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[Krejlooc]

I figured I'd be able to. That sounds awesome. So what's the consensus so far? Will this be a permanent replacement for my 360 controller across genres?

There is no consensus yet. But it has completely replaced the 360 pad for me. I don't even have my 360 dongle attached to my PC anymore. And when I play xbox or PS4 games, it's hard for me to go back to a normal controller now.

Been using the steam controller exclusively for about a month now.

 

[grandwizard]

Did you try Gamepad + High Precision Camera in this one? I don't know if this game supports gamepad + mouse look at the same time. It would be really good if it does.

The movement in RE4 is binary anyway, so it works fine on WASD. It'll be the first game I try.

 

[bathsalts]

Looks like mine randomly arrived at my home today, thought I was going to be waiting until November for sure in Canada.

Is there any sort of really recommended game to get accustomed to this that highlights differences between the control schemes or should I jump right in to a 6DOF game and push on it.

 

[Krejlooc]

Have you tried or have Shatter?

I have not. An arkanoid game?

 

[Tain]

I'm looking forward to trying Space Harrier with this thing.

Ultra Street Fighter IV - indistinguishable from a 360 controller.

I'm really curious about this, at work so I can't try yet.

Are you saying the trackpad emulating a d-pad is indistinguishable from the 360 controller's d-pad? Or are you just using analog sticks?

I want to know if it's possible for this thing's d-pad to feel as nice as a physical one.

 

[radioactivez0r]

For me is that and also that I think dual analogs are horse shit for aiming, so I'll finaly be able to play something like Tomb Raider or Sleeping Dogs with the confort of a controller and a better input method to handle the gunplay.

This is a good point - I am playing Mad Max with a keyboard because of the amount of time I am aiming with the harpoon, etc (even though it slows down). A controller with that precision would be great.

 

[Krejlooc]

Looks like mine randomly arrived at my home today, thought I was going to be waiting until November for sure in Canada.

Is there any sort of really recommended game to get accustomed to this that highlights differences between the control schemes or should I jump right in to a 6DOF game and push on it.

Try MGSV. You should feel the difference between KB&M mode and the "recommended" gamepad + joystick camera mode.

I recommend a KB&M config.

 

[dangerskew]

I have not. An arkanoid game?

Yeah, with pretty spiffy graphics and twists.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/20820/

 

[Sleeping Lesson]

There is no consensus yet. But it has completely replaced the 360 pad for me. I don't even have my 360 dongle attached to my PC anymore. And when I play xbox or PS4 games, it's hard for me to go back to a normal controller now.

Been using the steam controller exclusively for about a month now.

Very cool, thank you for the input. I've been ready to replace my 360 controller for a long time, so I'll do all the tinkering I need to make the Steam controller work for me.

 

[Krappadizzle]

My controller should be here by the time I get home from work. I've been so interested in how this thing will work in glad I finally get the chance to try it myself. It's funny though, I have this coming and I ordered the Xbone dongle for the PC which should be here by the end of the month. It's just been a controller ordering month for me I guess.

 

[Krejlooc]

I'm looking forward to trying Space Harrier with this thing.

There used to be a mode called Sticky Mouse that was perfect for space harrier. It was basically a self-centering mouse. They removed it for reasons I don't know. It felt a lot like using the flight stick on the actual machine.

But yes, using the mouse in games like space harrier is terrific. Try a light gun game, too - they work so well with a steam controller. And try some actual trackball arcade games, like Marble Madness or SegaSonic Arcade.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

I figured I'd be able to. That sounds awesome. So what's the consensus so far? Will this be a permanent replacement for my 360 controller across genres?

I think for me, I'll still use the 360 pad if it's just me. If my wife and I are playing, I will give her the 360 and I will take the Steam controller. I did a couple of 2d indie platformers with it and it works fine. Rogue Legacy gave me some troubles with the default inputs but Broforce ran perfectly.

I love that I can just plug and play my 360 pad though. I'm hoping the XBO dongle works right out of the box too when it comes out.

 

[MNC]

Oh my god typing is SO GOOD

 

[Krejlooc]

I want to know if it's possible for this thing's d-pad to feel as nice as a physical one.

Well, this has a physical D-Pad. I hate the 360 controller's d-pad, and like the Steam Controller's d-pad much more.

I still prefer a stick for fighting games, but I put this through a battery of fighting game tests. KOF 98U, KOF 2002U, KOF 13, Ultra Street Fighter IV, MK9, MK:X, Injustice, Skullgirls, One must fall 2097, etc.

All fine, IMO.

 

[Sleeping Lesson]

I think for me, I'll still use the 360 pad if it's just me. If my wife and I are playing, I will give her the 360 and I will take the Steam controller. I did a couple of 2d indie platformers with it and it works fine. Rogue Legacy gave me some troubles with the default inputs but Broforce ran perfectly.

I love that I can just plug and play my 360 pad though. I'm hoping the XBO dongle works right out of the box too when it comes out.

Interesting! What is it that you feel is better on the 360 controller?

 

[Krejlooc]

Yeah, with pretty spiffy graphics and twists.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/20820/

I'll give this a try, I love arkanoid games. The very first game I ever made when I was 8 years old was a breakout clone

 

[Krejlooc]

Oh my god typing is SO GOOD

I've become very quick at typing with the on-screen keyboard. I wish I could bring it up over windows, anywhere.

 

[ashecitism]

Ok it seems to work fine if I use it plugged in via USB, but when I unplug it it stops working in-game. Also, despite it working while plugged in, Steam says there's no controller detected.

I wonder if it's tied to OSX and the Mac Steam client.

 

[hepburn3d]

Any reason why haptic feedback might turn off even if I have it set to medium? Getting nothing for a mouse look around.

Also mouse ball is not always the best choice. Turned it off in elder scrolls and it's much more intuitive without it

 

[Mask]

I'm constantly surprised by how well mouse-based games work with this!

I uploaded a few of my configs to steam too! FNAF4, Grim Dawn and Spiral Knights are probably my best ones.

 

[King Mystery]

FedEx just dropped off my controller. I had no idea they gave you Portal 2 and Rocket League for free if you pre-ordered. Not going to play them though. I'm going to play Left 4 Dead 2 and troll my team mates by playing badly and telling them I'm trying to get used to the new controller

 

[Krejlooc]

Any reason why haptic feedback might turn off even if I have it set to medium? Getting nothing for a mouse look around.

specific game?

 

[BlazinAm]

Is there a way to configure control bindings out of game? I was wondering how to do it and it requires you to be in game which is not well documented within Steam.

 

[Krejlooc]

Is there a way to configure control bindings out of game? I was wondering how to do it and it requires you to be in game which is not well documented within Steam.

before launching a game, you can go to "manage game," then "configure controller" under preferences.

It's necessary in some games where the BPM UI doesn't show up.

 

[hepburn3d]

specific game?

Elder scrolls online but it's not bought through the steam store. Added as a non steam game

 

[agiantenemycrab]

Did you try Gamepad + High Precision Camera in this one? I don't know if this game supports gamepad + mouse look at the same time. It would be really good if it does.

This doesn't work well for some reason. The game supports the gamepad and mouse look simultaneously, but input gets interrupted when using the Steam controller. I don't doubt that a good community binding will emerge.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Interesting! What is it that you feel is better on the 360 controller?

Honestly, just that it is what I am used to. I bought the Steam controller mostly to play PC games that don't work well on a TV with a traditional controller. For that purpose, it's great. Anything beyond that will just take time to acclimate to.

The real surprise to me is the Link. I can't believe it's streaming so well without being hooked directly up. I have a home connection of 30Mbps.

 

[Krejlooc]

Elder scrolls online but it's not bought through the steam store. Added as a non steam game

sometimes if I alt-tab between non-steam games a lot, the haptics will stop responding. A reboot of the game fixes it. I think it's a problem with the controller constantly switching between your definition and the default mapping.

 

[agiantenemycrab]

I'm really curious about this, at work so I can't try yet.

Are you saying the trackpad emulating a d-pad is indistinguishable from the 360 controller's d-pad? Or are you just using analog sticks?

I want to know if it's possible for this thing's d-pad to feel as nice as a physical one.

I was using the analogue stick as that's how I am used to playing USFIV on my PC. Will try the trackpad now.

EDIT: so you can use the left trackpad, but it seems you need to keep the trackpad pressed down for the game to register any input, it doesn't just use your finger's position alone. This feels really awkward personally. I avoided using the 360 d-pad for SF because it was a terrible D-pad, so it's not too much a hassle for me. I'll see if I can get the controller to send input without having to press the trackpad button down.

One thing generally worth pointing out is that the left trackpad doesn't in anyway feel like a D-pad. Navigating menu's with it feels a bit weird as it clicks down like a trackpad on a laptop with basically no travel time. Again, its problably something that could be gotten used to.

EDIT 2: belay that. You can set the D-Pad to register without a click! This thing is impressively configurable.

 

[Krejlooc]

Honestly, just that it is what I am used to. I bought the Steam controller mostly to play PC games that don't work well on a TV with a traditional controller. For that purpose, it's great. Anything beyond that will just take time to acclimate to.

The real surprise to me is the Link. I can't believe it's streaming so well without being hooked directly up. I have a home connection of 30Mbps.

My PC setup is backwards from most people. My powerful gaming PC is in the living room, and my work PC at the desk is much less capable. So, in the past, if I wanted to play a game with proper KB&M, I would stream from my living room to the desk.

So in that regard, while I wasn't using the link, I was heavily using in-home streaming and was very happy with the result. Minimal lag, felt often times like I was playing locally. I use a lan cable, too.

Nvidia's solutions are also great - I have a shield and, especially when wired with a lan cable, it's great.

 

[Spruchy]

I wonder if it's tied to OSX and the Mac Steam client.

I can't get mine to work in-game even via usb on Mac. Tried Super Meat Boy and Towerfall.

 

[BlazinAm]

before launching a game, you can go to "manage game," then "configure controller" under preferences.

It's necessary in some games where the BPM UI doesn't show up.

I see that it is in big picture mode, thanks.

 

[hepburn3d]

sometimes if I alt-tab between non-steam games a lot, the haptics will stop responding. A reboot of the game fixes it. I think it's a problem with the controller constantly switching between your definition and the default mapping.

Huh you're right. Closed game down, opened another and although the configs are working there's no feedback. Will try a restart

 

[Sleeping Lesson]

Honestly, just that it is what I am used to. I bought the Steam controller mostly to play PC games that don't work well on a TV with a traditional controller. For that purpose, it's great. Anything beyond that will just take time to acclimate to.

The real surprise to me is the Link. I can't believe it's streaming so well without being hooked directly up. I have a home connection of 30Mbps.

Yeah it does feel different. I was having to really think about how to do everything in Witcher even though buttons didn't change.

 

[Krejlooc]

Just texted my father, he's going to bring me his macbook tonight so I can test the steam controller under OSX, so hopefully I can help out debugging the problem tonight.

Speaking of my father, he's reading this thread from work. He's stoked - he's 63 years old and his steam controller and steam link should be here monday. He's primarily using his link as a way to stream Kodi from his HTPC in the living room to the kitchen when he and my mother make dinner.

Once his arrives, I'll have him write up a small review - it'll be nice to see how someone who isn't using this stuff for games takes to the steam controller.

 

[diffusionx]

There is no consensus yet. But it has completely replaced the 360 pad for me. I don't even have my 360 dongle attached to my PC anymore. And when I play xbox or PS4 games, it's hard for me to go back to a normal controller now.

Been using the steam controller exclusively for about a month now.

Can I use it for non_Steam games? Dragon Age or whatever?

 

[MNC]

The bindings are overwhelming. There are so many options. Holy shit.

I'm slightly bummed that I am currently streaming as there is a slight latency in controls, so I can't really test or make my own bindings. Still, it's just.... Wow. So overwhelming. Such a step forward. I'm geeking out hard.

Why are Link and Controller threads not merged under the designation "Steam Universe", like we did before?

 

[Krejlooc]

I see that it is in big picture mode, thanks.

Hopefully the controller stuff comes to the desktop client, too.

Good news, though - you don't need BPM to actually use the bindings. If you set your bindings in BPM once, then you launch from the desktop client, the controller bindings still follow.

 

[Krejlooc]

Can I use it for non_Steam games? Dragon Age or whatever?

Yep. If you use the controller without steam running at all, it defaults to a "default legacy" configuraiton, which is just a generic layout. However, if you launch anything* from steam, you can use custom mappings. I have a mapping for titanfall, an origin game, that uses the left half of the pad as a gamepad, and the right half as a mouse, no problem.

*save some rare instances

 

[CorySchmitz]

I wonder if it's tied to OSX and the Mac Steam client.

Yeah something ain't right... maybe something with Bluetooth/wireless? Idk...

 

[Symphonic]

How's the battery life?

 

[hepburn3d]

Restarted computer and still no feedback will try to restart controller to. Hope it's not died already

 

[Krejlooc]

Why are Link and Controller threads not merged under the designation "Steam Universe", like we did before?

I was going to make a "Steam Universe OT" but conflict of interest prevented me from making these threads. The people who made the threads sort of divvied it up, and hence we have separate threads. But it might be for the better - this way, people with links but no controllers (or vice versa) don't have to wade through posts that are irrelevant to them.

 

[Krejlooc]

How's the battery life?

I used mine every day for 2 weeks, basically all day every day, before the battery started waning. When the battery gets low, the light flashes and you start getting messages through steam telling you to get closer because the signal range is weakening.

Restarted computer and still no feedback will try to restart controller to. Hope it's not died already

In any game? or just Elder scrolls?

 

[ashecitism]

Why are Link and Controller threads not merged under the designation "Steam Universe", like we did before?

That would be way too busy and messy I think. Not everyone who has the Link cares about the controller and vice versa. Better to split it off.

 

[Dingles]

Is there a way to turn the controller off outside of big picture mode?

Turned it off via big picture and then had to take batteries out and put em back in to turn it back on.

 

[Interfectum]

Why are Link and Controller threads not merged under the designation "Steam Universe", like we did before?

I have a feeling controller discussion is going to dominate for quite a while until we all figure out the best settings, configs, etc for the thing.

 

[kodecraft]

Just texted my father, he's going to bring me his macbook tonight so I can test the steam controller under OSX, so hopefully I can help out debugging the problem tonight.

Speaking of my father, he's reading this thread from work. He's stoked - he's 63 years old and his steam controller and steam link should be here monday. He's primarily using his link as a way to stream Kodi from his HTPC in the living room to the kitchen when he and my mother make dinner.

Once his arrives, I'll have him write up a small review - it'll be nice to see how someone who isn't using this stuff for games takes to the steam controller.

So damn cool.

 

[MNC]

Restarted computer and still no feedback will try to restart controller to. Hope it's not died already

Mine actually isn't giving out any haptic feedback either. It just stopped all of a sudden. It is giving off the ticking sound, though. Let me know what you can find. This is just on my desktop where I use the touchpad as a mouse cursor. It used to give off haptic feedback.

I was surprised there was a speaker inside. Is it used in games so far? Does the controller API make use of it?

 

[Krejlooc]

Is there a way to turn the controller off outside of big picture mode?

Turned it off via big picture and then had to take batteries out and put em back in to turn it back on.

hold down the steam button for about 10 seconds until it beeps and turns off.