VALVE announces third big announcement, The Steam Controller

The famous founders of the Steam program, VALVE, have been making huge announcements this week. They have all lead up to this! First was SteamOS, then Steam Machines, now they have broken new ground with their third announcement, The Steam Controller which features a unique design sure to drive innovation!

The Steam Controller is built around a new generation of super-precise haptic feedback, employing dual linear resonant actuators. These small, strong, weighted electro-magnets are attached to each of the dual trackpads. They are capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing precise control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement.

[JimmyLmao]

umm, okay, looks, umm, unusual?

[PLASTICA-MAN]

Lol at back clickable trackpad, Valve trying to copy the PS Vita and PS4 controller. We will see how it will go plus, the controller looks so ugly and bland at the front that's why they keep showing the back and only one tiny pic of the front is show at the end. Valve is doing bad strategy for keeping this secret and not shwoing it to the public to get their feedback, a last minute change won't be possible then.

Edit: So all the pics are from the front view? Oh my bad then! And thanks for notifying me with complete politeness without being a fanatic.

[Ogygian]

Wait, so copying an awesome idea is now frowned upon?
Then let's just attack George RR Martin for "copying" Tolkien.
Also, this is innovation. What they're doing is not copying Sony or Microsoft, but taking a risk and putting a high-resolution trackpad (like you have on your laptop) onto a controller. This will mean you can play first person shooters more effectively and actually be able to play strategy games in the form cose to that which the creators intended.

And are you an idiot? Almost all of the images are of the FRONT of the controller.

[Dan_scruggs]

Took exactly 2 comments to make a comparison to the PS4 controller. Considering it looks and operates absolutely nothing like it. It bridges the best of all worlds. PS4 and Wii U and keyboard and mouse. The touch screen in front is crucial and is the direction Sony would have been wise to go in. The mappable touch screen interface in necessary to differentiate it from a simple cheap touch pad the PS4 is going with. The reaction to this is not unlike seeing the Wii controller for the first time. At first everyone laughed and then it crushed the competition. Valve knows what its doing.

[Studio-YaMi]

That is really immature of you,technology and advancement in any category(you name it!) is build up over earlier studies or ideas with newer approaches.

There is no shame or copying in this.

[PLASTICA-MAN]

@ Studio-Yami, then why big companies fight each others and go even t courts to settle that like the Samsung-Apple copying problem that Apple won and Samsung had to pay millions of bucks but they paid Apple with many big vans full of cents. What is immature now?

[Athonline]

If you ever do a degree at University you will learn how to do research and use excising sources/ results and built on-top of them. In academia simply referencing the original authors is considered widely accepted.
In corporation world or sometimes in PhD level, as your research aims to produce profits, if part of the new product/research includes using patented or copyrighted material, then you have to licence as well reference them.
Now for example: if you are building mobile phones, Motorolla is forced by law to licence their patterns at a fair price, as they considered basics in telecommunication. Otherwise unfair pricing or refusal leads to monopoly, etc etc.
However unique features a device may have, are not considered "basics", that may lead to a monopoly.
Patterns not only state in details the expected usage, but also the actual implementation of the product -what is needed to archive the desired output.

For the controller all we know: Sony's pattern is different than Valve's. Sony's pattern is Japan or EU, Valve's is a US company and can use it. Valve's implementation, even if the designed purpose is similar, is different.
Similar to listening music in-game: MS figured a way to play music, while you play games. Their implementation and output is console-specific, thus PC gamers aren't breaking any laws when they do so, but Sony couldn't in PS3. Thus Sony to walk-around, allowed devs to implement a way to listen to music, while playing a game. The output (the purpose) of the functionality is similar, but the implementation different.

I can list you hell a lot of examples of technologies building on-top of others, or popular walk-around in patterns and famous licences. If you want, just ask, but before you ask: look at your cellphone, your laptop/ desktop, TV, etc. None of them is a single corporation/man's design and research.

In software we usually copyright, not pattern stuff and the process is a bit different.

[0ut1awed]

It's not trying to copy the PS4/Vita controller. Did you even read the article? Oh and who am I? A guy that currently ONLY owns a PC and Vita as his gaming platforms. I have a ps4 on preorder though.

The PS4/Vita has touch elements. The Steam controller is using a track pad as the literal joysticks. Oh and the "touch pad" element on the PS4? The "copy" on the Steam controller is a full color touch screen. If you are cynical enough to have to degrade it at first sight, the only valid derogatory statement would be "1up" at best.

Also the Haptics vibration tehcnology they talk about incorporating sounds freaking groundbreaking. It's like surround sound except in vibration for the controller if I am reading it right. Although the "sound" analogy isn't really so much of an analogy apparently.

Here is a statement regarding the VIBRATION emitters...

"As a parlour trick they can even play audio waveforms and function as speakers."

They have more than enough real estate with each "joystick" area to allow for precision aiming similar to a PC mouse.They wanted a controller that would really work with PC games. Even more so, they wanted a controller that also allow for competitive gameplay.

Sure, you can use a 360 controller fine on PCs. See what happens if you try and play say BF3 with a controller online though.

This controller can be the perfect solution for PC gaming with a controller. I will admit that the ergonomics look a bit weird but Valve says they have spent a whole year of R&R with the design so I trust it's as perfect as can be.

This design could be the future of controller input. It defiantly has the possibility to put mouse like precision on your hand. It won't quite negate the need for a keyboard though. You just have to be running a game optimized for a controller. Most PC games seem to at least let you do the necessitates with the controller.

[ThanatosDMC]

Good thing they made PS4 controller compatible on the PC so we could use it on Steam games. I'll get Steam Machine/Box if it's higher spec than my computer.

[0ut1awed]

@ Thanatos

Well at the very least you can stream your PC to the Steam Machine in the living room or wherever it is.

I'll be supporting it no matter what. I enjoy consoles but I think PC needs some more love, especially for console players that think it's just too expensive. Increased support would then lead to devs having better budgets for PC games in the future.

Win win for everyone, especially the new comers that then get the hardware dirt cheap AND end up get the optimized software that comes with increased support! As you can see I'm very pumped about what this means to the PC community as a whole!

[Autodidactdystopia]

2 words..

Haptic feedback

that's the gamechanger, the haptic feedback comes through the trackpads.

this is different than just a trackpad, you get feedback up the wazoo. Im really willing to try this.

takes a lot for me to be willing to retire the 360 controller cause that thing has served me well, but this.. this looks neat.

I also don't know if you guys missed this part but this is what sets it apart from an ordinary trackpad.... they themselves say a trackpad is balls compared to using a joystick.

Valve:

"Trackpads, by their nature, are less physical than thumbsticks. By themselves, they are “light touch” devices and don’t offer the kind of visceral feedback that players get from pushing joysticks around. As we investigated trackpad-based input devices, it became clear through testing that we had to find ways to add more physicality to the experience. It also became clear that “rumble”, as it has been traditionally implemented (a lopsided weight spun around a single axis), was not going to be enough. Not even close.

The Steam Controller is built around a new generation of super-precise haptic feedback, employing dual linear resonant actuators. These small, strong, weighted electro-magnets are attached to each of the dual trackpads. They are capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing precise control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement.

This haptic capability provides a vital channel of information to the player - delivering in-game information about speed, boundaries, thresholds, textures, action confirmations, or any other events about which game designers want players to be aware. It is a higher-bandwidth haptic information channel than exists in any other consumer product that we know of. As a parlour trick they can even play audio waveforms and function as speakers."

[starchild]

This is so exciting. I've been waiting and hoping for some innovation in the area of game input and control.

Valve have been researching this for a while. The fact that it allows you to play keyboard and mouse games comfortably in the living room on your couch is simply brilliant.

I can't wait to get my hands on this.

Edit @ Autodidactdystopia

Yeah, the haptic feedback stuff is the most exciting aspect of this whole thing. The ways that this has the potential to expand the way we interact with games and the feedback we get from the games is just incredible.

I don't think some people understand what a game changer this could be.

[Kevin ButIer]

Trackpads trying to replace thumbsticks is like kinect trying to replace buttons... we are not there yet, maybe later

[NewMonday]

I want this to work on Windowes PCs

[3-4-5]

@ PLastica-man . You realize that is the front right?

[BattleAxe]

Looks like a pretty sweet controller. Looks like Valve is trying to sidestep Xinput in addition to Windows. They've pretty much declared war on Microsoft.

[UltimateMaster]

I don't know how I feel about this controller.

[Somebody]

So PS Vita didn't steal the track pad ideas from those used on laptops, then?

"Valve is doing bad strategy for keeping this secret and not shwoing it to the public to get their feedback, a last minute change won't be possible then. "

They are doing that now. This is a not final product. That's why they announced and showed their devices this week and launched a beta programme for testers to test and give feedbacks later on.

[badz149]

the controller looks very futuristic and I give it that but don't most pc gamers loath the idea of using controllers altogether? somehow now "this is awesome"? I don't get it. don't flame me as I game on console mostly and still play many multiplats on pc WITH CONTROLLERS as I can't stand kb+m.

plus, no matter how accurate the track pads will be, your thumbs will never be more accurate than your wrists. that's a fact

[ShinMaster]

I don't think having the face buttons spread apart like that is a good idea. It looks impractical.

How can I Hadouken!?
How can I run and jump?
How can I play any games that require me to move the left stick/pad and press X or Y simultaneously?

[Sarick]

It doesn't look very wireless.

EDIT NVM I missed this.>

"How will the beta controller differ from the one that’s for sale next year?"

"There are a couple important differences: the first 300 or so beta units won’t include a touch screen, and they won’t be wireless. Instead, they’ll have four buttons in place of the touch screen, and they’ll require a USB cable"

[darthv72]

maybe for the type of responsiveness....it cant be wireless? Just a guess.

all the touch and haptic ability could be a killer on batteries but...i dont know.

here you go: "There are a couple important differences: the first 300 or so beta units won’t include a touch screen, and they won’t be wireless. Instead, they’ll have four buttons in place of the touch screen, and they’ll require a USB cable."

[Mystogan]

I'm going to be a pessimistic a**hole and say. This controller looks bad. It just doesn't look comfortable. Ever played an FPS on your smartphone? Well it sucks. Maybe this is more precise but the feel will be the same, its the feel that bothers me most about touch controls not the precision. Touch controls do not replace thumbsticks Valve, better luck next time. Also fighting games will simply suck balls with this controller.

my optimistic me says I might try it when it's compatible with X1 though, you never know.

[Feralkitsune]

X1? It's a controller for the PC.

[Somebody]

Wow. Steam OS, Machines and Controller are designed to break the PC away from MS and you only will buy this only if it comes to the X1?

[come_bom]

Well... it's something different.

[LackTrue4K]

We'll you got problems with product design, when the back looks like the front....and in this case both look ugly.

[SilentNegotiator]

Virtual buttons? They're worried about how inaccurate control sticks are and then rely heavily on virtual buttons to make up for a lack of control?

[the_espresso_kid]

Do you honestly think STEAM would roll this out if it didn't work well?

[-Foxtrot]

Looks horrible, where is the annalouge sticks.....this isn't going to work

[Dasteru]

No analogs because analogs suck, they are slow and imprecise.

This controller is designed to bridge the gap between console controllers and the high performance of a mouse, or atleast get as close as possible. The dual track pads will take some getting used to but will provide far better speed and accuracy.

Read the entire page and the reasoning for the design instead of just looking at the pictures and you will understand it.

[-Foxtrot]

When you use a keyboard and Mouse for your gaming computer it's comfortable

When you play on consoles you have analogue sticks because they feel comfortable

I couldn't give a crap about precision because it's never effected me...hell ANY of us, it's something so small that nobody cares.

Look I know this is Valve but they f***** up....we need to change this or tell them to give us another option.

"Read the entire page and the reasoning for the design instead of just looking at the pictures and you will understand it."

Just because someone understands it dosen't mean it's going to feel right. If thats the case people would rather have a Keyboard and mouse

[PurpHerbison]

Analog sticks took some getting used to at first.

[AIndoria]

Don't worry man you're just getting disagrees because no one wants to admit Valve actually is doing what we usually call "Get shitfaced on friday" :P

[tee_bag242]

I bet you said the same thing when analogues took the place of d-pads.
Saying it "isn't going to work" is utterly meaningless when you haven't tried for yourself.

Analogues are already 15 or so years old and grossly inaccurate (although comfortable). Its about time someone tried to evolve the controller.

[thisismyaccount]

Weirdest pad of all time.

I don´t think those "tactile-stick" replacement surfaces are a bad things, prolly have even a higher accurate-precision than a standard stick has.... but what im more concerned about is, are those Y,X,B, and the A buttons (paid and made by M$ :P?)...

Looks way too complicated and probably it is very complicated to use, not sure if the design and placement of those buttons are practical at all...and i bet they´re changing it few times prior release.

Think about playing Pes 2014 with that, it´s going to be tough to use X,Y or B,A while rotating, moving forward, jumping obstacles and what not...

[red_HULK]

I was gonna get a steam box or gaming PC, until I opened a steam account & noticed that all the games were the same price or more than disc? Wtf??! I thought steam was so great because I could get games for a fraction of the cost. That's a boner kill. I guess I'll just get a ps4 and save a grand.

[PurpHerbison]

I'm going to have to ask you to knock off the bull sh*t right now cause it isn't cute. 0/10

[wsoutlaw87]

Its awesome valve is doing all this and trying to take the best of both consoles and pc and turn it in to steam. That would be awesome because there are so many pc games im interested in but i prefer consoles. That being said, I think the track pad in kind of a stupid idea because like valve mentioned you need some sort of feed back or else you wont even know if you are centered or not. Touch screen joysticks suck real bad on phones, but it does seem like they have done some pretty impressive things with the feedback so we'll see. I do applaud them for bringing long over due controller innovation. Valve has me interested but id prefer if games like mount and blade, total war, and war of the roses (rumored that it is coming) just came to the ps4 with its more open policies than before.

[s45gr32]

You are absolutely right, so those are track pads, and I thought it was two large circles

[Beastforlifenoob]

@JimmyLmao
You spelt amazing wrong

[MuhammadJA]

Meh. There are enough controllers out there.

[shutUpAndTakeMyMoney]

Dude chill.. Valve is doing something I have never seen. As expected..
That controller looks like it was mad in a cyberpunk world.. I LIKE!!
http://cdn.store.steampower...

I am sure they put an rts game on the screen on for a reason.

Seems valve made the ultimate controller?

"The Steam Controller is designed to work with all the games on Steam: past, present, and future. Even the older titles in the catalog and the ones which were not built with controller support. (We’ve fooled those older games into thinking they’re being played with a keyboard and mouse, but we’ve designed a gamepad that’s nothing like either one of those devices.) "

The x,y,b,a buttons umm hmm never ssen it like that lol But who knows may make sense when I get my hand on it.

Can hardly see it but it does have triggers.

No HL3 is not a surprise.

SteamOS + AMD Mantel(no need for diectx/windows) + AMD/Nvidia better linux drivers = new age in gaming! Maybe.

Seem like a big shift in just one week lol.

edit: lol at disagrees. I am observation fanboy sorry.

I know people may disagree with valve especially pc gamers. But I bet valve knows what they are doing.

Also I can care less for HL3.. Open world L4d3 on source engine 2 please. :)

Don't be made pc gammerz lol smile!!!

[CapsLocke]

What a tool.

[UnHoly_One]

"The x,y,b,a buttons umm hmm never ssen it like that lol But who knows may make sense when I get my hand on it."

We'll see how much sense it makes whenever you play a game that requires you to press two buttons simultaneously. lol

[cyborg47]

Still not sure why you're getting the disagrees. :\

[quote]We'll see how much sense it makes whenever you play a game that requires you to press two buttons simultaneously. lol[/quote]

Its said to have 16 buttons on it, remember?

[KillrateOmega]

...and you're telling him to chill?

[s45gr32]

I agree nor disagree, I am sad no mention of Half Life 3 the controller that I didn't expected it.

[FFRyan]

I feel like Valve should have ended with SteamOS :/

[jhorner13]

Or HL3, Portal 3, L4D:3

[JimmyLmao]

or maybe even a demonstration of them counting to the number 3, just to prove that they can actually count that high hehehe

[Xof]

Well, let's see: do we announce Half Life 3, that everyone wants... or a gamepad without thumbsticks that no one wants?

Obvious choice is obvious.

[s45gr32]

You know Valve has never made a video game trilogy which is strange now that you mention L4D 3 portal 3 and Half Life 3.

[Jovanian]

Yeah, it shoulda been: Hardware (plus controller) in one announcement, then OS, then software (improvements to steam as well as a look at games available on the steam machine as well as other platforms)

but they get points for making the controller look...interesting. I have been looking to purchasing some sort of controller input method for PC gaming but I'm a bit hesitant to pick something like this up when it looks so drastically different and completely does away with thumbsticks

[TrevorPhillips]

Am I the only one that thinks the controller looks awesome

[jhorner13]

No, but you're also a crazed psycho drug dealer. just sayin.

[TrevorPhillips]

And what are you supposed to be, grizzly bear, if so, start running, cause imma bout to hunt you down with my rifle

[LordSane]

Yeah, it looks like alien device, very unique and crazy.

[Beastforlifenoob]

IF thats what aliens game on, I want to be an alien.

[Heartnet]

yep as it looks like trash lol... 2 trackpads? really? trackpads on laptops are so shite and The xperia PLay had 2 trackpads and they were so useless....

Also the button placements are a bad idea.. Accidental slip on trackpad when accessing buttons will be commonplace whcih is why on common controllers they are on the side with the least used analog stick.

Also doesnt look very ergonomically friendly at all.. They have gone for specs over usability and thatll be there downfall

[s45gr32]

I need to try out this controller first before making judgment which you should do also

[Dasteru]

I wouldn't jump straight out and call it "awesome" but it does look like an interesting concept that could have some nice benefits. I need to actually get it in my hands to know for sure.

@Heartnet: The track pads on laptops aren't exactly high resolution, The ones on the Steam pad should be alot better. Think of them more like flat track balls vs a laptop style touch pad, should be nearly 1:1.

[Tctczach]

Half Life 3 is not a controller :(

[SkullBlade169]

You don't say?

[Tctczach]

Haha I figured this would be it but I had to hope.

[KingKionic]

Those buttons though...

[SonyPS360]

Oh no. Please don't say it's something different?!

Still, I laughed at "right mouse button" being on the left, and vice versa.

[EXVirtual]

This controller is quite unusual.
Instead of analog sticks, it has trackpads and the few face buttons it has are placed quite strangely.
This controller is gonna take some time getting used to.
The touchscreen apparently has a high resolution.
I guess this works with the PC and the Steam Machines and it's hackable... hmmm
This is quite strange to me. I think the SteamOS is a good idea, but the Steam Machines and Steam Controller kinda pointless/strange.
But that being said, I guess we'll have to wait and see how this operates. The design is still unorthodox though.

[colonel179]

I think it's a great concept. It might actually work.

I wondered since Sony announced the DS4 how a controller would be with trackpads instead of Analog Sticks, and Valve is doing it. I think it will benefit precision with several games.

However, I understand everyone's skepticism since it is something completely different. Valve's got a lot to prove right now, and I am confident they will.

[The Great Melon]

The main issue I might have with this controller is its capability to play twitch platformers or fighters effectively. The pads make sense for FPS or 3rd person games, but I am skeptical of its ability for quick clicking action.

I know many of the modded controllers that are designed for speed place buttons on the back of the controller. Valve has done this also with a couple of buttons. Combos in fighters will be a little weird though, because they were actually designed for the thumb.

Regardless, this is an interesting controller.

[ShinMaster]

The issue is that you can physically feel yourself pushing the analog stick in a direction, whereas with a trackpad, you don't.
Second, the face buttons being spread out like that make no sense. Any game that requires you to move with the right stick/pad and press either X or Y will be hindered. Especially fighting games. And platformers. And any game that requires quick real time inputs.

[Sarick]

Since SteamOS is made for PC we might be able to use PS4 controllers if these are to awkward. As you can see they're simply deserting keyboard presses to controller buttons for the most part in their diagrams.

It'd be cool if a 3rd party company created a hardware based usb adapter hookup that allows communication to PS4 and/or Xbox controllers without tying up the PC's bluetooth adapter.

[Beastforlifenoob]

how is it pointless/strange

How is a steam machine with a controller different to a Playstation "machine"/Xbox "machine"/nintendo "machine"/ whith a controller?
How the F is this a "Pointless/strange" concept.
???

[EXVirtual]

The Steam Machines are basically PCs. Why not just build one?
The Steam controller looks very awkward. Most PC gamers I know just connect up their 360 controller to their rigs.

[4logpc]

No Dpad....makes a lot of 2d games hard to play.

[DarkBlood]

give it a feel when it comes out to see how well it works with 2d games, i mean this is valve we are talking about lol

[The Great Melon]

If another company where to have released this I would have raised the same concerns more vocally. However, given the fact that Valve has a huge library of indie games that have traditionally been designed for dpads, I bet they have thought carefully about this design.

I am really interested in how the actuators might be implemented. I have a feeling you can use them to create virtual zones on that face of the pad that that can give a sense of buttons. Traditional rumble schemes can really trick the brain, so I bet these can go a step further.

[Heartnet]

Yerh the purely software company.... Steam has no credentials when it comes to hardware or controllers...

[aliengmr]

@Heartnet

In fact, Valve has been working for many years on new ways to interact with games. Much of it being hardware related. They were testing all sorts of controller concepts.

They were very interested in biometrics being used in games as well.

Valve has been working with hardware for quite a while.

[Somebody]

@Heartnet

Microsoft was a software only company. And then it made the X Box. Now it's has its own line of mobile devices.

[DarkBlood]

Going to buy that baby to use on my pc for the meantime at least till i can get my hands on the steam machine

[Sarick]

Why wait for a Steam Machine, Just create a duel boot on your current PC then install the SteamOS and try it out. The OS is already out in the wild for authorized testers. You can still wait for the official launch which shouldn't be to far away.

http://store.steampowered.c...

[a_squirrel]

"Just create a duel boot on your current PC"
"create a duel boot"
"duel boot"

En garde!

[Sarick]

@a_squirrel

Umm, what? ROFLAO.

Maybe I should've said "setup a multi-boot." :P

[DarkBlood]

lol

anyways im more likely to screw doing something like putting in another OS for which would be my first time so im not taking that chance lol

plus by getting the steambox its going to be hooked to the tv next to my other consoles bassically i will only play games on the steambox and nothing else my pc will just be used for internet and certain games that may not work on the steambox right away

[ShinMaster]

lol

I think he meant you should have said "dual" not "duel".

[Sarick]

@DarkBlood

Fair enough, one of the major concerns holding back a portion of console/pc gamers going to Linux is the very essence of what you just stated.

PC gamers are accustomed to Windows OS and Console gamers are accustomed to closed systems that are more plug and play on their TVs. If this specific technology takes off then it may help bridge gaps some.

Thanks for responding.

[DarkBlood]

No problemo

[clmstr]

I'm confused.

[Gimmemorebubblez]

Innovation, I like it. Sort of similar to the one leaked Ps4 remote proto-type that had two touch pads where the analog sticks are.

[torchic]

yea that's the most important thing here; it's innovative. we haven't seen a drastically different controller since the last century and we have to commend Valve on putting themselves out there and try to reinvent the wheel.

it sounds like one of those things that you simply have to try to understand

[Heartnet]

Its not innovative... Its a terrible idewa.. Sony Xperia play had 2 trackpads and omg it was just awful to control...

And ive tried trackpads... ive owned a laptop and my god i bought a mouse or Controller instead of using that garbage... They get warm and uncomfortable to touch....

Layout is also garbage of buttons... hard to reach and involve sliding ur fingers along trackpad to get to them, or taking to much care to make sure u dont drag finger across it.

It sounds like one of those things that has been tried and thrown away cause its garbage.

[riceking]

wtf is that thing....

[AIndoria]

*Valve announces controller which sticks needles in your peehole. Doesn't matter! Viva La Revolution! Praise Gaben*

[Beastforlifenoob]

Its called the future son, the beutiful future.

P.S. Youve probably heard that alot as your walking down the street and people se you

[Gamesgbkiller]

First thought when I saw it .

" WTF ... That's scary "

We have to wait and see how this thing operate.

[wtopez]

So MS spent hundreds of millions of $$$ on it's X1 controller that looks a lot like the original 360 controller. Money well spent...it is not.

[Mystogan]

....

[SmokingMonkey]

Hey man!...the triggers rumble ok!!! /s

[SonyPS360]

Not like we see Sony doing that.

Also, you're in the wrong comments section.

[Chrono]

Kinda reminds me of Xperia Play's analog pads. But it's great that it's customizable.

[darksky]

Hope not. The xperia play's analog pads are rubbish. Feel like a standard mobile phone touchscreen. I know cause I got one.

[byeGollum]

Whoa. . why'd I have a feeling it would be a trackpad? :)

[Convas]

I'll take one for my PC!

[Sarobi]

As will I!. A controller designed to work for all PC games, whether they support controllers or not?.. I'll definitely give that a go

[TomahawkX]

You want to know how this will feel like? Try playing a 3d shooter game on your smartphones/tablets. It will suck.

[Mystogan]

Yup, this controller might be more precise but the feel will be rubbish.

[EL Lanf]

A controller was my bet on what was coming. After all the [o+o] did resemble one a bit. I'm not going to judge this until its out though. Many innovative controllers have flopped in the past but valve has the weight and the wisdom to pull it off.

The trackpads can function as speakers though? My first though is thats what the looked like, really strange in that they actually also are.

Honestly I think the thing looks ugly though. There needs to be caution since its hackable too. There's a reason companies clamped down on controller modded and that's because it adversely affected those who didn't mod their controller.

I think the trackpads might be a good alternative to analog sticks for people with long fingers like me, my fingers would always overshoot the concave centre on the 360 controller, meaning I'd mostly be using the centre of my thumb to move it half the time.

[Jovanian]

'valve has the weight'

Careful there man, we don't want another HL3 delay

[wtopez]

Also Thank You Valve for not treating your community like idiots.

[_LarZen_]

It looks strange..but if it has the precision they brag about and I can use it for all PC games.

Well then I am sure as heck going to give it a try.

[Statix]

Trackpad in lieu of the right analog stick is a great idea (one that I've personally considered in the past).

Trackpad instead of the left analog stick (movement), however? Very bad idea.

[DigitalAnalog]

Why not? The unlike the analog sticks where it has always default on the center, you can directly push the direction where you want to go. You are now longer "anchored" with the analog stick to zig-zag through directions, so it's like a more 360' d-pad if I may say.

[Statix]

The problem with a trackpad for movement is that the movement action is relative to position. Meaning the further you push, the faster you go in a particular direction. An analog stick is perfect for this.

On the other hand, a trackpad (or mouse) is perfect for aiming, because aiming is dictated by absolute position of the input device. Meaning that you have no need to touch/hit the zero point (or lift off your thumb/mouse) to stop your aiming cursor from accelerating. I.e., if you want to aim left two inches, you move your thumb/mouse two inches to the left. If you want to stop your aiming cursor from moving, just don't move your thumb/mouse.

Because character movement is an accelerative action, you need physical feedback (e.g., the resistance of the analog stick) to tell you how fast and in which direction you are moving said character. That's why trying to control a character using a tablet's touchscreen is so inaccurate and/or frustrating. If you want to move your character forward, the touchpad has no reliable physical feedback to tell your left thumb whether you are successfully pressing "up" to trigger the "move forward" action. You equate it with using the 360 D-Pad, but that's not accurate; the D-Pad has physical feedback in the form of a actuation "click" or depression.

Apparently, according to the Steam Controller page, Valve is investigating using vibration to perhaps tell you how far you are pressing in a certain direction. I honestly don't know if this is the solution, and whether or not it would work well.

[DigitalAnalog]

The "vibration" you are talking about is Haptic feedback. It's the one thing this trackpad has that allows you to orient your "D-pad" where and how you want to go.

Imagine simulated games like thief that require to hold the "shift" to run up ramps can now be accurately used with the trackpad depending on speed and precision.

Compared to the analog sticks where the deadzone aspect is much wider wouldn't be as feasible if it were to be controlled in the same way.

[Atomicjuicer]

@statix (can't direct reply cos your comment too nested) they have different speeds for movement depending on which ring you are in. Outer ring and inner ring on left trackpad are different speeds and I think inner most ring is jump

[PJQPAC]

it looks cool but i have no interest in touch controls or motion controls. maybe i'm just to old i prefer buttons not touch screens and motion controls give me a real controller or keyboard and mouse instead.

[Beastforlifenoob]

Maybe you should just use rocks so you can use one to hit your head and realise this is truly beast?

[PJQPAC]

maybe you should brush up on your english and learn to compose a sentence.

[ruefrak]

It is an interesting approach to a controller, and if it does allow games designed for a mouse/keyboard playable on a big screen, then that's great.
What I'm happy about is that they finally showed SOMETHING! After two big announcements that delivered zero specifics the third announcement is about as specific as you can get. What a relief.

[Rivitur]

But how will this controller fair against controller schemes like Arma? Scroll through the touch screen but that puts ppl at a disadvantage.

[Jovanian]

Playing a shooter, let alone one as complicated as arma, with a controller is a bad idea in general

[DigitalAnalog]

Wasn't a similar thing said about Halo?

[Jovanian]

@Dig

you can play halo with a controller but your performance would be greatly increased if you weren't restricted to controller input and had the ability to hook up the mouse and keyboard to the xbox one. Just a fact of the matter, mouse and keyboard is the best input method for shooters. Period.

[DigitalAnalog]

Point being, the controller is now the "default" input for FPS considering it's "limitations". It's not a gimmicky tacked-on extra that is considered an optional approach compared to MOH on the original PSX pad.

Arma's multitude of inputs can then be refined properly if the trackpads and inputs work as advertised. This would make the game far more accessible without sacrificing game design principles (since it wasn't meant to be built for this controller in the first place).

[vickers500]

"Just a fact of the matter, mouse and keyboard is the best input method for shooters. Period."

Not for everyone. Some people just cant get used to a mouse and keyboard like they can a controller. I can use a mouse and keyboard fine enough, but I am still nowhere near as good with it as I am a controller. I'll still do far better in something like BF3 on consoles than I will on my pc (have both versions and I can confirm this).

Mouse and keyboard aren't "better" than controllers, they're just more accurate, but accuracy does not equate to being "better". What is "better" is simply a matter of opinion and personal taste. Period.

[GMoneyChuck]

Actually, if you look at their picture for the Portal controls, you can see they are using the left and right bumper buttons as the scrolling middle mouse buttons. I bet you could use the same for Arma. I'm actually finding this controler to be really fascinating. Its def different from the other controllers we have been seeing this year. The one thing I find odd are the placement of the X and Y buttons. But, maybe thats a change for the better.

[Vip3r]

Goodbye thumbs.

[pyramidshead]

Da fuck. lol

[cactusjack]

im gonna say what everyone is thinking, WTF is that.

[SpideySpeakz]

It's a controller, pretty obvious.

[a_squirrel]

With high precision trackpads, similiar to digitizers for pens, but for your thumbs.

[360ICE]

You're saying what everyone is saying.

[Mr-SellJack]

i don't know..looks really akward and discomfortable for almost all physical retail games...plus does it have any function on the back?that would be disappointing if not...(nvm it has)Valve is naive to expand more on just games and software.....It will be an epic flop that's for sure...

[DomceM]

with no due respect... Valve is one of the most successful gaming companies out there. You are a nobody.

I will give them a chance before listening to "Mr-selljack" on N4G lmfao.

[Mr-SellJack]

Wow..r u mad bro?y r u so serious?Valve is pretty much unkown,I could easily list 10 more known devs.Advancing to Hardware is plain dumb & silly imo.This has fail written all over.I'm dubvious if it reaches 1mil in a year.People won't change,Others are much more reliable and have a history that trumps Valve,plus only a mere amount of people would ever consider of buying this steam based console.

[LeoDDestroyer]

Yeah but they are not known for hardware which is a lot different than making software.

[DomceM]

I will say it again. Your opinion means nothing. What have you achieved? Are you a famous developer? No? Then maybe an entrepeneur? A succsessful business man? Oh thats right....

You are just anothet irrelevent voice that is part of the background noise. Yawn.

[JasonKCK]

I like it! It reminds me of those tochpad controllers back in the Sega Gen days.

[wishingW3L]

I still have one and all I can say is that they were absolutely horrible.

http://www.videogamemuseum....

[Half-Mafia]

The controller looks really cool, cant wait to try it. Having no sticks might be weird, but the controller has so many options for customisation.

e.g The controller doesnt have a D-Pad but you could map the D-Pad onto the out ring of one of the circle trackpads.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

I go back and forth on this... I think this could be great...but... I need to see just how good those touch pads feel first and foremost.

[SpideySpeakz]

Here comes the whiny brats of my generation - Gen Y - talking about how ugly the controller looks. Don't knock it before you try it.

[metalgod88]

It looks odd. I wonder how comfortable it feels. It totally looks like an owl's face though.

[Ninjamonkey82]

I like it and i will be getting it.

[shahab91]

Valve! What is that thing lol.

[Pintheshadows]

What an anti climax. They could of announced this in conjunction with the Steam Machines the other day rather than keeping it separate. Talk about saving the least interesting until last. And it is as ugly as sin to boot.

[Pintheshadows]

Dammit, could have, I always do that.

[kB0]

This doesn't look like half life 3...

[qzp]

I started laughing when i first saw it i don't know why. They have definitely made things interesting, which i like .

[turgore]

Steam machines seem to be a bigger fail with every passing day.

[TesMgsFan]

Great idea, but bad design !

[jahfen83]

WHOA! BOLD MOVE! Did not expect this much innovation in the controller, this is getting very interesting!

[solar]

Seems like every console mate posting is too stubborn to even give this a try or second look. It's innovative and could be a superior product. Don't understand the hate....nevermind I forgot where I was

[Roccetarius]

Seems like Valve is trying to drag in the touch generation.

Good thing i'll be playing with the controls that work, instead of this abomination. This is just ''innovation'' for the sake of doing it, so i'm not falling for it.

Don't fix what's not broken.

[Saryk]

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

[BabyTownFrolics]

what do you win?

[Saryk]

Cheezeburgr

[BabyTownFrolics]

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[jahfen83]

there is absolutely no room for 4 consoles on the market. Never has been, never will, so if Steambox is a success, someone is going to die!

[wishingW3L]

Steambox is not a console, it's a PC conveniently optimized for the living room but it still has a fully fledged OS and upgradable hardware.

[jahfen83]

It's a console... don't let anyone tell you different.

[Saryk]

Transformer, console in disguise!

[Vip3r]

I'd say Nintendo's day are numbered, TV console wise as it the xbox's too.

I honestly think Sony, Valve and even apple are the future.

At least with apple gaining traction if MS were to pull out of the gaming industry.

[grassyknoll]

This seems like a was designed for use with fps & the UI first & foremost. Can't imagine playing Virtua Fighter or Dark Souls with it, but can't make final judgements until I've used it.

[Hazmat13]

valve, i am disappoint.

[breakpad]

Futuristic ,nice looking comfortable may be but doomed to fail... NO analog sticks ??? Valve what are you thinking ... it is the only element that dooms the whole try (the button configuration can be used but this NO)

[GentlemenRUs]

Half-life 3 is dead...

Ok people... Lets go home...

[Shawn-]

3 announcements? Half-life 3 confirmed.

[DestinyHeroDoomlord]

R.I.P sweaty hands :(

[wishingW3L]

how would this controller counter sweat compared to a more traditional one?

[DestinyHeroDoomlord]

I was referring to my hands haha, they get sweaty and slippery and precision on touch based devices go out the window. Thus rip me playing on this controller with sweaty hands

[Godlovesgamers]

This thing is either revolutionary or completely stupid. Gaming with it will tell the truth.

[UnHoly_One]

I can't get over the fact that there are no "traditional" buttons.

You have the two track pads, which are basically taking the place of the dual analog sticks on a normal controller, but there is nothing to take the place of the D Pad and A,B,X,Y buttons.

I realize there is an A,B,X,Y in the center around the touchscreen, but that hardly takes the place of the regular 4 buttons that can all be accessed from one thumb.

I don't want to rule anything out without trying it, but I'm awfully skeptical of this working well for "all" games.

[ExDexteraDomini]

I just....It seems like it has some pretty solid thinking behind it, and it may turn out being a very nice controller, but... something about it just makes me laugh. I look at it and laugh. Its just..

I'm not sure thats something I would have ever conceived. Every single placement of everything has me tickled. I see the "A" button and am just.."wut, why" and that thought pretty much goes with every single other part of it.

Still, I'm eager to hold it. Like a baby puppy made entirely of gold. I want to grasp it.

[DomceM]

that last line... i love it lol.

[McScroggz]

I gotta be honest, that controller looks horrible. And by looks I don't mean just visually, but I have a feeling it will be very awkward to play.

The SteamOS might be good, but I'd be willing to be the Steam Controller flops.

[for we are many]

Looks innovative and it'll allow us to play all the previously mouse-KB-only PC games, that alone may break the barrier for a lot of gamers who try to embrace some of the best PC games, which do not support a controller natively, but are alienated by the PC control interface and will further help in driving forward the current renaissance of PC gaming. Although I have to try it myself first but it is good to see a company(besides Nintendo)trying to innovate in the face of Sony-MS controller stagnation.

[Bolts]

Stagnation is a great way to put it. Sony and MS have done jack shit to progress FPS genre. Their system can barely push 1080p and their stick based controllers are not suited for the fine grade FPS aiming and movement like the mouse and keyboard are.

I really thought the console would be able to reach parity with the mouse aim by now but nope.

[Bolts]

This controller will either be a breakthrough or a total flop. Touchpad gaming have never been done and it will need revolutionary haptic feedback technology for this to work the way it's intended.

But Valve have clearly put a ton of thought into this, if it works then many PC bound genre like RTS, and DOTA 2 will break out to the living room.

Being open source is also huge, Valve clearly want you to use this for other platforms.

[jakmckratos]

This honestly seems like it should have been one announcement..are people really super excited???

[FlyingFoxy]

Well one thing is for sure, they are definitely getting innovative like Nintendo..

Valve make arguably the very best games, i rank them 1st or 2nd in my top 5. Can't wait to see Source engine 2.

I will be sticking to KB & mouse however, especially for fps games.

[hesido]

This looks great. A very clever replacement for thumbsticks.

[badkolo]

the sony bots will not like anyting that isnt sony, even if turns out to be hot and the console turns out to be mind blowing they wont like it

[pwnsause_returns]

......Im a sony guy and I love steam...Problem?

[starchild]

Yeah, I'm getting a PS4 and I own a high end gaming PC, but you are right about the Sony fanboys. Most of them hate on anything that isn't a Sony console. Even in this article most of the people saying negative things about this (or stealth trolling) are Sony fanboys.

Sure, there are a few Sony fans that also like PC gaming and don't bash it, but most of them attack anything they feel threatened by or jealous of.

[-Gespenst-]

If this can merge the repsonsivity of a mouse with the ergonomic shape and button placement of a controller, this really could be the best possible input for games ever.

[CapsLocke]

Uhm, no.

[-Gespenst-]

Oh you've used one have you??

[razrye]

Looks crap. Hate touch pads. But a new os is a bonus

[Thomaticus]

WTF?! That controller is rediculous. I would love to have a chance to try it out. Maybe, the controller will prove me wrong and be great... but I'm highly skeptical...and not interested.

[Saryk]

Ok dude or dudette. You want one to try out or not interested. If you were not interested, why post?

You're confusing us!

[Thomaticus]

I don't want to completely dismiss it until I've tried it. I'm not interested but I'll listen to the sales pitch and see if it will pique my interest. Also I'd like to try out the controller and see if its revolutionary. I'm human I don't know what to say.

[BaconBits]

I don't know why they think ppl will like those track pads. Too much like trying to play on Iphone/android with no proper joystics it just feels wrong.

[Saryk]

I know right. No body uses those stupid Iphones/pads, androids , hemorrhoids things!

[BaconBits]

A controller needs joysticks IMO.

[annus]

I guess you missed the entire part about haptick feedback.

[BaconBits]

Not at all but I will take a joystick over haptick feed back any day. Maybe a joystick with haptick feed back??

[iliimaster]

damnit they had to go all out and design something so wild...this can't be the only controller from them can it? id wannt a controller like 360 perfect for shooters and does everything else aswell

[XtraTrstrL]

Whoa!?! Guess it's one of those things you gotta try out first. LMAO, Valve is on some next shit.

[TheGrimReaper0011]

What an odd, odd controller.
Trackpads? Touchscreen? Backpads?

[pwnsause_returns]

ummmm....pretty...unique.....

[PurpHerbison]

When this controller ends up actually being pretty good, I want a BJ from every naysayer in this comment section.

[ICANPLAYGAMES2]

I'm not really that interested in any of the Steam boxes, but I'd be willing to give this controller a shot at least. I have a wide variety of games on my PC through Steam, and at the very least I could give this controller a go there. All I have now for my computer is a wireless 360 controller and the usb wireless adaptor, for when the mouse and keyboard feel awkward. Truth be told, it isn't a perfect solution (360 ocntroller), so it would be nice to have something that is completely programmable to fit the games your playing, and I can't comment on how awkward or comfortable the thing will be without getting my own hands on it (take the N64 controller for example, that was one of the most awkward controllers I've seen and I ended up liking it just fine).

[Harpers_Ferry]

I can't wait to try this thing out. I love new designs and tech use, and there is a lot of potential here. However, when it comes to online response, holy shit, talk about double standards.

If Sony or Microsoft tried to release this thing with their next box, people would tear them apart, but because it's Valve it's "unique and innovative". I love Steam as much as the next gamer, but this hypocrisy is just astounding.

[AbhishekGIS]

steam gonna dump ps4 and x1

[ThreshStar]

Welcome to N4G!

...where snap judgments, anger towards anything that ISN'T related to Xbox/Playstation, and all-around fear of anything somewhat different than the same thing done over and over and over and over again are not only expected...

They're apparently a requirement! =)

Flame on!

[AIndoria]

If this were any other company people would be having a field day with this.
EA NEW CONTROLLER
RUINS GAMING FOREVER

[Welcome2Die]

not to be a downer but this looks super 80's and likely to fail..

It looks like something i would find at my local Goodwill...

[clouds5]

Seems like something I need to try out before I have an opinion about it. Interesting. Gaming is evolving :) And as usual it does so on the PC.

[shahab91]

This is the ugliest controller I have ever seen. Just because valve made it doesn't mean I will praise it. I am not a sheep like others.

[shahab91]

Sorry double post

[s45gr32]

Ok ummm a second hybrid video game system (PC /video game console); since, the PS3 originally was a gaming OEM that allowed users to use their Linux OS of choice plus the ability to use it as a console system. Now Valve is trying to succeed were Sony failed, that is a Gaming OEM from Valve with an odd controller able to dual boot say steambox with Windows or Linux, fully upgradeable , etc. It could work as an alternative to a gaming rig. But personally all Valve really needed to do was improve big picture mode......

[jonli1]

let's all give valve a chance who know probably those controller will work really good. SO EVERYONE PLEASE BEFORE U CAN TALK SMACK TRY IT OUT THEN GIVE UR INPUT ON IT UNTIL THEN JUST STOP

[kwaidonjin]

why not just use the 360 controller for windows??? works just as good as on the Xbox, as long as all developers support it.

[housegroove76]

I'm a little confused here. The fake "SplitShock" PS4 controller that I made a week before the PS4 announcement

http://n4g.com/news/1173939...

which had no analog sticks and used dual touchpads in their place, got completely trashed by pretty much everyone here on N4G with comments like:

"What the hell is Sony thinking?"
"This is the worst thing ever."
"If Sony comes out with this, I'm getting the new Xbox."

Now that Valve is officially doing it, it's the greatest thing ever. This is what you call a double standard.