Does anyone even know what Steam Machines are?

[KazeAizen]

I'm being completely serious here. I know they've been popping up around gaming sites like this one for months now. I think they are supposed to be released soon but honestly does anyone have any idea what they are? They are supposed to bring a PC gaming experience to the living room right? Open source and what not. Then I hear of all these different versions made by like Alienware or some other computer company. Some running a ridiculous price only celebrities can pay for them. It seems like they are trying to tell us what they are but when you are like here is X,Y, and Z but they aren't like A,B, or C and yet they are all under the flag of "Steam machine" I think they are creating more confusion than clarification. So does anyone actually know what the hell these things are? I could tell you what the Ouya was and that was pretty weird. Not these things though.

 

[Mothhive]

Simply put, boxes that play PC games. There are many different shapes, sizes and levels of performance to choose from, just like with Smartphones, and people seem to have no problem picking out of all the numerous choices out there (hell, the Android platform is by far the most popular, even though there are dozens of phones to choose from, with big differences in performance and price). I really don't understand why some people are confused.

 

[DoPo]

So does anyone actually know what the hell these things are? I could tell you what the Ouya was and that was pretty weird. Not these things though.

Pre-build PCs bundled with a Steam controller and come with Steam OS. That's it. Think, say, Alienware PCs (as in "pre-built option") but anyone can get the license to build and sell them, so you get variety in the models. That's pretty much it, really.

 

[Island Dog]

I agree their messaging really isn't that clear to be people who might not be into PC gaming like some of us are. In my opinion, having multiple manufacturers is going to confuse the market even more.

They should have found a hardware partner, and made a dedicated Steam "machine" instead of 20 different models.

 

[scapefly]

hahaha I would have thought that it had something to do with the platform Steam... shows how much I know!
Thanks for the insight thought

 

[spartandude]

Essentially pre built PCs with Steam OS on them. The main selling point is that they are meant to be small (somewhere between a regular PC and a console in size) but they also had their prices increased for no seemingly good reason making them worthless compared to regular PCs.

I think the point was to have a small PC that could fit under your TV to entice console gamers. The problem is that the only people who really know anything about this are the PC gamers and they are already marking Steam Machines as shit or just not worth it.

 

[aozgolo]

SteamBoxes are in my mind a simple toolkit that allows multiple companies access to the console market. It's not really about valve, sure they provide the service, OS, and most importantly the games, but it's a more grand idea in the sense that you can now have consoles that are not proprietary to one manufacturer.

It isn't about bridging the gap between PC Gaming and Consoles, if anything whatever happens there is more unintended. It's real function I see is bridging the gap between consoles and every other piece of home entertainment device.

You want a TV? A Blu-ray player? A Digital Streaming Device? How about a Surround Sound System? You have hundreds of manufacturers to choose from! How about a video game console? Well... uhhh... there's about 3 choices, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft.

Now with SteamOS as an option, ANY manufacturer can produce their own console and release it, all with access to the same library of games, so no longer are you having competition between game exclusivity (which is on it's way out anyway) or hardware monopolizing, you can buy a SteamBox from YOUR preferred manufacturer with all the bells and whistles you personally want, and none you don't.

SteamBox is a home console, but it's more about Valve offering an open platform for manufacturers, not trying to "compete" in the console market, but giving us another option. Sure they'll be getting a huge slice of the pie since they reap the royalties of every software sale, but it's the manufacturers who will now have a chance of competing, but this early in the Steambox's life it'll mostly be competing with itself.

 

[likalaruku]

I am told that these "steam machines" will remove wrinkles from cotton clothing.

 

[Hiramas]

I really have high hopes for the steam machines.
Consoles have managed to get rid of all their advantages and as a life-time PC only gamer, i am really excited about the steam machines.
Though, of course, the new steam controller will never fully replace keyboard and mouse, you still need those for a lot of games like MMOs.
But i hope it will drive the PC market in a new direction. Games for Linux will be worth it for Publishers and Devs. That alone is a huge step!
And as far as I know, you can easily build your own steam machines with the SteamOS. Have a dualBoot PC, then.

Yes, you can criticize Steam for its DRM and the used-games Market Block, but even then a Steam-Console beats every PS4 or Xbox...
And yes, i am totally a fanboy for this!

 

[sXeth]

Its just a prebuilt gaming rig that happens to come with the SteamOS (Linux based) instead of Windows as the default installation and gets to borrow the name branding because of that. Probably a little (or massively) overpriced in comparison to making your own rig. Whether its a benefit or not really depends on whether the games you want to play (or whatever other apps you want to use) are available for Linux.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

I know what they are, and what they are capable of. If I may be as so bold to put it simply; They are glorified HDMI cables.

 

[barbzilla]

hahaha I would have thought that it had something to do with the platform Steam... shows how much I know!
Thanks for the insight thought

It does, it uses Steam's "big picture" mode, I believe, which makes it act more like a console (controller input). Steam is a very big part of STEAM MACHINES, because the Steam OS is built so that developers dont HAVE to use the Windows platform for their games.

Very true, but go to the steam store and filter by Linux games only, I'll wait.... back? Good, wasn't a very impressive selection was it? So, what people are basically paying for is a mid to high priced PC with Mid to High end components that will run an OpenSource (I.E. Free) Operating System, while running Steam DRM and using a Steam Controller. Did I get that right?

Here is the thing, unless they fix the SteamOS to be able to run Windows only DX9-11 games, there really isn't going to be much of a market for it. The people who buy one will likely want to set up a dual boot with SteamOS and Windows XP or 7, and for the most part, the people who are able to do such are already able to build their own PCs for a fraction of the cost in the first place.

The main advantage of a console is that the company making them tends to take a loss when they sell one in order to get good parts out there for a reasonable price (though that eventually takes a turn) combined with the fact that the hardware is the same in each device making it a breeze for Devs to actually optimize their software. Steambox on the other hand will do none of those, and I have a feeling we are going to see most games sticking with the Windows format since that will likely remain the primary OS for PC users.

The whole idea sounds like Valve just decided to say "I can't come up with any good ideas for the Steambox, so lets just make a bunch of different PCs and see what sticks", and is likely going to end up failing (unless there is some aspect of Steambox that we have not been told about as of yet).

 

[aozgolo]

Despite communities like this generally dismissing the Steambox as pointless or poorly thought out, I'd say we have to wait and see what the different manufacturers do with it. Valve has a lot of brand loyalty, as does many of the manufacturers making Steam Boxes, so really it comes down to "let's see what they can do", as we can't really call anything this early.

I mean if someone tried to tell you right after last year's E3 that the XBONE would ship 3 million units in 2013 you'd have laughed in their face.

 

[Hiramas]

Very true, but go to the steam store and filter by Linux games only, I'll wait.... back? Good, wasn't a very impressive selection was it? So, what people are basically paying for is a mid to high priced PC with Mid to High end components that will run an OpenSource (I.E. Free) Operating System, while running Steam DRM and using a Steam Controller. Did I get that right?

Here is the thing, unless they fix the SteamOS to be able to run Windows only DX9-11 games, there really isn't going to be much of a market for it. The people who buy one will likely want to set up a dual boot with SteamOS and Windows XP or 7, and for the most part, the people who are able to do such are already able to build their own PCs for a fraction of the cost in the first place.

Have you seen the PS4/xboxone launch lineups? One catastrophe after an other. Also, SteamOS will encourage devs to develop for Linux which can only be an advantage for us gamers.
Also, as far as i understand it, SteamOS will be free and open source and you can make your own steam machine.

The main advantage of a console is that the company making them tends to take a loss when they sell one in order to get good parts out there for a reasonable price (though that eventually takes a turn) combined with the fact that the hardware is the same in each device making it a breeze for Devs to actually optimize their software. Steambox on the other hand will do none of those, and I have a feeling we are going to see most games sticking with the Windows format since that will likely remain the primary OS for PC users.

The whole idea sounds like Valve just decided to say "I can't come up with any good ideas for the Steambox, so lets just make a bunch of different PCs and see what sticks", and is likely going to end up failing (unless there is some aspect of Steambox that we have not been told about as of yet).

Its hard to find a game on steam that wont run right away on a pc that has the minimum specs.
Ok, PC games have a much higher diversity when talking about minimum specs, but still.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

i'm guessing they're gaiming optimised PC's, trying to create a uniform standard.
i.e. different tier machines will play games at different graphic levels.

as for different compnies making them; well different companies make PC's. you wouldn't snub bluray players because companies other than Sony produce them, or android phones because someone other than Google made it.

 

[laggyteabag]

I always thought of it as the PC trying to compete with consoles for the living room space, hence why every Steambox comes with a Steam controller. The way I view this is that Steamboxes should aim to be a similar size and price to a console, which is why I get confused when they advertise a Steambox that is over ~$600.

Technically however, anything can be a steambox, they can be as big or small as they like, and they can have whatever the hell they want inside of it, all it needs is a licence from Valve and to be bundled with Steam OS and a Controller, but I feel like you may as well just get a PC if you're planning on splashing a huge amount of money on something like that.

 

[Petromir]

Very true, but go to the steam store and filter by Linux games only, I'll wait.... back? Good, wasn't a very impressive selection was it? So, what people are basically paying for is a mid to high priced PC with Mid to High end components that will run an OpenSource (I.E. Free) Operating System, while running Steam DRM and using a Steam Controller. Did I get that right?

Ish, it will also allow you to run any non steam programs/games that have a suitible linux version. You are also free to use any controller that you can connect and get drivers for (and dirivers will likely appear for msot things even if only quasi officially)

Here is the thing, unless they fix the SteamOS to be able to run Windows only DX9-11 games, there really isn't going to be much of a market for it. The people who buy one will likely want to set up a dual boot with SteamOS and Windows XP or 7, and for the most part, the people who are able to do such are already able to build their own PCs for a fraction of the cost in the first place.

Or more games get written to use alternatives to directx (opengl springs to mind). SteamOS won't just have to rely on its own market to provide market share to persudade people to provide non-windows version, the biggest barrier is directx. Start coding in opengl for example and you get the mac and linux markets, and it will still work on windows, who in gaming terms are unplumbed becasue of directx, it not like they tend to be substantially differnt machines anymore.

The main advantage of a console is that the company making them tends to take a loss when they sell one in order to get good parts out there for a reasonable price (though that eventually takes a turn) combined with the fact that the hardware is the same in each device making it a breeze for Devs to actually optimize their software. Steambox on the other hand will do none of those, and I have a feeling we are going to see most games sticking with the Windows format since that will likely remain the primary OS for PC users.

Almost self defeating point here. Largely the biggest difference between a linux desktop/laptop, a mac desktop/laptop and a windows one is the OS, parts wise they are largely identical, the amount of hardware variation you'd bring in is minimal (the linux parts are pretty much all 'PC' parts and the mac parts differ little, and due to the hardware nature of macs those that arent effectively identical ad so little variation as to be negligable).

Large parts of the PC gaming market would happily jump ship from windows (mostly to linux based solutions, though those who have a mac for work purposes wtc would love to drop windows boots for games) if the market would let them. SteamOS therfore has to only nudge open the door before it gets swept along.

The whole idea sounds like Valve just decided to say "I can't come up with any good ideas for the Steambox, so lets just make a bunch of different PCs and see what sticks", and is likely going to end up failing (unless there is some aspect of Steambox that we have not been told about as of yet).

What it is is Valve saying we want people to chose a PC gaming solution that suits them. If we set up a scheme to identify possible solutions, and support companies that want to offer them, then thatb will work better than attempting a one size fits all fudge.


It's biggest problem is getting over the message that its not supposed to be a one size fits all restricted thing.