Valve's Gabe Newell Gives Details on Steam Box

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Soul_keeper

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This reminds me of the old tuxbox console ideas from ~10yrs ago
Back when socket A duron and 128MB of mem was being put in a prototype console running linux.
This should be interesting :)
 

wannabepro

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I wonder what the price range will be. I'm definitely interested. If it can get 1080p gaming in the $500 range for four plus controllers and modern graphics details, VALVE TAKE MY MONEY!!!!!!
 

kinggraves

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Gabe doesn't seem to even comprehend the differences between consoles and PCs. Important factors for consoles are things like simplicity, accessibility, pricing. This doesn't sound like it will hit any of those factors. The average console player isn't looking to buy 8 TVs to play a game. They aren't looking to have 20 different models to play the same platform. You know how many of the 8GB inferior version of the Wii U sold? Not a whole lot. Iwata likely wishes they had never had a second SKU. They aren't going to bother with installing a new OS on their console. How many people actually installed Linux on ps3 without any intention on piracy or "just to have it there"? This doesn't sound like any competition for consoles.

As far as PCs go, a box that small isn't made by wizards. It will have the performance of any other PC in a box that small, pretty lousy compared to what a full sized PC can do. PC gamers who want performance aren't going to get it from a Steam box. This doesn't sound like a good choice for PC players.

So who IS this a good choice for? The promise of cheap, functional VR is nice, I'll believe it when I see it. I don't see anything promised by the Steam Box that couldn't be achieved through any other PC or that would be desirable for a console gamer. In b4 Steam fanboys mark me down for questioning the infinite wisdom of Gabe Newell.
 

azraa

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"We’ll come out with our own and we’ll sell it to consumers by ourselves. That’ll be a Linux box, [and] if you want to install Windows you can. We’re not going to make it hard. This is not some locked box by any stretch of the imagination.''

God damn it I love this guy.
Now im having trouble with a W8 notebook, trying to get it to W7.
OS lockdown sucks big time
 

therealcold187

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[citation][nom]boju[/nom]8 screens from the one comp @ 1080p each...Hangooon, just getting the calculator, jeez that's like a whopping 8640p...[/citation]
If you read it again you will realize he's talking about playing multiple games on multiple tv's. If he was talking about playing one game on 8 monitors/tv at once then he wouldn't of stated 8 controllers....
 
Wow look at all those re-posts.

I wonder how much of this will be purely streaming in your own house. This is NOT a bad idea at all. PC in one room feeding more then one room with games.

By streaming they can also avoid having games not work on the steam box(Direct X).

Add some media streaming and take my money.
 

godfather666

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DOA in my humble opinion.

Why? Well the target audience is tiny. PC running Linux (with few games) with all the problems of a PC and none of the benefits of a console.
 
it's starting to sound more and more like Gabe just wants to take a crap all over microsoft, Win8 AND xbox.

Linus based Steam console? sure that would be awesome, but multiple form factors AND open source plateform and this "multiple user based steam store" business? on a CONSOLE? he needs to understand that the main buyers of consoles just want to plug and play at a reasonable price, say $300-500. when it's all said and done, HOW on earth will this steam box be different from just using steam's new "big picture" function?
 
[citation][nom]upgrade_1977[/nom]hopefully they'll build a standard pc size steam box that we can upgrade with standard parts.[/citation]

isn't that just running steam on linux? steam is doing a pretty good job of getting that plateform started, why would they shoot down their own linux expansion?
 

alfaalex101

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Multiple instances on one piece of hardware (Think old school splitscreen gaming, without the split)
User generated store (Think, frequently updated, hilarious and creative store)
Upgradable hardware (Think, graphics getting better all the time, no more waiting under a decade for a new PlayBox, being able to pay a little less for a decent but not so powerful setup or going all out)
Upgradable software (Think XDA developer mods...on a console..)

Seems like the best of consoles and PC's are coming together.
 

alfaalex101

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[citation][nom]vmem[/nom]it's starting to sound more and more like Gabe just wants to take a crap all over microsoft, Win8 AND xbox. Linus based Steam console? sure that would be awesome, but multiple form factors AND open source plateform and this "multiple user based steam store" business? on a CONSOLE? he needs to understand that the main buyers of consoles just want to plug and play at a reasonable price, say $300-500. when it's all said and done, HOW on earth will this steam box be different from just using steam's new "big picture" function?[/citation]

It's mostly a grab for the "I don't know much about computers, I played a little Doom when I was younger", "dad I want gamez NOW" and "bro60 COD frat boys" that don't know too much about PC gaming. It'll be a friendly streamlined, plug n' play Steam with a controller. I think it also is attractive to hardcore PC gamers. Personally I don't bring my desktop down from my room or my laptop just to game on a big screen (easy as it sounds I know) via HDMI yet oddly I like sitting down every now and just playing some Forza from the sofa or playing some multiplayer games when friends come over (read: everyone relaxed sitting around the living room with controllers & snacks NOT let's setup some tables, sorry Tim no more space on the table, get everybody connected to the router, Do we have an extra powerbar somewhere, okay, everyone got the same version of the game, okay everyone see the server, turn off firewalls, I don't have an extra mousepad for you why didn't you bring one) type of stuff.

Seems like Gabe had this simple, selfless, unadulterated clear view understanding what gamers wanted, their frustrations and what could be done unlike Microsoft with their ad infested homescreen (seriously, who views those things?!). I find it akin to a snobby expensive (over priced games) bitch that looks real good for now in her youth (have fun waiting another 8 years), never listens to you (SHIT community) and demands you pay her cellphone bill(Xbox Live) to a good looking girl that gets better over time (..milf?) is down to chill any time (free multiplayer), understands you (good community), low maintenance (Steam sales), adapts to your needs (moddable console) and is creative (community centred store).
 

bigdog44

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[citation][nom]kinggraves[/nom]Gabe doesn't seem to even comprehend the differences between consoles and PCs. Important factors for consoles are things like simplicity, accessibility, pricing. This doesn't sound like it will hit any of those factors. The average console player isn't looking to buy 8 TVs to play a game. They aren't looking to have 20 different models to play the same platform. You know how many of the 8GB inferior version of the Wii U sold? Not a whole lot. Iwata likely wishes they had never had a second SKU. They aren't going to bother with installing a new OS on their console. How many people actually installed Linux on ps3 without any intention on piracy or "just to have it there"? This doesn't sound like any competition for consoles.As far as PCs go, a box that small isn't made by wizards. It will have the performance of any other PC in a box that small, pretty lousy compared to what a full sized PC can do. PC gamers who want performance aren't going to get it from a Steam box. This doesn't sound like a good choice for PC players.So who IS this a good choice for? The promise of cheap, functional VR is nice, I'll believe it when I see it. I don't see anything promised by the Steam Box that couldn't be achieved through any other
PC or that would be desirable for a console gamer. In b4 Steam fanboys mark me down for questioning the infinite wisdom of Gabe Newell.[/citation]
Agreed on all points.
 

djscribbles

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The coolest thing about the Steam Box is that, as PC Gamers, we don't have to buy one to reap the benefits if it succeeds. Legitimizing Linux (or at least one distro) as a gaming OS, driving split screen support for PC games (and breaking the 4 player limit), opening the door to dual-screen-split-screen to eliminate screen peaking, giving PC gamers a 'console option' that already has many of their games.

I'd consider buying one if it had a good selection of games supported in linux with local multiplayer.
 
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