14 DAY TRIAL // Valve has just released a new Beta of its Steam Client, for all supported platforms (Linux, Mac, Windows), bringing a lot of improvements to the Steam Controller, along with support for newer GNU/Linux distributions.
The June 16th Steam Client Beta is now live for those who have opted to use the Beta channel, where, as usual, they are getting all the cutting-edge technologies Valve's Steam developers implement in the cross-platform digital distribution platform for games, software, videos, etc.
As mentioned before, the new Beta of the Steam Client improves compatibility with newer Linux kernel-based operating systems, most probably those using a recent kernel version or core libraries. Additionally, it adds support for DirectX 12 games, when used in systems with multiple GPUs, to the Steam Overlay.
SteamVR users will now be notified after they take a screenshot while playing in VR (Virtual Reality), but the most important features have been added, as expected, to the Steam Controller. These include support for Controller Activators, as well as the ability for users to copy an existing Action Set into a new one during its creation.
How Controller Activators work on Steam Controller
According to Valve's announcement, the new activators sit between inputs like buttons and outputs like keypresses, allowing users to create a wide range of new functionality and behaviors for their Steam Controller. Also, the activators have their own settings, meaning that they can each have toggles, haptics, turbo, or delays.
For this Beta, Valve has added activators to Steam Controller like Long Press, Release Press, Double Press, Start Press, and Normal Press, but the company says that there's no limit to how many controller activators can exist on a single input. Additionally, they updated mode shifts to be activator-based, for them to have special functionalities.
More details about the new Controller Activators for Steam Controllers can be found in the full changelog attached at the end of the article. If you want to test them, you can jump ship and start using the Beta channel, where you'll be able to update your Steam client to the latest Beta release announced on June 16, 2016. However, please note that these are Beta-quality, not recommended if you want a stable, rock-solid Steam experience.