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Steambox, would you buy one? HL8 Confirmed.


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Posted

I'm still on the fence on this one. I have a preference to console style gaming and dispite the "PC master race" could never convince my self that pluggin a PC in to TV is a good idea. At the moment there are three problems and until Valve convince me they have it sorted, the PS4 looks a better buy in my eyes...

 

SteamOS. How does it work? What does it look like? How much has been designed around a game controller rather than a mouse? Sorry, but the announcement (from what I can see) hasn't said anything but - "look, we've made SteamOS".

 

Linux without Wine. This is the big one. They need publishers. They need publishers to be talking about developing games. They need publishers to be talking about developing current AAA new release games (Watch_Dogs?). They need publishers to be talking about developing current AAA new release games (Watch_Dogs?) in Linux natively. It's all quiet on the western front.

 

The other nigling concern is that it's been tried before, and failed. 3DO tried to get a "common hardware platform for gaming that any manufacturer could produce". It was too expensive. I think SteamOS on it's own is the wrong direction. Valve needed to take control of the hardware and release their own device. I suppose the plus here is that anybody can build their own PC and just put the OS on there - but, unless it's pre-install in the shops I can't see that being appealing to the average consumer.

Posted
How much has been designed around a game controller rather than a mouse?

The controller will most likely be announced on Friday.

 

Valve needed to take control of the hardware and release their own device.

That's what they are going to do.

Posted

That's what they are going to do.

 

Mmm, if that's the case they have a Microsoft-eque PR problem. The media don't appear to be reporting that message (or I'm misreading the article)...

 

Valve working with partners on

 

Multiple manufacturers making multiple consoles to multiple specs? Sounds messy.

 

Like I say, they seem big on announcements and light on detail at the moment. The idea of a SteamBox (done right) is a compelling one. Just not convinced they are doing right yet...

Posted
Multiple manufacturers making multiple consoles to multiple specs? Sounds messy.

 

If they all work together and make components easier to compare [Like the Windows Experience Index] then it wouldn't matter who made the parts.

 

If a game says it needs 7 for graphics, you just by a card rated 7 or higher.

 

The current way is annoying... "Requires: GTX6600million or higher". Check... look at benchmarks... Oh, it's a PoS card that my laptop outstrips.

Posted
Go and stand in the corner with your head hung in shame... :twitch:

 

NEVAR!

 

I hardly ever finish games. I get distracted by new ones... I need to stop buying games for a while, but there's too much I want to get.

Posted
Bah! I can't get the "launch a game and play with a gamepad" to unlock.

 

All I use is big picture with a controller.

 

Forgive the ingorant question from a console fanboy - but,

 

Is Big picture itself fully controlled from a gamepad, or just the launched game? Also, do all games automatically launch with gamepad controls selected, or does it depend on the game?

 

Just wondering how far they've developed it and how much you can do without going near a keyboard or mouse? This is what I want them to show us in SteamOS. The OS needs to run without the need for keyboard or mouse at all for it have a proper shot at the TV set, and that proberly means a better lock at Installation and Updating than Microsoft Windows currently manages.

Posted
Forgive the ingorant question from a console fanboy - but,

 

Is Big picture itself fully controlled from a gamepad, or just the launched game? Also, do all games automatically launch with gamepad controls selected, or does it depend on the game?

 

Just wondering how far they've developed it and how much you can do without going near a keyboard or mouse? This is what I want them to show us in SteamOS. The OS needs to run without the need for keyboard or mouse at all for it have a proper shot at the TV set, and that proberly means a better lock at Installation and Updating than Microsoft Windows currently manages.

 

Big picture is a mode designed for tv/gamepad. In a similar way windows media center was for media player or apple's front row.

 

I don't think you'd need to touch a mouse to use big picture. Also my game pad just worked with the games.

Posted
Forgive the ingorant question from a console fanboy - but,

 

Is Big picture itself fully controlled from a gamepad, or just the launched game? Also, do all games automatically launch with gamepad controls selected, or does it depend on the game?

 

Just wondering how far they've developed it and how much you can do without going near a keyboard or mouse? This is what I want them to show us in SteamOS. The OS needs to run without the need for keyboard or mouse at all for it have a proper shot at the TV set, and that proberly means a better lock at Installation and Updating than Microsoft Windows currently manages.

 

Big Picture IS fully controllable with a gamepad, but you can use KB/M if you want to. [Daisy wheel gamepad keyboard is annoying.]

 

If the game supports gamepads, it should auto detect it and set it up accordingly, but I think that's the game itself and not BPM specific.

 

I WAS playing Portal 2 purist style [KB/M controls] and when I connected the gamepad it didn't re-enable controllers until I did it manually. If I had left it, it would have used the controller.

Saints Row 3 loads with gamepad controls on when I launch it from BPM AND regular Steam if I have one attached.

Posted
It varies by title really. When I used TF2 I did find myself having to swap between KB/M and Gamepad though to set options and proceed in the training missions.
Posted

In Big Picture mode, GTA4 loads directly with game pad selected. So does ARMA3, however there is not a game pad big enough to use with ARMA3! Way too many controls! ;)

 

Indie games are awesome in Big Screen mode. Super meat boy for example! :)

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