Make face buttons pressure sensitive in future Steam Deck iterations.

[Insomniac]

Just because the big 3 abandoned pressure sensitive inputs doesn't mean Valve should. be a leader in the market and bring it back... On top of additional functionality for developers can add to a game today, it allows for more accurate input in playing older titles that required it. Strongly suggest steam input makes this a feature again.

[Zer01neDev]

Because its a bad tech, with time control lost in precision and even more, can completely stop working anymore.

[Insomniac]

Originally posted by Zer01neDev:

Because its a bad tech, with time control lost in precision and even more, can completely stop working anymore.

Gulikit makes both hall effect triggers and analog sticks that prevent exactly that from happening, it can be done with face buttons too. It absolutely is not bad tech, earlier implementations maybe, but it can be done better.

[Prezidentas]

"Big 3" abandoned it not because they are evil and want to take features away, but because no one is using it. Sure certain PS2 games did use it, most notably games with cars, however the proper analog triggers marked the end of anyone caring about it. No one wants their fingers to get tired to drive at maximum throttle in GTA 3.

[Insomniac]

Originally posted by Škoda 14Tr:

"Big 3" abandoned it not because they are evil and want to take features away, but because no one is using it. Sure certain PS2 games did use it, most notably games with cars, however the proper analog triggers marked the end of anyone caring about it. No one wants their fingers to get tired to drive at maximum throttle in GTA 3.

Just because it exists as an option doesn't mean developers will have to use it, but it's a great option to have. There's really no good argument against it, if you don't like pressure sense, don't play games capable of it. I use my Steam Deck to play PS2 games that require it and a modifier button doesn't really cut it. Asking for this feature takes nothing away from you so I genuinely don't understand comments like these.

There are so many more developers today than there were during the era these buttons were used, many many indies and I guarantee you that more input options can only be a good thing for overall gaming experiences. Big 3 always do things to cut costs so while it's possible it was primarily over the fact it wasn't used as much it could also be just that, cheaper to make controllers without. I quite liked when games like DOA had different combos based on *how* you pressed the buttons, or MGS for aiming/firing your gun in first person. It made plenty of titles feel more immersive.

[Prezidentas]

Originally posted by No:

Originally posted by Škoda 14Tr:

"Big 3" abandoned it not because they are evil and want to take features away, but because no one is using it. Sure certain PS2 games did use it, most notably games with cars, however the proper analog triggers marked the end of anyone caring about it. No one wants their fingers to get tired to drive at maximum throttle in GTA 3.

Just because it exists as an option doesn't mean developers will have to use it, but it's a great option to have. There's really no good argument against it, if you don't like pressure sense, don't play games capable of it. I use my Steam Deck to play PS2 games that require it and a modifier button doesn't really cut it. Asking for this feature takes nothing away from you so I genuinely don't understand comments like these.

There are so many more developers today than there were during the era these buttons were used, many many indies and I guarantee you that more input options can only be a good thing for overall gaming experiences. Big 3 always do things to cut costs so while it's possible it was primarily over the fact it wasn't used as much it could also be just that, cheaper to make controllers without. I quite liked when games like DOA had different combos based on *how* you pressed the buttons, or MGS for aiming/firing your gun in first person. It made plenty of titles feel more immersive.

It adds cost. If it's a feature that 95% of people won't use, then it's not worth it. Also, if anyone actually cared, PCSX2 would already support analog face buttons with deck pressure sensitive trackpads, but it seems even that hasn't been implemented.

[Insomniac]

Originally posted by Škoda 14Tr:

Originally posted by No:

Just because it exists as an option doesn't mean developers will have to use it, but it's a great option to have. There's really no good argument against it, if you don't like pressure sense, don't play games capable of it. I use my Steam Deck to play PS2 games that require it and a modifier button doesn't really cut it. Asking for this feature takes nothing away from you so I genuinely don't understand comments like these.

There are so many more developers today than there were during the era these buttons were used, many many indies and I guarantee you that more input options can only be a good thing for overall gaming experiences. Big 3 always do things to cut costs so while it's possible it was primarily over the fact it wasn't used as much it could also be just that, cheaper to make controllers without. I quite liked when games like DOA had different combos based on *how* you pressed the buttons, or MGS for aiming/firing your gun in first person. It made plenty of titles feel more immersive.

It adds cost. If it's a feature that 95% of people won't use, then it's not worth it. Also, if anyone actually cared, PCSX2 would already support analog face buttons with deck pressure sensitive trackpads, but it seems even that hasn't been implemented.

How do you know developers wouldn't use it? Of course it adds cost, but it also adds immersion to the games that will use it. Makes zero sense to argue against ADDING something to the deck, what I'm requesting will take nothing away from you.

There are more devs today than there were in the early 2000's, surely there will be devs that use it. Pressure sensitivity on a trackpad is not the same thing as having 4 individual face buttons with pressure sensitivity, PCSX2 is only recently getting updates because of the duckstation dev so it may just be something that they haven't gotten around to. PCSX2 development has been crawling for years.

[Prezidentas]

Originally posted by No:

How do you know developers wouldn't use it? Of course it adds cost, but it also adds immersion to the games that will use it. Makes zero sense to argue against ADDING something to the deck, what I'm requesting will take nothing away from you.

Because most developers didn't use it when it was widely available. Keep in mind back then 100% of PS2 owners had a pressure-sensitive controller.

Originally posted by No:

There are more devs today than there were in the early 2000's, surely there will be devs that use it.

More developers doesn't mean that more of them would want to use pressure sensitivity. Chances are the percentage is basically zero since there is no way to reach widespread market adoption of such controller without Sony or Microsoft. Most people don't even know that DualShock 2 and 3 had such feature.

Originally posted by No:

Pressure sensitivity on a trackpad is not the same thing as having 4 individual face buttons with pressure sensitivity

Trackpads are definitely not the same as actual buttons, but it's the closest you will ever get on the deck. Might as well use it.

Originally posted by No:

PCSX2 is only recently getting updates because of the duckstation dev so it may just be something that they haven't gotten around to. PCSX2 development has been crawling for years.

Googling the duckstation developer seems like he is contributing mostly in graphics, so I doubt anything input-related will come from him.

[Insomniac]

Originally posted by Škoda 14Tr:

Originally posted by No:

How do you know developers wouldn't use it? Of course it adds cost, but it also adds immersion to the games that will use it. Makes zero sense to argue against ADDING something to the deck, what I'm requesting will take nothing away from you.

Because most developers didn't use it when it was widely available. Keep in mind back then 100% of PS2 owners had a pressure-sensitive controller.

Originally posted by No:

There are more devs today than there were in the early 2000's, surely there will be devs that use it.

More developers doesn't mean that more of them would want to use pressure sensitivity. Chances are the percentage is basically zero since there is no way to reach widespread market adoption of such controller without Sony or Microsoft. Most people don't even know that DualShock 2 and 3 had such feature.

Originally posted by No:

Pressure sensitivity on a trackpad is not the same thing as having 4 individual face buttons with pressure sensitivity

Trackpads are definitely not the same as actual buttons, but it's the closest you will ever get on the deck. Might as well use it.

Originally posted by No:

PCSX2 is only recently getting updates because of the duckstation dev so it may just be something that they haven't gotten around to. PCSX2 development has been crawling for years.

Googling the duckstation developer seems like he is contributing mostly in graphics, so I doubt anything input-related will come from him.

This isn't a debate, this is my feature request, you can naysay all you like, this is still what i'd like to see in future steam deck iterations. Go cry in some other thread, i'm not arguing with you.

[KingSoloMane]

SD listed here is a mistake?

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Category:Controllers_with_pressure-sensitive_face_buttons

[Prezidentas]

Originally posted by KingSoloMane:

SD listed here is a mistake?

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Category:Controllers_with_pressure-sensitive_face_buttons

the trackpads are pressure-sensitive

[WarnerCK]

While not knowing whether you would accidentally shoot someone in the face did add extra tension in an already tense game in Metal Gear Solid, I don't think Valve would be that interested in pressure-sensitive face buttons - because of cost and because game developers are mostly targeting the very limited feature set of the Xbox controller. It wouldn't be bad to have them, I just don't think they will.

What I would like in a Deck 2 and later, and which I think is feasible, is pressure-sensitive L1/R1. Those buttons aren't great on the Deck, but got improved somewhat with the Deck OLED, and could do with further improvement in future iterations. Pressure sensitivity could be one of those improvements.

[Aepoh]

It’s kind of funny, because I actually want the opposite; I want less analog inputs on future iterations, or more specifically a way to have the option of more digital inputs.
The top thing on my wishlist for a Steam Deck 2 is lockable or resistant analog triggers, kind of like what the dualsense has.
Analog inputs are strictly worse feeling than digital ones when you’re not making use of the analog functionality. Which is the case for probably over 90% of games on the market overall. It’s great to have them when you need them but in all other cases I’d rather just have a digital trigger.

As for analog buttons, I imagine OP wants them primarily for more accurate PS2 and PS3 emulation. Outside of that I can’t imagine they’d be getting much use from game developers. It would give users more options when configuring Steam Input though.
Overall it’s a neat idea but very low priority on what I would want for a SD2. And if analog buttons come at the cost of the feel of the buttons or their mashability and/or durability then I outright just don’t want them.