I just found this!
https://github.com/steam-deck-controller/steam-deck-controller
Looks like a project to basically cram the steam Deck components into a 3dprinted shell - but it isn’t finished yet!
There’s a proof of concept video in there where it’s shown connected to a PC with a standard USB ribbon pinned to a 2.0 A head… Might have to give it a go someday!
Dude, seriously!! I really do hope this becomes a thing. I would LOVE to have a controller that mimicks the steam deck’s controls, but without a screen… That SteamVR leak looks like that’s basically exactly what it is!! 😭 PLEASE, valve!
If Valve was planning on releasing hardware soon they’re going to postpone given the tariff threat.
I’ve said it before, just… give me a Steam Deck without the screen, and I’ll buy it. I need that layout, it’s the perfect combination of features for me.
If I could be greedy, an extra set of back paddles and some extra “spare” buttons would be nice for flight/space sim games.
Hell or go one further and don’t even attach them together. It would be a great HOTAS like experience for space games.
So you’d plug in a monitor or TV to play?
Either connect them to a docked Steam Deck by the TV, or my gaming PC, yeah. The Steam Deck is nice, but for an extended session it’s quite a hefty device. Being able to have the same controls while laid back on the couch or reclined in a chair would be more comfortable I think.
What would be the point of having the processor in the controller, then?
You don’t, it’s just a controller, shaped like a Steam Deck but without the screen. With the touch pads and everything. It can be normal controller sized since you don’t need the screens and giant battery, and most of the processing. Maybe save a little flash memory in it to save control schemes right to the controller would be nice.
Where did you get that from?
Well, they said they wanted the steam deck without the screen. So, that leaves the whole rest of the device, just without the ability to see anything.
Don’t be pedantic, if you’re not an idiot you’d have known exactly what they meant.
As far as I can tell, that’s what they said they wanted. I thought maybe they have an interesting use or reason to remove only the screen. I could be a useful idea.
I still use my steam controller every day. If they release a version 2 I would instantly buy 2.
I know it got a lot of hate at the time, and much of it well deserved, but for many games I think the steam controller was one of the best.
I quite enjoyed mine for Rocket League back in the day, the remappable controls were quite nice.
Currently I use a SCUF DS4 for my Linux gaming and while I love the Controller in theory, the inability to remap the paddles to a custom button chord instead of just a button that’s already on the controller is frustrating.
Steam Controller 2 is on my must buy list.
It was the only controller I could ever play first person games with!
Track-ball mode on the right TouchPad is just… chefs-kiss
I love my steam deck but I’m extremely disappointed by the TouchPads compared to the steam controller
I never really used mine much, but it was solid and innovative…I should dig it back out and mess around with it again…
We’re waiting for you… In the test chamberrrr
Tell me about it!!!
I thought we were super close to an announcement since that 3d model was found in the SteamVR files and then… Nothing…Im actually holding off buying a new controller just in case they actually do something with the SC2 that was leaked, so… real x3
Been there… Done that… until I didn’t. Then, I got a GameSir Super Nova. I’m super happy with it :)
Most controllers I looked at either were lacking features I consider a must, or basically what I have for double the price tbf, which is why I kinda want the steam one :3
Same
To play devil’s advocate, why does Valve need to bother to make their own controller when there are a number of wired and wireless controllers available for PCs?
Because the Steam Deck is my all-time favorite controller. A controller that’s just like it but without the bulkiness would only make it better
None have additional buttons on the back that can be mapped as new buttons, they’re all just rebinding existing buttons. Steam deck is pretty special in that regard. I would REALLY like to have those four extra buttons available for couch PC gaming.
Steam already lets you remap those back buttons on other controllers to anything you want through their interface. Isn’t that how you’d do it with a Steam controller?
What other controllers? No other controllers expose back buttons as individually assignable buttons that I’m aware of except Steam Deck and Steam Controller since those use Steam’s own interface instead of xinput or dinput
I use a Dual Sense Edge controller with steam and it lets me remap the two back buttons, the two front function buttons, and even the microphone button, to anything I want.
Oh that’s good to know! If I didn’t have to worry about stick drift I might consider the Dualsense Edge
Well, while this controller doesn’t have Hall-effect sensors (which would be ideal), it does have the sticks as separate, inexpensive, easy to replace modules. They can be popped out and replaced without tools.
That’s neat, but if they’re still prone to stick drift and if they aren’t free replacements (looks like $20 apiece, that’s a bit insane) then that doesn’t really improve the situation
I’ve been trying to figure out if there is a way to do it with the new 8BitDo Ultimate controller but I don’t know that it’s possible. I’ve seen maybe you can switch it to direct input mode somehow to map the paddles but I hadn’t had any success.
The only ones i know of are the top end Xbox and PlayStation controllers which are exorbitantly expensive, especially when all you want is extra buttons.
I also have had issues with my standard dualsenses Bluetooth not acting great when using my Bluetooth headphones at the same time (which are also made by Sony)
Because PC controllers these days are nothing but different variants of the same Xbox and Playstation controllers. The Steam controller is different from the rest of them, at least.
Because nobody’s making something like the Steam Controller 1, but better, which is what a SC2 would be, one assumes
If someone else were to make one I’m sure people would cream their jeans if they weren’t bespoke and expensive
Because they’re all shit, each current controller has some kind of downside when wanting to configure it for games.
Either Steam input doesn’t recognise extra buttons, or the ones that do have issues with being Bluetooth only.
I’ve tried the vader 3 which was great, but unrecognised so needed extra software to remap for each game which was never as simple as steam input and required me to use a mouse and keyboard which isn’t great with a htpc setup.
And then recently I’ve tried the horipad for steam, this is almost perfect except for only two back paddles, the face buttons being weirdly shaped so the some of them stick when pressing them and the Bluetooth is shitty.
If steam input allowed the full use of generic controllers instead of ones that have been explicitly set up, I’d have no issues, I’d be able to find the one for me. But because they don’t do that, I’m waiting for the steam controller 2 because a full layout just like the steam deck would be the dream.
I have a stack of new steam and stadia controllers in my studio. Both last for fucking ever. meanwhile xbox and playstation controllers fail after a couple of months.
Damn what are you doing that’s destroying these controllers? I have controllers from Microsoft and Nintendo that are over a decade old at this point and still work with regular use.
The xbox one controllers I had developed stick drift after 6 months or so, series controllers held up better but I still ended up swapping to hall effect and more recently tmr sticks to avoid stick drift
Donno, it’s always wireless or bluetooth related.
I do have a wired Xbox360 controller that’s still kicking ass.
Making just another controller with similar features to existing ones people are familiar will not fly. They need to make it as good as dualsense, ad some new feature that is easy to use, and make it cheap. Native gyro for pc is what i would like to see, and maybe pressure sensitive buttons.
And which titles will support that?
I really dig what they did with the touchpads on the Steam Deck, and something like that, complete with the fully comprehensive mapping and input scheme system on the Steam Deck, would probably get me to buy one even though I am very happy with my XBox Elite 2 controller.
Steam Input means every title supports that. I’ve been using gyro with my Steam Controller on PC for years now.
I was really referring to pressure-sensitive buttons.
The gyro feature also just sounds awful to me. I ain’t sitting perfectly level and still for that shit.
Edit: well fuck me for clarifying, apparently
Wasn’t me who downvoted. I’m pretty sure gyro zeros when it’s not active so I had mine set to only activate on trackpad touch which negated the issue you’re concerned about.
You can hone in on its sensitivity too by the way. I know find it hard when I pay a console game without gyro. Ever since splatoon I’ve not looked back. I don’t understand why people are so averse to trying it. In my eyes it’s better than using a mouse, because then you still have all of the other benefits of a controller like analog movement etc.
I have a steamdeck and just could not get used to gyro, i hatdd jt so much. But the steamdeck is heavy and i usually have it resting on a pillow or something so i dont have to support the full weight. Also the screen moving whenever you move gyro bothered me a lot, i dont want to have to be moving my neck and arms around to play a game. I could see it being a lot better with just a controller and a screen in fixed position though, but i like to play games in handheld mode and i think itd be frustrating switching back and forth.
Yeah I’ve never had a great time with it when it involves moving the screen you’re using ie the switch, vita and wii u. But still find the precision much better than stick alone.
You’ve got to remember that the gyro is just for precision movements, not the wide spread sweeps (outside of occasional reactionary ones). The stick should still be the primary way to move the camera. Like, stick to position to the enemy, then gyro to precisely aim for the head, kind of deal.
And just like mouse and stick sensitivity, everyone will have their preferred sensitivity for gyro to, which can take a little bit of experimenting to begin with when trying it out properly for the first time.
Don’t strike it out completely yet. You might just want it to be at a lower sensitivity and still prioritise the stick and just use the gyro for those small readjustments.
Yeah idk, i tried it wirh spec ops and hated it, but the aiming in that game felt weird no matter what, i disliked it with the touchpads too, and ended up just using the joystick which i barely ever do for anything that involves aiming. Ive heard Doom 2016 is a good one to try it out on so maybe ill try that, i just do like to have the steamdeck resting and pretty firmly planted on something when im playing to rest my arms.
Ugh I hated when they started making mice necessary for FPS gaming
Just like a steamdeck without the screen. The trackpads are irreplaceable
8bitdo ultimate 2c controllers are fantastic and have a good price.
Do they have 2 touchpads?
Or gyro?
Just in case y’all aren’t being snarky with your questions…
No, the 8bitdo controller is just a fairly standard looking normal controller with a few extra shoulder buttons. It’s only $30 USD and has nice color options, but it is not remotely comparable to a Steam controller.
No thanks. I got used to gyro aiming and I’ll never play a shooter without it again.
Just looked up the leak for a steam controller 2 and I think I’d rather stick with my wired PowerA switch controller. I am not a big fan of the original steam controller design and personally don’t like the design of the leak.
I get some people would absolutely love it, but I’m definitely in the “Do Not Buy” crowd. Not even to say I own one.
Fair enough to chime in with your disinterest in a new controller, but…
Why would anyone buy something just to say they own it? What the hell kind of “keeping up with the Joneses” shit is that?
It would technically fall under video game accessories, so I guarantee there are people who might want one because they collect that type of stuff.
I think one of the closest comparisons I could make are people who buy retro games/consoles just to display them and never actually use them.
