Yes, since Rocket League supports controllers "out of box" and pretty much wants one.
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Steam Controller overview and videos/impressions
- Thread starter ashecitism
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Yes, since Rocket League supports controllers "out of box" and pretty much wants one.
trialbygame
Neo Member
I'm making a list for tonight. I should have a new microphone, so expect a bunch of (hopefully) higher quality videos based on the feedback in the next few hours.
Sounds great. Thanks for putting the time in.
::Tosses out mad cats gyro wheel.::
Astral/H3X
Member
That is... Really fucking cool. I'll probably be checking out what games this will work with.
ashecitism
Member
Huge tip for using the steam controller in windows - you can use AutoHotKey to map a macro to activate the task flip function, which is mapped to win+tab on the keyboard. Since the steam controller is seen as a keyboard and mouse even when steam isn't running, I created a script that makes pressing tab and escape at the same time activate win+tab. This means if I press back and start on the steam controller at the same time, I get this:
This lets you use the steam controller to switch between running tasks in Windows without reaching for the keyboard. In windows 10, this is extra useful because you can also click your system tray or start button from task flip, letting you control your entire PC, even if steam isn't running. Since this is creating a keyboard shortcut within windows, this doesn't need any steam software running to work.
With the default legacy mode bindings, you can select between your opened tasks by either using the left d-pad, the left analog stick, and pressing the A button on the controller, or you can use the right pad like a mouse and click using the right trigger. You can also close windows this way by clicking on their X button in the corner of the task flip using the right pad and right trigger.
Here is my script for autohotkey if anybody wants to try this:
I have both permutations so you don't have to hit the two buttons in any specific order. Just compile that script into an executable with autohotkey and set it to start with windows and you're set. I'll try and upload an already compiled version sometime.
You can do the same thing in SteamOS, btw, by using Xbindkeys and a variety of task switching utilities.
The ability to use autohotkey or xbindkeys to remap keys means you can create profiles with it to change your steam controller mapping outside of steam. You can't do fancier things like redefine deadzones, do mode shifting, change haptic response, etc - but you can remap the controller without steam running this way. Also, as I noted above, autohotkey sees the difference between holding tab and pressing escape, and holding escape and pressing tab. You could theoretically have those be two different macros. With regards to the steam controller, that means holding back and pressing start is a different macro than holding start and pressing back. This is useful, as an example, if someone wants to map something like gamestream record to a button press on the controller, or maybe use a utility to change the audio output, or activate a program like Voice Bot on steam to let your PC accept kinect-like voice commands.
One big limitation of this - you have to make your game in steam send tab and escape on those two buttons to work, and it won't work within steam big picture mode itself (as BPM has it's own native mapping for the steam controller). To get around not being able to use the controller shortcut when in steam BPM itself, what I've done is created a second autohotkey script that merely sends win+tab, then compiled it into an executable, and added it to steam as a non-steam game. This give me an icon within steam BPM that let's me activate task view. Here is my script for the steam executable:
This lets you use the steam controller to switch between running tasks in Windows without reaching for the keyboard. In windows 10, this is extra useful because you can also click your system tray or start button from task flip, letting you control your entire PC, even if steam isn't running. Since this is creating a keyboard shortcut within windows, this doesn't need any steam software running to work.
With the default legacy mode bindings, you can select between your opened tasks by either using the left d-pad, the left analog stick, and pressing the A button on the controller, or you can use the right pad like a mouse and click using the right trigger. You can also close windows this way by clicking on their X button in the corner of the task flip using the right pad and right trigger.
Here is my script for autohotkey if anybody wants to try this:
Code:
#NoEnv
SendMode Input
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%
Esc & Tab::Send, {Rwin down}{Tab}{Rwin up}
Tab & Esc::Send, {Rwin down}{Tab}{Rwin up}
Esc::Esc
Tab::TabI have both permutations so you don't have to hit the two buttons in any specific order. Just compile that script into an executable with autohotkey and set it to start with windows and you're set. I'll try and upload an already compiled version sometime.
You can do the same thing in SteamOS, btw, by using Xbindkeys and a variety of task switching utilities.
The ability to use autohotkey or xbindkeys to remap keys means you can create profiles with it to change your steam controller mapping outside of steam. You can't do fancier things like redefine deadzones, do mode shifting, change haptic response, etc - but you can remap the controller without steam running this way. Also, as I noted above, autohotkey sees the difference between holding tab and pressing escape, and holding escape and pressing tab. You could theoretically have those be two different macros. With regards to the steam controller, that means holding back and pressing start is a different macro than holding start and pressing back. This is useful, as an example, if someone wants to map something like gamestream record to a button press on the controller, or maybe use a utility to change the audio output, or activate a program like Voice Bot on steam to let your PC accept kinect-like voice commands.
One big limitation of this - you have to make your game in steam send tab and escape on those two buttons to work, and it won't work within steam big picture mode itself (as BPM has it's own native mapping for the steam controller). To get around not being able to use the controller shortcut when in steam BPM itself, what I've done is created a second autohotkey script that merely sends win+tab, then compiled it into an executable, and added it to steam as a non-steam game. This give me an icon within steam BPM that let's me activate task view. Here is my script for the steam executable:
Code:
#NoEnv
SendMode Input
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%
send, {Rwin down}{Tab}{Rwin up}so the task switching executable doesn't work when added as a steam shortcut. If you launch it from steam, it will take you to the task view for a moment, but then it'll return to steam. What I guess is happening is that the actual autohotkey executable finishes after sending win+tab, and since steam sees the executable end, it returns to the menu (as opposed to being in that faded out blue screen it goes into when you launch apps) that causes task view to disengage.
You can launch something persistent, like firefox, and then use the shortcut in everything besides steam, however. And it's useful if you want to, as an example, launch Kodi from steam, then switch between kodi and a game you are running. If you reopen kodi from steam while it's already running, the shortcut will just bring kodi back into focus.
Despite this limitation, being able to map back and start to a task switching function is a godsend. Hopefully I can figure out some way to get it working within steam as well.
You can launch something persistent, like firefox, and then use the shortcut in everything besides steam, however. And it's useful if you want to, as an example, launch Kodi from steam, then switch between kodi and a game you are running. If you reopen kodi from steam while it's already running, the shortcut will just bring kodi back into focus.
Despite this limitation, being able to map back and start to a task switching function is a godsend. Hopefully I can figure out some way to get it working within steam as well.
Ha, I found a quick dirty little work around to the problem I described. I'll go into more detail about how to do this in a future topic I'm working on, but the gist is if I turn batch files into executables, I can write a batch file that itself launches another batch file, and that batch waits a second then opens my autohotkey script to send the keypresses that activates the task view switcher.
The reason this works is because steam itself is launching an executable that starts another program then immediately ends. once that program ends, steam returns, thinking execution has ended. The program that was launched from the exiting program then waits a second before sending the keypress to switch tasks. Because steam has already returned, there is no conflicting event.
Like I said, I'll detail precisely how to set this up and throw the executables online, but for now you can switch tasks by launching a program from steam when you are in BPM, and when you are in any other program, you can just press back and start.
The reason this works is because steam itself is launching an executable that starts another program then immediately ends. once that program ends, steam returns, thinking execution has ended. The program that was launched from the exiting program then waits a second before sending the keypress to switch tasks. Because steam has already returned, there is no conflicting event.
Like I said, I'll detail precisely how to set this up and throw the executables online, but for now you can switch tasks by launching a program from steam when you are in BPM, and when you are in any other program, you can just press back and start.
alexandros
Banned
ashecitism
Member
Valve is asking for help regarding the controller in Ubuntu: https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-desktop/2015-September/004732.html
Should be hopefully fixed for the launch.
Should be hopefully fixed for the launch.
Thanks to everyone for their impressions so far, really enjoying seeing all these videosOnly issue is I didn't preorder one, bah. Oh well!
If anyone could try out FEAR, Condemned and Diablo 3 on the controller I'd be very interested in how well they play on it.
Deus Ex and FEAR will be the first games I mess with when it's available for the early folk in Oct, but I'm sure someone else will give those a try by then
Ack!
The UI and font size!
Using the Steam Controller to move about is just one aspect of making games TV-friendly.
The other is making the UI a bit more distance-friendly for those of us playing from 10 feet away.
My worst fear is that we get this amazing controller option...but that it doesn't matter because developers haven't met us in the middle by offering scalable UI.
ashecitism
Member
Witcher 3 by Trial:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbIL9XfKMxY
You are simply not going to see that for older games since most companies are not going to care enough to make a change, so you either have to reduce the resolution, or the onus is on modders. In future, things may well swing the way of having optional UI scaling
trialbygame
Neo Member
If I remember correctly, Civ V does have UI scaling. I should have turned it on, but I forgot to because I am sitting right in front of 3 monitors when I record. Sorry!
That's fair.
Its really going to come down to publishers' specific viewpoint. I believe Paradox was one of the first to get behind the Steam Controller idea, which makes sense because they are a PC-centric company, so they may view the controller as a chance to reach a new audience. My hope is that they will embrace UI Scaling, accordingly.
But for 2K? A big publisher where PC gaming is just one of several platforms...? Probably not going to go back and make changes for most PC-only releases.
That's awesome. Third person shooters and adventures will probably be awesome with this controller as well. It's going to be the definitive way to play something like Tomb Raider or Sleeping Dogs.
OMG Game-changer!
broncobuster
Banned
To those who've had hands on with it and a Wii U Pro Controller, is distance to ABXY buttons comparable?
They're comparable. They're a little bit more towards the center than the buttons/sticks on most other controllers, but they aren't hard to hit with my thumbs.
alexandros
Banned
Yeah, it seemed to work great with the Witcher 3. I hadn't considered how cool it is to have the main attack button right under the camera controls, it will be really easy to set up your next attack while still executing the previous one. The Batman games are going to be really fun with this.
Since mapping back and start to win+tab, I've been using the controller exclusively to control my PC for the last day. It's perfectly fine to control windows itself, entirely outside of steam, with a steam controller. browsing the web with a steam controller is so much better than any other gamepad I've used. The legacy mode layout has several ways to scroll - you can use the bumpers to scroll the mouse wheel, or you can click the left grip (middle mouse) and move the right pad up and down, or you can use the d-pad and analog stick, or you can use the right pad as a mouse and click the scroll bar in your browser.
ashecitism
Member
So, since you can set the touchpads as a scrool wheel, where would that be useful? Have yet to see anyone mess with that. And how would that work? you could only swipe upwards and downwards?
It's a bit different than you're imagining. It's not a scroll wheel, it's more like turning the controller into an old school style atari rotary controller:
You rotate your finger along the pad clockwise or counter-clockwise like you're using a video jog controller. You can map which keys get sent either clockwise or counterclockwise, including mouse keys.
It's a shame TxK will never come out on PC, as this would be an incredible way to play it that would have mimiced the hidden rotary controls in Tempest 2000.
A breakout style game would be perfect for this type of controller setup.
ashecitism
Member
Oh, so that's what they named that setup. You talked about that before. Thanks!
Still, would like to see it in action
Still, would like to see it in action
What really interests me about TW3 with the Steam controller is navigating the menus.
I tried both controller and keyboard and combat didn't feel too different between them, but the menus work much better with a mouse.
It will definitely have the potential to be good for adventure / third person PC games that make use of number keys for hotkeys (1-9), like Fable TLC or Phantasy Star Online 2. Just set up some modifers and then get easier access to extra spells and stuff (compared to reaching around the keyboard).
It's a bit different than you're imagining. It's not a scroll wheel, it's more like turning the controller into an old school style atari rotary controller:
You rotate your finger along the pad clockwise or counter-clockwise like you're using a video jog controller. You can map which keys get sent either clockwise or counterclockwise, including mouse keys.
It's a shame TxK will never come out on PC, as this would be an incredible way to play it that would have mimiced the hidden rotary controls in Tempest 2000.
A breakout style game would be perfect for this type of controller setup.
I want to play Euro Truck Simulator like this, with the touchpad acting as the steering wheel. Is it possible?
I've seen the idea discussed (and I don't have the answer), but I hadn't thought of how perfect it would be for big rigs.
Can't wait to try Arkanoid with this control method. It's one of my favourite oldies - I was even on my way to building a mini Arkanoid cab until it all went wrong.
Krejlooc, do you have Shatter?
alexandros
Banned
Yes, all Steam games will support it.
Interfectum
Member
All PC games are supported, technically.
ashecitism
Member
Trial just out up two stream archives on YT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z48jqkUDQPI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuWU33oppJo
Skipped to the DS2 part, couldn't he just configure the stick to "run" when full-tilt as Krejlooc said? Because his setup doesn't look comfortable.
also, the config brought up stick mouse as an option for the touchpad. How would that work?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z48jqkUDQPI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuWU33oppJo
Skipped to the DS2 part, couldn't he just configure the stick to "run" when full-tilt as Krejlooc said? Because his setup doesn't look comfortable.
also, the config brought up stick mouse as an option for the touchpad. How would that work?
Yeah I think so. It kind of emphasises just how important the community sharing of bindings will be important. In a fair few videos, I think there are better solutions being missed, so collaboration in discovering the most intuitive bindings is going to be crucial
ashecitism
Member
Steam Controller support coming to Cook, Serve, Delicious!
Chubigans with some impressions. 1st game will also get native support in November.
Chubigans with some impressions. 1st game will also get native support in November.
No one has tried using the touchpad as a steering wheel yet? It seems like such a no brainer to me.
Astral/H3X
Member
First thing I'm doing with my steam controller is binding left grip to run, right grip to item. That way I don't have to worry about stick vs those two actions.
trialbygame
Neo Member
Yup. I honestly don't know how I didn't realize I should just map the left grip to run. This seems like the obvious solution. Its awesome to have a community here with suggestions, but I worry that an individual could end up with a sub-optimal setup because they picked a poor default, or poor community template.
ashecitism
Member
Trial, can you configure the stick itself? Krejlooc said you can map states like little tilt, medium tilt, full tilt.
Also, haven't played DS, but wonder if using the triggers like in Woodsie's BL vid would make sense for this game. What kind of attacks are there, where are they mapped on regular controllers?
Also, haven't played DS, but wonder if using the triggers like in Woodsie's BL vid would make sense for this game. What kind of attacks are there, where are they mapped on regular controllers?
trialbygame
Neo Member
I... I had not considered changing the stick's configuration. My guess would be you can change it with the same options as you saw at the end of the Rocket League video. But I'll try it out tonight, if I end up with some time to stream/make videos.
I'm at work, so I can't watch that video, but I had DS mapped basically the same as a regular controller. I'll take a look tonight.
When you use scroll wheel mode that I described above, the output isn't analog. It's not mapped to an axis, rather it's mapped to a series of digital key or mouse presses you send with every "tick" as you rotate along the wheel. So it wouldn't be very good for a steering wheel.
The setting is buried in the advanced menu:
Elitist1945
Member
Damn when does this even come out again?
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