Slashdot Mirror
Valve Announces Steam Controller
Today Valve unveiled their third and final announcement about living room gaming: a Steam controller. The company made the determination that existing gamepads simply weren't good enough for bringing PC games to the living room, so they made their own. Instead of having directional pads or thumb sticks, the Steam controller has two circular trackpads. The trackpads are also clickable, and Valve claims they provide much higher fidelity than any previous controller trackpad. Valve also eschewed the traditional 'rumble' feedback mechanism: "The Steam Controller is built around a new generation of super-precise haptic feedback, employing dual linear resonant actuators. These small, strong, weighted electro-magnets are attached to each of the dual trackpads. They are capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing precise control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement." The center of the controller holds a clickable touchscreen. "When programmed by game developers using our API, the touch screen can work as a scrolling menu, a radial dial, provide secondary info like a map or use other custom input modes we haven't thought of yet." The design also breaks up the common diamond-shaped button layout, instead putting the A B X Y buttons at the corners of the touchscreen. The controller is designed to be hackable, and Valve will "make tools available that will enable users to participate in all aspects of the experience, from industrial design to electrical engineering." The controller is being beta tested concurrently with the Steam Machines they announced on Wednesday, so you can expect them to be on sale in 2014.
Oh but our hive mind likes the Steam DRM because its cool not owning anything anymore cause its CHEEEEAP! Never mind that used games are cheap too ;)
Really? You're willing to accept ads in video games?
I'm sure as hell not, and it was that which made be disconnect my XBox from the network in the first place.
I bought the game, I bought the console. I didn't buy it to provide an advertising channel for the idiots who made the console to make even more money off me and tracj my playing habits.
Which is why any gaming console which requires internet access will never make it into my house.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Anyway, isn't the implication with "slashvertizing" that someone has posted a story to their own product? Pretty sure this was posted out of genuine interest, not financial interest.
No, a slashvertisement is a PR release that was green lighted because it was paid for. It may be 'news for nerds', but as it isn't exactly inspiring conversation and discourse beyond "ooh... shiny." it falls into the category of... probably paid for. On the other hand, if it was someone's blog showing a prototype of said controller, and a step by step teardown and some details about how to program it... that would be slashdot material.
Well, at least the old slashdot I used to know and love, before it got into the ice cream, bloated up, and started spending all its time on the couch watching TV.
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie