Valve announces Steam OS, Steam Machines, and Steam Controller

[SifJar]

While this is neat, I'm not seeing how it's exactly groundbreaking...

Yet another Linux distro? I mean, that's fine, but it doesn't really change too much.

Just install Steam on another Linux distro?

I'm guessing this is an OS with all the non-essential parts stripped out in favour of performance and speed for gaming.

 

[Apex]

As long as I don't need to even go NEAR DS3tools or anything of that variety, I'm in.

In other words, SteamOS, PLEASE have PS3 controller support that doesn't suck.

 

[cdoty]

As long as I don't need to even go NEAR DS3tools or anything of that variety, I'm in.

In other words, SteamOS, PLEASE have PS3 controller support that doesn't suck.

If you're on Windows, the XInput Wrapper for DS3 is easy to install and use:
http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-XInput-Wrapper-for-DS3-and-Play-com-USB-Dual-DS2-Controller

 

[IBNobody]

If you're on Windows, the XInput Wrapper for DS3 is easy to install and use:
http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-XInput-Wrapper-for-DS3-and-Play-com-USB-Dual-DS2-Controller

It is very easy to use.

 

[back25]

I'm guessing this is an OS with all the non-essential parts stripped out in favour of performance and speed for gaming.

and more importantly, optimized for controllers.

 

[Hells Malice]

...wait, don't most games not work on Linux that steam has?
or am I mistaken

 

[SnAQ]

I'm curious about the streaming, it would be really awesome if it used my gaming computer's power to do all the heavy lifting and just show it on my tv...

Now, let's hope Half-Life 3 is announced next!

 

[Thanatos Telos]

Yeah I'm guessing announcement #2 will be the steambox and #3 will be Friday and be Half Life 3 / Left 4 Dead 3 / Portal 3?
The OS is big news, the steambox will be big news, but what could be the biggest news saved for #3?

Why not Team Fortress 3?

 

[SnAQ]

...wait, don't most games not work on Linux that steam has?
or am I mistaken

I really don't think that's the case here, they'll make their whole library work when in SteamOS

 

[SifJar]

and more importantly, optimized for controllers.

Well no, that's irrelevant to the post I was responding to; Steam installed on another Linux distro would also support controllers (big picture mode).

...wait, don't most games not work on Linux that steam has?
or am I mistaken

There are a reasonable amount of Steam games available for Linux (including many of Valve's own big name games). See here: http://store.steampowered.com/browse/linux/

On top of this, Steam OS is capable of streaming games from another PC running Steam (e.g. a Windows PC), so you can have a Windows gaming rig in one room and a cheap(ish) HTPC running Steam OS connected to your TV in another room, streaming the games (and also acting as a media centre, if you like).

I really don't think that's the case here, they'll make their whole library work when in SteamOS

Absolutely not, they can't just "make their whole library work". Valve's first party games are, in the large part, available for Linux, but there are a great deal of titles on Steam that are not available for Linux, nor is it within Valve's power to make them available. I guess there's potential for some sort of Wine-derived compatibility layer, but that's not ideal and certainly not 100% compatibility.

 

[Apex]

cdoty and Ibnobody:

I've messed with it before but to no avail, but this time I finally got it to work with my unsupported internal Bluetooth adapter by putting my hardware id into the inf like they recommended for Motioninjoy. FINALLY. Thanks for the tip and getting me to try again, glad it finally works!

 

[Sakitoshi]

Absolutely not, they can't just "make their whole library work". Valve's first party games are, in the large part, available for Linux, but there are a great deal of titles on Steam that are not available for Linux, nor is it within Valve's power to make them available. I guess there's potential for some sort of Wine-derived compatibility layer, but that's not ideal and certainly not 100% compatibility.

we are are talking about linux, they can bump the compatibility up to 90% if they use WINE or similar software. they already use DOSBox for the old DOS games like DooM and friends.

 

[raulpica]

I guess there's potential for some sort of Wine-derived compatibility layer, but that's not ideal and certainly not 100% compatibility.

Damn, I was going to waltz in there and post "lol, they'll be using WINE or something", but looks like you ninja'd my thought.

Anyway, I've heard around that WINE plays most Source-games flawlessly, so I guess that if they team up with the WINE team they could shape it up in a 99% compatibility wrapper in little to no time.

 

[PityOnU]

Well, I guess we'll have to just see what happens, then.

This doesn't really offer any new capabilities beyond what is already out there, but I guess it makes using them much easier - which I guess means more people will take advantage of it? Maybe?

Eh, who knows. I'm apparently so far out of touch with hardcore gamers now that I'm probably missing something.

 

[3bbb7]

ive been wanting to switch to linux for a while, but gaming has been keeping me on windows. Will this be a a livingroom gaming os only, or will it be optimized for daily desktop use too?

 

[The Real Jdbye]

>Linux
>gaming

 

[PityOnU]

>Linux
>gaming

What do you think the PS3, Wii, and Wii U OS's are based on?

Clue: It's not Windows.

 

[Kouen Hasuki]

Incoming Catboy comment!

also interesting about the OS I already knew about family sharing (have done a while now)

 

[SifJar]

ive been wanting to switch to linux for a while, but gaming has been keeping me on windows. Will this be a a livingroom gaming os only, or will it be optimized for daily desktop use too?

I think it's designed to be pretty much "gaming only". Although Steam has started selling regular software as well, so maybe that will run on it too. Plus it's Linux underneath, so there'll probably be some way to run Linux programs, even if it's not an "official" way.

But you could dual boot it with another distro/Windows. For that matter you could dual boot Linux and Windows right now, and just reboot to Windows when you want to play games.

What do you think the PS3, Wii, and Wii U OS's are based on?

Clue: It's not Windows.

Nor is it Linux. PS3's CellOS is "believed" to be a branch of FreeBSD, but the Wii and WiiU certainly aren't based on Linux. I don't know a whole lot about the WiiU, but in terms of the Wii - it doesn't even have an OS, really.

 

[TemplarGR]

Like SifJar said, PS3 uses a derivative from FreeBSD, which is a Unix-like system, like Linux, but no it is not Linux.

There is no real reason why Linux can't run games. Actually, Linux can run games faster than Windows, if both the distro and the game are optimized enough.

Although i believe this will be a bumpy ride, since the Linux's graphical stack has a lot of problems, and developers are reluctant to port to Linux. Although, since Android is a big thing, this is beginning to change...

Let's hope for this to succeed, this will be a BIG WIN for the consumer in the end...