@patrickjw333 open steam in desktop mode, go to settings, controller, desktop mode and click edit, edit layout, scroll down to right trackpad behaviour, and left track pad behaviour. This setting has a gear ⚙️ next to it, click that and scroll down and disable the toggle for trackball mode. Here you can also adjust sensitivity etc. Just went and found it on my deck, as last time I done this was in old big picture mode with my steam controller 😁 edit: looks like it's just right trackpad, if you made the left track pad a mouse then I presume the option will also pop up here 😄
On the other hand, I really like trackball mode. It means the pointer has simulated momentum, and you can just chuck it across the screen with a quick flick, then reposition your thumb and fine-tune your aim once it gets near to your target.
What I like about the track pads is despite rarely using them the option is there. Valve didn't want to limit the use for the Steam deck and it's an oddly intuitive work around
I find them really useful for games with partial controller support and/or older games. It's also really nice for very precise aim correction in FPS games or shooters in general.
@@WallyDaDeity if anything for me it invalidates the entire right analog stick, i'll always use the trackpad over a right analog stick so my stick ends up being used purely for radial menus in games.
@@fillerbunnyninjashark271 nah its actually quite good when u get around to using it especially for stuff like camera controls or aiming in 3d games, once u get used to it, u might not even use the right stick anymore. I know i have
@@Reinx1 it sucked on laptops in the early 2000s, it sucks now. We used to be used to complete shit frame rate and horrible latency on ps3... Doesn't make it not shit
for typing, try using both trackpads at the same time (instead of lifting one finger to press with the other), so that you have half the keyboard for each finger. Also, instead of pressing down on the trackpad, you can also use the triggers to click for each side, which allows for more precise selection since you avoid finger displacement by pressing the trackpad
To me the trackpads are the secret sauce that make the Steam Deck stand out head-and-shoulders above the competition and really go to show how robust Steam Input is. Really glad you are giving them a chance
Personally I think the Steam Deck's trackpads are what makes it so special. That's what makes it compatible with almost every PC game released in the last 15 years. I'm not sure I could consider it a true handheld PC without them. And the added functionality they bring for binding other inputs are a life saver for more complex games.
Yeah, it's bizarre to me that anyone would prefer a joystick. Personally, I never grew up with consoles/controller so the trackpads are *way* more intuitive coming from PC!
@@MadwonkYou didn't grow up with consoles and controllers. People that did have spent their lives getting used to controllers, so a trackpad feels weird. It's part of the reason the Steam Controller flopped.
@@Madwonk I personally really love the capacitive gyro sticks. This allows for broad strokes being completed with the sticks, and then fine tuned movement and aiming being handled by the gyro. You can just use the trackpads to do the broad strokes, but I feel there's degrees of control from each. Trackpacks for quick wide movements, joysticks for quick shorter or circular movements, and gyro for fine tuning.
exactly, this rant on a video is bizarre. I use them all the time , Deep Rock Galactic , Battlebit remastered, old Unreal tournament , i set up trackpads and after a year with steam deck i think im as close to mouse+keyboard as i was before, I do not really play on my gaming laptop anymore. The freedom they give is amazing. Would not consider steam deck 2 if it comes without them :) Also Overwatch comes to steam , would be nice to try it out
Honestly the Steam Deck's track pads have me hoping that Valve will revisit the idea of a Steam controller someday. They're really useful, and for me at least when calibrated right, I far prefer the track pad for aiming over the analog stick.
track pad for aiming feels like laptop trackpad aiming, gyro is the best invention ever to aim and I hope more games will support it natively (like fortnite) without emulating mouse
I have heard it's under development, but they are focused on the steam deck at the moment. So I would expect the steam controller to come out sometime between now and the steam deck 2.
Yeah I'd love to see a Steam controller with a similar (but larger) layout to the Steam Deck. I still use my Steam controller on a few games, but the lack of a right stick makes it very hard for games like Halo where vehicle controls are much less sensitive than aiming.
I for one think that the trackpads are the steam deck's most unique strength. And for all the reasons you described! It all relates back to one thing, options. You have SO MANY options available to make the experience your own. I use mine as save state queues and a fast forward toggle for emulated games primarily. I do agree about the community layout discrepancy you mentioned. There's so many smarter, more dedicated steam deck users that I'd love to easily mooch off their creativity and implement it into my game experience. Hope valve can do this!
I’ve never ever used the touchscreen. Trackpads are way too good for me to smudge the screen. For the keyboard, you can use both trackpads at the same time instead of releasing it for each letter you type
You can also change a setting to make the triggers clicl the keys, instead of clicking the trackpads, which is a good idea because clicking the trackpads moves the cursor a little, causing you to missclick sometimes.
Touchscreen is lame on heavy device like steamdeck or rog ally since you have to change both hands posture when typing. But trackpads allowed you to keep both palms on controller.
The ultimate way to type on Deck i found is to shift hands slightly to reach whole screen real estate. Still stays good in hands and i even have slight overlap, so i can reach every button with my thumbs and do it faster than every other option
@@damianabregba7476 tried it, doable but uncomfortable, faster ofc, but I'll stick to trackpads typing since you only move thumbs and less travel to stick.
I love it in shooters. Paired with the gyro aiming - it just works nice. After going back to using a mouse to playing games, I found myself missing the trackpad.
Yeah, i feel like anyone who hasn't experienced the trackpad+gyro combination has missed the point. The touchpad is the most effortless way to "toggle" gyro on and off, idk how else to say it.
@@emperorfaiz thumbsticks lack accuracy. Your thumbs do in general. But that center force is magnitudes worsening it. (Drone controllers don't recenter for a reason. AND are also sticks you hold instead for a reason too). The touch bad at solves a lot of those problems. Which makes it far more bearable as a mouse user.
The steam controller acted in the same way, which took me a while to figure out myself. Thankfully I'd used that years before the steam deck was even an idea, so it didn't take so long to figure out of the deck.
@@MarkTheMagnificent It took me like 2-3 weeks to realize that you had to scroll in a cricle. Scrolling down just by flicking your thumb down works fine but when you flick it up it doesn't. I had used the left trackpad as a scroll wheel with the flick stick mode and it worked perfectly in my games but I had no idea why it worked differently in desktop mode. I think they should either change the default to a flick stick layout or add an option to change it during the first boot
@@Enum_Dev I do prefer the click wheel method, personally, but maybe that's because I liked the old iPods and I'm just nostalgia-blind. Could be that I'm tricking myself, but I feel like I have more precise control that way. Either way, it's good that they made this thing so customizable. Just a shame that it's not as clear as it could be as to what you're meant to do.
Something that made the trackpads WAY better for me in desktop mode was disabling touch to click; so they were purely mouse movement and clicks were handled by triggers. Not having to worry about accidently clicking instead of moving the mouse makes such a world of difference in usability in my opinion.
Meanwhile for me, I often specifically set up my layouts so that a quick touch on the trackpad registers as a mouse click, like on laptops. I also use L1 when I can, but y'know, can't do that with most games
I think there's a really simple fix for the palm rejection on the touchpad just by using simple existing logic. The joystick has a sensor to tell when it has a thumb on it and so far as I can see, you never want to use the trackpad and the joystick at the same time. So, if joystick in use -> disable trackpad, and vice versa.
This can be setup very easily with the action layers in the controller config menu. Just set the touch binding on the stick to hold an action layer with the touchpads disabled.
is this there? i would love this. i hate constantly bumping the right trackpad but i like the option to use it. its funny i have a similar issue on the ally. when i look left my right thumb sometimes hangs off the stick and bumps the touchscreen causing a similar issue to the track pad palm bumping.
Something about using the keyboard using the trackpads: You can use the triggers to press a key as opposed to just pressing your thumb down. Left trigger presses whatever key your left trackpad is hovering over, and vice versa with the right. It's really useful.
There's even specifically an option to allow it or not, along with increasing the cursor sensitivity/reach which is a common complaint. I wish there were more options though.
This is the recommended way to use the keyboard with the trackpads imo, because as I'm sure people notice - when you press in the trackpad it slightly moves the cursor, making you missclick sometimes. This applies to everything, not just the keyboard. So any game you control with the cursor, you really shouldn't click the trackpad for a mouse click, you should put mouse click on a trigger or a bumper.
@fapman4878 Yup, osu! players figured this out a long time ago: decoupling your aiming hand and clicking hand allows both to work more independently and effectively. The Deck trackpads are actually highly sensitive for their size, and respond well to very fine thumb movements, which is a *good* thing if you make this adjustment.
One of my favorite uses for the touchpads is in combination with gyro for FPS games. You enable mouse aiming with gyro only to activate when touching the pad or stick, and mouse aiming with the pad. You then can add flick stick to the thumbstick so you have several options of aiming on the fly.
Just a few observations from someone who uses the trackpads and desktop mode a lot: Dual-thumb typing with the trackpads + L2/R2 to "click" is sooo much more slick/comfortable than trying to hold the Deck in one hand and poking at the screen. It allows you to keep a full grip of your chunky device, and lets you type at least twice as fast. In desktop mode the trackpads simulate a trackball by default. It means the pointer has simulated momentum, and continues moving in a straight line for a while if you let go of the trackpad at speed. I like to chuck my pointer in the general direction of my target with a quick flick, then reposition my thumb, and fine tune my aim when the pointer gets near. It's very satisfying, and I much prefer it to a "traditional" trackpad when navigating the desktop. I *hate* clicking in the trackpads. I only ever had Nintendo handhelds growing up, and so clicking in the thumbsticks on a controller also always feels awkward for me. Maybe its this unfamiliarity, or my grip, but I much prefer "clicking" with a short pull of L2/R2.
Yes, clicking the trackpads for a mouse click is terrible, because it moves the cursor slightly, causing you to missclick. I find the trackpad click more useful for actions like reloading, melee, use (open doors etc) or any other quick actions in games, instead of clicking the mouse.
It’s difficult to explain but when you get used to all the different settings and what they do that’s when you really understand how cool the controller configurator is. I’ve spent hours configuring settings without having a game open even.
I appreciate this video. It really goes to show that pitching a new idea can be misunderstood and abandoned if the manufacture doesn't have a clear vision and stick with it. Over time people tend to start realizing what they previously thought was pointless as being very useful. In the cases where it's essential for the game you play a lot of, it's a make or break scenario. I play a lot of games that aren't really optimal on anything but the steam deck, so I'm very grateful for it.
Agreed. I LOVE having the trackpads as an option when controller support or emulated PC controls simply won't do or create an uncomfortable experience.
I think Valve was smart not to push the pads too hard. Probably a lesson they learned from the Steam Controller (which I love, btw). They're there for those who know they want them and they're forgotten by everyone else who is used to and only wants a dual joystick setup. Maybe some day those people will "accidentally" discover the usefulness of trackpads (and all of Steam Input for that matter) as they try more/different games. They're a hidden gem in plain sight.
you just described the steam controller in a nutshell lol. one of the most criminally underrated controllers of all time. it just had a steep learning curve, and takes time dedicated to fine tuning it, and then it's literally the best controller ever made. i'm still hoping for a Steam Controller 2.
I got so used to using the trackpads for a)typing on a keyboard, b)selecting weapons, and c)aiming more accurately, that I sure hope they don't get rid of them on the Steam Deck 2! In comparison to other handhelds, I feel like I'd always go for the one with the trackpads...
Like you said, the trackpads are great for their infinite possibilities, not that you have a mouse in games. (For most games, at least) I found myself using the SteamDeck for Emulation way more than I expected I would. For the oddball layouts, Wii/WiiU and DS/3DS, they are a must have. While I want a more powerful SteamDeck, I couldn't justify the ROG Ally specifically because I have to have the trackpads.
Personally I will NEVER get a handheld PC again unless it has trackpads and the versatility of the Steam Deck's specifically. So basically, only the SD product line from now on 😂
I think it's not so much that the track pads are super vital to all gaming experiences but that they give you a lot more options and make a lot more games playable. People keep saying that rog Ally can play more games then the steam deck but it's Definitely cutting out a huge section of games that can be comfortably played with track pads.
Not to mention a Windows device without a good mouse control is just a pain to use... (ofc you can prolly set the touch screen to a trackpad mode but then you cannot poke it like a normal touch screen when convenient.)
I adore the track pads. Glad you are coming around. Also the trackpads are better in desktop mode when you make them not act like a trackball imo. You can change it in the settings.
I personally prefer the trackball mode, it fits to the small pads better, but ymmv, I guess it is a matter of getting used to. Mouse mode would not be anything for me given their size.
The trackpads are absolutely essential for me now if I buy any other portable PC after the steam deck. Most of my time on my steam deck is spent with final fantasy 14 and the touchpads allow for so much customization in regards to control over skills and other essential parts of the game.
@@chfgn so I'm one of the few that really dislike the default config for it so I made my own setup. For the right trackpad I have it set up as a mouse curser to navigate menus easier. For the left trackpad i have it set up as 4 extra inputs for skills on my hotbar. Along with the extra buttons on the back I've been able to set up my whole rotation on physical buttons while still being able to navigate menus easily.
I love the trackpads and I like customizing their actions as well. When you say "I'd rather have the radial menu select the item when I lift my finger, but I don't want to go into the settings to set it up" I don't see it as a valid complaint..
Regarding the shape of the trackpads, Valve actually wanted to have big round concave ones like on the Steam Controller, and have them positioned a bit higher. Look at the prototypes Valve has released images of. However, with those you couldn't fit the big full sized analog sticks, the prototypes had the medium size ones some other handheld PC makers use. Valve likely gave in to the fact that most users won't adopt trackpads as their primary input, just like what happened with the Steam Controller, so they chose stick size over pad size for the mainstream appeal. Leaving us with smaller, flat, square ones positioned lower. For "palm rejection" you can set your config so that when you're touching the adjacent analog stick, the trackpad becomes disabled (Valve made the sticks touch sensitive, so it knows when your finger is resting on them).
@@fapman4878 yes a square has more surface area than a circle of the same width, but the circular track pads on the steam deck prototypes and on the steam controllers were bigger than what we got, because the prototypes with smaller sticks had space for larger trackpads, partially because they were round. The prototypes had the tops of round trackpads going up next to the face buttons, which wouldn't have worked with square track pads. When Valve decided to use bigger sticks, the sticks had to move lower into this area to fit, which meant the trackpads had to move lower as well, leaving less ergonomically usable space for them. Valve then made them square to make the best use of what space was left.
I love the track pads. I play a lot of rimworld. While it’s an much better experience on desktop… using the track pads to play it is very satisfying. I made the left track pad a radial menu that has a setting for each option in the architect menu, and once you get the muscle memory down, it’s absolutely amazing. It’s very fast and handy for a game that feels like you almost need two mice at times
I was one of the only fans of the steam controller so I'm glad the pads are there to continue their endlessly customizable legacy.Them and the gyro were what sold me on the steamdeck as a platform that can do anything with just enough tweaking. 90% of the time it's not worth getting so granular with the settings, but I think my main use-case was warframe where there's just enough extra keys that are annoying to map to a controller that having a menu for them makes life way better.
@@Thornskade what do you mean it didn't sell well? It sold millions of units. They discontinued because of the Scuff Gaming lawsuit. Both the steam controller and the steam deck sold comparable numbers so far
When typing using the track pads, I find it way easier to use the triggers to type. Clicking in the track pads can make the curser drift, so you have to be more careful when lining up on the letters. When you have your Deck on a desk, then yeah it's easier to use the touchscreen to type. But at that point, it's also easier to plug in my Bluetooth keyboard. But if I'm chilling on the couch, and there isn't a great surface to set the deck or a keeb on, I'm using track pads every time. It's just easier. Great video! Glad to see people sharing all the customization options for the Deck.
As someone who loves to tinker with options, the control scheme on the Deck is wild. You're 100% right, I'd love to share the radial menus and crazy stuff other people make. Inventory management games are a ton easier with the trackpads. It really is about what you play, but I love to have the options if and when I need them. It's also just so much easier to have mouse support for menus in emulation. Those menus dont scale and its near impossible to use the touch screen for those. This video was great and thanks for swallowing your pride to see what other people enjoy.
With how much I use the track pads on my steam deck, I greatly appreciate their inclusion and wouldn't want to do without now that I have had life with them. The fact you can easily flip between them and the joysticks is superb. I like the track pads a lot more than joystick control for precise stuff too, like aiming in FPS, since a lot of older(and even newer) PC stuff doesn't use aim assist, having that extra bit of control over your aim cursor is a godsend.
[Edit: Tip here! 4:10 you can change that to mouse region, by going to desktop setting in controller setting, just set mouse region for desktop navigation like you set it for games. 12:17 yep we can do that too by using modeshift combined with Radial menu on sticks, the point is the more options we have, the better, I'm one of few people who would play Arma on steamdeck and appreciate input hardwares it have, and I often find games that feel clunky to play with stick because it's not officially support the controller] Wow you finally learned how to use it after a year of owning steamdeck! Alright time to re-subscribe the channel.
After years of working with Steam controllers and Steam Input. There is always a comment that makes you "Huh, why didn't I think of that?" Mouse region on Desktop mode is something I never would occur.
Typing with the trackpad is faster than using the analog/dpad and buttons. Touching the screen is faster but at least you don’t have fingerprints on your screen
I love the trackpads and use them for everything you talked about, but here’s another use case I’ve found: Right trackpad as the d-pad Left trackpad as ABXY That way, in a pinch, if I grab a drink or my phone with one hand, I have all buttons available to the other!
I was upset how mean the live chat was about your unpopular but honest take when you were a guest on Nerd Nest. However, Bill is the Steam Input whisperer, and I was certain behind the scenes he was going to show you the light. :D Glad you converted to be one of us, Bob.
I think what the trackpads represent - and the main niggle that you seem to have with them - is niche usage. For me, and others like me, the attraction of the SD is the sheer flexibility and openness of the platform. Which includes Desktop mode. Which as you've said, correctly, is clumsy. But that's the rub; rather than saying "we can't round off the corners of this to be effortless, so you can't have it", Valve said "look, we're building in an entire desktop environment, and some basic support hardware, in case you have to do something fiddly and don't have a bluetooth mouse and keyboard handy". It's like the screwdriver on a penknife. It doesn't fit many things perfectly, it's frankly suboptimal in most situations, but when there's no alternative... it's what you have and you'll likely be glad you had it. And it's pretty cool to be able to VPN into my local media server and play movies on my steam deck over my phone :)
I didn't say anything because I wasn't sure if the Steam Deck trackpads were as cool as the Steam controller ones. But the Steam controller trackpads were awesome for certain games, so it confused me that you said the Steam Deck ones were useless.
1) You absolutely can have the rear buttons trigger a radial menu you select with the stick. That's an option too. 2) Steam's controller configuration UI was better in the older big picture. It was about the only thing that was, but a lot of these options were presented over a visual of the controller and made more sense. 3) Community presets sharing for games was and is terrible. It can only be navigated within steam, linking them outside steam/offsite is near impossible, editing them in a browser or via mouse/kb to quickly tweak the settings is impossible, and even if you made an objectively incredible layout, it will never gain traction. 4) Community presets are a heavily socially dependent feature that valve makes as difficult as possible work with. Basically whoever made the very first layout that gets any amount of traction will forever be the number 1 layout for that game, because there is no other way to share alternatives. (Made an amazing improved layout using features that weren't around at game launch? Too bad!). Whoever was FIRST! on Starfield in the community presets? That layout will be the default top ranking community layout, forever. Mark my works.
As someone who uses the deck on a daily basis as a computer, the trackpads are great when compared to either using the touchscreen, or the thumbsticks. As well as not needing to manually navigate around the keyboard, the deck's typing experience is top tier compared to the ROG ally.
Those trackpads are literally the main reason why I love steam deck and wouldn’t change it for any other similar portable device. But I do play a lot of strategy games I guess
I have a template I made specifically for switching weapons in boomer shooters. Both trackpads are set as button pads. I have the left trackpad as the 1 and 0 keys (usually the weakest and strongest weapons), and the right trackpad as the 2, 3, 4, and 5 keys. I then have R4 set as a modifier where when I hold it down it changes the right trackpad to the 6, 7, 8, and 9 keys.
Over last couple of years, Wulff Den seems to be becoming a Steam Deck fan and it's beautiful to see. He is starting to like all there is to like about it.
1:46 THIS right there. Its insane what level of customization the Steam controller setup allows. When the Steam Controller was still a thing, I remember how they released a config for the trackpads, that allowed to scroll the minimap of an FPS. Basically: the game allowed you to use your mouse as you would in an OS when holding ALT. They made a key bind that would do that, but keep the mouse inside the boundary of the minimap. The trackpad essentially was 2D scroll wheel now.
I would love if Valve could put out a smaller more pocketable version of the steam deck that removed the thumb sticks and just had the trackpads, D pad, and face buttons. I really want something super low profile that slides into a pocket and I would gladly trade the thumb sticks for trackpads to realize this dream.
As a trackpad lover, this video hurts a lot… this IS much better than what he said before but there are still a lot of things he just didn’t understand about how the trackpads work or why they’re the way they’re. Watching this just made me want to make an answer video since I actually know what I’d be talking about unlike him…
The only thing im curious about is his take of just using a back button and a thumbstick for the radio menu instead of the trackpad, that sounds a lot more easy and intuitive to me at least.
@@GamerTowerDXthat is easy and intuitive, although I think it's all about usecases and stuff. I know on my end, I exclusively use the back buttons for in-game actions to perform while simultaneously controlling the camera (so that I can forego lock-on in some games, or just be more fluid with movement). In that case, radial buttons on the back wouldn't work. But that's just me, the best thing is that with the inclusion, there's options based on how the person plays or what they do!
@@GamerTowerDXYou can mode-shift the thumbstick into a radial menu (or anything else really) by holding down one of the back buttons (or any other button really). It does work great, it's just that those back buttons are usually more useful as inputs themselves, since you can press them without taking your thumb off the thumbstick/trackpad.
The right trackpad replaces the right stick for me in first person shooters. There's no contest, it's infinitely better. I set it up as a mouse, adjust mouse settings in-game, or the in steam input that will result in 45 degree camera movement when moving across the trackpad (left to right). This will result in perfectly mapped motion for the camera as long as you keep your thumb on the touchpad. Then set the "friction" level to "high", this setting will allow you to "flick" the touchpad from left to right on and instantly (and consistently) turn 180 degrees. It's honestly 100% better than the slow linear motion of the right joystick. Keep in mind, dual sticks has ALWAYS been a compromise in FPS-games, and game developers have actively needed to "dance around" this terrible input method. The touchpad, together with gyro, will make you mouse-like accurate in these games.
There's a game called Wizorb that's a breakout style game I always wanted to love, but the analog stick controls just never felt like I had fine enough control with. One of the first things I did with my Steamdeck was reinstall it and then set up a controller layout to use the trackpad to emulate a mouse, and it makes the game so much more playable than the controller binding it defaults to.
I don't know if Paul rejection is necessary at all but they could make a feature where if your finger is sensed on the joystick then the trackpad is disabled. In the settings there's probably a way to do it using action layers.
They are also Great for games like Warhammer 40,000 Dawn Of War Soulstorm, which is a mouse only game. Some games you can KINDA use your fingers, but the trackpads are so much better for mouse only games
Oh and with the keyboard function you can type with both hands at the same time, having two cursors up at the same time. Takes a bit of practice but I'm starting to get okay at typing with it. Eventually I bet this will be fast enough to type comfortably.
12:00 You CAN do this, you'll be happy to know! Simply map a back button to a mode shift layer, and on that layer remap the left or right joystick to a radial menu!
I'm the kinda person that does really get into tinkering around in steam controller config menus. Been doing it since before the steam deck came out. I liked to be the first to make a PS4/gyro aim/flick stick layout for a new FPS and upload it day one. To see if I could get the most used profile in the community profile section for that game. These unique controller inputs really useful for emulation. I nearly completed Wii Twilight Princess on the steam deck. I can't play the game cube version because it's mirrored from the version I played originally and I rewire my brain to be ok with that. I know you pitch your videos as for the everyman consumer that probably would dive deep into every advanced feature of a tech product. But thanks for taking a 2nd look. The steam controller input API has boundless potentional for those that learn to use it and the more you can utilize it, the more rewarding it can be.
I don't know what kind of issues he was having in desktop mode but I don't think I'd be able to use my steam deck IN DESKTOP MODE plugged into a dock if I didn't have a steam controller. That's just how good using the pads as a mouse and keyboard are. If I had to use a normal controller I would go grab a mouse and keyboard (which is still better than a steam controller)
It's okay, everyone who hated on the STEAM controller said the same thing. Meanwhile I loved the STEAM controller and am absolutely thrilled they included that functionality into a handheld. I can't wait for the STEAM Controller 2.0.
I love the versatility of the steamdeck and its highly customizable controls. That was the main reason i bought a steamdeck over more powerful handhelds.
I have no use for the trackpads, but Im glad they're there. As a Barbarian with large hands, no other handheld has better ergonomics than the deck. The Loki Max may be just as good, although I haven't held that device yet.
The trackpad can also function as a surprisingly good D-pad for platformers or games with top-down viewpoint if you know how to do some advance setting for it, though it requires experiments and experience.
One important thing using touchpads is to set correct angle value how your thumb moves across surface. Finger movement is not horizontal. It is curved so that movement must be compensate on settings. After that curved finger movement is rotated to horizontal mouse movement. Valve really thought deep when designed both Steam Controller and Deck touchpads.
7:40 Tip: just hold both fingers on both trackpads at all time, just move them and click them without lifting the finger from the trackpad. You will get insanely fast when typing with trackpads.
One of the best games of all time imo is kenshi. Definitely needs the trackpads and radial menus, it has a LOT of keys to use. Basically that and in Elden ring i used all four back buttons and two extra trackpad buttons for the y+ combinations, which made it nice because i had heals in my pockets and could just press 1 button to drink it without navigating my items wheel
That was a nice and quick update :D I must admit it was rather clear that you hadn't used them, as I got mine right after watching your video on it and had a very different experience. Kind of love the feel they have, and the satisfying feedback, though the "click" is a little too light and in desktop mode when you do "click" it still tracks your movement so you can't be accurate at all which you should be able to be. Really wish that the trackpad recognized when you push down on it and slowed down the sensitivity for you so you can hit those little boxes you need to.
The click is useful for things like reloading, melee, use (opening doors etc) in games, but as an actual mouse click it's terrible because of the reason you mentioned. Just bind the mouse clicks to the triggers or bumpers in desktop mode and in cursor controlled games. Also, you can make the keyboard work with the triggers, instead of clicking the trackpads, in the keyboard settings. That's also recommended for preventing missclicks.
I know the gyro has options to do that called Trigger Dampening. I'm not looking at my Deck right now, but you might see if there's a similar option for dampening the sensitivity of the trackpad when you click it. If not available by default, you can make it yourself by editing the Desktop controller layout in Steam settings. Create a new Action Layer where the only change is the Right Touchpad has a much lower sensitivity, and you activate the Action Layer by setting the main layout's Right Touchpad Click (by default it's probably set to mouse click or Right Stick Click.) Be sure it's set as "hold action layer" instead of a "set action layer," "hold" makes the layer only active when you click the pad, and deactivates the layer when you let off the click, while "set" will toggle the layer on and keep it on until you enable a separate way to toggle it back off.
Yeah honestly when you said that I was caught so off guard, I just thought it was a joke though. I love using the trackpad as a mouse and using the top right back button as left mouse click and the top left back button as right click
HEY THATS ME!! I use them a lot on FPS games since I am not used to analog sticks on them. Left 4 Dead 2 has an awesome Menu for the trackpads that allow to do multiple things, Left 4 Dead 2 just feels awesome on the Steam Deck thanks to them!
Man I have no problem with the track pads. I even changed up the desktop controls to how I want with a good trackball mode for mouse & trackpad clicks & scroll aswell as l2, r2 but also having the swap between gamepad & desktop mode controls & never gone back!
When in Desktop Mode I actually use the right touchpad as a mouse and the left trigger as a left mouse click. That made it a lot less frustrating for me.
I'm really hoping they will keep the trackpads for future incarnations of the deck permanently. I really tried hella hard to learn gyro + flick stick on my dualshock 5 on PC but just couldn't get hang of it :') But gyro + trackpad been hella great for my FPS shooters. Mainly using the trackpad to readjust the position of my gyro aiming + using the trackpad for my 180/360 flicks instead of flickstick. Just felt way more natural to my brain.
NGL I thought you were an actual gamer, but once you dissed the trackpads, I just couldn't watch the rest of or anymore of your videos. Glad you have finally been enlightened.
i was a bit meh on the trackpads until i started using the right one as a second dpad so i can move and swap stuff around at the same time. unfortunately i don't play it often in literal handheld mode, i'm usually in tabletop mode with an xbox controller so i don't want to get too used to features i don't have on that controller. which makes me really wish Valve would take a second shot at the Steam controller with all of the Steam Deck's inputs
Yep with action layers and some personalization you can play games with one hand, really, when I'm on bed, it's impossible to hold this device for so long, so lying on my side and holding the SD with one hand by balancing the other side on bed, setting right trackpad as Dpad or left stick, allows me to play some games with one hand and now the weight is not a problem anymore since SD is standing on bed.
Neither happy nor sad that you changed your mind. Really excited to see a content creator revise his position based on information he gets from his community, and that is what i come here for. Bob, I'm not into moddding, i barely have time to play my switch, but your content is so detailed and well thought out and so damned smart and good that fuck the youtube algorithm - i seek out your video each week. Thank you. This was really cool.
I don't have my Deck yet, but it's still top of my list for my next major purchase, and I want the track pads for retro emulation, as they can be used in so many unique and cool ways. Need a trackball? Covered. Need light gun accuracy? Done. Need analog spinner controls for Arknoid(breakout)? No problem. The list goes on and on, as I don't think a more well thought out or designed device has ever entered the handheld space before. My biggest issue with emulation in general is how hard it is to have great controls across so many arcade and home games. And while the SD may not meet 100% of those needs, it's the one that comes closest, hands down.
Its also great for modded games! I've been playing through Jedi: Survivor on my steam deck and I have the trackpad set to a radial menu that lets me select whatever saber stance I want
it's fun seeing bob slowly discover how good the touchpads are. those of us with steam controllers have known for ages. i'd get rid of the right stick entirely in favor of a large ergonomic pad.
Mouse region is great for rts games. Most of them have grid of buttons which makes perfect usecase and is more user friendly than just mapping to keyboard shortcuts
Just as a tip, the track pads in desktop mode are in trackball mode i think. You can change that to just act like a normal trackpad. That might help 😊
Thank you
@austinjackson7699 no problem man! :D
How do you do that?
@patrickjw333 open steam in desktop mode, go to settings, controller, desktop mode and click edit, edit layout, scroll down to right trackpad behaviour, and left track pad behaviour. This setting has a gear ⚙️ next to it, click that and scroll down and disable the toggle for trackball mode. Here you can also adjust sensitivity etc. Just went and found it on my deck, as last time I done this was in old big picture mode with my steam controller 😁 edit: looks like it's just right trackpad, if you made the left track pad a mouse then I presume the option will also pop up here 😄
On the other hand, I really like trackball mode. It means the pointer has simulated momentum, and you can just chuck it across the screen with a quick flick, then reposition your thumb and fine-tune your aim once it gets near to your target.
What I like about the track pads is despite rarely using them the option is there. Valve didn't want to limit the use for the Steam deck and it's an oddly intuitive work around
I find them really useful for games with partial controller support and/or older games. It's also really nice for very precise aim correction in FPS games or shooters in general.
Track pad was one of the worst developments
@@WallyDaDeity if anything for me it invalidates the entire right analog stick, i'll always use the trackpad over a right analog stick so my stick ends up being used purely for radial menus in games.
@@fillerbunnyninjashark271 nah its actually quite good when u get around to using it especially for stuff like camera controls or aiming in 3d games, once u get used to it, u might not even use the right stick anymore. I know i have
@@Reinx1 it sucked on laptops in the early 2000s, it sucks now. We used to be used to complete shit frame rate and horrible latency on ps3... Doesn't make it not shit
for typing, try using both trackpads at the same time (instead of lifting one finger to press with the other), so that you have half the keyboard for each finger.
Also, instead of pressing down on the trackpad, you can also use the triggers to click for each side, which allows for more precise selection since you avoid finger displacement by pressing the trackpad
I actually didn't know about using the triggers for typing! thx for the tip~
If the keyboard is overlapping your screens, press the lift trigger and hit the move button.
It goes to the other side of the screen.
@@Wesmoenor just hit start
@@CrashKaiju learnt a new thing today!
To me the trackpads are the secret sauce that make the Steam Deck stand out head-and-shoulders above the competition and really go to show how robust Steam Input is. Really glad you are giving them a chance
Personally I think the Steam Deck's trackpads are what makes it so special. That's what makes it compatible with almost every PC game released in the last 15 years. I'm not sure I could consider it a true handheld PC without them. And the added functionality they bring for binding other inputs are a life saver for more complex games.
Yeah, it's bizarre to me that anyone would prefer a joystick. Personally, I never grew up with consoles/controller so the trackpads are *way* more intuitive coming from PC!
@@MadwonkYou didn't grow up with consoles and controllers.
People that did have spent their lives getting used to controllers, so a trackpad feels weird. It's part of the reason the Steam Controller flopped.
@@Madwonk I personally really love the capacitive gyro sticks. This allows for broad strokes being completed with the sticks, and then fine tuned movement and aiming being handled by the gyro. You can just use the trackpads to do the broad strokes, but I feel there's degrees of control from each. Trackpacks for quick wide movements, joysticks for quick shorter or circular movements, and gyro for fine tuning.
exactly, this rant on a video is bizarre. I use them all the time , Deep Rock Galactic , Battlebit remastered, old Unreal tournament , i set up trackpads and after a year with steam deck i think im as close to mouse+keyboard as i was before, I do not really play on my gaming laptop anymore. The freedom they give is amazing. Would not consider steam deck 2 if it comes without them :) Also Overwatch comes to steam , would be nice to try it out
@@AnimatedCarl I did! I also just realized I never, ever use the touch screen on the Steam Deck.
Honestly the Steam Deck's track pads have me hoping that Valve will revisit the idea of a Steam controller someday. They're really useful, and for me at least when calibrated right, I far prefer the track pad for aiming over the analog stick.
track pad for aiming feels like laptop trackpad aiming, gyro is the best invention ever to aim and I hope more games will support it natively (like fortnite) without emulating mouse
I have heard it's under development, but they are focused on the steam deck at the moment. So I would expect the steam controller to come out sometime between now and the steam deck 2.
Yeah I'd love to see a Steam controller with a similar (but larger) layout to the Steam Deck.
I still use my Steam controller on a few games, but the lack of a right stick makes it very hard for games like Halo where vehicle controls are much less sensitive than aiming.
@@mgord9518 I use the sticks far less often than I use the buttons on my steam controller.
I will stand by my statement that the Steam Controller is the best trackball ever made until the day the Steam Controller 2 comes out.
I for one think that the trackpads are the steam deck's most unique strength. And for all the reasons you described! It all relates back to one thing, options. You have SO MANY options available to make the experience your own. I use mine as save state queues and a fast forward toggle for emulated games primarily. I do agree about the community layout discrepancy you mentioned. There's so many smarter, more dedicated steam deck users that I'd love to easily mooch off their creativity and implement it into my game experience. Hope valve can do this!
I’ve never ever used the touchscreen. Trackpads are way too good for me to smudge the screen. For the keyboard, you can use both trackpads at the same time instead of releasing it for each letter you type
Touchscreens are lame for anything different than phone/tablet.
You can also change a setting to make the triggers clicl the keys, instead of clicking the trackpads, which is a good idea because clicking the trackpads moves the cursor a little, causing you to missclick sometimes.
Touchscreen is lame on heavy device like steamdeck or rog ally since you have to change both hands posture when typing. But trackpads allowed you to keep both palms on controller.
The ultimate way to type on Deck i found is to shift hands slightly to reach whole screen real estate. Still stays good in hands and i even have slight overlap, so i can reach every button with my thumbs and do it faster than every other option
@@damianabregba7476 tried it, doable but uncomfortable, faster ofc, but I'll stick to trackpads typing since you only move thumbs and less travel to stick.
love the radial menu system. The built in one for 3ds makes save states / load states / fast forward etc. a total breeze.
I love it in shooters. Paired with the gyro aiming - it just works nice. After going back to using a mouse to playing games, I found myself missing the trackpad.
Yeah, i feel like anyone who hasn't experienced the trackpad+gyro combination has missed the point. The touchpad is the most effortless way to "toggle" gyro on and off, idk how else to say it.
@@brownfox1540 Steam Deck's thumbsticks have touch sensor on the top part so it's possible to toggle on/off on the gyro while using thumbsticks.
@@emperorfaiz thumbsticks lack accuracy. Your thumbs do in general. But that center force is magnitudes worsening it. (Drone controllers don't recenter for a reason. AND are also sticks you hold instead for a reason too). The touch bad at solves a lot of those problems. Which makes it far more bearable as a mouse user.
Combine it with one more technique called the stick flick for the right stick and you have a complete aiming system.
This is the comment I was looking for, do use it to aim in games like Apex or warzone ?
I have my left trackpad set to act as a scroll wheel, you just slide around in a circle like using an old iPod and it's perfect for that.
The steam controller acted in the same way, which took me a while to figure out myself. Thankfully I'd used that years before the steam deck was even an idea, so it didn't take so long to figure out of the deck.
Or instead of circle, you can change it to vertically or horizontally scrolling.
@@MarkTheMagnificent It took me like 2-3 weeks to realize that you had to scroll in a cricle. Scrolling down just by flicking your thumb down works fine but when you flick it up it doesn't. I had used the left trackpad as a scroll wheel with the flick stick mode and it worked perfectly in my games but I had no idea why it worked differently in desktop mode. I think they should either change the default to a flick stick layout or add an option to change it during the first boot
@@Enum_Dev I do prefer the click wheel method, personally, but maybe that's because I liked the old iPods and I'm just nostalgia-blind. Could be that I'm tricking myself, but I feel like I have more precise control that way. Either way, it's good that they made this thing so customizable. Just a shame that it's not as clear as it could be as to what you're meant to do.
@@chariothe9013 but with the circular scrolling, you never have to take your finger off of the touchpad no matter how far you scroll
Something that made the trackpads WAY better for me in desktop mode was disabling touch to click; so they were purely mouse movement and clicks were handled by triggers. Not having to worry about accidently clicking instead of moving the mouse makes such a world of difference in usability in my opinion.
Meanwhile for me, I often specifically set up my layouts so that a quick touch on the trackpad registers as a mouse click, like on laptops. I also use L1 when I can, but y'know, can't do that with most games
I think there's a really simple fix for the palm rejection on the touchpad just by using simple existing logic. The joystick has a sensor to tell when it has a thumb on it and so far as I can see, you never want to use the trackpad and the joystick at the same time. So, if joystick in use -> disable trackpad, and vice versa.
This can be setup very easily with the action layers in the controller config menu. Just set the touch binding on the stick to hold an action layer with the touchpads disabled.
is this there? i would love this. i hate constantly bumping the right trackpad but i like the option to use it. its funny i have a similar issue on the ally. when i look left my right thumb sometimes hangs off the stick and bumps the touchscreen causing a similar issue to the track pad palm bumping.
@@CiusBlade if you're using the tip of your thumb instead of the middle of your thumb that's not an issue
You're a genius, thank you sir. I'm setting that up in all my touch menu games haha
@@Purturturwhere are those settings?
Something about using the keyboard using the trackpads: You can use the triggers to press a key as opposed to just pressing your thumb down. Left trigger presses whatever key your left trackpad is hovering over, and vice versa with the right. It's really useful.
This^^ completely missed mentioning this to my friend since its so natural now!
There's even specifically an option to allow it or not, along with increasing the cursor sensitivity/reach which is a common complaint. I wish there were more options though.
This is the recommended way to use the keyboard with the trackpads imo, because as I'm sure people notice - when you press in the trackpad it slightly moves the cursor, making you missclick sometimes. This applies to everything, not just the keyboard. So any game you control with the cursor, you really shouldn't click the trackpad for a mouse click, you should put mouse click on a trigger or a bumper.
I changed from trigger click to trackpads click Now I forgot how to change it back lol
@fapman4878 Yup, osu! players figured this out a long time ago: decoupling your aiming hand and clicking hand allows both to work more independently and effectively. The Deck trackpads are actually highly sensitive for their size, and respond well to very fine thumb movements, which is a *good* thing if you make this adjustment.
One of my favorite uses for the touchpads is in combination with gyro for FPS games. You enable mouse aiming with gyro only to activate when touching the pad or stick, and mouse aiming with the pad. You then can add flick stick to the thumbstick so you have several options of aiming on the fly.
Just a few observations from someone who uses the trackpads and desktop mode a lot:
Dual-thumb typing with the trackpads + L2/R2 to "click" is sooo much more slick/comfortable than trying to hold the Deck in one hand and poking at the screen. It allows you to keep a full grip of your chunky device, and lets you type at least twice as fast.
In desktop mode the trackpads simulate a trackball by default. It means the pointer has simulated momentum, and continues moving in a straight line for a while if you let go of the trackpad at speed. I like to chuck my pointer in the general direction of my target with a quick flick, then reposition my thumb, and fine tune my aim when the pointer gets near. It's very satisfying, and I much prefer it to a "traditional" trackpad when navigating the desktop.
I *hate* clicking in the trackpads. I only ever had Nintendo handhelds growing up, and so clicking in the thumbsticks on a controller also always feels awkward for me. Maybe its this unfamiliarity, or my grip, but I much prefer "clicking" with a short pull of L2/R2.
Yes, clicking the trackpads for a mouse click is terrible, because it moves the cursor slightly, causing you to missclick. I find the trackpad click more useful for actions like reloading, melee, use (open doors etc) or any other quick actions in games, instead of clicking the mouse.
It’s difficult to explain but when you get used to all the different settings and what they do that’s when you really understand how cool the controller configurator is.
I’ve spent hours configuring settings without having a game open even.
Same here man, it's just fun to see what you can do and how you can possibly improve an experience by knowing what you can do to reconfigure things.
same. the most frustrating part is when the saved config doesnt save properly and after restart your 3 hrs work is gone. lol
Same same! I love that if something doesn't work controls-wise, I can get it to be perfect with steam input and those trackpads.
I appreciate this video. It really goes to show that pitching a new idea can be misunderstood and abandoned if the manufacture doesn't have a clear vision and stick with it. Over time people tend to start realizing what they previously thought was pointless as being very useful. In the cases where it's essential for the game you play a lot of, it's a make or break scenario. I play a lot of games that aren't really optimal on anything but the steam deck, so I'm very grateful for it.
Agreed. I LOVE having the trackpads as an option when controller support or emulated PC controls simply won't do or create an uncomfortable experience.
I think Valve was smart not to push the pads too hard. Probably a lesson they learned from the Steam Controller (which I love, btw). They're there for those who know they want them and they're forgotten by everyone else who is used to and only wants a dual joystick setup. Maybe some day those people will "accidentally" discover the usefulness of trackpads (and all of Steam Input for that matter) as they try more/different games. They're a hidden gem in plain sight.
you just described the steam controller in a nutshell lol. one of the most criminally underrated controllers of all time. it just had a steep learning curve, and takes time dedicated to fine tuning it, and then it's literally the best controller ever made. i'm still hoping for a Steam Controller 2.
@@BretKuhns Steam Input is absolutely useless when Xinput controllers just work without any fussing whatsoever
@@mjc0961 that's a great bad take, thank you for your feedback.
I got so used to using the trackpads for a)typing on a keyboard, b)selecting weapons, and c)aiming more accurately, that I sure hope they don't get rid of them on the Steam Deck 2! In comparison to other handhelds, I feel like I'd always go for the one with the trackpads...
Like you said, the trackpads are great for their infinite possibilities, not that you have a mouse in games. (For most games, at least)
I found myself using the SteamDeck for Emulation way more than I expected I would. For the oddball layouts, Wii/WiiU and DS/3DS, they are a must have.
While I want a more powerful SteamDeck, I couldn't justify the ROG Ally specifically because I have to have the trackpads.
Personally I will NEVER get a handheld PC again unless it has trackpads and the versatility of the Steam Deck's specifically. So basically, only the SD product line from now on 😂
I bet it's probably very functional for Ps Vita emulation because the vita has a front and back touch screen :D
I think it's not so much that the track pads are super vital to all gaming experiences but that they give you a lot more options and make a lot more games playable. People keep saying that rog Ally can play more games then the steam deck but it's Definitely cutting out a huge section of games that can be comfortably played with track pads.
Not to mention a Windows device without a good mouse control is just a pain to use... (ofc you can prolly set the touch screen to a trackpad mode but then you cannot poke it like a normal touch screen when convenient.)
Personally, I find it limiting. A joystick is never as smooth as a trackpad.
I adore the track pads. Glad you are coming around. Also the trackpads are better in desktop mode when you make them not act like a trackball imo. You can change it in the settings.
I personally prefer the trackball mode, it fits to the small pads better, but ymmv, I guess it is a matter of getting used to. Mouse mode would not be anything for me given their size.
The trackpads are absolutely essential for me now if I buy any other portable PC after the steam deck. Most of my time on my steam deck is spent with final fantasy 14 and the touchpads allow for so much customization in regards to control over skills and other essential parts of the game.
I also use my Steam Deck mostly for FF14 but I've never used the trackpads. What do you use them for?
@@chfgn so I'm one of the few that really dislike the default config for it so I made my own setup. For the right trackpad I have it set up as a mouse curser to navigate menus easier. For the left trackpad i have it set up as 4 extra inputs for skills on my hotbar. Along with the extra buttons on the back I've been able to set up my whole rotation on physical buttons while still being able to navigate menus easily.
I love the trackpads and I like customizing their actions as well.
When you say "I'd rather have the radial menu select the item when I lift my finger, but I don't want to go into the settings to set it up" I don't see it as a valid complaint..
Regarding the shape of the trackpads, Valve actually wanted to have big round concave ones like on the Steam Controller, and have them positioned a bit higher. Look at the prototypes Valve has released images of. However, with those you couldn't fit the big full sized analog sticks, the prototypes had the medium size ones some other handheld PC makers use. Valve likely gave in to the fact that most users won't adopt trackpads as their primary input, just like what happened with the Steam Controller, so they chose stick size over pad size for the mainstream appeal. Leaving us with smaller, flat, square ones positioned lower.
For "palm rejection" you can set your config so that when you're touching the adjacent analog stick, the trackpad becomes disabled (Valve made the sticks touch sensitive, so it knows when your finger is resting on them).
Also squares are just bigger than circles (more surface area). Valve mentioned this as a reason in one of those pre-release prototype videos.
@@fapman4878 yes a square has more surface area than a circle of the same width, but the circular track pads on the steam deck prototypes and on the steam controllers were bigger than what we got, because the prototypes with smaller sticks had space for larger trackpads, partially because they were round. The prototypes had the tops of round trackpads going up next to the face buttons, which wouldn't have worked with square track pads. When Valve decided to use bigger sticks, the sticks had to move lower into this area to fit, which meant the trackpads had to move lower as well, leaving less ergonomically usable space for them. Valve then made them square to make the best use of what space was left.
I love the track pads.
I play a lot of rimworld. While it’s an much better experience on desktop… using the track pads to play it is very satisfying. I made the left track pad a radial menu that has a setting for each option in the architect menu, and once you get the muscle memory down, it’s absolutely amazing. It’s very fast and handy for a game that feels like you almost need two mice at times
I was one of the only fans of the steam controller so I'm glad the pads are there to continue their endlessly customizable legacy.Them and the gyro were what sold me on the steamdeck as a platform that can do anything with just enough tweaking. 90% of the time it's not worth getting so granular with the settings, but I think my main use-case was warframe where there's just enough extra keys that are annoying to map to a controller that having a menu for them makes life way better.
Honestly the Steam Controller just didn't sell that many units and most people who got to know it think very positively of it
there are DOZENS of us!
@@Thornskadethe steam controller sold in the low millions, similar to the steam deck. What do you mean?
@@derekfurst6233 What do you mean what do I mean?
@@Thornskade what do you mean it didn't sell well? It sold millions of units. They discontinued because of the Scuff Gaming lawsuit. Both the steam controller and the steam deck sold comparable numbers so far
When typing using the track pads, I find it way easier to use the triggers to type. Clicking in the track pads can make the curser drift, so you have to be more careful when lining up on the letters.
When you have your Deck on a desk, then yeah it's easier to use the touchscreen to type. But at that point, it's also easier to plug in my Bluetooth keyboard. But if I'm chilling on the couch, and there isn't a great surface to set the deck or a keeb on, I'm using track pads every time. It's just easier.
Great video! Glad to see people sharing all the customization options for the Deck.
Yeah the Radial Menus are like my top 1 use for Trackpads.
What's even crazier is you can make nested Radial Menus.
I didn’t know you could do nested ones! So cool
Trackball mode goes crazy + gyro, competitive with a mouse for sure.
Valve should really include a tutorial for these kinds of features and explain what all the options do
As someone who loves to tinker with options, the control scheme on the Deck is wild. You're 100% right, I'd love to share the radial menus and crazy stuff other people make. Inventory management games are a ton easier with the trackpads. It really is about what you play, but I love to have the options if and when I need them. It's also just so much easier to have mouse support for menus in emulation. Those menus dont scale and its near impossible to use the touch screen for those.
This video was great and thanks for swallowing your pride to see what other people enjoy.
When you're typing with the track pads, it's more intuitive if you use the triggers to click the keys instead of pressing the track pads
With how much I use the track pads on my steam deck, I greatly appreciate their inclusion and wouldn't want to do without now that I have had life with them. The fact you can easily flip between them and the joysticks is superb. I like the track pads a lot more than joystick control for precise stuff too, like aiming in FPS, since a lot of older(and even newer) PC stuff doesn't use aim assist, having that extra bit of control over your aim cursor is a godsend.
[Edit: Tip here! 4:10 you can change that to mouse region, by going to desktop setting in controller setting, just set mouse region for desktop navigation like you set it for games.
12:17 yep we can do that too by using modeshift combined with Radial menu on sticks, the point is the more options we have, the better, I'm one of few people who would play Arma on steamdeck and appreciate input hardwares it have, and I often find games that feel clunky to play with stick because it's not officially support the controller]
Wow you finally learned how to use it after a year of owning steamdeck! Alright time to re-subscribe the channel.
After years of working with Steam controllers and Steam Input. There is always a comment that makes you
"Huh, why didn't I think of that?"
Mouse region on Desktop mode is something I never would occur.
Oh man I love this new Steam focus as of late! There are so many interesting subjects to be talked about.
One of the most interesting devices out there for sure
Typing with the trackpad is faster than using the analog/dpad and buttons.
Touching the screen is faster but at least you don’t have fingerprints on your screen
I love the trackpads and use them for everything you talked about, but here’s another use case I’ve found:
Right trackpad as the d-pad
Left trackpad as ABXY
That way, in a pinch, if I grab a drink or my phone with one hand, I have all buttons available to the other!
I was upset how mean the live chat was about your unpopular but honest take when you were a guest on Nerd Nest. However, Bill is the Steam Input whisperer, and I was certain behind the scenes he was going to show you the light. :D Glad you converted to be one of us, Bob.
I think what the trackpads represent - and the main niggle that you seem to have with them - is niche usage. For me, and others like me, the attraction of the SD is the sheer flexibility and openness of the platform. Which includes Desktop mode. Which as you've said, correctly, is clumsy.
But that's the rub; rather than saying "we can't round off the corners of this to be effortless, so you can't have it", Valve said "look, we're building in an entire desktop environment, and some basic support hardware, in case you have to do something fiddly and don't have a bluetooth mouse and keyboard handy". It's like the screwdriver on a penknife. It doesn't fit many things perfectly, it's frankly suboptimal in most situations, but when there's no alternative... it's what you have and you'll likely be glad you had it. And it's pretty cool to be able to VPN into my local media server and play movies on my steam deck over my phone :)
I didn't say anything because I wasn't sure if the Steam Deck trackpads were as cool as the Steam controller ones. But the Steam controller trackpads were awesome for certain games, so it confused me that you said the Steam Deck ones were useless.
1) You absolutely can have the rear buttons trigger a radial menu you select with the stick. That's an option too.
2) Steam's controller configuration UI was better in the older big picture. It was about the only thing that was, but a lot of these options were presented over a visual of the controller and made more sense.
3) Community presets sharing for games was and is terrible. It can only be navigated within steam, linking them outside steam/offsite is near impossible, editing them in a browser or via mouse/kb to quickly tweak the settings is impossible, and even if you made an objectively incredible layout, it will never gain traction.
4) Community presets are a heavily socially dependent feature that valve makes as difficult as possible work with. Basically whoever made the very first layout that gets any amount of traction will forever be the number 1 layout for that game, because there is no other way to share alternatives. (Made an amazing improved layout using features that weren't around at game launch? Too bad!). Whoever was FIRST! on Starfield in the community presets? That layout will be the default top ranking community layout, forever. Mark my works.
As someone who uses the deck on a daily basis as a computer, the trackpads are great when compared to either using the touchscreen, or the thumbsticks. As well as not needing to manually navigate around the keyboard, the deck's typing experience is top tier compared to the ROG ally.
Those trackpads are literally the main reason why I love steam deck and wouldn’t change it for any other similar portable device. But I do play a lot of strategy games I guess
I have a template I made specifically for switching weapons in boomer shooters. Both trackpads are set as button pads. I have the left trackpad as the 1 and 0 keys (usually the weakest and strongest weapons), and the right trackpad as the 2, 3, 4, and 5 keys. I then have R4 set as a modifier where when I hold it down it changes the right trackpad to the 6, 7, 8, and 9 keys.
Over last couple of years, Wulff Den seems to be becoming a Steam Deck fan and it's beautiful to see. He is starting to like all there is to like about it.
Last couple years? Steam deck came out last year. Are you a bot
1:46 THIS right there. Its insane what level of customization the Steam controller setup allows. When the Steam Controller was still a thing, I remember how they released a config for the trackpads, that allowed to scroll the minimap of an FPS. Basically: the game allowed you to use your mouse as you would in an OS when holding ALT. They made a key bind that would do that, but keep the mouse inside the boundary of the minimap. The trackpad essentially was 2D scroll wheel now.
I do alot of Gyro & touchpad combined to play any sort of FPS on the steamdeck, it ends up getting pretty close to the splatoon feel of things
I would love if Valve could put out a smaller more pocketable version of the steam deck that removed the thumb sticks and just had the trackpads, D pad, and face buttons. I really want something super low profile that slides into a pocket and I would gladly trade the thumb sticks for trackpads to realize this dream.
Same here. I prefer the touchpads over analog sticks, and I'd rather have a good dpad taking the best real-estate on the deck, rather than a stick.
They are a must for any first-person game. Just disable vsync and they feel ultra-responsive.
The trackpads usefulness definitely depend on the game. I play a lot of building/sim games and the trackpads are awesome.
Which ones work well on deck? I didn't like the planet coaster implementation
Pro tip: you can customize your desktop mode layout too... The default layout is trash.
As a trackpad lover, this video hurts a lot… this IS much better than what he said before but there are still a lot of things he just didn’t understand about how the trackpads work or why they’re the way they’re.
Watching this just made me want to make an answer video since I actually know what I’d be talking about unlike him…
The only thing im curious about is his take of just using a back button and a thumbstick for the radio menu instead of the trackpad, that sounds a lot more easy and intuitive to me at least.
@@GamerTowerDXthat is easy and intuitive, although I think it's all about usecases and stuff. I know on my end, I exclusively use the back buttons for in-game actions to perform while simultaneously controlling the camera (so that I can forego lock-on in some games, or just be more fluid with movement). In that case, radial buttons on the back wouldn't work. But that's just me, the best thing is that with the inclusion, there's options based on how the person plays or what they do!
@@GamerTowerDXYou can mode-shift the thumbstick into a radial menu (or anything else really) by holding down one of the back buttons (or any other button really). It does work great, it's just that those back buttons are usually more useful as inputs themselves, since you can press them without taking your thumb off the thumbstick/trackpad.
The right trackpad replaces the right stick for me in first person shooters. There's no contest, it's infinitely better.
I set it up as a mouse, adjust mouse settings in-game, or the in steam input that will result in 45 degree camera movement when moving across the trackpad (left to right). This will result in perfectly mapped motion for the camera as long as you keep your thumb on the touchpad. Then set the "friction" level to "high", this setting will allow you to "flick" the touchpad from left to right on and instantly (and consistently) turn 180 degrees. It's honestly 100% better than the slow linear motion of the right joystick. Keep in mind, dual sticks has ALWAYS been a compromise in FPS-games, and game developers have actively needed to "dance around" this terrible input method. The touchpad, together with gyro, will make you mouse-like accurate in these games.
Similar here. Only horizontal swipe with NONE friction for right trackpad.
Start Stop method.
And Gyro aim
Trackpad and gyro aiming is actually good
There's a game called Wizorb that's a breakout style game I always wanted to love, but the analog stick controls just never felt like I had fine enough control with. One of the first things I did with my Steamdeck was reinstall it and then set up a controller layout to use the trackpad to emulate a mouse, and it makes the game so much more playable than the controller binding it defaults to.
I don't know if Paul rejection is necessary at all but they could make a feature where if your finger is sensed on the joystick then the trackpad is disabled.
In the settings there's probably a way to do it using action layers.
I thought the trackpads were going to be gimmicky, but I was delightfully surprised at how functional they really are
Wulff: Steam Deck is big and bulky!
Also Wulff: *rubber case*
They're extremely useful for desktop mode. In games I mostly don't use them either, unless the layout has dials.
They are also Great for games like Warhammer 40,000 Dawn Of War Soulstorm, which is a mouse only game. Some games you can KINDA use your fingers, but the trackpads are so much better for mouse only games
Oh and with the keyboard function you can type with both hands at the same time, having two cursors up at the same time. Takes a bit of practice but I'm starting to get okay at typing with it. Eventually I bet this will be fast enough to type comfortably.
The Steamdeck made me a believer in trackpads. I might not use them regularly but when I do they are super important.
12:00 You CAN do this, you'll be happy to know! Simply map a back button to a mode shift layer, and on that layer remap the left or right joystick to a radial menu!
I'm the kinda person that does really get into tinkering around in steam controller config menus. Been doing it since before the steam deck came out. I liked to be the first to make a PS4/gyro aim/flick stick layout for a new FPS and upload it day one. To see if I could get the most used profile in the community profile section for that game. These unique controller inputs really useful for emulation. I nearly completed Wii Twilight Princess on the steam deck. I can't play the game cube version because it's mirrored from the version I played originally and I rewire my brain to be ok with that.
I know you pitch your videos as for the everyman consumer that probably would dive deep into every advanced feature of a tech product. But thanks for taking a 2nd look. The steam controller input API has boundless potentional for those that learn to use it and the more you can utilize it, the more rewarding it can be.
I don't know what kind of issues he was having in desktop mode but I don't think I'd be able to use my steam deck IN DESKTOP MODE plugged into a dock if I didn't have a steam controller. That's just how good using the pads as a mouse and keyboard are. If I had to use a normal controller I would go grab a mouse and keyboard (which is still better than a steam controller)
Reading and watching people complain about trackpads reminds me that most people never used the fantastic Steam Controller.
Are you telling me this dude did a whole shell replacement but never once went into desktop mode prior to this video...
It's okay, everyone who hated on the STEAM controller said the same thing. Meanwhile I loved the STEAM controller and am absolutely thrilled they included that functionality into a handheld. I can't wait for the STEAM Controller 2.0.
I wont even consider any of the other PC handhelds due to their lack of track pads. They are by far the most useful part of the steamdeck.
I love the versatility of the steamdeck and its highly customizable controls. That was the main reason i bought a steamdeck over more powerful handhelds.
I have no use for the trackpads, but Im glad they're there. As a Barbarian with large hands, no other handheld has better ergonomics than the deck. The Loki Max may be just as good, although I haven't held that device yet.
The trackpad can also function as a surprisingly good D-pad for platformers or games with top-down viewpoint if you know how to do some advance setting for it, though it requires experiments and experience.
One important thing using touchpads is to set correct angle value how your thumb moves across surface.
Finger movement is not horizontal. It is curved so that movement must be compensate on settings.
After that curved finger movement is rotated to horizontal mouse movement.
Valve really thought deep when designed both Steam Controller and Deck touchpads.
I love the track pad mouse physics, it's so satisfying to just throw the cursor across the screen and catch it
7:40 Tip: just hold both fingers on both trackpads at all time, just move them and click them without lifting the finger from the trackpad. You will get insanely fast when typing with trackpads.
One of the best games of all time imo is kenshi. Definitely needs the trackpads and radial menus, it has a LOT of keys to use.
Basically that and in Elden ring i used all four back buttons and two extra trackpad buttons for the y+ combinations, which made it nice because i had heals in my pockets and could just press 1 button to drink it without navigating my items wheel
I love the trackpads in desktop mode and when in another os dual booted, they just work well as a trackpad does.
That was a nice and quick update :D I must admit it was rather clear that you hadn't used them, as I got mine right after watching your video on it and had a very different experience. Kind of love the feel they have, and the satisfying feedback, though the "click" is a little too light and in desktop mode when you do "click" it still tracks your movement so you can't be accurate at all which you should be able to be. Really wish that the trackpad recognized when you push down on it and slowed down the sensitivity for you so you can hit those little boxes you need to.
The click is useful for things like reloading, melee, use (opening doors etc) in games, but as an actual mouse click it's terrible because of the reason you mentioned. Just bind the mouse clicks to the triggers or bumpers in desktop mode and in cursor controlled games. Also, you can make the keyboard work with the triggers, instead of clicking the trackpads, in the keyboard settings. That's also recommended for preventing missclicks.
I know the gyro has options to do that called Trigger Dampening. I'm not looking at my Deck right now, but you might see if there's a similar option for dampening the sensitivity of the trackpad when you click it.
If not available by default, you can make it yourself by editing the Desktop controller layout in Steam settings. Create a new Action Layer where the only change is the Right Touchpad has a much lower sensitivity, and you activate the Action Layer by setting the main layout's Right Touchpad Click (by default it's probably set to mouse click or Right Stick Click.) Be sure it's set as "hold action layer" instead of a "set action layer," "hold" makes the layer only active when you click the pad, and deactivates the layer when you let off the click, while "set" will toggle the layer on and keep it on until you enable a separate way to toggle it back off.
Like others have suggested use trigger for click instead, trackpad click could be used for something else that doesn't required accuracy.
I love the trackpads as they are and the keyboard implementation is brilliant…. But hey… your videos, your world.
Yeah honestly when you said that I was caught so off guard, I just thought it was a joke though.
I love using the trackpad as a mouse and using the top right back button as left mouse click and the top left back button as right click
Helps a lot in mario galaxy emulation
HEY THATS ME!! I use them a lot on FPS games since I am not used to analog sticks on them. Left 4 Dead 2 has an awesome Menu for the trackpads that allow to do multiple things, Left 4 Dead 2 just feels awesome on the Steam Deck thanks to them!
I also found L4D2 to be extremely playable with trackpad aiming and the back buttons for jumping, crouching etc (things you wanna do while aiming).
Thank you for walking back your worst take on the Steam Deck.
Man I have no problem with the track pads. I even changed up the desktop controls to how I want with a good trackball mode for mouse & trackpad clicks & scroll aswell as l2, r2 but also having the swap between gamepad & desktop mode controls & never gone back!
When in Desktop Mode I actually use the right touchpad as a mouse and the left trigger as a left mouse click. That made it a lot less frustrating for me.
Track pads are one of reasons that makes Steam Deck better then GPD, ROG Ally and others.
I'm really hoping they will keep the trackpads for future incarnations of the deck permanently. I really tried hella hard to learn gyro + flick stick on my dualshock 5 on PC but just couldn't get hang of it :') But gyro + trackpad been hella great for my FPS shooters. Mainly using the trackpad to readjust the position of my gyro aiming + using the trackpad for my 180/360 flicks instead of flickstick. Just felt way more natural to my brain.
NGL I thought you were an actual gamer, but once you dissed the trackpads, I just couldn't watch the rest of or anymore of your videos. Glad you have finally been enlightened.
Steam world build (demo) was my first ever usecase of these track pads and since them I dont wana miss them
i was a bit meh on the trackpads until i started using the right one as a second dpad so i can move and swap stuff around at the same time. unfortunately i don't play it often in literal handheld mode, i'm usually in tabletop mode with an xbox controller so i don't want to get too used to features i don't have on that controller. which makes me really wish Valve would take a second shot at the Steam controller with all of the Steam Deck's inputs
Yep with action layers and some personalization you can play games with one hand, really, when I'm on bed, it's impossible to hold this device for so long, so lying on my side and holding the SD with one hand by balancing the other side on bed, setting right trackpad as Dpad or left stick, allows me to play some games with one hand and now the weight is not a problem anymore since SD is standing on bed.
Just wanted to compliment you're nice Miku figurine
Neither happy nor sad that you changed your mind. Really excited to see a content creator revise his position based on information he gets from his community, and that is what i come here for. Bob, I'm not into moddding, i barely have time to play my switch, but your content is so detailed and well thought out and so damned smart and good that fuck the youtube algorithm - i seek out your video each week. Thank you. This was really cool.
I think it'd be broken without trackpads. Don't always use them but I'm glad they're there when I need them
I don't know if it's just me, but my touch screen sucks so bad that there's no way I could type on it.
I don't have my Deck yet, but it's still top of my list for my next major purchase, and I want the track pads for retro emulation, as they can be used in so many unique and cool ways. Need a trackball? Covered. Need light gun accuracy? Done. Need analog spinner controls for Arknoid(breakout)? No problem. The list goes on and on, as I don't think a more well thought out or designed device has ever entered the handheld space before. My biggest issue with emulation in general is how hard it is to have great controls across so many arcade and home games. And while the SD may not meet 100% of those needs, it's the one that comes closest, hands down.
Its also great for modded games! I've been playing through Jedi: Survivor on my steam deck and I have the trackpad set to a radial menu that lets me select whatever saber stance I want
This. Trying to play modded Terraria on a controller is impossible with all the extra keybindings. The trackpads and radial menus makes it easy for me
Oh man, I had hair back then! Thanks for the shoutout Bob.
it's fun seeing bob slowly discover how good the touchpads are. those of us with steam controllers have known for ages.
i'd get rid of the right stick entirely in favor of a large ergonomic pad.
Mouse region is great for rts games. Most of them have grid of buttons which makes perfect usecase and is more user friendly than just mapping to keyboard shortcuts