Valve's 3-Part Reveal for PC Gaming in the living room

[Amit]

http://i.imgur.com/FHMCyUU.png (http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom)

Last week Valve revealed a new website to frame three large announcements in regard to playing PC games in the living room through Steam.



1. SteamOS

The first big announcement came today that Valve has created its own distribution of the Linux operating system called "SteamOS". It will run as a home entertainment OS exclusively. It is completely free to download and open source like most other Linux Distros.


http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2013/09/steamos_2-610x343.jpg (http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS)


Features:

Stream Steam games from your Windows/Mac computers to any computer running the SteamOS
Adds Music & Video services to Steam
Share Steam games in your library with people you know
Control what is shown in each shared Steam library.
Click on the SteamOS picture above for full details.

The next announcement is in 2 days and expected to be about the SteamBox. I will update this post when the next announcement is made.

2. Steam Machines

The second big announcement, Valve revealed part two of its plan to expand PC gaming beyond the desktop: Steam Machines. The hardware is designed to be modular and will be manufactured at various price-points to serve us. Coming 2014. (Click on image below).


http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2013/09/steam-machines.jpg

(http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamMachines/)


300 lucky bastards will get to test out the hardware. Valve will send it to them free of charge to provide user marketing, bug testing, and just general feedback. They won't have to sign an NDA. Everything they see and experience, they can document and release to the public freely.

In order to be considered for that, you must complete all of the following to earn the Steam Hardware badge:


THE HARDWARE BETA ELIGIBILITY QUEST:Before October 25, log in to Steam and then visit your quest page (http://steamcommunity.com/my/badges/15) to track your current status towards beta test eligibility
1. Join the Steam Universe (http://steamcommunity.com/groups/steamuniverse) community group
2. Agree to the Steam Hardware Beta Terms and Conditions (http://store.steampowered.com/hardwarebeta/)
3. Make 10 Steam friends (if you haven't already)
4. Create a public Steam Community profile (if you haven't already)
5. Play a game using a gamepad in Big Picture (http://store.steampowered.com/bigpicture/) mode

That last requirement is concrete. You MUST use a gamepad. Keyboard and mouse will not work to complete that requirement.

FAQs on Steam Machines:
When can I buy one?!
Beginning in 2014, there will be multiple SteamOS machines to choose from, made by different manufacturers.

I’m pretty happy with my PC Gaming setup, do I have to buy a new piece of hardware now?
No. Everything that we’ve been doing on Steam for the last 10 years will continue to move forward.

If you guys are delivering an OS to hardware manufacturers, why is Valve also making its own box?
We're conducting a beta of the overall Steam living-room experience, so we needed to build prototype hardware on which to run tests. At Valve we always rely on real-world testing as part of our design process. The specific machine we're testing is designed for users who want the most control possible over their hardware. Other boxes will optimize for size, price, quietness, or other factors.

How will you choose the 300 beta participants?
A small number of users (30 or less) will be chosen based on their past community contributions and beta participation. The remainder will be chosen at random from the eligible pool.

Should I create lots of Steam accounts to increase my chances of getting selected?
No, that won’t work.

What are the specs of the Valve prototype?
We'll tell you more about it soon. Remember, there will ultimately be several boxes to choose from, with an array of specifications, price, and performance.

Where’s a picture of it? How big is it?
We promise we'll tell you more about it soon.

When will the prototypes ship?
This year.

Will beta testers be allowed to share info about their experience and post pictures and opinions online?
Yes, that really is the whole point. The input from testers should come in many forms: bug reports, forum posts, concept art, 3D prints, haikus, and also very publicly stated opinions.

Will I be able to build my own box to run SteamOS?
Yes.

Can I hack this box? Run another OS? Change the hardware? Install my own software? Use it to build a robot?
Sure.

Can I download the OS to try it out?
You will be able to download it (including the source code, if you're into that) but not yet.

If I’m not in the beta, how can I help and contribute feedback?
The Steam Universe Group is where feedback is being collected. Most areas of the group will remain open for participation by all Steam users. Some may be limited to beta participants only, but there will be plenty of ways to contribute feedback for everyone.

What games will be available during the beta?
The nearly 3,000 games on Steam. Hundreds already running natively on the SteamOS, with more to come. The rest will work seamlessly via in-home streaming.

What is SteamOS? What’s included?
Here's a link to what we said earlier about SteamOS. We'll have more details to tell you, soon.

Am I going to be using a mouse and a keyboard in the living-room?
If you want. But Steam and SteamOS work well with gamepads, too. Stay tuned, though - we have some more to say very soon on the topic of input.

So, it is pretty disappointing to see that specs or even description of the machines haven't been released yet, but we'll see what's going on when Friday's announcement hits. And yes, naturally I snapped up that Steam Badge as soon as I skimmed the page without reading the rest of it. Still, the Steam Machines appear to be small form factor computers since you can basically do anything with them. Change the OS completely/dual-boot, change hardware, install your own stuff.

3. Steam Controller

Well, nobody is really surprised by this. Valve revealed part three of its plan to expand PC gaming beyond the desktop: Steam Controllers. The 16-button, haptic-driven gamepad that Valve says is hackable, includes a touch screen, will feature sharable configurations, and has the ambitious goal of “supporting all games in the Steam catalog.”


http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2013/09/steam-controller.jpg (http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/)

Click on image above for full details


FAQs on Steam Controller:

Is this the same beta as the Steam machines one, or is it separate?
Same. So you only need to sign up once.

How does the beta work? When will it start? How will you choose participants?
Please see the FAQ on Steam Machines, because it covers lots of important questions.

I’m a happy Steam customer happily using my happy mouse and keyboard. I don’t want a controller?
You can’t make a sentence into a question by just putting a question-mark at the end. But we’re happy you’re happy, and by all means keep using whatever input method makes sense for you. Rest assured, we won’t abandon you. We love mice and keyboards, too.

Can I use a controller if I don’t have a Steam machine?
Yes. It’ll work very well with any version of Steam.

I’m a developer - how can I include support for the Steam Controller in my game?
On the same day that our prototype controllers ship to customers later this year, the first version of our API will also be made available to game developers.

How will the beta controller differ from the one that’s for sale next year?
There are a couple important differences: the first 300 or so beta units won’t include a touch screen, and they won’t be wireless. Instead, they’ll have four buttons in place of the touch screen, and they’ll require a USB cable.


http://cdn2.store.steampowered.com/public/images/promo/livingroom/rljKewyz3M/prototypes.jpg

What’s next?
We’re done with our announcements, and we promise to switch gears now and talk specifics over here in our Steam Universe community group. Also we’ll talk soon about the design process and how we’ve arrived at our current prototype. (We’ll post detailed specs next week for our living room SteamOS prototype, too.)

[InnerGoat]

praise be our lord gaben :D

[PlasbianX]

One icon is O.
The second is [ O ].
The third O + O.

Like you said, the box will probably be the next announcement and the third could be some sort of inter-connectivity or something

[InnerGoat]

it will be called the gabecube

[Warsaw]

Glad to see they reached the same conclusion I did, that a traditional Linux port itself was a sort of uohill struggle and that the only way to push their vision through is to create their own operating system. It just makes sense on so many levels.

Also, three announcements from Valve? Half-Life 3 confirmed.

[Dwood]

I'll install it onto my new rig once it's released. I hope they add more functions of family access such as content filtering etc. I don't want my little brother playing the same stuff and talking to the same people I do. Perhaps they'll do more for younger gen?

[Kornman00]

Seeing as how Gabe is a father with decent concern for his kids, I wouldn't doubt SteamOS to have parental controls or such functionality. Especially when other gaming platforms and services provide it.

[=sw=warlord]

Three announcements in one week?
Half-Life 3 confirmed

[Cortexian]

If SteamOS will have FULL media streaming capability without any kind of anti-piracy shit built in then I will probably be all over this for my HTPC. I rip my own Blu-Ray's, which is perfectly legal if I don't share them, so I don't have to use/wear out the disks, etc. Still not sure if it will actually be "better" than just using Windows to do everything, although if they can enhance game performance by using this Linux distribution, I'll probably dual-boot it on my main PC as well.

[Amit]

If there comes a time in the future where AAA games that I play will run natively on the OS itself, then I shall invest in a mini-ITX PC with one of those uber short, but expensive GTX x70 Direct CU Mini GPUs from ASUS. Would totally be beast for the living room.

[Warsaw]

Three announcements in one week?
Half-Life 3 confirmed

Beat you to it, three posts above yours.

[Tnnaas]

Three posts above his? Half-Life 3 definitely confirmed.

[Higuy]

GUYS OMG HALF LIFE 3 CONFIRMED1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111(<--3)!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dwood]

its like an unannounced version of duke nukem

[Warsaw]

Three posts above his? Half-Life 3 definitely confirmed.

Mind = blown.

[Kornman00]

Silly babies, their third annoucenement will be for PC ports of the Halo games running on Steam. I mean, hello, the 'O's are obviously halos. Halo + Halo = more Halo. It's also the third and final announcement

Halo 3 PC confirmed

[Cortexian]

If there comes a time in the future where AAA games that I play will run natively on the OS itself, then I shall invest in a mini-ITX PC with one of those uber short, but expensive GTX x70 Direct CU Mini GPUs from ASUS. Would totally be beast for the living room.
You should be able to stream games from a beastly box somewhere else in your house to this one, just like you can use your high-end Nvidia GPU on your desktop to stream better graphics to your Nvidia SHIELD.

[Dwood]

.in 9 hours I get to spend 2 hrs waiting for my steam os to finish downloading.

[Amit]

2nd announcement is up. Like we all expected, it was a hardware announcement. However, it still wasn't what we expected.


You should be able to stream games from a beastly box somewhere else in your house to this one, just like you can use your high-end Nvidia GPU on your desktop to stream better graphics to your Nvidia SHIELD.

You overestimate how much bandwidth my router can handle at a given time :P I'm not sure it'd be up to the job of doing streaming properly from one floor to the next. Especially now with fools double streaming Netflix in my house at the same time. I could try QoS, but I'm not sure if the router would classify the Steam stream as the same category as Netflix data.


.in 9 hours I get to spend 2 hrs waiting for my steam os to finish downloading.

Huh? :raise:

[Zeph]

2nd announcement is up. Like we all expected, it was a hardware announcement. However, it still wasn't what we expected.



You overestimate how much bandwidth my router can handle at a given time :P I'm not sure it'd be up to the job of doing streaming properly from one floor to the next. Especially now with fools double streaming Netflix in my house at the same time. I could try QoP, but I'm not sure if the router would classify the Steam stream as the same category as Netflix data.
if you're using a wireless G router for a family in the age of netflix, you should probably move on to wireless N (even dual band N).




Huh? :raise:
#modacity.

[PlasbianX]

Got the badge for the beta just now after checking my badges page.

[=sw=warlord]

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/HalfLife3/

[Kornman00]

warlord's link means nothing. See http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/HalfLife4/

It could be about their idea for a game controller that is configurable by users http://www.google.com/patents/US20110105231

[Tnnaas]

Now hold up, we haven't had fun with it just yet.

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/I scowl with frustration at myself in the mirror. Damn my hair – it just won’t behave, and damn Katherine Kavanagh for being ill and subjecting me to this ordeal. I should be studying for my final exams, which are next week, yet here I am trying to brush my hair into submission. I must not sleep with it wet. I must not sleep with it wet. Reciting this mantra several times, I attempt, once more, to bring it under control with the brush. I roll my eyes in exasperation and gaze at the pale, brown-haired girl with blue eyes too big for her face staring back at me, and give up. My only option is to restrain my wayward hair in a ponytail and hope that I look semi-presentable./ (http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/)

[Patrickssj6]

http://store.steampowered.com/app/HalfLife3/ (http://images.lmgtfy.com/?q=penis)

[Amit]

if you're using a wireless G router for a family in the age of netflix, you should probably move on to wireless N (even dual band N).

I'm using a Netgear WNR3500L. Wireless-N and 300mB/s max transfer rate for wireless, but there's also 4 gigabit Ethernet ports. I run a long cat5 cable from the modem in my parents' room to the router in my room and then run another to my PC which is next to the router.

[Tnnaas]

It's a controller. (http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/)

[BobtheGreatII]

Maybe instead of sending out machines for the beta or whatever, they'll just send out a buch of these controllers.

[PlasbianX]

Im not sure how I feel about the controller without having a chance to actually use it and hold it.

[Zeph]

Input-wise, I'm really looking forward to it. The existing controllers are pretty limiting in what you can do with them. After seeing this, it doesn't look like any progress has been made with controller input devices since, well, ever. The only new thing to come to controllers was force feedback like the rumble pack if you ignore the wiiU. Even then, I'm not sure how to compare this to the wiiU controller since it marketed itself as a secondary screen more than anything new (DS introduced touch aspects and all).

The API for this is going to let so much get done.

[Phopojijo]

The part that interests me most is that trackpads are position-based input methods rather than the velocity-based input methods of analog sticks. This should be like a mouse to get used to... since to aim you do not need to select a speed, wait until the reticle crosses your target, and stop. You move the distance required and then stop.

Beyond that, trackpads can also be velocity-based control. Maybe mix the two -- while holding right-pad-click, velocity. Light touch positional?

[Warsaw]

I'll buy one. I'm legitimately curious. That implementation of a center touch screen and those rear buttons are so simple yet so genius.

[Zeph]

The part that interests me most is that trackpads are position-based input methods rather than the velocity-based input methods of analog sticks. This should be like a mouse to get used to... since to aim you do not need to select a speed, wait until the reticle crosses your target, and stop. You move the distance required and then stop.

Beyond that, trackpads can also be velocity-based control. Maybe mix the two -- while holding right-pad-click, velocity. Light touch positional?
I have some ideas with what I'd like to use it for. Since it's touch based, you can figure out a vector to determine lots of nifty things. Movement between concentric rings can mean different things in your handlers. I think Valve did something like this with their Portal 2 controls.


I'll buy one. I'm legitimately curious. That implementation of a center touch screen and those rear buttons are so simple yet so genius.
http://theisozone.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=26933
I bought one of those and would still be using it today if they didn't have a massive deadzone on the joysticks. Buttons on the grip let you completely focus your aiming without disruptions. Bumper jumper mostly fixed that, but sometimes you have to make a choice between aiming and button pushing.

At first, I thought that it was two buttons on the back per side, but it seem the entire back bit is a single button.

[Amit]

Welp. Might have to get one of these over the PS4 controller. PS4 Drivers will probably take a while to sort out, too. I want to try one of these bastards before buying, though.

[Dwood]

Total impulse buy. im sold. consoles suck. steam all the way. in all honesty this is some of the coolest announcements for gaming since the oculus rift.

[Amit]

Maybe instead of sending out machines for the beta or whatever, they'll just send out a buch of these controllers.

They are sending both out at the same time to the same 300 people. Except the beta controller they are sending with the steam machines are dumbed down on features. Touchscreen replaced with 4 buttons and some other shit. Check the FAQs.

[TeeKup]

That controller sold me.

[BobtheGreatII]

They are sending both out at the same time to the same 300 people. Except the beta controller they are sending with the steam machines are dumbed down on features. Touchscreen replaced with 4 buttons and some other shit. Check the FAQs.

My bad, must have missed it. Interesting though.

[Ki11a_FTW]

The fuck is with all this "into the living room" shit lately. I'm buying this for my room.

[Zeph]

The fuck is with all this "into the living room" shit lately. I'm buying this for my room.
that's a bit complicated for many people.
have you seen how many fucking buttons that computer controller has?
it's got at least one for every letter of the alphabet and even two for each number. I dont even know how to pronounce some of those other buttons on it.

[Patrickssj6]

Alt Gr! (http://www.seniorweb.ch/files/old/joomla/images/fbfiles/images/AltGR_Taste.jpg)

[Dwood]

idgi

[nuttyyayap]

Related;

Valve trademarks Half-life 3. (http://au.gamespot.com/news/valve-trademarks-half-life-3-6415182)

[Higuy]

derp

half life 3 yay!

[ODX]

Except companies trademark stuff like this all the time to protect their property from people taking such trademarks and causing shit. I believe Microsoft had been trademarking or taking domain names dealing with "Xbox 8" and "Xbox Infinity" before finally revealing it to be the Xbox One.

But I'm sure you all know this, and surely don't freak out at all these HL3-related shenanigans on the Internet.

[Higuy]

To be fair though, Valve has released each Half Life title within a year (either before or after) the trademark was filed. Of course what you've said is true, but there is no point in thinking that is just simply to trademark it. Becuase if what you said was true also, it'd be mean they would should it off soon as well, just like MS did with Xbox one. Also a little thing to note is that the title "Half-Life" was already trademarked by them - any company going and trying to trademark Half Life 3 would just be dumb.

[PlasbianX]

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/10/02/report-valves-internal-database-exposed-half-life-3-team-revealed.aspx?utm_content=bufferca381&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer

[Zeph]

http://www.dorkly.com/article/54448/a-message-from-gabe-newell

[ODX]

If only that were real, but Gabe would never right such a letter like that even if horribly enraged by people's constant bitching about HL3.

Still awesome.

[Warsaw]

Lol, shit-wizards. I'm going to start using that in real life.

[Amit]

Valve, what the...? I don't even: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/steamuniverse/announcements/detail/2145128928746175450
(http://steamcommunity.com/groups/steamuniverse/announcements/detail/2145128928746175450)
tl;dr:


The 300 prototype units will ship with the following components:
GPU: some units with NVidia Titan, some GTX780, some GTX760, and some GTX660
CPU: some boxes with Intel i7-4770, some i5-4570, and some i3
RAM: 16GB DDR3-1600 (CPU), 3GB GDDR5 (GPU)
Storage: 1TB/8GB Hybrid SSHD
Power Supply: Internal 450w 80Plus Gold
Dimensions: approx. 12 x 12.4 x 2.9 in high

I bet now you want to read the full thing.

[ODX]

Saw that.

Nearly shit my pants. Laughed for about 5 minutes. Looked at it again. My brain died.

Wat.

[Amit]

Remember, they said their real versions will be lower cost and smaller, but really I don't know what they hope to achieve by sending this to the people who likely have the same hardware. Might as well just send the OS and controller to the people with matched hardware.

[Zeph]

Remember, they said their real versions will be lower cost and smaller, but really I don't know what they hope to achieve by sending this to the people who likely have the same hardware. Might as well just send the OS and controller to the people with matched hardware.
Well, participation in that group that could win it is high enough that it's likely that far more people with shitty systems are qualified than the high-enders.
Besides, if they really wanted to play you for your system specs, Steam has access to that and can tie that to your qualified account if they wanted.

[Dwood]

TITANS in the GIVEAWAY, I DONT EVEN.

[Amit]

Valve logic. Fo real.

[EX12693]

I wonder if there'd be some sort of deposit you'd have to pay so people don't just strip apart the things.

[Zeph]

Well, in the contract for getting the things, you agree that Valve can require you return the hardware at any time.
Ultimately, it's not in Valve's favor to do that.
People changing hardware configurations is an expected event the OS will have to handle.
I would also thing that the recipients would be more likely to sell off their personal computer over the gifted one since it's a limited edition kind of thing.
At this point, Valve's not really looking for user-generated data, but opinions on where they should be focusing. If the i3 people say the machine makes a great theatre PC, but sucks ass and can't play games worth anything, then that's worth some people selling off the Titans they've given away and replaced with 780s because that's letting Valve know a lower and upper end on what they should be suggesting the OEMs be throwing in.

[Amit]

Maybe the enclosure will be locked down tight.

[Dwood]

Maybe the enclosure will be locked down tight.

Extremely doubtful because they wanted to design the system for modding and accessibility, specifically. Having valve requires he return of the console is a good idea so people don't try selling them off. The direct feedback from the 300 testers is more valuable to them than anything else.

[=sw=warlord]

300 test kits?
3+0+0= 3
Half-life 3 Confirmed.

[Kornman00]

I'm pretty sure it's a reference to the movie, 300 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/300_%28film%29).

So...halo3 pc confirmed.

You guys and your silly HL3

[Tnnaas]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeAjkbNq4xI

[TeeKup]

I have a mighty need for that controller.

[Dwood]

I don't think that a controller will ever be as effective as a mouse/keyboard for an rts... It would be interesting to see it play out, however... As in, a comparison of how the controller stacks up resolution-wise. Maybe valve is onto something, though, with the controller in fps genre.

On a side note, "papers please" looks like a dumb game.

[=sw=warlord]

Halowars pulled of RTS on a gamepad pretty well IMO.

[Phopojijo]

Halowars pulled of RTS on a gamepad pretty well IMO.Well... Halowars pulled off Halowars pretty well on a gamepad. That does not necessarily hold true for RTS in general.

[=sw=warlord]

Same can be said for pretty much any other genre though.

[Amit]

If any of you have ever played Civ 5 or an action RTS, that controller will never work unless someone else is also handicapped with it. Civ 5 you need to click on a million things and using your thumbs to move around will just get tiring. Using splashtop streamer, my Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a better match for Civ 5 than this controller is. However, I never expected the Steam controller to be used for those purposes anyways. I see it more for shooter, racing, flight, and role playing games.

In other news, I think DICE wants to get in on the Steam OS fun: Linux only needs one 'killer' game to explode, says Battlefield director. (http://www.polygon.com/2013/10/12/4826190/linux-only-needs-one-killer-game-to-explode-says-battlefield-director)

Hard to see EA allowing it, though.