First Steam Machine Prototype Pictures Published

[weirdee]

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?

don't think prototype cases necessarily reflect the final design

 

[Jamash]

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.

What cutting edge and innovative way would you design a horizontal rectangular box?

The reason they're this shape is because it's the best shape for their function. A pyramid make look more interesting, but it wouldn't fit into an entertainment unit underneath a TV and you'd have a hard time getting all the components to fit whilst maintaining proper air flow.

The Ouya can get away with being a cube because it has few moving parts and internally there's not a lot to it.

For mass produced consoles that are essentially PCs which are designed to fit underneath a TV, the horizontal rectangular box is the most practical and efficient shape.

Complained about the uninspired shape is a bit like complain that bicycle design is stagnant because they all feature circular wheels.

 

[Alfador_VII]

Interesting, but not very relevant picture, given that it's just a prototype thus far.

But they're definitely missing a trick not calling it the Steam Engine

 

[synobal]

Interesting, but not very relevant picture, given that it's just a prototype thus far.

But they're definitely missing a trick not calling it the Steam Engine

Valve doesn't want to confuse steam punk enthusiasts.

 

[josemlopes]

Who cares what it looks like?

They need to show demo's of them using the controller on older games, like UT1999, Jedi Knight Dark Forces 2 or Longest Journey. I don't care if you can get it to work with Portal 2, that game works with my wired 360 controller.

Show us the controllers vaunted compatibility.

Exactly, Im really curious about this too as there are some older games that I wouldnt mind playing with a controller.

 

[Vivi22]

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?

It's a prototype. Wasting money making a prototype of the hardware look like anything other than a box would be a waste.

EDIT: My god the number of people complaining about a PROTOTYPE looking bland is hilarious.

 

[Vigormortis]

Trackballs underneath the controller? Thin touchbars used as scrollers? An all touch-surface controller? Valve, you crazy.

I know... I spent 5 goddamn minutes of my life starting at those controllers and thinking "Why are there trackballs where I'm supposed to have enough fingers to both use the surface buttons, grip the handles and now use a trackball on the underside?"

Actually this gives me an idea. Valve are going to market free "upgrades' for peoples hands that have extra fingers just to use all of the buttons! They will also be the first hands that are fully compatible with the N64 controller!

Oh god, if they actually did this.

The things I could do... The skills I could gain...

Even outside the bedroom.

<.<

 

[sneakypenguin]

If the Steam Machine gains popularity it could really change PC gaming. For the first time in the history of PC gaming, PC games will be made for a standardized hardware. Sure you can change it and run your own configuration, but the games will probably be made for the default Steam Machine in mind.

Except that standardized HW is essentially the same as any other pc. IIRC valves SM prototypes/standards called for gtx 660 up to a titan. Pretty much your entry lvl card up to a beast. IDT they will have a whole lot of effect on the pc game market.

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

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.

 

[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.