How are the trackpads?

[Trackpad Chad]

I'm planning on getting the deck in the near future, and I'm hoping to use it as a controller as my steam controller is getting worn with age. One of my concerns is that I unironically use the steam controller's trackpad for 2D fighters, but there isn't any cross-shaped grooves on the deck's pad. Has anybody used the trackpad as a dpad for something similar? Also, how big of an issue is the lack of grooves?

[Prezidentas]

it basically works as steam controller just without the indents. try using the right trackpad for comparison I guess.

[derram]

I never liked using the steam controller's trackpads as a dpad, so I haven't done it much with the deck either, but I can say it works better.

The deck's pads are smaller than the steam controller's so it's pretty easy to hit the right spot on the pad. Basically use the edges of the pad for feedback instead of the indents in the middle.

[Clone303]

great

[Fluffy BUNNY]

In my opinion, there better then the steam controller. They act kind of like the Right track pad for both. but it does feel like a good quality track pad, I'm just unsure as for using it for fighting games as, none of mine so far supports the steam deck. only games I know that support the deck are KOF and MK.

[SyperGhostlyGhost]

the trackpad dont work as well as the steam controller mostly cuz it relies on haptics for any sort of feedback. its functions the same way as if youre playing a fighting game and trying to do fighting game inputs on a phone screen or something similar. its more reliable to use the stick rather than the trackpad or the dpad entirely.

for context i tried celeste, dead cells, 20xx, strive, granblue, melty blood, multiversus out using the trackpad, the dpad, and the stick. i ended up just pulling out a controller to play them because I primarily use the dpad or i just ended up using the stick entirely.

[Creepio]

Originally posted by SyperGhostlyGhost:

the trackpad dont work as well as the steam controller mostly cuz it relies on haptics for any sort of feedback. its functions the same way as if youre playing a fighting game and trying to do fighting game inputs on a phone screen or something similar. its more reliable to use the stick rather than the trackpad or the dpad entirely.

for context i tried celeste, dead cells, 20xx, strive, granblue, melty blood, multiversus out using the trackpad, the dpad, and the stick. i ended up just pulling out a controller to play them because I primarily use the dpad or i just ended up using the stick entirely.

Is it because you prefer a clicky DPad?

Question, does the mushy Steam Deck DPad present any hindrance to you?

[Prezidentas]

Originally posted by SyperGhostlyGhost:

the trackpad dont work as well as the steam controller mostly cuz it relies on haptics for any sort of feedback. its functions the same way as if youre playing a fighting game and trying to do fighting game inputs on a phone screen or something similar. its more reliable to use the stick rather than the trackpad or the dpad entirely.

for context i tried celeste, dead cells, 20xx, strive, granblue, melty blood, multiversus out using the trackpad, the dpad, and the stick. i ended up just pulling out a controller to play them because I primarily use the dpad or i just ended up using the stick entirely.

the steam controller also relies mostly on haptics. the only exception is the click but even that is better on the deck since it's adjustable. steam controller click needs way too much force in my opinion

[Mizufluffy]

In my opinion the quality of the trackpads on Steam Deck is better than those on the Steam Controller. They feel better and they are accurate. I used the left trackpad on my Steam Controller as a dpad a lot (not so much in 2D fighting games because I don't play a lot of those but rather in 2D platforming games).

I've had my Steam Deck only for about five days so you can take my experiences with the Steam Deck with grain of salt.
Even though I'm not overly familiar with 2D fighters, I tried left trackpad as dpad in Blade Arcus from Shining: Battle Arena (available on Steam, compatibility rating is unknown but running great on Deck) because it's one of the few 2D fighters I have in my Library.
I'd say my lack of skill is my biggest issue but I feel like if I was more experienced in 2D fighters the trackpad as dpad would most likely be my choice over the dpad.

Since your question is probably more about the trackpad as dpad on more general level rather than limited to just 2D fighters, I tried it in a genre that I'm more familiar with: 2D platformers, and played Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights for a bit.
For the most part I was able to perform directions correctly but I had a few times when I hit up direction by accident. However, I feel like this is something I could learn to control better.

I think this is most likely because the way you would naturally hold a Steam Deck (for example, thumbs resting on the sticks, index fingers resting on triggers) can cause higher angle when you move a thumb from stick to trackpad and even a small change in that can make it move closer to thumbstick so up direction if it's being used as a dpad.
On Steam Controller that kind of has the trackpads as the main input on both sides your thumbs (or at least my thumbs) rest in the middle of the trackpads on low angle, and it's easy to move thumbs around those round trackpads.

Like I said, I think the Steam Deck has overall better trackpad. I could for example just practice and let muscle memory take care of knowing where each direction is, or I could slightly shift the position of my left and and hold the Deck on the left side so that my thumb rests on the trackpad rather than on the stick. This can make it a little bit harder to reach the actual dpad and maybe slightly the stick depending how far you keep your hand. In long term it's probably just practice and learn the shape of the trackpad.

In conclusion: Steam Deck has a better trackpad and I believe it can be used as a dpad substitute but in my case I had a few up direction inputs by accident in a 2D platformer.

I hope this helps. Maybe someone who is better at 2D fighters can tell more about their experiences.

[Prezidentas]

Originally posted by Mizufluffy:

In my opinion the quality of the trackpads on Steam Deck is better than those on the Steam Controller. They feel better and they are accurate. I used the left trackpad on my Steam Controller as a dpad a lot (not so much in 2D fighting games because I don't play a lot of those but rather in 2D platforming games).

I've had my Steam Deck only for about five days so you can take my experiences with the Steam Deck with grain of salt.
Even though I'm not overly familiar with 2D fighters, I tried left trackpad as dpad in Blade Arcus from Shining: Battle Arena (available on Steam, compatibility rating is unknown but running great on Deck) because it's one of the few 2D fighters I have in my Library.
I'd say my lack of skill is my biggest issue but I feel like if I was more experienced in 2D fighters the trackpad as dpad would most likely be my choice over the dpad.

Since your question is probably more about the trackpad as dpad on more general level rather than limited to just 2D fighters, I tried it in a genre that I'm more familiar with: 2D platformers, and played Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights for a bit.
For the most part I was able to perform directions correctly but I had a few times when I hit up direction by accident. However, I feel like this is something I could learn to control better.

I think this is most likely because the way you would naturally hold a Steam Deck (for example, thumbs resting on the sticks, index fingers resting on triggers) can cause higher angle when you move a thumb from stick to trackpad and even a small change in that can make it move closer to thumbstick so up direction if it's being used as a dpad.
On Steam Controller that kind of has the trackpads as the main input on both sides your thumbs (or at least my thumbs) rest in the middle of the trackpads on low angle, and it's easy to move thumbs around those round trackpads.

Like I said, I think the Steam Deck has overall better trackpad. I could for example just practice and let muscle memory take care of knowing where each direction is, or I could slightly shift the position of my left and and hold the Deck on the left side so that my thumb rests on the trackpad rather than on the stick. This can make it a little bit harder to reach the actual dpad and maybe slightly the stick depending how far you keep your hand. In long term it's probably just practice and learn the shape of the trackpad.

In conclusion: Steam Deck has a better trackpad and I believe it can be used as a dpad substitute but in my case I had a few up direction inputs by accident in a 2D platformer.

I hope this helps. Maybe someone who is better at 2D fighters can tell more about their experiences.

did you use steam controller D-Pad with click enabled?

[Mizufluffy]

Originally posted by Red Star Gopnik:

did you use steam controller D-Pad with click enabled?

I typically used Steam Controller trackpad as dpad with clicking disabled. I hated how that was always the first thing I had to do when it was always set as enabled by default. It's so much easier to just slightly touch the trackpad without having to click it for the input.

[SyperGhostlyGhost]

Originally posted by Red Star Gopnik:

the steam controller also relies mostly on haptics. the only exception is the click but even that is better on the deck since it's adjustable. steam controller click needs way too much force in my opinion

It's only adjustable to an extent and also if your haptics arent completely uneven. You cant really use the trackpad as a Dpad because its so big and the overeliance on proper haptics.

Ive also recently encountered a bug where any setting above a 7 the haptics shut off entirely which did not happen before. I needed my haptics to be around a 7 on the left side to make it usable in any way.

The "force" needed to use it is also related to how the haptics behave which is pretty inconsistent and unreliable.

Originally posted by Creepio:

Is it because you prefer a clicky DPad?

Question, does the mushy Steam Deck DPad present any hindrance to you?

I do prefer a clicky dpad (Like the Vita Dpad but it also has limitations due to being 1 entire piece but its so far my favorite) but there are times where I'm not hindered by controllers not meeting that criteria.

The M30 and the Fighting Commander are not clicky pads but I much prefer them to something like the series X controller. IMO the PS5 controller, and the Wolverine tournament have one of the worse dpads on the market atm. I've used and owned the 360 controller and the xbone, and ps3 controllers as well. I also don't rate the 8bitdo controllers highly either but its still better than the ps5, wolverine, and what the deck currently has.

The biggest problem with the Steam Deck Dpad for me isn't the mushiness itself but the pivot point and how deep the dpad sinks into the Deck. Because its a membrane Dpad its all 1 piece, and if you hold down 1 direction on the dpad, the other pieces already depress all the way which makes it difficult to use it as a proper dpad.

It becomes easier to use if you just rest your thumb in the center of the dpad and use it like the stick, which then defeats the point of having a dpad in the first place.

Edited for clarity: Yes I feel very hindered by the subpar Dpad the Deck has. It makes it very challenging to learn games where precision matters.

[Trackpad Chad]

Originally posted by SyperGhostlyGhost:

the trackpad dont work as well as the steam controller mostly cuz it relies on haptics for any sort of feedback. its functions the same way as if youre playing a fighting game and trying to do fighting game inputs on a phone screen or something similar. its more reliable to use the stick rather than the trackpad or the dpad entirely.

That's a shame. I've grown to love using the SC's trackpad for fighters. It honestly feels better than a regular dpad or a stick.

[ugafan]

I prefer the size, shape, and placement of the trackpads on the Steam Controller. It's easier for me to aim with the Steam Controller.

I like that you can adjust the click force on the Steam Deck. I also like the square shape when using touch menus.

[Creepio]

Originally posted by SyperGhostlyGhost:

I do prefer a clicky dpad (Like the Vita Dpad but it also has limitations due to being 1 entire piece but its so far my favorite) but there are times where I'm not hindered by controllers not meeting that criteria.

The M30 and the Fighting Commander are not clicky pads but I much prefer them to something like the series X controller. IMO the PS5 controller, and the Wolverine tournament have one of the worse dpads on the market atm. I've used and owned the 360 controller and the xbone, and ps3 controllers as well. I also don't rate the 8bitdo controllers highly either but its still better than the ps5, wolverine, and what the deck currently has.

The biggest problem with the Steam Deck Dpad for me isn't the mushiness itself but the pivot point and how deep the dpad sinks into the Deck. Because its a membrane Dpad its all 1 piece, and if you hold down 1 direction on the dpad, the other pieces already depress all the way which makes it difficult to use it as a proper dpad.

It becomes easier to use if you just rest your thumb in the center of the dpad and use it like the stick, which then defeats the point of having a dpad in the first place.

Edited for clarity: Yes I feel very hindered by the subpar Dpad the Deck has. It makes it very challenging to learn games where precision matters.

Interesting. Thanks for clarifying. :)

Do you know if there are any Steam Deck modifications that improve the DPad to your liking?

[SyperGhostlyGhost]

Originally posted by Creepio:

Interesting. Thanks for clarifying. :)

Do you know if there are any Steam Deck modifications that improve the DPad to your liking?

I haven't tried out any mods yet. I've seen someone try swapping an Xbox Dpad in successfully but they had mixed results. I might look into it more once Hall Sensor Sticks are available to me so I can swap every part out at the same time if i do commit to modding my dpad.