Steam Piston?
polycounter lvl 7
Here We Go: Valve-Backed PC Hardware Will Be Shown Off This Week
"A company called Xi3Corporation is developing the hardware (whose chassis you can see above), which they say is designed to play Steam games on big-screen TVs"
"A company called Xi3Corporation is developing the hardware (whose chassis you can see above), which they say is designed to play Steam games on big-screen TVs"
Replies
We can only speculate.
i already have a computer
I don't however feel the need to play my PC games on my TV. That would only be useful if I had a group of people watching while I played. Then space between me and my screen might actually be useful.
What is this I don't even.
I doubt it will be shaped like that, but I imagine it will have the same innards.
cause i seem to doubt that little box that isnt even the size of the PSU of my desktop, would be able to push modern games.
The four SATA connectors (and the multitude of others) doesn't have you scratching your head?
External storage and that.
Does look pretty mental from the back, granted.
We can only spe.... you get the idea.
It's a micro modular PC. You can change the interior when you need it to perform either more or less depending on what you need.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/385376/valves-steam-box-early-specs-and-what-we-know-so-far/?cid=OTC-RSS&attr=CVG-News-RSS
I'm having a hard time believing that box can run any kind of intense games.
EDIT: Oh, a full PC? That definitely won't run some games well unless the graphics are dropped down.
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a mini-pc running under linux, nothing great and quite expensive. With 350 euro i build a better htpc and 10x times more powerful. Don't be surprised by its small form factor, this will be a FAIL.
Err, and where is Half Life 3? at this rate the game will need to be called "Half Life Forever".
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/01/05/valve-39-s-rumored-console-may-be-linux-based.aspx
If true... that is awesome! The ability to have steam "console" but PC oriented would be amazing. I guess we have to wait for more info on this.
I think us tech savvy cool computer people can already get this result with what we have but what about the others? or the ones that only use a computer for gaming and can't afford or know how to upgrade every other year. This and Shield (with the pc streaming) looks like they can possibly be direct competition.
I understand... i have my computer hooked up to my TV as well... and i play for the most part with my xbox controller. BUT! right now i am at a point where my processor is more than 5 years old and its starting to show its age... to upgrade my computer i would need to sink maybe 1k? new gpu and processor with mobo. If this is high end, and i can play all my steam games, for the right price i am all for it. Of course, at some point i would totally upgrade my pc.
But i think its a smart move. For steam to expand to try to get more people to use it. So more casual gamers might be able to enjoy steam and their crazy sales.
I guess we'll have to see what else it offers. From the link it says that it'll be upgradable. So that is cool.
Is that what it will actually look like? Cause that is fucking hideous.
LOL!
My opinion on this whole shebang: support the crap out of valve. I doubt they plan to make something that can't run the games they intend to sell on it. it may look a little suspect as we see it now but I'll give Gabe credit not to do something as stupid as push hardware that's sub-standard just because it's small and foxy.
As far as the "it's ugly" comments...really? how so and who cares?
here's what i see happening lately:
Microsoft doesn't like steam, largely because microsoft doesn't like competition. Oddly enough, steam has caused microsoft to compete with itself for game sales (xbox and PC's running steam). So now steam doesn't run well with windows 8. (doesn't run at all? don't know. don't have it. don't wanna go look it up). well that's a pain in the *** - pretty much anybody who buys a computer (maybe not those of us who build our own rigs) will be running windows 8 now..problem for steam.
Furthermore - windows has shown an alarming trend (from valve's perspective). Windows RT cannot run any programs that aren't purchased through the Windows store. Mac status. RT is an OS for tablets and such, so not really relevant to Steam, but there have been rumors that Windows 8 will follow suit. (it's my understanding that if you don't currently sell through the windows store your application has to rely on the "desktop mode" in win 8.).
also - until last month you couldn't publish anything rated M or Pegi 18 on the Windows store...which is a problem for games...
TLDR; Microsoft is trying to compete with steam and using the same BS dirty tricks that Microsoft tends to use. Steam needs an alternative to PC's on the ready before Microsoft blocks them from your computer for good.
I don't really think this is just about getting you to play steam games like you're playing a console - it's about them having a platform to continue publishing games to without making a great big push to develop their own complete OS to compete with windows.
I just hope they manage to make it easily upgradeable - extend the "console's" functional lifespan a while longer...
*edit* does anybody else find the timing of this and the NShield announcement a little suspect? mash the two together you might have something pretty durn neat...
It sounds like this is just Valve teaming up with a manufacturer that isn't afraid of Microsoft. If HP, Dell or anyone else had the balls to team up with Valve, I'm sure Microsoft would punish them.
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Steam works on Windows 8, it's basically the same argument web browser developers used against Internet Explorer being bundled with windows - Valve is upset that a potential competitor to steam will come preloaded on new computers.
Of course it will be successful though. all the console junkies will get it, and then many many many more hats will be bought and created for TF2.
optimistic. it would make sense, though...
And i'm glad Dell and HP aren't doing it. I've had problems with HP and heard Dell horror stories...i'm not a fan.
*EDIT* mayhaps i stand corrected
Confirmed for vaporware
http://www.polygon.com/2013/1/7/3849284/piston-valve-steam-box-xi3
aaaaaaaaaaaaand it sells out on 3 minutes and is on back order for four months :poly136:
I would love to see something like that happen just to see the shit-fit the internet would have. I could see them release a Half Life 3:Episode 0 segment, like Lost Coasts, exclusive for Piston. That would make me laugh pretty loud.
They might be working on a "Steam approved" set of hardware requirements and a quick check and verification system that will help users not buy more game than their "pistons" can push?
Maybe it stores hardware configs that you've had steam installed on and checks those before you purchase or play?
If you only play plants vs zombies you can get away with a cheaper piston?
That could get tricky to manage from valves stand point.
I think its an interesting move to partner here, and not only with one hardware vendor specifically.
Or how about literally "$500 to $1000"? After all, it's a modular PC system. 100 gb, 500 gb, 500gb SSD. i3, i5, i7. Geforce GTX 660, 680, 690. $500, $750, $1000.
I don't know... even assembling my own gaming rig I would probably still be dropping around $1000 for a capable machine. $1K for a decent gaming rig squeezed down into a form-factor that small seems like a pretty good deal. (especially if there is still room for upgrades down the line) Having tiered options for different features is also right in line with my PC purchasing habits.
For the do-it-yourself enthusiasts, this might not be as appealing. But I know plenty of people who might be interested in a box such as this. The challenge will be for Valve to put together an optimized Linux distro that will work well with it. Convincing people to switch to Linux is a far more daunting hurdle than convincing them to buy a stylish mini-computer.
I guess we'll have to wait for more info but, even if its built on an open platform (Linux) if your only choice Steam? and what happens with hardware is it all controlled by X13? or will it be open source and allow any OEM to pop up. It feels like a case of out of the pan into the fire.
Even if its a prototype its still ugly as sin, i love how you can tell the case was designed by an engineer.
I don't think that is going to be a problem. It's apparent that Valve is in active talks with other manufacturers. Their use of X13 is one of opportunity. X13 attempted to Kickstart their mini-computer last year, but their Kickstarter campaign failed. Valve saw an opportunity and is providing the funding for X13 to bring their mini-computer to market. Financing X13 gives Valve the chance to back a hardware designer that doesn't have close ties to Microsoft. (which gives them the chance to push Linux)
At any rate a small prefab pc with easy hookup is always good. I'd assume it had a external power block like a Xbox360?
At any rate might get one of these for some giggles. portable steam on the go
Edit:
They would have to have filters depending on parts for games to see what it can & cant play otherwise there'll be alot of the lower budget customs pissed/
It's much more complicated then this. Steam is not the only one effected first. To use the "metro" interface and update tools for your title, you HAVE to go through the MS store. Everything else is delegated to the desktop which is like an app on the new interface.
Windows RT doesnt even have a desktop, not that it matters with it requiring new ports because of Arm processors. The fear is though Ms delegating all non metro software to the desktop while pushing and eventually getting rid of the desktop on all versions in a later OS version.
This all being said, I have liked Windows 8 thus far, and have little to no problems with my games/software related to the OS. It boots faster as well, and reacts quicker.
I can dig up an article if you'd like, but Valve did state that the big plan for the hardware is a guideline, and any vendor can build hardware within the specs. Basically a baseline PC that a dev can get reliable performance on. I also remember Gabe being part of some press release for the Sandy Bridge processor, and how much Valve really liked what it could do for pc gaming.
These boxes will be running some flavor of Linux, I haven't seen this mentioned in the thread yet. I'm really curious how this is going to all play out
with 600 euro we can build a small form factor gaming rig system, suited for hardcore gamers and x1000 times better than this little "steam brick". If piston could have the GPU power of a gtx 680 OC and CPU power of a i7 3770k@5ghz, then... it would deserve the price of 1000+ euro.
They are selling us obsolete technology like the ultimate tech.
hora!
I have also been following news about this. It's about time a console like system is being presented that is also modular, meaning it can be upgraded as technology ages. The mainstream consoles need far more competition and quite frankly, they have limited game development and the market in which games are geared towards.
Between this and Ouya, I think game industry will get turned on its head, in a good way...but only time will tell.