Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Apr 2007
- Posts
- 23,162
- Location
- stat city
and youre arent helping by acting like a smug pc owner. Games are games... pure and simple.
I have had more fun playing tablet games this year than console/pc games.
The steam box preview..
- Thread starter Boycey0211
- Start date
and youre arent helping by acting like a smug pc owner. Games are games... pure and simple.
I have had more fun playing tablet games this year than console/pc games.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Sep 2009
- Posts
- 30,499
- Location
- Dormanstown.
I just don't understand why people would now opt to buy a PC rather than a console, just because it has Steam on it.
This is why I said it's based on the linux kernelWhich is my point
Yeah right now, we don't know what direction it is going to go in terms of support yet.
Will it stop at basic support for graphics cards and mainboards or will it expand to peripherals and other things such as sound cards?
Yeah... I don't know enough about the inner workings of kernels to compare them on that level, nor would I.
out of the box the linux kernel supports the majority of hardware
no need for steam to 'expand' anything regarding hardware support (other than possibly including amd catalyst drivers as part of the install)
the only kernel driver valve need to make is the one for their controller
The fact is at the moment they haven't expanded or developed anything other than a gui really, 'steamos' is debian made to boot into steam linux client in big picture mode.
They did say about trying to improve some performance based stuff but nothing regarding this has been implemented or shown.
Last edited:
Valve want to make an appliance, that is easy to connect and run popular PC games.
I can fully understand the market for this, this product isn't for the die hard PC master race, or AKA the enthusiast. Its for a gamer that wants to play PC games but not have the hassle of the OS, setting up the OS, building or spec a machine, or buying a pre built with an OS pre installed and then figure out how to install steam, then games etc..
They or Steam want gamers who normally play console games to just plug this in, turn it on and then buy and download and install a game much like you would on Sony PSN.
also, valve have done this against the future windows app store which valve will be locked out off.. I can see the market. The Alienware Steam box looks the best IMO, I for one do not see an issue with getting another owner to play the likes of Battlefield 4 or whatever on a PC, even if its like a games console, but a PC underneath..
Bit like a PS4 really if you think about it.. anyhow competition is good.
I'm unsure if people who don't currently play games / are casual console gamers will really know what "Steam" is?
*However, I appreciate that the best ideas have to start somewhere
Most of the guys I work with know what Steam is but play console games.. Problem is Valve are doing a dismal job of explaining what they are making..
Valve have never been good at communication, they have awful press releases at times, the Steam OS and controller etc is just not being explained for what it is intended for very well, they did a decent job with the first announcements I guess, but since then its just been dismal.
They need to get the marketing out, and explain what this machine does. It has fewer games that run on existing PC and does less then an existing PC is all a buyer could see, yet, they don't see its a way to get an easy living room PC gaming experience with hardly any hassle to get up and running, buy and download and play a top PC game.
Valve, you aren't selling this too well IMO
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Sep 2009
- Posts
- 30,499
- Location
- Dormanstown.
Judging by your post you're talking about a steam machine with Steam OS, but you don't just may not be able to buy a game and play it, because it only plays a handful of games in the Steam library.
Unless we're talking a Windows machine that just boots straight into Steam big picture mode?
Soldato
- Joined
- 13 Jul 2004
- Posts
- 20,341
- Location
- Stanley Hotel, Colorado
Theres always a point to a recognisable brand.
Gabe is not in the games business, he's in the empire business
Bigpicture has a distinct Heisenberg blue hue now I think about it
Gabe is not in the games business, he's in the empire business
Bigpicture has a distinct Heisenberg blue hue now I think about it
At the moment it only plays a "handful" of games, while it's in beta, and the game developers are just getting on board. It's AAA titles are spares at the moment but including the indie games that work with linux the amount of stuff to play is huge.
I doubt they are aiming for anyone to ever buy a game retail. I wouldn't be surprised if anyone booting on a steambox gets a customised store with only games that work with the steam box listed. You are meant to purchase all games through steam anyway so it will never end up in the situation where someone buys a game then finds out it wont work.
You don't go on xbox live and buy a game then expect it to work on your windows PC do you or vice-versa?
I think these will not be massively successful (at least in the current incarnation) for a couple of reasons:
-Most PC gamers will shun them in favour of 'proper' PCs. I bought a Wii, PS3 and XB360 because they had great games I couldn't play on PC (Wii Sports, GT, Forza etc). The chances are AAA SteamBox exclusives will be thin on the ground.
-Potentially too much variation in terms of hardware spec, branding, appearance etc which basically dilutes the overall brand versus XB/PS etc
-Some developers will likely be reticent to invest the time in making a Linux/SB port unless there is a big market for it
The only selling point I can see perhaps is that Valve have done fairly well with Steam branding/marketing in terms of creating something that is very much the market leader fo r PC downloads and is getting noticed even by people that aren't serious PC gamers. This means that perhaps some console owners who have cast envious eyes at friends snapping up bargains on Steam will be tempted.
-Most PC gamers will shun them in favour of 'proper' PCs. I bought a Wii, PS3 and XB360 because they had great games I couldn't play on PC (Wii Sports, GT, Forza etc). The chances are AAA SteamBox exclusives will be thin on the ground.
-Potentially too much variation in terms of hardware spec, branding, appearance etc which basically dilutes the overall brand versus XB/PS etc
-Some developers will likely be reticent to invest the time in making a Linux/SB port unless there is a big market for it
The only selling point I can see perhaps is that Valve have done fairly well with Steam branding/marketing in terms of creating something that is very much the market leader fo r PC downloads and is getting noticed even by people that aren't serious PC gamers. This means that perhaps some console owners who have cast envious eyes at friends snapping up bargains on Steam will be tempted.
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 47,027
Looking at the price of the first few...I think I will give them a miss 
Considering this is going to fail, and hard, I hope thy haven't invested too much into this. I worry for my steam library!
Considering this is going to fail, and hard, I hope thy haven't invested too much into this. I worry for my steam library!
Last edited:
Looking at the price of the first few...I think I will give them a miss
Considering this is going to fail, and hard, I hope thy haven't invested too much into this. I worry for my steam library!
I'm not writing this off, valve despite their poor communications have a habit of turning much hated ideas into money making businesses as they have shown with digital distribution...
valve have some pretty big pockets, and some big names into this scheme, alienware are part of the Dell supply chain.. valve with Dell alienware machines, that's the two many of biggest players in this industry whose looking to make money...
valve need to market this better, the steam controller needs a bit more work , but alienware are going to hit the sweat spot with the machines. love or hate alienware, they do know how to engineer a small compact machine with punch.
and they have some big titles in the works for steam os, Rome total war 2 , project cars etc.. this won't hopefully flop but it might take a while to get off the ground...
What i think could be a good question to ask is that will EA do something similar to a steambox due to their Origin system. As they wont allow say bf games on steam so their is a large part of the gaming base probably excluded from the steambox right there, unless a licencing deal can be made which i highly doubt.
Associate
- Joined
- 22 Jan 2006
- Posts
- 1,465
I strongly believe that most of the general public are confused by PC specs, therefore it is easier to buy a console, especially for children.
I thought the steam machine would have a couple of versions maybe, each badged up to show its speed (normal, high, ultra). Therefore it makes purchasing one simple, just like a console.
The way this is being developed it will be a complete nightmare. I cannot see this working at all. You need to be very up on pc's to understand the actual specs etc, which isn't the audience it should be aiming for.
I thought the steam machine would have a couple of versions maybe, each badged up to show its speed (normal, high, ultra). Therefore it makes purchasing one simple, just like a console.
The way this is being developed it will be a complete nightmare. I cannot see this working at all. You need to be very up on pc's to understand the actual specs etc, which isn't the audience it should be aiming for.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Sep 2009
- Posts
- 30,499
- Location
- Dormanstown.
But I'd expected a steam game to work on my steamos machine (Which they all won't)
It's like buying a game on your Xbox 360, and it not working. It's not like buying a game on a different platform and it not working on another platform.
It playing a handful of games that aren't indie isn't because it's a beta, it's because it's Linux.
Last edited:
They won't. They'll buy what they're used to and what their mates have.
RTW2 barely works on a desktop PC. Really, it is hardly a shining example of the future of SFF gaming.
Like many others, I can hardly see the benefit. What does it do over and above a console? Maybe look slightly prettier on-screen. However, with probably few, if any, well-known exclusives, no used games and potentially poor or expensive hardware then it really makes little sense.