
Valve releases Steam Controller CAD geometry so you can mod it - Ivoah
http://www.pcgamer.com/valve-releases-steam-controller-cad-geometry-so-you-can-mod-it/?utm_content=bufferb2303&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=buffer-pcgamer
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jamessteininger
They did the same for the Steam VR motion controllers. We call them the
doughnut sticks for fun at the office, but they are really incredible to use.
It was a huge blessing for us that Valve included the exact model for us to
modify and reskin, because having 1-1 mapping of what you're seeing in the
simulation and what you're actually feeling is huge. We did the same with the
PlaystationVR Move controllers, which you can see in an image here:
[https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TNDizq2W4eY/VvMWu0mcx_I/AAAAAAAAL...](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TNDizq2W4eY/VvMWu0mcx_I/AAAAAAAALXs/trhSiLitB78s-bHKGkn85m-9KD29NPeIA/s1600/XING%2BMove%2BBeach%2B2.jpg)
This is just a simple material change for now, but we plan on doing design
modifications to the mesh data eventually. Likely we would only change the
geometry of areas the hands don't touch, like the tracking sphere, so as to
keep the player visual/haptic continuity.

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Impossible
Do you have a link to the location of the CAD files for the Vive controllers,
or are you talking about OpenVR render models that are obj format and, afaik,
not suitable for 3D printing custom, real world, hardware.

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mc42
This is actually, a pretty big step forward in my opinion. It makes it feel,
for the first time (to me at least), that the company is replying to the
feedback of the customers. They _know_ that people want to mod it, and rather
than force them to use arcane methods to hack the current controller into
their desired one, they can simply alter it digitally.

As an aside, I'd love to see a full-metal case for it, only using plastic when
needed (the buttons and touchpads?)

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ekianjo
Valve actually said they would open the design right when they disclosed the
controller project so it was kind of expected.

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kefka
$Companies have a tendency to say what will get them the sale, or even include
features initially... and then fail to come through with their promises.

So it is a breath of fresh air to see this happen.

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BoysenberryPi
Call me crazy but I can't help but think that the large majority of Valve's
customers don't care whether the design is open or not.

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seanp2k2
They probably don't, but they probably had some people internally pushing for
this, and seeing how it likely wouldn't cost them much but had the potential
to generate a lot of good will and potentially increase demand for their
product. Why would they not do it?

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radiorental
Not that it's much of hinderance these days but it will make the knock-offs
easier and quicker to produce, and of a higher quality. I know the controllers
are assembled in the US[1], don't know if the injection molding is too.

[1]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCgnWqoP4MM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCgnWqoP4MM)

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kibwen
For those who haven't gotten their hands on a Steam controller yet, I was very
impressed. The software is still quite immature (par for Valve), but the
haptic feedback in the hardware is immensely cool and the potential
configurability is insane. It really is a great middle-ground between
mouse+keyboard and traditional gamepads.

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douche
It is a pretty excellent controller. It's kind of amazing how many
keyboard/mouse only games you can comfortably with a little tweaking of the
keybindings.

I haven't tried using it directly with my computer, just for couch gaming with
my TV and Steam Link. The Steam Link is also pretty cool, but has some serious
issues with crashing Steam on my PC - not sure whether it is the Link itself,
or Big Picture mode, but it is super irritating to have to get up and go
restart Steam in the other room when it craps out in the middle of a game. The
Wake-On-LAN feature has never worked for me...

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Joof
Its hard to convince people of the utility though. It also has a pretty large
ramp-up time.

A friend of mine keeps trying mine out on stuff like cities skylines and
determining it's no good. Its somewhat unsurprising, skylines is a very work-
table feeling game; replacing a mouse would feel really weird (and take a
while to really feel decent).

For me it clicked demoing DOOM mods; it felt great on the controller and I
could throw it up on my TV.

Stardew Valley feels pretty good too and while you can play RTS games with it
(control groups on the left pad), it won't compare with a mouse anytime soon.

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louhike
Stardew Valley might not the best example as it was designed to work also with
a gamepad. You control the mouse cursor with the right analog stick and the
player with the left stick.

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Joof
Ah, well. I've been playing a lot of it lately. Its the same with the steam
controller except the touchpad is a really nice mouse.

The steam controller probably should still work well in scenerioes where a
controller is intended. Admittedly, I don't think it's as good for third
person games.

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sixers2329
This is actually really awesome- one of my biggest complaints with the steam
controller was how the build quality of it felt a little "cheap" (i.e. light &
plastic-y when compared to an xbox controller). The technology inside the
controller is superb, and I think they had to sacrifice a little on build
quality to bring it down to that ~50$ price range.

Very interested to see what kind of crazy improvements the community develops.

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paulgerhardt
Same designer made the Xbox controller as the Steam one.

Lightness was a design goal not a shortfall for the team.

Reasoning was that VR is the future, the less fatigue the better.

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spb
The Steam Controller isn't for VR. You're thinking of the Vive controllers.

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shmerl
Interesting. What about firmware and the protocol? Will they open source /
document it too?

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mlkmt
The valve controller seriously needs this, the driver/steam integration is
badly broken. I'm pretty sure the open source community can do better.

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listic
Is this a first when consumer product company releases CAD geometry for their
parts?

Suppose I would like to produce a modified replacement plastic part for my
phone; how much would that cost? For starters, a different color
interchangeable panel for a phone with interchangeable panel, such as Lumia
435 or Xperia U
[http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_u-4437.php](http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_u-4437.php)
but, eventually, an extended size battery and a cover for it.

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fudged71
A handful of companies have done this, including Dyson.

Everyone is pretty concerns about the IP of their physical designs... it's
their main asset.

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santaclaus
It would be pretty rad if you could get controller cases custom printed to fit
your hands.

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criley2
Sounds like my dream industry where a fully automated tailoring machine was
combined with body scanning. So you could, once a year or whenever, get a scan
and have your body in the system, and from there, be able to a) shop online
seeing clothes rendered on your body type b) with enough maturity for the
system, have the ability to have your favorite styles created in your favorite
fabrics on-demand, ready to pick up at a local store which keeps the tailor
machine and spools of material handy (with more a delivery away).

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the8472
If you really want to dream, throw 3d-weaving into that process to make things
actually fit your form instead of flat, sewn-together patches stretching over
you.

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seanp2k2
We're getting there: [http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/24028-the-art-of-
engi...](http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/24028-the-art-of-
engineering-a-3d-printed-petal-dress-by-nervous-system.html)

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tetrep
direct source:
[http://steamcommunity.com/games/353370/announcements](http://steamcommunity.com/games/353370/announcements)

article doesn't really add anything

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dkhenry
So now someone can make a back panel that has a slot for the USB dongle ?

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michaelbuddy
YES thank you. Or at least some kind of magnetic connection that's reliable,
even if a partial indentation and that would support a fairly strong magnet.

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unixhero
Half-Life 3 confirmed

... No wait

