Valve reveals mystery hardware project: wearable computing

[Satangel]

Can't help but feel a little disappointed, was hoping to make my first console purchase since I bought a PSX, I'm afraid it won't be this....

 

[FireGrey]

Also, I think valves strategy is to make their games hyped up by having huge gaps between the releases so when it's released people go hyper over it.

Also doesn't help that Valve has made some of the best games ever and is pretty much the only company to have little (if any) screw ups or flops. I'd say maybe Ricochet was their "screw up" but that was in their early days. Pretty much any game they've made in the past 10+ years hasn't just been good, but exceptional and masterful.

But yeah, the "long waits" also factor in a lot. Also Valve are notorious for teasing and having an incredibly elaborate marketing. Like people had to decipher code to find out that there was a Portal sequel.

Although I do find it funny that they can make Left 4 Dead 2 in literally a year but there's not a single piece shown for Half Life 3. But Valve is Valve, you can't hate 'em.

perhaps another reason is because they take long times on their games to make them as perfect as possible.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

perhaps another reason is because they take long times on their games to make them as perfect as possible.

Well, that actually usually release a game each year.

In the past five years, you've had The Orange Box in 2007 (which released TF2, Portal, and Episode 2), Left 4 Dead in 2008, Left 4 Dead 2 in 2009, Alien Swarm in 2010 (not a big name release but still a release), Portal 2 in 2011, and this year they've got Counterstrike: GO and Dota 2.

They just don't need to pump out several releases a year, unlike Activision, Nintendo, practically any other publisher, because they make atrociously large amounts of money on Steam and when they do make a new game, it'll sell through the roof. Plus they don't even need to waste cash on retail releases, everything is digital.

They're honestly probably the best gaming company out there. They make the best games and have the most innovative ideas in the industry. Period.

 

[Midna]

-.-

Stop over-thinking things, Valve.

Just release the goddamn Steambox and make everybody happy.

You think everyone is going to be happy about a new console being released? That would be, essentially, a glorified computer in more of a way than the PS3 was? To have a 4th console when 2 are already being released soon?

A PC-Style console has been a dream of mine for 50 years. (and many others as well)
The freedom of the PC with the comfy-on-the-couch appeal of a console in one box is pure music to me.

Seriously,
Day 1 open source.
Homebrew without hassle.
Console.
Take my money.

As far as the other console makers, I think its about time for one of them to kick the bucket. Complacency deserves death.

Er... what you're looking for is a PC hooked up to a telivision.

 

[Janthran]

-.-

Stop over-thinking things, Valve.

Just release the goddamn Steambox and make everybody happy.

or HL2:ep3.

Or HL3.

 

[notmeanymore]

The Valve approach is to do experiments and see what we learn – failure is fine, just so long as we can identify failure quickly, learn from it, and move on – and then apply it to the next experiment.

I don't know about you, but this sounds more like the Aperture Science approach. I wonder if Valve was influenced by their creation or their creation influenced by them.

 

[BORTZ]

I dont think the Steam box would make everyone happy... oh well

 

[Guild McCommunist]

I dont think the Steam box would make everyone happy... oh well

Well, knowing Valve, it could be quite genius.

An accessible way to PC gaming without spending the money for a PC would be awesome. Like not everyone wants to pay like $1000 for a great gaming computer. If they were somehow able to get something that could play practically everything on Steam for a much better price, I'd be there in an instant and probably ditch the whole Nintendo-Sony-Microsoft triad. I mean it'd just let more console gamers get access to what the PC has to offer while still giving it that streamlined feel people associate with consoles. All this while introducing the first digital-only console and the first real console to effectively bridge the gap between PC's and consoles (we don't talk about GFWL and Shadowrun).

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I dont think the Steam box would make everyone happy... oh well

Well, knowing Valve, it could be quite genius.

An accessible way to PC gaming without spending the money for a PC would be awesome. Like not everyone wants to pay like $1000 for a great gaming computer. If they were somehow able to get something that could play practically everything on Steam for a much better price, I'd be there in an instant and probably ditch the whole Nintendo-Sony-Microsoft triad. I mean it'd just let more console gamers get access to what the PC has to offer while still giving it that streamlined feel people associate with consoles. All this while introducing the first digital-only console and the first real console to effectively bridge the gap between PC's and consoles (we don't talk about GFWL and Shadowrun).

It'd be damn cool and all, but then what are you gonna do when someone releases a game that's out of the "Steambox"s spec range? They'd have to either make it upgradable or they'd have to sell a new one every time a company releases a high-spec game.

I'd be pretty neat if they made it upgradable, just open the thing up and replace a part and you're all good. And really it'd only have to be the GPU/CPU that needs to be upgraded, Valve could just stick 8 gigs of RAM in it if they really wanted to so that wouldn't be a problem and the rest wouldn't need upgrading...well, besides maybe the HDD if they include one.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

It'd be damn cool and all, but then what are you gonna do when someone releases a game that's out of the "Steambox"s spec range? They'd have to either make it upgradable or they'd have to sell a new one every time a company releases a high-spec game.

I'd be pretty neat if they made it upgradable, just open the thing up and replace a part and you're all good. And really it'd only have to be the GPU/CPU that needs to be upgraded, Valve could just stick 8 gigs of RAM in it if they really wanted to so that wouldn't be a problem and the rest wouldn't need upgrading...well, besides maybe the HDD if they include one.

They'd probably make deals with devs and publishers to either make "Steambox versions" of games that fit their graphical range and settings (like a port of the game optimized for Steambox controls and graphics) or just make the Steambox powerful enough to adapt to it.

Or they'd make something like the OnLive console, except it'd support Steam games and have no limited graphical range. EDIT: And it'd sell for like $100.