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Valve announces Steam Controller

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Sentenza

Sentenza

Member
davepoobond said:
how can you hate a girl with a clickable trackpad on her face?
Click to expand...

iIrcHAnuRSzQZ.gif
 
V

Veal

Member
I think the track pads should be clear with a LED array behind them that can be programmed to light up in different colors. It might help with designating different zones of the track pads for different actions.


It sounded good in my head...
 
A

AdmiralPain

Banned
Gamers who only game on consoles should know that the controllers that they so often describe as "perfect" are nowhere near that. They are slow, inaccurate and clunky, saved only by the fact that developers adjust to their failings by tweaking their games accordingly. The Steam controller doesn't have to be better than a mouse for RTS, better than an arcade stick for fighting games and better than a wheel.for racing games. It just needs to be good enough for the majority of gamers and usage scenarios. If it manages that, gamers will adapt to it easily.
 
B

bleachrude

Banned
THe one thing I'm worried about is blisters/skin irritation/thumb going numb..

I can imagine the first 15 minutes, it being sweet to have such precise feedback, but at the hour or 2 hour mark?

Before everyone tars and feathers me, I had the sega trackball controller and my main problem with it as a kid was that I developer blisters after a couple hours.

A traditional controller, while it has the same range of movement of the thumb, the actual skin on controller doesn't move that much if at all....yout thumb might get a little cramp at a joint and you migtt actually have a slight impression in the skin of your thumb but actual skin irritation?

But this controller...the skin of your thumb(s)/finger(s) are is constantly going to be in contact with the pad and yet at the same time, constantly moving across the pad.

Phyiscally, there's no way this won't cause some sort of skin irritation....
 
M

MercuryLS

Banned
I'm so excited to try this out, it looks seriously brilliant. I just hope the haptic feedback on the touch pads is as good as they make it seem. If they can make them feel tactile then you can get the benefit of physical inputs with the precision of a mouse. What's going to be awesome is being able to quickly move the camera around by "flicking" your thumb across the right touchpad, right now it's super hard to use an analogue stick to move the camera around quickly.
 
C

Cave Johnson

Member
AdmiralPain said:
Gamers who only game on consoles should know that the controllers that they so often describe as "perfect" are nowhere near that. They are slow, inaccurate and clunky, saved only by the fact that developers adjust to their failings by tweaking their games accordingly. The Steam controller doesn't have to be better than a mouse for RTS, better than an arcade stick for fighting games and better than a wheel.for racing games. It just needs to be good enough for the majority of gamers and usage scenarios. If it manages that, gamers will adapt to it easily.
Click to expand...


Aha, someone gets it! But, how dare you rail against your controller brethren, don't you see the potential of X1 pad and DS4? DON'T YOU SEE?
 
I

iosefe

Member
just putting this out there. We should have seen this coming.

I found a config file for a controller. it is not exactly hidden (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\controller_config)

It mentions the pads, touchscreen buttons, and the backside ones. Now here is the kicker...

Created: 8/2/2013
Last Modified: 9/10/2013
Click to expand...

overall, excited to use this thing.
 
B

Branduil

Member
bleachrude said:
THe one thing I'm worried about is blisters/skin irritation/thumb going numb..

I can imagine the first 15 minutes, it being sweet to have such precise feedback, but at the hour or 2 hour mark?

Before everyone tars and feathers me, I had the sega trackball controller and my main problem with it as a kid was that I developer blisters after a couple hours.

A traditional controller, while it has the same range of movement of the thumb, the actual skin on controller doesn't move that much if at all....yout thumb might get a little cramp at a joint and you migtt actually have a slight impression in the skin of your thumb but actual skin irritation?

But this controller...the skin of your thumb(s)/finger(s) are is constantly going to be in contact with the pad and yet at the same time, constantly moving across the pad.

Phyiscally, there's no way this won't cause some sort of skin irritation....
Click to expand...
They should make thumbsleeves for gamers.
 
K

Kammie

Member
bleachrude said:
THe one thing I'm worried about is blisters/skin irritation/thumb going numb..

I can imagine the first 15 minutes, it being sweet to have such precise feedback, but at the hour or 2 hour mark?

Before everyone tars and feathers me, I had the sega trackball controller and my main problem with it as a kid was that I developer blisters after a couple hours.

A traditional controller, while it has the same range of movement of the thumb, the actual skin on controller doesn't move that much if at all....yout thumb might get a little cramp at a joint and you migtt actually have a slight impression in the skin of your thumb but actual skin irritation?

But this controller...the skin of your thumb(s)/finger(s) are is constantly going to be in contact with the pad and yet at the same time, constantly moving across the pad.

Phyiscally, there's no way this won't cause some sort of skin irritation....
Click to expand...
If it does cause irritation, it'll end up being like playing guitar. Hurt like hell for a few weeks and then you develop calluses that will desensitize the area! But even if it doesn't get that extreme, your fingers should get used to it eventually.
 
B

Branduil

Member
iosefe said:
just putting this out there. We should have seen this coming.

I found a config file for a controller. it is not exactly hidden (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\controller_config)

It mentions the pads, touchscreen buttons, and the backside ones. Now here is the kicker...



overall, excited to use this thing.
Click to expand...

Wow, you're right. How did no one notice this before, LOL.
 
B

Branduil

Member
Number45 said:
Why wouldn't that folder be for existing controller support?
Click to expand...

This is what's inside the txt file:

Code: 
"controller_mappings"
{
	"buttons"
	{
		"button_0"		"kb:key_o, Objective"
		"button_1"		"kb:key_u, Skills"
		"button_2"		"mouse:scroll_down, Next Weapon"
		"button_3"		"mouse:scroll_up, Dual Weilding"

		"right_trigger" 	"mouse:left_button, Fire/Activate"
		"left_trigger"		"mouse:right_button, Aim"
		"right_bumper"		"kb:key_g, Dynamite"
		"left_bumper"		"kb:key_q, Concentration"

		"button_escape"		"kb:key_esc, Menu"
		"button_menu"		"kb:key_tab"

		"backside_left"		"kb:key_lcontrol, Crouch"
		"backside_right"	"kb:key_f, Melee"
		
	}

	"touchscreen"
	{
		"touch_button_0"			"kb:key_1, Long"
		"touch_button_1"			"kb:key_2, Slot 2"
		"touch_button_2"			"kb:key_3, Slot 3"
		"touch_button_3"			"kb:key_4, Slot 4"
	}

	"pads"
	{
		"left_stick_up"		""
		"left_stick_right"	""
		"left_stick_down"	""
		"left_stick_left"	""
		"left_stick_click"	""

		"left_north"		"kb:key_w, Move Forward"
		"left_northeast"	""
		"left_east"		"kb:key_d, Move Right"
		"left_southeast"	""
		"left_south"		"kb:key_s, Move Backward"
		"left_southwest"	""
		"left_west"		"kb:key_a, Move Left"
		"left_northwest"	""

		"left_double_tap"	""
		"left_outer_edge"	"kb:key_lshift, Run"
		"left_click"		"kb:key_space, Jump"

		"right_north"		"kb:key_up"
		"right_northeast"	""
		"right_east"		"kb:key_right"
		"right_southeast"	""
		"right_south"		"kb:key_down"
		"right_southwest"	""
		"right_west"		"kb:key_left"
		"right_northwest"	""
	
		"right_double_tap"	"kb:key_r, Reload"
		"right_outer_edge"	""
		"right_click"		"kb:key_e, Use or Pickup"

		// Extra descriptions for pads as a whole rather than just individual directions
		pad_rollup_descriptions
		{
			"left_pad"	"Movement"
			"right_pad"	"Look"
		}
	}
 
A

Alien Bob

taken advantage of my ass
Those pads are going to be very versatile. Can't wait to see what kind of uses for them devs and workshoppers will come up with
 
Gangxxter

Gangxxter

Member
Branduil said:
This is what's inside the txt file:

Code: 
"controller_mappings"
{
	"buttons"
	{
		"button_0"		"kb:key_o, Objective"
		"button_1"		"kb:key_u, Skills"
		"button_2"		"mouse:scroll_down, Next Weapon"
		"button_3"		"mouse:scroll_up, Dual Weilding"

		"right_trigger" 	"mouse:left_button, Fire/Activate"
		"left_trigger"		"mouse:right_button, Aim"
		"right_bumper"		"kb:key_g, Dynamite"
		"left_bumper"		"kb:key_q, Concentration"

		"button_escape"		"kb:key_esc, Menu"
		"button_menu"		"kb:key_tab"

		"backside_left"		"kb:key_lcontrol, Crouch"
		"backside_right"	"kb:key_f, Melee"
		
	}

	"touchscreen"
	{
		"touch_button_0"			"kb:key_1, Long"
		"touch_button_1"			"kb:key_2, Slot 2"
		"touch_button_2"			"kb:key_3, Slot 3"
		"touch_button_3"			"kb:key_4, Slot 4"
	}

	"pads"
	{
		"left_stick_up"		""
		"left_stick_right"	""
		"left_stick_down"	""
		"left_stick_left"	""
		"left_stick_click"	""

		"left_north"		"kb:key_w, Move Forward"
		"left_northeast"	""
		"left_east"		"kb:key_d, Move Right"
		"left_southeast"	""
		"left_south"		"kb:key_s, Move Backward"
		"left_southwest"	""
		"left_west"		"kb:key_a, Move Left"
		"left_northwest"	""

		"left_double_tap"	""
		"left_outer_edge"	"kb:key_lshift, Run"
		"left_click"		"kb:key_space, Jump"

		"right_north"		"kb:key_up"
		"right_northeast"	""
		"right_east"		"kb:key_right"
		"right_southeast"	""
		"right_south"		"kb:key_down"
		"right_southwest"	""
		"right_west"		"kb:key_left"
		"right_northwest"	""
	
		"right_double_tap"	"kb:key_r, Reload"
		"right_outer_edge"	""
		"right_click"		"kb:key_e, Use or Pickup"

		// Extra descriptions for pads as a whole rather than just individual directions
		pad_rollup_descriptions
		{
			"left_pad"	"Movement"
			"right_pad"	"Look"
		}
	}
Click to expand...
It's really cool that you can also assign keys/actions to a double tap on the pads, that increases the total amount of available "buttons" on the controller even more.
 
I

iosefe

Member
AdmiralPain said:
I want to see profiles for games like Mortal Kombat, Rome 2 and Batman Arkham City, I'm genuinely curious to see if the controller can adapt to a diverse selection of games. If it can I'll buy three!
Click to expand...

Fingers crossed.

I assume we could start now and just copy the file over a couple times, and change the app ID accordingly. I see no harm in starting a database now.
 
A

Ashes

Banned
brain_stew said:
They don't need to buy into Valve. They can buy into Samsung, Asus or Dell, who can all spin their own console based on an open platform now. Do you really think consumers were looking for a "Google" phone when the Samsung Galaxy S series exploded? The open platform approach has conquered PCs, smartphones and tablets, why are you confident it can't prove successful in the console market?
Click to expand...

What's to say they will go with Steam OS? And not android? Or iOS?
 
R

RJT

Member
Ashes1396 said:
What's to say they will go with Steam OS? And not android? Or iOS?
Click to expand...

I can totally see a company like Asus releasing an Android/SteamOS dual boot machine. Maybe boot to android by default, and then a "load console" button to restart to SteamOS.
 
T

Tablo

Member
Theoretically, all SteamMachines would be able to run Windows too? If they're using off the shelf PC hardware. Right?
 
Spazznid

Spazznid

Member
Tablo said:
Theoretically, all SteamMachines would be able to run Windows too? If they're using off the shelf PC hardware. Right?
Click to expand...

Nothing theoretical about it. You will absolutely be able to replace Steam OS or just Dual boot into another OS like Windbreakers, or Big Mac. You will even be able to install Steam OS on your current PC.
 
T

Tobor

Member
RJT said:
I can totally see a company like Asus releasing an Android/SteamOS dual boot machine. Maybe boot to android by default, and then a "load console" button to restart to SteamOS.
Click to expand...

Ugh. All this Android talk made me realize, manufacturers could shit all over Steam Machines with their awful UI stuff, just like they do Android, right?
 
T

TouchMyBox

Member
Tablo said:
Theoretically, all SteamMachines would be able to run Windows too? If they're using off the shelf PC hardware. Right?
Click to expand...

The low-end streaming-only steamboxes might be ARM-based in which case you won't be able to, but anything capable of local rendering will support windows.
 
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