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Valve shows off Steam Controller redesign - without touch screen

by Mark Tyson on 17 March 2014, 09:45

Tags: Valve

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Valve has published pictures of a new prototype design for its Steam Controller. The controller was redesigned based upon feedback the gaming firm has got over recent months, including from its own Steam Dev Days event in January.

Valve says that the new controller, as pictured above, isn't the final design but is "the very latest iteration of the Steam Controller prototype." It will be bringing this redesigned Steam Controller to the Game Developers Conference (GDC 2014) which kicks off later today in San Francisco. The new design, pictured in its blog post, shares the same overall shape and dual circular thumb-pads but the whole of the central button layout is changed and the touch-screen input area has been removed.

Last year Wired had some hands-on time with the touch-screen version of the Steam Controller and was told that the screen and other front face buttons were for secondary functions only, with most input coming from the thumb controls, paddles and triggers. Now the controller has become much more conventional in its front face button layout with a twin array of buttons, one marked with direction arrows and the other with XYAB. We think that the dropping of the integrated touch-screen idea will also make the controller more affordable.

The redesigned Steam Controller has performed "really well," in internal play testing, we are told, and Valve will be gathering more feedback including from visitors to its booth during the GDC.



HEXUS Forums :: 16 Comments

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I wonder whether they're sticking with AAs or whether they're moving to lipos, maybe 18650 cells in the grips for weight and relatively easy replacement. My experience with wireless xbox 360 controllers has been that out of 4 controllers maybe one has working cells.
CampGareth
I wonder whether they're sticking with AAs or whether they're moving to lipos, maybe 18650 cells in the grips for weight and relatively easy replacement. My experience with wireless xbox 360 controllers has been that out of 4 controllers maybe one has working cells.
Does it really need to be wireless? I'd prefer a wired controller myself, although the prudent thing to do would probably be to release both a wired and a wireless controller.
azrael-
Does it really need to be wireless? I'd prefer a wired controller myself, although the prudent thing to do would probably be to release both a wired and a wireless controller.

Does wireless where you can plug in a long usb cable to tether it when needed not work for you?

I am wondering how this is now better than an Xbox 360 controller (I somehow never got an Xbox, so I don't know how good/bad they are in extended use).
DanceswithUnix
I am wondering how this is now better than an Xbox 360 controller (I somehow never got an Xbox, so I don't know how good/bad they are in extended use).
They are utterly crap, it only has around 2-3h depending what batteries you use, if you don't get the play & recharge pack or quick recharge pack. If you want to get a controller for your PC get a PS3/PS4 controller and Bluetooth, also you can recharge it using a USB power socket.
DanceswithUnix
azrael-
Does it really need to be wireless? I'd prefer a wired controller myself, although the prudent thing to do would probably be to release both a wired and a wireless controller.

Does wireless where you can plug in a long usb cable to tether it when needed not work for you?

I am wondering how this is now better than an Xbox 360 controller (I somehow never got an Xbox, so I don't know how good/bad they are in extended use).

That's the ideal situation imo. As for controllers, try playing an FPS with a joystick then try with a trackpad, neither is ideal but for me the trackpad is workable (quite happy to play CS:GO on one) so that's why this is better.