Garrett 2U
Member
Not sure if want..
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Valve announces Steam Controller
- Thread starter angular graphics
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comadorcrack
Neo Member
No d-pad makes me sad
AuthenticM
Member
what the fuck is that thing
KaiserBecks
Member
My last two Steam purchases were KOF XIII and La-Mulana. This is why it doesn't look great to me
There are pads for that already, with newer versions coming soon. They all work on the PC. I don't know why people expected Valve would simply make another console controller.
Two thoughts:
(1) Looks like Valve has focused on solving a legacy input problem here, rather than delivering a fantastic controller. Its pretty clear that they thought "Lots of the Steam games we're bringing into the living room w/ Steambox are designed for K+M, so we need a controller that can play those games well." Stupid Valve. Revolutions require sacrifice and are rarely bloodless. RTS fans can buy special controllers.
(2) I really wish this had been the announced controller for XB1 or PS4. GAF would have exploded.
(1) Looks like Valve has focused on solving a legacy input problem here, rather than delivering a fantastic controller. Its pretty clear that they thought "Lots of the Steam games we're bringing into the living room w/ Steambox are designed for K+M, so we need a controller that can play those games well." Stupid Valve. Revolutions require sacrifice and are rarely bloodless. RTS fans can buy special controllers.
(2) I really wish this had been the announced controller for XB1 or PS4. GAF would have exploded.
I believe this is part of the beta, but wired controller, and the touchsceen in the middle is replaced by 4 buttons.
Well unless you're moving top-right or bottom-right, then yea you do.
looks awesome, and really well thought out!
I'm not sure I understand the 'have to stop moving to use my buttons'. You do realize that the right touchpad alone is a button, as well as the X/Y there, as well as all four shoulder buttons AND the two 'grip' buttons, and the touchscreen. So while still running with LeftPad you essentially have 10+ buttons available....... not seeing a problem. and remember, this IS a beta, feedback is going to help shape this thing if there are any glaring problems. I have faith they sorted most of the shit out already. color me excited, ESPECIALLY if the pads are near mouse precision.
I'm not sure I understand the 'have to stop moving to use my buttons'. You do realize that the right touchpad alone is a button, as well as the X/Y there, as well as all four shoulder buttons AND the two 'grip' buttons, and the touchscreen. So while still running with LeftPad you essentially have 10+ buttons available....... not seeing a problem. and remember, this IS a beta, feedback is going to help shape this thing if there are any glaring problems. I have faith they sorted most of the shit out already. color me excited, ESPECIALLY if the pads are near mouse precision.
StoppedInTracks
Member
Valve has too much money.
T
thepotatoman
Unconfirmed Member
I still think it would have been better for them to just do a xpadder or joy2key type solution with the ability to use a per game profile, if this was honestly only done to make every steam game playable.
I do want to try it out to see if it fits any roles better than the 360 controller but I'm not seeing it at the moment.
I do want to try it out to see if it fits any roles better than the 360 controller but I'm not seeing it at the moment.
I think Valve said they created the controller with the best ergonomics in mind. I wouldn't judge it until you try it. It certainly looks strange, but so did the wheel when humans first created it.
sparky2112
Member
Innovation will kill us all!
looks cool
Lambda Pie
Banned
WOW, that looks like shit. goddamn.
kutthoat5150
Member
have they mentioned whether this is rechargeable or does it take standard batteries? I saw that the beta controller is wired instead of wireless but didn't see how they plan to power it
charlequin
Banned
Well, I mean... what we have does already work. The current controller design is probably quite close to optimal for controlling the specific subsets of games it's meant to tackle -- easily accessible analog and digital motion, about as many buttons as one can reasonably expect to physically and cognitively use with a single hand, and effective use of the first three fingers on each hand. People stopped innovating on this shape because it's evolved in tandem with many of the games being made, to the point that it's hard to actually improve much on the design for purposes of playing said games.
I don't think it's actually unreasonable to judge that this controller would be a terrible replacement for the 360-style pads we use now. It's when you view it as a supplemental tool for solving a different problem that it gets interesting.
Train of Midnight
Banned
Someone's gotta put the banderas.gif in the steam controller screen.
It's almost as if they were trying it out for testing! Like it was in beta...
I don't necessarily buy Valve's claim that it'll work every kind of game (more than enough people have pointed out its deficiencies with fighters/platforms), but if having to switch controllers to go from Street Fighter 4 to Civ or whatever is the only setup you have to do, that's already better than having to switch seats so you can sit at your keyboard or lugging your keyboard around. I don't see this as Valve trying to be make the one true controller (though they likely do) -- I see it as them filling in gaps that modern controllers haven't been able to fill.
And it if fails, then I guess I'll just continue being a predominantly keyboard and mouse guy.
Dual trackpads as replacement for m+kB instead of dual analogue is a big bet. They are taking on x360 controller on PC and it looks like ps4 as gamers pad of choice for next gen. It wasn't a safe play by any standard of the imagination so we shall see if it pays off.
When it comes to emulating analog sticks, god yes they've failed miserably. Granted this will have haptic feedback, so it could be a totally different story.
So did I, I'm still not seeing where the number six is coming from. I don't see evidence of anything more than left trigger, right trigger, left grip, right grip as far as inputs on the back of the controller.
edit: Nevermind, took a closer look at the portal layout and misread two of the arrows earlier(I thought crouch and zoom were pointing to the bars on the front of the controller, the things that may be decoration or may be start/select style buttons). I can see it now. Still think face buttons are a far better solution, but at least it doesn't completely render many genres unplayable like it seemed to. Just as personal preference, I've always liked to have my first two fingers on both hands hold the shoulder buttons, which would leave ring or pinky fingers for the buttons on the grip, and that sounds...really, truly fun and effective.
how expensive is this going to be I wonder? trackpads more expensive than resistor based sticks, there is a LCD etc. $80-100 I think it's fair, no?
I'd be all over it if I can play RTS like StarCraft on the couch, the only problem gonna be the tiny text :S
for console like games, though, is it going to work as fast? takes a lot of getting used to.
They say it has its own set of APIs, so hopefully they have a solution for Xinput emulation that's like 100% of games use now. Nobody is going to patch old games...
well, that sucks. Xpadder is no emulator. I imagine some one else will make it anyway.
I'd be all over it if I can play RTS like StarCraft on the couch, the only problem gonna be the tiny text :S
for console like games, though, is it going to work as fast? takes a lot of getting used to.
They say it has its own set of APIs, so hopefully they have a solution for Xinput emulation that's like 100% of games use now. Nobody is going to patch old games...
well, that sucks. Xpadder is no emulator. I imagine some one else will make it anyway.
Micro USB port on top, no battery door visible in any of the images, must be an internal rechargeable battery.
Red Chocobo
Banned
1) The design is completely alien which by default for a lot of people will be very offputting
2) This is Valve's solution to bringing the KB+M into the living room, it's very creative but unfortunately...
3) We won't know how this performs until we hold it in our hands. This is one of those extreme controllers that will either be amazing or terrible, not much room for middle ground with this thing.
The biggest problem I see is the lack of Dpad. Curious to see a work around for that, but then again all buttons are mappable. Valve has finally designed a controller that can keep your thumbs on the...trackpads and still press buttons.
Disregard the ABXY layout (it was a mistake to name them that as by default we think they will be the average button layout, it won't unless you want it to be), you have the two trackpads, the two triggers and the two back buttons all at your disposal instantly. 8 buttons makes it a dream for FPS games.
Comparing this to an iOS game is silly since the trackpads have a different feel, clearly have bevels in it and the haptics (HAPTICS!) to provide feedback.
This is going to be very interesting to watch as controllers haven't evolved in a long, long time with the exception of Nintendo and even they seem to just change things for the sake of changing things rather than move forward to solve a problem (I would have loved for them to stick with an advanced wiimote and stronger hardware).
2) This is Valve's solution to bringing the KB+M into the living room, it's very creative but unfortunately...
3) We won't know how this performs until we hold it in our hands. This is one of those extreme controllers that will either be amazing or terrible, not much room for middle ground with this thing.
The biggest problem I see is the lack of Dpad. Curious to see a work around for that, but then again all buttons are mappable. Valve has finally designed a controller that can keep your thumbs on the...trackpads and still press buttons.
Disregard the ABXY layout (it was a mistake to name them that as by default we think they will be the average button layout, it won't unless you want it to be), you have the two trackpads, the two triggers and the two back buttons all at your disposal instantly. 8 buttons makes it a dream for FPS games.
Comparing this to an iOS game is silly since the trackpads have a different feel, clearly have bevels in it and the haptics (HAPTICS!) to provide feedback.
This is going to be very interesting to watch as controllers haven't evolved in a long, long time with the exception of Nintendo and even they seem to just change things for the sake of changing things rather than move forward to solve a problem (I would have loved for them to stick with an advanced wiimote and stronger hardware).
I have a little program called Joy2Mouse? Pad2Mouse? JoyMouse? I think it's JoyMouse.
Anyway, it does what it sounds like. I use it all the time and you can enable or disable it using a button on the controller.
Capital_Five
Member
That's literally what this controller is!!!
Dance Inferno
Unconfirmed Member
Valve is knocking it out of the park right now. This controller looks super interesting, and may be the exact thing that would allow RTS and TBS games to be played from the couch. I'm also pretty excited to see how the trackpad affects aiming in FPS games, since I've always found the analog sticks to be a little muddy when trying to fine-tune your aim.
soul creator
Member
Could be neat if this can be used for just regular ass desktop and media functions as well, without needing a bunch of random programs and xpadder-esque workarounds. Then I could retire this, haha:
Maybe text input could be done on the touch screen as well for those situations?
Maybe text input could be done on the touch screen as well for those situations?
The controller is crazy. What ever they're using for feedback on that thing better be bloody amazing if they're ditching thumb sticks.
But... How can I play street fighter on that?
Yeah, no d-pad is weird. There are a ton of non fighting games which play better with a d-pad than sticks too.
Stone Ocean
Member
If the face buttons were all around the right trackpad I'd be calling this thing the savior of videogames.
That's literally my only gripe with it. Put all the face buttons together in one side and all my complaints are gone. Why do they have to be on the left side?
BRocknRolla
Member
Would be interesting to try it. I assume they've got smart people behind it, but I I'll be skeptical until people start getting them in their hands.
eot
Banned
Not making any snap judgements about this thing, but I question the notion that a trackpad can function similarly to a mouse. I would sooner play an FPS with a controller than on a regular trackpad. Even if this is a magic Valve trackpad they're not answering how it solves the problems I have with trackpads, they're not even acknowledging them.
I H8 Memes
Member
I do have some doubts about the Y and B button placement and why the bottom right and left palm sections of the controller are flowing forward instead of backward like a standard controller. But other than that this thing is a dream come true for PC gamers.
old manatee
Banned
That looks amazing. can't wait to retire the 360 pad.
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