Author Topic: Valve Steam Controller (Read 27485 times)

byker · « **on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 21:45:08 »

I am considering getting a steam controller and want to hear your thoughts on it. The reviews seem to say that it isn't as good as a traditional controller, but that is partly due to it being new and the layouts not being ideal yet. I am still considering one though! Do you like yours? Are you also considering one?

Belfong · « **Reply #1 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 21:52:55 »

I am considering one. In fact, I should be really thinking about it. They don't sell it here in Malaysia yet, but I might be going to US in Jan, so I do have a chance to get one!

byker · « **Reply #2 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 21:58:39 »

Quote from: Belfong on Thu, 10 December 2015, 21:52:55

I am considering one. In fact, I should be really thinking about it. They don't sell it here in Malaysia yet, but I might be going to US in Jan, so I do have a chance to get one!

Yeah I need a new controller for my pc since the the old one broke, just weighing up one of these vs a 360 controller for $20-30

Belfong · « **Reply #3 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 22:04:58 »

I am currently using a wired 360 controller and is pretty happy with it actually. I am not sure if wireless will have any latency so I'd be interested to hear from anyone who have used a Steam controller.

byker · « **Reply #4 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 22:11:24 »

I've seen a couple of people post them in the mail thread, so hopefully they will come and give us the deets!

asdfjkl36 · « **Reply #5 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 23:39:18 »

Hello there! I am here with deets!

Not good ones since I'm just bad :|

PLEASE NOTE, I AM NEW TO CONTROLLERS

Anyway
I haven't used it long but I like the way it works. Or at least the idea.

Since I'm not use to playing on Controllers, then I'm open to how it works and don't have much bias.
That being said, I don't like the layout too much (in terms of the right side of the controller.
I feel like the buttons (X,Y,A,B) are a bit too low for my liking because of how large the track pad (or whatever) is.

I do like the feel of the controller itself and the haptic feedback is nice.

I'm sure I'll get use to it.

For me, it's a nice controller for things like rocket league and games like that, but I wouldn't be able to use it for FPSs because I'm not good at aiming
But for those of you who are use to controllers, this shouldn't be a problem.

Again, my only complaint is a bit of the layout.

Don't make your decisions based off of my experience since I am not very good at this stuff

Belfong · « **Reply #6 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 23:41:35 »

Btw how much is this thing anyway?

FrostyToast · « **Reply #7 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 23:42:03 »

I have heard that it's really not that amazing.
It's worse at being a mouse than a mouse and worse at being a controller than a controller.
It's an awkward in between that only works for very few games. If you're at the desk then there is no reason to use this controller over a mouse and keyboard.
If you want to play a game that requires a controller then analog sticks are the way to go.

byker · « **Reply #8 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 23:43:01 »

Thanks for the deets asdf

That is good info to have, because I primarily want one for games like rocket league and nba 2k

For fps I will continue to use keyboard/mouse because I am used to them!

whmeltonjr · « **Reply #9 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 23:46:09 »

I've read so many mixed reviews on it. I recently purchased a Steam Link so I can play games like MGSV on my TV downstairs, and I love it. Currently using my PS4 controller on it, but I am considering getting the Steam controller. I wish that dumb Xbox elite controller was ~$75 so I could just get that.

HoffmanMyster · « **Reply #10 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 23:50:42 »

asdf's comment about the ABXY buttons being low is true in my experience too.

My main use for the controller is Civ V and general computer stuff when I'm sitting on the couch. It is really pretty great for Civ, outperforming a standard controller by a ton. Mouse would still be better, but again, sitting on the couch is an advantage and the Steam controller is better for that. It's also pretty easy to use for web browsing and such, if you can get away with not typing.

I would rather just not play an FPS than use a controller, so no comment on that.

I'm curious to see how it performs for racing games, since that's another genre I quite enjoy.

Overall, I'm glad I got one and am happy with it for my needs. However, if my needs were even slightly different, I might sway another direction. I wouldn't say it's for everyone, and if you're able to, try it before you buy. It's a very unique controller, for sure.

Belfong · « **Reply #11 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 23:53:30 »

I can imagine myself playing Divinity Original Sin, Elite Dangerous, Spelunky, GTA V and Xcom 2 with this controller. Definitely not FPS stuff. So, anyone with similar taste that have experience with Steam controller?

byker · « **Reply #12 on:** Thu, 10 December 2015, 23:54:49 »

Likewise, I am curious how people feel about rocket league and nba 2k15 on it

daerid · « **Reply #13 on:** Sat, 12 December 2015, 12:35:39 »

I preordered the Steam Link + Controller set the moment I could, back in like April.

I received them back in October. The controller is.... interesting. There's a lot of potential there. I love the rear triggers that are part of the battery cover. They just feel right. That being said, the d-pad on the left is just... awful. The touchpad on the right needs some tweaking for sensitivity, but I'm interested in how future games will take advantage of it.

Other than that, it's a solid controller. However, for the best experience with current and near future games, you're better off with a XBOne controller, which can be connected via a standard MicroUSB cable or with the optional wireless adapter.

davkol · « **Reply #14 on:** Sun, 13 December 2015, 15:03:36 »

I've read a very detailed thread about it recently… It sounds like you have to either stick to games designed with it in mind, or tune it for each game individually, which is a lot of effort and there's a steep learning curve, but apparently it's well worth it in the end.

twiddle · « **Reply #15 on:** Sun, 13 December 2015, 16:11:30 »

To be honest, I don't really see a lot of point in the controller given that I prefer the PS4 layout, and the PS4 controller works really well with the DS4 drivers, including using the touchpad as a mouse, as well as both cabled and Bluetooth support.

The only thing that has me interested is the chip inside - from what I've read it uses a LPC11u37 microcontroller and I've been prototyping with the LPC11u35 (same family, very similar chip), so the possibility is there for custom firmware. I could probably use test clips to force the ROM bootloader to start, exposing the existing firmware as a file that can be drag-n-dropped to the computer to dump it, then dragged back after modification/recompilation.

ImpendingxDoom · « **Reply #16 on:** Sun, 13 December 2015, 16:59:28 »

Rocket league works just as well as any other controller, but where it really shines is games that only use a mouse. The right thumb pad works so well as a trackpad/ball/mouse-like joystick that it feels like using a mouse while being away from a desk. And there are so many customization options that I doubt you wouldn't find a layout you like.

OfTheWild · « **Reply #17 on:** Sun, 03 January 2016, 17:32:43 »

I have 2 of them and I will say that I did not like them for things like Rocket league or any racing game where your right hand is on buttons and trigger only. I find that the AB/XY button cluster is too far left and too close together for my hands. I will say that it is great for other FPS or action type games where you're looking quickly.

It works great for the couch where a mouse is out of the question, but for the desktop i'm still a fan of my keyboard and mouse, or the xbox360 controller.

daerid · « **Reply #18 on:** Tue, 05 January 2016, 10:23:08 »

I still can't believe they didn't include a second thumbstick... that seems wrong for a modern game controller.

OfTheWild · « **Reply #19 on:** Tue, 05 January 2016, 20:41:02 »

Quote from: daerid on Tue, 05 January 2016, 10:23:08

I still can't believe they didn't include a second thumbstick... that seems wrong for a modern game controller.

I mean that was the point really.. they replaced it with a touchpad. That aspect works great... its just in the wrong spot. Compared to what we're all used to, its backwards.

pr0ximity · « **Reply #20 on:** Tue, 05 January 2016, 21:21:14 »

Got one for XMas and I'm really enjoying it. I play all of my games on an HTPC in my living room these days, so I've been looking forward to it for a long time (a little biased perhaps as a big couch PC person).

It takes some getting used to, but the touchpads are way better for first-person games than a stick and for games that require a mouse (turn-based strategy for example) it's also very good. Really enjoying Invisible Inc with it.

Have yet to use it for a platformer, but I think I'd use the stick for movement there over the touch D-pad.

I seriously love the level of customization. I've tweaked my Fallout 4 controls so that my thumbs only leave the touch pads to jump or hotkey weapons and I'm now preferring that to my 360 controller. It needs to be looked at as a platform for asking "what if dual-stick controllers didn't take over the market?" and treated like something you can play and experiment with. I love the grip buttons in the back and wouldn't be surprised if they're adopted in the next console generation.

OfTheWild · « **Reply #21 on:** Wed, 06 January 2016, 21:19:40 »

Quote from: pr0ximity on Tue, 05 January 2016, 21:21:14

Got one for XMas and I'm really enjoying it. I play all of my games on an HTPC in my living room these days, so I've been looking forward to it for a long time (a little biased perhaps as a big couch PC person).

It takes some getting used to, but the touchpads are way better for first-person games than a stick and for games that require a mouse (turn-based strategy for example) it's also very good. Really enjoying Invisible Inc with it.

Have yet to use it for a platformer, but I think I'd use the stick for movement there over the touch D-pad.

I seriously love the level of customization. I've tweaked my Fallout 4 controls so that my thumbs only leave the touch pads to jump or hotkey weapons and I'm now preferring that to my 360 controller. It needs to be looked at as a platform for asking "what if dual-stick controllers didn't take over the market?" and treated like something you can play and experiment with. I love the grip buttons in the back and wouldn't be surprised if they're adopted in the next console generation.

have you noticed the grips curve up instead of down like all the controllers we've ever used? Or did i just ruin that for you lol

pr0ximity · « **Reply #22 on:** Wed, 06 January 2016, 21:24:56 »

Quote from: boostdemon on Wed, 06 January 2016, 21:19:40

Quote from: pr0ximity on Tue, 05 January 2016, 21:21:14
Got one for XMas and I'm really enjoying it. I play all of my games on an HTPC in my living room these days, so I've been looking forward to it for a long time (a little biased perhaps as a big couch PC person).

It takes some getting used to, but the touchpads are way better for first-person games than a stick and for games that require a mouse (turn-based strategy for example) it's also very good. Really enjoying Invisible Inc with it.

Have yet to use it for a platformer, but I think I'd use the stick for movement there over the touch D-pad.

I seriously love the level of customization. I've tweaked my Fallout 4 controls so that my thumbs only leave the touch pads to jump or hotkey weapons and I'm now preferring that to my 360 controller. It needs to be looked at as a platform for asking "what if dual-stick controllers didn't take over the market?" and treated like something you can play and experiment with. I love the grip buttons in the back and wouldn't be surprised if they're adopted in the next console generation.

have you noticed the grips curve up instead of down like all the controllers we've ever used? Or did i just ruin that for you lol

Yeah hard to describe, the pads are lower than the top of where your palms rest. Wasn't as jarring as I would have thought, but I have very small hands and the "grips" are very large so it took some adjustment to figure out the most comfortable way to hold it. Some of the edges are a little on the sharp side but after using it for a day or so I think I just found a more natural way to hold it or something.

Using the two pads rather than the stick with your left thumb and the pad/buttons with your right makes the controller rest more naturally in your hands as well I've found.

OfTheWild · « **Reply #23 on:** Wed, 06 January 2016, 22:24:42 »

Quote from: pr0ximity on Wed, 06 January 2016, 21:24:56

Quote from: boostdemon on Wed, 06 January 2016, 21:19:40
Quote from: pr0ximity on Tue, 05 January 2016, 21:21:14
Got one for XMas and I'm really enjoying it. I play all of my games on an HTPC in my living room these days, so I've been looking forward to it for a long time (a little biased perhaps as a big couch PC person).

It takes some getting used to, but the touchpads are way better for first-person games than a stick and for games that require a mouse (turn-based strategy for example) it's also very good. Really enjoying Invisible Inc with it.

Have yet to use it for a platformer, but I think I'd use the stick for movement there over the touch D-pad.

I seriously love the level of customization. I've tweaked my Fallout 4 controls so that my thumbs only leave the touch pads to jump or hotkey weapons and I'm now preferring that to my 360 controller. It needs to be looked at as a platform for asking "what if dual-stick controllers didn't take over the market?" and treated like something you can play and experiment with. I love the grip buttons in the back and wouldn't be surprised if they're adopted in the next console generation.

have you noticed the grips curve up instead of down like all the controllers we've ever used? Or did i just ruin that for you lol
Yeah hard to describe, the pads are lower than the top of where your palms rest. Wasn't as jarring as I would have thought, but I have very small hands and the "grips" are very large so it took some adjustment to figure out the most comfortable way to hold it. Some of the edges are a little on the sharp side but after using it for a day or so I think I just found a more natural way to hold it or something.

Using the two pads rather than the stick with your left thumb and the pad/buttons with your right makes the controller rest more naturally in your hands as well I've found.

Yeah i have relatively large hands and I dont see how anyone with small hands will be able to reach some of these buttons and pads. Perhaps its just me getting used to my thumbs "floating" instead of being in complete contact with the plastic. I dunno, i'll get there. Regardless, its definitely awesome to use the pads instead of sticks for games where you have to look around.

HoffmanMyster · « **Reply #24 on:** Mon, 11 January 2016, 19:05:30 »

Quote from: boostdemon on Wed, 06 January 2016, 21:19:40

have you noticed the grips curve up instead of down like all the controllers we've ever used? Or did i just ruin that for you lol

Personally I think that's exactly how they need to be, for your fingers to interact with the touch pads properly. You kind of have to be lifted "above" the pads, rather than coming at the usual analog sticks from "the side" on normal controllers (if that makes any sense). Yeah, it's a goofy look and it feels weird at first, but I think it's a good design choice personally.

dyrdevil · « **Reply #25 on:** Mon, 11 January 2016, 20:21:45 »

I got a Steam Controller for Christmas... haven't done a whole lot of gaming on it yet but I will say that it is a super cool piece of hardware.

I wish it had a button(s) that were as easy to press as L/R mouse button. I've already found use for it as a mouse replacement for my desktop when I don't need to do a lot of typing and just want to browse reddit, geekhack, my other bookmarks. It's nice to sit without having to rest my arms on the table.

I already think I prefer it to a trackpad for desktop navigation. It's comfier if you have a laptop and want to prop your screen up on your chest while you're on the couch and do some surfing with your hands in your lap. On a 3-hour flight last week I used it to comfortably browse the internet with my hands below the seat tray... those trays are never big enough to use a mouse comfortably, and even having to tuck my elbows in to navigate via trackpad can be a nuisance in those situations.

pr0ximity · « **Reply #26 on:** Mon, 11 January 2016, 20:39:00 »

Quote from: dyrdevil on Mon, 11 January 2016, 20:21:45

I got a Steam Controller for Christmas... haven't done a whole lot of gaming on it yet but I will say that it is a super cool piece of hardware.

I wish it had a button(s) that were as easy to press as L/R mouse button. I've already found use for it as a mouse replacement for my desktop when I don't need to do a lot of typing and just want to browse reddit, geekhack, my other bookmarks. It's nice to sit without having to rest my arms on the table.

I already think I prefer it to a trackpad for desktop navigation. It's comfier if you have a laptop and want to prop your screen up on your chest while you're on the couch and do some surfing with your hands in your lap. On a 3-hour flight last week I used it to comfortably browse the internet with my hands below the seat tray... those trays are never big enough to use a mouse comfortably, and even having to tuck my elbows in to navigate via trackpad can be a nuisance in those situations.

Cool ideas, will have to keep that in mind when travelling. If the shoulder bumpers were a little bit easier to press it would be just like a mouse. Wonder how difficult it would be to swap some Omron's out of a mouse into them...

Bucake · « **Reply #27 on:** Mon, 11 January 2016, 23:24:52 »

it works as a mouse on your desktop..?

how does that work, i mean, does it need drivers? do you need to un-plug your actual mouse?

OfTheWild · « **Reply #28 on:** Tue, 12 January 2016, 08:21:06 »

Quote from: Bucake on Mon, 11 January 2016, 23:24:52

it works as a mouse on your desktop..?

how does that work, i mean, does it need drivers? do you need to un-plug your actual mouse?

the right circle is a functional track pad. The rest of the buttons are just mapped to mouse buttons and keys.

Quote from: HoffmanMyster on Mon, 11 January 2016, 19:05:30

Quote from: boostdemon on Wed, 06 January 2016, 21:19:40
have you noticed the grips curve up instead of down like all the controllers we've ever used? Or did i just ruin that for you lol

Personally I think that's exactly how they need to be, for your fingers to interact with the touch pads properly. You kind of have to be lifted "above" the pads, rather than coming at the usual analog sticks from "the side" on normal controllers (if that makes any sense). Yeah, it's a goofy look and it feels weird at first, but I think it's a good design choice personally.

I'm assuming (hoping) that they did some research on ergonomics and found that some tweaks to the design were needed. Its risky to be the early adopter of something so "standard" but they also fill a gap so hopefully it catches on. I just need more time with it to be as "smooth" as with my xbox controller.

One thing i want to figure out is how to change the key bindings. For instance the grip buttons are backwards in Asseto Corsa for shifting. Its one of the games that doesnt have "controller" options since its really designed for wheel/pedal setups but i'm not sure why i cant bind keys to the steam controller like a multi button mouse.

Anyway. Its still a really well made controller with some impressive hardware for the price. I can only imagine it will get better as more games adapt.

pr0ximity · « **Reply #29 on:** Tue, 12 January 2016, 16:41:17 »

Quote from: boostdemon on Tue, 12 January 2016, 08:21:06

One thing i want to figure out is how to change the key bindings. For instance the grip buttons are backwards in Asseto Corsa for shifting. Its one of the games that doesnt have "controller" options since its really designed for wheel/pedal setups but i'm not sure why i cant bind keys to the steam controller like a multi button mouse.

Are you playing in Big Picture mode? You should be able to press the Steam button on the controller and go to "Configure Controller" to rebind and configure at the controller/Steam level rather than in the game.

OfTheWild · « **Reply #30 on:** Tue, 12 January 2016, 16:59:52 »

Quote from: pr0ximity on Tue, 12 January 2016, 16:41:17

Quote from: boostdemon on Tue, 12 January 2016, 08:21:06
One thing i want to figure out is how to change the key bindings. For instance the grip buttons are backwards in Asseto Corsa for shifting. Its one of the games that doesnt have "controller" options since its really designed for wheel/pedal setups but i'm not sure why i cant bind keys to the steam controller like a multi button mouse.

Are you playing in Big Picture mode? You should be able to press the Steam button on the controller and go to "Configure Controller" to rebind and configure at the controller/Steam level rather than in the game.

yeah big picture mode. really? oh ok... then yeah thats awesome. I'll try it tonight.

lmorchard · « **Reply #31 on:** Mon, 01 February 2016, 14:02:28 »

Quote from: boostdemon on Tue, 12 January 2016, 08:21:06

the right circle is a functional track pad. The rest of the buttons are just mapped to mouse buttons and keys.

FWIW, since I've seen it mentioned a few times in this thread: Both the left & right circles are functional trackpads. Either can be configured as a simulated trackball, mouse, joystick, d-pad, or a button set. The left just happens to be embossed with a cross so it feels like a d-pad, but they can be swapped or totally rebound to other things.

The main thing, though, is that you have to use Big Picture mode to configure the thing. As far as I can tell, you have to launch all games - even non-Steam titles - from Big Picture mode so that the per-game profile gets loaded and so that you can hit the "Valve" button to bring up an in-game overlay to access the controller settings and tweak things just so for that game

starscream · « **Reply #32 on:** Mon, 01 February 2016, 14:05:50 »

It's comfy to hold, and great for browsing the web from bed/the sofa.

As far as games goes, the circle pads have been unusable in my experience.
Only games I enjoy using it wirh have been games where a second thumb stick isn't really required, like Rocket League

lmorchard · « **Reply #33 on:** Mon, 01 February 2016, 14:15:12 »

Quote from: Bucake on Mon, 11 January 2016, 23:24:52

it works as a mouse on your desktop..?

how does that work, i mean, does it need drivers? do you need to un-plug your actual mouse?

As far as I understand, the controller is a composite USB HID. That is, it identifies itself as a keyboard, mouse, gamepad, joystick, etc all at once. The microcontrollers in the device work like the Teensy 2.0's in DIY keyboards. In fact, I think they're ARM Cortex M0 chips like in the Teensy LC. They do the mapping from hardware controls to USB HID messages based on whatever you configured in Steam, so your computer thinks the Controller really is a standard mouse or whatever without special drivers.

jchan94 · « **Reply #34 on:** Wed, 03 February 2016, 05:29:31 »

It has my lowest recommend. Ergonomics are not there... and it's kind of weird to respond with its controls tbh.

HoffmanMyster · « **Reply #35 on:** Wed, 03 February 2016, 18:05:12 »

Quote from: th3 anon on Wed, 03 February 2016, 05:29:31

It has my lowest recommend. Ergonomics are not there... and it's kind of weird to respond with its controls tbh.

Please offer more details. What is your application? If you're playing a certain type of game that someone else doesn't play, they may still enjoy it.

ShadeDream · « **Reply #36 on:** Thu, 04 February 2016, 09:17:11 »

I got one back before christmas and overall I'm pretty happy with it. I've found it's integration with steam and steam games to be far better than I had previously using a PS3 controller. It picks up default mappings for a lot of games and makes them rather easy to use with a controller. Ergonomically it's fine for me, I usually ' like the larger controllers like the xbox ones, prefer the PS ones instead, but this one has been comfortable. My only complaint is that the abxy cluster is a little small and kind of low on the controller, but I've gotten used to it. It does use tactile/haptic feedback on the touch controls and analog stick which I found to be really pleasant.

I've played quite a bit of rocket league with it and played around in other games like Cities Skyline where the control setup with the track pads worked very well for big screen use. I don't bother with anything first or third person shootery with it myself generally, the use of dual pads felt more natural when trying compared to using analog sticks.

Being able to desktop browse with it is nice. Im hoping they integrate the keyboard outside of steam as it'd be a great HTPC control replacement for me personally. I have not had much luck using it for games outside of steam (emulators mostly) so I've been sticking to my PS3 controller for that.

AwSmCreator · « **Reply #37 on:** Fri, 12 February 2016, 07:39:37 »

Little late to the party but if you wanted another opinion...

I picked up the steam controller sometime last year because I was playing a lot of Fallout 4 and GTA V. I wanted to relax a little more while I played and I figured it would be worth a try. Plus Rocket League recommended I get a controller.

First I'll start with the bad. There's a bit of a learning curve. The trackpad is great once you figure out how to use it to your liking. For me this meant maxed out sensitivity. It actually gives really good feedback to your fingers using tiny vibrations. After a while I've gotten to where I can tell how much input I need based on how many vibrations I feel on my thumb.

The good points for the controller far outweighed the learning curve. The best thing is that if you are on steam you can create a custom layout for the controller for every single game. And when you launch the game it automatically sets up your controller with the set up you chose. This for me was the best feature because for games like GTA V shooting from cars and driving can be kinda difficult while aiming and all that. So I found a set up for the controller that someone else made and it worked great. Took me less than a minute to get back in game and enjoy.

The key layout on the controller seems to work better for me too. There are also two bumpers on the bottom of the controller that I make use of all the time!

Another nice feature is that you can launch big picture mode from the controller and navigate all the menus as well as use the mouse with the controller. This eliminates having to switch back to your keyboard and mouse just to navigate a menu or something like that. Doesn't seem like a huge deal, but I have to say it makes a big difference.

I haven't ever tried the controller with strategy games or anything like that. I primarily use it for single player games and campaigns. Games where I can just relax and play. Or rocket league but that is a whole different thing.

Anyway, I hope this was helpful.

lmorchard · « **Reply #38 on:** Fri, 12 February 2016, 09:21:39 »

Oh yeah, for what it's worth, I put together a review of this thing with lots of pictures comparing it to an Xbox 360 controller and how it sits in my hands.

http://blog.lmorchard.com/2016/02/05/steam-controller/

Marizen · « **Reply #39 on:** Wed, 17 February 2016, 23:56:47 »

I have one.

I love the concept. I love that it automatically opens Steam in big picture mode when you press the Steam button, so that it gives you that simple console experience.

The problem I have is the thumb pad. I mean it seemed like a good idea, but it just doesn't work well in my opinion. A thumb-stick is so much better when it comes to controllers.

On top of that, when I tried to play Amnesia, the thumb-pad is not properly oriented. For whatever reason the X and Y axis are switched.

I feel like the idea behind a controller and console experience is simplicity, so having to go in and tweak a bunch of settings to get it to work for me isn't worth the hassle.

On a more positive note, I love how it's a wireless controller with extra paddles for only $50. It's probably the most comfortable controller I've ever used.

If they would have just put a second thumb-stick instead of the thumb-pad it would be amazing. In it's current state I'd rather use my Xbox 1 controller w/ wireless adapter and just have to start big picture manually.

AwSmCreator · « **Reply #40 on:** Fri, 19 February 2016, 01:00:26 »

Quote from: Marizen on Wed, 17 February 2016, 23:56:47

I have one.

I love the concept. I love that it automatically opens Steam in big picture mode when you press the Steam button, so that it gives you that simple console experience.

The problem I have is the thumb pad. I mean it seemed like a good idea, but it just doesn't work well in my opinion. A thumb-stick is so much better when it comes to controllers.

On top of that, when I tried to play Amnesia, the thumb-pad is not properly oriented. For whatever reason the X and Y axis are switched.

I feel like the idea behind a controller and console experience is simplicity, so having to go in and tweak a bunch of settings to get it to work for me isn't worth the hassle.

On a more positive note, I love how it's a wireless controller with extra paddles for only $50. It's probably the most comfortable controller I've ever used.

If they would have just put a second thumb-stick instead of the thumb-pad it would be amazing. In it's current state I'd rather use my Xbox 1 controller w/ wireless adapter and just have to start big picture manually.

I can definitely see where you are coming from. The trackpad is a lot to get used to. I grew up with PlayStation consoles and using their controllers so to try and learn the trackpad was like pulling teeth. But I really think maxing out the sensitivity helps a lot. For me it took a while but in the end I got used to the feedback of the trackpad and it works quite well for me now. But the first month or so was a terrible learning curve.

You're also completely right about the simplicity and I do wish things could be a tad more simple with configurations and all that. I have had really good luck though using the most popular user created controller set ups. Other people tend to make a good set up and feels right to me. Not sure if this helps but I hope it does ^_^

climbalima · « **Reply #41 on:** Mon, 22 February 2016, 21:27:34 »

I like mine alot, but I dont think it is a suitable replacement for a controller. It does m/k games better than a controller, but it is not as great as a controller for games that are best with a controller. That being said the ergonomics make it the best trackpad Iv'e ever used.

pr0ximity · « **Reply #42 on:** Tue, 23 February 2016, 05:55:04 »

Quote from: climbalima on Mon, 22 February 2016, 21:27:34

I like mine alot, but I dont think it is a suitable replacement for a controller. It does m/k games better than a controller, but it is not as great as a controller for games that are best with a controller. That being said the ergonomics make it the best trackpad Iv'e ever used.

Been using mine since December, I think this is a good way of putting it.

It's a very good way to play mouse and keyboard games from the couch, but it takes two kinds of things to be good: plenty of time using it and plenty of time making your own configs.

I just made my own config for Diablo 3, think I'll push it out to the community soon, seems to be working very well. Never thought I'd say Diablo was playable with a controller.

pandather · « **Reply #43 on:** Mon, 21 March 2016, 23:37:08 »

I've had the controller for a while, and I have to say, I love mine! I use it over KB/M for any non-competitive game, and I love the dual stage triggers and analog buttons. It lets you aim, jump, shoot, etc. All simultaneously. Of course, some games feel weird with it, but I've been playing Tomb Raider (2013), Mad Max, Antichamber (which has no controller support), and Alan Wake and all of them are flawless. I like to configure the back buttons myself, but otherwise, the community profiles are what I want most of the time. Also, when I first got mine, it felt cheap, and I thought it was a huge piece of ****. After a few days though I started loving it. Also, you can use it without batteries wired with microUSB if you're worried about latency. I can't notice a difference, but my monitor isn't the fastest and the refresh rate is only 60Hz, so that makes changes less pronounced.

OfTheWild · « **Reply #44 on:** Thu, 24 March 2016, 22:49:04 »

Quote from: gopanthersgo1 on Mon, 21 March 2016, 23:37:08

I've had the controller for a while, and I have to say, I love mine! I use it over KB/M for any non-competitive game, and I love the dual stage triggers and analog buttons. It lets you aim, jump, shoot, etc. All simultaneously. Of course, some games feel weird with it, but I've been playing Tomb Raider (2013), Mad Max, Antichamber (which has no controller support), and Alan Wake and all of them are flawless. I like to configure the back buttons myself, but otherwise, the community profiles are what I want most of the time. Also, when I first got mine, it felt cheap, and I thought it was a huge piece of ****. After a few days though I started loving it. Also, you can use it without batteries wired with microUSB if you're worried about latency. I can't notice a difference, but my monitor isn't the fastest and the refresh rate is only 60Hz, so that makes changes less pronounced.

thats good to hear. I suspect it is as you said and just a learning curve that in-game time will help cure.

kasakka · « **Reply #45 on:** Fri, 25 March 2016, 12:38:44 »

I've had the Steam Controller since release and love it! When it works well, it works really well. It's not as accurate and fast as a mouse but it beats the **** out of a regular controller. For example in GTA V I used to drive using a DS4 and then swapped to the kb+mouse when on foot because it was much easier to aim. With the Steam Controller I don't have to do that as when I have to aim I can just hold down the left trigger and it turns on the gyro for accurate aiming while the right trackpad is for coarse aiming. For Witcher 3 I use the D-pad (left trackpad) with the grip buttons to cast spells quickly (much better than that stupid wheel menu).

When it works, it works pretty great and the development of the software side has been nothing less than tremendous. Lots of new features since release.

As a device I don't think it's perfect. I wish it had more grip buttons, smaller top triggers and better placement for the X/Y/A/B buttons. As it is, it doesn't always avoid the issue with normal controllers where you can't control the viewpoint while hitting the face buttons.

The biggest issue is game support though. Lots of games just don't work properly with both controller and keyboard and mouse at the same time. Wrong controller prompts are a minor issue but often it's either gamepad or kb+mouse, not both even though you can switch on the fly. In those cases you usually have to settle for kb+mouse and use the analog stick simulation (which works surprisingly well). Even GTA V that supports both at the same time sometimes does weird things like turns on a recording feature or aims when braking in a car despite the buttons being bound like on a game controller.

I really hope Valve can get developers on board with native support for the controller. Games like Portal 2 (native support) are just great to play on it. I'm interested to see how Dark Souls 3 copes with it when it comes out.

Khuya · « **Reply #46 on:** Tue, 19 April 2016, 00:28:12 »

I preorder it when it was available. I opened it once to see what's special, then boxed it back and been sitting on the shelve since. I am using xbox 360 controller and it does all I need.

gohono3 · « **Reply #47 on:** Thu, 19 May 2016, 11:59:21 »

I was another pre order for the steam link + controller. The controller is a cool idea with a lot of potential, but is a little awkward in its execution.

As Khuya mentioned, the xbox 360 controller is great and can be purchased for PC.

Potatoes · « **Reply #48 on:** Mon, 23 May 2016, 16:51:57 »

Also not a fan. I went back to my xbone controller (imo better than the 360). I actually like the Playstation controllers a tad bit more, but not a fan of dealing with extra software whereas obviously the Microsoft products work effortlessly with Microsoft. I do wish the analogs on the xbone controller were a little shorter in height, though. I've literally popped it out of the socket while playing Rocket League several times... Might just be the way I hold the controller. Either way, shorter would be nice.

xtrafrood · « **Reply #49 on:** Wed, 25 May 2016, 19:41:34 »

I would only use a controller for classic games and a touchpad controller wouldn't be the same imo.

pr0ximity · « **Reply #50 on:** Wed, 25 May 2016, 20:37:54 »

Still using mine exclusively on my HTPC. Rocket League, Skyrim, Fallout, Hyper Light Drifter, XCOM, Stardew Valley have all worked very well.

Will never be as precise as a mouse, but I think it's a big improvement over a 360 or PS4 controller. The analog stick is nice and short with a nice texture. The handles aren't very ergonomic for people with small hands though, it would be nice to print some new ones since the CAD files for the controller have been out for a while, but I'm not sure what's out there.

DanD3n · « **Reply #51 on:** Tue, 29 November 2016, 11:45:12 »

Since this is on sale these days, and i've been using it since release, i thought i could add my 2cents:

If you buy it and expect to work right out of the box, like a xbox gamepad, you will be very disappointed. It has a steep learning curve, due to the dozens of available software settings for everything imaginable. The best configs are the ones you make yourself. Don't rely on the community ones, most of the popular ones are trash (valve said they working on an update, similar to steam workshop, for the way community configs are sorted and ranked).

Be careful reading older reviews/impressions, because the software got many new features and fixes since release.

Ergonomy is fine for me, i have small, average hands, it feels comfortable, with the exception of the bumpers, which are too high and hard to press (same for the L3 button). Others don't like the ergonomy, since it sits different in your hands than a regular gamepad.

The precision is there, but it requires lots of tweaking, per game. You better like tweaking and customizing... The only games where i wouldn't use it is for fighting games and for competitive gaming, where mouse is still king. Otherwise, you can make every game work with it, as long as it has steam overlay support. FPS games work better than on any gamepad, a popular setup is to use gyro for precise aiming and the right touchpad for broader moves. There's no perfect and definitive setup, it's all about personal preferences and adjustment.

tl:dr: i like it, it allows me to play all my m&k games on a big TV, sitting comfortably. I only use my m&k desk setup for Dota 2 and some competitive multiplayer FPSs. That said, i don't recommend it for people who are satisfied with their current setup (m&k and regular xbox pad) or for ones who don't have the patience for learning and customizing dozens of options and then practicing for hours. That said, it's a niche product that i'm personally very glad it exists.

even shorter tl:dr: Microsoft and Sony would never release a console with such a gamepad, not because it's bad, but because it's very different from a traditional controller, in a not very user friendly way.

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Author Topic: Valve Steam Controller (Read 27485 times)