The Steam Controller.

[JimboUK]

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

 

http://i.imgur.com/2MGMBHW.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/EViWoA6.jpg

 

I'll stick with the 360 one thanks.

[brokenergy]

Coupled with the Steam OS and Steam boxes, I would rather stay and upgrade my 3 year old PC

[billyro]

That looks terrible. Imagine how confusing that would be to use...

 

Doesn't look comfortable, either.

[Thor.]

Why would they need their own controller anyways, its linux based, let the market decide.

[RitualBlack]

The fact that any program recognizes it as a mouse instead of a controller is neat for compatibility reasons, though I will stick with the good ol' keyboard+mouse combo.

 

I hope everything goes will for valve but the controller was a disappointment to me. I was really hoping they would have a plethora of games being announced and developed on their brand new source engine 2 :laugh: (wishful thinking).

[Thor.]

Especially that new api would make things easier fro developers to transfer over to steamOS, and linux will finally be known as a gaming platform if they decide to make a installer strictly for games.

 

Mantle is directly competing with windows.

[Hardwaremaster]

I'm wondering why the buttons, and the general layout of this thing looks so complicated, the placement of the buttons appears like it would be difficult to use and would be uncomfortable for certain types of games. Also why would anyone buy this thing when the Xbox 360 and Dualshock controllers, are more then capable for current gaming, beside the SteamOS I can't really see a reason to do so. As for the Trackpad and Touchscreen, my own preference is I favor Analog Sticks myself, especially with Shooter Sticks in First Person View. However, some websites seem to be making the statements that this contraption will revolutionize, the way gaming will work.

 

I think, please correct me if I am wrong; but didn't some controllers have Trackpads way back in the 90s, or am I remembering something else. Because if I recollect correctly, I am almost certain we had Virtual Reality Headsets back then too, like the Oculus Rift only much more technologically inefficient. There is one last thing I would like to point out as well, where is the Directional Pad on this thing, some games are better with one and even require one.

Edited September 28, 2013 by Hardwaremaster

[Vagrant0]

As much as controller designs could be improved upon, I don't see this as being a step forward since you'd still only be using the thumb and pointer finger from either hand for any normal actions. Arguably this is even a step backwards since it doesn't have the standard crosspad in addition to the movement joystick which means fewer actual control inputs as well as lack of absolute directional buttons.

[Werne]

From what I can see, the buttons which represent a cross (left) and four action buttons (right) on a PS2 controller are replaced with a laptop-like trackpads that also double as buttons. It's basically the stick+buttons combined and I can't see the fault in that, it should theoretically be equally easy to use. Button designations written on them (for dummies like me) would be nice though.

 

As far as the rest goes it's pretty much standard, except for an ergonomically questionable design, but then again, no one had a chance to even try it out so I can't judge that.

 

Why would they need their own controller anyways, its linux based

Being Linux-based is the reason they need their own controller, Valve is focusing at bringing Steam and PC gaming to the living room in form of a Steam Box/SteamOS and a controller is the best way to control such a system.

 

Valve choosing hardware supported by Linux brings a solution to a problem - Linux doesn't like some hardware because manufacturers don't make Linux firmware and drivers. And as you said yourself, SteamOS is Linux-based, and has all the "lack-of-firmware/lack-of-drivers" issues other Linux distributions have. Those kinds of problems are often solved by the FLOSS community and newer kernels, but a lot of hardware is still unsupported.

 

 

 

All in all, after seen what Valve is trying to do with it's living room PC thingy, I think I'll just stick with Debian+Steam on a regular PC with an actual mouse and keyboard. I'm not a big fan of consoles, their controllers, or their operating systems, so I'll pass on that. :smile:

[JimboUK]

The biggest problem I have is the two buttons next to the left pad, the player will have to take his/her thumb off the left pad to use them, this is that same as taking your thumb off of the left stick of a controller or your fingers off of the WASD keys on a keyboard, something you rarely do because that's the part used to move your character, steer your car ect. The touchpad isn't a huge deal, the PS4 has one too so gamers will be used to using one.