Valve Reveals SteamOS
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
- Start date
If Valve built the OS from the kernel up, it's totally possible that they've programmed basic compatibility that works for a large chunk of the library.Nocturnus said:I never checked on that other thread. Sorry
Ah. Pretend I said nothing.
And, maybe. We'll have to see. Valve is saying that they have some publishers on board, so if they can actually make it a next-gen compatible OS with a comparable console, and it has all those games ready to go? You never know.
I don't see it eclipsing the current Console market, though. The "All Digital" route was tried by XBoxOne, and we saw how well that went with console gamers. PC Gamers wanting a living room alternative? Maybe. But it HAS to have the library to back it up, and that will require a lot of time. It won't be until that time is over until they can completely cut ties from Microsoft or Apple and call it their own deal.
Or maybe they'll hire CD Projekt to do it.
If game performance is better on the SteamOS than Windows then I'm all for it.
Odds are dual-booting a PC with SteamOS and Windows would essentially be a "gaming mode" for the computer. Frankly, I'm surprised this hasn't happened already. Consoles like Xbox and PlayStation are essentially computers with a dedicated gaming OS.
A computer running SteamOS is essentially a console except that the hardware can be customized.
Odds are dual-booting a PC with SteamOS and Windows would essentially be a "gaming mode" for the computer. Frankly, I'm surprised this hasn't happened already. Consoles like Xbox and PlayStation are essentially computers with a dedicated gaming OS.
A computer running SteamOS is essentially a console except that the hardware can be customized.
So the two remaining announcements are steambox and game sharing feature they've talked about? yay? I guess...
They're not trying to impress Linux users, they're trying to impress PC/console crossover-ers.Sgt. Sykes said:
I really hope so, personally i have no intention of buying a steambox but might use steamOS on my PC if it offer even the slightest advantage over windows. But... I don't think this will make Linux based OS more popular among the general public, for one PCs are reducing it's market share, but mainly because I don't see steamOS being a general use OS (like Ubuntu or Windows) but a very niche OS (more akin to a console OS).Daverson said:
But what do I know, might be wrong.
I would...If it was worth it. Most native Linux games would struggle to tax my PC, including nearly all Valve games and the demos which used the SDK Source 2013.Maxtro said:
Besides, they've still got a lot to explain before I even care. If it's going to look like Win 8, Valve can fuck right off.
Need more details obviously but not everything I want to play is on Steam. Not every good deal is on Steam. I just broke out of my ridiculous 5 year long "I'll only buy it if it registers on Steam" trance and I don't plan on falling back into it ever again.
And yeah, we're talking about Valve. The company that found a way to monetize profile customization by introducing trading cards.
PROFILE CUSTOMIZATION.
PROFILE CUSTOMIZATION.
As a Linux user I am impressed, most of us are if you bother to read more techy oriented sites like this article http://games.slashdot.org/story/13/09/23/177246/valve-announces-linux-based-steamos (yeah, yeah, slashdot being mainstream nowdays, whatever). But I get what you say, there are hardcore GNU purist that will take an affront, good thing no one cares about that and they will just throw a fit on a dark corner of the internet.lacktheknack said:
So this is why Gaben has been saying Linux will be the future of gaming. Whether or not that pans out remains to be seen. Doesn't seem likely when you still need a Windows machine on your network to run your huge backlog of existing games to stream over the network. Are they also putting effort into polishing wine's Direct3D support? This will be necessary if Linux is to ever truly take over. That's going to be quite a bit of work. There are so many bugs in it, both major and minor. Very few major Windows games on wine are a totally smooth experience right now.
Still unconvinced.
And will remain so until I see a strategy on how they're going to deal with DirectX.
Most PC games are still being build based on that instead of OpenGL ( and other APIs for sound, input etc. ). Older games are for a very large part build on DirectX. And DirectX is fully owned by Microsoft and only available on Windows.
I don't really see the use for an OS that's only going to be able to stream the vast majority of games because it itself doesn't have the supporting libraries to run them.
Are they going to do a push in the games industry at large for OpenGL along with OpenAL for sound and something else for Input? Maybe SDL instead? Are they going to make a deal with Microsoft to get some form of DirectX running on SteamOS?
Until I know whether or not SteamOS is going to be able to play all the games I own that require DirectX and, if not, if Valve's going to ensure that no future PC game ever is going to use DirectX SteamOS will just be a second choice that technical people install as a dual-boot. Why use an OS that can only run OpenGL games when there's an OS that runs both OpenGL and DirectX games?
There are enough great games I'm missing out on already due to exclusive status to the consoles. I don't want to massively increase that list by adding games using DirectX on top of it.
And will remain so until I see a strategy on how they're going to deal with DirectX.
Most PC games are still being build based on that instead of OpenGL ( and other APIs for sound, input etc. ). Older games are for a very large part build on DirectX. And DirectX is fully owned by Microsoft and only available on Windows.
I don't really see the use for an OS that's only going to be able to stream the vast majority of games because it itself doesn't have the supporting libraries to run them.
Are they going to do a push in the games industry at large for OpenGL along with OpenAL for sound and something else for Input? Maybe SDL instead? Are they going to make a deal with Microsoft to get some form of DirectX running on SteamOS?
Until I know whether or not SteamOS is going to be able to play all the games I own that require DirectX and, if not, if Valve's going to ensure that no future PC game ever is going to use DirectX SteamOS will just be a second choice that technical people install as a dual-boot. Why use an OS that can only run OpenGL games when there's an OS that runs both OpenGL and DirectX games?
There are enough great games I'm missing out on already due to exclusive status to the consoles. I don't want to massively increase that list by adding games using DirectX on top of it.
So - it'll be a box that'll let you play console games via your PC, on your TV.
Not a bad idea - it might be like an Ouya that actually sort of works as intended.
I doubt I'll get one any time soon - seeing as the closest thing I have to TV is my PC, but I can tell that this could very much allow console game manufacturers to to develop for a single platform (PC) which would allow them to constantly scale the hardware requirements, completely abolishing the idea of "console hardware generations"
Not a bad idea - it might be like an Ouya that actually sort of works as intended.
I doubt I'll get one any time soon - seeing as the closest thing I have to TV is my PC, but I can tell that this could very much allow console game manufacturers to to develop for a single platform (PC) which would allow them to constantly scale the hardware requirements, completely abolishing the idea of "console hardware generations"
I can't wait to hear Richard Stallman's response to this! I can hear the weeping and voodoo-stabbing already!Tanakh said:
not sure if i got this right but is this supposed to be a new and improved linux operating system for those who don't want to learn linux
or is it trying simply trying to imitate a console of some kind
either way it looks quite interesting, wouldn't replace my current OS but that's only because i spent 50 quid for windows 8 -.-
or is it trying simply trying to imitate a console of some kind
either way it looks quite interesting, wouldn't replace my current OS but that's only because i spent 50 quid for windows 8 -.-
At first I was thinking this was kind of lame, and it really is. Not really any point, it won't replace the Windows PC for those who desire one yet those are the games it's dealing with. And it won't replace the current living room gaming consoles as those are different games. It's too much of an extra expense to merit getting an extra machine, so.. pointless.
But then I got to thinking. With the rumours of a 'Steam Box', could we be about to see a gaming pc from Steam with the same model as the consoles?
As with the PS3,360 and upcoming gen, will Steam sell it's box at a loss? Will it rely on SteamOS integration and a practical monopoly on PC digital game sales to make up for it?
In other words, with the SteamOS / SteamBox combo, will we be seeing what may be the first cheap, manufacturer subsidized high-end gaming PC on the market? If that is where they're going with this it could be an amazing development for PC gaming.
Although , they should stop throwing Linux around as if it's a buzzword, it just makes non-nerds nervous when they need to be doing the opposite, selling it on the Steam integration and simplicity of getting games and drawing in the traditionally non-PC folk.
But then I got to thinking. With the rumours of a 'Steam Box', could we be about to see a gaming pc from Steam with the same model as the consoles?
As with the PS3,360 and upcoming gen, will Steam sell it's box at a loss? Will it rely on SteamOS integration and a practical monopoly on PC digital game sales to make up for it?
In other words, with the SteamOS / SteamBox combo, will we be seeing what may be the first cheap, manufacturer subsidized high-end gaming PC on the market? If that is where they're going with this it could be an amazing development for PC gaming.
Although , they should stop throwing Linux around as if it's a buzzword, it just makes non-nerds nervous when they need to be doing the opposite, selling it on the Steam integration and simplicity of getting games and drawing in the traditionally non-PC folk.