SteamOS

[DaMadFiddler]

It seems that Valve is making a big push to try and make the PC gaming experience more streamlined and "console-like," as well as to try to solve the hardware and software fragementation issues in the video game industry, refocusing everything around open standards using its new Linux variant coupled with some purpose-built, branded systems as a delivery device. (Of course, there's nothing stopping you from just installing it on your own PC and having an instant "Steam console" that way, either.)

It kinda strikes me as the old concept of an HTPC, merged with the idea of an "open standards" game console, done by someone with some actual weight in the industry, and with an end goal of causing Linux to be the dominant OS for gaming instead of Windows. This may be the shake-up the game industry needs, or it may just be a blip on the radar.

Obviously we don't have any of the technical details yet, but I'd be curious to hear what other people think of the concept.

Ars Technica: Can SteamOS drag the PC game industry over to Linux?

[melancholy]

I think the concept is solid, but it is a tiny bit of backwards thinking. It's taking a versatile PC and making it have a solitary purpose It's a bit like telling people to build their own gaming console and they will provide the software. Which is an awesome idea for the people that want to throw down the cash for a dedicated gaming PC in their living room, but for most of us, we pretty much have the one computer that does everything.

It's a great concept for a limited number of people. If you have money to dedicate a machine to this OS, or you don't mind dual-booting just to play your games, then SOS (wonder how long that abbreviation will take to become a meme) is a great idea. But to the vast majority of other Steam users, neither of those options are really that attractive. And I guarantee that if Valve plans to ditch Windows completely and make SOS a requirement, they had better damn well come up with a dead simple one-click solution to setting up a dual-boot, or they are going to lose a LOT of customers.

And that article you linked to talks about Steam moving people to Linux with this OS, which is fairly silly considering SteamOS is going to be as similar to Linux as OSX is to Unix or Ouya's OS is to Android. Sure, the core is based around Linux, but it won't look, feel, or act anything like Linux.

[Specially Cork]

I think there's a huge difference between

- To play Half-Life 2 you need to install another application called Steam

and

- To play Half-Life 3 you need to completely shut-down your PC, boot up another OS, and say goodbye to non-game related multitasking like downloading a torrent or syncing your iPhone.

I'm not much of a PC gamer so maybe I'm wrong about this, but I thought one of the many appeals was having your gaming machine and personal computer all in one package. Is there a market out there for ditching Windows and just making a games console out of your computer?

Maybe I'm underestimating Valve's vision and SteamOS is going to have more in common with a standard Linux distro, but if that's the case ehhhh what's the point. I don't think we really need another one of those.

[pixel]

The SteamOS makes more sense now that they announced Steam Machines:

Following the announcement of SteamOS, Valve just unveiled the long-anticipated Steam Box — sort of. Instead of releasing a Valve-branded Steam Box, the company will actually work with multiple manufacturers to release a series of Steam machines for your living room.

Yet, Valve also presented a specific prototype, a Steam machine designed by Valve. This particular machine is closer to what everyone expected. For now, only 300 copies will be produced and sent to lucky beta testers. The company doesn’t say whether those prototypes will eventually become the Steam Box, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone.

As for the Steam machines, Valve promises “an array of specifications, price, and performance.” It could be pretty similar to the Chromebook lineup. Customers will be presented with multiple performance tiers — it should make it easier to buy a traditional gaming computer. Hardware will be hackable and you will be able to install another operating system for example.

As a reminder, SteamOS is a Linux-based operating system for your living room. It is optimized for gaming, movies and music. While many games are not available on Linux, SteamOS allows you to stream your games from your Windows or Mac machines using your local network

Today’s announcement is very short and doesn’t say which OEM will actually build Steam machines. All we know is that they will ship in 2014. The Valve-branded prototype could come to beta testers earlier as the company will select beta testers on October 25th.

On Steam’s website, users can find a teaser page with three icons that represent three different announcements for the living room — SteamOS and the Steam machines were only the first two announcements. Valve hints at a new input method for the third one. On Friday, Valve should answer the last standing question — which game controller will ship with the Steam machines?

If Valve has its own OS and a list of acceptable hardware, it makes building a HTPC-style machine a lot easier.

[|darc|]

I think you guys are thinking about this the wrong way or don't understand their strategy. (Or maybe I'm missing something?)

This is less about SteamOS and more about the Steam Box initiative. It's actually an extremely intriguing idea to me.

Consoles are successful because they are a great, easy way to play games in the living room. As of lately, though, they are becoming more and more close to performing the functions that a PC performs, but at the same time they are very closed machines. You buy into a specific machine and its ecosystem and you are stuck with the decisions of that company. You can't run unauthorized software on it and they limit the modification of your console and its games.

So the Steam Box as I envision it is a much more open platform. You buy the hardware from any manufacturer--hardware that is specifically built with certain families of chipsets, ensuring both a certain amount of platform standardization as well as great Linux driver support--preloaded with its own OS (just like the consoles from Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft), and download games directly from Steam on it (or, who knows, maybe they'll even sell at retail? Doubtful though). You would be able to make and install your own mods for games, etc. just like you can on Steam for Windows.

However, if you don't want to purchase hardware pre-made, you can build your own Steam Box console by just building a PC with the correct chipsets (much like building a Linux or Hackintosh machine today) and loading SteamOS on it yourself. After all, Valve isn't necessarily interested in maintaining a hardware platform (an expensive endeavor often requiring selling a console as a loss leader) as much as they are in expanding their profitable software platform to the living room. And Valve can't do this project with Windows because Windows is not flexible or freely redistributable like Linux is.

On top of all that, desktop Linux users (with their own non-SteamOS distros) still reap the benefits of this platform because Steam for Linux will surely play the same games that run on SteamOS. You don't need to dual boot into SteamOS because the games should work on Linux. And if you don't use Linux, I'm sure Steam will continue on just fine with its Windows support. Windows isn't going away anytime soon, although it might not be as far off as we once thought IMO.

Essentially, this can unify the PC and console gaming markets under one network and ecosystem, while at the same time bringing mainstream gaming support to the Linux desktop. I think it's a fantastic idea and I will be paying attention to it for sure. I'm not particularly a fan of the PS3 or 360 and I doubt I will be of the PS4 or XB1 either. But I think this is an idea I can get behind.

[DaMadFiddler]

Essentially, this can unify the PC and console gaming markets under one network and ecosystem, while at the same time bringing mainstream gaming support to the Linux desktop. I think it's a fantastic idea and I will be paying attention to it for sure.

That's kinda what I was trying to say, in a nutshell.

[pixel]

In an (slightly imperfect) analogy, it's akin to Google and Android. And I think it solidifies a very solid PC market. But, it is a little scary to give all the cards to Steam.

[Jeeba Jabba]

My only fear is building too many of them.

[Specially Cork]

Essentially, this can unify the PC and console gaming markets under one network and ecosystem

Only problem with that is the ecosystem is owned and controlled by a single private company.

Forgive me, but I'm not enamored enough with Steam to believe uniting the video games industry uniting under Valve's hand is an intriguing step forward for the industry.

[|darc|]

Essentially, this can unify the PC and console gaming markets under one network and ecosystem

Only problem with that is the ecosystem is owned and controlled by a single private company.

Forgive me, but I'm not enamored enough with Steam to believe uniting the video games industry uniting under Valve's hand is an intriguing step forward for the industry.

In what way?

Hardware-wise, multiple hardware manufacturers are creating consoles and you can choose which box suits your needs at what price point. Or if none of them tickle your fancy you can build your own.

Software-wise, the operating system is open source and self-installable, so Valve can't restrict what you do with it.

Sure, the Steam store and communication network are controlled by Valve, but if you don't like it you can install an alternative marketplace (as soon as someone steps up and makes one) or just install standalone games.

Again, this is just like "Android" for living room devices. If Valve does something really shitty down the line, just download and install whatever the equivalent of CyanogenMod is. Problem solved.

How on earth is this worse than the locked down ecosystems of Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo? This is literally the best scenario anyone could dream of IMO.

[Specially Cork]

How on earth is this worse than the locked down ecosystems of Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo? This is literally the best scenario anyone could dream of IMO.

It's not worse, but I feel it's not much different and I can easily see alternative marketplaces getting squeezed out more on the "Steam Machine" than they would on Windows.

[melancholy]

How on earth is this worse than the locked down ecosystems of Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo? This is literally the best scenario anyone could dream of IMO.

It's not worse, but I feel it's not much different and I can easily see alternative marketplaces getting squeezed out more on the "Steam Machine" than they would on Windows.

Which is actually another problem. EA requires Origin. Ubisoft requires Uplay. And even though GFWL shut down, that software still resides in older games. There are a lot of big Steam titles that won't work on a Steambox just because it requires a secondary piece of software that doesn't work on Linux.

As I said before, it's a cool idea and I'm glad they are doing it. It makes for a great alternative for people that want a console-like system or want the best performance out of their PC games. But most of us want an easy way to play PC games on our fully functional computers, and standard Steam is the best way to fulfill that.

[Wagh]

I sure wish Valve would focus on making their existing products actually work. I get that Gabe Newell hates Microsoft and Windows 8 because of the app store, but to leave Steam in the state it's in on Windows 8 is just pathetic. Why would I even consider purchasing Steam games on a Win 8 tablet if Valve can't even get it to run without locking up constantly. It just seems as if Gabe is giving these customers to Microsoft because he wants the home entertainment business.

I miss the days of Valve making video games and refining the software behind these games. I'm sure this still happens in some part but all I see are "Steam Store" improvements like greenlight and trading cards.

[Jeeba Jabba]

Why would I even consider purchasing Steam games on a Win 8 tablet

Rabies? Schizophrenia? Autism?

[Wagh]

Why would I even consider purchasing Steam games on a Win 8 tablet

Rabies? Schizophrenia? Autism?

Dont really know what you are getting at here... Plenty of Steam games are touch screen friendly. Steam itself goes out of its way to not be.