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Valve's Steam Controller now has a thumbstick

Dietrichw

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Alpha-controller-valve.jpg

 

It seems like every time we see Valve's Steam Controller, it gets a little more traditional. First the company abandoned the gamepad's ambitious touchscreen for eight buttons (a makeshift d-pad and the standard X, Y, B and A toggles) -- now it seems to be trading in four of those for an analog stick. Both SteamDB and a user on the Facepunch forums pulled the above image the company's latest Steam client beta, revealing a controller almost identical to the company's current iteration save for the aforementioned change.

 

It's not clear if the image is just a design or if Valve has actually produced prototypes of the new layout, but it's not an unwelcome change: as innovative as the controller's tactical pads are, we found they had a tendency to feel a little alien under the thumb. For most games an analog stick is a sufficient replacement for the d-pad it supplants, and it would also serve as an alternative control for folks who can't stomach using the left touchapd for movement.

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I'm not going to judge it by the looks even though I think it looks pretty good. I will wait until I can get my hands on one and see if it is how they say it is.

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Dang with every steam controller update I just want one more and more.

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Look good, looking forward to it (although probably not to its price...)

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I'm not going to judge it by the looks even though I think it looks pretty good. I will wait until I can get my hands on one and see if it is how they say it is.

Ahh I hope theirs going to be a demo at Pax East this year :D

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Just one thumbstick has mostly appeared to fail.  Just give 2 for safe measure.

 

Cited examples:

  • Play Station Portable
  • Nintendo 3DS

Those people wanted 2 thumbsticks just because that's the way it is.  Don't ask why, it's just the way it is.

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i would have liked if they removed the left track pad and replaced it with a thumbstick

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i would have liked if they removed the left track pad and replaced it with a thumbstick

I personally hate the PS "Dual Shock" style of controller. In particular, the placement of the left thumbstick being in that low position drives me nuts. I find it incredibly uncomfortable and harder to control.

 

The XBox 360 controller, to me, was miles ahead in terms of comfort and usability. I agree, that I wish they'd placed the thumbstick above where the left touchpad currently is, and really, they could've put the left touchpad below where the D-PAD was.

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-snip-

Oh my god... :D :D

 

I really look forward to this controller. I just want to finaly hold it in my hands to see how it is.

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I personally hate the PS "Dual Shock" style of controller. In particular, the placement of the left thumbstick being in that low position drives me nuts. I find it incredibly uncomfortable and harder to control.

 

The XBox 360 controller, to me, was miles ahead in terms of comfort and usability. I agree, that I wish they'd placed the thumbstick above where the left touchpad currently is, and really, they could've put the left touchpad below where the D-PAD was.

depends on what you were raised with, I suck at anything with the Xbox style but I am good with the PlayStation style. My first Consoles were a PlayStation then a PS2 even though I played games on the computer more because we only had one TV and my mom would always be using the TV.

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depends on what you were raised with, I suck at anything with the Xbox style but I am good with the PlayStation style. My first Consoles were a PlayStation then a PS2 even though I played games on the computer more because we only had one TV and my mom would always be using the TV.

I feel the same way...

I can play well on both setups, Dualshock just puts the stick closer to the center of my Thumb's range of motion, so it controls better for me. I probably don't have many gripes with the Dualshock because I have small hands. Seems like most people think it's too small. The fact that the DPad of the Dualshock never changed between PS1 and PS3 shows just how bad the Xbox pad design is...

 

I can't really judge this steam controller until I get to try it myself. If the Trackpads actually do what they're supposed to do I might enjoy using it here and there for stuff that isn't FPS.

Git Gud.

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depends on what you were raised with, I suck at anything with the Xbox style but I am good with the PlayStation style. My first Consoles were a PlayStation then a PS2 even though I played games on the computer more because we only had one TV and my mom would always be using the TV.

My first console was a SNES, so analog sticks weren't even a thing back in those days :P

 

You could say it depends on what you were raised, but I would disagree. I used the PS2 dual shock controller years before I ever touched a 360. In fact, it was a large reason why I never bought a PS2 or even a PS3. PS3 has lots of kickass games that I'd like to play but I hate the Dual Shock controller enough that it interferes with the enjoyment of a game. When I picked up a 360 controller, instantly I felt "Well... someone got it right".

 

But again, this is simply my own opinion, and obviously there are millions of people who love the Dual Shock design.

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I prefer they put that thumbstick where the left trackpad is and leave the cross buttons that were there... I prefer them for navigating menus and other. 

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I won't be getting one until they get rid of the touch-pads.
Such a stupid idea.

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Just one thumbstick has mostly appeared to fail. Just give 2 for safe measure.

Cited examples:

  • Play Station Portable
  • Nintendo 3DS
Those people wanted 2 thumbsticks just because that's the way it is. Don't ask why, it's just the way it is.

What buttons are you going to use for actions then with the trqckpads there?

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Make sense to me, directional control has always been with a thumbpad or physical button presses. So to make that a physical input and keep the right tracker (Usually the looking around one) as a touchscreen/mouse like combo.

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I feel the same way...

I can play well on both setups, Dualshock just puts the stick closer to the center of my Thumb's range of motion, so it controls better for me. I probably don't have many gripes with the Dualshock because I have small hands. Seems like most people think it's too small. The fact that the DPad of the Dualshock never changed between PS1 and PS3 shows just how bad the Xbox pad design is...

I can't really judge this steam controller until I get to try it myself. If the Trackpads actually do what they're supposed to do I might enjoy using it here and there for stuff that isn't FPS.

Hold out you hand. Your thumb naturally sits where the one on Xbox is. Personally I prefer the Wii u pro controller now that I've gotten used to it, well at least for games that need dual analog sticks.

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I won't be getting one until they get rid of the touch-pads.

Such a stupid idea.

They are not touch pads and personally until I can play with it my self I'm not going to knock it.

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I'll stick with my keyboard and mouse.

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I'll stick with my keyboard and mouse.

there are plenty of games that I think just dont feel right on a keyboard. Hack and Slash is a genre that comes to mind right away.

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Hold out you hand. Your thumb naturally sits where the one on Xbox is. Personally I prefer the Wii u pro controller now that I've gotten used to it, well at least for games that need dual analog stocks.

 

Again, I said the Dualshock stick is in the center of the range of motion for MY hands. I find the xbox to be too far forward for my hands and it makes extended sessions of play fatiguing. Like, no joke my thumb is usually resting on the rim of the stick when pushing it forward rather than resting in the center of it. I'd rather bend my thumb back a bit and have comfy control than have to stretch for stuff and put indents in my thumb.

 

People with big hands don't have this problem, that's why I'm not parading around pretending my opinions are everyone else's facts.

Git Gud.

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