Valve's new Steam Controller is unsurprisingly a PC gamepad, but not if you swap out its puck. Yes, the dongle included in the box is designed to pair the pad specifically to ordinary rigs or the Steam Machine, but OpenPuck project aims to break down platform walls and enable compatibility with the PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
Serving as a bridge between Valve's Steam Controller and other platforms, the OpenPuck uses a Pro Micro NRF52840 board to emulate the default receiver's abilities. (cheers, Hackaday!) Custom firmware by Safijari then enables the PC controller to connect just like it would with the included dongle, only this accessory can also then mimic other gamepads and pretend to be an official wired set of buttons.
In a short clip, the puck's creator demonstrates how to install the Openpuck microcontroller and get it working with the Steam Controller. The process comes down to getting the board into DFU mode (Device Firmware Update), allowing it to show as a flash drive so you can upload the software. That should be the case for fresh boards, but the modder includes instructions on which pins to bridge if not.
I am blown away by how easy the process of making your own Steam Controller puck appears to be. Even if you're not looking to turn Valve's accessory into a makeshift PS5 or Switch pad, the fact that the microcontroller is available for $8 should save you some pennies should you lose the real deal. You won't even need to mess around with anything complicated should you make use of the Openpuck's abilities, as there's a web interface for switching USB mode or customizing inputs. Not to mention there's a 3D printable shell just to help it feel a bit more like a real accessory.
The retro console collecting goblin is now curious whether there's a way to get the puck working with old systems. Naturally, you'd need specific gameport connectors to turn it into a best retro controller contender, but perhaps there is a way to make a dongle with even wider compatibility.
If I can perhaps persuade someone to let me kindly borrow their Steam Controller, I'll maybe grab one of these boards and try making an OpenPuck. If you beat me to it, feel free to let me know how you get on and whether Valve's buttons make for a great PS5 or Switch pad.
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