Steam Box prototype console within four months

[Rawns]

BBC News - Valve readies prototype Steam Box video game console

 

Exciting stuff! The more I hear about this, the more I get excited about it!

[localzuk]

They're gonna need to get a wiggle on getting more 'big ticket' games out for Linux. The 130+ games that are there are great and all, but the vast majority are little puzzle games. They need some big games.

[Rawns]

They're gonna need to get a wiggle on getting more 'big ticket' games out for Linux. The 130+ games that are there are great and all, but the vast majority are little puzzle games. They need some big games.

 

I'm sure they will be working on porting some of the bigger games across to their console. Consoles are rarely released without some accompanying big name titles to play on them.

[LosOjos]

I'm sure they will be working on porting some of the bigger games across to their console. Consoles are rarely released without some accompanying big name titles to play on them.

 

I hope so but the problem is, it's not really a console, is it?

 

The only way I can see them really making this take off is to develop a new game of their own, something BIG, like the next Half Life, and making it a Steam exclusive.

 

I'm excited by the idea of the Steam box and I'd love to see it succeed, but I think they're going to have a hard time convincing the big software houses to adopt Linux as a target platform... I really hope they pull it off though!

[SovietRussia]

In my opinion the machine looks a little ugly, but the insides make up for it

[Rawns]

I hope so but the problem is, it's not really a console, is it?

 

The only way I can see them really making this take off is to develop a new game of their own, something BIG, like the next Half Life, and making it a Steam exclusive.

 

I'm excited by the idea of the Steam box and I'd love to see it succeed, but I think they're going to have a hard time convincing the big software houses to adopt Linux as a target platform... I really hope they pull it off though!

 

It could be the next generation of living room gaming devices. They say that the PS4 and Xbox 720(?) will be the last incarnation of their kind, maybe an open source device that runs Linux will allow greater scalability for audiences with different companies creating competing models?

[Rawns]

In my opinion the machine looks a little ugly, but the insides make up for it

 

The prototypes are not even made yet so the design will not have been finalised.

[LosOjos]

It could be the next generation of living room gaming devices. They say that the PS4 and Xbox 720(?) will be the last incarnation of their kind, maybe an open source device that runs Linux will allow greater scalability for audiences with different companies creating competing models?

 

I hope so, I really do. What I'd really like to see is a good, better best system in place, with Steam holding a library of GPU's on a simple number rating system. This would remove the obstacle for many non-geeks to PC gaming in terms of understanding the minimum and recommended spec - you'd just have a number, i.e. minimum 1 recommended 3, that corresponded to the rating Steam gave each card.

 

I think the key is going to be making it appear like a modular, [relatively] cheaply upgradeable console, as opposed to a living room PC...

[X-13]

with different companies creating competing models?

 

So, basically, standard PC gaming.

 

 

Steam holding a library of GPU's on a simple number rating system. This would remove the obstacle for many non-geeks to PC gaming in terms of understanding the minimum and recommended spec - you'd just have a number, i.e. minimum 1 recommended 3, that corresponded to the rating Steam gave each card.

 

I'm not sure that'd work.

 

My GPU [Nvidia 630M - 2GB] isn't that good judging by comments people have made about it. But, I can still play a lot of games with high settings and no problems. Saint's Row 3 maxed, WoW almost maxed, Tera maxed...

 

There's also the fact that a lot of the GPU intensive settings, like 8x antialising, aren't even needed. You can't really tell the difference between 8x and 4x. [Source]

Edited March 6, 2013 by X-13

[Jamo]

The thing people enjoy with consoles is knowing that if they buy the game which says xbox 360, they will know they can play it as was intended by the developers. If they create a fragmented environment then it will effectively be PC gaming. Not that I mind that, I prefer PC gaming to consoles as I can't get on with a controller for the majority of games!

[localzuk]

I'm not sure that'd work.

 

My GPU [Nvidia 630M - 2GB] isn't that good judging by comments people have made about it. But, I can still play a lot of games with high settings and no problems. Saint's Row 3 maxed, WoW almost maxed, Tera maxed...

 

There's also the fact that a lot of the GPU intensive settings, like 8x antialising, aren't even needed. You can't really tell the difference between 8x and 4x. [Source]

 

It'd work fine - you just list the games on the site for sale - Saints Row 3rd - For best quality '5', minimum '2'. etc... You could go about expanding upon this by encouraging a better graphics capability check in games. So, rather than leaving it up to the end user to have to fiddle, they can submit games for testing on some form of pre-built benchmarking system, that adjusts settings and scores them against cards etc... So when a user has, say, your card, it knows "this card has been tested with XYZ". This wouldn't work overly well in general PC gaming, but in a controlled 'Steam Box' environment it could be achieved pretty easily.

[LosOjos]

I'm not sure that'd work.

 

My GPU [Nvidia 630M - 2GB] isn't that good judging by comments people have made about it. But, I can still play a lot of games with high settings and no problems. Saint's Row 3 maxed, WoW almost maxed, Tera maxed...

 

There's also the fact that a lot of the GPU intensive settings, like 8x antialising, aren't even needed. You can't really tell the difference between 8x and 4x. [Source]

 

I'm not talking about comments people have made in a forum though, I'm talking about Steam holding an "authoritative" library of approved cards. That's not to say you can't use a theoretically lesser card, just that it's not been Steam approved therefore you have no comeback if the game you want to play won't work. I'd also have a "plug and play" mode, whereby the Steam box recognises the card you have and sets the games settings to pre-approved ones based on that card. You could override this but that would be on your own back.

 

The reason I'm saying this is I think this will need a simplified approach to entice console gamers. When you buy a game for a console, you know it will work. PC is a little more difficult. By having this standardised list, Steam could tell you whether a game will work with your system or not. If you choose to try the game despite Steam not recommending it, then that's up to you, but I think this simplified approach is needed to get console gamers over to the PC model.

[X-13]

It'd work fine - you just list the games on the site for sale - Saints Row 3rd - For best quality '5', minimum '2'. etc... You could go about expanding upon this by encouraging a better graphics capability check in games. So, rather than leaving it up to the end user to have to fiddle, they can submit games for testing on some form of pre-built benchmarking system, that adjusts settings and scores them against cards etc... So when a user has, say, your card, it knows "this card has been tested with XYZ". This wouldn't work overly well in general PC gaming, but in a controlled 'Steam Box' environment it could be achieved pretty easily.

 

It could be included in a beta/demo release... Which works out brilliantly as there seems to be less and less demos being made available.

[Rawns]

It could be included in a beta/demo release... Which works out brilliantly as there seems to be less and less demos being made available.

 

The plus side of demos, being able to effectivly benchmark your rig for a game you wanted to see if it can handle it. Steam do still make a lot of demos available though.

 

 

I miss the days of buying PC Gamer and getting a cover DVD with demos, drivers, indie games and mods! No call for it any more.

 

Even back in the day when I had a commodore 64, the game mags used to include free games on a cassette on the front. Happy days.

Edited March 6, 2013 by Rawns

[tmcd35]

Even back in the day when I had a commodore 64, the game mags used to include free games on a cassette on the front. Happy days.

 

[mists of time descend]

For me it was Amstrad Action. I got every issue for about 2 years or so and built quiet a library of descent free games. And then 4 or 5 Amiga mags every month with cover disks. Although the Amiga ones where always better for the free apps they gave away.

[/mists of time ascend]

 

It's what I like about the current PS+ service and am hoping Sony continues in some form with Gaikai on the PS4. Currently playing through the epic Red Dead Redemption and have Sleeping Dogs awaiting my attention. Neither of which I would have played other whys. Also tried the 1hr free play of Assassin Creed 1 and went out and bought that (waiting for me after completing Tomb Raider Anniversary). I have a feeling I'll be playing all the AC games over the course of this year.

 

If Valve offer the SteamBox at a reasonable price and can offer (a slightly better) OnLive-esque subscription gaming model then I'll be very, very tempted in this over the PS4 or XBox 720.

[Arthur]

The more I hear about this, the more I get excited about it!

Are you excited enough to pay ≥ $999? That's what Xi3's PISTON console will cost if you don't pre-order it. Valve's SteamBox will probably be expensive too.

 

xi3.com/buy_now-piston.php

 

[b]Specs[/b]
3.2Ghz AMD R464 Quad Core CPU (essentially an A10-4600M APU with Radeon HD 7660G)
8GB DDR3 RAM
128GB SSD

[localzuk]

I don't think Xi3's system should be taken as an example of the end product. Their system is plainly an 'elite' one - an oddly specced one at that. 128GB SSD? That's it? That'll be full after a couple of games.

 

SSDs are great for games, but they aren't cost effective for them at the moment. A standard HDD is really needed for Steam, or maybe one of those hybrid drives.

 

The design of that system is great but the price comes from the sheer mini size of it. Expand it to a more traditional size, and you can adjust the price a fair amount, as you can reduce the problem of cooling etc...

[Arthur]

128GB SSD? That's it? That'll be full after a couple of games.

The 128GB SSD would be fine for the games you are currently playing. As you finish each game, you could move it to an external HDD so it doesn't have to be downloaded again.

 

If the PISTON has the same number of ports as the X7A Modular PC which it is based on (4x eSATAp III, 4x USB 3.0 and 4x USB 2.0), I don't think storage will be problem for most people. A single 2TB WD MyPassport would be enough for all of my Steam games.

 

You're probably right that Valve's SteamBox will be cheaper, but I bet it is going to cost at least £499.99 when it's released in the UK.

[localzuk]

The 128GB SSD would be fine for the games you are currently playing. As you finish each game, you could move it to an external HDD so it doesn't have to be downloaded again.

 

But that isn't how a console works... Nor steam. The idea is supposed to be 'click and go' for both.

 

You're probably right that Valve's SteamBox will be cheaper, but I bet it is going to cost at least £499.99 when it's released in the UK.

 

Unless they sell below cost to get them out there, to make money from the games...

[Arthur]

But that isn't how a console works... Nor steam. The idea is supposed to be 'click and go' for both.

Choosing different install locations isn't that difficult. The install_folder_ui will no doubt be enabled by default on Valve's console.

 

http://i.imgur.com/l2EIMD3.png

 

http://i.imgur.com/uUMqdGP.png

 

Unless they sell below cost to get them out there, to make money from the games...

I could see Valve bundling a 'free' copy of Half-Life 3 with the SteamBox, but I can't see them sustaining substantial multi-year losses like Microsoft and Sony can.

[Rawns]

The Piston Box (aka, "Steam" Box) is up fro pre-order:

 

Xi3 is taking pre-orders for the Piston PC, its so-called Steam Box, for shipping by "holidays 2013".

 

The Piston Steam Box will start at US$1000 - Computers: PC, Mac, Laptop, Desktop, Tablet & Monitors

 

It will start at US$1000 and ship Christmas 2013. While not the actual "Steam Console", this is the model Valve have invested in with Xi3, and it's it's been specifically designed to run Steam in Big Screen mode.

 

Pre-order page if your interested: Xi3 | Buy Now - PISTON Console

 

Edit: Interesting, the base model is actually US$899. Price goes up based on SSD size.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Rawns

[TechMonkey]

But that isn't how a console works...

 

 

Well it is really isn't it. Get a game out of the box, play it, put it back in the box (or on the floor/shelf/in a book!) and get another one out. Copying to and from an external HDD would actually be easier, don't need to get up from your chair. & Steam makes it easier as you could backup save games and just download when you want to from your back catalog.

[Rawns]

I don't think Xi3's system should be taken as an example of the end product. Their system is plainly an 'elite' one - an oddly specced one at that. 128GB SSD? That's it? That'll be full after a couple of games.

 

SSDs are great for games, but they aren't cost effective for them at the moment. A standard HDD is really needed for Steam, or maybe one of those hybrid drives.

 

Exactly why I bought a 1TB Segate HDD for my Steam library in my new rig rather then an SSD. You just can't get the size needed yet, plus the largest SSD drives at the moment are way too expensive.

 

You're probably right that Valve's SteamBox will be cheaper, but I bet it is going to cost at least £499.99 when it's released in the UK.

 

May be wrong, but was that not how much the PS3 was when it came out? And the Xbox was not far off?

 

Also, technically you won't need to buy all new games. You'll instantly have your whole Steam catalog available to play on your new 'console', and most people I know with Steam have 100+ games. No 'backwards compatibility' issues there to worry about.

 

I could see Valve bundling a 'free' copy of Half-Life 3 with the SteamBox, but I can't see them sustaining substantial multi-year losses like Microsoft and Sony can.

 

Is this even 'officially' in development?

Edited March 11, 2013 by Rawns

[LosOjos]

Also, technically you won't need to buy all new games. You'll instantly have your whole Steam catalog available to play on your new 'console', and most people I know with Steam have 100+ games. No 'backwards compatibility' issues there to worry about.

 

At the moment, there are a lot of big games that haven't got a Linux port.

 

I'm rooting for Valve but I'm sceptical. It all just feels a little too same old same old to me. I really think if they're going to pull this off, they have to take steps to work on the terms of the console crowd. Releasing a custom gaming PC with a platform not yet ready to deliver AAA games just isn't going to cut it I don't think.

 

I do think, however, they could afford to make a loss on their "console" for a year or two. They must have an incredible amount of capital behind them by now, as well as being a AAA games developer they provide a platform that other games are built on as well as being the largest online games distributor in the world... yeah, I think they could quite easily afford a bit of a loss on console sales for a year or two.

[Arthur]

Interesting...

 

Valve no longer involved with Xi3 PISTON gaming PC « Neowin