Do you Steam "Big Picture" mode?

[homebrew2ny]

Recently I decided to put a aging gaming laptop to use as a dedicated TV game box using the Steam Big Picture mode. The laptop has decent spec's (i7 4700HQ, 765M 2GB, 16GB, 840 EVO 250GB) so it is good enough now for some casual couch PC gaming. I also picked up a XB1 windows controller as well.

I have it all hooked up and some games installed, all working flawlessly without any issues. The games I have installed/played so far are:

Serious Sam 3 BFE
The Elder Scrolls V :Skyrim
Alice: Madness Returns
Burnout Paradise
Wolfenstein: The New Order

I plan on playing (not yet installed) the Alan Wake & Batman games as well...

So what I was wondering is, what PC games have you found the most enjoyable playing via controller, sitting on the couch in Big Picture mode?

I have not followed ANY indie games, is there any I should be looking at?

Want to share your opinion on Steam big picture mode?

On a side note, it has been a couple years since I have really paid attention to anything PC game related. Also I am very surprised that the XB1 controller just works without any tinkering at all!

 

[ImpulsE69]

No, it doesn't work 100% for my needs, so no point. If I was going to play every game with a controller, then maybe, but since MOST games are better with KB/M, and I can relax on the couch anyway, don't really need it.

 

[homebrew2ny]

No, it doesn't work 100% for my needs, so no point. If I was going to play every game with a controller, then maybe, but since MOST games are better with KB/M, and I can relax on the couch anyway, don't really need it.

There was a point not so long ago I would have said the same exact thing. Today however, I am more relaxed on what I find tolerable.

 

[KentState]

Tried it a long time ago and had a BSOD instantly. Haven't touched it since. Guess I forgot it was even a feature.

 

[futurefields]

I've used it. I don't like how it won't switch audio devices automatically which is ultimately why I gave up on it.

I would hit the Home button on my 360 controller and Steam would switch over to my TV but the sound still coming from my PC. I would need to manually change the audio device in control panel each time I switch. There is nothing elegant about that, so I stopped using it.

 

[homebrew2ny]

Wow. Guess I am lucky it has been working so well!

 

[futurefields]

Yeah, if I didn't want to switch displays on the fly with it, i'd use it a lot more.

I brought it up on the Steam tech support forum and it seems to be a limitation of the Steam app itself, it can't tell the PC to switch audio devices.

 

[Stg-Flame]

All the games I've played using a controller have worked flawlessly in-game. Shadow of Mordor, Witcher series, Hero Siege (indie), and a few others (I generally prefer keyboard/mouse) have all worked without any issues by just starting the game in Steam then pressing buttons on my controller. I'm using an Afterglow wired 360 controller and it works like a charm for a fraction of the cost of the XBOX controllers.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Big Picture Mode is the only way I use Steam on my gaming machine when I can. It is hooked up to a 65 inch TV and I love the console like experience.

 

[pauldun170]

I use it on our HTPC\Gaming box.
That box is for family games and we pretty much play using the controller for all the games. Works well. Haven't had an issue with it in ages and that was related to individual games.

 

[DeathReborn]

Only when I accidentally turn it on & can't be bothered to turn it off.

 

[TeknoBug]

I don't really like Big Picture mode, always stuck with the standard Steam UI.

 

[Eric1987]

It doesn't have a proper 4k resolution so, no.