Valve Demos Steam Controller with Portal 2, CS:GO
On Friday, Valve designer Greg "Gregori" Coomer posted a Steam controller demonstration on the Steam Universe Community website, showing how the device can handle input across a wide range of game types using the two trackpads instead of analog sticks. Titles featured in this demo include Portal 2, Civilization 5, Counter-Strike: GO and Papers Please.
"One of the most important features of the controller is that the two trackpads are fully configurable," he says. "What we're showing here is what we call 'Legacy Mode', which is playing a game that hasn't been modified at all to support the controller. So this is just standard keyboard and mouse style Portal 2, but the controller is acting like a mouse and keyboard, and is mapped to output keyboard events that Portal 2 expects."
The right trackpad is configured to a 1:1 view control mode, meaning the thumb can move a fixed amount of distance on the pad that translates into a small movement on the screen, unlike a joystick that uses a velocity or relative-based movement. Meanwhile, the left pad is configured like a D-Pad where up is mapped to the "W" key, down is mapped to the "S" key, and so on. Naturally, lefties may want to reverse this setup and map the Arrow keys.
In Civilization 5, the right trackpad is used as a 1:1 mouse pointer, the left trackpad used to control the camera, and the bottom buttons for zooming in and out of the virtual city. In Counter-Strike: GO, he seems to use the same configuration seen in Portal 2, but comments that the tech allows gamers to aim and shoot without any kind of auto-aim help. In Papers Please, he uses both trackpads as mouse pointers.
"We can use both trackpads to control the mouse alternately," he explains. "The two mouse movements get blended together so I can move with my left thumb and then my right thumb, and it allows you to do a really quick walk across the screen. It's a very comfortable way to control games that need to move the mouse very precisely and get over large distances on the screen."
To see the gamepad in action, check out the video below.

You make it sound like you can't alter sensitivity in any way
But that is not the case, this demo is to show you that the gamepad is accurate enough to be a replacement for a mouse and a keyboard setup. Also in my opinion it is even better than playing a fps game with gamepad. Those are 2 things u should compare, apple to apple, a gamepad with a gamepad. And they did mention that the Steam Machine will be compatible with keyboard and mouse, still want to make kids comment like "way to get killed early on fps"?
But in their testing mouse/keyboard players were much better than controller users.
They decided to end support for keyboard/mouse as it would ruin the experience for casual gamers using a controller. Always losing to mouse/keyboard users.
This was published a long time ago.
I think the only game to receive m/k support was CS.
The main issue is that games are designed on the PC specifically for mouse and keyboard. Often times you have to use 3rd party programs like Xpadder to get a controller to work, and even then it sucks. This new control address that issue extremely well. It isn't supposed to be "superior" or "an upgrade" to the mouse and keyboard. It's a livingroom friendly alternative.
Sure, if you bring one of these to a CS, CoD or Battlefield LAN, you're gunna get smoked hard, but again, that's not the point.
The point is to bring the PC into the living room.
I agree but its an interesting idea. No one else has really innovated gamepads for years. Since the first dual shock they have been pretty much the same.
This will be interesting to see how well it works with games meant to have controllers like platformers.
But that is not the case, this demo is to show you that the gamepad is accurate enough to be a replacement for a mouse and a keyboard setup. Also in my opinion it is even better than playing a fps game with gamepad. Those are 2 things u should compare, apple to apple, a gamepad with a gamepad. And they did mention that the Steam Machine will be compatible with keyboard and mouse, still want to make kids comment like "way to get killed early on fps"?
Why should we compare the accuracy of this to a gamepad? a steam box is a PC, and as such if you play it using the gamepad that comes with it, you'll be facing people who use a mouse and keyboard in multiplayer games. If everyone were to use a gamepad on PC, then sure, I wouldn't mind. But when you'll be decimated in CS:GO or BO2 because you failed to react fast enough just because of your steambox gamepad compared to the trusty mouse and keyboard that your opponents use, then you'll realize that there is truly a problem.
It's a very nice try to make PC gaming more accessible, to be used in a living room environment. And while I was suprised with how accurate and natural it seemed to feel for the person in the video, I remain skeptical about how this can be used in competitive multiplayer gaming (And I really don't even mean pro level)
But that is not the case, this demo is to show you that the gamepad is accurate enough to be a replacement for a mouse and a keyboard setup. Also in my opinion it is even better than playing a fps game with gamepad. Those are 2 things u should compare, apple to apple, a gamepad with a gamepad. And they did mention that the Steam Machine will be compatible with keyboard and mouse, still want to make kids comment like "way to get killed early on fps"?
Why should we compare the accuracy of this to a gamepad? a steam box is a PC, and as such if you play it using the gamepad that comes with it, you'll be facing people who use a mouse and keyboard in multiplayer games. If everyone were to use a gamepad on PC, then sure, I wouldn't mind. But when you'll be decimated in CS:GO or BO2 because you failed to react fast enough just because of your steambox gamepad compared to the trusty mouse and keyboard that your opponents use, then you'll realize that there is truly a problem.
It's a very nice try to make PC gaming more accessible, to be used in a living room environment. And while I was suprised with how accurate and natural it seemed to feel for the person in the video, I remain skeptical about how this can be used in competitive multiplayer gaming (And I really don't even mean pro level)
youre still missing the point though. sure, pcs are most usually played with mouse and keyboard at all times, but this is NOT the case in the living room. what valve is trying to do is make the pc a viable option for gaming on your big tv. because really, playing with mouse and keyboard on tv isnt a good option. for playing fps and strategy games, this is superior to traditional gamepads.
this is not trying to be better than mouse and keyboard, JUST trying a better solution for certain pc games on your tv.
Also, I would strongly disagree with people saying youd get "decimated" by pc gamers with mouses. it is very similar to mouse in fact because it relies on very precise movements. its not like analog sticks where you move a little and it keeps going. with mouse its the wrist and with this its the thumb. it just takes getting used to.
There are four types of assisted aiming in console games: Snapping, Friction, Acceleration, and Magnetism.
1. Magnetism defines and outlines how far a bullet will "bend" in order to hit an enemy. Bullets and projectiles do not necessarily travel in a straight path; they will curve very slightly in order to hit a target. Different projectiles will experience different curvatures.
2. Snapping reorients the gun barrels toward enemies whenever a player's reticle are in proximity to their target.
3. Acceleration makes it so that when the player pegs their aiming stick in one direction the player's reticle will start moving slowly in that direction then pick up speed.
4. Friction slows the player's turn rate as soon as their reticule passes over an enemy. What it does is that it slows your top speed, and then dramatically decrease the rate at which the crosshair will slow down when you release the stick.
Here a few link and a video about controller auto aim being demonstrated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaom3cdZv1c
http://www.halopedia.org/Aim-Assist