Steam Announcement #3: Steam Controller

[ríomhaire]

In the third and final of Valve's living room announcements is the unveiling of the Steam Controller. With the previously announced SteamOS and Steam Machines a new type of controller is needed to bridge the gap between PC and console interfaces: The Steam controller.

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The Steam controller features dual circular trackpads on each side of the controller. These can act both like a mouse or like thumbsticks featured in more traditional controllers. The gamepad allows RTS, 4X, point-and-click and other cursor-driven games to be played from a sofa. The trackpads also feature high precision haptic feedback that can deliver a wide variety of forces and vibrations to the user's thumbs. They can even function as small speakers and produce sound.​

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Aside from these trackpads the controller features four shoulder buttons, two read triggers, three buttons along the bottom of the controller and four buttons labelled X, Y, A & B surrounding a central touch screen.

The touchscreen allows the further functions to be programmed in for games that require more buttons and inputs than the controller already has, allowing the controller to theoretically work with pretty much any game. When using the touch screen Steam will overlay the image from it to the game's main screen so that players do not have to take their eyes off the TV. Players can make their own configurations for older games not designed with the Steam controller in mind and share them with others. An example configuration for Portal 2 is shown bellow.

For those hoping to participate in the Steam hardware beta announced yesterday the controller being sent out for those are going to be slightly different to the eventual release version; they will be wired and have four buttons in the centre instead of a touchscreen, but lucky participants will still be getting their hands on these fancy touchpads before everyone else. If you want to try getting your hands on it make sure to check quest page to see what you have to do to be eligible and good luck!

 

[Gangwolf]

sorta expected but disappointed once again. However the very nice touchpads I like. Still I can't get over the feeling that there is a hidden arg here involving the spheres. I CALL SHENANIGANS!

 

[DevonWC]

I want this to be good.

 

[Aizawa]

of course you are dissapointed, there was so much hope for a HL3 announcement but there is none.
[/irony]

Looks really interesting and like they put a lot of effort in it to make it really good. Need a Controller anyway, but never wanted to buy the Xbox360 Controller for PC and other Controllers dont work so well for most games.

 

[Gemini]

Never owned a console, and I think these announcements might change it all.

 

[Aizawa]

Never owned a console, and I think these announcements might change it all.

the thing is, i first thought this might not be much for me, because i have my pc and im happy. But SteamOS is great for everyone and the controller might be too, because I play a lot of local coop games with my brother or stuff like street fighter.

 

[Mogi67]

Never owned a console, and I think these announcements might change it all.

You've never had a nintendo? Super nintendo, genesis, playstation, n64?

****'s wrong with you?

 

[Aimela]

I really don't know what to think about this. Really, I can't say anything good or bad about this until I try it. All I know is that the controller will definitely be a big adjustment for me. Though, I'm not a big fan of the positions of the buttons on the front.

 

[Pikminiman]

I dearly hope I get into the hardware beta, no matter how naïve that is.

 

[Eejit]

You've never had a nintendo? Super nintendo, genesis, playstation, n64?

****'s wrong with you?

I've only owned a DS and a succession of PCs.

 

[MrSittingOnFancyBike]

I just hope they made it with L4D in mind, not DOTA2. I still think of Valve as FPS games company.

 

[<RJMC>]

deleted

 

[Ralphie]

so how does those 2 circular things work exactly? you just slide your finger and works like mouse?

"The Steam controller features dual circular trackpads on each side of the controller. These can act both like a mouse or like thumbsticks featured in more traditional controllers. The gamepad allows RTS, 4X, point-and-click and other cursor-driven games to be played from a sofa. The trackpads also feature high precision haptic feedback that can deliver a wide variety of forces and vibrations to the user's thumbs. They can even function as small speakers and produce sound."

 

[Gangwolf]

hmmm I've been reading some other comments on the controller and some people seem really unhappy about the trackpads (especially igns comment section). I myself however think that the trackpads are going to more accurate and less unwieldy than analog sticks. What do you think?

 

[DEATHMASTER]

Jesus **** it is a controller. An alien controller. I guess there's little to do but wait for user commentary about it.

 

[Aizawa]

hmmm I've been reading some other comments on the controller and some people seem really unhappy about the trackpads (especially igns comment section). I myself however think that the trackpads are going to more accurate and less unwieldy than analog sticks. What do you think?

its the internet. People call things shit before trying, and its a prototype, a lot can change.

 

[ríomhaire]

You've never had a nintendo? Super nintendo, genesis, playstation, n64?

****'s wrong with you?

Oh shut up. Someone else had a different life to you get over it. I know you don't mean that entirely seriously but I'm sick of seeing this sort of comment/sentiment in general.

Anyway I can't wait to get my hands on one of these things. I have a thing for controllers and input devices and I was not expecting something so damn different from Valve. I am really, really interested.

 

[Codee212]

This is actually the most interesting announcement for me personally. I´m still kind of critical about the track pads though, I hope they pull it off right.

 

[User With No Name]

Not sure how I feel about the trackpads, just yet. They might be great, they might be uncomfortable and hard to get used. The fact is, I can't, nor should anyone else, try to say anything "objective" about it until they have tried it. Which may end up happening when I get accepted into the hardware beta in 2014. The fact that Valve is trying something different compared to Sony and Microsoft already show's more promise. I do hope it works as well as it says.

hmmm I've been reading some other comments on the controller and some people seem really unhappy about the trackpads (especially igns comment section). I myself however think that the trackpads are going to more accurate and less unwieldy than analog sticks. What do you think?

IGN comment sections are typically filled with the most loudmouthed, immature, and easily just the worst group of children on the internet. I'd take anything and everything they say with a mound of salt.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

I honestly thought that Valve would include a trackpad for augmented mouse movement, I wasn't expeting them to use it for WDSA too; should be interesting.

 

[ricarleite]

Hey, I also remember another gaming company who announced, a few years ago, a new console architecture with a new controller that also had a screen in the middle for additional commands. Sadly, they did not announce the most important thing: games.

I think that console was called the Wii U. I hear it ain't selling that good.

 

[Lobster]

It's going to take a long time for people to accept a device like this, and people are going to remain sceptical until they can try it out for themselves. Something so drastically different to what people are comfortable with is going to be a tough sell. It could be a brilliant innovative new design or the single worst gaming device ever created.

The most noticeable thing about the pad for me is that the A,B,X,Y buttons are positioned so strangely. Nowadays on a twin stick controller removing your left thumb for any reason is a problem. Though it may be that the trackpads change things so heavily that this isn't an issue anymore, though it seems unlikely.

The trackpads themselves are impossible to judge without trying them out, so it will be good to see some testimonials when the beta begins. It's certainly an interesting risk they are taking with the design, I hope it works out.

EDIT: Dejobaan Games have been answering some questions about the Controller on their twitter, having been able to use it recently. https://twitter.com/dejobaan

 

[Gemini]

Yes, I never owned a console, Liked DragonBallz Or Pokemon, never watched the whole harry potter saga, or star wars.

Guess I will have to say Goodbye to internet, cause you will probably hate me forever now.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

I just can't see those eye... speaker... pad... things being as responsive as actual joysticks. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Danny_ZQ]

looks like some tiny portable radio with the steam logo

 

[Lobster]

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/...the_Steam_Controller_Heres_what_they_said.php

 

[Skyace65]

valve, you are the biggest D-bags ever right now. I love your games but this is Fing disgusting.

you've got a huge fanbase for a game you wont release, wont even give us respect by saying if the game is ever coming or not, and you have the balls to do THREE announcements and not do anything software related at all, when you all know damn well that the community freaks out because you never use the number 3. hell and on the teaser page the symbol even appears to represent steam OS with other software of some kind. I'M SICK OF THIS VALVE, JUST TELL US IF YOU EVER WILL DO HALF LIFE AGAIN, NO DETAILS, JUST A YES OR NO.

this isn't even an announcement that needed to be split into 3 parts and was extremely disappointing. steam OS was interesting since everyone thought it would be just a linux box, but you gave absolutely no details on the box and just told us EVERYTHING WE ALREADY KNOW, and the controller is where we know the most details. this didn't need to be split and in doing so you got all the half-life fans worked up AGAIN.

 

[Vegeta897]

So much anger.

 

[Danny_ZQ]

-half life fan anger-

It's a good thing Valve did absolutely nothing to hype up a new game on the countdown page.

 

[MFL]

Yo Valve, I remember when you had to delay the release of HL2 for a year because you made announcements before you should have because you felt pressured to. How stressful that kind of environment was to work in. How you guys had to take a step back from workin it for a while. You know what? Good for you guys. Do what you do. Love doing it. **** the haters.

 

[Skyace65]

It's a good thing Valve did absolutely nothing to hype up a new game on the countdown page.

so valve using the word three is supposed to not relate to half-life 3 as a persons first thought? because last time i checked, everyone thought that way and valve is just being D-bags teasing everyone like this(it's impossible for them not to know people would think like this). and after the first announcement we could assume what all the symbols meant, o=seam OS []=steam box, so it's the next logical step to assume that the third announcement would be related to software in some shape or form on the steam OS. weather that be games supporting it or apps

 

[Vegeta897]

valve is just being D-bags teasing everyone like this(it's impossible for them not to know people would think like this).

It's also impossible for Valve to make any kind of announcement without people like you getting your hopes up.

 

[Danny_ZQ]

valve is just being D-bags

You're one of those guys who thought those three crows on the Hl2 sales page was part of some big hint too, right?

 

[Krynn72]

so valve using the word three is supposed to not relate to half-life 3 as a persons first thought?

Jesus F-ing Christ lol.

 

[Lobster]

Believe it or not: The word "three" existed long before the existence of Half-Life. In fact some folks in South America were using it as far back as 1976. Only they didn't use it as a word. They mixed it with shredded tobacco and smoked it as a fine cigar!

 

[Dr.IndianaJones]

They should have called this controller the "steam roller"...

 

[kineaesth]

Believe it or not: The word "three" existed long before the existence of Half-Life. In fact some folks in South America were using it as far back as 1976. Only they didn't use it as a word. They mixed it with shredded tobacco and smoked it as a fine cigar!

*like*

 

[Skyace65]

You're one of those guys who thought those three crows on the Hl2 sales page was part of some big hint too, right?

no, I'm just someone who say them make three announcements and logically drew a conclusion that it would be related to software somehow since the entire internet is going with the joke that valve cant count to 3 because of half-life 3. and they know damn well that conclusions would be made.

yes they said it was about hardware, and you know what else? that usually involves some kind of a killer app for when you release the system. even the teaser page with the symbols logically pointed towards the 3rd announcement being about software.

and this isn't something that should have been split into 3 parts, steam OS was new, we already knew everything about steambox so it was just a beta announcement and extremely disappointing, but the controller was a lot of information. there was no reason to split it into 3 announcements.

 

[Mogi67]

Oh shut up. Someone else had a different life to you get over it. I know you don't mean that entirely seriously but I'm sick of seeing this sort of comment/sentiment in general.

Anyway I can't wait to get my hands on one of these things. I have a thing for controllers and input devices and I was not expecting something so damn different from Valve. I am really, really interested.

I was actually 100% serious.

 

[Ikagara]

Oh hey whats...

up...

I am looking forward to this controller and how it will work out with FPS games. I would like to be able to assign a button to toggle the look sensitivity, that's one thing i use on my mouse for snipping. i don't know what i would do with a screen on the controller, i wouldn't want to take my eyes off the monitor as i play the game. the two left thumb buttons will be an issue, like Lobster said i would want to keep that on my movement control's i would rebind push to talk to another button because i would want ot be moving while talking.

I think they could have split the two buttons on the back/bottom of the controller in half to have a total of 4 buttons there too. Maybe the X and Y buttons could be moved to be those 2 extra buttons.