In recent years, Valve has decided to expand its scope of activity by adding a little real to its virtual content: the concept of the Steam Machine gaming computer, the HTC Vive virtual reality glasses, the Steam Link streaming set-top box and, finally, the controller for PC games Steam Controller, around the second a certain excitement. Still, it’s not every day that a software giant decides to release its own gamepad, ignoring established standards.
Design and equipment
On its way to the mass consumer, the Steam Controller underwent several iterations, among which there were even concepts with a touch screen, which they later decided to abandon. However, the basic ergonomics laid down in the first concepts have undergone minimal changes. The controller is made of pleasant-to-touch matte plastic with small glossy inserts on the body; it fits well in the hand, and the massive handles accurately follow the contours of the palms and do not strain your hands during hours of gaming.
The controller delivery package is unlikely to please the buyer with a large number of accessories. Nevertheless, it has everything you need for comfortable use: a fairly long cable (1.5 m), a pair of batteries, a USB dongle and an additional adapter so that it can be placed in the line of sight of the gamepad to eliminate delays.
Connection
For the first connection and setup, the gamepad must be connected via cable or over the air to the computer (of course, there is support for Steam Machines and Steam Link). Additionally, you will need to download the Steam client, and in the future all manipulations to configure the controller will be carried out in this program.
Exterior and new features
The most interesting thing about a controller is the location of its controls and how gamers interact with them. Steam Controller brings that long-forgotten feeling of something new. Designers of modern gamepads follow the beaten path and only timidly make minor changes to their shape: Sony controllers now have a touch panel and additional sensors, the Xbox One gamepad has an Elite version with the ability to connect additional petals, and the Mad Catz company creates incredible futuristic shapes for your controllers. However, the controls themselves remain unchanged and are located in their usual places.
Valve decided to destroy this approach and abandon the usual. Now on the front side of the gamepad, where players usually find the D-pad/stick under their thumbs on the left side and the XYAB button block on the right, there are two large touch panels or trackpads. They have feedback implemented using two drives located on both sides of the controller. The vibration of trackpads creates a slight “crackling” sensation, like running your finger over a rough surface.
The power of customization
For each game using Steam, you can customize absolutely any control element, including touch panels. Despite the presence of an additional physical stick on the device, they can be configured to emulate the behavior of sticks or used like a mouse. In this case, the movement of the camera in the game will accurately track the position of the finger on the touchpad. Or, by turning on kinetic scrolling, the camera will continue to rotate for a while, emulating the operation of a virtual trackball.
On the left panel of the gamepad there is a stamping that resembles the usual D-pad. And here lies another feature of trackpads - they can simultaneously act as additional keys. Software can divide the circle into sectors, which can be responsible for pressing certain keys. Moreover, both regular clicks and touches are recognized. And lastly: the panels can be divided into inner and outer rings, where in the inner one, for example, the camera will be controlled, and in the outer one, keys will be pressed.
Shooter fans know that achieving accurate crosshair behavior in a game on a gamepad is not so easy, and that's why Valve decided not to limit itself to touchpads, equipping its controller with an additional set of sensors. Thanks to the use of an accelerometer and a gyroscope, aiming accuracy in shooters has increased significantly. You can activate the sensors so that they work all the time or only when you press a specific button. The touch panel can also act as such an activator.
If precise guidance is needed only at certain moments, triggers come to the rescue, which on the Steam Controller have two levels of pressure - a smooth release of the trigger to an acceptable threshold, and then another additional key. This innovation can find its application in games of other genres, for example, in arcade car simulators - when pressing smoothly is the usual gas, and pushing it to the end activates the acceleration mode.
The rest of the controls are in their usual places. In the center is a large round backlit Steam button, the behavior of which can be customized. It is responsible for switching to Big Picture mode, calling up additional menus and signaling low battery charge. To the left and right of the Steam button are the usual Start/Select keys. At the bottom of the controller there is a block of XYAB buttons on the right side. At the back of the controller there are additional paddles that have a soft move. They form one whole with a lid, behind which the battery compartment is hidden.
At first glance, it may seem that it would be easier for a simple user to buy a regular controller for a PC and not delve into the jungle of settings. Realizing this, Valve came to the realization of an idea that had previously only been found in the arsenal of gaming mice and was not used everywhere. We are talking about supporting game profiles.
For each game, you can set up several profiles and save them in the device memory. If the game developers do not provide support for Steam Controller, the Steam gaming community comes to the rescue, where thousands of profiles have already been created for each game, including third-party ones, which you can download and use with the click of one button. They are all sorted by popularity and, as a rule, several tests are enough to understand which one is more suitable. Also, no one bothers you to change the downloaded profile for yourself or reassign the control keys.
Battery
Finally, it’s worth mentioning energy efficiency. Two AA batteries, according to the manufacturer, should be enough for 80 hours of play. And this is true - the controller showed itself to be a great performer during testing, providing dozens of hours of play without interruption, and all its functions were used to the maximum.
Instead of a conclusion
Along with new technologies, Valve gives players new sensations that require some time and effort to master at the initial stage. But then the Steam Controller can be used in a Windows environment instead of a keyboard and mouse.
A reference article based on the author's expertise.
As you know, bringing gameplay from a computer to a TV screen is a pretty old idea.
Nvidia was one of the first to join this process, offering its own software with which you could use the power of your personal computer.
This kit had quite a few disadvantages, one of which was the need for constant software updates.
Otherwise, it was impossible to achieve correct operation of the device. In addition, the computer used in this connection had to be kept on constantly.
Soon after, Valve entered the game, which had vast experience in licensing games and creating specialized software.
This is how they were born SteamLink andSteamController, which will be discussed in our article.
Steam Link Device Review
This device is designed to allow the user to enjoy games from their Steam library while sitting in a chair or on a sofa.
To do this, he will only need to connect the Steam Link to his TV and.
The positive aspect is the absence of any cables, as well as the need to install your computer closer to the TV.
The device is supplied for sale in a blue-black cardboard box, which contains the necessary information.
The packaging even includes a diagram for connecting to the TV using.
Inside the package is the device itself, which, although small in size, is quite heavy.
Paper documentation in which you can familiarize yourself with the technical side of connecting the device. Unfortunately, all the instructions are written in English, so you will have to tinker with it.
In the main box there is another one, which contains a whole collection of adapters for various sockets.
This is very convenient, since when you are in another country, you do not have to look for specific adapters to turn on the power supply.
The second part of this box contains an external power supply with a cable, a flat power cord that can be conveniently placed along the wall, and an HDMI cable.
The underside of the Steam Link is coated with a special rubberized paint, preventing slipping on the table surface.
The top side contains only the Valve company logo.
On the side panel of the device There is a USB input, on the front there are two more USB inputs, a LAN connector, HDMI and a socket for connecting a power supply.
Steam Link no longer has any elements.
According to the developers, this device supports various input device controllers, which include .
Steam Link Specifications
This device supports a resolution of 1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 60 frames per second.
There is also support for various types of network connections - wired and wireless. The wired connection can be up to 100 Mbps, and the wireless connection is MIMO (802.11 ac 2×2).
There is built-in support for the Steam wireless controller.
It should also be noted that the device in question also supports controllers for all kinds of input devices.
These include the following:
- Steam;
- wireless Xbox 360 for Windows;
- wired Xbox 360 and Xbox One;
- wireless Logitech F710;
- computer keyboard;
- mouse.
If you think about it, there is nothing special about the characteristics of the device.. However, everything works very well and without any glitches.
The HDMI output that the device is equipped with is version 1.4, which means that you won’t be able to get a resolution higher than 1920 by 1080 pixels from it. And the refresh rate of 60 Hz is the maximum.
This can be attributed to the disadvantages of the model, since its owner will not be able to use advanced ones.
One thing is reassuring that not everyone can afford to buy such a TV.
Connecting the device
At the initial stage, the user must determine for himself the most suitable type of connection - wireless or wired, and then begin to implement it.
During the installation process, Streamer will automatically update the software and require a reboot.
After this, you need to proceed to more precise settings, which determine the display of the picture on the TV screen.
If you miss any of them, don't worry - they will always be available in the Steam Link settings menu.
In order to complete the connection process, the system will ask you to enter a PIN code.
After all settings are completed, a standard menu will appear on the screen, which contains the following elements:
- browser;
- shop;
- library;
- community;
If you select the library, you will see the games that your friends are playing, as well as the games that you are playing.
In addition, the system will advise what else you can play.
Selecting menu items and launching games is done using the mouse or game pad.
All actions are performed very quickly - without any delays, which indicates the high quality of both the device itself and its software.
There are no even minor slowdowns in games, and the picture displayed on the screen is simply of the highest quality.
After playing once using Steam Link, you realize that there is no need to purchase .
Advantages and Disadvantages of Steam Link
In addition, there is support for various input devices, such as a keyboard with a mouse and all kinds of .
The advantages include the ability to work in both wired and wireless modes.
If you connect the network cable directly to the device, an ideal picture is broadcast on the TV screen.
The disadvantages include the fact that it does not always go into sleep mode on its own.
Frequent loss of connection with third-party gamepads (in particular with).
Steam Controller Review
This gamepad is also the brainchild of Valve.
During the development process, it changed its appearance several times, since engineers and technicians were faced with a difficult task - to make a device with which it would be comfortable.
The result of the development was supposed to be a device that combines the technical capabilities of a computer keyboard and mouse.
Game controller contents
The Steam Controller has packaging identical in shape and color to the Steam Link.
Inside the black box there is the device itself, two AA batteries, a USB radio module, a USB extension cable, a special device for connecting the radio module and the wire, as well as paper documentation.
One of the available books contains information on a quick start, however, only in English, which absolutely does not interfere with figuring out how to connect the device on your own.
The existing batteries are enough for a couple of weeks of moderate work. If you want to use this device quite intensively, you will have to think about replacing the batteries with rechargeable batteries.
Appearance
The end result is a pretty impressive device that supports wireless operation and is powered by two AA batteries.
This device contains quite familiar components - buttons with letter designations like , a stick and start and return keys - Start and Back.
In addition, the device has a Home button that glows when the gamepad is turned on; however, the most unusual thing about the entire device is the two touch panels.
Button layout
The upper part of the case contains four operating keys (two on each side) and a micro-USB connector. It is used to connect the device to a computer.
In addition, there are a couple more buttons in the form of petals on the back.
This device has rather unusual ergonomics, and the controls are very different from the F710 or .
Therefore, you will have to spend some time to get comfortable and get used to the Steam Controller.
Due to the fact that this device has only one stick, the camera selection (from first or third person) in games is carried out using the right touch panel.
What can we say about the convenience of this control method - not very much.
The controls in adventure games are quite convenient, since all the main actions in most of them are performed with the YAXB buttons. For greater optimization, you can use community presets.
In most cases, custom presets have nothing in common with traditional layouts, but they allow you to truly enjoy the gameplay, and you get used to them quite quickly.
- The advantages, first of all, include the accuracy of this device, however, in order to achieve this, you need to get a little familiar with the technique of use. But with sufficient skills, you can very quickly aim at the enemy.
- Another positive quality is the ability to completely replace a computer mouse. This property puts the gamepad in a more advantageous position over other controllers.
- The presence of sensors with active zones, as well as the complete customizability of all elements of the device, cannot be ignored.
- The review of advantages can be completed by the presence of various custom presets for games, a catalog of which is available to every owner of a Valve controller.
- The disadvantages include the lack of auto-mapping, with the help of which the necessary drivers are automatically detected and installed - at the time of connection to the computer.
- Another drawback is the presence of a tactile pad located on the right side of the device. This site is similar. For normal fingers of an adult man this is too small and uncomfortable.
- This also includes the rather slippery plastic from which the case is made, as well as the fact that when interacting with the controller, the palms begin to become moist.
Conclusion
If you want to watch videos, listen to music and play games from the comfort of your chair or couch, Steam Link is exactly the device you need.
Using it, you do not have to purchase a large length or install the computer near the TV itself.
During the tests, it was found that the device works great, so there should be no complaints from users.
However, the Big Picture mode requires some improvement, and if Valve corrects this flaw, Steam Link will become an ideal alternative to existing game consoles.
The only exceptions may be those games that require a mouse and keyboard. However, such projects are quite rare. therefore they do not count.
It’s quite nice that the device in question can support various gamepads and additional gaming devices (pedals, steering wheels, microphone, headphones, all kinds of joysticks, Bluetooth adapters and much more), which are not on the official list.
True, for this you will have to fork out a little and purchase an additional utility - Virtual Here, developed by VirtualHere Pty.Ltd.
If you decide to purchase a Steam Controller, then get ready for the fact that you will have to get used to its ergonomics. The presence of two trackpads on this device will allow you to achieve control in games designed for PC.
- Price. (Exceptions are sales, including on Amazon, etc.)
- After any other gamepad, the first days of the GP are uncomfortable to hold due to a different grip from theirs. *The solution is in “Questions and Answers”.
- The first weeks of using the GP, the touchpads and shift keys (bumpers) are pressed quite loudly.
- Rare games, like MMOs with anti-cheat, UWP games that do not allow the Steam overlay to work. *running Steam as administrator and/or GloSC / IndiController will fix almost any game.
- Games from Origin are harder to get to support the GPU than from Uplay/Gog.
- After getting used to the GPU, other gamepads may cause rejection.
- The Steam client may crash occasionally.
- Bug with Cyrillic when printing outside of Big Picture. (Fixed in the update on November 8, 2017)
- The GPU on/off sound cannot be disabled.
- When using some rechargeable batteries (seen in 750 mAh batteries), the notification of imminent discharge passes very quickly, after which the GPU turns off.
- Does not fully support consoles, phones and other mobile devices. (But it works like a mouse) - After the May 2018 update, Bluetooth support was included, it is expected to be able to be used with both Apple and Android devices via the Steam Link application.
Controversial qualities
- For the GP to function fully, you must have Steam on your computer (It is recommended to use the BETA Steam client).
- Relatively light.
- Small XYAB buttons.
- The bumpers (RB\LB) on the new GPs are not so convenient to press, but you can leave the least used action there or change them to “lower grip” paddles. *over time you get used to it, and the buttons also develop, making them easier to press.
- The presence of glossy plastic. Exit => buy stickers or a cover.
- Not all recommended game settings and community layouts are adequate; sometimes you will have to adjust them.
- The vibration feedback is experimental, not the same as on regular gamepads, but better than nothing. Updated and improved in the patch dated November 4, 2016.
- After a couple of weeks of playing on the GP, you completely get used to it.
- After 2 weeks, the touchpads and shift keys are no longer so noisy.
- Dual-pressure triggers reduce unnecessary clicks. Example: various races (including Rocket League, The Crew) lightly pressing the right trigger sets acceleration, full acceleration/nitrous oxide/etc. Shooters: light press - aim, full press - shoot.
- 2 Trackpad with feedback, you can arrange up to 20 buttons (radial menu) on each trackpad. Camera/aim control is faster and more accurate than traditional gamepads.
- Many different settings, from reconfiguring keys to the strength of tactile feedback of trackpads and triggers.
- If the game has support for an X-box gamepad, then the GPU is supported by the game 100%.
- Customization of melodies on and off.
- With the included batteries, it lasted at least 115 gaming hours (80 officially stated).
- Wireless, it is possible to connect via the cable that comes with the kit. (Any working USB-micro USB cable will do)
- Can be used as a remote control for a media center (switch series in the player, surf the Internet).
- You can connect up to four GPUs to the receiver/dongle.
- Gives a really new gaming experience.
Useful tips
Steam Controller = SteamPad = GabePad = GP
Big Picture = Big Picture = BP (Launch through the gamepad icon at the top right of the Steam client or select a mode after right-clicking on the Steam icon in the tray, near the clock)
Trackpad = touchpad
Before starting the game, it is advisable to turn on the GPU.
Most problems can be solved by actions from this list:
- Enable/disable GPU.
- Reconnect the USB receiver (receiver) (This item also helps if the GPU icon is blinking (discharge signal), but you feel/know that the batteries are still sufficiently charged.)
- Restart Steam.
To make it easier to get used to the GPU, start with games with simple controls, like Sid Meier's Civilization V, Killing Floor 2, The Binding of Isaac (moving - left stick, shooting - right touchpad from touching, for convenience you can change the parameters "Press period when button emulation" and "Duration of pressing when emulating buttons" in additional touchpad settings), Jamestown, various races, platformers (Ori and the Blind Forest is an exception, there is a high probability that you will erase your fingers), etc.
In multiplayer and co-op games, it is better to enable Big Picture to avoid errors with the overlay, invitation to a group, and the closure of Steam. (After the Steam update of 11/04/16, I didn’t notice such errors, The Crew, For Honor activated in Uplay, and most games from Steam are normally detected by the pad, even without launching the Big Picture mode)
If the game has problems with button mismatches, and you have used the X360ce before with another gamepad, it is better to delete/transfer its files (X360ce) from the game folder.
Also, incorrect definition of buttons may be due to a third-party receiver/gamepad (x-box/ds/defender, etc.). (This has been fixed in the latest updates.)
MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner cause problems with the steam overlay.
Solution for Rivatuner
"Notifications" GP:
- Blinking button without turning off the GPU - The batteries will run out soon.
- The button blinks with the GP turned off - Plug the dongle (GP receiver) into the same/different USB connector, if it works - everything is fine, the batteries are not discharged. If it still turns off, the batteries are dead.
Low battery charge is also shown in the Big Picture menu.
Questions and answers about GabePad (Steam Controller FAQ)
The Steam Controller is uncomfortable to hold, what should I do?
There is no need to squeeze the GP, place it on your fingers (all but the big ones). Place your index fingers on the triggers, and your thumbs between the stick and the touchpad/between the XYAB buttons and the touchpad, then lightly grasp the handles (it is not necessary to touch your palms to the GP, try to keep your hands relaxed). After a couple of days/weeks of playing on it, the GP will no longer cause discomfort.
How to configure/select settings in the game?
First wayNecessary:
Second way
Necessary:
- Enable GPU
- launch Big Picture mode by clicking on the gamepad icon at the top right of the Steam client or by right-clicking on the Steam icon in the tray (near the clock),
- select a game from the library,
- press - settings,
- select the first "Controller Settings"
- press X - configuration,
- go to the community - other users save their configurations there,
- select a configuration and, if inconvenient, change to another/adjust to suit your needs.
Necessary:
I installed the game not from Steam, how can I get the Steam Controller to work?
If the game is free-drm or installed via Uplay, Gog, EpicGames Launcher, etc.:
In most cases, this is enough, but some games may require launching an application (Uplay, Gog, etc.) through Steam, and then launching the game from this application. In rare games where these methods do not help, you can run Steam as an administrator.
- Right click on the Steam.exe file
- Select "Run as administrator"
If the game is installed via Origin, you need to configure it.
You can also turn off "In-game screen..." in the game properties.
- Add a game to Steam through the "Add third-party game" button,
- turn on the GPU,
- select a game from the Steam library and launch it, if the notification “Steam Community. Access during the game.” appears on the right, then everything is fine, you can press the Steam button on the GPU and configure/select a template for convenience, if it does not appear, then you need to configure the controls before starting the game. (Tested on NFS:MW2013, C&C RA3Uprising, MoH, MoH:PA, SimCity, Burnout Paradise)
If the “User Account Control” window appears at startup, you will have to launch it through Glosc, the link is at the very bottom. (Verified by Jade Empire)
The saved configuration is not loaded/saved/settings cannot be opened, what should I do?
Some of this might help:
- Enable/disable GPU.
- Restart Steam.
- Switch from beta Steam to the stable client and vice versa.
Another option is that when you start Steam normally and when you start Steam as an administrator, the saved configurations may differ. (Fixed in one of the winter updates of 2017.)
How to use the ability to share configurations?
You can copy the link to the configuration by pressing "Ctrl+C" or by clicking the right button of the Steam button in the community menu. In the latest patches, we made autocopying of the link after downloading the configuration from the community.
The configuration is activated in several ways:
1. Follow the link (format steam://controllerconfig/...) via steam chat.
2. Launch through the search bar in the browser (IE/Edge work). IE can be launched via the command line by typing the word “start” into the start menu.
3. Or on the desktop through a created shortcut (can be used to quickly change several configurations):
- Right-click on an empty space on the desktop,
- create a shortcut,
- insert a link into the line,
- click next,
- launch the shortcut (preferably with the GPU enabled).
How to play fighting games on a touchpad? It’s inconvenient without arrows!
Use either the stick or the left touchpad in touch action mode + adjust dead zones for convenience. The parameters “Period of pressing when emulating buttons” and “Duration of pressing when emulating buttons” are very important.
When pressed, corner zones immediately emulate both directions, i.e. you don’t need to press first up and then to the left, you can “press” into the corner zone and the action will happen.
PS: To get used to the touchpad without pressing, I recommend Super Meat Boy, Hero Siege, story companies Mortal Kombat 9, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Mortal Kombat X (It is recommended to buy the above fighting games only at a discount, if you choose from three, then definitely MKX).
Where can I save custom icons for the touch and radial menus?
\steam\tenfoot\resource\images\library\controller\binding_iconsIcons should be in .png format, 256x256 pixels, preferably gray on a transparent background.
Rechargeable batteries
1500 mAh batteries hold the GPU charge for an average of 110-120 hours of play (a little more than a month), tested on Duracell, Energizer and Chinese batteries. If the pad is turned on all day long, it will naturally discharge faster.
When the batteries are low in Big Picture mode, the battery icon appears, and when the batteries are very low the Steam button begins to blink. It’s more difficult with batteries; they run out without a long warning blink, so it’s better to have spare batteries or a USB cable on hand.
In the controller settings, you can choose the GPU shutdown time to suit your taste, or turn it off yourself (steam button + Y or holding the steam button for five seconds).
Unfortunately, not all batteries are the same size, so to remove some you can use a thin metal pin/tack (of course, this option is suitable if pressing special buttons to remove batteries does not help) or use the following guide.
It is necessary to wrap the battery with electrical tape.
Trim off the excess so that it does not stick out beyond the petals.
When it's time to change the batteries, open it and press the latches.
You pull the electrical tape and take out the batteries.
Feelings from vibration feedback (rumble)
At the moment, vibration feedback is in an experimental state, since 2 haptic drives emulate vibration feedback, which is not similar to the usual feedback of other gamepads. The vibration feedback of the GP itself is adjustable and has several types of feedback frequencies:
- Very low - light, smooth recoil.
- Low - sharp recoil.
- Below average - a more pleasant return.
- Medium - very sharp feedback, close to the sounds of a floppy disk.
- Above average - average between pleasant and sharp feedback.
- High - the sound of a floppy disk.
- Very high - a mixture of dial-up and floppy disk sounds...
- 8-bit - pleasant beeping of haptic drives, instead of vibration.
(Test in FF14 while fishing)
List of games where vibration feedback pleasantly complements the gameplay:
Final Fantasy XIV - Very low, Below average - Feels like it when fishing.
For Honor - Very low, Below average // Low, Average - Felt when blocking attacks.
Killing Floor 2 - Very low - You can feel it when shooting.
Mad Max - Low, Medium - Feels like it when driving a car.
Paragon - Any - It is felt if a game is found.
SteamWorld Dig 2
Feelings of games with GPU
Name
Games completed / Hours played
Convenience (from 1 to 5, ★-1, ☆-0.5)
Dependency of convenience
depending on settings (from 1 to 10, the higher, the lower the dependence)
Impact of settings on gameplay
Passed
■■■■■■■■■□
Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition
Passed
■■■■■■■■■□
Passed / 20+
■■■■■■■■■□
■■■■■■■■■□
Yes, there may be an advantage
Carmageddon: Max Damage
■■■■■■■■■■
Runaway, A Road Adventure
Passed
■■■■■■■■■■
Runaway, The Dream of The Turtle
Passed
■■■■■■■■■■
Runaway: A Twist of Fate
Passed
■■■■■■■■■■
Passed / 50+
■■■■■■■■■□
Yes, there may be an advantage
■■■■■■■■■□
Native support
Yes, there may be an advantage
■■■■■■■■□□
Tekken 5 (pcsx2)
■■■■■■■■■□
Tekken 6 (ppsspp)
■■■■■■■■■□
■■■■■■■□□□
Sid Meier's Civilization V
■■■■■■■■■□
Serious Sam 3: BFE
Passed / 21
■■■■■■■■□□
Native support
FINAL FANTASY® XIV: A Realm Reborn
■■■□□□□□□□
Yes, it takes some getting used to changing skill layouts
Passed / 45+
■■■■■■■□□□
Only for targeted shooting
Lords Of The Fallen
Passed / 25+
■■■■■■■■■■
Yes, there may be an advantage
★★☆,
playable
on normal
hardcore
more hardcore
■■□□□□□□□□
Yes, different settings are likely
for different builds, lack of interaction with chat and inventory
■■■■■■■■■□
Depends on skill and getting used to shooters on the GPU
■■■■■■■■■□
Passed / 100+
■■■■■■■■■■
Depends on skill and getting used to the GP
SteamWorld Dig 2
Passed / 11
■■■■■■■■■■
■■■■■■■■■■
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
■■■■■■■■■■
The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited
■■■■■■■■■□
Games that have problems with the GabePad
Abzu
The game does not start with the GPU enabled. (Fatal error appears)
1. Restart Steam as administrator.
2. Set up as a gamepad.
3. Play.
Fortnite
The official position of EpicGames is that they are not going to introduce overlay support into the game. (PS4 and X-box gamepads supported)
Uplay
Due to the fact that Ubisoft uses Battleye with their new games, you can only play games from Uplay through Glosc (or analogues).
PC Settings (Desktop)
Hotkey settings
All hotkeys work when the Steam button is held down at any time and in all applications (except for those that require administrator rights - solution: launch Steam as administrator - these are rare applications like the task manager).
Example on alt-tab (switching active windows): Hold down the Steam button and press the arrow to the right of the button, a selection window appears with all active windows, to move between windows you need to press the petals to switch in the desired direction (left petal to the left, right to right).
Gain switching is a zoom (magnifier).
Mini-review-comparison based on your own feelings.
A minimum of photos, but the conclusions are unambiguous.
For lovers of dismemberment, do not open, bought for your own to use and not disassemble)))
Let's go...
For understanding, here are a few photos.
a bit of biography:
All my adult life I have been tinkering with computers and therefore (due to habit) treated the “sonsols” with some contempt, classifying myself rather as a “PeKaboyar” caste.
However, everything flows, everything changes, and now, after a long break, a demon hit me in the ribs and I wanted to remember my youth a little and play with those toys that I haven’t finished playing in the last few years.
Naturally, I didn’t want to kill myself at the computer desk; I wanted to lounge imposingly in a chair and lazily shoot frags. in short, solid casual.
After some thought, the decision was made to assemble a computer and a joystick for it. Computer - because paying 500 euros for a set-top box or 200 for a computer... the difference is obvious. Plus, sometimes in my house I need to have a PC wheelbarrow for experiments, given that the rest of the devices have an apple on their back.
Well, in general, a PC is the most flexible platform - you can always “upgrade” something)))
As a result, the computer was assembled, and the question of choosing a joystick arose.
After devoting a couple of evenings to reading reviews, it became clear that among the consoles, according to the majority of positive reviews, the classic Xbox controller rules.
Without thinking twice, I ordered its wireless version, compatible with PC and Xbox.
After some time (having dug deeper into the issue), I realized that I needed a Steam controller; I ordered it and received it, and now I’m writing a review.
Let me present the arguments in chronological order from new to old and from general to specific:
1 Ergonomics
An extremely subjective factor, but like Apple with its EarPods, it seems Valve was finally able to find One size that fits all. After acquiring the microsov controller, I spent about a week trying to get used to this new paradigm. One leprouser described it most accurately:
“The difference is in the aiming.
When you aim with the mouse, you simply control the direct aiming coordinate. That is, in other words, you simply indicate the point where you will shoot.
With a gamepad (touch or stick), the situation is different: you control the first derivative, that is, the speed at which the sight moves to the desired point. At the same time, the transfer formula (the ratio of speed to stick deflection) is complex and nonlinear. In general, all this is long and inconvenient for the brain.”
The gods see it so!
Naturally, after about a month of getting used to it and completely completing GTA 5 with the help of a controller, I felt that if I spent another 800 hours, I could use poetry more or less delicately... and I could also teach a hare to smoke... in about the same time.
The convenience is much higher:
- left stick movement fits under your finger much more conveniently than with Microsoft - on the microsoft controller there is a recess for the finger. Apparently it is assumed that the user will put his finger there and twist the stick in different directions. In real life, it turned out that most of the time I rested on the edge of the stick with my thumb from below and pressed it upward. and if suddenly it was necessary to abruptly change the direction of running - you had to actually intercept the controller - valuable milliseconds in these dynamic scenes were lost. In the Steam controller, the left stick is convex, and it is much more convenient to push it in different directions without lifting your thumb at all.
- front buttons(RB\LB RT\LT) - those on which (according to the engineers) the user’s index and middle fingers were supposed to rest. Well, you guessed nothing! on the Microsov controller (I swear, I tried) I couldn’t find a position in a month in which it would be convenient to reach all the buttons, so that the index and middle ones would not slide off the corresponding controls, and so that my hands wouldn’t just go numb in 5 minutes like hell. I couldn't. And today I finally understood why. (And I decided to write a review, although I had no intention of doing so). The front controls on the Xbox joystick are located too, so to speak, “perpendicular” to the plane of the controller itself. As a result, it was extremely convenient for me to place my index (rather than middle) fingers on the hooks. but when the time came to press the buttons - oops... problem - I had to intercept the entire device again. Taking the Steam controller in my hands, the sensations were completely different - all the buttons fell under my fingers without any of my movements. To be fair, I have to say that my very first impression of the controller was that it was “too wide.” And it still seems so. It probably could have been a centimeter and a half narrower. But most likely this is muscle memory from the Xbox. And I personally have to reach for the HUVA buttons until I can hit them clearly without looking. I’m sure it will go away after a week of communication; I’m ready to forgive for the convenience of other functions.
- dead zones. On the Xbox controller, it always seemed to me that the sticks were a little wooden in the center and too responsive at the edges. It was very difficult to position - a little, a little - BANG! flew half the screen. And the worst thing is that this behavior was practically impossible to change. You can reassign the buttons, but calibrate the sticks....I still haven’t found how. The steam controller in this regard is one continuous orgasm! Stick - one, left. I wrote about him above. 2 touchpads with taptic feedback: swiping the right pad with your thumb actually creates the feeling that you are rotating a very light ratchet wheel. very cool and useful. It turns out that the cursor or camera moves in principle in the same way as with the mouse. Of course, doing this with a mouse is easier and faster (due to habit). In short, if you want to understand how it feels approximately, run any shooter on your laptop and try to aim using the laptop touchpad with your thumb. At first it seems wildly inconvenient, but then I caught myself thinking that I was making exactly the same mistakes that I made at the very beginning of my acquaintance with a computer mouse: too fast, too slow, too sharp, too little micromotor control. However, due to the aforementioned mechanics, controlling camera movement with a head-mounted touchpad is more intuitive, straightforward, and obvious than using sticks.
2 Customization
Actually the alpha and omega of this device. EVERYTHING is configured in the simplest possible way. In fact, you can assign almost any option to any button. And there are even more of them.
For example: those same notorious touchpads not only have feedback, but you can also click on them. The edge of the touchpad can act as a pressed button (put your finger on the edge and the camera rotates around you). can act as a scroller (for example, an Internet browser). Like a cross button. In short, what do you want?
UPD: I completely forgot - the controller also has a gyroscope and it’s quite accurate - I’m not a fan of steering wheels, but I was able to drive a little in GTA by rotating the controller like a steering wheel - it was cool... then I went back to controlling the stick.....(now I’m wondering what toy to download to test this control option)
Comparing with the Microsoft controller, it’s necessary and ground. We must pay tribute to the Xbox controller that does this very well - it acts as a controller for games that were sharpened with the Xbox controller code. Playing games on it that are NOT designed for a controller... well, it’s kind of like having sex in a hammock in the winter while standing in skis and a wetsuit. On a Steam controller you can play any game more or less comfortably (as far as the idea of a controller itself can be comfortable for you).
And here we come to the third, in my opinion, the most important point:
3 Integration
The controller is very cool and seamlessly integrated into the Steam platform.
For example, if my previous session of playing GTA 5 ended with an error - the power dropped or the system hung or some other glitch, then when loading a warning window popped up - like “let's try to start in safe mode.” And I had to pick up the mouse and click “next” with the mouse cursor. In short, constantly change the “fingering”.
When you try to launch a game that is not designed to use a controller, Steam offers to configure the controller settings for it. You can do this yourself by manually assigning each controller button to the corresponding keyboard or mouse button. Or, in 2 clicks, download the most popular community layout and customize it if necessary. Thus, the delay between pressing PLAY and actually starting to play the game, which was created for the keyboard mouse, passes no more than a couple of minutes (which I tested for half an hour after playing Modern Warfare). If suddenly, while starting the game, some side window pops up that requires user action - the controller switches to the “desktop” configuration - the right unit starts working as a touchpad and the right trigger as the left mouse button, so you can agree, or close this window not I take my hands off the controller - it’s mega convenient!
I have nothing to say about the Xbox controller in this regard. For a month I played on the default layout settings in those games that were designed for the Xbox controller. For keyboard-mouse games I had to use Home Broadcast and my own laptop.
Conclusion
Based on the sum of the factors stated above, my personal subjective opinion is as follows:
The Steam controller is a filigree product with enormous potential that can greatly impact the gaming industry as a whole. (and by the way, there is also somewhere to finish it - for example, the vibration feedback on the Microsoft controller feels 2 times more powerful and more pleasant - a sort of bumblebee. The vibration on the Steam controller is a kind of flabby mosquito. Although it seems to work even a little more logically: driving the left wheel on the gravel I felt a vibration in left hand. right wheels on the sleepers - in the right. The Xbox controller seems to simply make a strong or weak vibration depending on the situation. I won’t say much here, vibration is not so important to me, but it “caught my eye.”)
The Microsoft controller is a thing in itself. A compromise for the Bakers to lure them to the console. It works well in conjunction with games that were made for it, taking into account its inherent shortcomings. (for example, playing games without auto-aim on an Xbox controller was almost physically painful. On Steam it’s difficult, but quite normal.)
So if you (like me) want to casually shoot stupid bots in a corridor shooter a couple of times a week, or steal a couple of cars in GTA, or run around the worlds of orcs and elves without sharpening! myself! under the hardware from Microsoft - Steam Controller is your choice.
PS I apologize in advance for any mistakes, I tried to re-read it, but most likely I missed a lot, write me a private message and I’ll correct everything). I was in a hurry to write today while my impressions are still fresh. Tomorrow or in a week I would just give up, but it seems to me that there are a lot of people right now looking at this controller that Buka started selling and doubting whether to take it or not. My verdict is to take it, but with the condition that it is NOT a keyboard mouse. If you are a professional gamer and see the difference between 100 and 120 FPS - why did you open this post?
I don’t have a PPS cat, so alternatively, a small demo of how I play with an Xbox controller using a homemade Nvidia Shield based on a Raspberry Pi running Openelec.
The Steam Controller is one of the most interesting contenders for the place of your favorite PC gamepad, so let's try to figure out what its pros and cons are compared to its competitors.
Valve took a long time to arrive at the final design of the device, and it is significantly different from the first prototypes. This allowed the Steam Controller to be more similar to the Xbox and PlayStation gamepads, while still adding some new features.
We are talking, first of all, of course, about two touch zones, which are easiest to imagine as two small touchpads.
Also immediately highlighted are two additional keys on the back of the controller. For simplicity, we will call them paddles, by analogy with similar controls on the steering wheel of Formula 1 cars (and in some regular cars) that are used to change gears. Petals are also included in the new Xbox One Elite Controller, but it costs three times more ($150) than the Steam Controller ($50).
Petals in Steam Controller The rest of the controls are almost identical to the layout of the Xbox and PlayStation controllers, although there are some peculiarities. The stick on the right was removed (rather, replaced with a largely functionally similar touchpad), and the location of other blocks on the front side was also swapped (top-bottom).
Steam Controller can work wirelessly, but for this it needs a native dongle (included). Initially, support for Bluetooth 4 was planned, but due to the desire to reduce latency, we settled on a proprietary adapter.
Steam Controller and “hub” for adapter The kit also includes a fairly long USB cable (1.5 m), which can be used to work in wired mode (without batteries and dongle), or to connect the dongle not directly to the USB port of the system unit, but to a wire. This is done so that the receiver can be placed in line of sight of the controller.
If you notice any lag in your controller's performance, line-of-sight should eliminate it. It is worth adding that during use, the controller worked perfectly with the dongle located directly in the system case, located under the table.
Game support
With game support, everything is simple. You need Steam, which will do everything for you in most cases. In order for a game to support a controller, you just need to add it to the library. It does not have to be purchased on Steam. Both unaffiliated games and games purchased from other stores, such as Origin, are supported.
In those rare rather than frequent cases (more than 1,000 Steam games already support the Steam Controller) when the game does not specifically support a Steam gamepad, in the settings you can choose one of four always available options, including emulating standard gamepads or emulating input from keyboard and mouse, which will support touchpads.
One of the main advantages of the Steam Controller is that in most cases, in its settings you can select ready-made presets from the gaming community, which, as a rule, are better than the factory ones and maximally optimize the gamepad for each specific game.
As a rule, there are several such settings for each game, and they are already sorted by popularity, so in most cases it is enough to select the top preset in the list to get the most optimal configuration.
Ready-made control settings from the community For example, in Left 4 Dead 2, one of the community configurations activates paddles (left for crouch, right for reload), but more importantly adds touch zones on the left touchpad.
This means that all the main functions (selecting a first aid kit, grenades, switching to another weapon) are assigned to separate areas of the touchpad. They can be activated either immediately by clicking (click on the upper right corner - pistol), or only after raising your finger (you can move your finger on the touchpad, and the screen will display where it is and which shortcut key will be activated).
Perhaps we should dwell on active zones in more detail, since this feature in itself can become decisive when choosing a controller.
If active zones are fully supported, then when they are activated, action icons that these zones activate will be displayed directly in the game, which is very convenient. If there is no such support in the preset, then there will simply be the key symbols that they emulate (for example, spacebar, 1, 2, 3, Tab, etc.).
Hotkeys in XCOM 2 hot zones The beauty of the Steam Controller is that the active zones are customizable for absolutely any game. It’s especially convenient to hang the entire number row of keys there, since in RPGs, shooters and other genres they are almost always used as shortcut keys.
And this allows, in many genres, to replace the not-so-comfortable long hours of sitting at the keyboard with a more comfortable pastime with a gamepad in a chair or on the sofa.
Active zones also allow you to forget about periodically looking at the keyboard in search of the right key. Not everyone can blindly call up an inventory using the I key, a map using the M key, or a rare spell using the 7 key, and if you have a Steam Controller, such skills are not required. When configured zones are activated, all emulated keys (up to 16 zones on one touchpad) are temporarily displayed right in front of your eyes on the screen, along with your finger moving across the touchpad.
Touchpads
Let's talk separately about touchpads. At first glance, it seems that the touchpad is only on the right, and on the left is the D-pad (better known as the “arrow keys”). By default, in most cases the sensor only really works on the right circle control, however they both support this feature.
Touchpads have feedback that is unusual at the very beginning of use. The easiest way to describe it is as a slight vibration and “crackling”, perhaps similar to what occurs when using some scroll wheels on mice.
At first glance, this feedback seems unnecessary, but it is necessary in trackball emulation mode (used on touchpads by default). For simplicity, let's imagine that touch zones support only two modes: touchpad mode (as in laptops) and trackball. In classic touchpad mode, the mouse cursor (or camera) moves only as long as your finger moves across the sensor surface. In trackball mode, the cursor (camera) moves by inertia, even if you remove your finger from the sensor.
Therefore, in trackball mode, feedback can hardly be called superfluous; it allows you to feel the “crackling” while the inertia is working, and get used to how the camera will rotate depending on the speed at which your finger passes over the sensor. Feedback is especially helpful when playing with headphones, when constant weak vibration under your fingers allows you to feel a connection with the controller.
Petals
As mentioned, paddles are also a feature of the Steam Controller (if you don't count the Xbox One Elite Controller). Specific examples of their use in games can be very different: up/down gearing in racing, switching to the previous/next character in strategies and RPGs, or use in any other convenient form.
These keys are located very well, in most cases even more convenient than bumpers (buttons on the top edge of the controller), and in some cases - standard XYAB buttons.
Gyroscope and vibration
The Steam Controller touchpads have their own weak vibration, but the manufacturer did not forget to add to the controller a general vibration of the device, which is activated, for example, when shots are fired.
In addition, the device also has a gyroscope that can be used to control the tilt of the gamepad - it can be useful in racing, although the convenience is questionable.
Fine settings
A full description of all the controller customization options would be very long and boring. Suffice it to say that each control is configured in the options, and the number of settings is much greater than one might expect. You can get a general idea of the number of available options by looking at this screenshot, where only one of the touchpads is configured.
If desired, any key or active zone can be bound to any key on a virtual mouse, keyboard or standard gamepad.
Flaws
Subjectively, there were several things I didn’t like about the controller.
Design features are the reason why the XYAB buttons and stick are now located at the bottom instead of on the top, as on other controllers. Still, it’s more convenient to use them when they are located on top (that’s where the thumbs themselves rest) and this is exactly how, absolutely naturally, other controllers are designed.
This does not at all negate the other advantages of the Steam Controller. With a similar design, it now has touchpads conveniently located under the thumbs, which can be used in games as much as the controls mentioned above. In addition, it is physically impossible to place both touchpads and buttons/stick in the only ideal place on the gamepad, and the scheme chosen in the Steam Controller looks more preferable compared to the opposite option.
Another drawback is the lack of “arrows” (D-Pad). They are even painted on the left touchpad, however, by default the sensor is not configured for this function in most games, and manual configuration showed that such a replacement is not equivalent. Although the touchpad has a click, it is quite stiff and it is inconvenient to press it often/quickly. In addition, the large size of the circle itself does not allow you to quickly move your fingers and press in opposite directions of the arrows.
Probably, the lack of a separate driver and application for setting up the Steam Controller could also be considered a disadvantage. For full use in games you will have to install Steam. However, Valve should be especially praised for not banning the use of its gamepad in games not tied to Steam.
Use in games
If we simplify the result as much as possible, we can say that the Steam Controller will be more convenient than its direct competitors in almost all genres. Fighting games raise doubts, where it seems the lack of a D-Pad may play a role, however, as not a fan of this genre, I could be wrong. Also, you shouldn’t expect particularly big winnings from shooters. Aiming with the touchpad/trackball has become more convenient, but it cannot yet replace the mouse.
Even racing is unlikely to get any easier on the Steam Controller. Sensors are practically not used in them, at least for driving a car (tested in Need For Speed: Most Wanted and American Truck Simulator), and additional keys can hardly be used in most games, except in the most advanced simulators.
Probably, strategies, at least step-by-step ones, will benefit more than others. I was surprised to find out that playing Civilization V on the Steam Controller is even more convenient than on a keyboard and mouse. Some frequently used functions are attached to active zones or regular buttons, and everything else is easily controlled using the touchpad and mouse cursor. At the same time, I didn’t even have to get used to controlling the controller; the game went as planned from the first move.
The same can be said about another turn-based strategy/tactics - XCOM 2. It had its rough edges compared to Civilization V, where everything bounced off your fingers, but this game can now be played with a controller. And again thanks to the new cursor control, as well as the ability to assign all actions of fighters (number keys 1-9) to the active zones of the left sensor. Now these actions are always under one finger, unlike keys 1-9, stretched almost half the keyboard.
It became more convenient to go through adventures. They are traditionally controller-friendly, and the main actions, as well as response options in dialogues, are always tailored to XYAB buttons. However, presets from the community allow you to optimize controls even further. Sometimes such presets deviate from traditional layouts, but getting used to them is quite simple, and after this, playing games instead of an exam turns into pure pleasure. For example, in the most popular custom preset for The Walking Dead, quick events are reassigned to the top triggers, making them a much more intuitive and simpler process than pressing buttons from the XYAB block.
Minuses: Not fundamental, but inevitable design compromises; need to use Steam
Conclusion: If you are not satisfied with the comfort of long-term gaming on the keyboard or have long wanted to purchase a gamepad exclusively for PC, be sure to take a closer look at the Steam Controller. Thanks to sensors and custom presets for games, this controller is much more convenient in most games, compared to conventional gamepads, and sometimes better than a keyboard and mouse combination.
