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Valve Unveils the First-Gen Steam Machines

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Valve Unveils the First-Gen Steam Machines

from JoeUser Forums

Valve has released more info and partner information on the first-gen Steam Machines at CES this week.

“Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Counter-Strike, Dota 2, Half-Life, Left 4 Dead, Portal, and Team Fortress) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced over one dozen Steam Machine designs now in production from leading manufacturers and targeted for release in 2014.

The lineup of Steam Machines announced today offers a wide variety of price and performance options made possible by the Steam Machine’s open design, with systems starting as low as $499 and top end systems rivaling today’s bleeding edge gaming PCs.

Every Steam Machine includes an innovative Steam Controller designed for use with a wide variety of game genres, and is powered by the SteamOS, a custom OS built atop Linux.”

The companies who will be creating Steam Machines are:

  • Alienware
  • Alternate
  • CyberPowerPC
  • Digital Storm
  • Falcon NW
  • GigaByte
  • iBuyPower
  • Maingear
  • Materiel.net
  • Next Spa
  • Origin PC
  • Scan
  • Webhallen
  • Zotac

What are your thoughts on these Steam Machines?  Do you plan on buying one, or maybe building your own?

1-8-2014 10-14-19 AM

199,130 views 46 replies
Reply #26 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Heavenfall, reply 24

I did! And I was equally surprised to see Webhallen on the list.
End of Heavenfall's quote

 

Haha I thought so! :)

 

Me too. I mean, Webhallen is "just" a retailer that also builds computers. Bet everybody on CES that saw them went: "What is Webhallen?"

Reply #27 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Cauldyth, reply 6


Quoting Heavenfall, reply 3And you're dreaming about linux becoming the "dominant" platform. That's a joke.

You're correct, it was a joke.

 
End of Cauldyth's quote

But we can wish, can't we?

Seriously, MS has us by the short and curlies. Wouldn't it be nice to have an alternative?

The Political Machine 2024
Reply #28 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Biggest problem with the steambox imo, is the Linux. It prevents the majority of steam games to be played on the box... Kind of self defeats its own purpose.

Reply #29 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I thought steam has linux games now, and the list is growing. :)

 

Reply #30 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Replicators, reply 28

Biggest problem with the steambox imo, is the Linux. It prevents the majority of steam games to be played on the box... Kind of self defeats its own purpose.
End of Replicators's quote

 

 

You can be certain they're trying to get as many games as possible to work in linux. Otherwise their SteamOS will not become popular.

Reply #31 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Azmodean77, reply 29

I thought steam has linux games now, and the list is growing.

 
End of Azmodean77's quote

 

480 games available for Linux. A tiny number compared to the rest.

Reply #32 from Sins Forums Top

    The biggest problem for desktop PC gamers:

Since most will use these machines with a controller will mouse/keyboard UI's be an afterthought?

Reply #33 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Replicators, reply 31


Quoting Azmodean77, reply 29
I thought steam has linux games now, and the list is growing.
 
480 games available for Linux. A tiny number compared to the rest.
End of Replicators's quote

 

even if every single title from here on now work under linux, it'll still take years before people ditch their back catalogue. practically guaranteed the devs won't back port their old games to linux. most of them won't even dump the gwfl that's on its way out. it'll take years for steam os to get mainstream.

Reply #34 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

IF I'm not mistaken, idea of Steambox is to stream your Windows games from your stationary PC on Steambox, to bypass Linux incompatibility problems. For those who want to play in living room/laying on the bad with gabepad. Don't get usual complain on "uncomfortable seating position". Well, buy good chair and play in comfortobable position - seat back and relax, while playing with mouse and keyboard. :)

As for Linux - most of the studios I'm interested it are already porting their games there, so...

Reply #35 from Elemental Forums Top

Things you need to do to win in the Console game:

1. Have a better controller than the Microsoft or SONY

2. Have more/better titles than Microsoft or SONY

Hardware & OS are largely irrelevant.

 

As far as I can tell, the SteamBox has neither. It's a niche product for people who want to pay $1000 to stream games from their computer to the TV. That's some niche. :(O

 

Reply #36 from Elemental Forums Top

1. By people trying out the Steam controller it is supposed to be revolutionary and next step and it will only get better in time.

2. At the moment the number of SteamOS supported games is weaker then Xbox or PSX, but in time it will have a better selection. And we will need to see how this streaming will work. Number of good games on PC by far overshadows both Xbox and PS. 

Reply #37 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

The biggest problem with linux is hardware utilization. Since OpenGL can not utilize GPU to fully. And DirectX is Windows/XBox exclusive.


This problem will be resolved when Notrous engine is going to be released. That is one bigest problem linux have with 3d graphics.

 

If there is going to be a game exclusive to SteamOS, then i can just install SteamOS on current PC.

Reply #38 from Elemental Forums Top

nitrous will still be using opengl/dx/mantle/etc, no?

Reply #39 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Yes nitrous will be using those, but the future is in Mantle API. It is going to be multiplatform. One drawbacks is that there won't be any special effect in Mantle API. Only effects will be avaible as engine such as nitrous are going to have. As i have heard, Mantle is going to be API to bridge CPU and GPU. It will be up to engine (nitrous) to handle drawing and effects.

Reply #40 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting alaknebs, reply 33


Quoting Replicators, reply 31

Quoting Azmodean77, reply 29

 

even if every single title from here on now work under linux, it'll still take years before people ditch their back catalogue.

End of alaknebs's quote

Yes, but a problem with the world is games break, and it will eventually happen. Not to mention some people pay for convience.

Quoting alaknebs, reply 33

 

practically guaranteed the devs won't back port their old games to linux. most of them won't even dump the gwfl that's on its way out.

End of alaknebs's quote

Pity because people especially Linux users will pay for old games.

Quoting alaknebs, reply 33

it'll take years for steam os to get mainstream.

End of alaknebs's quote

Two things

1. It depends on people realizing the flexibility of computers over consoles.

2. Depends on how popular steam is, and how available they make games.

Quoting sweatyboatman, reply 35

Things you need to do to win in the Console game:

1. Have a better controller than the Microsoft or SONY

End of sweatyboatman's quote

Am a fan of the mouse.

Quoting sweatyboatman, reply 35


2. Have more/better titles than Microsoft or SONY

End of sweatyboatman's quote

This is one irritating thing. Game companies won't sell their games on the computer, and game stores won't sell computer games.

Quoting sweatyboatman, reply 35


Hardware & OS are largely irrelevant.

End of sweatyboatman's quote

More or less, but it is nice to pretend that someday someone will finally design games that will finally fully utilize the computer. Windows doesn't even do this. I do understand that you would have to have a smart game that would be able to identify the resources, or a flexible platform for many different kinds of hardware. One can dream right.

Quoting sweatyboatman, reply 35


 

As far as I can tell, the SteamBox has neither. It's a niche product for people who want to pay $1000 to stream games from their computer to the TV. That's some niche.

 
End of sweatyboatman's quote

Sad to say, but people easily pay this for Playstation or Xbox systems already.

Quoting bsaksida, reply 37

The biggest problem with linux is hardware utilization. Since OpenGL can not utilize GPU to fully. And DirectX is Windows/XBox exclusive.


This problem will be resolved when Notrous engine is going to be released. That is one bigest problem linux have with 3d graphics.

 

If there is going to be a game exclusive to SteamOS, then i can just install SteamOS on current PC.
End of bsaksida's quote

You can bypass this by utilizing the language instead of openGl.

Reply #41 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting TorinReborn, reply 36

1. By people trying out the Steam controller it is supposed to be revolutionary and next step and it will only get better in time.
End of TorinReborn's quote

Yeah, yeah. And Burger King fries are better than McDonald's fries. I generally find marketing hype unreliable. If they make a better controller, bully for them. Hopefully MS/Sony will notice and rip them off/license their tech so the rest of us can enjoy it.


Quoting TorinReborn, reply 36

2. At the moment the number of SteamOS supported games is weaker then Xbox or PSX, but in time it will have a better selection. And we will need to see how this streaming will work. Number of good games on PC by far overshadows both Xbox and PS. 
End of TorinReborn's quote

The number of good console games on PC (that aren't ports of console games and that haven't been ported) is small/approaching zero.

Where are these games going to come from? Someone has to make them. If you're spending $Millions to develop a PC game, you're not going to target the SteamBox. If you're spending $Millions to develop a console game, you're not going to target the SteamBox.

Quoting admiralWillyWilber, reply 40
Am a fan of the mouse.
End of admiralWillyWilber's quote

Me too! But not on a console. I'm pretty sure that if you want to play games with a keyboard and a mouse, you <i>definitely</i> shouldn't buy a SteamBox. You don't need to buy one, because you're sitting the equivalent right now.

Reply #42 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting sweatyboatman, reply 41


Quoting TorinReborn, reply 36

Yeah, yeah. And Burger King fries are better than McDonald's fries.

End of sweatyboatman's quote

I find that any meat that comes from Mcdonalds gives me a stomach ache.

Quoting sweatyboatman, reply 41

I generally find marketing hype unreliable. If they make a better controller, bully for them. Hopefully MS/Sony will notice and rip them off/license their tech so the rest of us can enjoy it.

End of sweatyboatman's quote

Personally I dream of a world that everyone especially software vendors remember the flexibility of the computer, and decide that computers are superior to consoles.

Quoting sweatyboatman, reply 41




Quoting TorinReborn, reply 36
2. At the moment the number of SteamOS supported games is weaker then Xbox or PSX, but in time it will have a better selection. And we will need to see how this streaming will work. Number of good games on PC by far overshadows both Xbox and PS. 

The number of good console games on PC (that aren't ports of console games and that haven't been ported) is small/approaching zero.

Where are these games going to come from? Someone has to make them. If you're spending $Millions to develop a PC game, you're not going to target the SteamBox. If you're spending $Millions to develop a console game, you're not going to target the SteamBox.

End of sweatyboatman's quote

What can you clarify? Anyone heard of Spore or the Matrix. I heard of others the problem is that the grafics are not as good on a console as a computer this doesn't discount what a programmer can do with the grafics he has.

Quoting TorinReborn, reply 36


Quoting admiralWillyWilber, reply 40Am a fan of the mouse.

Me too! But not on a console. I'm pretty sure that if you want to play games with a keyboard and a mouse, you <i>definitely</i> shouldn't buy a SteamBox. You don't need to buy one, because you're sitting the equivalent right now.[/quote]

Agree I would probaqbly check out a steam operating system though this would at least give me an excuse to go to Linux. I'm really irritated with Bill gates turning computers into tablets.

Reply #43 from Stardock Forums Top

Latest news.

http://www.maximumpc.com/how_steam_machines_are_running_out_steam_2014

There may have been an Internet aww released when Valve officially said the Steam controller will “realistically” be delayed until 2015, but for those with skin in the game, the news couldn’t be worse.

According to numerous Steam Machine hardware vendors, official Steam Machines wouldn’t be sanctioned by Valve unless the PCs are shipped with the Steam controller. When you do the math, this essentially means the Steam Machines themselves are delayed from their projected Q4 2014 release until some unspecified time in 2015.

Reply #44 from Sins Forums Top

I question the sanity of hardware vendors that would "assume" Valve will get a release date and stick it before even giving one when they can't even do that for software.  Episode 3 should have been a gigantic "don't stockpile stuff yet" warning sign.

Reply #45 from Elemental Forums Top

funniest thing is that none of the hardware makers are expecting any sort of decent profit from steam machines. delay or no delay.

Reply #46 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

IMO every competition is good for the consumer. Steam brings competition both in terms of hardware and OS and both are very welcome. If Steam box will let me use it as a regular PC, I might even go for it...