oh yes, this is a thing. Why do I get the feeling that the Steambox concept is going to underwhelm when it finally gets around to release?
Valve Changes The Steam Controller Again
- Thread starter Steven Bogos
- Start date
Pushing it back further and further. Here I was hoping that the release of a Steam OS ver. 1.0 would bring with it Half-life 3 as a sort of launch title. I've heard the reports that Microsoft expended massive resources designing their XBOne controller, so Valve isn't the first to obsess over their controller design.
Ok, great. They took a step away from the trackpad to something that allows FPS games to be fun. But since they still have a trackpad this means it's a controller that can actually manage RTS games for once.
What it looks like to me is that the left side is slowly becoming purpose built for navigation and the right side remains the general use side, like on most modern controllers. Probably a good overall design choice.
In any case, these changes are a good sign. It shows they are iterating on the product and taking their time instead of rushing it through development.
In any case, these changes are a good sign. It shows they are iterating on the product and taking their time instead of rushing it through development.
Valve are making a compromise between, thumbstick, buttons, d-pads, and the mouse. The original idea seemed to bet that the trackpad is primarily the compromise of a mouse, a trackball, and a thumbstick. In the second revision (or was that a fan mockup?) of the steam controller (the idea with two trackpads and 10 (4-4-2) front face buttons), the trackpad is primarily featured as a compromise between thumbsticks and mice, I liked this direction as it threw away the trackpad as a button concept to focus the trackpad to the primarily analogue roles. In the current revision the right track pad is used to perform mouse or right thumbstick capabilities, but left trackpad to an attempt to perform d-pad or button functionality.
This is omni functionality for the track pad is actually, still, very close to the original design that had no standards buttons at all. The big difference between the first and current design is that Valve is now simultaneously admitting that the left trackpad can't replace the left thumbstick, but the right trackpad CAN replace the right thumbstick. That the right trackpad can't replace buttons on the right side, but the left trackpad is a suitable replacement for the digital inputs normally found on the left side. At the same time Valve continues to grapple with the idea that the trackpad must simultaneously be used as analog controls in one instance while trying to be digital (buttons or 4-way) in the other. Despite all these changes, I don't think Valve has removed any points of risk or contention in the controller design. While Valve tries to remove compromises in certain parts of the controller, they manage to keep each of their compromises in at least one half of the controller.
Valve should strip the idea of using the trackpads as replacements for digital buttons or d-pads and focus on the singular most important concept. Trackpads to replace thumbsticks.
This is omni functionality for the track pad is actually, still, very close to the original design that had no standards buttons at all. The big difference between the first and current design is that Valve is now simultaneously admitting that the left trackpad can't replace the left thumbstick, but the right trackpad CAN replace the right thumbstick. That the right trackpad can't replace buttons on the right side, but the left trackpad is a suitable replacement for the digital inputs normally found on the left side. At the same time Valve continues to grapple with the idea that the trackpad must simultaneously be used as analog controls in one instance while trying to be digital (buttons or 4-way) in the other. Despite all these changes, I don't think Valve has removed any points of risk or contention in the controller design. While Valve tries to remove compromises in certain parts of the controller, they manage to keep each of their compromises in at least one half of the controller.
Valve should strip the idea of using the trackpads as replacements for digital buttons or d-pads and focus on the singular most important concept. Trackpads to replace thumbsticks.
Slowly its turning into a 360/PS3 type pad. Still pointless though. I play PC games on the sofa at times, all you need is something study to put your mouse on.
Razer is mostly an accessorie company, if not just that, they dont have games of their own and as far as I know a console of their own.Strazdas said:
Then add to that the fact it isnt as basic as it seems since no one actually does it other then the single company that you complained about.
So yeah, stop complaining that a certain company doesnt do it when in fact it was the only one to actually do it.
Probably because Xbox controllers aren't all that good. They're good for some 3D games but bad for pretty much every shooter and any dedicated PC game, and they're also the worst controller out there for 2D games because the Dpad is one of the worst in history. Xbox controllers may be the standard PC controller, but it's not because they're the best PC controller we could have.martyrdrebel27 said:
I could complain that no company does it as easily, its just that we were talking about a product from MS here and not, say, Sony. Once again, just because noone does it does not mean that its somehow an alien concept. in fact, all other controlling devices do it for decades, console controllers are the only device not to come in different sizes.josemlopes said: