Valve Reveals the Steam Controller

[Entitled]

How will in emulate an entire keyboard? I know that not every game requires dozens of keys, most for obscure and minor things, but it seems a bit of a stretch to do everything with one controller. Especially for games that have a lot of quick action bits going on.

As lomg as those minor and obscure things can also be activated in menus, and on-screen icons, then simulating a mouse and cursor is bigger deal than the keyboard. And most games do have that possibility, hotkeys are more of an addition than a requirement.

Having extra hotkeys is sometimes a nice to have if possible, but it is the joystick vs. cursor limitation that is the bottleneck of keeping strategy games, or simulators, from consoles.

 

[EHKOS]

Right, because the trackpad on my laptop works so well.
Sigh, I am just so sick of hearing about VALVe anymore...in fact, I'm sick of almost all news about any company.

 

[fluxy100]

This is nice and all but the main question is going to be price isn't it? Haptic gobbledygook and resonant actuators are nice and all but if all this fancy tech costs more than 60 bucks or so because of all the things in it, I think I'd rather just have a nice old fashioned controller.

I'm not sure about anyone else but I know my controllers get banged up and putting fancy sounding tech in something that will be dropped, thrown and possibly kicked seems like a stupid idea

 

[lacktheknack]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

You've missed a bunch of details in your rage. Things like the trackpads being clickable, the triggers, the three buttons on the bottom front, and a COMPLETE misunderstanding of how the trackpads even work.

Tactile feedback? They've covered it.

Different-than-normal controller components? It worked when Nintendo did it.

D-Pad has been replaced by touchscreen (which automatically overlays on the screen when used).

If you actually examine the bleeding picture you posted of Portal 2's default scheme, you'll note that the "badly placed" front buttons all have secondary use. They're expecting you to access your normal functions via shoulder triggers and rear triggers as well as clicking your trackpad.

So much rage over so much wild guessing and half-read sources. Give them a chance to let us try them, for God's sakes.

 

[Robot Number V]

OK, can someone please explain to me how those trackpads are supposed to be better for mouse-based games then an analog stick? I mean, you're still just moving your thumbs around, right? It SEEMS exactly like an analog stick, but with less physical feedback.

I'm gonna reserve making final judgements until I get a chance to use the thing, but right now...It kinda seems like they're trying to get the best of both worlds and ending with neither. But, again, I have no idea. Maybe the thing works great.

 

[barbzilla]

Yeah, I honestly see no way this thing is going to effectively emulate a mouse and keyboard setup without being awkward or clunky, even if it does have 16 buttons.

Exactly my thought when I read the article. I don't know how they intend to have it emulate k/m input for anything more complicated than a FPS. Say I want to play Marvel Heroes with a controler, how does it manage to emulate my 10 hotkeys, my spacebar, and my shift button? It just seems to be kind of gimmicky. I am interested in testing the haptic feedback though, it could be rather interesting or even useful in some scenarios.

Also if the hotkey buttons are supposed to be on the middle touchscreen, then I say poor design. It will be very difficult to get my thumbs back and forth between they movement pads and the middle touch screen and back without growing one of them an extra inch. What I need is a Finglonger!

 

[ungothicdove]

It's hard to see how a controller will feel until you hold it in your hands, I'll reserve judgement until then.

Oh come on! This is the internet! Rage and call it stupid and say it will never work. Who needs to actually use it to know if it's a failure or not?! You know Valve has a long history of putting out sub par work just to get a quick buck.

 

[Saviordd1]

Nope.

Not Half Life 3 and not at all interesting. This was a meh announcement valve decided to make.

 

[mad825]

Another controller with a touchscreen, another controller that's gonna get broken.

I love touchscreen tech but it's just too bloody fragile to have it for something worthwhile having for a long period of time.

 

[lacktheknack]

Nope.

Not Half Life 3 and not at all interesting. This was a meh announcement valve decided to make.

Happy 2000th post!

Also, I'm pretty sure that "We're going to populate the Linux platform and offer an alternative, customizable console and different, customizable controller" is much more interesting news than "Valve says words about some vaporware".

 

[Vigormortis]

snippity snip

You...didn't actually read the info page, did you?

They aren't just slapping some shitty, off-the-shelf laptop trackpads on this thing. They're high resolution trackpads. If they're at all like some of the high-res trackpad tech I've seen elsewhere, then they'll be incredibly accurate. (assuming they're using that tech, of course)

They're including a suite of haptic feedback tech into this thing as well. Something that will provide far more sensory feedback than rumble motors and simple thumbsticks.

As for buttons; direct from the info page: There are a total of sixteen buttons on the Steam Controller. Half of them are accessible to the player without requiring thumbs to be lifted from the trackpads, including two on the back. All controls and buttons have been placed symmetrically, making left or right handedness switchable via a software config checkbox.

So not only can you press more buttons without lifting your thumbs than you can on, say, an Xbox controller, but the symmetrical design let's lefties feel more comfortable.

You have a point about the d-pad, but then...the trackpads can be configured to function just like a d-pad. Complete with clickable inputs.

You also seem to be ignoring the clickable touchscreen in the middle. So not only can you configure it to display whatever you want, but the entire thing can function as a button.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I'm not saying this thing is perfect. In fact, I'm still not entirely sure what to make of it. It's extremely unorthodox. And as I've said previously, it could be a completely worthless piece of junk.

However, I reserve judgement on new ideas like this until I try it.

After all, remember how many people poo-poo'ed the N64 controller for adding an analog stick? It wasn't reviled, at first, just for it's superfluous third handle. Many thought it was the dumbest idea "ever" to have anything but a d-pad and some buttons on the thing.

 

[synobal]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

You've missed a bunch of details in your rage. Things like the trackpads being clickable, the triggers, the three buttons on the bottom front, and a COMPLETE misunderstanding of how the trackpads even work.

Tactile feedback? They've covered it.

Different-than-normal controller components? It worked when Nintendo did it.

D-Pad has been replaced by touchscreen (which automatically overlays on the screen when used).

If you actually examine the bleeding picture you posted of Portal 2's default scheme, you'll note that the "badly placed" front buttons all have secondary use. They're expecting you to access your normal functions via shoulder triggers and rear triggers as well as clicking your trackpad.

So much rage over so much wild guessing and half-read sources. Give them a chance to let us try them, for God's sakes.

You notice that most people didn't actually read or think about what they read before rushing off to post on their favorite websites their oh so important opinion on the controller too huh?

To me when I first looked at the controller I saw a risk, the sort of risk that most large corporations cannot afford to take.

 

[neppakyo]

Looks interesting, won't pass judgement till people have used it.

So, basically, the left track pad is WSAD, and the right trackpad is the mouse. Just my observation from the quick glance at it.

 

[lacktheknack]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

You've missed a bunch of details in your rage. Things like the trackpads being clickable, the triggers, the three buttons on the bottom front, and a COMPLETE misunderstanding of how the trackpads even work.

Tactile feedback? They've covered it.

Different-than-normal controller components? It worked when Nintendo did it.

D-Pad has been replaced by touchscreen (which automatically overlays on the screen when used).

If you actually examine the bleeding picture you posted of Portal 2's default scheme, you'll note that the "badly placed" front buttons all have secondary use. They're expecting you to access your normal functions via shoulder triggers and rear triggers as well as clicking your trackpad.

So much rage over so much wild guessing and half-read sources. Give them a chance to let us try them, for God's sakes.

You notice that most people didn't actually read or think about what they read before rushing off to post on their favorite websites their oh so important opinion on the controller too huh?

To me when I first looked at the controller I saw a risk, the sort of risk that most large corporations cannot afford to take.

When I first looked at it, I thought "wat".

As I read the announcement, I kept thinking "wat".

And when I reviewed it again, it clicked. This thing could be bloody revolutionary, but no one's patient enough to think about it. ;___;

 

[Church185]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

snip

It looks like he might be afraid of Nintendo losing their throne when it comes to gimmicky control schemes.

OT: The thing looks... interesting. I would have to give it a try before I could declare it awful. I may even be pleasantly surprised. A lot of research and development went into it, so one would think that Valve isn't just throwing away money.

 

[Covarr]

Haptic feedback isn't as good as physical buttons, and far too many already-released games are designed with the 360's button layout in mind. I'm not optimistic that this'll be good, but I haven't lost all hope either; I'll have to try it before I can make a decision.

P.S. Thanks

 

[Atmos Duality]

-Devs barely let you edit your controls and you're telling me they're going to go out of their way to allow for this? Maybe for a while but in the end more will have 360/ps3/logitech controllers and that will likely still be the default.

Agreed with your post in its entirety.

I will only add that you can easily scratch "Logitech" from that list, as mine has been routinely shit on by more games for NOT being an Xbox 360 controller than necessary. (Castle Crashers, Monaco, Dungeon Defenders in recent memory. I can name more.)

It's rather obnoxious having to use a Key-to-Joy or 360 driver-emulator program just to get use out of my Logitech, and it's not even that old (like, maybe 2 years). Worse, if I mix and match controllers, I can't even use the old emulator profiles without mapping all of them piecemeal each time I change the loadout.

I'm not sure if this was some sort of ploy by Microsoft to encourage PC gamers to buy their overpriced 360 controllers or if it's sheer developer laziness, but I never had any issues integrating and remapping gamepad controls in PC games until the 360/PS3 console generation.

(Does anyone have the same issue with PS3 controllers?)

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

This will be the worst controller for fighting games. Just saying.

In fact, it looks and sounds impractical for any game that can fall into the category of games that are on the PC but made for controller.

I.E. Dungeon Siege 3, SpeedRunners, fighting games overall, Castlevania Lords of Shadow, Megabyte Punch.

My point is, I don't think the "haptic feedback" will be responsive enough to support something like PC ports for fighting games, and fighting games are surprisingly popping up on the PC a lot lately.

 

[GAunderrated]

Honestly though, I'm not entirely sure what to think of it at the moment. Looks weird as hell, although I did think the same when I saw the Gamecube controller all those years ago, and that was a fantastic controller.

I'll have to hold it first, before passing any sort of concrete judgement on it, I think.

Thanks for bringing up a great point. The first time I saw a gamecube controller I touted it as being awful because it was too different than any other controller I was used too. It looked hideous and like a complete mess to control. Little did I know it was an amazing controller.

I am much older now and I understand that I cannot pass judgement on the controller until I try it. It may change controllers in the way that the dual joysticks did.

I also can't help but laugh at the gaming community for being wonderful hypocrites. All I hear over the year is the lack of "innovation" and when a company tries to do something new they are bashed and criticized for not following the same patterns as everyone else before they even try it out.

It shows me that the community is the one at fault for all these horrible bloated practices of repeating the same crap because they bash anything that is new or foreign to them.

 

[lacktheknack]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

You've missed a bunch of details in your rage. Things like the trackpads being clickable, the triggers, the three buttons on the bottom front, and a COMPLETE misunderstanding of how the trackpads even work.

Tactile feedback? They've covered it.

No they haven't. Track pads do not offer tactile feedback. My laptop has a track pad, and there's nothing there to tell my fingers how far they've moved. If I need to make small adjustments in movement and aim, I need something which gives me physical feedback with small movements without requiring me to look down at it. Track pads do not do that. They've been tried before, and they are simply an inferior method of inpit.

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/

Haptic feedback. Read the article. It works, man.

Different-than-normal controller components? It worked when Nintendo did it.

Because Nintendo didn't forget the basic like having analogue sticks, d-pads, and buttons within easy reach of the thumbs.

You can reach eight different buttons/triggers with your fingers.

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/

READ.

D-Pad has been replaced by touchscreen (which automatically overlays on the screen when used).

And which again offers no physical feedback at all. If I hit right on the d-pad in COD to deploy a sentry gun, I know just from the physical feedback in my fingers that I've hit the right button before the sentry gun ever deploys. Touchscreen controls? Fucked if I know. If I accidentally hit up instead without looking, and called in an airstrike I never meant to, there goes my entire killstreak. Down the fucking drain.

which automatically overlays on the screen when used

Implying... you know... confirmation prompts, etc.

You... you don't actually read, do you?

If you actually examine the bleeding picture you posted of Portal 2's default scheme, you'll note that the "badly placed" front buttons all have secondary use. They're expecting you to access your normal functions via shoulder triggers and rear triggers as well as clicking your trackpad.

Except that shoulder buttons have their own damn uses. Shooting, iron-sights, accelaration, lock-on, dodging... whatever the genre, shoulder buttons have their own widely accepted uses. Offsetting regular face button inputs to the shoulder buttons makes a mess of the standard inputs people have come to expect in certain genres. Pressing right bumper to jump? I bloody hope not.

And clickable trackpads? Jesus... so how am I supposed to input quick commands if I were to play Streetfighter II? By clicking on the various areas of the trackpad? What if I need to input a half-circle command at the same time? What the hell happens if I need to play anything with fast, precise input timing?

I dunno... by clicking the eight damn buttons your fingers can reach.

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/

How many times do I get to paste this link?

So much rage over so much wild guessing and half-read sources. Give them a chance to let us try them, for God's sakes.

When it comes to standard controller ergonomics, there's a reason why the PS2, Xbox, 360, Gamecube and Wii U controllers all followed the same broad template. Because it makes sense in gameplay terms. There's nothing wrong with experimenting, but so far it looks like Valve have thrown the baby out with the bathwater. That face button placement alone would have got them laughed out of any school of design in the world.

Even the Ouya's controller looks better than this. The fucking Ouya controller.

If you looked at your own button map picture, you'd see the face buttons are secondary.

And it's abundantly clear that the entire layout of everything - EVERYTHING - has changed. This cannot be compared to older controllers, but you can't hate on it just for THAT, because nothing like this has ever been tried.

Just...

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/

ACTUALLY process every word on that page before replying, before you ignore even more easy-to-read details that are freaking right there.