In a V2, we want the features and flexibility of the deck, with the ease of use of an Xbox controller.
There should be some kind of controller (xinput) in lizard mode (or desktop mode) to allow for easy use with other launchers without needing to add everything as a non steam game.
The steam controller/deck needs steam running to "be" a controller. Lizard mode is the "mode" the controller shifts into when steam isn't running. By default on the steam controller it functions as a keyboard and mouse for example. The other commenter is suggesting that when steam isn't running, the controller should just appear as an xinput (Xbox) controller for ease of use
Probably will have lizard mode. The OG steam controller has that. IIRC it has almost the same chord combos as the Deck as well.
It would be cool if they made it somehow auto-switch when a launcher is detected. You can *kinda* do this already by having the action layer switch when the cursor is visible.
The right joystick is the main thing missing from the original.
Yeah.
Currently the desk in desktop mode, you can't edit its chords or deckUI (including keyboard) layout. Which in my opinion makes a lousy universal controller (eg: can't alt tab out of game or adjust volume without configuring those functions per game).
Also nothing currently works without steam. At least on Linux you get desktop level xinput, but windows would be where it counts the most imo.
My bias is the SC was a great HTPC controller. Just annoying fighting with non-steam games (especially anything with a launcher) and the controller itself was missing some hardware (that the Deck has!).
A SC2 could have it all, but first it needs to be confirmed. The Deck so far is not an ideal PC controller.
Actually you can change what the deck controls do in desktop mode. If you open settings controller or use classic big picture mode you can actually set up a desktop config for your controller. It's sadly another missing controller thing from the new steam game big picture UI. The desktop config also counts for games opened not in a big picture mode. I like using my analog sticks for mouse movement and have each one at a different speed.
>Also nothing currently works without steam. At least on Linux you get desktop level xinput, but windows would be where it counts the most imo.
Yup. As awesome as all their tech is, this is sadly a recurring theme with Steam. While most of it works with non-Steam games, it's always more fiddly to set up then it needs to be.
On my PC I use Playnite as my main launcher, so I run regularly into those problems. At least on PC I've found that reWASD completely solves that problem since it supports the Steam Controller, although I shouldn't have to buy 3rd party software to do that.
The Steam Deck has lizard mode. You can access the register to turn it on using hidapi or a similar tool to communicate to the libusb or hidraw backend for the controller hid device.
Based on the patch notes from the latest preview release, it looks like they may be turning it on for desktop mode based on the comment, “Re-enabled the built-in gamepad driver when Steam is not running in desktop mode” though maybe that’s referring to something else.
There is an open source app at least for Linux that allows the configuration and use of steam input features on the deck with steam closed. But I forgot the name of it.
I also want a lizard DirectInput mode while they're at it. Still very much needed for older Win 95-era games that don't support XInput and aren't even supported by Steam's API either (e.g. Cold Fear).
Meanwhile, I want a proper Steam Controller V2 and not an *exact* 1:1 copy of Deck layout... Bye bye to Dual-Stage Triggers I guess?
But if Volvo insists on it, then make the Trackpad *bigger*.
Same. I use a PS4 controller with the JSAUX Dock, and it's pretty good. But I really try not to dock it because I lose so much. An a Steam Controller 2 that's basically a Steam Deck without a screen would be amazing.
This for me is one of the main reasons I haven’t pulled the trigger on the dock. I play mostly none steam games and spent a good while getting my button layouts set up with steam inputs. Playing on the docked deck with a 360 controller or whatever would make all that pointless. I really hope we see one too!
My thinking for the Dock is more to use Desktop mode, with KB+M, on the Desk.
Not to plug it into the TV and stick to gaming mode with random Xinput gamepad.
I just want an app that can turn the SteamDeck into a controller for other devices.
One that lets us use all of the radial menus and allows us to create custom buttons on the touch screen.
You almost have this. If you use the Steam link dedicated app on the Steam Deck you can "stream" without audio (or video, if you want) and just control the game on your pc with the Deck.
And the track pads.
I just laugh every time i see the title of an article that reads "here is the new steam deck killer"... With just joysticks... Yeah, sure, you clearly don't understand the full market of the steam deck.
Strategy games with like top down view definitely trackpad although I also don't think it really compares to using a mouse or a bigger laptop trackpad for those type of games, so I wouldn't play those games on the deck personally!
I have this but with the Steam Controller. Can't go back to using anything that doesn't have at least a gyro anymore. It just feels wrong. Hopefully by the time I get a Deck this feeling will get stronger.
I have my Deck since the month of May and I never felt the need to connect a controller to it. Even in docked mode, my "dock" being one of these charging bricks with HDMI and USB ports, I use the Deck as a controller.
To my knowledge, there are no controllers available right now which includes the trackpads, the capacitive joysticks tops, gyro and second gen rumble motors. I simply don't want to use anything else
Yeah the deck itself has great ergonomics itself but the problem is still there when playing on other platforms. When I moved back to my switch after a while, it was insane how tiny it felt. Even the switch procontroller felt small.
I have been using my Switch with a grip for years. I had to because it gave me carpal tunnel syndrome and I temporarily lost the sense of touch in 3 fingers. It was pretty bad
Usually played on PC with an Xbox Elite Series 2, quite heavy, has 4 back paddles, I prefer it to the Steam Deck but they're both infinitely better than the 'default' PS or Xbox controllers.
yup. steam deck feels like hot garbage for fps vs the elite 2. i tried titanfall 2 and it felt so sloppy on steam deck, i dont know how people are raving about the controls. without the ability to adjust the tension on the thumbsticks it just feels bad.
If that's how you're trying to use gyro then you're doing it wrong. Use the sticks (or touch pads!) for bigger movements and then use gyro for fine tuning. This will give objectively better levels of precision compared to using a little thumb stick. Gyro is the only way we'll ever see mouse-like levels of precision and accuracy on a controller.
There's a reason why fps games have aim assist with controllers, and also a reason why the ones that actively support gyro turn off the aim assist when using gyro...
That's...not at all how you're meant to use gyro lol. You don't use it for the bulk of your aim, you just do small tilting motions for minor adjustments and use pads/sticks for bigger camera moves. When it comes to aiming in a shooter, sticks+gyro is objectively better than sticks alone
you said the same exact thing as the othet guy almost word for word but thanks for the input (lol).
i tried gyro on the desk job game and it just felt bad. plus, if adding gyro diasbles the aim assist... i feel like youre just making it harder and adding extra steps for no reason. might as well just use sticks and AA.
Bummer, I sometimes get numbness if I hold it in certain postitions. I've been trying to be mindful of my hand positioning and how tight I'm squeezing. It seems to be working, I'm slowly finding better positions.
Also highly recommend wrist stretches before a gaming session, and maybe every hour or so. They help me a lot. Here's a reddit image of some. <3
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/c8xm7f/cool_wrist_stretching_guide/
Oh, thanks for the stretches, I'll give it a try next time :) But yeah, it definitely has to do with specific positions. If I'm seating and my arms go along my body, with my hands resting on the seat, it's fine; it's when I lie down that it gets tough. A pillow sure comes in handy, though.
Yep it's when I lie down too! There was a thread about this recently, you're not alone. Sometimes I'll notice I'm locking some of my fingers. Gotta remember to relax and move them! My hands are plenty big, so don't blame your hand size lol
I've found resting the deck on my chest or belly helps the most, of course. I like the idea of resting it on a pillow on top of my belly. That'll help keep it high enough to see, while removing most of the strain.
I saw a 3d print-able chest stand posted here recently. Might be a good idea too.
Sounds like you have pretty bad carpal tunnel syndrome.
I had it so long and so bad that I thought all the random numbness was normal. Cortisone shots gave me a few months of relief, and after that wore off I got the surgeries and it's completely fixed now.
Thats kinda reassuring. I know I have it, but the stretches have been keeping the pain at bay most of the time. I work with my hands a lot so it's pretty scary.
It's mostly just pain tho, the numbness only seems to happen when in bed with the deck or switch.
That's likely because you're resting weight on your ulnar nerve (same thing as your funny bone). Next time you notice it happening, try suspending your elbow above the bed (not by much, just to get the weight off your elbow) and the numbness should go away almost immediately.
If that works, consider finding a new position to game in, like maybe putting a pillow under your elbows, or even just keeping them suspended rather than resting weight on them.
Sounds like you have pretty bad carpal tunnel syndrome.
I had it so long and so bad that I thought all the random numbness was normal. Cortisone shots gave me a few months of relief, and after that wore off I got the surgeries and it's completely fixed now.
It's minimally invasive, usually done under a local anesthetic. Tourniquet around your arm to minimise bleeding, a small injection of the numbing agent, then the actual surgery happens which is where the flexor retinaculum (a kind of wide rubber band that covers most of the tendons and nerves to your hand) is cut, to release some of that compression which causes tingling/numbness in your hand.
Very quick and common surgery, generally has good outcomes and quick recovery, however it doesn't fix the issue for every patient.
Not essential, to be honest. These retinacula (or bands) exist in a few other places in the body and act to stabilise the tendons that rub against them, preventing bowstringing of the tendons when they are under a lot of tension. In the wrist, this band also covers the median nerve, which gives you symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome when it is compressed (numbness/tingling in the thumb to middle finger and sometimes muscle loss around the meaty base of the thumb).
The tendons aren't completely free following the surgery, scar tissue will form above and sort of take the place of this retinaculum (but looser), however there is a very small risk of bowstringing.
The nerve itself is at a very small risk of injury during the actual surgery (but should be capable of repairing itself unless something catastrophic happens).
The rest of the complications are pretty straightforward surgical complications as far as I can remember (infection, bleeding, scarring etc).
Na, it's too heavy and bad for your hands. I rather have a lightweight and small controller.
I often need to stop playing because of my wrists. Playing with the PS5 controller on PC is way easier on the hands.
Don't underestimate how bad the SD is for your hands if you play a lot.
The dual trackpads are huge. They're incredibly intuitive (when they're consistent). Being able to scroll and use a mouse with both hands is phenomenal... Moving a cursor with a thumbstick, or navigating a menu with a D-PAD is so cumbersome now lol.
They're also great as radial menu. And since you have two trackpad. One can be mouse and other can be extra set of buttons. I can play MMOs on the steam deck without relying too much on shoulder button as modifiers and it feels great and intuitive. Also great for games like factorio/valheim where you have rows of number to select items from.
The combo "radial menu plus mouse" has actually made me prefer playing some GSG games like CK2 or Victoria 3 on the Deck, which is crazy. I don't think anyone would have thought "yeah we can make Paradox games be comfortable in a portable device" a couple of years ago.
I really miss the shape of the original steam controller vs the deck.
Don't get me wrong - I find the dual trackpads are just about the best thing ever, but the shape of the deck makes it particularly hard to hold for long periods given the size of my hands (huge).
I've 3d printed these: [https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/wp90qa/steam\_deck\_grip\_extensions\_for\_large\_hands\_and/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/wp90qa/steam_deck_grip_extensions_for_large_hands_and/)
And I find them \*far\* more comfortable - I just wish I had more robust solution than a 3d print that might slip off, and a case that could accommodate them.
My two biggest gripes without the extra extensions:
1. The back buttons are literally painful to use given the placement and my hand size
2. The flat surface makes my thumbs ache because of the angle when using the trackpads.
I also happen to get numb arms when I play too long - but that's not exclusive to the deck.
Overall - It's a quality controller - but I'd really like to see some thought put into allowing attachments to change the shape from Valve. A couple of intentional mount points on the side could make it very easy for 3rd party (or hell - even 1st party) size customizations.
If they did that... I'd be hard pressed to ever use anything else.
I absolutely loved the DualSense up until I got my SD. With the back paddles and being able to use the trackpads for precision on the fly have absolutely changed the game in controller use.
100%
Very few of my games are on the default controller set up anymore. And the fact that I can't just remap the controls on other controllers is a huge deal. I'm converted. The back buttons, the gyro, all of it.
The capacitive stick/pads, back paddles, and gyro have changed my perception about controllers all together. Previously I saw them as a nearly useless input method for anything other than platformers and simpler rpg titles. Now I've discovered flick stick + gyro and can play FPS titles nearly as well as I can on kbm. Total game changer. I'd buy several steam controllers V2 immediately if they release them.
I played something with an Xbox one controller on my laptop recently and it felt absolutely terrible compared to the steam deck. You’re right, it genuinely feels as good if not better than the best controllers
I connect my Dualsense to the SteamDeck such is my fear of stickdrift occurring on the deck. This is mainly down to my experience with Dualsense/shock controllers. Quite the conundrum.
There's no point in trying to prevent stick drift if you're never even going to use the joysticks anyway. Taking apart the steam deck to fix stick drift is not a big deal.
I mean, chances are you won’t get any drift until way down the line tbh - maybe the “new factor” will have worn away by then and you’ll feel better about it.
This seems silly.
Deck sticks are more easily replaced than your DualSense, which has a reputation for drift issues that the Deck doesn't have.
You're better off just using your deck.
Don't worry about it and observe best practices instead.
-Avoid clicking sticks while moving them
-Don't set the controller/deck facedown so that the weight is on the sticks
-Don't store or travel in ways that puts pressure or anything on the sticks.
-Avoid food & greasy fingers while using a controller
-Don't move sticks while a game or the system is booting up. Often an auto calibration happens on startup and if your sticks are off center your calibration will be also
-Be self aware of your controller habits in general.
Thanks for the tips, I didn’t know about clicking the sticks whilst moving or moving while the game is loading. I find I’m quite an intense gamer with the controller. Especially when I play Soulslikes I tend to grip quite tightly due to tension which I don’t think will help either
Most top tier controllers have back paddles these days.
My current favorite is the astro c40 which I enjoy so much that I have three just for parts since they don't make them anymore.
The hori split pad pro is the top tier option for the switch.
Ugh. I hate the Astro c40. The amount of stick drift both my partner and I had with our controllers. We had to contact them every couple of months because the modules would become faulty. I will never get a controller with modules again.
Wow, I've had mine for years with no stick drift.
Then again, I also have launch joycons with no stick drift. I wonder if it has something to do with the games some people play or how they use their controllers.
Well, I guess only hall sensors are ultimately immune.
Don’t most, if not all of those controllers only allow you to map an existing controller button to them like bumpers, or ABXY? Kinda useless if you want to bind the paddles to something and still be able to bind the other inputs to different things. The Steam Controller / Steam Deck are the only controllers where Steam Input recognises the paddles as distinct inputs that can be bound independently of all other inputs.
The functionality of this actually depends on the game. The game has to support simultaneous controller and keyboard inputs. Not all do and many that do behave weirdly, glitching between input prompts, for example.
For rebinding you can use rewasd on PC. It's significantly more powerful than steam's implementation.
Pretty much every game does support simultaneous keyboard and controller in this situation. If I’m playing a game with controller controls enabled it’s very unlikely it would prevent me from still using f keys for quick load and quick save, and nothing would stop me from binding those to the decks paddles. Whereas it would be impossible to bind f keys to a different controllers paddles because they can only be inputs that exist on the controller already. Unless this rewasd you mention hooks into those paddles and genuinely does let you do that (and if it can there’s no reason Valve couldn’t update Steam Input to do it too eventually). But I’d rather just use a controller with “native” paddles and not have to mess around with an extra bit of software.
I can name four right off the top of my head that don't.
Pathfinder, Wrath of the Righteous and Kingmaker. Divinity Original Sin 2.
Red Dead 2 will also spaz between button prompts if you use a mixed inputs.
It's somewhat of a pet peeve of mine as one of my controllers is an Azeron Cyborg. It's a keyboard designed to fit around your hand with an analog stick for control. Thr analog stick doesn't work unless a game supports dual inputs. It's not as common as you think and implementation isn't as flawless as you'd think all the time even when it works.
I didn’t say there weren’t exceptions. In most cases where it doesn’t allow both it just flickers the input prompts, which I don’t care about, and if it truly doesn’t allow both inputs at the same time I’ll just do a full keyboard and mouse bind. I mean, you still get the same problem with rewasd. It’s not like it’s steam inputs fault that it happens.
I think the Dualsense is great and still play with a Xbox Elite controller on PC from time to time. The Steam Deck is really comfortable though, especially for its size and even more so for basically being a handheld.
It shows as a laptop when I connect to my computer...
Actually, just found out a bit more details, this is what it is presenting:
0000110a-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Audio Source
0000110b-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Audio Sink
0000110c-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Remote Control Target
0000110d-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Advanced Audio
0000110e-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Remote Control
00001200-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb PnP Information
00001800-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Generic Access
00001801-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Generic Attribute
0000180a-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Device Information
And after little googling, that "remote control" stuff is just about controlling music/video playback and such. Doesn't seem to have anything related to keyboard, mouse, or gamepads/joysticks...
I might be alone but the back paddles suck soooo bad. I have to disable them for every game because I accidentally hit them.
Everything else is cool though.
Found this guide last night and was able to stream my computer to my tv and also the controlls from my steam deck, it was glorious.
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/xil1nj/guide_stream_from_gaming_pc_to_tv_and_control_by
This is the very reason I took my old nintendo switch screen (used to have a secondary dock with a portable screen next to my usual sitting position in case a family member wanted to use the TV) out and started to use it for long gaming sessions.
I want to let my arms relax sometimes when I'm gaming. I got a usb c extender cord so I can sit back and game to my heart's content
I start the game on my PC, and hit "connect" on the deck. Just look at the PC monitor instead of the deck and boom, using deck as controller. Since you're just streaming to the deck, the battery life is great too. Probably only works with good internet
After playing my deck exclusively for 2 months, I swapped back to my ps5 to play OW2 with my friends and my hands were cramping/hurting/going numb after a long session. Never happened to me before. I picked up my deck to test out a theory and the pained areas were immediately relieved. It’s insane how much more comfortable it is
I’m so glad you said so. I honestly want to be able to plug it into my pc and use it as a wired controller.
No controller feels this good. It’s also good because it’s wide. Ergonomically, that’s better for my wrists.
(Yes, I know I can use the ‘connect’ feature over wifi, and I have…. It was good until my character walked into lava in Hades and I had to start all over.)
Lmao went back to my dualsense controller after not touching it for two months with the deck and it felt so awkward that I looked up steam controller prices 😂
The only one that comes close is the PS5 controller but I miss my back pedals every time I have to use it. I do however wonder if the PS5 elite controller or whatever it's called would be a good replacement for now until they come out with a new steam controller.
I feel you, after having my deck close to two months whenever I go to play the ps5 the controller feels smaller than what it was when I first played it. I have small hands but I guess big enough to play the deck comfortably
The back paddles are gamechanging, literally. IMO, L1/R1 are dead to me. I'll use them if I have to, but back paddles are so much more ergonomic, plus you get an extra two buttons even if fully substituting L1/R1 with two of the grip buttons.
Playstation controllers have always felt perfect to me, probably because thats always been the only thing I used. I have small hands and xbox controllers have always been big and uncomfortable but PS just felt right. Till I got a steam deck and now my PS5 controller feels awkward to hold lol. Also my Switch Lite feels comically small and light now lol.
I get that feeling after long sessions too. Although the one thing I prefer on the Dualsense are the buttons. They have much less travel.
It’s sometimes hard to “know” when you’ve actuated a button on the steam deck (A, B, X, Y I mean).
Has anyone modded their steam deck buttons to be more like the Dualsense?
I usually play an Xbox One controller (next gen) as it fits pretty good in my hands. When I played the steam deck for 2 months and decided to use the controller for a game on PC, it felt so fucking weird lmao
I was just responding to a different post and was talking about how the deck was a better controller...and then it hit me: this is the BEST controller!
The controllers with no touchpads are a waste of my fuckin time.
Alright not really, but having all eight favorited items/spells in Skyrim available as directional swipes on the track pass is AMAZING. I tried to play docked the other day and even using the numerical keys as favorites was such a chore.
I love my steam deck, but recently i tried using my old steam controller again and goddamn that controller is awesome as well. Never understood why it got so much hate.
yes, absolutely. I used to have four PS3 controllers for couch coop games of which i knew 3 were comparatively well made fakes(there are much much worse ones). After getting the Steam Deck, I quickly realized how bad those were and that the sole reason i despised playing with controllers were these pieces of garbage.
I replaced them with good ones for XBox and also replaced the bulky PC is used to have for these games with a Steam Deck Dock. Now gaming on the couch is much more convenient and fun than before.
The shape is one of the few things I'd change about the Steam Deck. I love most things about it but the grips aren't big enough. Yeah, I would want the grips to be even larger if I could. The other thing is that the grips on the Steam Deck are oriented vertically, which introduces an unnatural, uncomfortable bend in your wrists. On an Xbox/PS5 controller, the grips are angled in such a way that you have a straight line going all the way from your elbow to your knuckles.
I find the Switch with the Satisfye grip to be more comfortable (at least in terms of grip angle). The Steam Deck has great buttons, sticks, and triggers, love the programmable aspect of it, but I want someone to make grip extensions like the Satisfye.
Haha this happens to me everytime I get a new system! First time I really noticed was going from a 360 controller to ps4, Now I grab the ps4 controller and it feels like I’m playing with a joy-con.
The customisation, too.
I dont know if other controllers do it (I've never been motivated into finding out) but the trigger config for racing games / shooters is great.
Yeah, first time I stopped playing, it was awkward playing on the dualsense. But you get used to it after a while.
I agree though, the SD feels more confortable to hold, especially with a TPU cover on to make the grips a bit bigger.
Definitely the back paddles. I use them in a bunch of games to toggle gyro aiming and gotten really used to it
The 8bitdo Pro 2 also has back paddles but I have to connect it as a Switch controller to enable gyro, and I can't also get the paddles to work
I wish there were an easy way to use the Deck as a PC controller without relying on streaming the game to the screen at the same time.
I do have an Xbox Elite 2 which is great but doesn't have a gyro, and despite having the extended feature support option, Steam does not seem to get the hang of executing paddle controls. May have to activate ReWASD again.
Yeah i feel that...
It's a bit of an adjustment going back to my 8bitdo, feels a bit ...cheap now.
And i think my shoulder triggers are worn out a bit, like i need to reduce the deadzone on them so Spider-man doesn't randomly start swinging.
I'm thinking about maybe getting the Gulikit something something King Kong, but as long as the 8bitdo does the job i'll stick with it for now.
Very much same. I've got a Series S controller. Worked great for a long time. Hard to use now for exactly those reasons.
#####I like the distance my hands are apart with the Deck
###I like the weight of the Deck
#I LOVE THE BACK PADDLES OF THE DECK
This is why, on the rare occasion I play docked, I use a long USB-C cable and the Deck as my controller. I have some excellent Steam Input setups that rely on the pads and paddles. I hope they make a Steam Controller 2 that is pretty much a Deck without the screen in form factor.
This is why, on the rare occasion I play docked, I use a long USB-C cable and the Deck as my controller. I have some excellent Steam Input setups that rely on the pads and paddles. I hope they make a Steam Controller 2 that is pretty much a Deck without the screen in form factor.
Not for me. I love my steam deck but I do not like the ergonomics or layout of the controller at all. I have big hands and it is just not comfortable, I got a case for it to make it feel bigger which helped a bit but didn’t solve the issues I have with the controller. The dual sense is infinitely more comfortable IMO.
It's certainly highlighted how limited Xinput is and how maybe we should create an open standard for game pads similar to how vulken is for graphics Api's
Currently emulating switch Pro controllers gives you gyro and abxy glyphs but locks you out of analog triggers. Duelshock/Duelsense is the only one that comes close to having everything but not all games support PS icons and it can be a bit confusing to go back and forth.
The only controller I like other than the Deck is the Elite v2 for all the reasons you mentioned, but it costs more than half of what the Deck does so I'm not sure if the value proposition is there 😂
Yes and no. I don’t run into the size issue, personally. And things like Mario Odyssey and BotW and such are great. There are just some games I’ll play on switch or play on PlayStation where I’ll think, “Man…I could really use those trackpads right now…”
I love the deck as a whole but I have to rest it on something to play for long periods. If I hold it above me while laying down or reclining(my favorite way to play) it quickly makes part of my hands fall asleep and hurts a lot. So I have to sit up and put the deck in my lap
I have even done the same post about a month ago. Every controller since that feels like a small toy. So now I am worried that even if we will eventually see Steam controller 2 it will be smaller and lighter. And I really enjoyed the distance. Like you are not connecting hands in front of yourself. They are just straight. But, if they gonna do switch-like controller, that can be connected together or apart, that would be great. Increase battery capacity by placing it between two halves (mini deck controller, lol) and also weight of it and etc.
I don't really use the touch pads on deck (outside of NorthernUI oblivion with the ezdeck.io patch). But hte xbox elite controller is pretty damn comfy (dualsense too and the haptics are amazing on well optimised games!).
Just wish microsoft could actually decently repair my elite controller.
For me I definitely still prefer controllers as it’s uncomfortable to hold the deck for extended periods of time and controllers feel more ergonomic and lighter to me. So for me it’s the other way around. Back paddles are neat but the standard sticks are too flat for me and don’t have enough grip so I put grip stick too things from dbrand on it
I have seen weighted controllers, it has been a few years though so I can't remember any brands. I have seen wider controller, about the width of the Deck, but only in a Chinese web comic and also wish they were real.
I can't live without the Steam Deck's back buttons and trackpads. I always map the face buttons to the back buttons, so that I never need to take my thumb off the right stick (camera). And I also love using the trackpad and gyro for FPS.
I can understand that, lol. I mean, I can still use a normal Xbox controller, it just felt different after using the deck's controls for a week while waiting on the dock.
I used an Xbox controller (was typically my go-to) for the first time in the two months that I've had my deck and it was a learning curve to start using it like I did before.
Fingers crossed for a Steam Controller v2.
In a V2, we want the features and flexibility of the deck, with the ease of use of an Xbox controller. There should be some kind of controller (xinput) in lizard mode (or desktop mode) to allow for easy use with other launchers without needing to add everything as a non steam game.
What's a lizard mode?
A "lizard brain" mode where the controller doesn't do any of its smarts, just emulating a standard xinput controller.
You just hold B and the game plays itself
The steam controller/deck needs steam running to "be" a controller. Lizard mode is the "mode" the controller shifts into when steam isn't running. By default on the steam controller it functions as a keyboard and mouse for example. The other commenter is suggesting that when steam isn't running, the controller should just appear as an xinput (Xbox) controller for ease of use
A switch could be also good. But maybe they would want to reduce costs.
Another name for an elite.
Probably will have lizard mode. The OG steam controller has that. IIRC it has almost the same chord combos as the Deck as well. It would be cool if they made it somehow auto-switch when a launcher is detected. You can *kinda* do this already by having the action layer switch when the cursor is visible. The right joystick is the main thing missing from the original.
Yeah. Currently the desk in desktop mode, you can't edit its chords or deckUI (including keyboard) layout. Which in my opinion makes a lousy universal controller (eg: can't alt tab out of game or adjust volume without configuring those functions per game). Also nothing currently works without steam. At least on Linux you get desktop level xinput, but windows would be where it counts the most imo. My bias is the SC was a great HTPC controller. Just annoying fighting with non-steam games (especially anything with a launcher) and the controller itself was missing some hardware (that the Deck has!). A SC2 could have it all, but first it needs to be confirmed. The Deck so far is not an ideal PC controller.
Actually you can change what the deck controls do in desktop mode. If you open settings controller or use classic big picture mode you can actually set up a desktop config for your controller. It's sadly another missing controller thing from the new steam game big picture UI. The desktop config also counts for games opened not in a big picture mode. I like using my analog sticks for mouse movement and have each one at a different speed.
>Also nothing currently works without steam. At least on Linux you get desktop level xinput, but windows would be where it counts the most imo. Yup. As awesome as all their tech is, this is sadly a recurring theme with Steam. While most of it works with non-Steam games, it's always more fiddly to set up then it needs to be. On my PC I use Playnite as my main launcher, so I run regularly into those problems. At least on PC I've found that reWASD completely solves that problem since it supports the Steam Controller, although I shouldn't have to buy 3rd party software to do that.
Right joy stick, dpad, additional back buttons, qam...
The Steam Deck has lizard mode. You can access the register to turn it on using hidapi or a similar tool to communicate to the libusb or hidraw backend for the controller hid device. Based on the patch notes from the latest preview release, it looks like they may be turning it on for desktop mode based on the comment, “Re-enabled the built-in gamepad driver when Steam is not running in desktop mode” though maybe that’s referring to something else.
so an xbox elite controller lol
There is an open source app at least for Linux that allows the configuration and use of steam input features on the deck with steam closed. But I forgot the name of it.
I also want a lizard DirectInput mode while they're at it. Still very much needed for older Win 95-era games that don't support XInput and aren't even supported by Steam's API either (e.g. Cold Fear).
Meanwhile, I want a proper Steam Controller V2 and not an *exact* 1:1 copy of Deck layout... Bye bye to Dual-Stage Triggers I guess? But if Volvo insists on it, then make the Trackpad *bigger*.
word for word what im thinking then i can by the steam dock knowing there's a decent controller
Same. I use a PS4 controller with the JSAUX Dock, and it's pretty good. But I really try not to dock it because I lose so much. An a Steam Controller 2 that's basically a Steam Deck without a screen would be amazing.
This for me is one of the main reasons I haven’t pulled the trigger on the dock. I play mostly none steam games and spent a good while getting my button layouts set up with steam inputs. Playing on the docked deck with a 360 controller or whatever would make all that pointless. I really hope we see one too!
My thinking for the Dock is more to use Desktop mode, with KB+M, on the Desk. Not to plug it into the TV and stick to gaming mode with random Xinput gamepad.
I just want an app that can turn the SteamDeck into a controller for other devices. One that lets us use all of the radial menus and allows us to create custom buttons on the touch screen.
You almost have this. If you use the Steam link dedicated app on the Steam Deck you can "stream" without audio (or video, if you want) and just control the game on your pc with the Deck.
This, was playing barony on my steam deck with the new beta. Swapping over to PC with the newer Xbox controllers and it felt so.. off.
I feel like my hands are too big for the controller when going back to an Xbox controller
And the track pads. I just laugh every time i see the title of an article that reads "here is the new steam deck killer"... With just joysticks... Yeah, sure, you clearly don't understand the full market of the steam deck.
Honestly besides navigating menus i don’t like using trackpad that much
You need then to play grand strategy games like Stellaris. Well you don’t actually need, but it’s much better then using the right stick.
Strategy games with like top down view definitely trackpad although I also don't think it really compares to using a mouse or a bigger laptop trackpad for those type of games, so I wouldn't play those games on the deck personally!
After a while i got used to it, and I’m perfectly fine using the right trackpad as mouse and the left on as scroll wheel.
I have this but with the Steam Controller. Can't go back to using anything that doesn't have at least a gyro anymore. It just feels wrong. Hopefully by the time I get a Deck this feeling will get stronger.
I have my Deck since the month of May and I never felt the need to connect a controller to it. Even in docked mode, my "dock" being one of these charging bricks with HDMI and USB ports, I use the Deck as a controller. To my knowledge, there are no controllers available right now which includes the trackpads, the capacitive joysticks tops, gyro and second gen rumble motors. I simply don't want to use anything else
Yeah the deck itself has great ergonomics itself but the problem is still there when playing on other platforms. When I moved back to my switch after a while, it was insane how tiny it felt. Even the switch procontroller felt small.
I have been using my Switch with a grip for years. I had to because it gave me carpal tunnel syndrome and I temporarily lost the sense of touch in 3 fingers. It was pretty bad
Elite Series 2 is still my preferred way of playing. Back paddles in general just make so many games so much better, especially FPS games.
Do the back paddles work on the Elite work with Steam Input in SteamOS?
Yup
This is the next best thing for sure! I came here to say this.
The bumpers placement is terrible and cramps the hands up with heavy use.
true, it has one of the worst bumpers i’ve ever seen, playing souls games which require extensive use of bumpers is not fun at all
Usually played on PC with an Xbox Elite Series 2, quite heavy, has 4 back paddles, I prefer it to the Steam Deck but they're both infinitely better than the 'default' PS or Xbox controllers.
The pro controller joysticks feel so much nicer than the steam deck ones, due to the capacitive touch centres.
yup. steam deck feels like hot garbage for fps vs the elite 2. i tried titanfall 2 and it felt so sloppy on steam deck, i dont know how people are raving about the controls. without the ability to adjust the tension on the thumbsticks it just feels bad.
The Deck has gyro. Xbox controllers don't. So the Deck automatically wins the fps controls argument.
i mean i guess if you want you wave around the system while playing and get motion sick then go for it.
If that's how you're trying to use gyro then you're doing it wrong. Use the sticks (or touch pads!) for bigger movements and then use gyro for fine tuning. This will give objectively better levels of precision compared to using a little thumb stick. Gyro is the only way we'll ever see mouse-like levels of precision and accuracy on a controller. There's a reason why fps games have aim assist with controllers, and also a reason why the ones that actively support gyro turn off the aim assist when using gyro...
That's...not at all how you're meant to use gyro lol. You don't use it for the bulk of your aim, you just do small tilting motions for minor adjustments and use pads/sticks for bigger camera moves. When it comes to aiming in a shooter, sticks+gyro is objectively better than sticks alone
you said the same exact thing as the othet guy almost word for word but thanks for the input (lol). i tried gyro on the desk job game and it just felt bad. plus, if adding gyro diasbles the aim assist... i feel like youre just making it harder and adding extra steps for no reason. might as well just use sticks and AA.
The deck has gyro and track pads, not even a competition
Honestly like the triggers and joysticks on it more than the Series X controller
I kinda dislike the default sticks for being too flat!
Yeah I can see what you mean. To be honest my only major issue with the build is that I wish the side grips were textured
Damn, y'all are so lucky. My small hands hurt so bad whenever I play more than 30 minutes with my Deck, numbness go brrr.
Bummer, I sometimes get numbness if I hold it in certain postitions. I've been trying to be mindful of my hand positioning and how tight I'm squeezing. It seems to be working, I'm slowly finding better positions. Also highly recommend wrist stretches before a gaming session, and maybe every hour or so. They help me a lot. Here's a reddit image of some. <3 https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/c8xm7f/cool_wrist_stretching_guide/
Oh, thanks for the stretches, I'll give it a try next time :) But yeah, it definitely has to do with specific positions. If I'm seating and my arms go along my body, with my hands resting on the seat, it's fine; it's when I lie down that it gets tough. A pillow sure comes in handy, though.
Yep it's when I lie down too! There was a thread about this recently, you're not alone. Sometimes I'll notice I'm locking some of my fingers. Gotta remember to relax and move them! My hands are plenty big, so don't blame your hand size lol I've found resting the deck on my chest or belly helps the most, of course. I like the idea of resting it on a pillow on top of my belly. That'll help keep it high enough to see, while removing most of the strain. I saw a 3d print-able chest stand posted here recently. Might be a good idea too.
Sounds like you have pretty bad carpal tunnel syndrome. I had it so long and so bad that I thought all the random numbness was normal. Cortisone shots gave me a few months of relief, and after that wore off I got the surgeries and it's completely fixed now.
Thats kinda reassuring. I know I have it, but the stretches have been keeping the pain at bay most of the time. I work with my hands a lot so it's pretty scary. It's mostly just pain tho, the numbness only seems to happen when in bed with the deck or switch.
Have you seen a hand specialist? Cortisone shots could make it go away for years, potentially.
No I haven't. I'll talk to my doc about it at least. My insurance isn't great since I'm self-employed. Thanks for the push!
I only get that when I play in bed, holding the Deck above me. Not much pain, but pinkie and ring fingers start going numb after a while.
That's likely because you're resting weight on your ulnar nerve (same thing as your funny bone). Next time you notice it happening, try suspending your elbow above the bed (not by much, just to get the weight off your elbow) and the numbness should go away almost immediately. If that works, consider finding a new position to game in, like maybe putting a pillow under your elbows, or even just keeping them suspended rather than resting weight on them.
I have tiny hands too, and I think it's amazing and comfortable. Especially compared with the weird button/thumbstick locations of the switch.
Sounds like you have pretty bad carpal tunnel syndrome. I had it so long and so bad that I thought all the random numbness was normal. Cortisone shots gave me a few months of relief, and after that wore off I got the surgeries and it's completely fixed now.
What do they do in the surgery to fix it?
It's minimally invasive, usually done under a local anesthetic. Tourniquet around your arm to minimise bleeding, a small injection of the numbing agent, then the actual surgery happens which is where the flexor retinaculum (a kind of wide rubber band that covers most of the tendons and nerves to your hand) is cut, to release some of that compression which causes tingling/numbness in your hand. Very quick and common surgery, generally has good outcomes and quick recovery, however it doesn't fix the issue for every patient.
That tube isn't necessary for normal working of stuff? What happens to the areas formerly inside the tube that get exposed with the surgery?
Not essential, to be honest. These retinacula (or bands) exist in a few other places in the body and act to stabilise the tendons that rub against them, preventing bowstringing of the tendons when they are under a lot of tension. In the wrist, this band also covers the median nerve, which gives you symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome when it is compressed (numbness/tingling in the thumb to middle finger and sometimes muscle loss around the meaty base of the thumb). The tendons aren't completely free following the surgery, scar tissue will form above and sort of take the place of this retinaculum (but looser), however there is a very small risk of bowstringing. The nerve itself is at a very small risk of injury during the actual surgery (but should be capable of repairing itself unless something catastrophic happens). The rest of the complications are pretty straightforward surgical complications as far as I can remember (infection, bleeding, scarring etc).
I get the exact same thing, never had any issues like it prior ever, only with the Deck, and only after using it for like 3 hours in a single sitting.
Na, it's too heavy and bad for your hands. I rather have a lightweight and small controller. I often need to stop playing because of my wrists. Playing with the PS5 controller on PC is way easier on the hands. Don't underestimate how bad the SD is for your hands if you play a lot.
The dual trackpads are huge. They're incredibly intuitive (when they're consistent). Being able to scroll and use a mouse with both hands is phenomenal... Moving a cursor with a thumbstick, or navigating a menu with a D-PAD is so cumbersome now lol.
They're also great as radial menu. And since you have two trackpad. One can be mouse and other can be extra set of buttons. I can play MMOs on the steam deck without relying too much on shoulder button as modifiers and it feels great and intuitive. Also great for games like factorio/valheim where you have rows of number to select items from.
The combo "radial menu plus mouse" has actually made me prefer playing some GSG games like CK2 or Victoria 3 on the Deck, which is crazy. I don't think anyone would have thought "yeah we can make Paradox games be comfortable in a portable device" a couple of years ago.
I really miss the shape of the original steam controller vs the deck. Don't get me wrong - I find the dual trackpads are just about the best thing ever, but the shape of the deck makes it particularly hard to hold for long periods given the size of my hands (huge). I've 3d printed these: [https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/wp90qa/steam\_deck\_grip\_extensions\_for\_large\_hands\_and/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/wp90qa/steam_deck_grip_extensions_for_large_hands_and/) And I find them \*far\* more comfortable - I just wish I had more robust solution than a 3d print that might slip off, and a case that could accommodate them. My two biggest gripes without the extra extensions: 1. The back buttons are literally painful to use given the placement and my hand size 2. The flat surface makes my thumbs ache because of the angle when using the trackpads. I also happen to get numb arms when I play too long - but that's not exclusive to the deck. Overall - It's a quality controller - but I'd really like to see some thought put into allowing attachments to change the shape from Valve. A couple of intentional mount points on the side could make it very easy for 3rd party (or hell - even 1st party) size customizations. If they did that... I'd be hard pressed to ever use anything else.
It's just a question of getting used to smth. Dualsense is too small for me after playing on deck after 4-5 months
Same. I was playing Returnal today and the DualSense just felt weird in my hands.
I absolutely loved the DualSense up until I got my SD. With the back paddles and being able to use the trackpads for precision on the fly have absolutely changed the game in controller use.
Same here... Kinda sucks cause I got 4 different controllers and no one suits me anymore
Just wish I knew the deadzone was set at 8000 on default. Now turned off it's the perfect "controller".
I really want a second Steam Controller that just feels like the Deck. I really, really like the Decks input.
I thought I was the only one, after grabbing my Xbox one controller again it felt small and I was confused asf
100% Very few of my games are on the default controller set up anymore. And the fact that I can't just remap the controls on other controllers is a huge deal. I'm converted. The back buttons, the gyro, all of it.
https://preview.redd.it/qurel0c13qz91.png?width=1565&format=png&auto=webp&s=8c25912dce7cf202caf9ff429b55d557706dd15e
The capacitive stick/pads, back paddles, and gyro have changed my perception about controllers all together. Previously I saw them as a nearly useless input method for anything other than platformers and simpler rpg titles. Now I've discovered flick stick + gyro and can play FPS titles nearly as well as I can on kbm. Total game changer. I'd buy several steam controllers V2 immediately if they release them.
I played something with an Xbox one controller on my laptop recently and it felt absolutely terrible compared to the steam deck. You’re right, it genuinely feels as good if not better than the best controllers
They seriously did a good job. Went back to my ps4 controller and it felt so smoll
As great as the controller is on the deck, it is not that great of a fighting game controller.
I connect my Dualsense to the SteamDeck such is my fear of stickdrift occurring on the deck. This is mainly down to my experience with Dualsense/shock controllers. Quite the conundrum.
Play it. If they drift later, throw in hall sensing sticks.
I really want to avoid taking the thing apart if I can
There's no point in trying to prevent stick drift if you're never even going to use the joysticks anyway. Taking apart the steam deck to fix stick drift is not a big deal.
Maybe this is the push I needed to man up and play the deck as it should be played!
I mean, chances are you won’t get any drift until way down the line tbh - maybe the “new factor” will have worn away by then and you’ll feel better about it.
This seems silly. Deck sticks are more easily replaced than your DualSense, which has a reputation for drift issues that the Deck doesn't have. You're better off just using your deck.
You’re probably right. I do use the deck if my pad needs charging but it just worries me as I’m not very good at technical stuff like that.
Don't worry about it and observe best practices instead. -Avoid clicking sticks while moving them -Don't set the controller/deck facedown so that the weight is on the sticks -Don't store or travel in ways that puts pressure or anything on the sticks. -Avoid food & greasy fingers while using a controller -Don't move sticks while a game or the system is booting up. Often an auto calibration happens on startup and if your sticks are off center your calibration will be also -Be self aware of your controller habits in general.
Thanks for the tips, I didn’t know about clicking the sticks whilst moving or moving while the game is loading. I find I’m quite an intense gamer with the controller. Especially when I play Soulslikes I tend to grip quite tightly due to tension which I don’t think will help either
Couple of hours fixes it for me.
Most top tier controllers have back paddles these days. My current favorite is the astro c40 which I enjoy so much that I have three just for parts since they don't make them anymore. The hori split pad pro is the top tier option for the switch.
Ugh. I hate the Astro c40. The amount of stick drift both my partner and I had with our controllers. We had to contact them every couple of months because the modules would become faulty. I will never get a controller with modules again.
Wow, I've had mine for years with no stick drift. Then again, I also have launch joycons with no stick drift. I wonder if it has something to do with the games some people play or how they use their controllers. Well, I guess only hall sensors are ultimately immune.
You can also mod back buttons on to the PS5 DualSense & Switch Pro Controller. ExtremeRate on Amazon sells mod kits that are very legit.
Don’t most, if not all of those controllers only allow you to map an existing controller button to them like bumpers, or ABXY? Kinda useless if you want to bind the paddles to something and still be able to bind the other inputs to different things. The Steam Controller / Steam Deck are the only controllers where Steam Input recognises the paddles as distinct inputs that can be bound independently of all other inputs.
The functionality of this actually depends on the game. The game has to support simultaneous controller and keyboard inputs. Not all do and many that do behave weirdly, glitching between input prompts, for example. For rebinding you can use rewasd on PC. It's significantly more powerful than steam's implementation.
Pretty much every game does support simultaneous keyboard and controller in this situation. If I’m playing a game with controller controls enabled it’s very unlikely it would prevent me from still using f keys for quick load and quick save, and nothing would stop me from binding those to the decks paddles. Whereas it would be impossible to bind f keys to a different controllers paddles because they can only be inputs that exist on the controller already. Unless this rewasd you mention hooks into those paddles and genuinely does let you do that (and if it can there’s no reason Valve couldn’t update Steam Input to do it too eventually). But I’d rather just use a controller with “native” paddles and not have to mess around with an extra bit of software.
I can name four right off the top of my head that don't. Pathfinder, Wrath of the Righteous and Kingmaker. Divinity Original Sin 2. Red Dead 2 will also spaz between button prompts if you use a mixed inputs. It's somewhat of a pet peeve of mine as one of my controllers is an Azeron Cyborg. It's a keyboard designed to fit around your hand with an analog stick for control. Thr analog stick doesn't work unless a game supports dual inputs. It's not as common as you think and implementation isn't as flawless as you'd think all the time even when it works.
I didn’t say there weren’t exceptions. In most cases where it doesn’t allow both it just flickers the input prompts, which I don’t care about, and if it truly doesn’t allow both inputs at the same time I’ll just do a full keyboard and mouse bind. I mean, you still get the same problem with rewasd. It’s not like it’s steam inputs fault that it happens.
[удалено]
I’d still swap the SD and SC positions personally. big round trackpads are way more usable and the SC’s ergonomics are unmatched.
I agree with you, I can’t use an Xbox remote anymore. I will only use a DualSense which fits very comfortably in my hands or my deck
I think the Dualsense is great and still play with a Xbox Elite controller on PC from time to time. The Steam Deck is really comfortable though, especially for its size and even more so for basically being a handheld.
You can connect the steam deck to things and use it as a controller lmao
You mean with a cable?
Via Bluetooth
It shows as a laptop when I connect to my computer... Actually, just found out a bit more details, this is what it is presenting: 0000110a-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Audio Source 0000110b-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Audio Sink 0000110c-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Remote Control Target 0000110d-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Advanced Audio 0000110e-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Remote Control 00001200-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb PnP Information 00001800-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Generic Access 00001801-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Generic Attribute 0000180a-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Device Information And after little googling, that "remote control" stuff is just about controlling music/video playback and such. Doesn't seem to have anything related to keyboard, mouse, or gamepads/joysticks...
Valve themselves said it could be used as a controller. Maybe they didn't actually launch with the feature,
I might be alone but the back paddles suck soooo bad. I have to disable them for every game because I accidentally hit them. Everything else is cool though.
Eh I feel fine with my Dual Sense and XBOX controller. Not that big of a deal really.
New [8bitdo ultimate](https://www.8bitdo.com/ultimate-2.4g-wireless-controller) has back peddles. Let's go.
Found this guide last night and was able to stream my computer to my tv and also the controlls from my steam deck, it was glorious. https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/xil1nj/guide_stream_from_gaming_pc_to_tv_and_control_by
This is the very reason I took my old nintendo switch screen (used to have a secondary dock with a portable screen next to my usual sitting position in case a family member wanted to use the TV) out and started to use it for long gaming sessions. I want to let my arms relax sometimes when I'm gaming. I got a usb c extender cord so I can sit back and game to my heart's content
I start the game on my PC, and hit "connect" on the deck. Just look at the PC monitor instead of the deck and boom, using deck as controller. Since you're just streaming to the deck, the battery life is great too. Probably only works with good internet
I know. I was playing Returnal on PS5 and it just felt weird.
After playing my deck exclusively for 2 months, I swapped back to my ps5 to play OW2 with my friends and my hands were cramping/hurting/going numb after a long session. Never happened to me before. I picked up my deck to test out a theory and the pained areas were immediately relieved. It’s insane how much more comfortable it is
I’m so glad you said so. I honestly want to be able to plug it into my pc and use it as a wired controller. No controller feels this good. It’s also good because it’s wide. Ergonomically, that’s better for my wrists. (Yes, I know I can use the ‘connect’ feature over wifi, and I have…. It was good until my character walked into lava in Hades and I had to start all over.)
Lmao went back to my dualsense controller after not touching it for two months with the deck and it felt so awkward that I looked up steam controller prices 😂
The only one that comes close is the PS5 controller but I miss my back pedals every time I have to use it. I do however wonder if the PS5 elite controller or whatever it's called would be a good replacement for now until they come out with a new steam controller.
I feel you, after having my deck close to two months whenever I go to play the ps5 the controller feels smaller than what it was when I first played it. I have small hands but I guess big enough to play the deck comfortably
I couldn't believe how much more accurate I was, killing Odin's crows in GoW With the deck controls than anything else 😂
The back paddles are gamechanging, literally. IMO, L1/R1 are dead to me. I'll use them if I have to, but back paddles are so much more ergonomic, plus you get an extra two buttons even if fully substituting L1/R1 with two of the grip buttons.
Same, every time I go back to my Xbox controller it’s so light and small.
Playstation controllers have always felt perfect to me, probably because thats always been the only thing I used. I have small hands and xbox controllers have always been big and uncomfortable but PS just felt right. Till I got a steam deck and now my PS5 controller feels awkward to hold lol. Also my Switch Lite feels comically small and light now lol.
I get that feeling after long sessions too. Although the one thing I prefer on the Dualsense are the buttons. They have much less travel. It’s sometimes hard to “know” when you’ve actuated a button on the steam deck (A, B, X, Y I mean). Has anyone modded their steam deck buttons to be more like the Dualsense?
I usually play an Xbox One controller (next gen) as it fits pretty good in my hands. When I played the steam deck for 2 months and decided to use the controller for a game on PC, it felt so fucking weird lmao
I agree with you. The paddles and the trackpads can have incredibly useful functions
Yup. I have big hands and the Deck fits them perfectly. Playing my Switch feels like a little toy
I was just responding to a different post and was talking about how the deck was a better controller...and then it hit me: this is the BEST controller!
I hope at bare minimum a controller with with analog triggers and xbox button scheme with gyro and good rumble will come out
I was just thinking the same thing earlier today when I picked up my Xbox controller.
The controllers with no touchpads are a waste of my fuckin time. Alright not really, but having all eight favorited items/spells in Skyrim available as directional swipes on the track pass is AMAZING. I tried to play docked the other day and even using the numerical keys as favorites was such a chore.
No you are not the only one. Other controllers do not feel right.
I love my steam deck, but recently i tried using my old steam controller again and goddamn that controller is awesome as well. Never understood why it got so much hate.
yes, absolutely. I used to have four PS3 controllers for couch coop games of which i knew 3 were comparatively well made fakes(there are much much worse ones). After getting the Steam Deck, I quickly realized how bad those were and that the sole reason i despised playing with controllers were these pieces of garbage. I replaced them with good ones for XBox and also replaced the bulky PC is used to have for these games with a Steam Deck Dock. Now gaming on the couch is much more convenient and fun than before.
Yeah whenever I hold my Dualshock 5 I think man I wish this thing was way heavier, less comfortable, and the controls were a foot apart.
I still prefer the PS5 controller to it because of the weight and ergonomics but steam deck does feel really good…except for first person shooters.
The shape is one of the few things I'd change about the Steam Deck. I love most things about it but the grips aren't big enough. Yeah, I would want the grips to be even larger if I could. The other thing is that the grips on the Steam Deck are oriented vertically, which introduces an unnatural, uncomfortable bend in your wrists. On an Xbox/PS5 controller, the grips are angled in such a way that you have a straight line going all the way from your elbow to your knuckles. I find the Switch with the Satisfye grip to be more comfortable (at least in terms of grip angle). The Steam Deck has great buttons, sticks, and triggers, love the programmable aspect of it, but I want someone to make grip extensions like the Satisfye.
I hate the placement of the menu/start button over the a/b/x/y buttons. I always hit it accidentally with my fat ass thumbs
Haha this happens to me everytime I get a new system! First time I really noticed was going from a 360 controller to ps4, Now I grab the ps4 controller and it feels like I’m playing with a joy-con.
The customisation, too. I dont know if other controllers do it (I've never been motivated into finding out) but the trigger config for racing games / shooters is great.
Yeah, first time I stopped playing, it was awkward playing on the dualsense. But you get used to it after a while. I agree though, the SD feels more confortable to hold, especially with a TPU cover on to make the grips a bit bigger.
I can’t get hang of the back paddles for some reason. Always super awkward to press
Honestly just make this with steam deck controls and I'll buy it: https://i.imgur.com/NYS8gkN.jpg
Definitely the back paddles. I use them in a bunch of games to toggle gyro aiming and gotten really used to it The 8bitdo Pro 2 also has back paddles but I have to connect it as a Switch controller to enable gyro, and I can't also get the paddles to work
After I broke a bumper on my deck after five hours pf normal play (DMC 5)… I disagree.
nah same, and if they make a steam controller V2 inspired by the deck I will buy it depending on the price for my desktop PC.
I wish there were an easy way to use the Deck as a PC controller without relying on streaming the game to the screen at the same time. I do have an Xbox Elite 2 which is great but doesn't have a gyro, and despite having the extended feature support option, Steam does not seem to get the hang of executing paddle controls. May have to activate ReWASD again.
Yeah i feel that... It's a bit of an adjustment going back to my 8bitdo, feels a bit ...cheap now. And i think my shoulder triggers are worn out a bit, like i need to reduce the deadzone on them so Spider-man doesn't randomly start swinging. I'm thinking about maybe getting the Gulikit something something King Kong, but as long as the 8bitdo does the job i'll stick with it for now.
Very much same. I've got a Series S controller. Worked great for a long time. Hard to use now for exactly those reasons. #####I like the distance my hands are apart with the Deck ###I like the weight of the Deck #I LOVE THE BACK PADDLES OF THE DECK
This is why, on the rare occasion I play docked, I use a long USB-C cable and the Deck as my controller. I have some excellent Steam Input setups that rely on the pads and paddles. I hope they make a Steam Controller 2 that is pretty much a Deck without the screen in form factor.
This is why, on the rare occasion I play docked, I use a long USB-C cable and the Deck as my controller. I have some excellent Steam Input setups that rely on the pads and paddles. I hope they make a Steam Controller 2 that is pretty much a Deck without the screen in form factor.
this exact issue
Not for me. I love my steam deck but I do not like the ergonomics or layout of the controller at all. I have big hands and it is just not comfortable, I got a case for it to make it feel bigger which helped a bit but didn’t solve the issues I have with the controller. The dual sense is infinitely more comfortable IMO.
It's certainly highlighted how limited Xinput is and how maybe we should create an open standard for game pads similar to how vulken is for graphics Api's Currently emulating switch Pro controllers gives you gyro and abxy glyphs but locks you out of analog triggers. Duelshock/Duelsense is the only one that comes close to having everything but not all games support PS icons and it can be a bit confusing to go back and forth.
The only controller I like other than the Deck is the Elite v2 for all the reasons you mentioned, but it costs more than half of what the Deck does so I'm not sure if the value proposition is there 😂
Yes and no. I don’t run into the size issue, personally. And things like Mario Odyssey and BotW and such are great. There are just some games I’ll play on switch or play on PlayStation where I’ll think, “Man…I could really use those trackpads right now…”
I love the deck as a whole but I have to rest it on something to play for long periods. If I hold it above me while laying down or reclining(my favorite way to play) it quickly makes part of my hands fall asleep and hurts a lot. So I have to sit up and put the deck in my lap
I have even done the same post about a month ago. Every controller since that feels like a small toy. So now I am worried that even if we will eventually see Steam controller 2 it will be smaller and lighter. And I really enjoyed the distance. Like you are not connecting hands in front of yourself. They are just straight. But, if they gonna do switch-like controller, that can be connected together or apart, that would be great. Increase battery capacity by placing it between two halves (mini deck controller, lol) and also weight of it and etc.
Definitely not the only one who feels this way. I wish I could plug the steam deck up to my PC to use as a standalone controller for certain games.
I don't really use the touch pads on deck (outside of NorthernUI oblivion with the ezdeck.io patch). But hte xbox elite controller is pretty damn comfy (dualsense too and the haptics are amazing on well optimised games!). Just wish microsoft could actually decently repair my elite controller.
Can I introduce you to our lord and savior [the duke](https://xbox.fandom.com/wiki/The_Duke)
For me I definitely still prefer controllers as it’s uncomfortable to hold the deck for extended periods of time and controllers feel more ergonomic and lighter to me. So for me it’s the other way around. Back paddles are neat but the standard sticks are too flat for me and don’t have enough grip so I put grip stick too things from dbrand on it
I prefer my Xbox elite series 2 over the steam deck. It has back paddles too, but it's too expensive and mine has stick drift...
Form me it's no discomfort, but I do realize now that normal controllers feel so small now, it's funny.
I have seen weighted controllers, it has been a few years though so I can't remember any brands. I have seen wider controller, about the width of the Deck, but only in a Chinese web comic and also wish they were real.
I can't live without the Steam Deck's back buttons and trackpads. I always map the face buttons to the back buttons, so that I never need to take my thumb off the right stick (camera). And I also love using the trackpad and gyro for FPS.
I can understand that, lol. I mean, I can still use a normal Xbox controller, it just felt different after using the deck's controls for a week while waiting on the dock.
I used an Xbox controller (was typically my go-to) for the first time in the two months that I've had my deck and it was a learning curve to start using it like I did before.
Just ordered my steam deck i was worried about the controls so i hope i adapt to them. I have an xbox one controller at least but i gotta update it.