Steam OS Announced.

[ECA]

woooooot.
Steambox announced as well.

 

[Embattle]

Meh.

 

[ECA]

How is it possibly meh?

 

[Gwadien]

Steam is like marmite, but I don't like marmite.

 

[MYstIC G]

How is it possibly meh?

Dunno, I completely disagree. Especially when you read the bottom bit which basically says "wanna build a box and use our OS for nothing, go for it". Give nice styled box with high end PC inside and this = w00t.

 

[Raven]

Steam is like marmite, but I don't like marmite.

Only freaks don't like Marmite.

 

[Gwadien]

Only freaks don't like Marmite.

Fuck sake, I didn't mean to hijack this thread but...

You're disgusting.

 

[Scouse]

woooooot.
Steambox announced as well.

Link?

 

[MYstIC G]

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/

 

[ECA]

More announcements tomorrow+wed as well.

 

[TdC]

I like. So, it's a linux with a steam client. Wooooo. *blinks*

 

[Overdriven]

I like. So, it's a linux with a steam client. Wooooo. *blinks*

Linux? Is that a Apple product?

Spoiler

Don't worry, I just covered myself in petrol and am about to have a cigarette

 

[Raven]

So long as they announce a new HL to help launch it, I will be happy.

 

[DaGaffer]

So its a console OS by the back door then? I can kind of see what's in it for Valve, but what's in it for Joe Sixpack? I'm kind of assuming Valve will be looking to tie up hardware manufacturers to stick this inside (Samsung would be the obvious candidate) but I'm not sure what its positioning is against the console boys. (And personally I have no interest in buying a console anyway).

 

[MYstIC G]

I think it's an attempt to put something in place to bring PC gaming back to the mainstream. It could draw on all the best bits from everywhere if they play it right. Sit on your PC at home and design a hat for TF2, publish it, go to your mates and play on the TV whilst using the hats and make money from the sales.

 

[Embattle]

I tend to think you are, considering actual current facts, over stating the requirement for such a device and it's actual usefulness.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/09/analysis-can-steamos-drag-the-pc-game-industry-over-to-linux/

 

[MYstIC G]

I tend to think you are, considering actual current facts, over stating the requirement for such a device and it's actual usefulness.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/09/analysis-can-steamos-drag-the-pc-game-industry-over-to-linux/

I'd rather have my Steam games in my living room than anything currently on XBOX.

Valve would be completely insane to put HL3 only on SteamOS however, if the game proved to be unpopular then it would undermine their entire strategy.

 

[TdC]

I find that article saying "drag over" to be kind of harsh even though they're probably quite right. Still, if Valve make SteamOS free and the entire games library comes with it, I lose Windows on my main computer without a second's thought. In fact, if only a subset of the library comes with I still would.

 

[Raven]

I think an OS that is usable on any PC type machine is the right way forward, so long as they release their own all singing all dancing high spec machine at a reasonable price point.
From a hardware point of view you wouldn't have to spend all that much to beat Xbone 180 or PS4, both are depressingly average. I read the 180 doesn't even display games at native 1080 but still requires upscaling...or at least the release line up. I haven't played in anything less than 1080 in about 4 years.

The only worry I have is lack of compatibility with other windows compatible devices/software, otherwise I would switch to the steam OS like a shot.

 

[TdC]

if they bind it to their own hardware, they will become Apple2.

 

[Raven]

Yeah but it would be nice to have a swanky looking device under the TV rather than a fugly console!

 

[chipper]

whoever makes a console that integrates the mouse and keyboard combo will control the gaming market. cater for both markets = winner i really am surprised no one has done this yet consoles are as powerful as most peoples pc's these days unless you keep a high end machine.

 

[MYstIC G]

if they bind it to their own hardware, they will become Apple2.

That seems very Non-valve tbfh.

 

[TdC]

Yes, it does, doesn't it

 

[Embattle]

A number of you've clearly been mixing Vale/Steam and Linux and mad a bad concoction that seems to of made you some Rose tinted glasses.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonev...rnet-valve-isnt-building-their-own-steam-box/

 

[DaGaffer]

Yeah but it would be nice to have a swanky looking device under the TV rather than a fugly console!

Sorry, how is a "swanky looking device" not a console? And indeed since its unlikely Valve will be making any such device themselves, a box containing SteamOS is probably going to come from a. a mainstream manufacturer (e.g. Samsung) or b. an Ouya-style startup; neither of whom give me much confidence in the "non-fugly" stakes.

whoever makes a console that integrates the mouse and keyboard combo will control the gaming market. cater for both markets = winner i really am surprised no one has done this yet consoles are as powerful as most peoples pc's these days unless you keep a high end machine.

Easier said than done. People have tried (and universally failed) to introduce mouse/kb combinations into the "lean back" living room environment for years. It doesn't work, and in this case Valve don't even seem to be trying; they're definitely going down the controller route. Which leads me back to my original question; how is this a particular benefit to gamers? Its just another console option.

A number of you've clearly been mixing Vale/Steam and Linux and mad a bad concoction that seems to of made you some Rose tinted glasses.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonev...rnet-valve-isnt-building-their-own-steam-box/

This. Oh, sorry, we're not allowed to say that. This I mean.

Streaming games around the house is fine, but personally I don't see this as the saviour of PC gaming in the slightest. Its a lot of fanboy salivating because they think its something not coming from the evil Microsoft/Sony/Apple corporate machine, which it absolutely is, Valve are just a corporation.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Just waiting for the steam OS that replaces windows that can be linked to the TV with a semi-usable controller. PC for mouse+kb games, then relax at couch with controller for meatboys, racing games etc while everything is bought and handled in one place.

 

[TdC]

Streaming games around the house is fine, but personally I don't see this as the saviour of PC gaming in the slightest. Its a lot of fanboy salivating because they think its something not coming from the evil Microsoft/Sony/Apple corporate machine, which it absolutely is, Valve are just a corporation.

Since when am I not allowed to believe the grass is greener on the other side? tbh, I already own the license to the Win 7 Pro in my game rig, which I use exclusively for games and nothing else btw so choosing one over the other would only have argument validity if I had to pay or otherwise adjust something. NB this is ofc only speaking for myself. I'm sure that people who actually use wintel for things other than games would have other considerations.

NB2. imo there is a similar argument for android / iOS : I recently used a tablet in anger for the first time and it was quite an eye opener. I suddenly realized that I could find a use case for the thing within what I do, with the caveat that it would have to always be online. In my head I imagine that steamOS would be similar to Android or iOS, but for games.

 

[DaGaffer]

Since when am I not allowed to believe the grass is greener on the other side? tbh, I already own the license to the Win 7 Pro in my game rig, which I use exclusively for games and nothing else btw so choosing one over the other would only have argument validity if I had to pay or otherwise adjust something. NB this is ofc only speaking for myself. I'm sure that people who actually use wintel for things other than games would have other considerations.

NB2. imo there is a similar argument for android / iOS : I recently used a tablet in anger for the first time and it was quite an eye opener. I suddenly realized that I could find a use case for the thing within what I do, with the caveat that it would have to always be online. In my head I imagine that steamOS would be similar to Android or iOS, but for games.

Don't get me wrong; the time is fast approaching when Windows won't have to be the default choice for your PC anymore (you could argue that time has already arrived if you don't mind selling your soul to Google), and Valve can stick a consumer-friendly face on Linux more effectively than most; but..."a Steambox" is a console (and probably an expensive one*), and Steam itself is just as proprietary and locked down as XBox Live or PSN. If this was an OS designed to create a competitive landscape for distributing games and other content, I'd be pretty excited about it, but the objective is really about creating yet another walled-garden.

*I don't really see how anyone's going to make a steambox device that's up to the job without it being as expensive or more so than the console boys, who have the advantage of economies of scale. Sure, you could let the desktop in another room do the heavy lifting, but that has a. latency issues and b. isn't very elegant and misses the point, and certainly isn't the solution for the mass market.

 

[Raven]

Sorry, how is a "swanky looking device" not a console? .

What's that got to do with anything? My point was (clearly) that existing and next gen consoles are ugly.