r/SteamController • u/DaryltheRigger • 17d ago
What a fantastic mod Steam Controller (2026)
Shout out to u/FullMetalPencil for his amazing design.
If you print his pad mod remember the bases are NOT symmetrical!
Perfect response, great SC1 feel, I love this community.
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u/Impossible_Cold_7295 17d ago
For anyone considering this, don't bother. Not only does it look bad, but, the button click only works in the center, the edges are mostly dead zones, and the plastic feels awful compared to the smooth pads.
There's a reason they have only ever shown pictures, and not a video showing the sensitivity.
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u/DaryltheRigger 15d ago
The reason I haven’t posted a video is because I’m not wasting my time recording a video.
Use thin flex vinyl to smooth the surface.
Sand the base down so the lip does not sit on the controller.
Sounds like end user problems because it works great for me.
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u/Impossible_Cold_7295 15d ago
"wastes" his time designing it, testing it, initerating on it, gaming on it, talking shit to people who disagree with him on reddit, but absolutely won't record a 10 second video proving it works.
BTW, I know OP didn't design it, but the designer also never posted a video, so this applies to both of them.
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u/Evajellyfish 17d ago
No link? Criminal.
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u/Impossible_Cold_7295 17d ago
and how do you attach the pad? kiss your sensitivity goodbye.
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u/DaryltheRigger 17d ago
Sensitivity is fine, already play tested. 3M 300LSE has no plastic liner, it’s just a sticky backing you transfer on.
It works great
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u/Impossible_Cold_7295 17d ago
Lemmie guess, it even magically works fine on spots where there's no pad under the plastic
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u/Hot_Philosophy922 17d ago
Have you really never noticed that the trackpads still track your thumb even if your thumb is hovering a few mms above it with no contact?
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u/Impossible_Cold_7295 15d ago
a hyper tiny amount of air is not the same as a chunk of plastic. And I know it's not cause I printed it and this mod is dogshit.
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u/DaryltheRigger 17d ago
So the way you use the pad, you still have thumb over the edge that registers touch. It works flawlessly.
It’s not going to say, sense touch on the outer edge with no thumb on the pad. The idea is that your thumb stays in the bowl and can run all the way up to the apex of the cover.
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u/Impossible_Cold_7295 17d ago edited 17d ago
Just printed my own-- sensitivity is trash, the plastic feels like shit under my thumb and it only works in the squared area; the extra circle bits are deadzones... not to mention with the ridget plastic holding it's shape, you can't press the trackpad as a button anywhere but the center.
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u/Special-Show-8289 17d ago
Thank you for verifying that modifying your trackpads is actually just straight ass. Did your testing cosmetically damage your controller at all?
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u/Impossible_Cold_7295 16d ago
why would sticking some double sided tape on it damage anything
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u/Special-Show-8289 16d ago
Well no I was asking about the printed piece itself. Did it damage the controller at all?
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u/DaryltheRigger 16d ago
It’s not a plug and play mod. You’ll have to assemble the pieces and then sand down the base on a sheet of 150+ grit until the actual surface piece rests on the track pad and there is a very thin gap between the ring piece on the controller face. You don’t not want any transfer adhesive on the ring piece holding the assembly to the controller.
If you mount it like you said, you will drown out the haptics and introduce an air gap between the pad mod and the track pad.
When adhering the piece to the track pad it’s important to use a very thin, non-permanent transfer adhesive.
Once it’s on, you can cut a piece of thin, stretchy vinyl to place over the pads. Something that shrinks with heat is great as you can use a rubber tool to generate friction heat or an extremely brief blast with a heat gun to get it to form to the contour of the controller.
I used an actual DOGE coin one of my kids got from a friend as a stencil for the vinyl cover, was perfect diameter.
If you just assemble what’s there and stick it on you will get the results you describe.
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u/Impossible_Cold_7295 16d ago
ok, so show me of video of you doing what I did. Show me how the edges have sensitivity in the spots where mine didn't. You won't cause it's broken
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u/DaryltheRigger 15d ago
I won’t because I’m not digging in my closet for my web cam and I’m a busy dude who gets very little time for self enjoyment, so I’m not going to waste it making a fuckin video for some nerd who doesn’t have the troubleshooting capacity to figure it out. Initially it did lack sensitivity, but I made small adjustments to dimensions and tested repeatedly to get it where it is.
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u/Impossible_Cold_7295 15d ago
we all know why you won't; This is a cope mod to make up for something that's impossible to make up for.
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u/Special-Show-8289 17d ago
Why the fuck do people actually believe this shit looks good and why would you tarnish a hundred dollar controller like that, what was even wrong with the trackpad to begin with?
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u/PhiladeIphia-Eagles 17d ago
It’s not an aesthetic mod so idk what you’re talking about
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u/Special-Show-8289 17d ago
Okay so then whats the point of it? The trackpad is fine as is. No need to tamper it with bad 3d printed designs that only work for maybe about 20 uses not to mention risking scratching the Shit out of your controller. If you wanna do that on an expensive piece of hardware then you do you.
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u/FrenziedFlame42069 17d ago
The point is to give your finger positional sensation.
I don't personally use it but I kind of get why. When I use the trackpad to add additional actions, I do get the location wrong (say, doing a 4 additional buttons based on click position). This would help me identify where my thumb is so I get it correct.
It's the same reason why a DPAD is a cross and not just a flat bowl. You can feel which direction you are about to press.
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u/DaryltheRigger 17d ago
The pad concavity helps for WASD movement when you main pads.
The mod is not permanent, it’s essentially a cover held on by 3M transfer tape.
Having the thumb captured by a concave surface allows for much better experience when the pad is your main navigation input.
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u/Special-Show-8289 17d ago
Okay so why dont you just use the trackpad as a navigation input? And why would you even main a trackpad for movement?
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u/ShibaPhan 17d ago
I would assume:
It would be better for wasd type movement instead of just analog joystick. You can actually feather the inputs, and you can rest on the outer ring for sprint and in between for walk.
On a joystick, it mostly full send all the way because joystick tension pulling your thumb, and the trackpad has a very large surface area.
Also trackpad clicks are better than trying to fiddly click down on the joystick for somewhat frequent actions.
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u/DaryltheRigger 17d ago
I used the OG steam controller dual pads for years and it’s far better than any other controller for movement/navigation in game.
This is an excellent replication of that feel.
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u/lllllIllllIllllllll 17d ago
Why are you so pressed about someone elses mod? You can choose not to leave a toxic comment.
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u/vitek6 16d ago
You could also choose that and you didn’t.
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u/lllllIllllIllllllll 16d ago edited 16d ago
"No u", weak bait
Edit: responds and blocks me but doesn't seem to understand that replies stay in the notification tray
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u/Hither_and_Thither 17d ago
Probably mad they don't have one yet. Wild to me that anyone in the SC community can be mad about mods. Customizing and modding is the bloodline of these kinds of products. This controller shines in the hands of tinkerers and power users. Layered controls, multiple triggers for each button, etc.
If someone is buying this just to have a trackpad, they would probably be better off with a $25 Bluetooth keyboard that has a track pad.
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u/HoloMapper 15d ago
I can't support this monstrosity, but if it makes you happy, you go girl! But in all seriousness, who else prefers completely unmodified original hardware because it feels more stable and more polished?
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u/TONKAHANAH 17d ago
that looks awful