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Steam Controller Thread | Comfy Couch Sold Separately

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
Just curious if anyone has done any serious testing with isometric games like Pillars of Eternity and Shadowrun? I am seriously considering a Steam controller and finding any detailed write-ups has been nigh impossible. It feels like people only use this thing for CS:Go given my web searches, plenty of chatter about how it functions with that thing.
 
Just curious if anyone has done any serious testing with isometric games like Pillars of Eternity and Shadowrun? I am seriously considering a Steam controller and finding any detailed write-ups has been nigh impossible. It feels like people only use this thing for CS:Go given my web searches, plenty of chatter about how it functions with that thing.

Pillars has official Steam Controller support so i imagine it works well.
 

PARANO1A

Member
Mine arrives today hopefully. I exclusively use an Xbox controller for gaming on the couch, so I'm keen to try a game with no controller support. Any suggestions for one to try to get me used to it? Was thinking Pillars of Eternity or Path of Exile but not sure they'll be any good with it.

Edit: post above makes me happy.
 

Roarer

Member
I think I'm done using the Steam controller for third person games. Ever since launch I've tried to get used to controlling the camera with the right touch pad, but it never feels right. Today I started playing Arkham Knight and went back to my old 360 controller. Man what a difference. I actually feel like I am in control of the camera instead of fighting against it.

I still love the Steam controller as an alternative to mouse control (Invisible Inc, CIV, Crusader Kings, Pillars of Eternity etc all work great) and for first person games. Too bad I can't use it as my default controller for every type of game.
 

Unai

Member
I think I'm done using the Steam controller for third person games. Ever since launch I've tried to get used to controlling the camera with the right touch pad, but it never feels right. Today I started playing Arkham Knight and went back to my old 360 controller. Man what a difference. I actually feel like I am in control of the camera instead of fighting against it.

I still love the Steam controller as an alternative to mouse control (Invisible Inc, CIV, Crusader Kings, Pillars of Eternity etc all work great) and for first person games. Too bad I can't use it as my default controller for every type of game.

Well, up to now the Batman games are the on series that I don't like playing with the Steam controller. The reason? The don't feature in game sensibility settings, so the Mouse Joystick setting doesn't work very well due to low rotation speed, and also these games don't alternate very well between mouse and gamepad.
 
I think I'm done using the Steam controller for third person games. Ever since launch I've tried to get used to controlling the camera with the right touch pad, but it never feels right. Today I started playing Arkham Knight and went back to my old 360 controller. Man what a difference. I actually feel like I am in control of the camera instead of fighting against it.

I still love the Steam controller as an alternative to mouse control (Invisible Inc, CIV, Crusader Kings, Pillars of Eternity etc all work great) and for first person games. Too bad I can't use it as my default controller for every type of game.

It depends on the game for me. For Max Payne 3, none of the right stick modes worked well. However, for the witcher 3 and D4, the right pad worked pretty damn well.

So far, i've completed 4 games with the pad and the only game that gave me issues with the right pad was max payne 3. It just never felt right. I would say to tweak ingame sensitivity, set to trackball mode, and if it doesnt feel right then have no shame walking away. The steam controller isn't perfect but I have been using it far more than i thought i would
 

Nzyme32

Member
I think I'm done using the Steam controller for third person games. Ever since launch I've tried to get used to controlling the camera with the right touch pad, but it never feels right. Today I started playing Arkham Knight and went back to my old 360 controller. Man what a difference. I actually feel like I am in control of the camera instead of fighting against it.

I'm having the opposite lately. Playing Dark Souls has been fantastic with this controller over the 360, just using the mouse-joystick settings. There isn't as much freedom as I'd like in terms of sensitivity due to the max values of what the games' camera speed, but it still feels so much better over a 360 pad. Same with KOTOR but that is using pure mouse and keyboard, so feels pretty damn good. Not had time to try much else out.
 

-tetsuo-

Unlimited Capacity
I have gotten used to and love the controller now, but this thing still just refuses to work with certain games and it is EXTREMELY upsetting.
 

undeclinable

Neo Member
If I exit Steam, should my controller then stop working? My computer starts into Windows, then automatically Kodi gets started (using my PC mainly as HTPC). The controller then works, albeit in a stripped down HID version. I then start Steam, and when I minimize it, the better 'Desktop Configuration' kicks in. But if I exit Steam, via the 'Exit Steam' function, the controller stops working. Is that with all of you?
 

riflen

Member
If I exit Steam, should my controller then stop working? My computer starts into Windows, then automatically Kodi gets started (using my PC mainly as HTPC). The controller then works, albeit in a stripped down HID version. I then start Steam, and when I minimize it, the better 'Desktop Configuration' kicks in. But if I exit Steam, via the 'Exit Steam' function, the controller stops working. Is that with all of you?

Yes, same here. I was trying to work out why it functions at all before you open Steam, but it's obviously as you state; because its default behaviour is to be a mouse and keyboard.
Does it start working again if you power cycle the controller after exiting Steam? I've got a feeling it doesn't.
 
If I exit Steam, should my controller then stop working? My computer starts into Windows, then automatically Kodi gets started (using my PC mainly as HTPC). The controller then works, albeit in a stripped down HID version. I then start Steam, and when I minimize it, the better 'Desktop Configuration' kicks in. But if I exit Steam, via the 'Exit Steam' function, the controller stops working. Is that with all of you?

Yes, same here. I was trying to work out why it functions at all before you open Steam, but it's obviously as you state; because its default behaviour is to be a mouse and keyboard.
Does it start working again if you power cycle the controller after exiting Steam? I've got a feeling it doesn't.

the full functions of the controller outside of steam requires that you leave steam in big picture mode. So press the home button twice to open up BPM, then hold the home button and select Minimize Steam or something to that effect.

Otherwise, you will not get the full functionality of the steam controller in windows
 

riflen

Member
the full functions of the controller outside of steam requires that you leave steam in big picture mode. So press the home button twice to open up BPM, then hold the home button and select Minimize Steam or something to that effect.

Otherwise, you will not get the full functionality of the steam controller in windows

Yeah, we know that. The question from the poster was: why does the controller stop working altogether when you exit the Steam program, considering that it works as a basic input device before you first launch Steam in your Windows session and does anyone else experience this issue?
 

derFeef

Member
Yeah, we know that. The question from the poster was: why does the controller stop working altogether when you exit the Steam program, considering that it works as a basic input device before you first launch Steam in your Windows session and does anyone else experience this issue?

Yeah I have the same. It's like Steam is pulling the plug/driver. (Win 10 here)
 
Yeah, we know that. The question from the poster was: why does the controller stop working altogether when you exit the Steam program, considering that it works as a basic input device before you first launch Steam in your Windows session and does anyone else experience this issue?

Yeah I have the same. It's like Steam is pulling the plug/driver. (Win 10 here)

oh, i misunderstood then. And yeah, i've had that happen but it tends to be with a windows popup (like if im installing a program for example). I'm hoping that gets fixed because it can be super annoying, i dont like having to reach for my keyboard and mouse when the controller handles those tasks rather well
 

mxgt

Banned
Just got mine today. Feels so weird after always using a 360 pad, but good weird.

Going to use it until I'm used to it. Already love the customisation.
 

Foxyone

Member
oh, i misunderstood then. And yeah, i've had that happen but it tends to be with a windows popup (like if im installing a program for example). I'm hoping that gets fixed because it can be super annoying, i dont like having to reach for my keyboard and mouse when the controller handles those tasks rather well

One of my biggest gripes so far. Dunno why it can't just work like a basic mouse in Windows pop ups.
 

PARANO1A

Member
So my thoughts after playing with it fit the first time yesterday...

I started with Path of Exile and Grim Dawn as my first games. The confused feeling only really lasted about fifteen minutes before I was in the zone. I know it's a simpler type of emulation but after reading so many bad reviews and thoughts I was surprised it was so easy.

The simplicity if the out of the box experience was a joy. Very streamlined and felt like it'just works'. Same with the ability to add settings, warn me if my controller isn't set up for a specific game yet, etc.

After about an hour of looting, it clicked with me that I was playing a new type of experience. If hard to explain, but it felt like i was aware that i was doing something that would be commonplace for the first time. I was playing a mouse driven ARPG from my couch.

These types of games were fantastic to start with. Not turn based, so I needed to be on my guard, but not twitch where I felt disadvantaged.

Can't wait to try more tonight.
 
I pop into this thread from time to time but I miss quite a bit of the discussion. Is there a public config that is available for Fallout 4 that is considered the best at this point? I seem to remember there being discussion previously about some of the challenges (menu navigation, maybe) but wasn't sure if there was an config that works really well across the board for Fallout 4.

Honestly, the Xbox One controller works great for the game but I'd like to see if I can grow to like the Steam Controller for a FPS. I've really only tried the Steam Controller with Mafia 2 and it wasn't so great for that game (I realize that's not a fps, it's just the only game I've put much time into with the Steam Controller).
 

shockdude

Member
Still learning how to use the Steam Controller's DPAD. It definitely takes getting used to after having always used a keyboard for shmups.

I have a bunch of games which only accept an analog stick instead of a DPAD despite having entirely digital controls. Is there a way to map analog stick directions to a cross-gate DPAD layout? I could only find a way to map the entire joystick to the touchpad, which for me isn't ideal compared to a cross-gate DPAD.
 

riflen

Member
Still learning how to use the Steam Controller's DPAD. It definitely takes getting used to after having always used a keyboard for shmups.

I have a bunch of games which only accept an analog stick instead of a DPAD despite having entirely digital controls. Is there a way to map analog stick directions to a cross-gate DPAD layout? I could only find a way to map the entire joystick to the touchpad, which for me isn't ideal compared to a cross-gate DPAD.

I don't think this is possible right now. Do the games not support keyboard controls? You can simply map your movement keys to the left touchpad then.
 

Widge

Member
I pop into this thread from time to time but I miss quite a bit of the discussion. Is there a public config that is available for Fallout 4 that is considered the best at this point? I seem to remember there being discussion previously about some of the challenges (menu navigation, maybe) but wasn't sure if there was an config that works really well across the board for Fallout 4.

Honestly, the Xbox One controller works great for the game but I'd like to see if I can grow to like the Steam Controller for a FPS. I've really only tried the Steam Controller with Mafia 2 and it wasn't so great for that game (I realize that's not a fps, it's just the only game I've put much time into with the Steam Controller).

Fallout 4 requires some tweaking from what I understood, and in the ini file. I found it incredibly twitchy to play (vanilla config) and often lost the thread of things in the heat of battle. I'm on XBone pad for this game.

From what I hear, Portal 2 is a good learning experience for the pad.
 

Unai

Member
I had a configuration for Fallout 4 that worked well enough, but I think I lost it. Now that we have touch menu I believe we could do something even better.

Fallout 4 requires some tweaking from what I understood, and in the ini file. I found it incredibly twitchy to play (vanilla config) and often lost the thread of things in the heat of battle. I'm on XBone pad for this game.

From what I hear, Portal 2 is a good learning experience for the pad.

The tweaking is for Mouse Joystick. Real mouse and keyboard emulation is ok with vanilla settings.
 

shockdude

Member
I don't think this is possible right now. Do the games not support keyboard controls? You can simply map your movement keys to the left touchpad then.
It does. Was just hoping that the analog stick could be mapped to DPAD buttons as that would simplify my config.
I'll post a suggestion in the Steam community.
 
Damn, i wish i could upload my configs for steam games. I just realized that I had a good D4 config and i never uploaded it because i'm an idiot.

It's not even that complex, just makes the QTEs doable on the right trackpad. Maybe i'll give it a shot when i get home
 
Fallout 4 requires some tweaking from what I understood, and in the ini file. I found it incredibly twitchy to play (vanilla config) and often lost the thread of things in the heat of battle. I'm on XBone pad for this game.

From what I hear, Portal 2 is a good learning experience for the pad.
Cool, I'll probably just stick with the Xbone controller for Fallout 4, it's been great and I have no complaints about it anyhow.
 
so using rivatuner to cap the framerate on fallout 4 seems to break steam controller for me. Is there another application I could use I have a 144hz monitor
 

RedSwirl

Junior Member
For Witcher and Elite I find I'm just using the Xbox controls but with the right grip switching the touch pads to mouse and scroll wheel for better menu navigation.

What are people doing with Fallout? Right now I'm on Bethesda's configuration but the aiming sensitivity feels all wrong. I'm thinking of either messing with that or going to a MKB-based configuration. Does the left analog stick feel weird when it's trying to emulate WASD?
 
So I finally put my Olliolli config up for people to download. What I did with the left analog stick is hard to show without a picture (or being really technical), so tell me if this image makes any sense to you.

SsOkVXQ.jpg
 

jtar86

Member
So my thoughts after playing with it fit the first time yesterday...

I started with Path of Exile and Grim Dawn as my first games. The confused feeling only really lasted about fifteen minutes before I was in the zone. I know it's a simpler type of emulation but after reading so many bad reviews and thoughts I was surprised it was so easy.

The simplicity if the out of the box experience was a joy. Very streamlined and felt like it'just works'. Same with the ability to add settings, warn me if my controller isn't set up for a specific game yet, etc.

After about an hour of looting, it clicked with me that I was playing a new type of experience. If hard to explain, but it felt like i was aware that i was doing something that would be commonplace for the first time. I was playing a mouse driven ARPG from my couch.

These types of games were fantastic to start with. Not turn based, so I needed to be on my guard, but not twitch where I felt disadvantaged.

Can't wait to try more tonight.

Glad to hear this, bought one today to go with my Alienware Alpha. Looking forward to playing those two games and Marvel Heroes with a gamepad.
 
Anyone playing the Diablo kind of games should bind movement to the left stick right now.

Mouse region around your character + left click (or whatever you bind move only to) as the outer edge bind.

It is glorious.
 
So i built a new PC and tried Left 4 Dead 2 with the Steam Controller. Again the top control scheme which has Duck, Shoot, Jump etc... mapped. Issue is in game none of these commands work, I can't even move. I have to use a KB/M mapper to get it working. Very strange.

Stalker is amazing with this, I can't aim for shit though. Im guessing its just a learning curve. Ive had analogue controllers since the PS1 days.
 
Has ther ebeen any updated knowledge on FPS games with the valve controller? Last time i had used it I found it to be awful for FPS games. Has it improved? And can it be better than a standard controller?
 
Has ther ebeen any updated knowledge on FPS games with the valve controller? Last time i had used it I found it to be awful for FPS games. Has it improved? And can it be better than a standard controller?

Will the right configuration and use of the gyro, the Steam controller is vastly superior to a traditional dual-analog gamepad for FPS games.
 

Oreoleo

Member
Has ther ebeen any updated knowledge on FPS games with the valve controller? Last time i had used it I found it to be awful for FPS games. Has it improved? And can it be better than a standard controller?

The Steam controller is unequivocally better than a dual-stick controller for FPS. It's not really much of a contest IMO. If you think it was"awful" then I'm guessing you didn't spend *that* much time with it. Between the gyro, dampening, acceleration and trackball momentum, you should be able to get it to a point where it feels pretty much perfect for you regardless of the game. You just gotta put in the time to tweak it.
 
I'm at work right now so I can't test it, but how is the controller with Life is Strange?

Simultaneous mouse and gamepad doesn't work. Mouse-joystick works OK, though it is good to have a way to switch the right pad into analog stick mode for certain segments I won't talk about, but do not work at all with mouse-joystick.
 

Nabs

Member
New Beta Update:

Steam Controller
  • When exiting Steam, Controller now returns to its default “lizardmode” Mouse/Keyboard state
  • If Steam loses its ability to send input due to UAC/Control-Alt-Del prompts, controller will now attempt to drop into its default state to allow interaction with these dialogs and resume normal configuration once workable state is re-established. The controller will beep when entering/exiting this mode.
  • Fixed keyboard Left/Right arrow indicators being backwards in the configurator.
 

Foxyone

Member
New Beta Update:

Steam Controller
  • When exiting Steam, Controller now returns to its default “lizardmode” Mouse/Keyboard state
  • If Steam loses its ability to send input due to UAC/Control-Alt-Del prompts, controller will now attempt to drop into its default state to allow interaction with these dialogs and resume normal configuration once workable state is re-established. The controller will beep when entering/exiting this mode.
  • Fixed keyboard Left/Right arrow indicators being backwards in the configurator.

It can work with pop-ups and the task manager normally now?
 

shockdude

Member
It can work with pop-ups and the task manager normally now?
yes this is very nice. Will test later.

Edit: Steam Controller now works with UAC, which is nice.
However, when Steam is open, the Steam Controller is unable to interact with programs that are running as administrator, e.g MSI Afterburner or HWMonitor. Crucially, right-clicking an admin program that's running in the system tray will cause the mouse to not respond to any Steam Controller input, without manually moving the mouse elsewhere. This is an issue that already existed in earlier versions of Steam, but the fix for UAC makes this issue more glaring.
 

derFeef

Member
New Beta Update:

Steam Controller
  • When exiting Steam, Controller now returns to its default “lizardmode” Mouse/Keyboard state
  • If Steam loses its ability to send input due to UAC/Control-Alt-Del prompts, controller will now attempt to drop into its default state to allow interaction with these dialogs and resume normal configuration once workable state is re-established. The controller will beep when entering/exiting this mode.
  • Fixed keyboard Left/Right arrow indicators being backwards in the configurator.

They are really reading this thread, heh.
 
I just wish there was an app I could use on another PC to configure my controller profiles, upload to the cloud and then pull them down in the living room where I use my Steam controller. That would be amazing.
 

Layell

Member
They are really reading this thread, heh.

Oh good because I'm really hoping they allow Joystick move/camera to have a button that is also activated on touch for the trackpad. I'd love to see this for Dolphin Emulation, where touching the pad moves the wii "pointer" forward and onto the screen, because otherwise in games like Mario Galaxy I have it just sitting right in the centre.

Also despite not having a ton of games that were traditionally PC only I just love this controller, and thinking of new ways to play or trying different control schemes is a joy.
 

Oreoleo

Member
They are really reading this thread, heh.

*ahem*

It would be really nice if there were more options for what buttons we could use to enable mode-shifting. Start/select, joystick click, button pad etc.

Also, there is not an option for enabling trigger press mouse dampening on full pulls only. It can only be set for full pull if it Also activates on the soft pull as well. This is sort of problematic for configs where you have soft pull set for a different function then the full pull for aiming etc.
 

Nabs

Member
Oh good because I'm really hoping they allow Joystick move/camera to have a button that is also activated on touch for the trackpad. I'd love to see this for Dolphin Emulation, where touching the pad moves the wii "pointer" forward and onto the screen, because otherwise in games like Mario Galaxy I have it just sitting right in the centre.

Also despite not having a ton of games that were traditionally PC only I just love this controller, and thinking of new ways to play or trying different control schemes is a joy.
You can change the touch pad to mouse region for games like Mario Galaxy. Just disable cursor snap back, and you can push it away by touching the edge of the pad. You may have to experiment with the size of the mouse region, but you'll probably want it to fill the screen.
 
So my Steam controller arrived a couple of days ago.. I think I like it but it's gonna take a lot of getting used to! I love new and interesting tech.
 

derFeef

Member
I just love setting ADS and shoot/click to the right trigger with soft/full pull. I can never go back now. For hipfire I usually use the right bumber and assign the left trigger to whatver is left.
 
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