Valve reveals Steam Controller with touch-screen, haptic feedback

http://www.gamespot.com/news/valve-reveals-steam-controller-with-touch-screen-haptic-feedback-6415065

Portal and Half-Life studio Valve today announcedthe Steam Controller, which features a touch-screen and haptic feedback.

"We set out with a singular goal: bring the Steam experience, in its entirety, into the living-room. We knew how to build the user interface, we knew how to build a machine, and even an operating system. But that still left input--our biggest missing link," Valve said. "We realized early on that our goals required a new kind of input technology--one that could bridge the gap from the desk to the living room without compromises. So we spent a year experimenting with new approaches to input and we now believe we've arrived at something worth sharing and testing with you."

According to Valve, the Steam Controller will work with all past, present, and future games on Steam, including those that were not built with controller support. Valve can achieve this by "fooling" the older games into thinking they are being played with mouse and keyboard.

In explaining its design philosophy for the Steam Controller, Valve said traditional gamepads "force us to accept compromises.

"The Steam controller offers a new and, we believe, vastly superior control scheme, all while enabling you to play from the comfort of your sofa," Valve said. "Built with high-precision input technologies and focused on low-latency performance, the Steam controller is just what the living-room ordered."

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Looks potentially revolutionary, tho fighting games might not work that well with it....

Hope it works well, nothing has changed much since the PS1 controller, this could be the biggest leap forward, or just be forgotten in a year.

The design is cool as hell looking. However, most games support the xbox360 pad atm.

The design is cool as hell looking. However, most games support the xbox360 pad atm.

uninspiredcup

[QUOTE="uninspiredcup"]

The design is cool as hell looking. However, most games support the xbox360 pad atm.

kraken2109

Games built with Xbox360 pad in mind.

It all comes down to the touchpads, it could be horrible or great. Either way, it's good to see something different and I'm looking forwad to trying it.

looks like a subwoofer lol

Looks pretty interesting. I don't understand the hate it gets since you can't possibly know how it feels yet. Better to have something new rather than a 360 clone IMO. It's not like Valve is going to force anyone to use it instead of M/K or a regular pad...

Of course I'll reserve my final judgement until I actually use one though.

Looks like a boombox.

Callin it the Boompad.

I doubt this controller will be cheap.

I'd be willing to try it. It seems like it might be very natural to just slide your fingers around and use the tingle you feel from friction to guide the movements.

Seems like Valve is trying to make the living room PCs super powered consoles.

I doubt this controller will be cheap.

pelvist

[QUOTE="pelvist"]

I doubt this controller will be cheap.

kraken2109

ROFL, yeah that would be nice. Id probably end up just using this as a remote for media PC but 75% off would be nice.

Seems like Valve is trying to make the living room PCs overpriced consoles.

mhofever

[QUOTE="mhofever"]

Seems like Valve is trying to make the living room PCs overpriced consoles.

SKaREO

Meh,  as far as pc game contols go, I'm in the "don't fix what ain't broke" crowd with mouse and keyboard.  This new controller is only about making pc gaming possible from "the comfort of your living room sofa."   This excellent gaming wireless keyboard and mouse I have been using from my sofa for years just must have all been my imagination.

PC gamers have always prided themselves as having the superior game controlling with Kb/m.  Now Valve is looking to diminish that and blur the lines between pc and console controllers.  Yes, I know kb/m will still be possible with Steam machine, but that's not what Valve is pushing for.  So expect future Valve games to be less kb/m friendly (assuming Valve still makes games . . .).

I don't get it's purpose either... every controller works for every game with Xpadder and similar.

I doubt this controller will be cheap.

pelvist

I need to know what makes this better than an Xbox One controller.  I'll have a keyboard & mouse, Xbox 360 controller and Xbox One controller.  Valve needs to prove to me why I need this peripheral as well.

I need to know what makes this better than an Xbox One controller.  I'll have a keyboard & mouse, Xbox 360 controller and Xbox One controller.  Valve needs to prove to me why I need this peripheral as well.

realguitarhero5