Who is the Steambox for?
- Thread starter st0pnsw0p
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Consoles have been every bit as much of a hassle starting last gen and continuing onwards. When you have to wait for patches to download, games to update, and firmware tweaks/fixes/updates and fiddle with entering annoying account details with an analog stick and the A button... you're putting up with all the hassle PC gamers do. Consoles only had that argument when you could literally plug them into the wall, plug them into the TV, put a game in and start playing. Now they're way beyond that, bogged down in so much anti-consumer legwork that it's pretty much an equal pain in the ass.Souplex said:
So that whittles the target audience down to pretty much nobody. The majority of their fanbase are already PC gamers, and don't want to swap over to an inferior OS with a history of game incompatibility. Even dual-booting seems pointless; if you can run all the games in windows anyway, why waste the time, effort and hard drive space installing a flavor of linux to play the same games on? Console gamers are already used to putting up with bullshit, so I'm not sure that's a reason any of them would swap over to steamboxes. There have been pre-built gaming machines for decades now, it's nothing new, and windows out of the box with default windows update is "fine" for the majority of games (yes, even Win8, despite what gaben says).
I'm a fan of valve, and I've been a PC gamer for most of my life, but I can't see the point of steambox. Linux just isn't that good for gaming, and unless it was universally accepted as an OS to develop for, that's a problem that isn't going to magically disappear just because gaben wants it to. Selling prebuilt PCs just like dozens of other companies isn't going to change shit.
Its either for console gamers who want to get into PC gaming but are apprehensive about pushing through the hardware slog.
Or its for PC Gamers who are apprehensive about pushing through the hardware slog.
But its mostly directed at the former.
Or its for PC Gamers who are apprehensive about pushing through the hardware slog.
But its mostly directed at the former.
Who is it for? Easy, it is for people who want a media room PC.
The whole point of the Steam Machine thing is to put their form, usage, and noise characteristics into such a profile that they are desirable to use as such.
Here's a simple question, why is your PC under your desk at the moment? Does it have to be there? No, it doesn't.
Here's what I hope for the future, every home, even low-income, has a central home server that can be accessed in a multitude of ways both within and from outside the home, connecting and sharing communications and data between all the devices (tablets, workstation/desktops, phones, game consoles, network attached storage, printers, security monitors, etc.) that its residents and their guests own.
The whole point of the Steam Machine thing is to put their form, usage, and noise characteristics into such a profile that they are desirable to use as such.
Here's a simple question, why is your PC under your desk at the moment? Does it have to be there? No, it doesn't.
Here's what I hope for the future, every home, even low-income, has a central home server that can be accessed in a multitude of ways both within and from outside the home, connecting and sharing communications and data between all the devices (tablets, workstation/desktops, phones, game consoles, network attached storage, printers, security monitors, etc.) that its residents and their guests own.
The box itself just seems to be various prebuild PCs with a licensce deal from Valve to be called "Steambox". Presumably marketed to the same people, and containing whatever advantages/disadvantages any pre-build PC does.
The main difference being that they come with SteamOS, as some effort at competition with the Windows dominance of the pre-build market, and to try and woo people away from Windows.
Sort of like the WII-U though, they seem to have jumped into this affair without getting any third-party support to try and sell these "gaming systems" by having actual games. They have whatever Valve can offer (which in terms of pulling in *new* customers, really isn't alot) and whichever Indie games happen to have done Linux builds. It seems like they're trying to pull in the console crowd, or the not-really enthusiast PC crowd, but they don't seem to have the punching power lined up to actually do so.
The main difference being that they come with SteamOS, as some effort at competition with the Windows dominance of the pre-build market, and to try and woo people away from Windows.
Sort of like the WII-U though, they seem to have jumped into this affair without getting any third-party support to try and sell these "gaming systems" by having actual games. They have whatever Valve can offer (which in terms of pulling in *new* customers, really isn't alot) and whichever Indie games happen to have done Linux builds. It seems like they're trying to pull in the console crowd, or the not-really enthusiast PC crowd, but they don't seem to have the punching power lined up to actually do so.
Hey never mind the fact that its designed to play games for the PC exclusively... I mean if that isn't a sign on the front lawn in big bright letters lit up by floodlights and maybe eternally aflame 40 feet high stating "THIS IS A PC", then I don't think he gets it bud.DoPo said:
Nevermind that Linux (which SteamOS is at its core) is an operating system designed for PCs. LOL.It's for me. My roommate too.
We both own powerful gaming PCs. We both have hundreds, probably thousands, of dollars invested in our Steam libraries. We also have some console games, but we're PC gamers primarily.
When we want to play local multiplayer games we plug a my laptop into the television. My laptop isn't a gaming laptop and isn't well suited to the task. A gaming laptop doesn't suit my needs.
Aside from games that are console exclusive, I'd rather build a computer and attach it permanently to the television than buy a PS4 or Xbone. The Steambox will serve this purpose for me.
Notably, there isn't anything stopping me from doing this now. The biggest downsides of doing this before steam released The Big Picture was controller support for PC games was more questionable than it is today, and if I'm going to build a computer to go downstairs I'd want it to be on a not huge form factor, meaning I'm probably going to underpower it a bit. With the specification I'll be a lot more comfortable that building this machine will be a worthwhile investment.
We both own powerful gaming PCs. We both have hundreds, probably thousands, of dollars invested in our Steam libraries. We also have some console games, but we're PC gamers primarily.
When we want to play local multiplayer games we plug a my laptop into the television. My laptop isn't a gaming laptop and isn't well suited to the task. A gaming laptop doesn't suit my needs.
Aside from games that are console exclusive, I'd rather build a computer and attach it permanently to the television than buy a PS4 or Xbone. The Steambox will serve this purpose for me.
Notably, there isn't anything stopping me from doing this now. The biggest downsides of doing this before steam released The Big Picture was controller support for PC games was more questionable than it is today, and if I'm going to build a computer to go downstairs I'd want it to be on a not huge form factor, meaning I'm probably going to underpower it a bit. With the specification I'll be a lot more comfortable that building this machine will be a worthwhile investment.
To me it seems an interesting option.
I've played games for years, so I'll try to keep it brief; I ended up with mac computers because I only use them for graphic design and sound; I've grown tired of most console games, and just refound my enthousiasm last year by some real game experiences on Pc and (some) on Ps3. The next gen consoles don't appeal to me, so $500 for a game pc seems ideal to me.
Also the controller I'm very interested in. Fusing agility of the thumbs with the precision of a mouse... could be amazing, could fail horribly.
I've played games for years, so I'll try to keep it brief; I ended up with mac computers because I only use them for graphic design and sound; I've grown tired of most console games, and just refound my enthousiasm last year by some real game experiences on Pc and (some) on Ps3. The next gen consoles don't appeal to me, so $500 for a game pc seems ideal to me.
Also the controller I'm very interested in. Fusing agility of the thumbs with the precision of a mouse... could be amazing, could fail horribly.
As someone who's primarily a "PC gamer" (purely in the sense that I pretty much exclusively play games on my laptop; I know fuck all about PCs) but who doesn't own a "gaming" laptop/PC, I'm certainly interested. I'm not 100% sold on the idea yet, but I'm interested.
I enjoy PC gaming and would like to upgrade my hardware (my current laptop does a decent enough job but it's a million miles from ideal), but I have absolutely zero interest in becoming a PC expert and frankly, every time I look into it I just end up confused, sometimes a bit intimidated.
If Valve can sell me a decent, pre-packaged PC/PC equivalent at a decent price, you won't hear me complaining.
I enjoy PC gaming and would like to upgrade my hardware (my current laptop does a decent enough job but it's a million miles from ideal), but I have absolutely zero interest in becoming a PC expert and frankly, every time I look into it I just end up confused, sometimes a bit intimidated.
If Valve can sell me a decent, pre-packaged PC/PC equivalent at a decent price, you won't hear me complaining.
i dunno, i bought and assembled mine for around... £1300 i think. not top top top end, but i've not found a game i can't run maxed out at 60fps yet. i just needed monitor and speakers after that, but as the steam box won't come with those, that's kinda irrelevant =\ the point is, some of these steam machines are $2000 and upwards, i think the top being $6000. that's an insanely high price point, and one i have difficulty seeing the market for.TheSteeleStrap said:
that said, valve said it's lots of different machines at lots of different price points, so it has a lot more versatility and its hard to generalize and say "that group! steam machines are designed at them, that's all"
I have Windows 8.1 now, and I have to say it has been the worst system to use for me since Windows 3.11 (I didn't use 95, Vista and ME), so I can understand the attempt to steer away from that cancer of an OS.
Linux of course needs time and some popularity. Maybe Steam Machines can help there. I certainly wouldn't mind to switch over to Linux completely.
That being said I think the first iterations of the Steam Machines are weak, especially those with high tower form factors. I guess I will never get the power gaming PC rigs, but even those are supposed to be a bit more affordable than the prices shown.
Well let's see what kind of other machines will be announced. I am particularly interested in the Alternate- and Valve-Machines. Not that I need a new PC now, just got one and can install Steam OS and get a Steam Controller whenever I want, after they are out of beta.
Linux of course needs time and some popularity. Maybe Steam Machines can help there. I certainly wouldn't mind to switch over to Linux completely.
That being said I think the first iterations of the Steam Machines are weak, especially those with high tower form factors. I guess I will never get the power gaming PC rigs, but even those are supposed to be a bit more affordable than the prices shown.
Well let's see what kind of other machines will be announced. I am particularly interested in the Alternate- and Valve-Machines. Not that I need a new PC now, just got one and can install Steam OS and get a Steam Controller whenever I want, after they are out of beta.
As of 'now' its for Valve. If steam didn't find their own delivery platform and just existed on the 'Windows Store' as an app ( MS friggin copying iTunes) microsoft would end up getting a 30% or something cut of all Steams' sales at least. Who knows what other policies they would enact.st0pnsw0p said:
But in the future, when pc sales continue declining, streaming boxes being sold, and internet viewership continues to eat away at the status quo of cable, and less savvy consumers realize how democratized pc gaming is vs. the AAA console model. It'll find its place.
Not too many years ago, there wasn't much of a place for steam either.
The use case of the device is it is used in the living room to play PC games. That defines a limited case of utility. A PC, on the other hand, is not explicitly designed to be used in the living room to play PC games - that is just one thing it is capable of doing.DoPo said:
The OS is what makes it the dedicated system. The parts are entirely irrelevant in defining a PC. Literally any universal Turing machine is capable of being a PC because it is capable of doing any sort of processing necessary to fill the "general computer use" case yet we choose to not apply that distinction to machines that are, by virtue of OS and use case, intended for some other end.DoPo said:
The better example is this: the PS3 was, at one point, capable of being a PC. You could install your own OS and use it as a desktop if you desired. Then the ability to use that other OS was removed leaving you with just the ps3 OS. The hardware didn't change - just the OS and yet it became firmly "not a PC" as a result.DoPo said:
The simplest explanation, however, is this: You advocate taking a PC and putting in an OS that is less capable for most tasks (including gaming), a move that reduces functionality, and then continuing to call it a PC. That's not a duck - that's a platypus.
You do realize that that's not how PCs work, right?Eclectic Dreck said:
A computer with Plan 9 as its OS has even less functionality than Linux (and Linux has tons of functionality thankyouverymuch) and it's still a PC.
You're literally saying "It's not a PC because it has Linux on it".
That's... complete nonsense. Don't even try to tell me how its not a PC because of "reduced functionality", because that's also nonsense and you should know better.
Yeah, we consider machines restricted to only its very game-centric OS that was specifically designed for it to be a console and not a PC. However, Linux has been around forever, and I'll be damned if you're telling me that I'm not typing this on a PC right now because it boots Linux.