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Valve announces Steam Controller

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People already buy a different type of controller just to play fighting games on console.

I don't. I don't buy driving wheels to play racing games, either. If you design a controller "without compromises" that completely rules out playing entire genres, you've designed a bad controller.
 

Kammie

Member
Reading through the thread now. Proof why the videogame industry is so stagnant, people aren't willing to try anything out of their comfort zones.

Valve deals specifically with PC games, I can't believe people wouldn't expect this to work well with them, especially with the FPS genre. They probably spent years researching, and this is the best all-in-one solution.

I really like the idea of the touchscreen in the center for endless customization.
 

Instro

Member
This could be amazing if it works like it should with haptics. Beta testing and so on will work out any design flaws. Very interesting approach.
 

kami_sama

Member
Looks ugly as hell. Haptick means vibration right? The problem with that is I turn off rumble. Oh well, it's ugly but it may be better then what we have. I like the dual analog controllers, but if this is better then good for valve. Will wait for the for people to try it.

Haptic is not exactly rumble. Yes, it can be used as such, but it could make the texture of the touchpad change. And they even say it could be used as a speaker.
 

The Light

Member
The controller looks great imo. A controller that is basically a hybrid kb+m? If it works great then it solves the problem of pc genres finally being playable on controller. From the looks of it fighters and platformers may be out for the controller, but who don't doesn't already have a ps3,360 or whatever third party controller that they can use for those types of games?
 

Impossiburu

Neo Member
Fff7NGd.gif
 

Chittagong

Gold Member
Huge props for innovation, this is Nintendo level out-of-the-box thinking. Frankly, this is what I expected that one of the incumbents would do for next gen.

That said, I can't see how this will be better to play with than sticks. Glad to be proven wrong, but I hate touch screen sticks.
 
What in the fuck?

Literally 1st reaction was a boom box because of those two circle pads looking like speakers.

2nd take is, what the fuck? That is our analog stick / touch hybrid?
 

Jarmel

Banned
Really love the two bumper buttons on the back handles. I wish it was something PS4 would have, only because I think it's really efficient to have buttons that don't require you removing your thumbs from the controller.

controller_schematic.png

I sure don't. They don't look like effective replacements for the triggers.
 

dLMN8R

Member
FUCKING SHIT VALVE WHY ARE YOU TRYING SOMETHING NEW AND INTERESTING INSTEAD OF DUAL ANALOG STICKS LIKE ALL MY OTHER CONTROLLERS CAUSE NOW WITH YOUR INTRODUCTION ALL MY EXISTING CONTROLLERS STOPPED FUNCTIONING FUCK YOU VALVE
 

Shambles

Member
worst controller ever

or

best controller ever


no room for middle ground here

I think that sums it up nicely. Once people get their hands on it it's only going to take about 3 seconds of use before everyone knows it's either the best thing ever or the worst thing ever.
 
I like the idea of dual touchpads. It addresses a problem that I've noticed whenever anyone started making their own Steamboxes. It's that they were pretty limited to Xbox controllers, unless you bought some kind of lap-table-thingie for strategy games.

As far as comfort goes. I have a hard time believing that Valve designed a controller and didn't have like everyone in the office try it out.
 
Everyone hating on the button layout is ignoring that this has a third set of triggers, on the grips. While two buttons have been removed from both sides (dpad and abxy side), there are now four buttons in the middle that should be perfectly accessible, and the grip triggers now give you buttons that don't require moving your hands off the pads.
 

Helmholtz

Member
Consider me interested. A controller designed to support all steam games, and be superior for certain PC centric genres is very appealing to me. Only thing I'm skeptical about is the lack of tactile feedback from having no sticks, I'm not entirely sure how good it would be for genres like FPS. I think Steam OS and Steam Box is going to be a pretty big failure, but I can see myself potentially using this on my normal PC.
 

mattp

Member
i'll wait to judge after i use it
but i really don't see how sliding your thumb around a trackpad is gonna come close to replicating a mouse
 
I don't. I don't buy driving wheels to play racing games, either. If you design a controller "without compromises" that completely rules out playing entire genres, you've designed a bad controller.

So the Dual Shock standard of controllers is bad? Because I sure as hell find playing a lot of genres to be ruled out on those.
 
I will definitely applaud them if this controller make the original Thief games much more control convenient wise. I really dislike the keyboard attempts on Garett's movements as it is "simulated". Hopefully this will fix the issue as well as solve the archaic item management system
 

Kurdel

Banned
I trust Valve.

They must have iterated this thing a billion times until it felt right.

Seeing it is an open platform, we will still be able to use the Xbox 360 or Xbone controller for PC, so this doesn't stress me at all.
 

Dr.Acula

Banned
Why does the Portal 2 mapping show the left pad as "WASD".

If I still have to move in four directions on this thing because we still can't code mouse aiming and analog movement at the same time they're really missing (one of) the point(s).

Well, the other pad is the mouse. What would the first pad be, if not movement controls?
 

keyrat

Member
I don't trust the internet's feedback on controllers after it killed the PS3 banana.

I wish there was a video of it being used, though. Bring on the innovation, I say. The rest of you can keep your 360 controllers.
 

Dahbomb

Member
How the fuck are you supposed to press the face buttons on that thing when using the main movement controls?

The buttons are in such a weird spot... There's no way you will ever be able to play a fighter or an action game on that.
 

KarmaCow

Member
My first impression was that the thing was brilliant.

I come to GAF and I get a bunch of console dudebros flipping out that it doesn't have sticks.

This thread moves fast so I haven't read the entire thread but is it really that? It seems like it's more people don't want touchpads rather than they want sticks.
 
... it looks... odd. But Ill try it before I make my verdict. Regardless if its any good or not you gotta give them credit for making a controller that works with all steam games. Id definetly buy this controller if its any good since as a console game Im much more at home using a gamepad but some games just cant be played that way(like shooters, I just cant play them with a controller)
 

Grief.exe

Member
What in the fuck?

Literally 1st reaction was a boom box because of those two circle pads looking like speakers.

2nd take is, what the fuck? That is our analog stick / touch hybrid?

Interestingly enough, the haptics behind the touch pads are so high fidelity that they can produce sounds like a speaker.

So it is a boom box.

so what are those round things? touchcircles? clickable?

Both.

I know reading is hard.
 

manueldelalas

Time Traveler
They should put a marker or something inside the owl's eyes, so we know where the center, right, left, up and down positions are.

I really don't have a fucking clue how I will play any game that requires any kind of precission with that; I mean any old 2D platformer is immediately discarded...

I'm glad of the thing they are doing with buttons; seems logical, because in today's gaming it's a pain in the ass to use the right stick and the face buttons at the same time; now they seem more reachable, but we'll see.
 

MoosiferX

Member
My initial response wasn't negative. More fascinated than anything. I personally don't enjoy playing FPS's with a controller, so I wonder if this will be the controller that does it for me. Definitely want to get into the Beta more than ever now!

I really like that it doesn't look anything like the 360 or PS3 controllers.

EDIT: Also, thanks for the "Steam Anything" picture... made my morning! lol
 

EVIL

Member
Really love the two bumper buttons on the back handles. I wish it was something PS4 would have, only because I think it's really efficient to have buttons that don't require you removing your thumbs from the controller.

controller_schematic.png
Indeed,for shooters they can be duck and jump
 

RalchAC

Member
It seems like a controller designed mostly for shooting games. The A/B/X/Y positions seems really awkward for other games where those buttons are more important than the second analog stick.

I don't imagine moving my finger from the left trackpad to press A and Jump /swing my sword / whatever.

But I don't know. Maybe it's amazing. I'll wait to try it before I say it's not good.
 

megalowho

Member
Wow, what a radical design. For that reason alone it's exciting, we've been stuck in an established rut for far too long. Curious to see it in action and read some impressions.
 
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