Valve Puts The Steam Controller & Steam Link Back On Sale

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Valve Puts The Steam Controller & Steam Link Back On Sale

For those that didn't pick up a Steam Controller or Steam Link back during Valve's holiday sales, they are running a Steam Hardware sale the next few days...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Spring-2017-Steam-HW-Sale

[nomadewolf]

What the hell is the Steam Link?...

As for the Steam Controller, i which it all the luck. You just need time to get used to it (much like M$ Office's Ribbon), but once you do, you never go back!

[crymsonpheonix]

The steam link is probably the best invention ever.

It's a tiny Linux PC that doesn't allow games to be installed, only streamed to it. Bascially, it's a tiny, silent streaming client. I'll never go back to having a noisy PC in my living room.

[Grinness]

It is certainly great to have native support in SDL for the Steam Controller, but what is happening currently with Steam/Valve is that they are systematically breaking support to other mainstream controllers, namely PS4 DS4 and the Xbox controllers (maybe to favour their own controller?). And this is happening to both linux and windows users, Steam beta or not.

I personally have a PS4 DS4 controllers, and I own a number of linux games in Steam. Limiting to MadMax and Shadow of Mordor (but the below applies to many more):
* the PS4 DS4 is supported natively by the two Feral games and by linux
* since Steam has enabled Steam Controller support for non Steam controllers (shall we call it Steam controller overlay?) the DS4 does not work at all or it is recognised as Steam Controller (depending on Steam settings and other unclear variables).
* In Shadow of Mordor wrong glyphs are shown (at best), in MadMAx glyphs are mixed between PS4 and Xbox and the controller is unusable.

Digging a bit I discovered that when the controller is plugged via USB and Steam is run, a second virtual controller of type 'XBox' appears in dmesg and I have an extra input on my system:
/dev/input/js1

The above is a second controller that is not existent in my system. I have only the DS4 and it is hooked on /dev/input/js0
Testing with evtest, the event associated with js0 provides output. This is not the case for js1.

Is it good practice in linux to create a non-existent physical device for whatever reason?

I am wrong in expecting that the presence of js1 will mess up applications relying on /dev/input (as multi-player/multi-gamepad games)?

What are developers such as Feral saying about the bad Steam's support for games they build including DS4 (and other controllers) enablement?

I believe that what Valve/Steam is doing is not correct for end users and game developers.
I did chose to buy a PS4 DS4 controller because great support in linux
I bought games that support that controller natively
I do not want to buy the Steam Controller

G.

[AndyChow]

I bought both when they came out, have yet to use them. I plugged in the controller once, it seemed pretty complicated to learn how to use, and since then they just hang around on a shelf. I just use my xbox360 controller instead.

[Trevelyan]

The controller has been listed as "Coming soon" on Steam in my country since it was launched; what? two years ago?

[Daktyl198]

The steam link is actually pretty great. I've used it at a friend's house and it was near flawless... though, even when just streaming the menu it consumes disgusting amount of wifi bandwidth. Don't expect to update games while using it, if your PC is also using wifi.

As for the steam controller... I want to love it, but it felt so clunky compared to a normal controller. The touchpads felt great, including the feedback from them, but there seems to be no good way to set it up for a good first person experience (think Fallout/Skyrim, etc). No matter what you do, the right touchpad's sensitivity/movement is all wrong. If it even works.

[crymsonpheonix]

I bought both when they came out, have yet to use them. I plugged in the controller once, it seemed pretty complicated to learn how to use, and since then they just hang around on a shelf. I just use my xbox360 controller instead.

I have an Xbone controller and a steam controller, and I like them both for different things. The steam controller is pretty terrible for games that were designed to use a PS or Xbox controller, the Xbone controller is much nicer for that. The steam controller, however, is brilliant as a mouse and keyboard replacement for a number of games I want to play in the living room.

[M@GOid]

I bought both when they came out, have yet to use them. I plugged in the controller once, it seemed pretty complicated to learn how to use, and since then they just hang around on a shelf. I just use my xbox360 controller instead.

Looks like you succumbed to what I call "the first five minutes of desperation", that is what happens when you try the Steam Controller for the first time. It is uncomfortable for sure, but give it another try, when you fell more patient. It is great for games that benefit from more precise aiming, and what appears to be a complicated interface for configuring it, you will learn that it is really a powerful tool for correcting annoying gamedpad layouts in some games. Just look at the right touchpad as a touchball that you roll around with your thumb. Its the best way to adapt to it.

We are playing in analog sticks for 20 years now, so like the other changes in controller design, it takes a while to get used to it. But once you do, what you got is near mouse precision in a joypad.

Remember, the biggest advantage of the PC is that you can always use the right tool for the job, a flexibility the consoles do not have.

[M@GOid]

The controller has been listed as "Coming soon" on Steam in my country since it was launched; what? two years ago?

I have to buy mine from Amazon, importing it to Brazil at a exorbitant price. But as everything here is expensive, it came out around the same price of a official PS4 or Xbox One controllers, bought in a brick and mortar store.