Steam Machine Controller Redesign: Why It Makes Sense
The Steam Machine controller was recently redesigned, with the remodeled prototype set to see the public at next week’s Game Developers Conference. It was originally designed to be a touch-heavy controller, with the two sensor pads replacing the normal control pads and sticks, and a square touch pad in the center.
The touch pad in the center has been replaced with eight buttons in the lower center in classic diamond formations, a design which has been favored on console controllers since the days of the SNES.
Why does the new design make more sense? For the reason, let’s go back to the days mentioned above. There was a controller which used a very similar sensor pad style, an octagonal field with relief lines instead of the cross pad. This controller was the Turbo Touch 360 from TRIAX, an almost “prehistoric” version of the Steam Machine controller the way it was originally designed. This controller was a short-lived experiment because it was difficult to know where your thumb was without looking at the controller. In a heated game of Street Fighter 2 (a popular game at the time), it made the more complicated moves even tougher with all of the need to look back and forth.
The confusing control scheme rendered the turbo toggle switches irrelevant and drove most gamers to something else.
The new eight button remappable system will at least let you turn the buttons into a makeshift control pad, letting you know exactly where your thumb is as it’s flying around in the heat of gameplay. The sensor pads are still there, but now they’re only an option.
We understand what they were trying to do with the sensor interface. It’s supposed to be a replacement for the mouse, and that could still work well. With PC ports of console games such as Titanfall and Call of Duty, however, it might not work so well. You might find yourself taking advantage of third party controllers which emulate the ones we already know.
The redesign of the Steam Machine controller does make sense for most casual games, but for the hot and heavy action that rears its head in most recent console ports you will probably still want to wait.
Love what #Valve has done with re design of the Controller! Can’t wait to order a Steam Machine & a couple of these pic.twitter.com/UsfhHW0G1D
— Johnny Mac (@iGamerZero24) March 15, 2014
According to Microsoft director of product planning Albert Penello, there are drivers being created to let the Xbox One controller work on the PC. Those drivers may be available by the time the first Steam Machine controller hits the shelves, and the Steam Machine (basically being a PC console) might even support the option of the upcoming driver.
Do you agree that the redesign of the Steam Machine controller was a sensible move?
