Valve has announced to developers that they're going to be rolling out better ways to show off controller support for games on Steam.
In the announcement, they highlighted the additional checks they will be putting in for PlayStation DualShock and DualSense controllers. Giving developers the ability to go through a controller-support questionnaire in Steamworks, to indicate if their games play well with controllers like the DualShock or DualSense.
Valve said that starting in October, they will be rolling out new ways to show this controller support to Steam users. One way may look a bit like this:
The updates to how Steam will display new controller support will include:
- Updates to store page area that displays controller support to also specify the level of PlayStation controller usage.
- Updates to some browse pages to make it easier for players to find new games that support their controller device well.
- Updates to the Steam Desktop client to indicate a game in your library has PlayStation controller support.
- Updates to the Steam Desktop client to make it more clear when a game requires use of a controller to play.
As for why Valve are doing this they said that it has become much more common for PC players to use a controller, noting that since 2017 Steam has "seen over 87 Million users play at least once using a controller" and about 67% of them use a form of Xbox controller, with the rest being "PlayStation controllers, Switch Pro Controllers, and hundreds of other devices". However recently they've seen the most growth with PlayStation controllers noting that in 2018 they were only "about 11%" but they now see "27%" use PlayStation controllers.
Clearly using a controller on PC is popular, so it's good to see Valve are helping developers to better advertise what their games support.
With the Steam Deck out, and many other handhelds coming along, hopefully we will also see even more developers actually hook up some proper full controller support with a good UI for it.
What's your preferred gaming input? Do you stick with a mouse? Use a controller? Let us know in the comments.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I'm playing almost entirely on Steam Deck, so I got used to Gamepad controls.
I noticed that this even influence how I'm choosing the games to play. If it's difficult to play it on Steam Deck controls, I just try it and go to another one. But I don't mind playing turn-based strategies on Steam Deck, the mouse emulation is usually enough to be able to play. :-)
I noticed that this even influence how I'm choosing the games to play. If it's difficult to play it on Steam Deck controls, I just try it and go to another one. But I don't mind playing turn-based strategies on Steam Deck, the mouse emulation is usually enough to be able to play. :-)
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I prefer to play using a gamepad these days. My sofa/TV gaming setup makes keyboard and mouse gaming a bit awkward and uncomfortable.
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Quoting: tuubiI prefer to play using a gamepad these days. My sofa/TV gaming setup makes keyboard and mouse gaming a bit awkward and uncomfortable.
This is why we need a Steam Controller 2. Then you have the best of both worlds. If they released a Steam controller that was essentially a steam deck with no GPU/CPU/RAM/HDD/FAN etc.. but just the light weight shell + touch screen for keyboard with the exact or similar layout, maybe with replaced the right touch pad with a few physical WASD buttons and give everything PROPER rumble rather than the angry fly trapped inside the controller haptics. That would mean you could fully 'PC' from the couch in comfort.
The Steam deck is probably the most ergonomic game controller ever made, why change the formula ¯\_( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉)_/¯
(okay, okay perhaps the display can be a remote wifi6 display, but im not actually too bothered about that if it reduces the cost + weight because then you need 90% of the steam deck to make that work anyway)
The alternative is to allow for a steam deck to become a controller for a secondary PC. But id still prefer a $80 - $100 stripped out controller based on the steam deck than having to pay $349 for a single controller.
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Quoting: LoftyQuoting: tuubiI prefer to play using a gamepad these days. My sofa/TV gaming setup makes keyboard and mouse gaming a bit awkward and uncomfortable.
This is why we need a Steam Controller 2.
Well, maybe?
I have reservations, seeing as I never could get used to the original Steam Controller.
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Quoting: tuubiQuoting: LoftyQuoting: tuubiI prefer to play using a gamepad these days. My sofa/TV gaming setup makes keyboard and mouse gaming a bit awkward and uncomfortable.
This is why we need a Steam Controller 2.
Well, maybe?
I have reservations, seeing as I never could get used to the original Steam Controller.
The issue with the original steam controller which i still use, although less than i want to ideally because it's an unfinished product was for me the lack of:
• A second analogue stick
• plastics too hard and a huge grip which ended up cramping my palms.
• Buttons that are WAY too loud for night time gameplay
(i dont own a steam deck, and im hoping the L+R and back triggers aren't as horribly clunk click as the OG steam controller, the whole thing felt cheap and hollow, cant even use it at night for fear of waking up the dead.
• Left track pad too big.
• General ergonomics.
• Haptics instead of rumble was a cheap out / hipster move, instead of putting real dual rumble in there.
So basically the steam deck fixes all these things apart from maybe the button noise as i Dont own one to test this out.
But the concept originally was a good idea.
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Quoting: LoftyThis is why we need a Steam Controller 2. Then you have the best of both worlds. If they released a Steam controller that was essentially a steam deck with no GPU/CPU/RAM/HDD/FAN etc.. but just the light weight shell + touch screen for keyboard with the exact or similar layout, maybe with replaced the right touch pad with a few physical WASD buttons and give everything PROPER rumble rather than the angry fly trapped inside the controller haptics. That would mean you could fully 'PC' from the couch in comfort.Do we really need another gamepad? There are plenty of gamepads out there already, Valve already tried and people didn't want it. There is absolutely no need for some weird ones with WASD layout when D-pad already exists and Steam Client let's you reconfigure everything.
Quoting: LoftyThe Steam deck is probably the most ergonomic game controller ever made, why change the formula ¯\_( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉)_/¯Ergonomic? Definitely NO, it's good for handheld PC, but not as a controller. Touchpads are great for typing and gyro is great for aim-correction, but joysticks don't have hall effect sensors, rumble is weak and d-pad is not the best for fighting games. Gulikit and 8BitDo sell better controllers at $70.
Last edited by tarmo888 on 6 September 2023 at 3:26 pm UTC
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[quote=tarmo888]
You could apply that to literally anything.
People did want it. Im a People.
The WASD is just an idea, the right trackpad is just kind of there and not typically used much. it's not something it absolutely needs i agree, in fact Some of the new handhelds offer a switch to make the dpad WASD.
I think it probably is Ergonomic, given that pretty much everyone who has reviewed it claims it to be very ergonomic.
That doesn't make any sense.
Touchpads aren't as good as a touch screen for quick typing.
Gyro is great for aim correction yes.
Joysticks could have hall effect sensors added easily, were talking about a theoretical device here.
Dpad could be improved, not sure what your point is.
8bitdo has quality control issues i own a pro2 and it's not as good as a retail xbox controller. Also they are not targeting a PC user who is also a PC gamer, i.e full desktop PC from a couch (as an example)
Quoting: LoftyThis is why we need a Steam Controller 2. Then you have the best of both worlds. If they released a Steam controller that was essentially a steam deck with no GPU/CPU/RAM/HDD/FAN etc.. but just the light weight shell + touch screen for keyboard with the exact or similar layout, maybe with replaced the right touch pad with a few physical WASD buttons and give everything PROPER rumble rather than the angry fly trapped inside the controller haptics. That would mean you could fully 'PC' from the couch in comfort.
QuoteDo we really need another gamepad? There are plenty of gamepads out there already,
You could apply that to literally anything.
QuoteValve already tried and people didn't want it. There is absolutely no need for some weird ones with WASD layout when D-pad already exists and Steam Client let's you reconfigure everything.
People did want it. Im a People.
The WASD is just an idea, the right trackpad is just kind of there and not typically used much. it's not something it absolutely needs i agree, in fact Some of the new handhelds offer a switch to make the dpad WASD.
QuoteErgonomic? Definitely NO
I think it probably is Ergonomic, given that pretty much everyone who has reviewed it claims it to be very ergonomic.
Quoteit's good for handheld PC, but not as a controller.
That doesn't make any sense.
QuoteTouchpads are great for typing and gyro is great for aim-correction, but joysticks don't have hall effect sensors and d-pad not the best for fighting games. Gulikit and 8BitDo sell better controllers at $70.
Touchpads aren't as good as a touch screen for quick typing.
Gyro is great for aim correction yes.
Joysticks could have hall effect sensors added easily, were talking about a theoretical device here.
Dpad could be improved, not sure what your point is.
8bitdo has quality control issues i own a pro2 and it's not as good as a retail xbox controller. Also they are not targeting a PC user who is also a PC gamer, i.e full desktop PC from a couch (as an example)
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I used to be mouse and keyboard only, but within the past year or two I've found myself not only using but preferring a controller. I think maybe it started when I started playing through the Final Fantasy games where they felt far better than the control schemes SE came up with for PC? That and getting into more emulation lately probably had alot of influence. Of course there are some genres that don't work with one, but for most games I find myself going for a controller first now.
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I generally only use keyboard mouse for first person games. 3rd person and platform games I use a controller.
As to a steam controller 2, I’d love to see something based on the steam deck controls. I don’t have nor plan to get a steam deck as gaming is something I do at home on a big screen, but the controls look very usable. Preferably something that is easy to replace the sticks would be a requirement too.
As to a steam controller 2, I’d love to see something based on the steam deck controls. I don’t have nor plan to get a steam deck as gaming is something I do at home on a big screen, but the controls look very usable. Preferably something that is easy to replace the sticks would be a requirement too.
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It's also a gentle nudge to get developers to use Steam Input (which provides automatic support - including appropriate glyphs - for a bazillion different controllers and makes it easier to have multi-input - such as controller and gyro mouse) rather than some Xbox-controller-only input library that might be provided by, say, Microsoft.
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