First sighting of Valve's SteamBox

[T-hug]

The Seattle Times have posted up an article today about Valve's upcoming SteamBox.

The article is a good read but doesn't offer up much new info, but what is interesting is the pictures that accompany the article:

We already know that the SteamBox will have many hardware variations, so whether the box in these images is a final design or not remains to be seen.

Source

 

[The Catboy]

I hope that's not the final design, it looks too much like a 360 to me. Not that that's a bad thing, just was hoping for a more original design.
Also I really hope the controllers don't always have to plug into the back, that just sounds like a horrible idea.

 

[migles]

I hope that's not the final design, it looks too much like a 360 to me. Not that that's a bad thing, just was hoping for a more original design.
Also I really hope the controllers don't always have to plug into the back, that just sounds like a horrible idea.

the controllers are in a beta stage, they are going to be wireless and having a touchpad in the middle with screen, as for the connectors in the back, we will see, the box is on beta...

and i am happy to dont be the only one who thinks it really looks like a xbox 360...

 

[The Catboy]

the controllers are in a beta stage, they are going to be wireless and having a touchpad in the middle with screen, as for the connectors in the back, we will see, the box is on beta...

and i am happy to dont be the only one who thinks it really looks like a xbox 360...

True it's all in beta, so that means there is always room for improvement, but even if it's wireless that doesn't mean it won't be plugged into the system to charge. So still I really hope they put USB ports in the front for the final version.
That's really my biggest concern, I trust they know what they are doing though.

 

[raulpica]

Looks like a DVD player which is... errr, okay. I prefer it to the 360 as it's WAY smaller.

Ugh, the SteamPad with the trackball in it is just... EWWWWW.

 

[weatMod]

the track ball on the back of the controller seems like a really interesting design, seems like a good idea, in theory anyway

 

[Foxi4]

After seeing the other designs of gamepads Valve came up with, I gotta say... the one they picked ain't half-bad in comparison. Then again, a kick in the groin isn't either.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I'm very curious about the Steam Controller, I really wanna actually try it out and see how it feels.

 

[Celice]

the track ball on the back of the controller seems like a really interesting design, seems like a good idea, in theory anyway

I think that's showing off a prototype controller. From my understanding, track balls were one of the earliest implementation for their accuracy, but were later made into virtual trackballs via the pads, as they felt just as good without being nearly as bulky. This also allowed for the different thresholds of input on the controller, rather than the singular directions capable with the trackball.

 

[zachtheninja]

Looks nice.
Hope the case design is available to print.

 

[Qtis]

I'll leave this (via Ars Technica) here too for those interested.

 

[Zeliga]

I like the console but the controller looks so bad :/

 

[nukeboy95]

I kinda don't like the console, i was hoping for more of a steam theme.

 

[Gahars]

So misleading. What they're not telling you is that the machine turned into vapor whenever the camera was not focused on it.

In its current state, the Steambox doesn't quite reside in your house - it haunts the very halls with the steady hum of otherworldly fans. Valve still hasn't gotten this "permanence" thing down yet.

 

[Arras]

I like the console but the controller looks so bad :/

Honestly the controller looks fine to me. It does look a bit different from what we're used to, but not bad.

 

[Taleweaver]

I don't get the hype of a steam machine. Connecting a PC to a television is a piece of cake nowadays (assuming both are semi-new, that is), and installing linux* as a dual-boot partition is another piece of cake. So...yeah. Good luck buying the thing half a year from now. Meanwhile, I'm fucking ALREADY LOOKING AT IT (and man, it sure does NOT look like a xbox one on my end ).


*I'm assuming a user-friendly version like debian, ubuntu or mint here...I doubt the ubuntu-based steamOS will require rocket science to install.

 

[raulpica]

I don't get the hype of a steam machine. Connecting a PC to a television is a piece of cake nowadays (assuming both are semi-new, that is), and installing linux* as a dual-boot partition is another piece of cake. So...yeah. Good luck buying the thing half a year from now. Meanwhile, I'm fucking ALREADY LOOKING AT IT (and man, it sure does NOT look like a xbox one on my end ).


*I'm assuming a user-friendly version like debian, ubuntu or mint here...I doubt the ubuntu-based steamOS will require rocket science to install.

It is made by GABEN. The same one who lots of people (me included) throw lots of money to, just because he has an amazing marketplace where you can get awesome sales.

It's a kind of a cult following nowadays. Buddha? Psssshhh. The new guy around is GABEN.

FASTER STRONGER BETTER GABEN

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I don't get the hype of a steam machine. Connecting a PC to a television is a piece of cake nowadays (assuming both are semi-new, that is), and installing linux* as a dual-boot partition is another piece of cake. So...yeah. Good luck buying the thing half a year from now. Meanwhile, I'm fucking ALREADY LOOKING AT IT (and man, it sure does NOT look like a xbox one on my end ).


*I'm assuming a user-friendly version like debian, ubuntu or mint here...I doubt the ubuntu-based steamOS will require rocket science to install.

That's a rather silly assumption, seeing how we don't know anything price-wise and only have a faint idea spec-wise. If Valve can make a powerful yet affordable Steam Machine, then it's entirely possible this will be a major success. Not everybody has an $800 PC dedicated for gaming, to assume they do is very silly, and not only that but this is targeted towards console gamers, not PC.


EDIT: Alternatively, ALL PRAISE THE MIGHTY GABEN

 

[Satangel]

Must admit the controller looks uglier in the real than on the first pictures. The console itself is nothing special, I can imagine it having to be pretty big for REALLY good heat flow, important in a PC.

 

[Taleweaver]

That's a rather silly assumption, seeing how we don't know anything price-wise and only have a faint idea spec-wise. If Valve can make a powerful yet affordable Steam Machine, then it's entirely possible this will be a major success. Not everybody has an $800 PC dedicated for gaming, to assume they do is very silly, and not only that but this is targeted towards console gamers, not PC.


EDIT: Alternatively, ALL PRAISE THE MIGHTY GABEN

Console gamers will be too busy playing those other new consoles. A good library of "PC-exclusives" might turn some heads, but AFAIK, most of those are still windows exclusive. And that thing to stream from your PC to your steambox-PC...I doubt many console gamers are going to bother with that sort of stuff. (btw...does that mean it can stream ALL games from windows to steambox, or just the ones on steam?)

So no...In the end, I really think that PC gamers will be the main audience for these things. Granted, they'll sell quite a bit (with all those sales, they don't even NEED killer apps...everyone is already drowning in games they want to play ). But I'm very curious to see what sort of impact it will have on PC-gaming as a whole...


EDIT: and yeah...Gaben gets lots of credit for steam, and rightfully so...but why should we give him our money to buy something WE ALREADY HAVE?
The controller is innovative, yes. But the PC? Am I really the only one not terrified by the idea of downloading steamOS and installing it side-to-side to my windows partition?