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


They are also giving away roughly 300 of them for free for the beta testing.

 

Valve finally convinced me to try out Big Picture Mode so that I could join the Beta applicants and I was actually impressed. Big Picture Mode is damn easy to use. I may use it more often, even on my laptop.

 

It's theoretically possible for me to be more hype. But that would require mind-altering substances and stripping away at least two decades of caked-on cynicism.

This is a console. A Steam based console that has a core Steam OS built from the ground up to run games. The hardware is customizable and upgradeable.

Do you know what you won't be able to do with your Xbox One or PS4?

Install a new graphics card.

Slot in a new drive for more power and space.

Upgrade literally anything to do with the hardware once it becomes obsolete.

Customize literally anything to do with the hardware to whatever specifications you want.

Break apart the core OS of the system and play with it to see if you can do anything better with it.

Mod your games using third-party mods.

Use a mouse and keyboard or a controller, whichever you prefer.

You understand this, right? You get what this is. This is a console that is also a PC. It's directly connected to motherfucking Steam. If you have a Steam account, you'll almost certainly have games for this thing already, because there's a 99% chance you can just pick this thing up and log into your Steam Library. This is the Cloud without the bullshit. This is what the OUYA dreamed it could be. This is a direct shot fired across the bow at everyone currently in the business of making consoles. I could literally, LITERALLY, play modded Minecraft with my friends, go start downloading a new game onto the Box that I bought with my Steam Account earlier that week, then switch over to a GODDAMN EMULATOR and play Super Metroid or a ROM hack of Pokemon while I wait.

I'm not even sure I want a PS4 anymore. I would give up Destiny for this.

 

Looks very nice, though I already have a gaming-capable PC and I'll probably stick with that.

I've heard the concern that publishers like EA won't like this very much and might not release games for it, or try to limit them somehow? But that's just what I've heard, I'm not really sure how valid that concern is.

 

Now if EA would stop releasing games altogether, the world would be a much better place

 

EA already don't release new games on Steam. No Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age 2, etc.

Origin sucks on Linux. If you can get it running, then apparently it's as buggy as all hell. If you want to use it then you'll have to dual boot into Windows. Of course, EA wants Steam customers too, especially moneyed up ones who can afford a Steam Box, so perhaps we'll see them improving Linux support in the future if Steam OS becomes a success.

 

Fuck EA, seriously.

As for this, it's enough to jeopardize my plans for a PS4. Why would I do that, when I can just hook up my computer to my TV, especially as I already have the games.

 

If they can make it accessible for everyone, then I would probably buy it.

 

Oz: Meh, what's one more "linux-based" OS against the ton of already existing ones. Though hopefully they keep it decoupled enough that it might soon makes its way into the Debian repos? Because I doubt there's anything other than some specific hardware-based locking that can prevent that from happening, and that's not very "open" is it?

 

This is for people who want to game in the loungeroom. I expect that most people have their gaming PC in their study or a bedroom. The big TV is usually in the loungeroom. If you do manage to connect your PC to the TV anyway [and I don't know how; long HDMI cable maybe], then you've still got the issue of trying to use an input peripheral from the couch.

If you've got a gaming PC next to your big screen TV already, then SteamOS isn't for you.

This is not a replacement for a gaming PC. It's a HTPC. It's designed to complement your existing gaming PC so that you can game in the loungeroom. The free OS means that you can save $200 by not buying Windows and still be able to stream your media and games on your local network.

Steam Box is designed to replace your HTPC and maybe XBone/PS4. It brings console gaming to established PC gamers. If you tried using a SteamBox with SteamOS for gaming exclusively then you'd just end up frustrated by all of the magnificent Windows-only Steam games passing you by. It works best with a Windows machine, not instead of one.

For now.

Because we're finally going to see great 3D drivers on Linux, especially from nVidia. Because Valve's already spent a lot of programmer time fixing Linux bugs and inefficiencies. Because Linux will be a better place for gaming.

Even if you don't use SteamOS, they're still helping to improve the general Linux ecosystem.

As for why Valve are doing this, it's the same reason that Google made Android. Survival. Windows 8 is a step towards a much more closed off environment and by Windows 9 or 10 Steam is likely to end up ghettoised. The best explanation I've seen is this one:

 

[imgur]75GuNbI[/imgur]

This looks borderline unusable. What the fuck?

 

Actually, those pads look like they could be much more responsive than sticks, which will make it easier to play the types of games that have usually been restricted to PC. But the button placement is a bit awkward. Looks like it'll take some getting used to, anyway.

 

I hate every new controller that's ever been released since the NES. It takes me a while to get used to them and accept that they don't suck.

The SteamController has some awesome specs, but it looks a bit awkward to use. I'd especially want to feel how my hands hold up after a day of gaming with one. I've only seen one pic of someone holding the controller, but he's got his thumbs cocked [partly because of the recessed touch pads and partly because of the large wings] and it doesn't look comfortable.

I'll wait to use one before casting judgement though. Like I said, I'm always biased against new controllers at first. I certainly won't be throwing away my 360 controller for the games which are designed for it.

 

Looks like they put the wings on backwards. If it was the other way around I could see the controller being enormously comfortable but the way they have it currently looks like it'd be downright painful for your thumbs after just a few minutes or crap on your wrists.

 

I've never liked touchpads, and that thing just looks uncomfortable.

 

I'm willing to give Valve the benefit of the doubt for now. I've always disliked the stick controllers, and if they manage to make this work as well as they want it to, I'd definitely be interested.

 

The thing about controllers is that unless you've used one, you can't really tell how precise and accurate it's going to be.

Here's a relevant comment

 

High resolution force feedback on a pad is really interesting. If Valve managed to get it working properly, you should be able to 'feel' buttons underneath the trackpad as you run your thumb over it. That is pretty damn cool and an excellent way to sidestep the lack of face buttons.

It'll take some getting used to, but so did joysticks when they first replaced paddles, or d-pads when they replaced joysticks, or thumbsticks when they replaced d-pads.

 

Here's a first impression from Tommy Refenes, co-creator of Super Meat Boy. He's super-fussy about his controllers. Also, he's using it in this review like a regular gamepad on platform games. He doesn't touch on how well it would replace a mouse and keyboard setup tho - he's a platform gamer through and through.

http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/TommyRefenes/20130928/201219/My_time_with_the_Steam_Controller.php