you aren’t touching the controller, you don’t necessarily need a full calibration—you need a Deadzone.
What’s a Deadzone? It’s a small area around the center of the stick that the computer ignores. In jstest-gtk, you can manually set these values so that minor “wobble” doesn’t register as movement.
Just installed my first scenery add-on to FS2024 on Linux Nobara.
Purchased scenery at JustFlight.com.
KEWR Newark MSFS (Drzewiecki Design).
Package downloads as a .exe installer file.
.exe files are difficult in Linux.
This .exe installs the scenery into the FS2024 Community folder.
Use wineprefix to install it.
Location of the download:
/run/media/rons/BE1E43BA1E436B0B/Linux Nobara/Downloads/KEWR_Newark_MSFS_v1.2.exe
Terminal command to install it:
WINEPREFIX=~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/2537590/pfx wine “/run/media/rons/BE1E43BA1E436B0B/Linux Nobara/Downloads/KEWR_Newark_MSFS_v1.2.exe”
When the installer opens: Follow the prompts. When it asks for a path: /home/rons/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/2537590/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024/Packages/
I am really trying hard to get this to run as well, and I’ve used Linux for decades, so I don’t shy away from terminal work and troubleshooting. FS is the last reason for me to still have a rotten Windows install, and I desperately want to get rid of it.
In my case it’s FS2024 I want to run.
My peripherals are
Honeycomb Alpha Yoke (XPC version)
Honeycomb Bravo Throttle
Thrustmaster Rudder
Alpha and T-Rudder work out of the box, perfectly.
Using lsusb, the Bravo Throttle is also present in the host system and identified correctly, but it seems that somewhere along the way Proton does fumble it. The Bravo is always mistaken as Xbox Controller.
I’ve tried all kinds of fixes so far, from a registry hack
My configuration for FS2024 with HDR.
i7-14700K
AMD RX 7900 XTX
VKB Gladiator EVO NXT flight stick
VKB NXT FSM-GA
I also had problems with the Gladiator detecting as a Xbox Controller.
Install Steam
Steam Launch Options:
Preferred:
PROTON_ENABLE_WAYLAND=1 PROTON_ENABLE_HDR=1 %command%
Also works:
env SDL_GAMECONTROLLER_IGNORE_DEVICES=231d/0200 PROTON_ENABLE_WAYLAND=1 PROTON_ENABLE_HDR=1 ENABLE_HDR_WSI=1 DXVK_HDR=1 gamescope -W 3840 -H 1913 --hdr-enabled --hdr-itm-enable -- %command%
Note: not needed but works.
Note my Gladiator device ID = 0200. change to yours
Terminal command = lsusb to get your ID
Properties, Compatability = Proton-GE latest
Properties, Controller = Disable Steam Input
Setup FS2024
udev fix:
Terminal
echo 'KERNEL=="hidraw*", SUBSYSTEM=="hidraw", MODE="0660", TAG+="uaccess"' | sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/72-hidraw-access.rules evadm trigger
Enable MS Xbox authorization
your MS account email
Get Email and code for the Xbox input box.
Note: After a Restart, 1st run of FS2024 will CTD.
Run again and no CTD occurs.
Other options already set:
Fix for joystick to not detect as a Xbox Controller
udev fix:
Terminal
echo ‘KERNEL==“hidraw*”, SUBSYSTEM==“hidraw”, MODE=“0660”, TAG+=“uaccess”’ | sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/72-hidraw-access.rules evadm trigger
Today on Linux, the Longitude is flying great and the graphics are great.
The AP is great but I cannot get the NAV to arm.
AP and HDR will arm but NAV an APPR will not.
The Flight Plan is loaded and activated and displays on the FMS but there is no Majenta line on the MFD.
Anyone know how to fix this?
Edit: 6-14-2025
Worked on this all afternoon.
IFR/ILS Flight Plan loaded into the Longitude FMS.
KJFK 31R to KEWR 22R via the EFB with waypoints from AGNSS to Runway 22R
on the Glideslope.
The AP will arm but the NAV will not arm and the magrenta liine does not display.
If the Flight Plan is only from KJFK 31R to KEWR 22R, the NAV will arm and the
magenta line will display.
Note that if you program the Flight Plan in the FMS putting in the PROC for the
runway 22R and transition PATRN, the flight plan ai displayed but the magenta linw will not display and the NAV will not arm.
Deinstalled FS2024 Beta and re-iinstalled it. No change.
Deinstalled Steam and re-installed it. No change.
NAV is now working on Linux Nobara OS.
I uninstalled Steam and re-installed it.
FS2024 is running great on Nobara.
Graphics are great.
With the RX 7900 XTX GPU, I’ve seen as high as 18 GB of VRAM being used.
I installed the Intel ARC PRO B70 and FS2024 worked great with its 32 GB of VRAM.
But there was no audio being sent via the DP to HDMI cable to the display (4K TV).
This is a known problem with Linux.
Will have to wait for a fix from Linux.
The more people post about Linux, the more likely it is that at some point MS won’t be able to ignore it anymore. Look at Azure Linux. Not what I have in mind, but the tendencies are noticeable.
This reminds me of networking, (and other I/O drivers), on earlier versions of Windows - in some cases I had to compile and install the drivers manually.
Yes, there is still a bit more “hands-on” work to do with Linux, but it’s getting better and better - to the point of actually being a doable thing - especially as Win-11 is continuing to drive people away from MS.
Selection Bias?
I suspect that many of the people who want to make the switch - especially those with more esoteric workflows - have the technical chops to do the occasional command-line stuff that Linux requires now and then. And those that don’t can stay with Windows and/or get a friend to help.
