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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Can someone explain to me WTF is the Steam Machine controller?

Munkeh111 on 27 September 2013

I think it looks utterly awful and having got my hands on both next-gen controllers earlier today, I don't really see how this can compare for pretty much every game



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richardhutnik on 27 September 2013
Mythmaker1 said:
richardhutnik said:
Th3PANO said:
iamdeath said:
Only valve has the balls to try some innovation like this. Not sure how it will work, but it could be brilliant, or fail. I wouldn't count valve out. Typical people judging too quickly.

Sorry, but why would a console company make a controller like this? Racing games, platformers, fighting games, adventure games and rpg's don't get anything from such a design. It's MAYBE good for FPS and RTS but then, mouse and keyboard are still better.

I think that is part of my reaction. I am stumped at what the controller is for.  Is it just FPS or RTS?  Other stuff make little sense to me at all.

The Wii U's controller makes a LOT more sense than the Steam Machine controller to me.

Seeing that, I am thinking it can be the case of market evolutionary development, which is what current controllers have, vs developing something in a lap, and thinking you know better.

And note, I am not busting on the thumb controller side, but other people might.  That may actually work better, eventhough I also have reservations about it.

Well, I think I did see one pic, where the central screen was covere and there were 4 plastic overlays on top, so maybe it lends to a more traditional controller config that way.

I'm honestly curious what specifically makes the controller unsuitable for certian types of games. In terms of games I've personally played (which I'll admit may be somewhat limited) I don't forsee any complications.

Could you explain that to me?

* Fighting games: Uses 4-6 buttons with the thumb moving to different spots.  Need to have fingers move to right place to set up right spot to be able to do something.  This controller doesn't work for them.

* Side scrolling beat-em ups, and action-adventure games using multiple buttons.

* Sports titles utilizing a number of buttons to get player to do moves.

 

Pretty much any game requiring the thumb moving to multiple spots to do things is serious hindered here.  I am not saying that certain types won't be playable, but would have to reengineer them to work, the way you do with an RTS with a console.  And in doing that, the end result is games fans of them won't play on the console, because they aren't used to the controls.  The configuration we have today is due to what market creation has pushed.  Even the Wii U got driven to add thumb sticks that clicked in.



Netyaroze on 27 September 2013

Curious to see if it works



IsawYoshi on 27 September 2013
Munkeh111 said:
I think it looks utterly awful and having got my hands on both next-gen controllers earlier today, I don't really see how this can compare for pretty much every game

I've got my hands on myself right now. I've been told I'm the controller.



Player2 on 27 September 2013
Mythmaker1 said:
richardhutnik said:
Th3PANO said:

Sorry, but why would a console company make a controller like this? Racing games, platformers, fighting games, adventure games and rpg's don't get anything from such a design. It's MAYBE good for FPS and RTS but then, mouse and keyboard are still better.

I think that is part of my reaction. I am stumped at what the controller is for.  Is it just FPS or RTS?  Other stuff make little sense to me at all.

The Wii U's controller makes a LOT more sense than the Steam Machine controller to me.

Seeing that, I am thinking it can be the case of market evolutionary development, which is what current controllers have, vs developing something in a lap, and thinking you know better.

And note, I am not busting on the thumb controller side, but other people might.  That may actually work better, eventhough I also have reservations about it.

Well, I think I did see one pic, where the central screen was covere and there were 4 plastic overlays on top, so maybe it lends to a more traditional controller config that way.

I'm honestly curious what specifically makes the controller unsuitable for certian types of games. In terms of games I've personally played (which I'll admit may be somewhat limited) I don't forsee any complications.

Could you explain that to me?

I use three fingers (like in a arcade) instead of my right thumb to press face buttons whenever it's possible (always for 3D fighting games) because it's faster (no need to move the right thumb to different spots, plus makes pressing multiple buttons at the same time (something like A+Y) easy). With this controller that's impossible.



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Mythmaker1 on 27 September 2013
richardhutnik said:
Mythmaker1 said:
richardhutnik said:
Th3PANO said:
iamdeath said:
Only valve has the balls to try some innovation like this. Not sure how it will work, but it could be brilliant, or fail. I wouldn't count valve out. Typical people judging too quickly.

Sorry, but why would a console company make a controller like this? Racing games, platformers, fighting games, adventure games and rpg's don't get anything from such a design. It's MAYBE good for FPS and RTS but then, mouse and keyboard are still better.

I think that is part of my reaction. I am stumped at what the controller is for.  Is it just FPS or RTS?  Other stuff make little sense to me at all.

The Wii U's controller makes a LOT more sense than the Steam Machine controller to me.

Seeing that, I am thinking it can be the case of market evolutionary development, which is what current controllers have, vs developing something in a lap, and thinking you know better.

And note, I am not busting on the thumb controller side, but other people might.  That may actually work better, eventhough I also have reservations about it.

Well, I think I did see one pic, where the central screen was covere and there were 4 plastic overlays on top, so maybe it lends to a more traditional controller config that way.

I'm honestly curious what specifically makes the controller unsuitable for certian types of games. In terms of games I've personally played (which I'll admit may be somewhat limited) I don't forsee any complications.

Could you explain that to me?

* Fighting games: Uses 4-6 buttons with the thumb moving to different spots.  Need to have fingers move to right place to set up right spot to be able to do something.  This controller doesn't work for them.

* Side scrolling beat-em ups, and action-adventure games using multiple buttons.

* Sports titles utilizing a number of buttons to get player to do moves.

 

Pretty much any game requiring the thumb moving to multiple spots to do things is serious hindered here.  I am not saying that certain types won't be playable, but would have to reengineer them to work, the way you do with an RTS with a console.  And in doing that, the end result is games fans of them won't play on the console, because they aren't used to the controls.  The configuration we have today is due to what market creation has pushed.  Even the Wii U got driven to add thumb sticks that clicked in.

I'm a bit confused. Each home console controller allows you access to only four face buttons without taking both thumbs off the sticks.

With the two buttons on the back, and two on each side of the controller, the Steam controller allows the same number of buttons while still keeping a thumb on the pad. Or is there something that makes the back buttons wrong for these game types?



I believe in honesty, civility, generosity, practicality, and impartiality.

iamdeath on 27 September 2013
kowenicki said:
iamdeath said:
Only valve has the balls to try some innovation like this. Not sure how it will work, but it could be brilliant, or fail. I wouldn't count valve out. Typical people judging too quickly.


Whose judging.  I said it looks horrific and to me it does.  It may function very well, but it won't stop it looking horrific.

Did I quote you?? No I didn't.



iamdeath on 27 September 2013
Th3PANO said:
iamdeath said:
Only valve has the balls to try some innovation like this. Not sure how it will work, but it could be brilliant, or fail. I wouldn't count valve out. Typical people judging too quickly.

Sorry, but why would a console company make a controller like this? Racing games, platformers, fighting games, adventure games and rpg's don't get anything from such a design. It's MAYBE good for FPS and RTS but then, mouse and keyboard are still better.


Have you used it? Fighting games are not exactly big nowadays.



Mythmaker1 on 27 September 2013
Player2 said:
Mythmaker1 said:

I'm honestly curious what specifically makes the controller unsuitable for certian types of games. In terms of games I've personally played (which I'll admit may be somewhat limited) I don't forsee any complications.

Could you explain that to me?

I use three fingers (like in a arcade) instead of my right thumb to press face buttons whenever it's possible (always for 3D fighting games) because it's faster (no need to move the right thumb to different spots, makes pressing multiple buttons at the same time (something like A+X) easy). With this controller that's impossible.

If you're wanting to hit three buttons with three different fingers, I'm pretty sure you can still do that, if you use the ones on the back.



I believe in honesty, civility, generosity, practicality, and impartiality.

richardhutnik on 27 September 2013
Mythmaker1 said:
richardhutnik said:
Mythmaker1 said:
richardhutnik said:
Th3PANO said:
iamdeath said:
Only valve has the balls to try some innovation like this. Not sure how it will work, but it could be brilliant, or fail. I wouldn't count valve out. Typical people judging too quickly.

Sorry, but why would a console company make a controller like this? Racing games, platformers, fighting games, adventure games and rpg's don't get anything from such a design. It's MAYBE good for FPS and RTS but then, mouse and keyboard are still better.

I think that is part of my reaction. I am stumped at what the controller is for.  Is it just FPS or RTS?  Other stuff make little sense to me at all.

The Wii U's controller makes a LOT more sense than the Steam Machine controller to me.

Seeing that, I am thinking it can be the case of market evolutionary development, which is what current controllers have, vs developing something in a lap, and thinking you know better.

And note, I am not busting on the thumb controller side, but other people might.  That may actually work better, eventhough I also have reservations about it.

Well, I think I did see one pic, where the central screen was covere and there were 4 plastic overlays on top, so maybe it lends to a more traditional controller config that way.

I'm honestly curious what specifically makes the controller unsuitable for certian types of games. In terms of games I've personally played (which I'll admit may be somewhat limited) I don't forsee any complications.

Could you explain that to me?

* Fighting games: Uses 4-6 buttons with the thumb moving to different spots.  Need to have fingers move to right place to set up right spot to be able to do something.  This controller doesn't work for them.

* Side scrolling beat-em ups, and action-adventure games using multiple buttons.

* Sports titles utilizing a number of buttons to get player to do moves.

 

Pretty much any game requiring the thumb moving to multiple spots to do things is serious hindered here.  I am not saying that certain types won't be playable, but would have to reengineer them to work, the way you do with an RTS with a console.  And in doing that, the end result is games fans of them won't play on the console, because they aren't used to the controls.  The configuration we have today is due to what market creation has pushed.  Even the Wii U got driven to add thumb sticks that clicked in.

I'm a bit confused. Each home console controller allows you access to only four face buttons without taking both thumbs off the sticks.

With the two buttons on the back, and two on each side of the controller, the Steam controller allows the same number of buttons while still keeping a thumb on the pad. Or is there something that makes the back buttons wrong for these game types?

The Steam Box controller takes the four buttons on front on the right hand side, and spaces them evenly on the left and the right to make them not work the same way.  They do look like they keep the same buttons on the back, but the front is missing the buttons on the side.