Steam Controller ditches the touchscreen for better backwards compatibility

[AlexGoesHigh]

http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/15/5312452/steam-controller-ditches-the-touchscreen-for-better-backwards

 

 

The Steam Controller is going to change. According to two game developers tweeting from Valve's Steam Dev Days developer summit, Valve has decided to remove the controller's central touchscreen. While it sounds like the gamepad's twin trackpads will remain intact, the touchscreen was deemed redundant and possibly even distracting from games, as Valve wants players looking at the television instead of their hands. That doesn't mean there won't be customizable controls in the center of the gamepad, though. Players will simply use a feature that Valve's calling "ghost mode."

 

In addition to removing the touchpad, attendees are tweeting that Valve will be moving the existing A-B-X-Y buttons on the controller into a diamond shape to offer better backwards compatibility with other game controllers, likely the Xbox 360 gamepad which many PC game titles have adopted in recent years. Presumably, the new controller will place a third touchpad inside that diamond for ghost mode functionality. The controller will reportedly take standard AA batteries.

 

Steam Machines should support up to 16 controllers at a time with the new Steam Controller API, according to tweets from numerous attendees.

 

 

wow that a really drastic change, now i wonder how the center of the controller is gonna look like? also that ghost mode seems interesting

[kuddlesworth9419]

It's nice to know that Valve is listening to us even if they are not responding. It's a bit like a father in some ways a really tough one that never talks to it's sons and daughters but is ultimately as good as a company can be to it's consumers/kin.

[Bluejay0]

Great to see Valve listening to feedback.

[Vitalius]

I imagine it looking like this in the center now:

_._._.^
_._.<_>
_._._V

With the >'s being the buttons and the _ in the center being the touchpad thingie. The rest of it is for formatting stuff.

[Scionyde]

Yeah, I don't mind losing the touchscreen; the thought of trying to access it while gaming seemed a tad unwieldy.

 

And hey, if that makes it cheaper, that'd be great too! I won't buy a steambox, but I'll probably buy the controller if the price is right.

[EChondo]

AA batteries? Why can't we just have a rechargeable pack or something?

Or can I just use the controller with a USB cable plugged in?

[Bluejay0]

AA batteries? Why can't we just have a rechargeable pack or something?

Or can I just use the controller with a USB cable plugged in?

 

It uses AA? Ach! I would hope for maybe a USB3.0 charger since it can output quite a wattage!

[EChondo]

It uses AA? Ach! I would hope for maybe a USB3.0 charger since it can output quite a wattage!

Well in the article it says it "reportedly" uses AA batteries. Personally I haven't bought batteries in years and I don't plan to for a long time, so if the Steam Controller does allow USB data and connectivity then I'm set.

It's more of a hindrance really, an annoyance. If I could plug in a USB 3.0 cable like you said and don't have to deal with batteries then it's an instant buy from me.

[MzCatieB]

holly mother of all that is awesome... they listened 

[TheMissxu]

16 controllers seems pointless if a game doesn't support splitscreen (or separate monitor) multiplayer.

[NInety]

[Vitalius]

16 controllers seems pointless if a game doesn't support splitscreen (or separate monitor) multiplayer.

... *hinting at future developments in gaming*

But seriously. Why don't most PC games have a splitscreen option? A few do, but it's sooo rare.

[JcGross]

It's a shame that they remove the touchpad, it was probably the most interesting feature of the gamepad allowing for possibly much better menu handling and inventory management, maybe even allow for some neat features in strategy games.

[GoodBytes]

B.S excuse if you tell me. If the game is not compatible, just show the Steam logo or something, like on the picture.

It probably went over patents which Valve didn't want to pay (Nintendo?!), or they wanted to make the controller cheaper, as it would reach the cost of WiiU GamePad (estimated: 150$+), or more if it's a capacitive high resolution screen, and that would translate in selling it at cost, and already be a hard sell at over 100$. So no screen, means no wireless streaming system to power the screen, and that means a cheaper controller they can sell at 60$, and make large profit on.

[beebskadoo]

B.S excuse if you tell me. If the game is not compatible, just show the Steam logo or something, like on the picture.

It probably went over patents which Valve didn't want to pay (Nintendo?!), or they wanted to make the controller cheaper, as it would reach the cost of WiiU GamePad (estimated: 150$+), or more if it's a capacitive high resolution screen, and that would translate in selling it at cost, and already be a hard sell at over 100$. So no screen, means no wireless streaming system to power the screen, and that means a cheaper controller they can sell at 60$, and make large profit on.

or probably what happened, it was a gimmick concept that was not popular much like the Wii-U gamepad. so win win, it's cheaper and it's not stupid...

[GoodBytes]

or probably what happened, it was a gimmick concept that was not popular much like the Wii-U gamepad. so win win, it's cheaper and it's not stupid...

The WiiU screen is not a gimmick at all. It's well integrated in games, and makes gaming better experience. Every single reviewer agrees on that.

And off TV play ability is what made Nvidia make the Shield, and you have these hack Android solutions.

I see no gimmick.

A gimmick is the Playstation Eye, or Move.. or Nintendo's ROB, or Kinect on the 360, where you have an accessories, overly hyped, but really has 2-3 games for it, and they are like at most 1h of fun total, and it starts collecting dust, and the experience is meh or frustrating at best. That is what a gimmick is.

[beebskadoo]

The WiiU screen is not a gimmick at all. It's well integrated in games, and makes gaming better. I know, because I have received one and played it. I was seriously pleasantly surprised... made me go out and run and bough all the game for it.. I am poor now. But so much fun.

I really didn't like the experience honestly, I sort of found it disjointed and jarring. even the wii mote is a pain in the ass for me. my tv has an IR remote with motion tracking and stuff and it drives me insane!

 

but that's me

sorry you're poor *hugs

[MbV93]

That's good, the buttons positioning made this controller unusable. it's nice that they're putting them where they belong.

[wizpig64]

It uses AA? Ach! I would hope for maybe a USB3.0 charger since it can output quite a wattage!

AA batteries are a positive for me. My eneloops have had a much longer lifespan than microsoft's battery packs, and they're much cheaper. That, and the ability to swap them out rather than having to plug in (see: ps3/4) is nice.

[Bluejay0]

AA batteries are a positive for me. My eneloops have had a much longer lifespan than microsoft's battery packs, and they're much cheaper. That, and the ability to swap them out rather than having to plug in (see: ps3/4) is nice.

 

True. Or have seperate battery packs which are USB rechargeable.

[ionbasa]

Well in the article it says it "reportedly" uses AA batteries. Personally I haven't bought batteries in years and I don't plan to for a long time, so if the Steam Controller does allow USB data and connectivity then I'm set.

It's more of a hindrance really, an annoyance. If I could plug in a USB 3.0 cable like you said and don't have to deal with batteries then it's an instant buy from me.

What if they include rechargeable AA batteries. Then you get the best of both worlds. The ability to plug it in using USB to charge, or for a wired connection, and AA batteries for when you are on your couch playing a game with a few buddies.

 

I'm glad they didn't go with a proprietary battery pack. Think about it, rechargeable AA are better than something more expensive, like a flat pack Li-ION batteries.

[mvitkun]

Well in the article it says it "reportedly" uses AA batteries. Personally I haven't bought batteries in years and I don't plan to for a long time, so if the Steam Controller does allow USB data and connectivity then I'm set.

It's more of a hindrance really, an annoyance. If I could plug in a USB 3.0 cable like you said and don't have to deal with batteries then it's an instant buy from me.

Most likely the USB 3.0 hub can't power it because it's wireless,and the farthest we've come in wireless charging of any device is wireless charging mats,where you place the device on top of an object and it charges.

Had the controller been wired,which would be a pretty bad choice since most people prefer wireless ,it would have been able to make use of the USB 3.0 provided power.

 

If only Linus' patent pending idea about an entire house being a wireless charging station had taken off.

[Guest]

i thought the touch screen in the middle was a great idea it had loads of uses like the razer blade keyboard which has those cool buttons and stuff

[gameworm]

An image with the modifications just surfaced.

 

 

This really doesn't appeal to me anymore. Now it looks like a Wii U pro controller with touchpads instead of thumbsticks and an inferior d-pad.

[TopWargamer]

Wonder how the controller will look now...

 

Either way, I won't be picking up a Steam controller. I believed, and still do believe, that it is the most retarded controller design that I have ever seen. I will use keyboard and mouse unless playing a racing or fighting game, in which case I'll just use my Xbox 360 controller, which would work better than the Steam controller because of physical analog sticks.