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Valve announces Steam Controller
- Thread starter angular graphics
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I think the buttons on the underside of the controller can be used in place of two of the face buttons.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Looks fascinating as hell. I wonder how it'll work with games that have default 360 controls though.
plasticpassion
Member
I think this is a very novel idea worthy of attention. Steam/Valve are highly consistent with their quality, have a significant amount of resources, and are unlikely to put out a product that does not work well. It may not fit the needs of every consumer, but this seems to be technology that may be very proliferative, especially considering the open source technology. There may be some very creative uses with this controller. However, I am skeptical of the haptic technology and how well it may function until I see/feel it for myself. Hopefully there is some form of functional integrated feedback with the pads. Regardless, I cannot wait to see what comes out of this.
By the way, this thread really illuminates the idiocy of a lot of posters as well as the dichotomy between those who post simply to have their name seen and those who look for actual conversation. I would love intelligent discourse but with the first page littered with ridiculous statements irrelevant to the validity of the Steam controller, I quickly lost interest in reading past the first several comments. Can GAF do better than this? Maybe there should be some kind of rating system that weeds out the nonsensical posts a la reddit.
By the way, this thread really illuminates the idiocy of a lot of posters as well as the dichotomy between those who post simply to have their name seen and those who look for actual conversation. I would love intelligent discourse but with the first page littered with ridiculous statements irrelevant to the validity of the Steam controller, I quickly lost interest in reading past the first several comments. Can GAF do better than this? Maybe there should be some kind of rating system that weeds out the nonsensical posts a la reddit.
POWERSPHERE
Banned
holy shit at first i laughed but this could be an amazing controller for dual stick games
Yeah hopefully it doesn't cost too much more than the XB1/PS4 controllers.
The 300 beta testers will be getting a wired prototype with four buttons instead of the touchscreen in the center, though I don't really think we should expect that the controller on display here must remain as-is in terms of function or aesthetics. They'll adjust things with feedback.
And hopefully tuck some biometric kit into it 
So stop worrying about that? I thought the PS3 controller's sticks sucked but it had most of my favorites the past few years. I thought the 360 controller was perfect, except in everything that needed the D-pad. Those are so close to objective it's *almost* not even subjective. Except it still is for some people. Some people prefer the "bad" ones for the games that make it tough. Who cares? Why is this being argued? It's an option.
Steam list of controllers that work: KBM, joysticks, 360, PS3, XB One, PS4, Valve controller, Logitech controllers, flight sticks, Weird keyboard replacements + Mouse, Keyboard + Trackpad, Steering wheels, Capcom USB Fightpad wired and wireless. Do you want me to type out 16 pages? Because I probably can. Everything works on PC. This is not a replacement for PC and never will be. It's something that you have the option to buy or not because everything else STILL works. It's existence is to make the majority of PC games at the very least usable and hopefully good AND wireless couch living room gaming, outside of a few genres. Valve wants to be in the living room and this is PART of their strategy. And if it sucks then who cares, at least they're attempting something, and if it doesn't take off, Valve will stop selling it, and there's no need to worry because everything else, literally almost every controller ever made that uses USB, will work in some fashion with games that are made to use controllers.
There is NO problem with this thing coming out. My mind is full of fuck just reading these replies.
Clearly this controller is not meant for everything. I doubt it would be much fun to play a fighter on it.. but honestly Id much rather play a fighter with a arcade stick imo.
This isnt here to replace stuff. Its to make PC gaming easier in the living room. Heavy KB/M games that are awful with slow clumsy analog sticks.. those types of games. You can still simply plug in your 360 pad and such for stuff that better suits that (lol not fighters still..).
Osiris
I permanently banned my 6 year old daughter from using the PS4 for mistakenly sending grief reports as it's too hard to watch or talk to her
Economies of scale and the more limited market for this suggest that this is going to be no way near the price of XB1/PS4 controllers. Probably more like double/triple the price.
maybe sth. like a like button but NO dislike button and you can filter and organize a thread by "Most likes" xD
ChiliManiac
Banned
I would expect it to run near the same as a high end gaming mouse.
Cave Johnson
Member
Let's assume the "haptic feedback" allows you to feel the direction where your finger is at the trackpad with intense accuracy. This would mean isometric games like Diablo or dota would have an uncanny feeling of the character being directly controlled by your thumb due to the feedback. In other words, your character would feel like one would with a marionette. This solves one very big issue on the traditional control schemes where your thumbstick/keys feel like their commanding a texture moving. A greater sense or agency can clearly be accomplished due to such tech rendering the traditional sticks as an outdated form of control because such feedback does make some sort of difference.
But such feedback can also solve the "blind-eye" issue where a character hits an object outside the peripheral view. Imagine having your thumbs feeling an intense rumble indicating you have hit a wall/object in that direction or an enemy attacking you getting feedback from said direction, GOD do you realize how important this is especially playing in first-person mode? This is something the thumbsticks and keys severely lack.
I can go on about the possibilities with the triggers on the back, but over 70+ pages of discussion not one has opened up a discussion on how current and previous games work based on the information we have received as of late. So what, do we need a new thread for this or is it going to be willingly ignored in favor of more skeptical nonsense?
But such feedback can also solve the "blind-eye" issue where a character hits an object outside the peripheral view. Imagine having your thumbs feeling an intense rumble indicating you have hit a wall/object in that direction or an enemy attacking you getting feedback from said direction, GOD do you realize how important this is especially playing in first-person mode? This is something the thumbsticks and keys severely lack.
I can go on about the possibilities with the triggers on the back, but over 70+ pages of discussion not one has opened up a discussion on how current and previous games work based on the information we have received as of late. So what, do we need a new thread for this or is it going to be willingly ignored in favor of more skeptical nonsense?
Mobius and pet octopus
Member
Well for a dpad you have the feel of the button before you press it, while you press it, and after you release. I don't see how a trackpad could simulate that. Maybe it will work in some games though.
As for a stick I like the physical feedback you have. If it can replicate that, then I think they have a good fighting chance.
I'll guess I'll have to get my hands on one before I buy into that.
I think the sticks have been improving every generation. I've been told the next gen controller analog sticks are much more precise with smaller deadzones so it registers even smaller movements quicker.
Maybe the trackpads will have the precision of a mouse but the speed of the mouse? I don't know if this will be a big deal as far as being appealing to people who traditionally use KBM but maybe controllers...
Trogdor1123
Member
Im certainly not sold. My hope for a steambox really dropped this week.
Hmm. Well if that's the case as much as this controller interests me, I don't think I would pay that much for it. Unless it turns out to really be a revolutionary improvement over other controllers.
No, the layout will be even better than a regular controller because your thumb will only be pressing two face buttons, with all four triggers + two rear buttons being manipulated by individual fingers.
FreddieQuell
Member
That's definitely something that needs a new thread to be discussed in. This was was useless for real discussion from the first page.
Then you don't know what haptic feedback is.
What kind of controller would have made you happy?
Kageshinzo
Member
No, this is designed with PC games in mind. Those that are primarily optimized for KB+M.
I'm agreeing with you. There's a lot of people just shitting all over it for... no reason really.
feel the same way after browsing the first few pages. as someone who actually has a pc in the living room this would be perfect for me. having a mouse and a keyboard or the keyboard with mouse sensor just doens't feel right. hope this matches my expectations.
Parapraxis
Member
...and vice versa.
Actually, I think the vast majority would be bashing/ridiculing it had it come from Sony or MS.
I'n most peoples minds Valve is doing everything right, for a long time now.
The same cannot be said for the big 3.
I actually think it's a bit delusional to think there would be nearly as many positive reactions had this design/concept come from anybody other than Valve.
biggersmaller
Banned
I want to be able to wait for impressions before rendering a strong opinion...but we're not only talking haptic, here.
What I find impossible to get around is the layout of the BAXY buttons. How could that ever be considered comfortable? Distancing the face buttons that far apart in the center of the controller is just plain stupid.
Also, I have no faith haptic will properly replace analog sticks.
What I find impossible to get around is the layout of the BAXY buttons. How could that ever be considered comfortable? Distancing the face buttons that far apart in the center of the controller is just plain stupid.
Also, I have no faith haptic will properly replace analog sticks.
Train of Midnight
Banned
This felt appropriate
I'm shit at photoshop so don't kill me
It's beautiful.
Ive used many trackpad from actual high end hardware companies, and none would be good enough to control typicsl pc games well
Bad design getting a pass because its valve
You move your thumb from the track pad on either side to the respective two buttons.
No worse than, and in fact much better than the distance between the current sticks and facebuttons/d-pad.
Parapraxis
Member
csquared587
Member
That is because if MS or Sony designed this we would be stuck with the controller if it ended up being bad. There isn't any risk for PC users with this controller. If its good, cool, a lot of people will use them and probably enjoy them. If its bad, people will continue controlling their PC games exactly the same as they always have.
FreddieQuell
Member
You're not meant to use the face buttons in the same way as the face buttons on a 360 pad. Look at these bindings for portal 2.
http://tommyrefenes.tumblr.com/post/62476523677/my-time-with-the-steam-controller
Super meat boy dev blog about it
Super meat boy dev blog about it
Parapraxis
Member
You're not meant to use the face buttons in the same way as the face buttons on a 360 pad. Look at these bindings for portal 2.
Portal might not be the most complex/demanding game in regards to needing many buttons available quickly.
Seriously, the game can function completely fine with movement, 2 portal buttons and a hold button.
This is NOT a good example.
Please show me how a game like Tekken or God of War would work well.
Tommy Refenes' post about his thoughts on the controller:
http://tommyrefenes.tumblr.com/post/62476523677/my-time-with-the-steam-controller
edit - someone already posted at the bottom of the last page
http://tommyrefenes.tumblr.com/post/62476523677/my-time-with-the-steam-controller
edit - someone already posted at the bottom of the last page
D
Deleted member 22576
Unconfirmed Member
Yeah, but more or less the only games that require constant manual camera control are first and third person action games, which in reality would probably use a control scheme not possible on existing controller options. Don't forget the two buttons in the bottom of the controller. Those are gonna be mega easy to squeeze. I picture functions that require less dexterity like "use" or "toggle" to be mapped to those inner buttons. Not primary actions like reload or attack. And let's not forget different parts of the trackpads being able to configure in what sounds like an almost macro-like way. (One of the articles mentioned having the outer ring mapped to "shift+direction") And haptic technology's purported ability to emulate discrete zones or buttons!
This is going to require a lot of rethinking!
oh my god
this thing has sixteen buttons plus a touchscreen and you guys are acting like it's impossible to play games on the thing
Kageshinzo
Member
You're still thinking with a console mindset. Do we have Tekken or God of War for PC? No. Games that are similar to them in PC already have KB+M configs. All one would need to do is map them to the controller. The Steam Controller is specifically DESIGNED to have many inputs, like a KB.
Besides, the games you mentioned are not primary genres in PC gaming.
What are you talking about? There are 8 buttons you can use without even lifting up your thumb
This controller is meant for every game on Steam. The games he mention would easily be playable on this controller. Hell, You only need 4 buttons for Tekken
After the engineer made a firmware change at his suggestion, he apparently was able to use it quite well to play Super Meat Boy ('at an advanced level' is how he put it). Spelunky worked even better. He'd still take a 360 controller over it if given a choice, but mainly due to familiarity; fundamental functionality doesn't appear to be an issue.
Sounds like a possible winner to me. I still need to try one for myself when they (finally) come out.
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