Valve reveals Steam Controller - compatible with ALL Steam games

Check it out here.

I never would've guessed that Valve would innovate in this space. Not only that, but this looks pretty good.

Your thoughts?

Looks like rubbish to me. 

That is one ugly controller and it seem to have few buttons.

I'm all over it since I game from my couch most of the time.rragnaar

I've been planning to buy the 360 controller to use for some PC games for ages now, then I thought I'd get the Xbox One controller, but I think I'll be picking this one up. Seems like such a no-brainer, they really went all out with this thing. Assured compatibility for ALL past/present/future Steam games...wow. We're talking about a huge number of games in genres that have never even been attempted to work with a controller.

I really love how it's no gimmicks, 100% functionality. The only thing that's worrying me a bit are the trackpads, I can't really fathom how's that going to feel. I would really need to try it out before purchasing, but I doubt that's going to be possible.

It's f***ing ugly, though.

I must test the trackpads myself before I can give a proper response about the Steam controller. I can say being able to use a gamepad for all Steam games is a good idea.

That is one ugly controller and it seem to have few buttons.

wiouds

It has 16 buttons plus the trackpads and touchscreen are clickable, so it clearly offers much more options than any other controller.

It has 16 buttons plus the trackpads and touchscreen are clickable, so it clearly offers much more options than any other controller.

UpInFlames

The X,Y,A,B button require you remove your thumb from the touch pad for use. Trackpads; at least for me, is the worst method of controlling anything mouse related. I don't see how this controller is somehow god sent.

It has 16 buttons plus the trackpads and touchscreen are clickable, so it clearly offers much more options than any other controller.

wiouds

Don't forget the haptic feedback. People will just have to read the announcement about that because I'm not explaining all of it. :P

[QUOTE="UpInFlames"]

It has 16 buttons plus the trackpads and touchscreen are clickable, so it clearly offers much more options than any other controller.

Pedro

The X,Y,A,B button require you remove your thumb from the touch pad for use. Trackpads; at least for me, is the worst method of controlling anything mouse related. I don't see how this controller is somehow god sent.

Standard controllers require the user to move their right thumb to push buttons. This simply includes the left one, too. Valve explained it as being ambidextrous.

[QUOTE="wiouds"]

That is one ugly controller and it seem to have few buttons.

UpInFlames

It has 16 buttons plus the trackpads and touchscreen are clickable, so it clearly offers much more options than any other controller.

[QUOTE="wiouds"]

That is one ugly controller and it seem to have few buttons.

UpInFlames

It has 16 buttons plus the trackpads and touchscreen are clickable, so it clearly offers much more options than any other controller.

I think I'd rather just use a 360 controller.JML897

Agreed. The only advantage this controller has is for Mouse and keyboard only games.

[QUOTE="UpInFlames"]

[QUOTE="wiouds"]

That is one ugly controller and it seem to have few buttons.

CarnageHeart

It has 16 buttons plus the trackpads and touchscreen are clickable, so it clearly offers much more options than any other controller.

Yeah, they said that the pads and screen are all clickable.

[QUOTE="UpInFlames"]

It has 16 buttons plus the trackpads and touchscreen are clickable, so it clearly offers much more options than any other controller.

Pedro

The X,Y,A,B button require you remove your thumb from the touch pad for use. Trackpads; at least for me, is the worst method of controlling anything mouse related. I don't see how this controller is somehow god sent.

Who said it was a godsend?

I never tried any kind of trackpads, so I'm definitely worried about that.

Compatibility-wise, this thing is definitely impressive.

Standard controllers require the user to move their right thumb to push buttons. This simply includes the left one, too. Valve explained it as being ambidextrous.

Barujin

Yes! However, I can easily access these buttons with one thumb versus two. If I have to use both thumbs to access these buttons it would require me to stop moving. I also don't see the advantage of trackpad over an analog stick especially for motion.

I already have a keyboard and mouse though.

[QUOTE="Barujin"]

Standard controllers require the user to move their right thumb to push buttons. This simply includes the left one, too. Valve explained it as being ambidextrous.

Pedro

Yes! However, I can easily access these buttons with one thumb versus two. If I have to use both thumbs to access these buttons it would require me to stop moving. I also don't see the advantage of trackpad over an analog stick especially for motion.

Sadly, I must agree. Fortunately, the pads can be clicked like mouse buttons and there are two more buttons on the back of the controller. Maybe they can fill in for this problem, expecially with remapping the buttons.

I'm not sure what to think of it. On one hand, I hate trackpads with passion. On the other hand, thumb trackpads sound surprisingly adequate to replace a mouse, much more so than thumbsticks, at least on paper.

I guess that this thing's real test is gonna be how well it handles turn-based strategy games, point-and-click adventure games and other slow mouse-based genres. It's definitely going to suck for RTS, and you can already play FPS and almost every other genre with a traditional gamepad if you're not looking for performance. The Portal 2 example is stupid: that game plays just fine with a normal gamepad.

Check it out here.

I never would've guessed that Valve would innovate in this space. Not only that, but this looks pretty good.

Your thoughts?

UpInFlames

The obvious...This will be great for PC FPS. Not sure how it will translate to other genres though. I am really interested in hearing about early user experiences with the controller. We shall see how it all pans out....

That controller looks rubbish.

Check it out here.

I never would've guessed that Valve would innovate in this space. Not only that, but this looks pretty good.

Your thoughts?

UpInFlames

You know, if those circles are clickable trackpads, they can pretty much double as D-pads. Which means they can also emulate 4 face buttons.

I wonder how big the deadzone will be. A stick is easy, it springs back to the center when you let go of it. Your thumb can't miss it when it reconnects with the stick. What happens when you place your thumb on the trackpad, but farther towards the edge? Will your character just go from zero to full throttle like that? Seems like there's a large chance of mistakes happening that way.

One more thing: analogue sticks are convex.  These trackpads look to be flat or concave.  I'm not saying it'll be less ergonomic per definition, but it'll feel awkward at first, like how the first flatscreens looked hollow after years of looking at convex CRT's.

This looks like the worst controller ever made. But i am willing to give it a shot. I have faith in Valve.

Also, why make this and not Half Life 3? WTF is up with this company?

I had envisioned something like this, with the touch pads in place of the analog sticks... but this is designed by a madman. The button placement is absurd. Playing a FPS on this would be torture. And is it just me or does it have digital triggers? Is it 1997 again?

it could be good for it's specific purpose: replacing the kb/m in rooms where they're impractical. however, the biggest factor there will be how well the trackpads work and that's something that you can't really judge until you get your hands on it.

it's not for me though. the living room has always been console territory for me and i don't expect that to change soon. the only purpose i've been thinking of getting a pc controller for has been for pc games i prefer to control like console games and the steam pad doesn't seem to do that for me. i mean, say i wanted proper d-pad for super meat boy. track pads aren't going to cut it.

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

This looks like the worst controller ever made. But i am willing to give it a shot. I have faith in Valve.

Also, why make this and not Half Life 3? WTF is up with this company?

dvader654

[QUOTE="dvader654"][QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

This looks like the worst controller ever made. But i am willing to give it a shot. I have faith in Valve.

Also, why make this and not Half Life 3? WTF is up with this company?

Black_Knight_00

Well there team fortress 2 which is a CoD with stripped down classes from battlefield 2.

Overall they have more incommon with walmart or gamestop than any game developer. As game developer goes they are at the bottom for me. I like EA, Campcom and Activision more than them but it seem that it is taboo to say anything bad about valve.

Well there team fortress 2 which is a CoD with stripped down classes from battlefield 2.

Overall they have more incommon with walmart or gamestop than any game devopler.

wiouds

[QUOTE="wiouds"]Well there team fortress 2 which is a CoD with stripped down classes from battlefield 2.

Overall they have more incommon with walmart or gamestop than any game devopler.

Black_Knight_00

When I think of valve I think of a rental shop with a rental agreement that favor them.

Why are they putting such focus on FPS. Traditional gamepads work just fine if you're not looking for precision. They need to focus on genres which suck hard with a traditional gamepa.d

As someone that plays most of my PC games on the HDTV in my living room using a 360 controller it feels this is a perfect fit for me. Not only that, I have also a wonderful companion to my 360 controller, program called Xpadder that allow me to "fool" PC games that have no gamepad support to function with the 360 no problem and it works like a charm for me. Seeing that this new controller does that out of the box and Steam will use an interface to customize even further the mapping of said controls is everything I could hope for. After reading some of the comments in the news section and some on this forum thread I can't believe the level of hostility directed at this controller. This controller could represent the next step in the evolution of game controller due to the use of advanced haptics that not only allow for features such as force feedback such as rumble like never experienced before, down to the simulation of textured surfaces and even the capacity to produce sound waves. Valve changed the face of FPS genre when Half-Life came out, (there is literally a before and after in the way other developers created FPS shooters from that point on) , it is the company that created and innovated in the implementation of a digital storefront that has revolutionized PC gaming in the last decade, now other companies are following in their footsteps. Why do people think that Valve is going to release a poorly produced, inaccurate controller, some even outright dismissing the design on looks alone, calling it "ugly" (right, who looks down at the controller while playing a game, I don't.) and saying it is "uncomfortable" or "it will not work". How the hell do these people would even know that? Have they held it in their hands, use it, saw how it functioned? No on all accounts. Save your judgement AFTER you have had a chance to actually test the controller and see how it works in RL scenarios instead, then if it doesn't work go ahead and talk trash about it all you want, until then please don't make foregone conclusions about it. SciFiCat

Are you really surprised by the level of hostility pointed at the Steam controller? The prevailing attitude here with new devices or services is this... " If I have no use for it, than it is garbage". Or if a console, peripheral or device, or service dares to innovate, it is garbage.  

I agree with your assertion that if the controller works well, that it could very well be the next evolution in controllers. And to your point, we should with hold judgement until we havd read up or have had first hand experience using it.

[QUOTE="SciFiCat"]As someone that plays most of my PC games on the HDTV in my living room using a 360 controller it feels this is a perfect fit for me. Not only that, I have also a wonderful companion to my 360 controller, program called Xpadder that allow me to "fool" PC games that have no gamepad support to function with the 360 no problem and it works like a charm for me. Seeing that this new controller does that out of the box and Steam will use an interface to customize even further the mapping of said controls is everything I could hope for. After reading some of the comments in the news section and some on this forum thread I can't believe the level of hostility directed at this controller. This controller could represent the next step in the evolution of game controller due to the use of advanced haptics that not only allow for features such as force feedback such as rumble like never experienced before, down to the simulation of textured surfaces and even the capacity to produce sound waves. Valve changed the face of FPS genre when Half-Life came out, (there is literally a before and after in the way other developers created FPS shooters from that point on) , it is the company that created and innovated in the implementation of a digital storefront that has revolutionized PC gaming in the last decade, now other companies are following in their footsteps. Why do people think that Valve is going to release a poorly produced, inaccurate controller, some even outright dismissing the design on looks alone, calling it "ugly" (right, who looks down at the controller while playing a game, I don't.) and saying it is "uncomfortable" or "it will not work". How the hell do these people would even know that? Have they held it in their hands, use it, saw how it functioned? No on all accounts. Save your judgement AFTER you have had a chance to actually test the controller and see how it works in RL scenarios instead, then if it doesn't work go ahead and talk trash about it all you want, until then please don't make foregone conclusions about it. Areez

Are you really surprised by the level of hostility pointed at the Steam controller? The prevailing attitude here with new devices or services is this... " If I have no use for it, than it is garbage". Or if a console, peripheral or device, or service dares to innovate, it is garbage.  

I agree with your assertion that if the controller works well, that it could very well be the next evolution in controllers. And to your point, we should with hold judgement until we havd read up or have had first hand experience using it.

That attitude is so prevalent because, in part, every new gaming peripheral is presented "the next evolution in controllers".

[QUOTE="Areez"]

Are you really surprised by the level of hostility pointed at the Steam controller? The prevailing attitude here with new devices or services is this... " If I have no use for it, than it is garbage". Or if a console, peripheral or device, or service dares to innovate, it is garbage.

I agree with your assertion that if the controller works well, that it could very well be the next evolution in controllers. And to your point, we should with hold judgement until we havd read up or have had first hand experience using it.

ReddestSkies

That attitude is so prevalent because, in part, every new gaming peripheral is presented "the next evolution in controllers".

Well, this time it's true. :D I don't think anyone has done this before and it might actually bridge the gap between PC and console controls, a seemingly impossible task.

[QUOTE="ReddestSkies"]

[QUOTE="Areez"]

Are you really surprised by the level of hostility pointed at the Steam controller? The prevailing attitude here with new devices or services is this... " If I have no use for it, than it is garbage". Or if a console, peripheral or device, or service dares to innovate, it is garbage.

I agree with your assertion that if the controller works well, that it could very well be the next evolution in controllers. And to your point, we should with hold judgement until we havd read up or have had first hand experience using it.

Barujin

That attitude is so prevalent because, in part, every new gaming peripheral is presented "the next evolution in controllers".

Well, this time it's true. :D I don't think anyone has done this before and it might actually bridge the gap between PC and console controls, a seemingly impossible task.

That does not mean that it will be any good. It seem like more are just saying it is ugly or that they are not impressed by it right now. I believe that some of tried and failed to get a system that works good for both.

Looks fugly.

[QUOTE="Black_Knight_00"][QUOTE="wiouds"]Well there team fortress 2 which is a CoD with stripped down classes from battlefield 2.

Overall they have more incommon with walmart or gamestop than any game devopler.

dvader654

Within five minutes of picking it up, I went from newbie to controlling an FPS camera better than I'd ever done with a gamepad.

[QUOTE="Barujin"]

[QUOTE="ReddestSkies"]

That attitude is so prevalent because, in part, every new gaming peripheral is presented "the next evolution in controllers".

wiouds

Well, this time it's true. :D I don't think anyone has done this before and it might actually bridge the gap between PC and console controls, a seemingly impossible task.

That does not mean that it will be any good. It seem like more are just saying it is ugly or that they are not impressed by it right now. I believe that some of tried and failed to get a system that works good for both.

Actually, the comments from devs who have tried it are all very positive, as stated in this thread. Also, why does it matter if it's attractive? Besides, what defines a sexy contoller or an ugly one? :?

[QUOTE="wiouds"]

[QUOTE="Barujin"]

Well, this time it's true. :D I don't think anyone has done this before and it might actually bridge the gap between PC and console controls, a seemingly impossible task.

Barujin

That does not mean that it will be any good. It seem like more are just saying it is ugly or that they are not impressed by it right now. I believe that some of tried and failed to get a system that works good for both.

Actually, the comments from devs who have tried it are all very positive, as stated in this thread. Also, why does it matter if it's attractive? Besides, what defines a sexy contoller or an ugly one? :?

I am talking about the comments here. I would say those large black pits in it does make it look ugly. They look like uncare for speakers

Edited to added:

It is not the first time I heard the devs braging about a new item that does not work out as well.