Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Linux Valve Could Announce Steambox Monday!

G

GrayApple

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 20, 2010
48
0
Valve Countdown
Time Article
:D
Valve could be announcing their entry into the console market this Monday! Is anyone else excited? What do you expect from the announcement?
I(as a hater of windows and an idiot in regards to building PCs) am super excited about about this!
 
Last edited:
Maybe change your thread title to "might" or add a ? to the end. All it says is:

Last year, we shipped a software feature called Big Picture, a user-interface tailored for televisions and gamepads.
This year we’ve been working on even more ways to connect the dots for customers who want Steam in the living-room.
Soon, we’ll be adding you to our design process, so that you can help us shape the future of Steam.
Click to expand...
 
SilentPanda said:
Maybe change your thread title to "might" or add a ? to the end. All it says is:
Click to expand...
I will, but it is pretty much confirmed. Gabe Newell said at the end of a presentation at Linux Con that they would be announcing something regarding hardware next week. He could be talking about something else, but it seems unlikely.
 
GrayApple said:
I will, but it is pretty much confirmed. Gabe Newell said at the end of a presentation at Linux Con that they would be announcing something regarding hardware next week. He could be talking about something else, but it seems unlikely.
Click to expand...

Agreed, the issue is people don't read, so they take headlines as fact when none of your stories state this is fact, just speculation.
 
I think the second announcement will be hardware, the other two, software things (Streaming, and, something else?). Notice the symbols? Two circles (software) enclosed in brackets (hardware). Just a guess.
 
This will be fantastic. It'll be the first console I got since the PS2. Would love to play my Steam collection in the living room. Don't let us down Valve! Make it awesome.
 
Less than 24 hours to go!

My predictions are that the hardware will be announced, then a crowd-funding solution ("...adding you to our design process...") and finally at least one sequel from their big franchises will be unveiled.
 
The Alienware X51 has been undeniable popular. I think there is a market for smaller Desktop PCs. With HDMI 1,4 and better wireless capabillities, the future looks bright.


I still think a controller is almost mandatory though for couch steaming. I find it awkward to play with mouse/keyboard.
 
Not to be the party pooper, but I'm not. I've had a string of consoles, newest xbox, and besides some coop occasionally and a couple of decent games my the xbox such as Borderlands and Left4Dead, my most consistent enjoyable outlet for gaming is my desktop.
 
I heard the other day that Valve had an announcment on Monday, and I thought for about a second maybe its a new Half Life, and then I laughed...
 
SilentPanda said:
There are 2 more announcements to come. One is likely (but not guaranteed) to be a hardware box.
Click to expand...

That seems likely. First the OS, then the hardware and finally the game/games. It will be interesting to see how the hardware compares with the Mac Mini; if Valve keeps costs down by relying on Intel graphics then there could not be much difference between the two, unless they are making a streaming box with something like Rasberry Pi or similar hardware, like an Apple TV which already does mirroring through the network.
 
Just an OS for TV's...

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

Plus, this implies that you still need a computer to run Steam Client then a SteamOS TV to run it on your TV set (like you need a VitaTV to stream a PS4 to a different TV set)...

You can play all your Windows and Mac games on your SteamOS machine, too. Just turn on your existing computer and run Steam as you always have - then your SteamOS machine can stream those games over your home network straight to your TV!
Click to expand...

I guess if your computer is in a different part of the house and you want to use Steam on the upstairs TV...

What is the point, otherwise?
 
gkarris said:
I guess if your computer is in a different part of the house and you want to use Steam on the upstairs TV...

What is the point, otherwise?
Click to expand...

Some people like to sit in their comfortable living room and have friends/family able to watch them play. Computer areas are typically made for one person to watch the screen and often people just get a cheap computer chair to sit in. Being able to stream to the TV allows for the living room comfort plus enables all games that don't work or won't be made to work under Linux/SteamOS.
 
gkarris said:
Just an OS for TV's...

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

Plus, this implies that you still need a computer to run Steam Client then a SteamOS TV to run it on your TV set (like you need a VitaTV to stream a PS4 to a different TV set)...
Click to expand...

Yes, you'll need an PC, though if you already have a gaming PC, it wouldn't have to be powerful if you are just going to stream everything to it (since most games are Windows only and won't run natively on the OS anyway). The SteamOS runs on the PC, it's just a flavor of Linux.

I wouldn't be surprised if Valve comes out with two types of hardware (maybe not initially, but eventually): a Steam console with the full SteamOS, that can play Linux games natively, and a cheap dongle that just does streaming from your gaming PC.
 
MasterHowl said:
Will I be able to BootCamp SteamOS on my MacBook, enabling me to discard my Windows Partition (which I only use for Steam anyway)?
Click to expand...

Odds are at first, SteamOS will only natively support games that work for Linux. I imagine most of the games that work for Linux already work on the Mac side anyway.

So maybe you can ditch Windows for SteamOS, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to play all your games on SteamOS.
 
SilentPanda said:
Odds are at first, SteamOS will only natively support games that work for Linux. I imagine most of the games that work for Linux already work on the Mac side anyway.
Click to expand...

Almost, but not quite. I'm in Linux right now, and I'd say barring a couple of exceptions, just about every indie game being made right now has a Linux and Mac port. There are a couple that may support Mac but not linux, and vice versa, but they're just about even in the indie scene.

Where the Mac is stronger is in big publisher AAA game support. This is where Windows gets the lions share, Macs get the scraps, and Linux is just off in the corner eating its toenails (yeah, I know. I'm gross). This is what Valve needs to fix if they want the Steambox to succeed. There have been some interesting ports recently. Football Manger 2014 coming to Linux shocked the hell out of everyone. Same with Metro: Last Light. But there's a looooong way to go before it'll see even the support the Macs get.

Like right now, I have a big fat zero amount of racing games to play on my computer. If I didn't have my PS3, I'd probably be out crashing my car into walls to get my speed fix. It's the same with sports games, and all the EA/Activision/Blizzard titles. They're all but nonexistent around here. If Valve can get all those, then Steambox, Linux, and Macs will end up finally being able to compete with Windows on newer games. But until then...
 
Sol said:
That seems likely. First the OS, then the hardware and finally the game/games. It will be interesting to see how the hardware compares with the Mac Mini; if Valve keeps costs down by relying on Intel graphics then there could not be much difference between the two, unless they are making a streaming box with something like Rasberry Pi or similar hardware, like an Apple TV which already does mirroring through the network.
Click to expand...

There isn't any hint at ARM support so a Rasberry Pi is out. Chances are it will be some kind of Intel creature. Now I could see two flavors.

One with minimal graphics and onboard processor sold in the style of AppleTV as a pure set top which NEEDs a full PC elsewhere in the house. This would appeal current PC(Windows) gamers as it would be the cheapest access to their current games. Think OnLive but on local network and with way less latency.

Two as something more kin to an AlienWare custom PC. Or kind of a "my first gaming computer" with expansion options. A starter hobbyists kit.

However this goes I hope it's enough to get Apple moving and take its "hobby" box more seriously. Steam is a proven world wide digital distribution system and with a living room focused OS and content delivery pipe it not be at all strange to see non-game TV material start showing up. How long until we see NetFlix or HuluPlus for SteamOS? Certainly with a Linux base and Valve's track record with SteamWorkshop I would not be surprised at all if they can leverage community development to quickly flesh out the features of SOS (SteamOS). Any bets on when someone will create a SteamApp that let's you see and control your whole PC through a SOS running set-top box?
 
Steam OS is sort of interesting, making it open to anyone like Android, but the key is going to be what hardware they release.

They're going to want to release something that other manufacturers can easily emulate or build upon. I'm thinking it'll be closer to the NVIDIA Shield or OUYA than a traditional console or computer.
 
malman89 said:
Steam OS is sort of interesting, making it open to anyone like Android, but the key is going to be what hardware they release.

They're going to want to release something that other manufacturers can easily emulate or build upon. I'm thinking it'll be closer to the NVIDIA Shield or OUYA than a traditional console or computer.
Click to expand...

Gabe basically already said this, somewhere (can't remember where, sorry). They aren't interested in making hardware themselves, but rather a spec that developers have to follow in order to be SteamOS approved. A base model would just be for streaming (like the Shield) with more expensive better/best models that can play Linux games natively.

We'll probably find out more tomorrow...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back