First Steam Machine Prototype Pictures Published

[Terramax]

Pardon my ignorance, but what does the steam machine do? Is it a stripped down pc optimized for gaming?

It's a gaming PC, you can change parts and do what you want, it comes loaded with a custom OS optimised for gaming and could be an excellent entry level gaming PC for the masses.

Provided they execute it right.

That is a good selling point. But do you have to use steam?

If you have to use steam, I'm officially not sold.

Looks standard in design but I wonder how long and how many more articles we'll get before people start spamming "consoles R ded" threads due to Valve fangasming.

I think that all started about 5 years ago.

 

[Billy D Williams]

Pardon my ignorance, but what does the steam machine do? Is it a stripped down pc optimized for gaming?

At heart its a console/PC hybrid. The intention is to bring all the advantages of PC gaming (cheaper titles, open Operating System, etc) to the console market and get rid of all the things that appear unattractive to them at the same time (building a PC, worrying about viruses, software updates, etc).

Whether it works or not, there is no denying that if it succeeds it could do amazing things for gaming.

As a side note, I don't really see whats wrong with the design. I mean its nothing flashy but it actually looks pretty cool in its simplicity. Right now PS4 is has this sleek, tilted look, Xbox his its weird little shinny pattern design all over it, but I like how this just looks like its saying 'Here is the power button. Press it and you get to play some awesome games, and I even put the USB ports up in the front for you. Have fun", and I'm not gonna lie I like that. Its not trying to be to flashy or sleek, its just trying to look like a game console. Which it is... sorta. But also a PC... I think...

 

[Storm Dragon]

It looks like a Xbone/360 hybrid painted black. Really Valve, what's with the VHS design? This is a legitimate question for the upcoming generation. Trying to fit in with the crowd?

Um it's a prototype, plus ultimately many different manufactures will exist so I imagine they will all have their own designs.. Also what do you want? Should it levitate in your livingroom and dispense ice cold sodas?

That wouldn't be necessary, but it would be awesome.

 

[Yopaz]

While I like the idea of my SteamBox dispensing ice-cold sodas - hey, let's reuse that cooling system - I do not, however, understand why so many people seem to care so much about what their entertainment systems' boxes look like. Why are you even looking at it? Tuck it away somewhere. The action's on the screen.

You know what a bad console is? One you spend time looking at. A good console? Well, you'll obviously busy using it for its purposes.

I do hope they add a coffee maker function on it though. Use the heat in a productive way rather than spending time getting rid of it.

 

[Not Matt]

Microsoft: "don't look at us"
Sony: "no, only we get to look at it"
VALVe: "hey guys, check it out. We got this thing"

Well, if I have to be honest. I kind of doubted they would go through with it and actually make it, shows how much I know. Best thing to do now is probably to start saving money.

 

[Pyrian]

You know what a ad console is?

...A box that displays lots of advertisements? Xbox, basically...

 

[lacktheknack]

Ya know, Valve should have called it the steam engine SOLEY to fuck with the google searches. Terrible business idea, but would have been hilarious.

To be fair, it's already mucked up my attempts to find that one Daft Punk song as is.

 

[Yopaz]

You know what a ad console is?

...A box that displays lots of advertisements? Xbox, basically...

Whoops, typo. My bad. At least you saved the joke.

 

[Strazdas]

Seriously, if the controller works as good as it seems and the box is as silent,

Whats the obsession with silent boxes. its not like any of the current ones are loud, well, except when your running a game from a disc, when the disc reader is loud, especially the eggsbox. I seriuosly dont understand why are people so obsessed with "silent box" when the games sounds are going to hide everything anyway.

It looks like a Xbone/360 hybrid painted black. Really Valve, what's with the VHS design? This is a legitimate question for the upcoming generation. Trying to fit in with the crowd?

Probably becuase VHS machine design is efficient for cooling, because such machine would create a lot of heat that needs to be efficiently removed, whole some curvy silly looking thing would make it a hell to keep it cool.
See it this way, would you rather have a ugly looking box hidden between other boxes in your room or a fire hazard?

Should it levitate in your livingroom and dispense ice cold sodas?

That would actually make me buy one.

sigh. So twenty years of computer and gaming console technological advancement has led to three cutting edge consoles that look like ... a computer from the late 1990s. Or a cake box.

I guess you cant improve perfection.

 

[Roxor]

That controller with a trackball on the underside on the right actually looks pretty good to me.

Actually, all controllers should have half a dozen buttons on the underside to hit with your fingertips. The thumb-centric approach is a poor use of a hand's bandwidth.

This is coming from someone who spent his childhood playing platformers under MS-DOS, so I'm probably a bit biased towards using fingers rather than thumbs. Even more so towards using the right hand for movement, rather than the left.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

The amount of people pooh poohing a prototypes design on this thread is both hilarious and saddening.

I for one am impressed on the form factor it has and wonder just how modifiable it is going to be.

 

[AldUK]

I'm looking forward to having Steam OS on my gaming PC, but I have no interest in the Steam Box. I have my PC already, yes to the software, no to the hardware.

 

[The White Hunter]

Pardon my ignorance, but what does the steam machine do? Is it a stripped down pc optimized for gaming?

It's a gaming PC, you can change parts and do what you want, it comes loaded with a custom OS optimised for gaming and could be an excellent entry level gaming PC for the masses.

Provided they execute it right.

That is a good selling point. But do you have to use steam?

If you have to use steam, I'm officially not sold.

Looks standard in design but I wonder how long and how many more articles we'll get before people start spamming "consoles R ded" threads due to Valve fangasming.

I think that all started about 5 years ago.

You can install windowas or other linux kernels or Ma-sniggers- Mac OSX on it if you want, it's a PC, it's an open box, you buy it and then do what you want so you can use steam, origin, GOG, gamersgatre, Green man Gaming, etc.

 

[SinisterDeath]

Whats the obsession with silent boxes. its not like any of the current ones are loud, well, except when your running a game from a disc, when the disc reader is loud, especially the eggsbox. I seriuosly dont understand why are people so obsessed with "silent box" when the games sounds are going to hide everything anyway.

I have a PS3.
It drones out my TV that isn't more than a foot away.
The Xbox 360, was a jet engine compared to my PS3.

So yea, Quiet = good.

 

[Terramax]

Pardon my ignorance, but what does the steam machine do? Is it a stripped down pc optimized for gaming?

It's a gaming PC, you can change parts and do what you want, it comes loaded with a custom OS optimised for gaming and could be an excellent entry level gaming PC for the masses.

Provided they execute it right.

That is a good selling point. But do you have to use steam?

If you have to use steam, I'm officially not sold.

Looks standard in design but I wonder how long and how many more articles we'll get before people start spamming "consoles R ded" threads due to Valve fangasming.

I think that all started about 5 years ago.

You can install windowas or other linux kernels or Ma-sniggers- Mac OSX on it if you want, it's a PC, it's an open box, you buy it and then do what you want so you can use steam, origin, GOG, gamersgatre, Green man Gaming, etc.

OK thanks.

 

[Requia]

I'm looking forward to having Steam OS on my gaming PC, but I have no interest in the Steam Box. I have my PC already, yes to the software, no to the hardware.

This is why I think it's going to be a success, everyone with a gaming PC, rudimentary computer skills, and a bit of curiosity as to SteamOS basically has a Steambox and just needs the controller. Valve has the indie content out of the gate thanks to good Linux support from the indie games scene, they barely have to make a sale to get the userbase, and once they have the userbase all they need is a box that'll run the idiotic pixel count race AAA games (to avoid a repeat of what happened to the Wii) to cinch the mainstream content.

Well, all that and about a month before it comes out I expect to hear the words 'Half Life 3 is coming out and it will be a Steambox exclusive'.

 

[LittleMikey]

I'm really looking forward to the Steam Box. I believe they have the power to really shake up the console industry, and seeing as both the PS4 and Xbone are just carbon copies of each other it will be nice to see what a new player can bring to the field.

Controllers were built partly with tools from Valve co-founder Gabe Newell's garage.

Hmm, that must mean that Gabe is clearing out more room in his garage to make way for the top secret development of Half-Life 3!