Steam Controller On Sale For $35 Again

Bought one the last time it was on sale. It's good for some games, but it's uncomfortable for anything that uses the face buttons regularly.
I wish someone had a modular controller that would let you swap analogs/d-pads/button placements on the fly. Kind of like a more extreme version of the Xbox Elite controller.
 
I don't understand why I would buy one of these.

One of the reasons I have a PC so I DON'T have to use a controller and can use my mouse and keyboard instead.
 
What's up with all the cheap sales on these things? Liquidating inventory for a new model?

Already have a steam controller (that I rarely use), but wouldn't mind picking up a Steam link (which is also currently on sale - in Canada at least).
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I don't understand why I would buy one of these.

One of the reasons I have a PC so I DON'T have to use a controller and can use my mouse and keyboard instead.
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Couch gaming. I do more and more of that these days, but I'm not switching to a console. Unless I'm playing online, I don't really need a M+K, I'm too old to "competitvley" play single player. I'd paid good money for something that executed on the concept of this controller, this one seems to fall short. So I'll wait and make do with my Elite.
 
One of the best things about PC gaming is that I can use any type of controller I want and not be stuck using a typewriter and pointer for everything.
 
I wouldn't say I missed out by not buying this the first time...
 
Finally picked one up along with a Link. Got a 70" TV finally so looking to do some couch gaming.
 
SeymourGore said:
What's up with all the cheap sales on these things? Liquidating inventory for a new model?

Already have a steam controller (that I rarely use), but wouldn't mind picking up a Steam link (which is also currently on sale - in Canada at least).
Click to expand...

not many people likes them and the Xbox One Elite is a better controller so they are try to get themselves out in the market.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I don't understand why I would buy one of these.

One of the reasons I have a PC so I DON'T have to use a controller and can use my mouse and keyboard instead.
Click to expand...

Try playing "A Tale of Two Sons" with a mouse and keyboard and you will wish you had a controller.

Some games are actually made for a controller and really suck on a mouse and keyboard.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I don't understand why I would buy one of these.

One of the reasons I have a PC so I DON'T have to use a controller and can use my mouse and keyboard instead.
Click to expand...

The designed purpose of this controller was to allow you to play games that only use mouse and keyboard interfaces in a couch from across the room setting, i.e. where you would find a Steam Machine and Steam running in a big picture mode.

They're very good controllers if you can get past the somewhat massive learning curve and the fact that they only work with games loaded from within Steam (the overlay needs to function for the controller to work). Certain games behave better than others do too so I can't honestly say they hit all their design boxes with this at bat.
 
Dwango said:
The designed purpose of this controller was to allow you to play games that only use mouse and keyboard interfaces in a couch from across the room setting, i.e. where you would find a Steam Machine and Steam running in a big picture mode.
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Ahh, Not for me then. I have little to no interest in livingroom gaming. I only play games when I am on my own, at my desk in my office and nowhere else on any other platform.
 
I used one for several months, but only ever got hang of it with a few games. Wouldn't bother at all with FPS (especially MP) or RTS games.

It works pretty well with a game like Rocket League, and single player RPGs.
 
I really enjoy mine. The touchpads are fantastic. That being said, I'd be up for another one, but am suspicious that a new model is around the corner. Buy or wait, or just buy both if it happens? :D
 
Accursed said:
The steam controller is only ok, the steam link is amazing.
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Any benefit to using Steam Link over a traditional HTPC? I routinely stream games to my living room and it's fantastic, but if I'm missing out on something I'd love to know....
 
Dwango said:
The designed purpose of this controller was to allow you to play games that only use mouse and keyboard interfaces in a couch from across the room setting, i.e. where you would find a Steam Machine and Steam running in a big picture mode.

They're very good controllers if you can get past the somewhat massive learning curve and the fact that they only work with games loaded from within Steam (the overlay needs to function for the controller to work). Certain games behave better than others do too so I can't honestly say they hit all their design boxes with this at bat.
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Sounds like fail...
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I don't understand why I would buy one of these.
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From what I've gathered from the Steam Controller believers, it's purpose is to bring controller compatibility to the three games on Steam that do not support controllers.

Basically it's one and only job is to allow someone to play Crusader Kings with a controller.
 
So should I pick up one of these? Or the new Xbox One S controller (with the built-in, no dongle wireless on W10)?
 
Dwango said:
They only work with games loaded from within Steam (the overlay needs to function for the controller to work).
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Wait. You need to log in to a DRM client and run it in the background for the controller to work?

I cannot imagine the seething gamer rage if the Steam Controller was instead called the EA controller and it required Origin to function.
Bandalo said:
So should I pick up one of these? Or the new Xbox One S controller (with the built-in, no dongle wireless on W10)?
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I would say the new Xbox One controller. But I pretty much shit on everything Valve does and endlessly shill for Microsoft on these forums.
 
MrTryfe said:
I used one for several months, but only ever got hang of it with a few games. Wouldn't bother at all with FPS (especially MP) or RTS games.

It works pretty well with a game like Rocket League, and single player RPGs.
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So basically the same games that any other controller works for.

Bandalo said:
So should I pick up one of these? Or the new Xbox One S controller (with the built-in, no dongle wireless on W10)?
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I have one of the new Xbox One S controllers, it works great with windows 10 with Bluetooth connection. I personally haven't used the steam controller, but keep hearing that you have to use it for a long time to get used to it if you even do then. I have personally never had that with a Xbox controller. So I would go with a Xbox controller. Especially since most games just assume that a controller if you are using one is an Xbox controller from what I have noticed from games I have played. Now the Xbox Elite controller would be the best choice from what it sounds, but it cost more and wouldn't support Bluetooth.
 
If you're serious about gamepad gaming, the Microsoft pads are the best solution. Either the 360 or Xbox One. Go with the real dongles, too. There are still reports about inputs dropping via bluetooth. I started looking into it (with the hope of simplifying) and it's still not a perfect solution.
New games pretty much have to support a gamepad but they don't have to support all of them. They only have to support the MS pads.
 
NeoNemesis said:
Really depends on the game. For FPSs and MMOs mouse and keyboard all the way, but for racing games and ARPGs a controller wins hands down.
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Yep mouse+kb is vastly superior for a FPS, RTS, MMO, etc but there are still some games that just work better with a controller. While a keyboard has a lot of keys/buttons they are all digital rather than analog so it does have some disadvantages.

To me PC gaming isn't all about mouse+kb, it's about having options to use the best tool for the job. If I'm playing an action RPG, fighting game, platformer, arcadey racing game, etc I'll use a controller. If I'm playing a FPS/RTS/MMO I'll use keyboard+mouse. If I'm playing a flight sim I'll use a joystick. If I'm playing a racing sim I'll use a wheel and pedals. I can do all of those things and still get the benefits of better performance and graphics settings than consoles, still mod games, mess with settings files/tweaks, etc.

That being said the Steam Controller's promise to bring mouse-like precision to a controller just isn't possible. It works fine as a controller and the mouse/trackpad/gyro stuff is usable for something that doesn't require fast reactions (like the Civilization games) but it's completely useless for an online FPS, RTS, MMO, etc. If you really need something that lets you use a mouse but doesn't require a mousing surface a trackball mouse would be a better option IMO, although still not as good as a regular mouse.
 
Can we get a mod to move this to the Deals section? Some noob posting in the wrong section again.
 
Keyboards always hanging around and stealing part of the glory from mice. Keyboards are the weakest link in the equation. At least until those analog force feedback truly ergonomic models actually see the light of day.
 
Domingo said:
If you're serious about gamepad gaming, the Microsoft pads are the best solution. Either the 360 or Xbox One. Go with the real dongles, too. There are still reports about inputs dropping via bluetooth. I started looking into it (with the hope of simplifying) and it's still not a perfect solution.
New games pretty much have to support a gamepad but they don't have to support all of them. They only have to support the MS pads.
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I think I'll try it without the dongle first...if I have problems, I'm pretty sure you can add one and it'll work like the old Xbox One controller. The fewer dongles, the better IMO.
 
Its £40.59 delivered to the UK inc tax etc.
There is stock in the UK but its over £70.
 
I have a suspicion (or maybe subconscious hope) that Valve's hardware experiments the past two years are not working out well for them. They can either try again or return to making games. I vote for making more games.
 
travbrad said:
Yep mouse+kb is vastly superior for a FPS, RTS, MMO, etc but there are still some games that just work better with a controller.
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Hmm

Commander Keen?

248240-ck_goodbye_large.gif
 
I was not a fan of it when I briefly owned one. For most PC games, KB + M is massively superior. For the occassional console type game, an X360 or XB1 controller is superior to the Steam controller. The touchpads just don't work that well for most games. It feels like trying to control a game from a laptop touchpad.

Ended up returning it as I found it rather useless. I'm normally a huge fan of Valve/Steam and almost everything they do. But this, the steam link, and steam machines seem like big misfires to me. I wish they would stop with all of the pointless side projects and just give everyone what they want: Half-Life 3 and Left 4 Dead 3.
 
Cmdrmonkey said:
I was not a fan of it when I briefly owned one. For most PC games, KB + M is massively superior. For the occassional console type game, an X360 or XB1 controller is superior to the Steam controller. The touchpads just don't work that well for most games. It feels like trying to control a game from a laptop touchpad.

Ended up returning it as I found it rather useless. I'm normally a huge fan of Valve/Steam and almost everything they do. But this, the steam link, and steam machines seem like big misfires to me. I wish they would stop with all of the pointless side projects and just give everyone what they want: Half-Life 3 and Left 4 Dead 3.
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I mostly agree. I have probably 20 "controller" games and pretty much all of them I prefer to use a 360 or Xbone controller (I have all 3). The Steam Controller isn't bad though, it's just that buttons are usually easier to hit than using their weird trackpad for buttons.

The one game I've found where the Steam controller really shines compared to a regular controller is in Elite Dangerous. The combination of the gyro, analog stick, and trackpad lets you control your ship pretty well in that, plus the steam configuration stuff allows you to assign like 30 different hotkey combinations (which you need in Elite Dangerous). A full HOTAS setup would be even better but those are $150-200+ for a good one which is a bit much to spend for one game.
 
Not a huge fan of the Steam controller. Bouncing between PS3/PS4/Xbox One controllers made that one feel like the odd man out every time I tried to get used to it. I'll stick with my Xbone controller and keyboard/mouse, personally. If I were more willing to experiment with macros and configs it might make sense, but until I have more free time I am willing to spend on that part of it my Steam controller will collect dust.
 
I'm weird for [H]; I play from the couch. For the price it is worth it just to try for me. I play FO4, Golf Club, DE:MD with an XBox One controller from the couch. If I get an itch for Diablo 3 or the like I will just play on my laptop with wired mouse. But otherwise I have just never been a fan of keyboard and mouse. The Steam controller and the XBox elite are on my list...
 
I got one with an Alienware Alpha I bought.

That reminds me that I need to sell this useless piece of hardware, heh!
 
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