The Steam Controller got a host of new features in a new update on March 11th. Here are the main highlights of the Update:
- Multiple control sets that can be changed in-game
- In-game screenshot binding
- Keyboard binding option
Here is the full list of changes in this update, courtesy of Steam:
Friends
- Emoticons show up now in Big Picture
Steam Controller
- Added user definable action sets for legacy games.
- Users can now add additional action sets with their own sets of bindings. Action sets can be added/deleted/named as appropriate and selected via a binding. Note that unlike mode-shifts, action sets completely replace all currently active bindings, and can have their own mode shifts and so forth.
- Added New Controller Action binding types which will expand in the future with bindings that are not specific to the game, but rather higher level, as noted below.
- Added Change Action Set Binding – sets the action set to the next or a specified action set when used.
- Added Show Keyboard Binding – shows the on-screen keyboard
- Added Take Screenshot Binding – takes a screenshot
- Removed hard coded desktop keyboard shortcut (stick click) and replaced it with controller action binding in the default desktop configuration.
- Fixed some cases of non-steam games not applying controller settings. Ensure that “Allow Launchers” option is off for this to take effect.
- Fixed controllers not turning off on Suspend power mode in Desktop mode which could cause zombie controllers to be seen over wireless
- Fixed Horizontal Invert setting not working on Mouse Joystick
SteamVR
- Automatically launch SteamVR after it finishes updating
- Added the SteamVR tool in the SteamVR section in the Library view
- Added SteamVR to the jump list options
- Improved scrolling when using the touchpads in the Steam interface while in your HMD
VR Keyboard
- Fixes for URL entry in big picture
The Steam Controller was launched in November of 2015 to coincide with the release of the first Steam Machines. Its primary aim was to allow players of games that were designed for a keyboard to be able to play with a handheld controller. To achieve this, it has two trackpads that utilize haptic feeback. Our own Lou Sytsma reviewed the Steam Controller in February of this year, and had mixed feelings. Check out his thoughts here.