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[mgcastro]

Welcome to next gen.

Seriously, people whine that we get the same controller from 1994, yet when someone brings revolutionary concepts to a jurassic-concept industry we start 'OMG NO STICKZ, NO DPAD'

Come on.

 

[mrklaw]

had one of these on either my Amiga or C64, can't remember. Was shit though

 

[chogidogs]

First thing I thought about.

 

[Shambles]

Except all of the biggest PC genres are not controller games. DOTA, Starcraft, MMOs, and Strategy games. A console gamepad for a PC living room box is useless when you can just use your existing console gamepad.

Buying a gamepad is useless when you already own one? Shocking!

 

[REV 09]

well, I love that someone is thinking outside the box with this stuff. Unsure of the execution though. I'd have to try it.

 

[Ludicrous Speed]

Whole genres of games that were previously only playable with a keyboard and mouse are now accessible from the sofa. RTS games. Casual, cursor-driven games. Strategy games. 4x space exploration games. A huge variety of indie games. Simulation titles. And of course, Euro Truck Simulator 2.

YES YES YES!!!

Steambox #1!! How do I preorder?!

 

[mambadragon]

who gives a crap how a controller looks its how it works...jesus people

Apple effect... example is all the practical features lost with a unibody device in tradeoff for "sexiness"

 

[Heyt]

I can't think how that works. I really don't get it.
I turst Valve but this is quite... weird.

 

[Sparse]

The design of the haptic touch pads would explain what happens when you move over a link inside Big Picture.

 

[Pain]

Interesting. Very skeptical though.

 

[rac]

Seems like people wanted valve to make a controller similar to what sony and ms are doing, even though dual sticks are awful to actually be precise with.

 

[Demon Ice]

It looks like a Metroid.

 

[$h@d0w]

who gives a crap how a controller looks its how it works...jesus people

If it's sitting around the living room then it's gotta look good IMO.

 

[The Cowboy]

I think the dual trackpads will make this functional for fps and other cursor heavy kb+mouse games like strategy games. I wanna try it on those.

For games that work best with dpads though, like platformers and fighting games, this thing looks useless.

This for me is the biggest issue with it, it seems to have fixed one of the biggest issues a lot of PC games have with FPS/RTS games on consoles (dual sticks not being as good as K/M), while at the very same time its broken the best setup for dpad and multiple face button style games.

I recon in the living room it would be best to have 1 of these for FPS/RTS games and 1 PS4/Xbone controller for the rest..

 

[marrec]

My point is touch gaming sucks. Let's say they get the Haptic feedback to make it actually feel like you're getting some type of intelligent feedback (which would be a miracle). Even so using a touch pad for extended periods of times is uncomfortable, yay for rubbing your thumb raw.

You said after extensively using this to find out how it feels?

Or you said after seeing one picture?

 

[EasyMode]

I really look forward to trying this out.

 

[Omikaru]

I will give it a try. I'm just delighted that Valve are trying something new. There'd be no point in them releasing a controller if it was just like an Xbox One or PS4 pad.

And it's not like this was designed without thought. This is Valve we're talking about here! I have faith that they're on to something, but I'll reserve final judgement until I've actually used the thing.

Considering what it is -- an object that requires you to actually get hands on with it before you can pass judgement -- some people's reactions are just ridiculous.

 

[Zombie James]

How about you guys hold the controller in your hands before declaring it's the worst thing since cancer.

You can pretty much rule out playing fighting games with the thing just by looking at it.

 

[Sober]

Yeah, thats my primary concern, platformers and fighting games need precise inputs

Well, the centre and outer ring of the touchpads have a click, I can maybe assume they can localize them and have four spots for them or something? Doesn't fix the lack of a d-pad's tactile functionality though I guess.

 

[WillyFive]

It looks like an awful compromise, something that will play neither traditional controlled games nor keyboard and mouse games great. I'm not sure what problem this is supposed to solve, do they really expect hardcore PC gamers to use this to play m+KB games in the livingroom? Who are they targeting this "console" at?

Based on what?

And they aren't going to use a keyboard and mouse in a livingroom, that's for sure.

 

[Imperfected]

Are there seriously this many people asking "Where are the sticks?"

There are already controllers with sticks. You can already plug them into a PC and use them to play games for which they are the optimal interface. There is no reason to invent a completely new controller to play games that are played with sticks. The idea is to create a controller that can effectively play games that traditionally can't be played with sticks, and I'm really flabbergasted by the fact anyone here wouldn't realize that. This actually seems even more witless than being upset about how ugly it is. (Do you really think your keyboard and mouse are handsome, arousing pieces of hardware? They look like shit, you've just gotten used to them sitting on your desk, quietly looking like shit.)

I think the real test is going to be the FPS and RTS gamers, due to their need for maximum precision and response time. I'm confident it will work well with games like Civilization, but it remains to be seen if it has the pure technical chops to satisfy the demanding competitive gamer crowd.

 

[SolarPowered]

I wanted a WiiMote/Move evolution, but its nice to see someone still has the balls to challenge the outdated twin-sticks paradigm (well, someone besides Mobile).

It looks like the pointer has been pretty much abandoned unfortunately. This, the Wii-mote and Xbox style controller would be the holy trinity of controllers for me.

 

[Giant Panda]

That button layout for Portal 2 just shows me that developers love to throw stupid shit into PC games because of an abundance of keys on a keyboard. At least this will help with strategy games.

 

[Shai-Tan]

What really matters is how effective it is. A lot of alternative controllers have come to market in the last few years that weren't quite good enough. I am looking forward to impressions from beta testers.

 

[TouchMyBox]

Cool that they are actually attempting to innovate on controller design since there has been virtually no innovation in traditional controllers there since the dreamcast.

I'm gonna need to see a video of this thing in action though.

 

[Zeth]

People keep coming in here with a walled garden console mindset, when it's anything but.

I can't imagine using this for 2D games, I need a nice d-pad for that.

It's not intended to. This is probably solution for the mouse + kb in the living room problem. Valve are very aware of the number of other great controllers out there, which will be fully supported.

 

[JesseZao]

Finally, somebody breaks the controller mold. I LOVE it.

 

[Brobzoid]

First thing out of Valve that has excited me in what feels like forever. I already have a 360 controller for console ports, I have a saturn USB pad for fighting games and other 2D stuff, so if this is a pad that will be good at mouse based interfaces I'm all set.

Very exciting stuff.

 

[NG28]

I'm happy they decided to try something different. MS and Sony have taken dual sticks about as far as they can go.

 

[mug]

Eagerly awaiting impressions. Sticks are definitely on their way out.

 

[McHuj]

I hope we don't have to wait a 1+ year to try it.

 

[fuzzylogic]

I really want to try it out, just for the novelty. It'd be nuts if it actually worked, making RTS games etc. almost as playable on that pad as it is on mouse and keyboard. Makes me wonder if you'll need incredibly steady thumbs to really make use of the high resolution trackpads.

 

[FrontalMonk]

HAPTICS???!!!?!!?!!!! FUCKING 100% PURE CONCENTRATED FUCKING VICTORY!




Haptic electricity field will provide you with the resistance. You finger will feel the tension that pulls you to the center of the touchpad.

I always wanted for Apple and Google to introduce haptic screens on mobile phones, tablets. But Valve was fist. Insanity. This is so awesome.

Is THAT what Haptics are? I was kinda confused by it, like it just sounded like a next-gen rumble pack. THAT sounds awesome.

 

[Sulik2]

Well they certainly thought outside the box. Definitely looks like something you have to touch to get an understanding for how it works.

 

[iloled]

I honestly doubt anyone saying how innovative and brilliant it is have played a game that requires precise movements using a trackpad.

 

[dragonlife]

It looks like it could be great for the people it's targeted for. I'm actually really interested in trying it out to see how it works.

 

[Kunan]

The touch pad design will be make or break based on all of the targeted haptic feedback they say they've got for simulating speed, thresholds, etc. I suspect a lot of this thread hasn't read that yet.

Also glad to see buttons on the bottom.

I'm super skeptical about how this will feel but am willing to try it!

 

[masud]

Any pictures of the back?

 

[graywolf323]

this entire week has to have been a joke right?

seriously not a single game announcement?

wtf has happened to Valve?

 

[MrCunningham]

The renders people are posting makes it looks huge, the prototype doesn't look so bad (comfort-wise):

From Valves website about that version of the controller:

"How will the beta controller differ from the one that’s for sale next year?

There are a couple important differences: the first 300 or so beta units won’t include a touch screen, and they won’t be wireless. Instead, they’ll have four buttons in place of the touch screen, and they’ll require a USB cable."

 

[Purkake4]

More like GAF has a large fighting game niche audience that lives for a d-pad

It's not like all the other controllers suddenly stop working or that you'd even have to get this one.

 

[nbthedude]

Not sure what to think it looks really strange, I'll give it a go but I can't see this being better than the 360 controller.

It just looks like they're trying to be different for the sake of it.

No, it looks like they are trying to make something that will work with BOTH traditional console games AND PC mouse-centric titles.

If it works, it's a pretty awesome thing.

 

[KarmaCow]

looks like we will have to take away our eyes from the screen only to position our thumbs at the center again and again. Like in touch screen devices. Analog sticks resume to their original position if you let them. You don't have to look where you touch. That's why analog sticks are good.

Well even ignoring the haptic feedback system they claim to have, there are concentric raised circles on the touch pads so you can feel your way around with that unlike on a flat phone or tablet screen.

 

[Hari Seldon]

Sarcasm?

My PC is a games box hooked up to my living room HDTV and I only play controller games for the most part. It works fantastically, like a turbocharged console.

You got me before my edit. It would be useless for Valve to make a console controller for console style games, when people can just plug in their existing console controller. This is the PC, just plug in what you want. Someone needed to make a controller that can play the vast majority of PC games that you cannot use a traditional controller for, if the goal is to put the PC in the living room.

 

[gngf123]

I'm actually starting to really like it the more I think about it.

 

[Branduil]

looks like we will have to take away our eyes from the screen only to position our thumbs at the center again and again. Like in touch screen devices. Analog sticks resume to their original position if you let them. You don't have to look where you touch. That's why analog sticks are good.

If only this controller had some kind of physical feedback mechanism, perhaps under each trackpad.

 

[Ferrio]

You said after extensively using this to find out how it feels?

Or you said after seeing one picture?

I've rubbed my finger across a surface for long periods of time, so yes I know what happens.

 

[Train of Midnight]

How could you immediately think this is going to be terrible? I understand a little apprehension about losing your favorite joysticks, but can't you even think of the possibilities? Don't cry for change and then get mad when it's different.

I want to try this so badly.

I've rubbed my finger across a surface for long periods of time, so yes I know what happens.

That's like saying "I have extensive experience driving my go-kart. I think I'm prepared for F1."

 

[Twenty7KVN]

Damn this thing looks weird and uncomfortable. But with everything that's strange,i'll take a wait and see approach before i love it or hate it.

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

Thanks, now I'll be listening to Shock the Monkey all day