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Steam OS announced

#1

bhamv3

bhamv3

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

Steam just announced their Linux-based Steam OS. In their own words, it's "a free operating system designed for the TV and the living room."

So... how is it going to work? Do I connect my computer to my TV? Or is there going to be a separate Steam box?


#2

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

If it's available for PC and optimized for gaming, there's a serious chance I may forever abandon Windows for it on my gaming PC. We'll see when more info is released.


#3

Bowielee

Bowielee

Cool and all, but I don't want Steam's tendrils to extend too far and become the new Google.


#4

Shakey

Shakey

It's an OS anyone can download and install on any PC that can run it. It's basically just a linux distro like Ubuntu, but it's optimized for a tv use and gaming.
Since they don't have many games that run on Linux right now, you won't have many native games right away. It sounds like you'll be able to play them streaming from a windows PC over your network though, which sounds really interesting. So you'll want to keep your windows PC for a while.

It's also going to be free to hardware makers, so we should see a good selection of boxes built for it. Which should hopefully keep the prices down on them.


#5

Bowielee

Bowielee

Shakey said:
It's an OS anyone can download and install on any PC that can run it. It's basically just a linux distro like Ubuntu, but it's optimized for a tv use and gaming.
Since they don't have many games that run on Linux right now, you won't have many native games right away. It sounds like you'll be able to play them streaming from a windows PC over your network though, which sounds really interesting. So you'll want to keep your windows PC for a while.

It's also going to be free to hardware makers, so we should see a good selection of boxes built for it. Which should hopefully keep the prices down on them.
Click to expand...
So, it's basically a backdoor console that you build yourself :p


#6

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Still waiting for Steambox.

Unless this is it instead.


#7

ThatNickGuy

ThatNickGuy

This is apparently the first of three announcements from Valve this week. Some theorize the next is the SteamBox (or whatever they'll call it). And the third...Half-Life 3.

Personally, I highly doubt it, but if it's true? Oh fuck, I'm excited.


#8

strawman

strawman

:minionhappy:


#9

bhamv3

bhamv3

ThatNickGuy said:
This is apparently the first of three announcements from Valve this week. Some theorize the next is the SteamBox (or whatever they'll call it). And the third...Half-Life 3.

Personally, I highly doubt it, but if it's true? Oh fuck, I'm excited.
Click to expand...
People have been predicting HL3 announcements for literally years though. I'm numb to it now.

... please be HL3.


#10

strawman

strawman

I still haven't finished HL2. Don't think I ever finished one either, for that matter.[DOUBLEPOST=1379987952,1379987884][/DOUBLEPOST]Ooh, what they should do is release HL3 just on their Steam OS as a pre-release for 1 week prior to the PC and OSX releases.

I can taste the HL fan tears and hear the whining now...


#11

Terrik

Terrik

stienman said:
I still haven't finished HL2. Don't think I ever finished one either, for that matter.[DOUBLEPOST=1379987952,1379987884][/DOUBLEPOST]Ooh, what they should do is release HL3 just on their Steam OS as a pre-release for 1 week prior to the PC and OSX releases.

I can taste the HL fan tears and hear the whining now...
Click to expand...

:minionhappy:


#12

strawman

strawman

:minionhappy:


#13

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Well, this kinda gives the finger to the ouya, doesn't it?


#14

LordRendar

LordRendar

:minionhappy:


#15

Covar

Covar

ThatNickGuy said:
This is apparently the first of three announcements from Valve this week. Some theorize the next is the SteamBox (or whatever they'll call it). And the third...Half-Life 3.
Click to expand...
Valve, making 3 annoucnements?! :rofl:

If nothing else at the end of this week we'll have discovered that they learned how to count past 2.


#16

strawman

strawman

1...
2...
5!

Three, sir!

3!


#17

Bowielee

Bowielee

Has the Despicable Me minion taken on a meaning that I'm unfamiliar with?


#18

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

Covar said:
If nothing else at the end of this week we'll have discovered that they learned how to count past 2.
Click to expand...
"Announcement 2: Episode 1"


#19

strawman

strawman

Bowielee said:
Has the Despicable Me minion taken on a meaning that I'm unfamiliar with?
Click to expand...
I don't think anyone has come to a consensus, but I'm using it to describe a carefree sense of apathetic glee from a creature which is way too easily amused.


#20

AshburnerX

AshburnerX

All for this.


#21

figmentPez

figmentPez

I have so many questions:
- Will a box running SteamOS be capable of running anything besides games and special made SteamOS programs? (i.e. will I need a dedicated PC or a dual-boot situation to take advantage of it? Or could I potentially run LibreOffice and other programs on it and not need a Windows box?)

- Can I watch Hulu on it, and will Hulu treat it like a PC or charge for it like a console/mobile device?

- What are the system requirements for streaming non-native games from a PC running Windows to a box running SteamOS?

- How is the controller support, does it include the Xbox wireless controller & PC dongle?


#22

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

At this point, without more info, I would assume it's just Linux with some extra Steam-associated goodies. So most likely, if it runs on Linux, you'll be able to run it on SteamOS (doing otherwise seems like a giant missed opportunity).


#23

Frank

Frank

stienman said:
Ooh, what they should do is release HL3 just on their Steam OS as a pre-release for 1 week prior to the PC and OSX releases.

I can taste the HL fan tears and hear the whining now...
Click to expand...
Man...if Valve did with HL3 with SteamOS like they did with Steam and HL2 then HL3 would be exclusive to SteamOS.

The shitstorm that would create would be glorious.


#24

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

Frank said:
Man...if Valve did with HL3 with SteamOS like they did with Steam and HL2 then HL3 would be exclusive to SteamOS.

The shitstorm that would create would be glorious.
Click to expand...
As a early release, sure. As an exclusive, that would be a really silly idea.


The only reason they would want to do that is if they did not remotely care how HL3 actually did, they just want to see Windows users cry. In which case...carry on.


#25

ThatNickGuy

ThatNickGuy

I'm not gonna lie. I would be one of those pissed off fans if they did that. I highly doubt they'd be that stupid, though. I HOPE they're not that stupid.

Then again, I highly doubt HL3 is even the third announcement they're making. It'd be amazing if it happened, but I'm not getting my hopes up.


#26

Frank

Frank

People were pissed off when Half-Life 2 required the then terrible Steam program too.


#27

bhamv3

bhamv3

True, Steam sucked ass in its early days. And much of its later days, too.


#28

Shakey

Shakey

I think the big selling point would be native to steam OS, but still being available on regular steam. They wouldn't make it Steam OS only.


#29

Bowielee

Bowielee

Frank said:
People were pissed off when Half-Life 2 required the then terrible Steam program too.
Click to expand...
I was literally one of the first people to have steam. I got it because I bought a graphics card that came with a redemption code for the as of then unreleased HL2. As compensation for the shitstorm that followed, they basically gave you all valve titles for free.


#30

Frank

Frank

Steam has come so far since then. SO FAR.


#31

Officer_Charon

Officer_Charon

I remember being so upset that I couldn't play HL2 without having this obtrusive program installed and alway running first. I played it through, then never looked back.

Came back to Steam some 5 years later, and remember being mightily impressed at what it had become.


#32

GasBandit

GasBandit

Frank said:
Steam has come so far since then. SO FAR.
Click to expand...
And yet it's still a clunky, bloated, juddering example of bad customer interaction with somewhat unsettling implications about software ownership that really, we only put up with because of the two yearly sales.


#33

Frank

Frank

GasBandit said:
And yet it's still a clunky, bloated, juddering example of bad customer interaction with somewhat unsettling implications about software ownership that really, we only put up with because of the two yearly sales.
Click to expand...
SO FAR!


#34

ThatNickGuy

ThatNickGuy

GasBandit said:
And yet it's still a clunky, bloated, juddering example of bad customer interaction with somewhat unsettling implications about software ownership that really, we only put up with because of the two yearly sales.
Click to expand...
SALE?! Did someone say sale?! WHERE?! Good god, I need to hide my credit cards![DOUBLEPOST=1380138607,1380138571][/DOUBLEPOST]http://www.gamespot.com/news/valve-reveals-steam-machines-6414959

Ladies and gents...the Steam Machines.


#35

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

Cool. The SteamBox lives. Or will live, I guess.


#36

Frank

Frank

Depending on cost, build quality and such....that actually sounds good. If Valve can cheapen PC hardware via more mass consumption, I'm all for it.


#37

Covar

Covar

Ok, Steam Machine sounds so much cooler than Steam box. Seriously the gaming press should be ashamed they couldn't do better than Microsoft when it came to naming a console based on a PC technology.


#38

figmentPez

figmentPez

Damn only 300. The odds of getting one of those are miniscule... but I'm going to try anyway, it's not that difficult to qualify, so why not? It would be so sweet to test one of those.


#39

Eriol

Eriol

ThatNickGuy said:
SALE?! Did someone say sale?! WHERE?! Good god, I need to hide my credit cards!
Click to expand...
This made me LOL big time. Mostly because that's pretty much how it is around our place when the sales come through.


That being said, Valve has explicitly said that people can install SteamOS on whatever they'd like. They'll no doubt have "1st-class" support for certain hardware combinations (drivers, etc), but I'm betting it'll basically be Linux that boots to big picture, which you then can "get out of" and run whatever normal Linux software (browsers, XMBC, etc) if you'd like to. Debian-based almost certainly, given their "preference" for Ubuntu machines to begin with for Steam on Linux.

Interestingly enough, they've also said "sure, tear it apart, etc" (I'm paraphrasing) for the beta testers of their Steam Machine. Which is kinda awesome to say to people to "go nuts" for it. Finally a "console" where Homebrew is encouraged? Though the meaning of that term loses a lot, considering "it's a Linux box" so you could run whatever anyways, but still.


#40

ThatNickGuy

ThatNickGuy

And now we wait for Friday's announcement.

*crosses his fingers, shuts his eyes tight* Please be Half-Life 3. Please be Half-Life 3. Please be Half-Life 3.


#41

figmentPez

figmentPez

ThatNickGuy said:
And now we wait for Friday's announcement.

*crosses his fingers, shuts his eyes tight* Please be Half-Life 3. Please be Half-Life 3. Please be Half-Life 3.
Click to expand...
Steam OS hats for TF2.


#42

ThatNickGuy

ThatNickGuy

figmentPez said:
Steam OS hats for TF2.
Click to expand...


#43

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Announcement is going to be Half-Life 3 launches immediately, and comes with a free Occulus Rift.


#44

Frank

Frank

ThatNickGuy said:
And now we wait for Friday's announcement.

*crosses his fingers, shuts his eyes tight* Please be Half-Life 3. Please be Half-Life 3. Please be Half-Life 3.
Click to expand...
Well, the symbols for the announcements lead us to believe that the next announcement is software of some sort....so HOPEFULLY!


#45

PatrThom

PatrThom

Yes. Software.

It will be the Steam client for SteamOS, you watch.

--Patrick


#46

Frank

Frank

That would be the lamest.


#47

Bubble181

Bubble181

Half Life 2: Episode 2: Part 2.


#48

strawman

strawman

They bought EA.


#49

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

stienman said:
They bought EA.
Click to expand...
If Valve had the money to do that, that would be amazing, but Gabe Newell would have had to force his accountants to take blood oaths and risk the forfeiture of their first-borns to keep that kind of cash flow secret.


#50

Bubble181

Bubble181

SpecialKO said:
If Valve had the money to do that, that would be amazing, but Gabe Newell would have had to force his accountants to take blood oaths and risk the forfeiture of their first-borns to keep that kind of cash flow secret.
Click to expand...
Soooo....in order to buy EA, you have to become EA? Devious.


#51

Covar

Covar

It's a controller


:rofl:
God bless you trolls at Valve.


#52

AshburnerX

AshburnerX

Well that was a fucking pointless announcement.


#53

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

SpecialKO said:
"Announcement 2: Episode 1"
Click to expand...
Fucking called it. :problemo:


#54

ThatNickGuy

ThatNickGuy

Disappointed, but unsurprised. :(


#55

GasBandit

GasBandit

SpecialKO said:
"Announcement 2: Episode 1"
Click to expand...
SpecialKO said:
Fucking called it. :problemo:
Click to expand...
You sure as hell did. They can't even count to 3 on announcements!


#56

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

GasBandit said:
You sure as hell did. They can't even count to 3 on announcements!
Click to expand...
I'm more console than PC as a gamer, but I was really hoping that they had something big and blow-out for the third one. Like the official launch-date for digital lending/sharing plus program details. :(


#57

Frank

Frank

That controller looks like something that will not be an easy change for people used to the current double stick standard. I'm sure it offers fantastic controls as long as you can train yourself to use the fucking thing. How many people are willing to do that?


#58

figmentPez

figmentPez

Frank said:
That controller looks like something that will not be an easy change for people used to the current double stick standard. I'm sure it offers fantastic controls as long as you can train yourself to use the fucking thing. How many people are willing to do that?
Click to expand...
It looks like it's going to be a pain to use on any game that isn't designed to support it. That thing won't emulate console controllers very well at all.


#59

Frank

Frank

figmentPez said:
It looks like it's going to be a pain to use on any game that isn't designed to support it. That thing won't emulate console controllers very well at all.
Click to expand...
It's not supposed to. It's supposed to be a mouse and keyboard replacement.

And you don't know how well it does anything, none of us have used it.


#60

figmentPez

figmentPez

Frank said:
It's not supposed to. It's supposed to be a mouse and keyboard replacement.
Click to expand...
I realize that, but unless Valve expects everyone to keep two different controllers around, and the system is smart enough to handle both seamlessly, it had better be able to function just as well in games that have good support for existing controllers.

And you don't know how well it does anything, none of us have used it.
Click to expand...
That's true, but it doesn't take any use to see that it physically is not up to the task of mimicking sticks & face buttons / D-pad at the same time. A lot of existing games use that setup to good effect, and while it's entirely possible that touchcreen can provide better functionality in games designed for it, it can't provide the same type of control in games that weren't designed for it.


#61

Frank

Frank

Those side touchpad things have some sort of magnet haptic shit built into them too so...that'll do something.


#62

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

figmentPez said:
I realize that, but unless Valve expects everyone to keep two different controllers around
Click to expand...
Do you know how many fucking plastic instruments I have in my closet? People will buy all sorts of controllers.

I'm waiting to see how it works and performs before passing judgment. I realize this is CRAZY TALK on the internet, so everyone can go back to talking about how it's worse than polio now.


#63

Bowielee

Bowielee

It's not worse than polio. It's worse than syphilis. Get it right. GOD!


#64

GasBandit

GasBandit

I've read some stuff that makes me think the controller might not completely suck. But I'm still reserving judgement.

Somebody over at the PA forums said that the touchpads aren't just nonmoving analog sticks, that they're instant response input. IE, the right pad represents all possible changes of facing, with the outermost edge representing a 180 degree turn, and your camera angle changes as quickly as you move your thumb. As opposed to an analog stick with set rates of turn based on how far you move the stick.

I dunno if I'm explaining this as adequately as he did, and I've already lost track of the post.


#65

figmentPez

figmentPez

GasBandit said:
I've read some stuff that makes me think the controller might not completely suck.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure this will be a great way to control games that are either PC shooters (or have similar controls) or are designed for this pad, I'm just skeptical of how well it will control existing platformers and other games that are more about stick & buttons than dual sticks.


#66

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Being able to control PC shooters on the TV with my thumb as the mouse?

Sign me the fuck up.


#67

Bowielee

Bowielee

Hey, they're making my controller vs mouse and keyboard argument moot!


#68

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Bowielee said:
Hey, they're making my controller vs mouse and keyboard argument moot!
Click to expand...
I have to post this now.

http://motivatedgrammar.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/on-american-mootness/


#69

Bowielee

Bowielee

I know, damn it. Force of habit. I know it's correct usage.

I must be flogged for my shame.

Wait, where are you going?

FLOG ME DAMN IT!

Actually, thinking about it, I did use it totally wrong, but the sentence could still be correct. Whereas I had thought that the issue was not open for debate before, this bridges the gap and it now IS open to debate to me.

Whew... saved that one.


#70

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Ready for more shame?


Bowielee said:
I know it's correct usage.
Click to expand...

:troll:

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go make all of these same mistakes and worse in my next post.


#71

Bowielee

Bowielee

Their ain't no way that I spoke more bad. Irrigardles, its ironic that that I literally speak bajillions of words well, myself.


#72

PatrThom

PatrThom

Ravenpoe said:
Ready for more shame?
Click to expand...
I noticed, but I wasn't going to say anything.
Bowielee said:
Their ain't no way that I spoke more bad. Irrigardles, its ironic that that I literally speak bajillions of words good, myself.
Click to expand...
FTFY

--Patrick


#73

Bowielee

Bowielee

I think my last post would make my Grammar professor's head explode (Figuratively, of course).


#74

bhamv3

bhamv3

I remember arguing insistently with my professor that "moot" was synonymous with "irrelevant."

Needless to say, I lost that argument.


#75

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

bhamv3 said:
I remember arguing insistently with my professor that "moot" was synonymous with "irrelevant."

Needless to say, I lost that argument.
Click to expand...
So you thought the argument was moot, but it turned out to be moot.


#76

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Ravenpoe said:
I have to post this now.

http://motivatedgrammar.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/on-american-mootness/
Click to expand...
Thanks for ruining another word.



I tried looking for a subtitled screencap from the movie The Spirit where one of the characters calls the Spirit a bastard, so I typed "the spirit bastard" into Google image search and this asshole from The Labyrinth showed up, and I thought "yeah, that works." In case anyone's confused.


#77

figmentPez

figmentPez

I'm happy that they're trying to advance haptic feedback. I sincerely miss my Logitech iFeel Mouseman; it's been nearly a decade since mine died on me and I still miss the haptic feedback. Not a lot of games supported it, but it wasn't the games I really loved about it. I found it useful just for ordinary computer use, because what I was browsing over had texture. As I moused around I could feel links underneath my cursor, as well as buttons, edges of windows and other interactive areas of the screen. I found it made computing easier.


#78

Jay

Jay

cad-20130930-3a879.gif


#79

ThatNickGuy

ThatNickGuy

Okay, that was actually pretty funny. Disturbing as all hell, but funny.


#80

figmentPez

figmentPez

Tech specs for the Steam prototype boxes:
The 300 prototype units will ship with the following components:
GPU: some units with NVidia Titan, some GTX780, some GTX760, and some GTX660
CPU: some boxes with Intel i7-4770, some i5-4570, and some i3
RAM: 16GB DDR3-1600 (CPU), 3GB GDDR5 (GPU)
Storage: 1TB/8GB Hybrid SSHD
Power Supply: Internal 450w 80Plus Gold
Dimensions: approx. 12 x 12.4 x 2.9 in high
Click to expand...
All of these put my current box to shame, but it's 5 years old. I'd love to be chosen.

Anyone want to price out how much it would cost to assemble something equivalent?


#81

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

figmentPez said:
Tech specs for the Steam prototype boxes:


All of these put my current box to shame, but it's 5 years old. I'd love to be chosen.

Anyone want to price out how much it would cost to assemble something equivalent?
Click to expand...
Well, a Titan is $900-1000....


#82

figmentPez

figmentPez

Steam controller demonstration:


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