Valve's plan

[Laughing Man]

It might help if people stopped assuming the purpose of the SteamMachines is for them to be "Playstation/Xbox/Wii" killers.

Except that while Valve won't openly admit it no company goes in to the cost and time of developing a whole new OS without the intention of capturing a portion of a market share and thus the money that goes with it. While it is fantastic to think that Valve are being altruistic with it's Steam OS the reality is that they are aiming the OS at a market share that is currently the occupied by Sony and MS, a device that integrates in to the living room and can be used for multiple purposes; gaming, movies, music.

The more Steam OS they shift the more money they make through Steam store sales for addon products, at the moment that is gaming and the odd program but with film streaming services you can bet your ass that Steam will want a cut of anything that goes through their Steam service.

Where the Steam OS falls flat on it's face is with gaming exclusives, no one is going to develop a purely Linux based game, they will make a Windows build and then convert it and then you have the back catalogue issue. It's an OS that is built around Steam ergo the assumption is that you're current Steam account plus all it's games should work on it except that they won't, you'll either need someone to convert them (none of the big publishers will waste the time or cash on that) or you need a second PC running Windows from which to stream the games. An issue that neither the XBone or the PS4 suffers from.

Valve aren't doing this for the good of the gaming world, they are doing it for cash plain and simple but so far the news they have announced is less than stellar. If you ever wanted proof of this concept take a look at the next big name title that Valve release, I bet my arse that it will be available for both Windows PC as well as Steam OS.

 

[Souplex]

While Steam is relatively profitable, the PC market is small potatoes compared to the console market, and they know this.
Seems reasonable that they let PC gaming die with dignity.

 

[clippen05]

While Steam is relatively profitable, the PC market is small potatoes compared to the console market, and they know this.
Seems reasonable that they let PC gaming die with dignity.

If only you knew how wrong you were... the PC market is growing if anything, sure, its still not as big as console gaming but its certainly growing. It won't be dying anytime soon... sorry to break it to you.

 

[Itchi_da_killa]

I am only interested dual booting into Steam's OS and using that controller on my own rig.

 

[Mersadeon]

It isn't about immediately having a huge share in the PC market. Quite a few gamers will pick one up out of curiosity, and even if it isn't paying for itself right off the bat - Valve has the money to wait and bleed a little until it becomes profitable. They establish themselves in the prebuilt hardware market. And if they actually manage to be better at running games than windows, they will grow a userbase.

So, I think Valve is in it for the long game - this might not pay off immediately, but once they manage to show people they have an actual edge over traditional stuff (if they have such an edge), they could make a lot in the long run.

 

[DoPo]

It might help if people stopped assuming the purpose of the SteamMachines is for them to be "Playstation/Xbox/Wii" killers.

Except that while Valve won't openly admit it no company goes in to the cost and time of developing a whole new OS without the intention of capturing a portion of a market share and thus the money that goes with it.

Except they are not making a whole new OS, they are releasing a new Linux distro.

no one is going to develop a purely Linux based game, they will make a Windows build and then convert it and then you have the back catalogue issue.

Except that's provably untrue, as there are people who don't do that. OK, I'm not entirely sure on the "purely Linux" but you are aware of multiplatform games, right? That AREN'T being made for Windows and then ported but multiplatform games that are intended as such from the get-go.

It's an OS that is built around Steam ergo the assumption is that you're current Steam account plus all it's games should work on it except that they won't

Except you know that's not how it currently works, right? If you're on Mac, you don't have 100% of the Steam library.

An issue that neither the XBone or the PS4 suffers from.

Except, remind me - are both of these currently 100% backwards compatible?

If you ever wanted proof of this concept take a look at the next big name title that Valve release, I bet my arse that it will be available for both Windows PC as well as Steam OS.

Except the Source engine is multiplatform now, as are Valve's games that run on it, so let me make it clear: YES IT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON WINDOWS, TOO - YOU MUST BE A PROPHET.

Make an exception and try to not be...this wrong.

 

[Something Amyss]

1) I own a gaming machine, I will likely either buy a streaming machine or build my own.

If you might build your own, it sort of helps make the case for why it's not necessary.

2) Since when has exclusives completely driven sales of any product?

If Nintendo didn't have exclusives, like 12 people would own the console. Halo kept the Xbox franchise alive.

3) I don't own, plan to own, or expect to be given a Wii, Ps4, or xbox.

That's nice, but the poster talks about most people. considering the next gen launch is expected to be one of the biggest ever (if not THE biggest), I'd say he's accurate.

they are expanding the PC to the livingroom, and livingroom play primarly through their new controller.

Honestly, I have a PC that hooks up to my TV. I have a controller. I'm not sure where the "expansion" comes in. Even if the new contorller is awesome, that doesn't justify the Steam Machine.

 

[Elberik]

I could list a litany of reasons as to why all three of your assertions are just patently ridiculous, but I really don't want to waste my time with this topic anymore. I'm sick of having to explain the intentions behind the Steam Machines and SteamOS to people who either haven't taken the time to research it on their own (and still feel the need to make assumptions) or who have already made up their minds and are just ruffling feathers. I really am. Especially when there's a hefty, readily available, amount of info around the web covering these points.

If you looked a little deeper into what these things are and what Valve themselves have said about their intentions with them then you wouldn't be asking those questions. You might amend them to cover more relevant questions, but you wouldn't be asking them as they are now.

So you disagree but you won't explain why. Please provide links to the information I have apparently missing. If you don't have anything to contribute besides "I think you're wrong" then don't waste your time and others'.

 

[michael87cn]

Why purchase a smart phone? Can't a PC do better?

Why purchase anything BUT a pc, really?

This is your argument?

 

[Amnesiac Pigeon]

I still see the controller being useful for more comfortable gaming.

Which I guess makes Valves push into hardware successful? I mean. Its the only part they're making themselves.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Looking into this new Steam Machine & Valve's other announcements I've come to the following conclusions:
1) If you already own a gaming PC there's no reason to buy it.
Am I wrong?

No, but.

The potential draw of a 'real' gaming PC, that can play PC games for games console(ish) money is huge. Stuff like TF2 and even the big MMOs don't really exist on consoles, or if they do exist it's in a cut down form. There's no truly hardcore racing sims (although GT is mighty close) and there's no user content driven stuff like Counter Strike or Trackmania (although Halo/Forge is again pretty close). If the Steam Box is a 'cheap' way into that world there is a market for it.

The hard part is convincing third party publishers that they want to be on it and by extension be on Linux. EA is out right from the get go after their spectacular fall out with Valve over Origin and expansion sales, the rest of them will probably be in for a limited selection of Triple A titles, they all got somewhat burned by not being on Steam early enough, they're unlikely to repeat that mistake.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm considering buying one because it looks like a really cool hack-box.

I'm considering buying one because I hate Microsoft increasingly and welcome the Linux revolution with open arms.

I'm considering buying one because it has more options than a console.

I'm considering buying one because it might show us all how to do streaming right.

I'm considering buying one because Linux is easier to code for than Windows, meaning I might actually learn how to program games.

I'm considering buying one because I already have a huge library for it.

Most importantly, though, I'm considering buying one to spite quite a few people.

Also, my friend's considering getting one because he's intimidated by PCs, so this is a good compromise for his interests.

 

[Elberik]

Why purchase a smart phone? Can't a PC do better?

Why purchase anything BUT a pc, really?

This is your argument?

My point is: besides giving it their blessing, Valve has done nothing to make this product more appealing than what already exists. It doesn't do or provide anything that isn't already accomplished by a pre-existing product.

 

[lacktheknack]

Why purchase a smart phone? Can't a PC do better?

Why purchase anything BUT a pc, really?

This is your argument?

My point is: besides giving it their blessing, Valve has done nothing to make this product more appealing than what already exists. It doesn't do or provide anything that isn't already accomplished by a pre-existing product.

I wasn't aware there were small boxes capable of streaming gameplay from my behemoth PC to my TV.

Also, what a terrible attitude! That's like saying "This 'automobile' isn't useful because a good fast horse does the same thing." You and I don't really know what a Steam Machine is directly capable of until we try it. It might blow other devices out of the water. it might not.

It WILL, however, support an entirely moddable controller, moddable chassis and innards, and moddable software, so this is all very fascinating to my inner modder.

 

[Saulkar]

As near as I can tell I do not know.

From all that I read on Valve's sites and around the web it is no different than a normal PC in an abnormally small, but still already existing, form factor. It really has nothing exclusive to it as its controller and new OS can be installed on your already existing PC. Personally I think it would be cheaper to purchase a Mini-ITX case right now and build it yourself then install Steam OS on it when it is released than purchasing a Steambox. Just plop it down beside your TV, hook up the HDMI cable, plug in the controller, voila!

If you are not confident enough to build your own PC then I really cannot see how the Steambox will be all that more cheaper than a prebuilt PC of equivalent hardware.

You could go either or.

 

[barbzilla]

Let me make this nice and simple. They are making a device to play PC games cheaply by streamlining the systems towards gaming (including drivers). This will allow you to buy cheaper ready made parts or whole devices to play the same games that you see on the steam store currently, but with the added functionality of the SteamOS and controller on your television.

Is it some giant leap in gaming? No, but it is a step forward for those of us who are PC gamers who want to move towards the consoles, but feel that the current consoles are way too restrictive.

 

[zumbledum]

Looking into this new Steam Machine & Valve's other announcements I've come to the following conclusions:
1) If you already own a gaming PC there's no reason to buy it.
2) Valve does not intend to make exclusive titles for the Steam Machine so there's no reason to buy it.
3) When it comes out most people will already have a WiiU/Xbox1/PS4 or some combination of the 3 so there wont be any reason to buy it.

Am I wrong?

1. well no NEED , but if you want to have your pc games on the TV its one of the solutions, and who knows what otehr features its going to come with.

2.The two biggest games in the world LOL and World of Warcraft will be exclusive to the steam box, the thousands of PC games available on steam feature hundreds if not thousands of exclusives.
you hear about console exclusives because MS and sony take huge piles of your cash and buy them then they shout about it. PC exclusives happen because they cant run on consoles and its not a marketing point for anyone so no one shouts about it.

reasons to buy a steambox over or aswell as any other console.

1. Biggest catalogue in the history of consoles available at release. its coming to market with 20 years of PC gaming as its launch line up.

2.Cost , because its not a closed system valve wont be charging publishers that 20 dollar licencing fee on each copy sold. so you will be paying PC prices for release games not console prices. if you buy around 15 "AAA" games thats probably paid for the console.

3 it operates under a free market not the monopolistic situation on consoles. anyone will be able to bring games to market. GoG , green man gaming all distros will be able to supply at will unlike with MS and sony where each product has to be approved. competition is good for us. see the sales in the PC market place, it will be the only console to feature these.

3rd part peripherals. a host of manufacturers ie not being forced to buy a kinect you dont want because people are free to make a version without it.

4 its all open source, hackable ,modifiable , configurable


its basically going to be a console with all the advantages of being a PC

 

[Vivi22]

1) If you already own a gaming PC there's no reason to buy it.

I don't know, I could quite see the value of being able to stream console ports to the TV from the desktop, or playing them directly from the Steam Machine.

2) Valve does not intend to make exclusive titles for the Steam Machine so there's no reason to buy it.

Valve not making exclusives doesn't mean no exclusives. And since they'll play PC exclusive titles anyway, and exclusives have become fairly rare these days and are only going to become more uncommon, I don't see the issue. But an open development platform will almost certainly attract a lot of attention from smaller developers. Possibly even more so than Microsoft and Sony have been shooting for lately.

3) When it comes out most people will already have a WiiU/Xbox1/PS4 or some combination of the 3 so there wont be any reason to buy it.

Since they said beta testers would have their machines late this year and they'll be making major announcements in early January at CES, I don't think it's a stretch to say it could be released as early as next fall/winter. And I can absolutely guarantee that most people will not have a WiiU/XBone/PS4 or any combination of the 3. By this time next year, I'll be surprised if all of them combined have sold more than 15 million units at most. That is extremely far from being most people and anything Valve releases will very much still be in the running.

Am I wrong?

Yes, on pretty much every point.

 

[Vivi22]

My point is: besides giving it their blessing, Valve has done nothing to make this product more appealing than what already exists. It doesn't do or provide anything that isn't already accomplished by a pre-existing product.

An inexpensive pre-built PC capable of streaming games from another desktop to your TV or playing games natively while offering a completely open development architecture and operating system is providing nothing you can't get with pre-existing products? Name anything that provides those features. Anything at all. Because you won't get that with a Windows PC, a Linux PC, or any console. Not everything in one place.

 

[bug_of_war]

One thing I as a gamer have realized is that some games are just meant to be played with a controller and others are better suited to being played with a traditional mouse and keyboard. I don't see the SteamBox as a replacement for a console or a gaming PC, it's a bridge between the gap left between them. Think of it in the same vein as handhelds, yes I know it's not portable, but handhelds fill a gap in the market for gamers on the go. In this regards, the Steambox fills a gap for gamers who don't want to have to choose between two radically different input/output methods. Their controller is something I see a lot of people overlooking the potential of. It's not just about controllers though, it also allows a user to integrate a PC Gaming experience relatively pain free into a home entertainment setup, something that while possible for PC Gamers, is hardly the most cost effective or simple to execute.

I am definitely considering a SteamBox even though I have a perfectly acceptable gaming rig, my only reservations so far are how much of my current library is compatible with this platform.

But see here's the thing, you can buy a controller for the PC, and the Valve controller looks REALLY awkward. It may work well for RTS and Portal, but I simply can't see how it'll work with a majority of games. I know they can't just clone the PS4/Xbox/Wii controller but it just seems too unique. From the look it's just too different to make certain games work well on, like how most fighting games fair better on Playstation controllers due to the D-pad being so much more precise and easy to use.

And as far as being a gap, the Steambox currently looks more like a wedge than a bridge. You have to buy upgrades for it like a computer, but for most people who want to play on their tv, they just want something that they can plug in and play for multiple years without worrying about it's hardware. And as for the people whom are interested in getting the best equipment, they will either a) Already have it. or b) Know what to be getting.

The Steambox has potential, anything new does and it'd be stupid to say it doesn't have a chance. However, it's lack of game exclusives IS going to be a factor in purchasing decisions, it being relatively more expensive than the PS4 and Xbox (Which to most regular people are big names that have years of experience and many trust) will make it more difficult to break into the spotlight, and people having already dropped 400-700 dollars (depending on where you're from) on PS4/Xbox One (I know not everyone pre orders, I didn't, but people have and there is evidence to suggest that it;s a great portion) has basically left the steambox in the dust. It will sell, just like the Ouya sold, but I can't safely say that it will do well.