Developers: Steam Controller "Doesn't Feel Like a Trackpad"

[Cognimancer]

Developers: Steam Controller "Doesn't Feel Like a Trackpad"

Developers who have had first-hand experience with Valve's new Steam Controller say it isn't just different for the sake of being different - it's a very clever device.

Valve officially unveiled the Steam Controller earlier today [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128240-Valve-Reveals-the-Steam-Controller], and... well, it's different. Between the rear paddles and the high-tech trackpads in lieu of analog sticks, it's unlike any controller on the market - but as always, the big question is "Will it be any good?" The team at Valve seems to think so, but just to make sure, they invited a few developers to try the controller hands-on a few weeks ago. Now that the cat's out of the bag, those developers can share their thoughts with us.

"These are not like laptop trackpads," says Dan Tabar, developer at indie studio Data Realms. "Everyone is like, 'Oh we're replacing thumbsticks with trackpads, oh shit.' But this is not at all like a laptop trackpad. It just feels good. It's a challenge to verbally describe it." Tabar noted that he was less excited about the touchscreen in the center of the controller, but thought it had potential.

Double Fine's Chris Remo echoed Tabar's thoughts on the trackpad. He explained that the controller makes a ticking noise in addition to its tactile feedback to let users know how much they're moving on the pad, like a clicking scroll wheel on a mouse. "It sounds like there's actually a mechanical device in there," Remo says. "It just feels really high-tech and precise ... I can't stand trackpads on laptops, and this felt really good to me. There was almost no learning curve as far as accuracy goes."

There you have it - the Steam Controller's first two testimonials. If you'd rather try it out for yourself, well, you'll probably be waiting for a while. The 300 Steam users who end up beta testing Steam Machines will receive prototype controllers, but the rest of us won't see them until Valve starts rolling out its hardware in 2014.

Source: Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/201195/Select_game_developers_used_the_Steam_Controller_Heres_what_they_said.php]

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[moseythepirate]

Yes, because the most reliable way to get information about a new product's quality is from the press release announcing it.

 

[BartyMae]

This is probably the most interesting thing to me out of the three announcements. Would love for this to actually be good.

 

[oldtaku]

Sounds like it's not as good as dual sticks for a game designed for dual sticks... but that it's a lot more versatile and far better for something like an FPS.

For something this weird it you really need to try it in person.

 

[ZZoMBiE13]

It may be a very functional device that we all come to love.

But right now, all I see is WALL-E's evil twin STEaM-E.

 

[unstabLized]

I'm very interested in the controller, if not the entire thing as a whole. I use controllers for certain games (specially racing) but I find the Xbox controller somewhat awkward, maybe because I'm used to the Playstation controllers, so I'm eagerly waiting more info on this.

 

[james.sponge]

I still hope they will announce some games to go along with this hardware and stuff.

Also I'm getting the impression Valve will make their fans work on steamOS optimization, improvements and compatibility with games whereas they will focus on making hats and running away with all the money.

 

[Anachronism]

I'm slightly worried about how the X and Y buttons are apparently meant to be pressed by your left thumb rather than your right, as is usually the case. So if you need to, for instance, reload, you need to take your thumb off the left trackpad and therefore stop moving? I'm sure they've foreseen this problem and have a way around it, but for the moment I'm pretty confused about how this is supposed to work. There's a reason all four face buttons have been on the right hand side of the controller since the original PlayStation.

 

[CrazyFikus]

Some of the confusion seems to be that the ABXY buttons serve the same purpose as the ones on the xbox controller, when they really don't. They are more like the start and back buttons, plus this is meant for pc, don't like the default controls? Rebind them.

 

[InvaderTim]

I'm slightly worried about how the X and Y buttons are apparently meant to be pressed by your left thumb rather than your right, as is usually the case. So if you need to, for instance, reload, you need to take your thumb off the left trackpad and therefore stop moving? I'm sure they've foreseen this problem and have a way around it, but for the moment I'm pretty confused about how this is supposed to work. There's a reason all four face buttons have been on the right hand side of the controller since the original PlayStation.

Those X&Y buttons aren't actually equivalents to the xbox versions, but more for games where you'd need a button mapped to TAB for scores, or I for Inventory, buttons you wouldn't press frequently enough for the having to stop moving to be an issue. I believe that the traditional face buttons will be where you'd normally expect them to be, but not in button form.
I expect tapping the bottom of the right trackpad to be equivalent to pressing, A on an xbox. Don't quote me on this.
Just going with what information has been released so far and developer feedback.

 

[Vrach]

Some of the confusion seems to be that the ABXY buttons serve the same purpose as the ones on the xbox controller, when they really don't. They are more like the start and back buttons, plus this is meant for pc, don't like the default controls? Rebind them.

Then what buttons do serve that purpose? Cause you kinda need something to click to do stuff

 

[Amaror]

Some of the confusion seems to be that the ABXY buttons serve the same purpose as the ones on the xbox controller, when they really don't. They are more like the start and back buttons, plus this is meant for pc, don't like the default controls? Rebind them.

Then what buttons do serve that purpose? Cause you kinda need something to click to do stuff

The trackpat can serve as button. Want to press the right button? Press on the right side of the trackpat.

 

[Vrach]

Some of the confusion seems to be that the ABXY buttons serve the same purpose as the ones on the xbox controller, when they really don't. They are more like the start and back buttons, plus this is meant for pc, don't like the default controls? Rebind them.

Then what buttons do serve that purpose? Cause you kinda need something to click to do stuff

The trackpat can serve as button. Want to press the right button? Press on the right side of the trackpat.

Was my first thought, yeah, but don't see improvement in it :/

 

[JayRPG]

Some of the confusion seems to be that the ABXY buttons serve the same purpose as the ones on the xbox controller, when they really don't. They are more like the start and back buttons, plus this is meant for pc, don't like the default controls? Rebind them.

Then what buttons do serve that purpose? Cause you kinda need something to click to do stuff

The trackpat can serve as button. Want to press the right button? Press on the right side of the trackpat.

Was my first thought, yeah, but don't see improvement in it :/

The trackpads are clickable but there are also trigger, shoulder and back buttons, you have access to 8 buttons without having to lift your thumbs off the trackpads.

It will definitely be an adjustment and it'll take getting used to but only time will tell if it works.