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Steam Controller Thread | Comfy Couch Sold Separately

Any advice on some settings for those most precise movements?

I have three main pieces of advice and several smaller ones.

1. Don't give up on it. The first days or even weeks are rough as you get accustomed to it, after five or so days of use I really wanted to sell mine. One year later, I haven't touched a mouse or traditional gamepad for gaming in months.

2. The best configuration by far for precise aiming is using the right touchpad for mouse movement and enabling trackball mode with low friction. Set the trackball haptics at least on medium or even high so that you get a good feel of the movement and momentum of the trackball.

3. Always choose mouse & keyboard-based configurations over gamepad-based ones in games that don't support simultaneous mouse and gamepad input. The controller's mouse emulation for gamepad games (the "gamepad with camera controls" template) is great for games that don't need precision aiming (Like Dark Souls or other games where the right analog stick is used mainly for controlling the camera) but pure mouse mode feels so much better, especially on games where aiming down sights drops the sensitivity. I played through Infinite Warfare's campaign twice, first with the gamepad with camera controls template and then with a mouse and keyboard template. The differnece was night and day, I had a lot more fun the second time.

Now, here's my advice on the best settings for first person shootters and any game where precise aiming is important. As I said, set Trackball mode to on, low trackball friction, at least medium trackball haptics. Set the sensitivity of the trackball to the default value (there's a notch on the slider, set it to that. The default mouse and keyboard template sets the sensitivity quite a bithigher than the default, so lower it).

Now, using either in-game (try that first) or Steam controller sensitivity settings, set the sensitivity to a value that allows you to execute a 90-degree turn with a single quick swipe of the touchpad from your original point of view. So in a shooter where you are looking directly ahead, placing your finger on the touchpad and swiping quickly to your right (without lifting your finger at the end of the motion) until you reach the edge of the touchpad should move the camera 90 degrees to your right. Think of the directions of a d-pad: if you started looking "up" (the top button of a d-pad) at the end of the swipe you should be looking "right".

This sensitivity setting (or something close to it, experiment to find the ideal setting for you) should give you plenty of fine control over your aiming as moving the finger slowly allows for precise aiming while a quicker swipe should allow you to quickly place the crosshair over any enemy in your field of vision.

So what happens when you need to turn quickly in order to fight an enemy that is more than a 90-degree angle away or behind you? That's where the trackball momentum comes in. Without trackball mode, if you needed to execute an 180-degree turn you would have to swipe at least twice in order to turn 180 degrees. With trackball mode you don't swipe this time, you flick your finger on the touchpad towards the direction you want and the trackball's momentum takes over, completing the turn for you. Once you are looking at the desired direction, place your finger on the touchpad to stop the trackball in place.

I know it sounds complicated and it does take practise but believe me, soon you will be able to aim with presicion and you will also be able to execute fast turns by flicking the trackball and stopping it on a dime. Once it clicks for you you will see just how impressive this controller really is.

As for recommended games for a beginner, cover-based shooters are an ideal choice because the enemies don't move around that much and they are generally slower-paced.
 
Anyone using a Steam Controller with Mass Effect Andromeda?

I was excited that it seemed to work perfectly in Gamepad+Mouse mode, but there's some issues I've noticed. When using the right TouchPad and the game switches to keyboard+mouse icons on the UI, I can no longer do certain actions. I can't charge certain powers (like overload) and I can't reload (it switches weapons instead).
The joystick mouse emulation I've never loved with the steam controller, but it's workable with the gyro.

I'm thinking my only option will be to add a mode shift to the buttons so that when I'm aiming with the mouse (or holding the left trigger) it switches to keyboard commands.

Hm, I've been playing with it and haven't noticed the issues you're describing.
 

Sophia

Member
I'm pretty happy with how my Path of Exile configuration has turned out so far.

pathofexilesteamcontr4zsx5.jpg

Six of the eight usable skill slots are firmly on the shoulder buttons. The remaining two skill buttons are on the right touchpad button and analog stick button respectively.

For the flasks..


I put them on the analog stick as a radical menu. By making it a mode-shift end, one simply has to flick in the direction of the analog stick to use it, which works fantastically in the middle of combat. Also doesn't take your hand off the mouse/shoulder buttons to use it either.

And then lastly the left touchpad functions as another radical menu, containing the control modifier key for quick selling, as well as functions like opening the inventory and stuff.


URL here if anyone wishes to try it: steam://controllerconfig/238960/888984902

On a related note, I've discovered that radical menus are almost universally more useful then touch menus. I originally had a different setup with the left touchpad as a radical menu/touch menu hybrid, but it didn't work so well. Switching the flasks and stuff around made the setup way more useful.
 

TheRed

Member
Anyone using a Steam Controller with Mass Effect Andromeda?

I was excited that it seemed to work perfectly in Gamepad+Mouse mode, but there's some issues I've noticed. When using the right TouchPad and the game switches to keyboard+mouse icons on the UI, I can no longer do certain actions. I can't charge certain powers (like overload) and I can't reload (it switches weapons instead).
The joystick mouse emulation I've never loved with the steam controller, but it's workable with the gyro.

I'm thinking my only option will be to add a mode shift to the buttons so that when I'm aiming with the mouse (or holding the left trigger) it switches to keyboard commands.
I haven't noticed any of that other then switching prompt icons, doesn't stop me from doing anything. Everything has worked great and I'm loving it.
 
Hm, I've been playing with it and haven't noticed the issues you're describing.

I haven't noticed any of that other then switching prompt icons, doesn't stop me from doing anything. Everything has worked great and I'm loving it.
Huh, that's weird. And you are both using the full mouse on the right pad and not the emulated joystick/mouse setting?

I was able to fix my issues by making the buttons that were giving me trouble keyboard button presses when the right pad is being used (when the icons switch to PC prompts). I had to add reload to one of the grip triggers since the X button still wasn't doing it quite right, but I can charge powers like Overload now without them firing immediately.

And I just noticed I'm getting a weird double press issue with the X button when I'm skipping dialog, too. I just started using the grip button I use for reload (which is the same button as skipping dialog) which doesn't have the double press issue.
 

Foxyone

Member
Are mouse cursor (positions) messed up for anyone else? When I try to make one, it still shows the BPM interface when trying to select where I want the mouse to move.

Also, is there any reason that joystick mouse controls seem more jerky on DS4 analog sticks compared to the Steam controller one? Any way to make it less jerky?
 
Just bought a Fosmon Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter Cable for my late 2013 iMac. I game on it by using bootcamp with Windows 10. What's the best setup for comfy couch gaming? If I just mirror my 1440p iMac to my 1080p HDMI tv, will games performance significantly drop?
 

Nerrel

Member
After getting used to the Switch Pro controller I'm really hoping Valve gives it the same treatment as the Xbox and PS controllers. What's the best way to show Valve demand for this? I'd like to shoot them a comment somewhere just to add my voice for support.

I also wonder if it's possible for them to fully utilize the controller, since a BT connection only registers it as a DInput device and as far as I'm aware the gyro won't be recognized. Doesn't the DS4 also just register as DInput when first connected to PC, though? They got that fully supported. If nothing else I wouldn't mind buying a Mayflash adapter when one inevitably comes out, but it would be nice to save the $20.
 
I was able to configure the trackball mode the way I like for looking around and turning, but I'm not precise enough if I want to pinpoint something. Not even close. It's very far from precision of a mouse.
That's because Valve has filtering on by default. Disable smoothing entirely, trust me. There will be a big difference in accuracy when using the trackpad. Also, set the sensitivity so that you do a 135° turn from the left side to the right side of the pad. It's the best balance between range and accuracy. Then it's just a matter of getting used to trackball flicking for anything out of your range, and the trackpad ends up working pretty well on its own.
 

Echoplx

Member
Anyone else playing NieR with this? the hacking/shmup sections never feel quite right even when I set the trackpad to joystick camera mode.
 

didamangi

Member
Anyone else playing NieR with this? the hacking/shmup sections never feel quite right even when I set the trackpad to joystick camera mode.

There's a community profile that includes dual action set so you can change the right trackpad mode with a press of a button during the shmup sections. Works fine but can be a hassle on the 2nd playthrough.
 
Anyone else playing NieR with this? the hacking/shmup sections never feel quite right even when I set the trackpad to joystick camera mode.
No, I fell back on a DS4 for Automata. It sucks, because I can tell native support would be incredible in this game. I love the way it mixes shooting elements with physical combat, and the SC seems like it'd be a fantastic fit with the way it provides full analog movement, and unrestrictive aiming input.

That said, if joystick emulation on the right trackpad feels bad during the 2.5D sections, you might just have the deadzone shape set to cross, rather than circle. Valve has cross deadzone set to default, and it really limits the diagonal directions in twin stick shooters.

I actually feel the right trackpad emulating a right stick works a lot better than an actual right stick in that genre. It's got more range than an analog stick due to its size, which makes aiming more precise. Definitely my favorite way to play stuff like Assault Android Cactus, and Enter the Gungeon.
 
I've been playing ME:A for about 20 hours now with the Steam Controller. Definitely the longest I've used it for in a game.

If it didn't have the weird button issues I'd be completely sold on it, but it's a crap shoot when it comes to using my powers whether they'll charge correctly or just immediately shoot off, and reloading still usually swaps my gun instead of actually reloading (I set one of the back paddles to R so it would work better.

I managed to get my Bluetooth adapter working on my computer (drivers were all messed up) and got my Dualshock 4 working again, but now I'm used to the Steam Controller it's been hard adjusting back to right stick aiming, but if I can't resolve my button issues with the Steam Controller I think I'll switch back to the DS4. I'm SO much better at using the powers, but I'm missing more often so it's a bit of a catch-22. :/

I could go back to full Mouse/Keyboard mode, but I really hate losing analog stick movement (even though it's not really necessary for thisbgane), maybe it could try mostly all keyboard/mouse but set the analog stick to be a controller analog stick? But then it might have the same problem of flipping between k/m and controller which I think is causing the issue with my buttons and bumpers not registering being held down correctly.
 
Cool to hear it somewhat supports gamepad+mouse. Really weird to hear it has issues with it, though. EA games tend to work really well on the Steam Controller, despite being on an entirely different platform. I wonder if they'd ever fix it.
 
Cool to hear it somewhat supports gamepad+mouse. Really weird to hear it has issues with it, though. EA games tend to work really well on the Steam Controller, despite being on an entirely different platform. I wonder if they'd ever fix it.
Others here don't seem to be having the same issues I'm having, so your mileage may vary.

The "activator" functions of the buttons really helps with mapping multiple functions to he same button. When I was setting up all the key mapping for ME:A. For some reason for keyboard, they didn't seem to allow for holding buttons like the controller does (melee is pressing Y, but holding it is Use on the controller, but on keyboard it's two separate keys), so with the activators I can set pressing Y on the steam controller to "melee" and then set holding the y button to "use".

Last time I really delved into controller configurations I don't think they had activators yet so it was harder to do what I wanted. Some cool stuff I like to do is have opening the menu set to the start button but when I press and hold start I can go directly to the map or inventory or whatever i want.
 
Anyone wanting to try Nier Automata with the Steam Controller, it works pretty damn well - though no mouse dedicated controller with gamepad, and you wouldn't necessarily want that anyway with the way the game works, as actual mouse control isn't handled as well as it should have been.

A simple setup is working for me:

  • Mouse-joystick is absolutely brilliant for the third-person camera and aiming. The in-game sensitivity goes super high to the point where it is actually too much, and it lets you control both horizontal and vertical. I would suggest moving the horizontal up 10 notches and the vertical 10 notches (which is already offset by 2 notches less than horizontal). This ends up feel about right for me with the default. There are no weird deadzones, so this works out great vs if it were a mouse. I used the default steam controller sensitivity and only changed the in game settings.
  • There is an auto camera readjust during third person movement. You can switch this off if you want better camera control, but I don't know what is best yet so I reduced it's correction and will test it further
  • For the Shmup sections, you will want to have a traditional right stick since the game isn't set up well enough for anything else. Thankfully, mode switching to the rescue. A and X are set to left and right grips, but I also set the left grip for a quick double tap to switch between analogue stick and mouse-joystick for the right pad. This works our pretty perfectly.

Still pretty early in the game, so I might find that I change some things, but so far I'm pretty happy with it.

I've been using it too for Nier. For some reason it just feels really good in this game to me. I'm using a community profile that is very similar to what you describe.
 

Pixieking

Banned
So, anyone got the Steam Controller working comfortably with RPCS3 and Demon's Souls? Any configs floating about, before I start trying to craft something myself? I don't mind messing around with emulators, but creating controller configs is the worst!
 

sleepnaught

Member
Software is straight garbage with this thing. Half the time the overlay doesn't work, bugged out, completely unresponsive, or just crashes, killing functionality of the SC. I would have thought this far into its life span they would've been out of beta with this thing, but I guess not.
 

Paragon

Member
Software is straight garbage with this thing. Half the time the overlay doesn't work, bugged out, completely unresponsive, or just crashes, killing functionality of the SC. I would have thought this far into its life span they would've been out of beta with this thing, but I guess not.
I feel like I say this all the time on GAF, but if you're having problems with the overlay process crashing, it's probably an unstable GPU overclock which is causing it.
Once I reduced the overclock of my GPU, that stopped happening.
 

Nzyme32

Member
I feel like I say this all the time on GAF, but if you're having problems with the overlay process crashing, it's probably an unstable GPU overclock which is causing it.
Once I reduced the overclock of my GPU, that stopped happening.

While it is generally stable now, the main issue I have is in specific games using the web browser can eventually end up crashing the overlay and then Steam & Controller. Apart from that the past months have been without issue for me
 
man, I just can't get this to work well with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. The buttons just don't line up between what I set up in configuration and in game.
 

Paragon

Member
man, I just can't get this to work well with Deus Ex: Manking Divided. The buttons just don't line up between what I set up in configuration and in game.
Few games have full Steam Controller API integration, where the in-game prompts update to match the config.
Most only have a default profile, or one or two default action sets.

While it is generally stable now, the main issue I have is in specific games using the web browser can eventually end up crashing the overlay and then Steam & Controller. Apart from that the past months have been without issue for me
I can't comment on the browser, only that it stopped the overlay randomly crashing 5-10 minutes into playing a game.
 
Few games have full Steam Controller API integration, where the in-game prompts update to match the config.
Most only have a default profile, or one or two default action sets.

I can't comment on the browser, only that it stopped the overlay randomly crashing 5-10 minutes into playing a game.

I've only messed with it for like 10 minutes, but I think it has full integration.
 

DrSlek

Member
I've just bought a controller today. I'm surprised at just how solid it feels. All of the images and footage I saw made it seem quite flimsy. in reality it's anything but.

Are there any recommended community configurations I should look at?
 

lome88

Member
Got the controller today and have been tinkering with configurations and different games I'm familiar with for about the last 4 hours or so. I had read through this thread in the lead up to the purchase and felt pretty confident that I was making a pretty sound purchase.

Boy was I right! The thing is built pretty solidly, the ability to change your configuration on the fly is awesome and the games I've played (Civ V, Dark Souls, Far Cry 4, Witcher 3) all feel really natural with it. That Gyro aiming is making a huge difference for me in something like Far Cry 4.

I have a question though. I sit about 8-10 ft from where my entertainment system is all set up and I'm constantly getting prompts about the connection being weak or the thing disconnects completely. I have a spare USB extension cable lying around but was wondering if others had encountered this?
 
I have a question though. I sit about 8-10 ft from where my entertainment system is all set up and I'm constantly getting prompts about the connection being weak or the thing disconnects completely. I have a spare USB extension cable lying around but was wondering if others had encountered this?
Have you tried using the included range extender? Plug the USB cable into your computer, the micro USB end into the range extender, then the wireless receiver into the extender.
 

sleepnaught

Member
I feel like I say this all the time on GAF, but if you're having problems with the overlay process crashing, it's probably an unstable GPU overclock which is causing it.
Once I reduced the overclock of my GPU, that stopped happening.
No overclock set. It happens much more frequently in specific games, GTAV is the worst culprit. Almost unusable when playing that game.
 

Oreoleo

Member
I have a question though. I sit about 8-10 ft from where my entertainment system is all set up and I'm constantly getting prompts about the connection being weak or the thing disconnects completely. I have a spare USB extension cable lying around but was wondering if others had encountered this?

Yeah, my USB dongle has taken permanent residence in one of the front USB ports because I would get that weak connection message if it was plugged in the back and I was sitting on my bed a handful of feet away.
 

lome88

Member
Have you tried using the included range extender? Plug the USB cable into your computer, the micro USB end into the range extender, then the wireless receiver into the extender.

Did that and performance has greatly improved. I guess you just need to have the receiver COMPLETELY unobscured.
 

Nzyme32

Member
Did that and performance has greatly improved. I guess you just need to have the receiver COMPLETELY unobscured.

This isn't always true. In our lounge setup, it seems to be that behind the pc and tv is a bunch of electrical interference effecting the Steam controller dongle. Putting it behind the sub which is further away and still obscuring line of sight, it works flawlessly. So just need to get the right place.
 
How stiff are people's shoulder bumpers on the Steam Controller?
I'm curious if other people's controllers have should bumpers as stiff as mine, or if it's just a fluke with my original one and maybe they're better now or if mine is abnormally stiff.

For an example of their stiffness; if I balance the weight of the controller upside-down with one finger on each shoulder bumper, they aren't even close to getting pressed.

Compared to my Xbox One controller I just got for my PC which is a similar weight, doing the same thing actually presses the bumpers with just the weight of the controller. My PS4 controller's bumpers don't quite press with the weight of the controller, but it barely takes any additional force to press them.

After using this controller for several hours on Mass Effect Andromeda before switching to a DS4, I'd love to use it in more games, but because of the bumper stiffness I either need to remap their functions to the rear bumpers (and potentially waste two bindings), or I just end up using another controller.
 

Paragon

Member
The shoulder buttons are quite stiff - much stiffer than a DS4 and presumably 360/XB1 pad too, but not so much that I have difficulty pressing them.
 

Sophia

Member
I don't think they're too stiff. But they're stiffer than the 360/DS4 tho.


I've been experimenting with radical menus and Phantasy Star Online 2. Originally, I had the entire hotbar on a single radical menu, but this was unwieldy. Ten actions made it easy to misclick in the middle of a fight. So my solution was to swap it to two radical menus, with only five actions on each of them. This made it a whole lot easier, because now I don't misclick in the middle of the fight. Every area of the trackpad is well represented.

The reason they're flipped in this image is because I didn't want to rearrange my hotbars to accommodate the setup I wanted, so I put the most used ones on the right touchpad (via left grip). I imagine new players would want it the other way around, to match the in-game layout of the hotbar.
 
I'm pretty happy with how my Path of Exile configuration has turned out so far.



Six of the eight usable skill slots are firmly on the shoulder buttons. The remaining two skill buttons are on the right touchpad button and analog stick button respectively.

For the flasks..



I put them on the analog stick as a radical menu. By making it a mode-shift end, one simply has to flick in the direction of the analog stick to use it, which works fantastically in the middle of combat. Also doesn't take your hand off the mouse/shoulder buttons to use it either.

And then lastly the left touchpad functions as another radical menu, containing the control modifier key for quick selling, as well as functions like opening the inventory and stuff.



URL here if anyone wishes to try it: steam://controllerconfig/238960/888984902

On a related note, I've discovered that radical menus are almost universally more useful then touch menus. I originally had a different setup with the left touchpad as a radical menu/touch menu hybrid, but it didn't work so well. Switching the flasks and stuff around made the setup way more useful.


Eh I suggest making it so you move around with the left analog stick instead. It worked perfectly for me and made the game feel completely fresh.
 

Sophia

Member
Eh I suggest making it so you move around with the left analog stick instead. It worked perfectly for me and made the game feel completely fresh.

I've tried that in countless point-and-clock/loot based ARPGs. It never feels natural to me because the games aren't really designed to support it and mouse region is a clunky workaround. I actually did have it set up this way at first, and realized after about 30 hours of gameplay I wasn't using it at all.

Flasks on the analog stick works too well to give it up anyhow.
 
I think the bumpers are too stiff, as are the grip buttons and touch pad buttons. I didn't mind them at first, but I've found them to be unsuitable for certain actions because of their stiffness. I've also been dealing with some sort of arm pain for months now and using these buttons agitates it.
 

Foxyone

Member
I've been experimenting with radical menus and Phantasy Star Online 2. Originally, I had the entire hotbar on a single radical menu, but this was unwieldy. Ten actions made it easy to misclick in the middle of a fight. So my solution was to swap it to two radical menus, with only five actions on each of them. This made it a whole lot easier, because now I don't misclick in the middle of the fight. Every area of the trackpad is well represented.

The reason they're flipped in this image is because I didn't want to rearrange my hotbars to accommodate the setup I wanted, so I put the most used ones on the right touchpad (via left grip). I imagine new players would want it the other way around, to match the in-game layout of the hotbar.

For situations like this with lots of hotkeys, I usually just work with a nine-button touch menu on right pad click. If I really need a 10th button, I usually just put it on a long press of one of the touch menu buttons or something. I just prefer being able to always keep my left thumb on the joystick while the right one takes care of most or all of the hotkeys.
 

Sophia

Member
For situations like this with lots of hotkeys, I usually just work with a nine-button touch menu on right pad click. If I really need a 10th button, I usually just put it on a long press of one of the touch menu buttons or something. I just prefer being able to always keep my left thumb on the joystick while the right one takes care of most or all of the hotkeys.

Yeah, nine button touch menu works out pretty well too. I find touch menus become unwieldy when you go past nine.

The reason for using radical menus here was placement, however. Touch Menus don't have a five-menu option (why don't these behave like radical menus and adjust automatically again?) but the radical menu puts everything in a reasonably accessed place. I can very quickly load in ammo, switch stances, or toss grenades using the right touchpad while still having access to movement. And if I need to heal or use my Photon Blast I'd have to stop moving for the duration of it anyhow.
 

Grinchy

Banned
I think the bumpers are too stiff, as are the grip buttons and touch pad buttons. I didn't mind them at first, but I've found them to be unsuitable for certain actions because of their stiffness. I've also been dealing with some sort of arm pain for months now and using these buttons agitates it.

I thought I was loving this controller for Dark Souls 3 until one day I decided to just use my PS4 controller. The idea of the Steam Controller is great, but the execution just wasn't right. I now find myself with absolutely zero reasons to use it. It's uncomfortable to use and tedious to set up on a game-to-game basis.
 
I simply can't play games with this. Every time I open up a game the controller defaults to desktop configuration and doesn't use the config I have set up or the official ones I've downloaded. Can't use the steam button. Can't do anything. I have the overlay on and I'm using big picture. Nothings working.
 
How stiff are people's shoulder bumpers on the Steam Controller?
Yeah they're stiff, but not to the point that they're uncomfortable to use. Other bumpers are definitely softer, but I don't think the SC's are detrimental, it just takes some getting used to. I love using them to activate radial menus. That said, the stiff click should've been applied to the trigger click instead. Would've fit much better there; it's too easy to do a full pull on accident, so I hardly use the dual-stage functionality.


I thought I was loving this controller for Dark Souls 3 until one day I decided to just use my PS4 controller. The idea of the Steam Controller is great, but the execution just wasn't right. I now find myself with absolutely zero reasons to use it. It's uncomfortable to use and tedious to set up on a game-to-game basis.
Between the grips covering vital keys that are normally mapped to the face buttons, and the unrestrictive camera control the trackpad offers, I have to disagree. Granted, I haven't played DS3, rather 1, but I cannot imagine playing it with my DS4. Instead of having to sacrifice my awareness, I can constantly survey my surroundings while making room between me and a foe, using items... it makes a big difference in the middle of combat. Hell, playing stuff like Nier: Automata and Bayonetta make me wish they had native Steam Controller support. They'd play so much better if they took proper advantage of the SC (Nier in particular).

That said, I agree that it would be much better if it was more widely supported, had more of a general standard... "plug-n-play". It definitely keeps it in a niche, since it takes some dedication to use properly. Hopefully it gets there one day... or consoles execute the concept properly eventually. Either or.
 

Nabs

Member
I love DS3 with the Steam Controller. The fact that it supports the mouse so well just makes me happy inside. Browsing the inventory/hotbar with the mouse cursor is perfect and needs to be copied by every game. Also being able to place a d-pad under the right touchpad (click) is just clutch.
 
Yeah they're stiff, but not to the point that they're uncomfortable to use. Other bumpers are definitely softer, but I don't think the SC's are detrimental, it just takes some getting used to. I love using them to activate radial menus. That said, the stiff click should've been applied to the trigger click instead. Would've fit much better there; it's too easy to do a full pull on accident, so I hardly use the dual-stage functionality.

Sadly for me, the bumpers are too stiff to the point of interfering with the games and even causing discomfort. I really wish there was a simple way to shave something down or replace a piece inside of the controller to make it softer. Otherwise I'll probably limit my Steam Controller usage to only a few games where it fits (games where non-essential functions can be mapped to the bumpers, without messing up how the game controls).

I like your idea of making the full trigger pull a little stiffer, that's an example where it could be beneficial.

With how long it took Valve to release the Steam controller after announcing it, I'm not expecting a remodel of it anytime soon, but I hope someday they make a revision.
 
Eh, a revision will happen. They've discussed doing it eventually, and there's definitely room for improvement. If your bumpers are stiff to the point of discomfort, maybe there is an issue with your controller. For a point of reference, my bumpers are a little less tight than a right pad click, which takes a bit of effort, but a reasonable amount. I've also been through four controllers at this point, so if they were generally that bad, I would've noticed. I've let my younger siblings use my SC as well, and they've never complained about the bumpers. Valve has been pretty loose with replacing an SC in my experience. Maybe you want to give that a shot?
 

Foxyone

Member
I thought I was loving this controller for Dark Souls 3 until one day I decided to just use my PS4 controller. The idea of the Steam Controller is great, but the execution just wasn't right. I now find myself with absolutely zero reasons to use it. It's uncomfortable to use and tedious to set up on a game-to-game basis.

I'd like to use my PS4 controller for some more games, specifically Oblivion (since I used to play on 360), but unfortunately the joystick mouse setting is stuttery and inconsistent for me in games like that without controller support.

I dunno why, but in DS3, holding the run button on the Steam controller is unreliable because it randomly stops working.
 

Sophia

Member
Lots of bugfixes just went out, including a welcomed change for posting configurations...

UPDATE NEWS - STEAM CLIENT BETA
Latest Update April 17
Steam Controller:
  • A copy to the link to the configuration is now automatically copied to clipboard when uploading a community configuration.
  • Fixed mouse joystick visualization resetting to default pad rotation when selecting it.
  • Fix for pairing controllers sometimes failing to be able to enter their code properly when multiple controllers were attached.
  • Fixed a bug where if the configurator was open in the browser, time wouldn't be accumulated towards being able to save a configuration.
  • Changed the time limit before posting a configuration down to 5 minutes.
  • Fix for button presses and other inputs leaking through to big picture when using a Guide-Chord combo. This primarily showed up as a Turn Off Controller action resulting in launching a game.
  • Fixes for unique/shared configurations not always being set properly
  • Fixed a bug during controller registration where network hiccups could cause no configurations to be received until Steam was restarted.
  • Fix for Shortcuts to Non-Steam Games whose names were entirely blank or composed of only path unfriendly characters resulting in bad configurations or a crash.
  • Fix for conflict between stick and touchpad when using on-screen keyboard with a PS4 controller.
  • Made on-screen keyboard exclusive to a single controller, so whichever controller initiated the invocation will be used.
  • Fixed autosave behavior not being immediately reflected when leaving/re-entering the configurator when a response from the backend isn't received quickly.
  • Fixed saves not showing immediately in the configuration browser.
 
I thought I was loving this controller for Dark Souls 3 until one day I decided to just use my PS4 controller. The idea of the Steam Controller is great, but the execution just wasn't right. I now find myself with absolutely zero reasons to use it. It's uncomfortable to use and tedious to set up on a game-to-game basis.

Funnily enough, Dark Souls 3 was the first game that I went back to a traditional controller for. As nice as it was to be able to run and move the camera at the same time without resorting to weird claw motions, I felt like the stiffness of the grip buttons was affecting my ability to dodge and holding a shield up for a stretch of time with the bumpers was a bit uncomfortable. It didn't help that I already have 1000+ hours playing these games with a traditional controller, so I didn't exactly give it a whole lot of time to adjust before busting out the WIiU Pro Controller.

It's still my favourite controller, but I really want them to hurry up and put out a version 2 of this thing with some nicer feeling buttons.

Lots of bugfixes just went out, including a welcomed change for posting configurations...

5 minutes? Thank you.

To test it out, I ported a Dark Souls 2 config from the SC to X360 which uses anti-deadzones to smooth out character and camera movement.
 
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