Steam Controller shows signs of life, as leaker suggests that Valve has received its "first large quantity" shipments

Submitted ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz⁩ to ⁨steamdeck@sopuli.xyz⁩

https://www.pcguide.com/news/steam-controller-shows-sign-of-life-as-leaker-suggests-that-valve-has-received-its-first-large-quantity-shipments/

Leaker here is Brad Lynch, who generally seems reliable as a leaker for Valve software and products. He was also the source for the leaked renders of the steam controller.

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commander@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
That controller is the lynchpin for making a mini PC my future home theater center. I care for it more than the steam machine

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- UnspecificGravity@piefed.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Same. Its a perfect device for running an HTPC / living room gaming device. Im planning navigate through streaming options, kodi, steam remote play, moonlight, and a bunch of emulators all with the same controller.
  
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- ZeroPoke@fedia.io ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I hear yeah, I want that Controller, its everything I asked for after using the Deck plus more. My Steam Account is preloaded with Money cause I remember when the Steam Deck went pre order the payment processing couldnt keep up. Frame is interesting. But probably way to expensive for the little interest I have.
  
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  - nullify3112@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Oh thank you for the heads up! I might add money myself for this.
    
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- IAmYouButYouDontKnowYet@reddthat.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I know you didn’t ask but i recommend looking into a rii mini keyboard with trackpad as well.
  
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  - LucidNightmare@anarchist.nexus ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Got the Rii 4 recently to use with my Steam Deck since I got tired of my Roku I bought 6 years ago sending (and getting blocked by my PiHole/router combo) that I unplugged it and threw it into a drawer. Excellent little piece of kit!
    
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- Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Look up the Logitech k400. All my home theaters have computers and they all have that keyboard hahaha
  
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  - rants_unnecessarily@piefed.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Same! It’s perfection.
    
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- makyo@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Me too, I have my home theater set already and this would be the icing on the
  
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sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I guess worth noting for Steam newbies:

The trackpads can be configured to act as basically any possible kind of input.

You can break them down into 4 way buttons, 8 way buttons, 2 buttons, one button… make them work as a joystick, or as a mouse… they click in a bit at multiple points…

So, if you prefer a different kind of thumbstick orientation, you can basically emulate it.

Literally all of the buttons on one of these things can be reconfigured to do a whole bunch of crazy shit, you can make macros, you can make it so that a little hud popup with scrollable selectable options pop up, you can make combos of key presses do different specific inputs, you can make a turbo function… etc.

Anything you run through Steam can be made to work this way with the Steam Input system they invented for with the Steam Deck, the Steam Controller 2.0 is basically a shrunk down Steam Deck without the PC and screen.

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- rob_t_firefly@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  If they’re the same track pads as on the Steam Deck they don’t actually physically click in anywhere, but they have really good pressure sensitivity and can be configured to deliver a haptic feedback “click” back to your thumb when you press hard enough. It feels just like clicking a physical button, but it’s all a clever electronic illusion.
  
  To test this on a Deck, try clicking with the unit switched off and keep trying as you hit the power button and it starts up.
  
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  - eugenevdebs@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    
    To test this on a Deck, try clicking with the unit switched off and keep trying as you hit the power button and it starts up.
    
    I genuinely thought my Deck had a defect when the trackpads didn’t click when it was asleep. Like I had somehow ruined the trackpads.
    
    The haptic feedback is so god damn good, it fooled me.
    
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  - sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Ah, you’re correct!
    
    It quite litetally fooled me, but you are right.
    
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  - Nalivai@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    The first generation of controllers clicks. Or at least it simulates clicking so much I don’t realise it isn’t, but I’m pretty sure it does
    
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- Dalvoron@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I really like how rotating the camera works on the track pad - the right track pad works as a right joystick, but crucially has momentum. So I could do a quick swipe on the pad and the camera would continue moving for a moment after. It also allows fine speed control by changing how quickly I swipe. Once I got used to it, I could make very quick and accurate orientation changes. Much better than joystick imo where you have to hold it down, using up your thumb for a second or two while you turn. As a bonus, the track pad also could be used as buttons so your thumb is already in position to get mashing again.
  
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- cheat700000007@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  And the haptics feel fantastic
  
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  - sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I think they actually use a setup of basically … something like minature subwoofers, but I’m not 100% sure of that.
    
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- bestboyfriendintheworld@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I don’t like fiddling with configuring a controller. On consoles it typically just works.
  
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  - mholiv@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    You’re allowed to not fiddle with it.
    
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  - okamiueru@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    There is a system for official or community configurations, on a per game basis. Being able to customize that further, and easily, is the best of all words, and I very often wish one could do something similar on consoles.
    
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  - Boost@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    The standard layout “just works” 99% of the time, the exact same as a console controller layout. All the fancy stuff is there if you want it, but very rarely required.
    
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58008@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Will pay a frankly humiliating amount of money to get one of these ASAP. My OG Steam Controller (my second, in fact) is on death’s door.

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- ZeroPoke@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I hear you. I preloaded my Steam with 150cad. During the steam deck pre order the hold up when the website worked was payment processors.
  
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  - ericwdhs@discuss.online ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Thanks for the reminder. I don’t think I encountered payment issues with the Deck (I used a credit card and was early enough to be in one of the April 2022 waves), but better safe than sorry.
    
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- wewbull@feddit.uk ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Fortunately it doesn’t contain RAM or flash storage or a GPU, so you may not need to go to humiliation levels of money.
  
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- addie@feddit.uk ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I broke my first steam controller, and an old xbox controller, beating the final boss of Sekiro. My replacement is more-or-less a shelf ornament at the moment due to its irreplaceable nature. That old man’s got a lot to answer for.
  
  I will also be at the front of the queue for this. Hesitation is defeat, after all.
  
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mcforest@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
After getting the Steam Deck 2 months ago and playing quite some time with it I used my Xbox One controller this weekend for this first time since it couple of months.

It felt weird. Just because the ergonomics of the Steam Deck are actually pretty good.

I thought about getting the Steam Controller (once it’s released). But I am still no fan of both sticks being in such a low position. The thing I really like about the Steam Deck is the fact, that all primary inputs (sticks, face buttons and d-pad) are positioned at the same height.

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- ericwdhs@discuss.online ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I don’t think the positioning will feel too different from the Deck honestly. Your hands are going to be closer together holding the controller and thus rotated more inward. It looks like Valve rotated the grips and stick/button/trackpad triangles to match this angle, hence the lower sticks and tilted trackpads. The ergonomics on the Deck, original Steam Controller, Index controllers, and Index headset have all been great, so I trust them here.
  
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cenariodantesco@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
this is the only controller than will retire my alpakka 1

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- cobalt32@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  this is the only controller that might retire my wavebird
  
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- mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I wish the alpakka 2’s kickstarted had exceeded. That would have been sweet
  
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PalmTreeIsBestTree@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
This is the only new valve hardware I am interested in. I love the steam deck track pads, so having them on a controller will be awesome.

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NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I want this controller, but I am so annoyed that no controller on the planet comes with separated directional buttons for the D-Pad. Accidental diagonal input is the bane of my existence. The Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons have separate buttons and I freaking love it! But the ONLY reason they did that is to allow them to serve as ABXY when held sideways. No “real” controller does this.

The only option I’ve found to achieve this is to get a PlayStation controller (PS4 or PS5), and mod it with a kit that separates the buttons under the faceplate. But the extra features of the Steam Controller sound too good to sacrifice just for that.

The only D-Pad I’ve ever actually liked is the 3DS (XL), because it’s so clicky and never caused accidental diagonal input. Seriously, how do people accept this crap?

So yeah, I really hope the D-Pad on this is clicky. I’ll probably be buying it either way.

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- mcforest@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  In some use cases the 4 buttons instead of the D pad on the Joy Cons are amazing. As you say, you have no false diagonals. I really like them in Tetris for example.
  
  But in 2D platformers or metroidvanias like Mario or Hollow Knight? Literally unplayable.
  
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  - NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I don’t know what you mean, Hollow Knight is unplayable with accidental diagonals. Try attacking in mid-air while moving left, but then oops! Instead of an attack to your left, you do a pogo or an upwards attack. You miss your target, and you die.
    
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- any1th3r3@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Xbox Series controller dpad is very clicky and well defined, so accidental diagonal inputs aren’t a concern with that one.
  There’s likely a number of other similar clicky dpads on the market nowadays, it’s been popularised again with quite a few retro handhelds.
  
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- Xenny@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  8bitdo d-pad is very clicky and defined
  
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- AceFuzzLord@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I only accept it because I have become used to it.
  
  Otherwise, I do tend to agree with you for the pretty rare time I need to not go accidental diagonal.
  
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- Boost@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  luckily the steam controller is very configurable. All the buttons can be remapped, with layers, for basically anything you could imagine. I have an OG steam controller that I use to play helldivers 2. The OG steam controller does not have a D pad at all, and D pad input is very important in that game. Normally you hold LB and then use the D pad to input stuff. So for the steam controller, I added a layer where when holding LB (and only when holding LB) the ABXY buttons become a D pad. So it’s ABXY or a D pad depending on the context and proper layers mean I don’t even have to think about it. I’m sure if the D pad on this one isn’t clicky enough, you could do something like that.
  
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  - NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    It’s an interesting thought, but no amount of software is going to conjure up new physical buttons. You pretty much always need to use the ABXY buttons at the same time as the D-pad, so this remapping trick wouldn’t be possible.
    
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- sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I mean, arguably… it isn’t a D Pad if its actually seperate buttons.
  
  But anyway, with the Steam Deck, which the Steam Controller 2.0 is basically a scaled down version of, that doesn’t have the whole computer and screen… you can at least get after market uh… contact boards?
  
  I’m not sure of the term, but like the internal platter board thing, that the dpad/abxy buttons actually physically connect to, with the trigger/switch mechanisms.
  
  For my deck, I got a kit that replaces the original ones with ones that are much ‘clickier’, like a mechanical keyboard as compared to a membrane keyboard.
  
  It has more tactile and also audio feedback, beyond just being more responsive… that was like $30 bucks or something?
  
  For a while, it was the case that to do this kind of mod, you’d have to do your own solder, but I waited and eventually somebody in China somewhere started making ones that are pre-soldered, and just require an appropriate screw driver and some dexterity to install.
  
  So… if the Steam Controller takes off, I’d say give it 6 months, and by then something similar will probably exist for it.
  
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  - NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    That’s a good idea actually!
    
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paraphrand@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I have a bunch of nice controllers that all work on my gaming PC and Macs, etc.

But I’ll probally buy one of these too. I feel like it’s compulsory in a weird nagging way.

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TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Oh snap it’s got the Playstation joystick config… I kinda want this to replace my dying DS4 I’ve repaired a few times now. I wonder how easy it’ll be to reach over those pads and touch the sticks

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- couldhavebeenyou@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  
  to reach over those pads and touch the sticks
  
  Plz stop
  
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  - TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Huh???
    
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Skepticpunk@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I have a setup with my Dualsense Edge (and Steam Deck) for FPS games where I use flick stick and gyro to aim, and swipe on the touchpad to switch weapons. It works disgustingly well. I play FPS games on controller now.

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- Kolanaki@pawb.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I’m too twitchy for gyro aim to be better than just using the sticks. My crosshair would just be jiggling all over 😔
  
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- RedRibbonArmy@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Gross!
  
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Snoopey@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Gimme gimme gimme

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tomkatt@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Hell yes.

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doingthestuff@lemy.lol ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I have a first gen but I’m not really a fan. My one non-gamer kid likes it though.

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- Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  The issue with the first one is that it loses basic controller functionality for the touchpads. Many games that come with controller support don’t work well on it without adjusting the controls.
  
  The new steam controller should be fully functional as a standard controller, while having a lot more capabilities when the user can use them.
  
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  - rotopenguin@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    The trackpads on the deck are nice, it’s a great substitute for a mouse when you don’t have a mouse. But that’s all they are. Not a single game* has done anything to show off any greater potential. Binding ten keyboard keys into a dodgy ring menu is not a pleasant interface. I have never once wanted to use a trackpad as a redundant joystick input. I would like to freely pan around with one pad and point with the other - imagine that in a puzzle box game. Nothing can do this, the closest to an independent view control i’ve found is “bind mouse wheel up/down buttons to vertical swipes”.
    
    Heck, I would like a water filled toy game where you just press the pads to squirt rings upwards, and it feels just a little bit haptically squooshy. Nobody has done even that much to make a game feel truly at home on the Deck with the deck’s controls.
    
    The new controller looks nice, but I don’t see any reason for it to replace the lowest-common-denominator xbox style controller. Especially when there are some really good xbox clones with magnetic sticks being sold for super cheap.
    
    *okay, there’s Aperture Desk Job. That hardly adds up to a game, it’s basically the manual that comes with the Deck controller. I’ve spent more time playing the PC Jr’s bios tutorial.
    
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- cheat700000007@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Try out a steam deck if you get a chance. The haptics are fantastic and makes using a mouse with your thumb feel very natural
  
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thingsiplay@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I’m waiting years for this, even longer than the Steam Deck exists! I think that I buy it twice, one to use it and the second one unpacked as a collectors item (plus as a backup). :-)

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verdi@tarte.nuage-libre.fr ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Inject it straight to my htpc!

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InvalidName2@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Yay. My Playstation controller is at the point where it needs to be replaced. It’s got both battery capacity issues and charging issues. I’m hoping that the Steam controller lasts longer than the PS4 Pro controller b/c for the price that Sony charges, I’d expect those to last longer than mine has, especially given how little time I spend playing / using it.

I’ve been looking forward to the Steam controller. I was starting to think I should give up and just go get another PS controller.

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- Badargel@thelemmy.club ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Didn’t the PS4 Pro controller come out 10 years ago?
  
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  - verdi@tarte.nuage-libre.fr ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Wondering the same thing. Probably a battery replacement would ail their woes.
    
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  - InvalidName2@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I’m not sure when they came out. Why would it matter, though?
    
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madjo@mstdn.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
@Fubarberry I want one!
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mrmaplebar@fedia.io ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I want

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KiwiTB@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Just a note, as someone who owns a Stream controller ignore the sticks, it’s the pads you should be using.

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