-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Steam Controller Thread | Comfy Couch Sold Separately
- Thread starter Nzyme32
- Start date
cyberheater
PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
I should have got them to deliver it to work God damnit.
Guess I'll be picking it up from the depot after work tomorrow.
Guess I'll be picking it up from the depot after work tomorrow.
The major problem with Street 4 is the placement of the left thumbpad + the button placement for A/B/X/Y. If someone makes a hardware mod to make the left pad a bit smaller and easier to hit 360's on, and the right side has A/B/X/Y/L1/R1 (and L2/R2), I could see it being a good replacement for the Saturn controller.
Valve had three years to "put the work in" but they didn't. I'm sorry, but the thing is gonna be DOA with casual users unless in the next two weeks (hah) Valve puts in default controller configs that aren't just "this is emulating a keyboard and mouse and you'll just have to deal with that" for various genres. Which they won't.
See: Street Fighter 4 above. I can't put more buttons on the right pad (and the sliced-pie menu overlay is only for the left pad AFAIK?) to where someone will have to heavily modify the controller for various genres to be comfortable to hold and "practical"/intuitive to "get-up-and-go" with for those genres.
Man, playing The Evil Within and have set the bindings to:
Soft pull: aims
Full pull: fires
Left back button: melee
Right back button: runs
This is my own config, but what helps is take an existing published config and tweak them. This way you'll learn what is what and what feels good.
Soft pull: aims
Full pull: fires
Left back button: melee
Right back button: runs
This is my own config, but what helps is take an existing published config and tweak them. This way you'll learn what is what and what feels good.
Crayon
Member
You should make the thread. i would but im on the road.
I have problems with the Steam overlay in some games, MGSV being one of them. Do you have any other programs running in the background that might interfere? The culprit in my case was Geforce Experience, but I've also had problems with Fraps, Afterburner and Riva Tuner Statistics Server messing up the Steam overlay.
Edit: To clarify - the controller configurations won't load if the Steam overlay isn't working and the controller will default to the Desktop configuration. Thats why you can't control Snake properly.
flaxknuckles
Member
I'm gonna have to give up on this controller for Fallout 4 until you can use simultaneous mouse and gamepad. Mouse Joystick mode is ass in this game which makes it hilarious that Bethesda made it the official control config. The aiming is jittery and unresponsive and the lockpick minigame is impossible to do without constantly switching to Joystick camera.
Screw an all mouse+keyboard mode, I refuse to give up analog movement because it looks better in third-person and WASD feels unprecise and is getting me caught on geometry too much. Would be great if they could get Bethesda to patch in native support.
Screw an all mouse+keyboard mode, I refuse to give up analog movement because it looks better in third-person and WASD feels unprecise and is getting me caught on geometry too much. Would be great if they could get Bethesda to patch in native support.
arts&crafts
Member
Anyone in Canada know if EB has these? or anywhere not online
Kinky John
Member
I'm sitting on the early December train.
Not what I wanted to hear was hoping to pick this up for fallout with the steam link and enjoy gaming from my couch in my upstairs media room, now I'm not so sure
grandwizard
Member
The Engadget article has some truth in it. The core gaming community definitely has some fear of change in it when it comes to new control methods that challenge the status quo. It's a real shame because being stuck on the same dual analog setup for 20 years has not only impacted design in existing genres but held us back from exploring new ones.
However I do think the article goes too easy on Valve for the mistakes made with the Steam Controller and the expectations they set up. The entire project seems to go back and forth between wanting to be a true paradigm shift and also wanting to be familiar enough to traditional gamepad users. The problem is gamepad users aren't going to immediately feel at home for a multitude of reasons; the trackpads, the config making/sharing, the lack of accurate button prompts, different size face buttons, etc. So the steps made to accommodate that base are wasted, they could have gone so much further and made something radically different not just in how it controls but it's form as well.
The best things on this controller so far have been cursor based games like Civilization or Cities: Skylines, and even so I sit there wondering why I am using triggers to emulate mouse clicks like it is a shooter and it doesn't feel right at all.
The mouse joystick mode will probably be the new go-to default just because they don't have to worry about actually setting up any bindings and in name it pretends like it is close to true mouse control, which is absolutely false. It's just another misstep with this project in having people think 360 pad + mouse aim was going to be a real thing that works and not immediately setting the standard that mouse/kb emulation was the thing people should expect and get used to.
I don't agree with you that WASD is in any way imprecise, people have been doing insane trickjumps in high skill movement games like Tribes and Quake using it for years.
However I do think the article goes too easy on Valve for the mistakes made with the Steam Controller and the expectations they set up. The entire project seems to go back and forth between wanting to be a true paradigm shift and also wanting to be familiar enough to traditional gamepad users. The problem is gamepad users aren't going to immediately feel at home for a multitude of reasons; the trackpads, the config making/sharing, the lack of accurate button prompts, different size face buttons, etc. So the steps made to accommodate that base are wasted, they could have gone so much further and made something radically different not just in how it controls but it's form as well.
The best things on this controller so far have been cursor based games like Civilization or Cities: Skylines, and even so I sit there wondering why I am using triggers to emulate mouse clicks like it is a shooter and it doesn't feel right at all.
The mouse joystick mode will probably be the new go-to default just because they don't have to worry about actually setting up any bindings and in name it pretends like it is close to true mouse control, which is absolutely false. It's just another misstep with this project in having people think 360 pad + mouse aim was going to be a real thing that works and not immediately setting the standard that mouse/kb emulation was the thing people should expect and get used to.
I don't agree with you that WASD is in any way imprecise, people have been doing insane trickjumps in high skill movement games like Tribes and Quake using it for years.
flaxknuckles
Member
It feels imprecise using it on an analog sick I mean. And I don't like using the touchpad for movement because it doesn't rock and feels like I'm using a smartphone joystick. With WASD on a keyboard you get really good because you can use multiple fingers.
Solid Samus
Banned
I just cancelled my order. Nothing against the controller itself, but here I am paying for 1 day shipping and I find out that Amazon isn't even going to ship it out til next week. Nope, fuck that noise. I'll get it some other time.
Dangerblade
Member
Got mine today. LOVE the analog stick especially, so smooth. Trackpads will take some getting used to, but enjoying it so far.
I would just use the mouse and keyboard set ups. Woodsie said something about using his for 7 hours and loving it for Fallout 4, not sure if he's put them up yet though, but I'd definitely try that out at the very least
The Elite
BOSS
My preorders are in. I just have to go pick them up. No idea if they have extras.
MGS V is kind of mess due to the way the controls are done for both mouse and keyboard and controller. For the controller + mouse-joystick setup, I had to set the minimum x and y inputs quite a lot higher than the default in order to compensate for the ridiculous deadzone. Also make sure you set the camera speed / sensitivity to maximum in game
Heavy's Sandvich
Member
I was wanting to get the game for MGS but reading the impressions so far have left me not wanting to bother 
I already did start up in BPM and launched it from there. But I didn't know I had to make a shortcut. Thanks for helping me out!
Where is that PlayGTAV.exe?
I only see a GTA5.exe and GTAVLauncher.exe.
Should be in the same folder as the other executables. If you have the Steam version of GTA V then you don't need to do anything.
Hmm, I'm gonna look into it, and try and close down programs.
Anyway, just played Half Life 2, and that felt great with this controller! Though, sometimes my right touchpad might be a little too sensitive.
I have the Steam version, but Steam overlay doesn't work.
metalshade
Member
Mine arrived, but it has a defect. The right touchpad just doesn't detect touches on its left-most side. Gonna have to see about a replacement, bought it directly from Valve, not sure how this is gonna work out. Pretty sure its not software related.
Guess I will have to keep my excitement in check.
Guess I will have to keep my excitement in check.
I just got mine. They were in last night, but I didn't want to brave the Fallout 4 and Halo crowds.
The touchpad buttons are stiff too. Guess that's just the way it is.
The controller is very comfortable. Trying to get used to the jittering of the mouse pointer when using the trackpad as mouse replacement. Guess that is unavoidable when you map a mouse to such a small area and use it with something as inprecise as the tip of a thumb.
Contact support, but also make sure you have the firmware updated. I initially had all kinds of problems, but the firmware update fixed them. I actually had a great experience from Steam Support which was hard to believe. I had issues with the dpad, we tested it for a while but then decided to just switch the controller that way. They sent the new controller out by priority FEDEX international on Friday night, reached me on Monday and I still have the old controller as I'm waiting for them to send to packaging to send it back to them so they can mess with it.
So yeah, hit up the support folk if you can't get it working. There is a support tool in the controller settings if you go over the icon with the battery and press Y. See if you have the same issues there
Yeah definitely takes time, but hopefully you end up like I was, and seeing improvements within hours. Still, it took me the better part of a week to feel confident with it and I still feel like I'm improving all the time, especially now using the gyros. The mode shifting thing would be beneficial on other buttons, but no such luck yet - although start and back are terrible choices, since holding them down would be annoying. What I desperately want is a toggle rather than hold for mode shifting.
Same with mine, along the left edge of the right pad. I'm thinking it's software related or just part of the design rather than a defect.
Yeah this is definitely my biggest issue with the controller after using the 360 controller for years. Hopefully there's a mod or something that can be done to reduce their resistance.
I loved that article, really summed up my feelings about some 'reviews' over the last day or two.
Hmm, I'll test mine out, perhaps I just haven't noticed. I have noticed the same issue on the left pad when it is used as a mouse - and I've been having a back and forth with Valve about it. Since changing controllers fixed one hardware fault but that remains, that most likely is a software issue. Not sure about the right though. Will report back
No problem with fighters (apart from my dpad glitching out, which was a hardware fault that is now fixed).
I tried MK9 and SNES KI. For KI I can do all the old combos, fatalities and ultras without issue. Took some time to adjust, and even when I was getting back on par, it still felt alien for quite a while. I'm used to it now though. In MK9 I can again do everything with the Steam Controller, but actually much better than the DS3 or 360 pad. I set the deadzone relatively small, but I think a little bigger than default due to my thumb size and shape. Have it on activate on click, and haptics high. It gives more feedback than I get from a traditional controller, mostly because if doing a down to forward quarter circle, I can actually feel feedback for each change of input and slight change from the indentation. With DS3 and 360 pads, it being one piece of plastic, there is barely any noticeable feedback other than the indentation change, which is more noticeable than on the Steam Controller though, but I end up preferring the Steam Controller. Big test was going through the story mode and fighting Shao Khan at the end with Raiden. I used the teleport strategy which almost always falls to shit with the console controllers, but I did it a whole lot quicker with the Steam Controller, with less mistakes (even with my controller being broken at the time)
If I can do that, and I'm barely any good, I'm sure others with practice can do a lot better.
Also, I think I'm one of the only people using the Steam Controller in shmups. I'm practically at the same level I was at with other controllers, getting an A rank in Ikaruga rather than a S rank, but that is partly out of being a bit rusty with the game as well. Having a blast with Mushihimesama too.
I could definitely be wrong. But on Saturday I made an almost identical post to the one you made this morning:
And now metalshade is complaining of the same thing? In my estimation it's either software related or part of the design or there are a LOT of defective units going out.
I was hoping for mode shifting the functions of the start and back buttons for the sake of binding functions that have limited use, like ctrl-alt-dlt or other useful things that would help get me out of games and whatnot so there's less of a chance I have to touch a keyboard. More options definitely won't hurt.
I'm liking it and it feels nice so far for going around browser pages and stuff, but I can't help but feel like I'm going to go through those 5 stages of grief with the thing soon when it comes to playing games.
Mouse + keyboard mode for me. I feel it works great though that's after disabling mouse acceleration and changing the x/y axis sensitivity in the INI
Oh, I got the complete wrong end of the stick. I thought you meant the other way around. Yeah you are right, that would be good to do. Shame you can't do that yet. Another annoying thing I find is that sometimes a cursor will be in the centre of the screen and you only have a brief window to move it, till the controller changes to a gamepad mode without a mouse in some games like Rocket League. It would be a whole lot better if there was an emergency mode shift or something so you could quickly use the mouse and flip back.
Thanks for the links.
__________________________
From PCGamer:
"Kerbal Space Program was a good representation of a mouse-driven game, but I unfortunately found it unplayable on a TV; the UI was too small to be readable, and there were far too many menus and tabs to navigate with the trackpad. Building a ship in Kerbal felt much like playing FTL: I could do it, but it was slow and frustrating."
__________________________
While the makers of KSP seem interested in working with the Steam Controller, far too many developers and publishers are indifferent to it. So the issues with the interface - that the text is too small, that there are too many menus to sort through - keep creeping up.
I'm curious where we will be a year from now. Will more publishers embrace the controller as a gateway to couch gaming - and therefore a new audience (i.e. more game sales)...? Will Valve come up with a work-around to make tiny menus easier to read? Or are we going to have to accept that there are some games that just don't make sense to play from a seated position ten feet away...?
Oh wow. I thought I was the only one, but then getting the new controller yesterday, I became convinced it was some sort of software issue. I'll point it out to the Valve guy. Doubt it will speed them up, but might as well.
grandwizard
Member
In one of the interviews a while back one of the Valve guys talked about some kind of magnifying feature they were adding to the Steam overlay so you could read small text from couch distance. I haven't heard anything else about it since then so they might have scrapped it.
I read the same thing pretty recently, so I'm hoping that isn't the case and they are just being a bit slow about it like the "touch menu" options. Currently relying on mods and reduced resolution is really not ideal.
cyberheater
PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
If I can get used to this
I can get used to a steam controller
I can get used to a steam controller
Awesome man, keep us posted.
Elitist1945
Member
Got mine today and was playing Black Ops 3 with a bunch of different weird settings. Right now I have the Left Paddle(?) set as aim, Right Paddle set as fire, LT is jump, RT is melee, right trackpad is mouse with trackball off, left trackpad and joystick are jet to keyboard movements. Face buttons and shoulder buttons are game default.
Boombox On
Member
Not sure what the Kotaku conclusion is about. The Ability to customize is equal across all games, is it not?
Jon of the Wired
Member
There is a mouse smoothing slider in the advanced settings that should help get rid of the jitter.