Steam controller...

[A Beta Fu7ure]

http://store.steampowered.com/app/353370/

What's everyone's view on this then? Dual trackpads, only one analogue stick. No traditional d-pad...

[Jelly]

I kind of want one. I'm into the concept of connecting my PC to the TV. It seems like a nice solution for mouse cursor movement.

I contemplated getting a wireless USB hub for a TV setup, but this seems better.

[A Beta Fu7ure]

I don't even own a TV anymore only a big widescreen monitor. Living abroad I just download TV shows I want to watch and watch them via hooking up the computer. Most of my retro gaming is now done via ingenious Chinese and Japanese handhelds. I have always wanted a dedicated controller for Steam but I'm not sure if the games I play on steam would be controlled well with this. Touchpads always bring back horrible memories of this for me:

[VictorViper]

Oh dear god, you had that atrocious piece of garbage in Europe, too? My friend had one that I had the misfortune of using. Right up there with the power glove. One has to wonder how things like that ever got produced, when these pads were plentiful, wonderful and cheap as dirt:



Gravis Pad!

[MerlinDrazziw]

Ah, the Gravis GamePad .. got that one with a free Commander Keen game. Great times with that controller. As for the Steam controller .. not interested in it yet as I have no use for it, though it looks ok. Dual touch control is something I know from iOS games, where it's usually works fine. But comparison ends there, having a controller in your hand is a different thing.

[Spore]

Irresponsibly preordered within the hour they were available. I don't know what to expect, but I really wanna check out those haptic track pads. I also wish they stuck with the design that had a dpad where the current analog stick is. The trackpads should fulfill the role of analog sticks. Ah well. There are still some very good design decisions here, like the grip buttons on the back of the controller. I would have even loved to have had two back grips per side. Valve's trying to substitute the keyboard and mouse with this thing here. I need as many buttons as possible! It does seem like they are accounting for this though with the trackpads which can be broken up into many regions corresponding to different inputs, and button combinations can be used too.

One reason I really believe in the controller is the software behind it though. Their philosophy is super customizability which is a breath of fresh air in a world where most games lock down gamepad controls to a few preset configurations. It makes no sense. This old beta software picture gives an idea of what they're going for. Controller profiles will also be able to be uploaded and downloaded from Steam, with users being able to browse other people's configurations. It just makes so much sense. It is such a great leap from where we are now.



Anyway, as long as the trackpads don't suck, it should be good. We'll see in October when it ships.

[Kong Wen]

Gravis pads were the pinnacle of game control design.

I think the Steam controller shows a lot of promise. I'm certainly not jumping out of my chair to pre-order one, but I can see myself getting one after it's been on the mass market for a while.

[VictorViper]

Not for me. I need tactile feedback. This thing might as well be a controller shaped iDevice as far as I'm concerned. I will give it due credit, however - my own quirks aside the thing is a fantastic innovation should the execution be on par with the concept.

[Kong Wen]

Not for me. I need tactile feedback. This thing might as well be a controller shaped iDevice as far as I'm concerned. I will give it due credit, however - my own quirks aside the thing is a fantastic innovation should the execution be on par with the concept.

It has tactile feedback. In fact, that's one of the things Tommy Refenes explicitly mentioned as having changed his opinion of the controller. (He was initially skeptical as well.)

[VictorViper]

Oh, I do understand that's one of its features, I'm just not sold on it. This is one of those things where I'm just going to have to try it for myself. Prerelease hype from anyone is something I'm always dubious of, regardless of the source.