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[biteren]

Why does it feel like some people are threatened by this controller? So bizarre that some so easily write it off before even trying it or waiting for impressions post launch.

i love my DS4!!! i dont ever wanna loose it!!! quit saying analog sucks!!! shutup its good!!!

Spoiler

/s

im also curious and ill pick this up later, in the mean time i got my spare DS4 for my comfortable PC gaming

 

[Red]

Does anyone know the name of the twin stick shooter in the ad? Looks right up my alley.

 

[feel]

Still don't know about this.

But wireless out of the box and using AA batteries (so I can just quickly swap out rechargeable Eneloops every few weeks instead of dealing with fucking charging cables) are definitely great positives for me.

 

[flaxknuckles]

It doesn't look like you can player FPS games efficiently with this controller, right? That right pad that acts like a flat analog doesn't really, as far as I can tell, or am I wrong? Pulling to the edge in any direction and holding your finger there on that right pad will not cause the camera to continue spinning, from what I can see, therefore the player has to constantly put his or her finger back to the center and pull toward the same direction to continue the camera flow.

You can set it to keep scrolling when you put your finger on the edge of the pad.

 

[Krejlooc]

Any screenshots of that? I remember seeing a bunch of sliders and can't seem to find those screenshots anymore.

 

[3DShovel]

I ordered one. It looks really cool and it seems interesting.

Hope it lives up to the hype.

 

[Rodney McKay]

This controller is really all about the track pad. A track pad...

Against KB+M, you'll never have as much control over a track pad as you would a mouse.

Against gamepads, a second analogue is still more ideal for simply panning cameras. The d-pad also looks pretty clunky and with weird positioning.

These aren't just trackpads, as people who have used it have said many times already in the thread. You are wrong if you're thinking these are like playing a shooter by sliding your thumb over a laptops trackpad. They are much more sensitive for one thing (if you DO want to control it that way) and there are options to give the pad simulated inertia like you're using a trackball that you can actually feel moving under your thumb.
People in this thread have already said that they are able to get comparable results from this controller as they did using a keyboard and mouse.

If you want more details look at Krejlooc's post a few pages back: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=166457288&postcount=445
It's long, but please read it, it's got a ton of cool detailed impressions about how it actually works.

And I'm pretty sure these touch pads can be configured so that they work like an analog stick (pressing in to the right or left so the camera pans to the right or left), and impressions of the d-pad have actually been decent too (due to the haptic feedback again and the fact that the pads actually depress like buttons).

 

[Serick]

It doesn't look like you can player FPS games efficiently with this controller, right? That right pad that acts like a flat analog doesn't really, as far as I can tell, or am I wrong? Pulling to the edge in any direction and holding your finger there on that right pad will not cause the camera to continue spinning, from what I can see, therefore the player has to constantly put his or her finger back to the center and pull toward the same direction to continue the camera flow.

You can set it up to keep panning or you can set it up to work as you've described or you can set it up to act like a trackball that you flicked. It's very customizable.

Yeah, above said it better:

These aren't just trackpads, as people who have used it have said many times already in the thread. You are wrong if you're thinking these are like playing a shooter by sliding your thumb over a laptops trackpad. They are much more sensitive for one thing (if you DO want to control it that way) and there are options to give the pad simulated inertia like you're using a trackball that you can actually feel moving under your thumb.
People in this thread have already said that they are able to get comparable results from this controller as they did using a keyboard and mouse.

If you want more details look at Krejlooc's post a few pages back: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=166457288&postcount=445

And I'm pretty sure these touch pads can be configured so that they work like an analog stick (pressing in to the right or left so the camera pans to the right or left), and impressions of the d-pad have actually been decent too (due to the haptic feedback again and the fact that the pads actually depress like buttons).

 

[Citadel]

Steam Link sounds perfect for me. I have my PC in a different room (and it's noisy as hell) and was thinking about getting a Steam Machine.. But instead, now I can just buy this and stream from my PC to my bedroom, silently. I have a few questions though (As I'm basically a noob when it comes to these types of things)

1) Is there a minimum speed requirement when it comes to streaming? My router is located in the same room as the PC (hardwired to it), so I won't be getting the same speeds in my bedroom as if I was wired. I'm getting 70 mbps on my hardwired PC, and around 30 mbps on my wireless Xbone (which is in my bedroom, so the Steam Link should be around the same). So would that be enough for a smooth / latency free experience? (Note: My internet will soon be going up to 100 mbps, so I could potentially see speeds around 40-50 mbps in my bedroom.) Running the games should not be a problem, as my PC has an R9 290, 4.4GHZ i7 2600k, 16GB DDR3 etc etc

Thanks guys.

 

[ashecitism]

Any screenshots of that? I remember seeing a bunch of sliders and can't seem to find those screenshots anymore.

some of these are old

you'll find stuff in this thread

 

[BPoole]

I'm definitely interested in this. Is there anything chance this could work on consoles at some point?

 

[Lightning Count]

AA batteries?

In this day and age a rechargeable battery pack or in built rechargeable battery should be standard,

Step your shit up Valve, this thing has a lot of potential, don't blow it.

 

[jester_]

Steam Link sounds perfect for me. I have my PC in a different room (and it's noisy as hell) and was thinking about getting a Steam Machine.. But instead, now I can just buy this and stream from my PC to my bedroom, silently. I have a few questions though (As I'm basically a noob when it comes to these types of things)

1) Is there a minimum speed requirement when it comes to streaming? My router is located in the same room as the PC (hardwired to it), so I won't be getting the same speeds in my bedroom as if I was wired. I'm getting 70 mbps on my hardwired PC, and around 30 mbps on my wireless Xbone (which is in my bedroom, so the Steam Link should be around the same). So would that be enough for a smooth / latency free experience? (Note: My internet will soon be going up to 100 mbps, so I could potentially see speeds around 40-50 mbps in my bedroom.) Running the games should not be a problem, as my PC has an R9 290, 4.4GHZ i7 2600k, 16GB DDR3 etc etc

Thanks guys.

Depends on wireless capability of your router. I'd look at a decent AC router (or at least 5GHz N) if you want optimal wireless performance through walls.

AA batteries?

In this day and age a rechargeable battery pack or in built rechargeable battery should be standard,

Step your shit up Valve, this thing has a lot of potential, don't blow it.

So that you have to pay to replace it when the capacity goes down? Nah, this is fine. Eneloops are superior (although like a previous poster mentioned, I wish they included the ability to detect & charge rechargeables when the USB cable is attached).

 

[Serick]

I'm getting 70 mbps on my hardwired PC, and around 30 mbps on my wireless Xbone (which is in my bedroom, so the Steam Link should be around the same). So would that be enough for a smooth / latency free experience? (Note: My internet will soon be going up to 100 mbps, so I could potentially see speeds around 40-50 mbps in my bedroom.)

Your internet speeds are irrelevant as this stays completely within your private network. The only thing that will matter is how fast the connection is between your Steam Link and your router.

 

[BigMastadon]

Steam Link sounds perfect for me. I have my PC in a different room (and it's noisy as hell) and was thinking about getting a Steam Machine.. But instead, now I can just buy this and stream from my PC to my bedroom, silently. I have a few questions though (As I'm basically a noob when it comes to these types of things)

1) Is there a minimum speed requirement when it comes to streaming? My router is located in the same room as the PC (hardwired to it), so I won't be getting the same speeds in my bedroom as if I was wired. I'm getting 70 mbps on my hardwired PC, and around 30 mbps on my wireless Xbone (which is in my bedroom, so the Steam Link should be around the same). So would that be enough for a smooth / latency free experience? (Note: My internet will soon be going up to 100 mbps, so I could potentially see speeds around 40-50 mbps in my bedroom.) Running the games should not be a problem, as my PC has an R9 290, 4.4GHZ i7 2600k, 16GB DDR3 etc etc

Thanks guys.

Yeah, you'll be fine. To answer the second question that disappeared.. the pc would need to be on as it utilizes your specs/hard drive to run the game.

 

[Rodney McKay]

AA batteries?

In this day and age a rechargeable battery pack or in built rechargeable battery should be standard,

Step your shit up Valve, this thing has a lot of potential, don't blow it.

Eneloop Batteries are your friend.

Rechargable AA batteries that have lasted me years (so much better than the rechargable pack you can get for the 360 controller.

 

[Nzyme32]

What does the steam link do? Couldn't I just use a $5 HDMI cable and get the same or better results? So it's basically for people who want to spend an extra $45 to stream instead of directly connecting via HDMI?

Or am I completely missing something?

It is far more convenient and useful.

• Change controllers in the same room
• Attach other USB devices such as an External HDD
• Detach Steam Link from one TV, attach it to a completely different one at the other end of the house, continue where you left off

 

[test_account]

Agree 100%

Dual analogue sticks are like the worst thing in the history of gaming. They just suck on so many levels. The faster they die the better off the industry will be.

Out of all things that exist in gaming history, is dual analog the thing that you've had the most problem mastering? Honest question.

The Steam controller looks harder to use, in my opinion.

 

[mrklaw]

In that screen it is saying depressing the entire touch pad will act like clicking the right stick on an xbox pad. The touch pads sit on giant, physical buttons.

The circle below indicates they have divided the right pad up into 4 virtual buttons, and the button in the "a" position is set.

The ring you are asking about indeed can be set independently. You can assign a modifier, as an example, so if you are touching the edge of the pad, it will hold down shift.

The pads are high resolution, they have very high accuracy and sensitivity.

Krejlooc, have you tried syncing the controller with multiple PCs? I just ordered one with a steam link for streaming to my TV, but I'd also like to use it on my main PC. Is that easy to do or would it become annoying enough to just use two controllers?

 

[MizzouRah]

AA batteries?

In this day and age a rechargeable battery pack or in built rechargeable battery should be standard,

Step your shit up Valve, this thing has a lot of potential, don't blow it.

Nope. I'd rather have the opportunity to use rechargeable batteries that can easily be replaced when the capacity has diminished.

 

[Serick]

Nope. I'd rather have the opportunity to use rechargeable batteries that can easily be replaced when the capacity has diminished.

Yeah not sure where the AA hate is coming from. Eneloops kick ass.

Wish I could replace the batteries in my dualshock 4... Plus you can have a set recharging while you're controller is wireless vs. ever having to plug the steam controller in to charge.

 

[viveks86]

Thanks! Could you share the advanced settings as well? Sorry I have nothing to give in return except gratitude

Edit: just saw the updated shots. Awesome. Thanks!

 

[ashecitism]

Steam Link sounds perfect for me. I have my PC in a different room (and it's noisy as hell) and was thinking about getting a Steam Machine.. But instead, now I can just buy this and stream from my PC to my bedroom, silently. I have a few questions though (As I'm basically a noob when it comes to these types of things)

1) Is there a minimum speed requirement when it comes to streaming? My router is located in the same room as the PC (hardwired to it), so I won't be getting the same speeds in my bedroom as if I was wired. I'm getting 70 mbps on my hardwired PC, and around 30 mbps on my wireless Xbone (which is in my bedroom, so the Steam Link should be around the same). So would that be enough for a smooth / latency free experience? (Note: My internet will soon be going up to 100 mbps, so I could potentially see speeds around 40-50 mbps in my bedroom.) Running the games should not be a problem, as my PC has an R9 290, 4.4GHZ i7 2600k, 16GB DDR3 etc etc

Thanks guys.

Steam In-home Streaming doesn't depend on your internet, but network connection and HW

Here's an explanation video from Linus

and you can always ask questions or look around in this thread

 

[Raticus79]

Preordered. This is going to be great for space sims.

 

[Refreshment.01]

AA batteries?

In this day and age a rechargeable battery pack or in built rechargeable battery should be standard,

Step your shit up Valve, this thing has a lot of potential, don't blow it.

Valve should invent rechargeable AA batteries, would make them tons of money. But last i heard the technology is not there right now.

 

[robotrock]

Did Valve put out a new update to SteamOS today?

 

[jester_]

Steam In-home Streaming doesn't depend on your internet, but network connection and HW

Your internet speeds are irrelevant as this stays completely within your private network. The only thing that will matter is how fast the connection is between your Steam Link and your router.

Internet connection isn't used, but it does give an example of the performance drop-off one can run into. It's not like him getting 30mbps means his WiFi signal is perfect and he's maxing it out (granted, 30mbps should be plenty to run LINK, but I'd still be worried about dropped packets and latency if it's an old wireless-g router)

 

[Serick]

Internet connection isn't used, but it does give an example of the performance drop-off one can run into. It's not like him getting 30mbps means his WiFi signal is perfect and he's maxing it out (granted, 30mbps should be plenty to run LINK, but I'd still be worried about dropped packets and latency if it's an old wireless-g router)

Yeah good point, I think it was you that mentioned he get a good 5GHz Wireless N router, I agree.

Edit: It was you!

Edit Edit: Now I'll see if the $180 I dropped on my Netgear Nighthawk was worth a damn.

 

[Rodney McKay]

Valve should invent rechargeable AA batteries, would make them tons of money. But last i heard the technology is not there right now.

Eneloops are just as good as Lithium Ion rechargeable, if not better.

I've been using the same AA Eneloops for the last 4-5 years and they still work great.

 

[Compsiox]

Did Valve put out a new update to SteamOS today?

Controllers aren't launching until October. But maybe.

 

[Nzyme32]

Eneloop Batteries are your friend.

Rechargable AA batteries that have lasted me years (so much better than the rechargable pack you can get for the 360 controller.

What mAh do you have? I want whatever it is that you have; sounds great!

 

[harSon]

AA batteries?

In this day and age a rechargeable battery pack or in built rechargeable battery should be standard,

Step your shit up Valve, this thing has a lot of potential, don't blow it.

No thanks. I'd rather be able to use enloops, and have batteries on stand by.

 

[Krejlooc]

Krejlooc, have you tried syncing the controller with multiple PCs? I just ordered one with a steam link for streaming to my TV, but I'd also like to use it on my main PC. Is that easy to do or would it become annoying enough to just use two controllers?

Naw, I have a wireless dongle on my pc under my tv, and use a wired controller for the other pc.

Also, my setup is a bit backwards. My powerful pc is in my living room, under the tv, next to my xbox one and ps4, with no keyboard or mouse, just gamepads.

I stream to my desk in the other room if I want to use keyboard and mouse proper.

 

[Wuthering_Heights]

Out of all things that exist in gaming history, is dual analog the thing that you've had the most problem mastering? Honest question.

The Steam controller looks harder to use, in my opinion.

Yep. It looks clunky and uncomfortable to use, but I'll reserve final judgement until I get my hands on one.

(Oh no, I'm not lavishing praise all over it, I must be threatened by it!)

 

[Blizzard]

I went ahead and preordered, though I hope it's not carpal-tunnel-inducing. The angle the left thumb is at in the video looks super uncomfortable to reach the thumbstick.

 

[Serick]

Yep. It looks clunky and uncomfortable to use, but I'll reserve final judgement until I get my hands on one.

(Oh no, I'm not lavishing praise all over it, I must be threatened by it!)

To be fair the people being called out are writing it off as shit after a quick glance and one promo video. You're just reserving judgement until you can try it which is perfectly fine.

 

[viveks86]

you'll find stuff in this thread

Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

 

[Deadstar]

Eneloop Batteries are your friend.

Rechargable AA batteries that have lasted me years (so much better than the rechargable pack you can get for the 360 controller.

Can the steam controller be plugged in via usb to provide power when I don't want to worry about switching batteries?

 

[Citadel]

Steam In-home Streaming doesn't depend on your internet, but network connection and HW

Here's an explanation video from Linus

and you can always ask questions or look around in this thread

Yeah, you'll be fine. To answer the second question that disappeared.. the pc would need to be on as it utilizes your specs/hard drive to run the game.

Depends on wireless capability of your router. I'd look at a decent AC router (or at least 5GHz N) if you want optimal wireless performance through walls.

Thank you all for the responses - very much appreciated. I've got an Actiontech H1000 I think, so I'll do some research into this... Most likely will give the Link a shot. Hell, I may just end up just building a small HTPC or something.... or a Steam Machine.....

 

[Krejlooc]

Can the steam controller be plugged in via usb to provide power when I don't want to worry about switching batteries?

Yes. The current in the wild steam controllers dont have the battery clips installed, they are powered solely by usb.

 

[therapist]

damnit its all sold out , i wanted steam link + Controller

The controller looks like itll be great once youre used to it , but that might take a while.
Really wanna try it regardless

 

[Jay RaR]

If I can get the money, I'll get this controller.

Literally cannot play shooters with a traditional controller so a trackpad sounds like a godsend.

 

[Rodney McKay]

What mAh do you have? I want whatever it is that you have; sounds great!

I think they're 2000mAH.i just bought a new pack at Costco similar to this pack:www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00N05RL22/r...711&sr=8-9&pi=AC_SX110_SY165&keywords=Eneloop

 

[bbd23]

ugh ebgames is handling this in Canada?

why gabe!

 

[Serick]

damnit its all sold out , i wanted steam link + Controller

The controller looks like itll be great once youre used to it , but that might take a while.
Really wanna try it regardless

Still showing in stock for me directly through steam, did you try there?

 

[Dice]

Gyroscope and accelerometer sensors enabling tilt-to-steer racing wheel functionality and other motion-controlled input

That is not nearly as good as you would think. I'd much rather have the ability for the touchpad to function as a 900° wheel. I hope they have that.

 

[Rodney McKay]

Can the steam controller be plugged in via usb to provide power when I don't want to worry about switching batteries?

Not sure, but I don't think so. At least the 360 controller didn't do that with them.

Probably the only downside of them, but they keep their charge a long time so having spares in a drawer works perfectly fine.

 

[SourBear]

Sigh... why do hardware designers INSIST on putting glossy plastic crap where our hands will be touching. I just don't understand.

 

[DirtyLarry]

Just preordered the bundle for the Link and the Controller.
I should be building my new gaming PC right around October as well, so the Link is going to come in handy for sure.
Very interested in trying both.
Good shit.

 

[test_account]

Yep. It looks clunky and uncomfortable to use, but I'll reserve final judgement until I get my hands on one.

(Oh no, I'm not lavishing praise all over it, I must be threatened by it!)

Its probably something that takes some time to get used to i would imagine. I remember not liking dual analogs very well in the begining (back in the PS2 days, especially regarding the FPS i tried, but controls in those games were worse before), but now i'm really comfortable with them and can use them with basically no problem. The Steam controller can perhaps end up being really good once people get used to it.