Steam Controller-Library

One of the most interesting tech products designed for the gaming market, the Steam Controller manufactured by Valve, was unfortunately discontinued at the end of 2019, in spite of many still considering it one of the best mouse and keyboard alternatives for couch gaming, due to its dual-touchpad and simultaneous gyroscopic input designed for surprisingly accurate tracking in FPS titles.

However, thanks to its thriving community, useful projects such as the unofficial Steam Controller Library can help developers incorporate support for this particular game pad in an attempt to provide tech enthusiasts with as many input options as possible for a flexible gaming experience.

At the moment, the tech giant behind the Steam platform still officially supports their first-party controller, with one of its latest titles including a compatible layout out of the box. However, since circumstances are always subject to change, it may be useful to consider a third-party solution that works without relying on the Steam Client running in the background and avoid taking any risks associated with the possibility of Valve introducing features that break compatibility with the game pad.

While the tried-and-tested dual-joystick layout of most major consoles’ controllers nowadays may suffice for many types of games such as platformers, when it comes to First-Person Shooters, the experience can vary, with plenty of titles resorting to aim-assisting their players to make it more palatable.

Certain companies such as Sony and Nintendo experimented with gyroscope sensors and accelerometers for a more fluid and precise input method, culminating with Valve combining them with touchpads designed to simulate the motion of a trackball for better aiming.

As a result, thanks to its unique variety of features, dedicated libraries such as the one at hand seek to help programmers capture the Steam Controller’s inputs without relying on the Steam SDK, which can spare players from having to manually search for a community-made configuration layout before starting the game, or create one by subjecting themselves to various trials and errors in the process.

Since the entire feature set of the device can be used to its full potential, developers have the opportunity of using the gyroscope sensor as a steering wheel in racing games, or as a mouse input in FPS titles, while the dual trackpads can also emulate multiple simultaneous keys such as the directional arrows or the WASD layout of the keyboard for platformers.

The back paddles can be configured as easy-to-reach options for quickly reloading or bringing up the in-game map, while the dual-stage analog triggers let developers use them as acceleration pedals in driving games, with the deep-press trigger actuation button as a Nitro shortcut for players to use as a last resort when catching up to their rivals throughout the race.

Whether you are a developer who happens to own a Steam Controller, but dislike the way Steam input is handled through the desktop client, or you simply want to ensure your game can maintain support for the game pad beyond Valve’s proprietary storefront, this unofficial Steam Controller Library may be the right solution for you, given its incredibly lightweight form factor and comprehensive array of features to make the most of.