Steam OS ( a steam linux distro)

[Isaac]

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/




By now, most of you have already heard of the new Steam OS. But many might not have heard that it is a freely distributed linux distro.







But, that's not the important part...





What's important here is a new game console called Steam box. And yes, the Steam box will be running the Steam OS. This means publishers who want their titles on a new console will be developing Linux games. With more producers aimed at Steam OS, this could have a bigger impact to the whole Linux world than Ubuntu did. Note that the steam desktop application is already available for Linux.

[Sirius]

I was hearing stuff about streaming games from Windows... so uh, yeah. Probably could run games natively on it, but it then has to compete with the PS4/Xbox/Wii U and maybe Ouya if you take it seriously...

[Isaac]

Probably could run games natively on it

I'm doing it right now, actually. Steam for linux is already working and games are installed natively. I've got roughly 22 linux games I purchased on steam and they run on my Lubuntu netbook (There are six others that don't work on my hardware).

[Warlock]

it sounds neat cant wait to try it on one of my extra boxs

[Neptin]

I'm confused about what kind of "entertainment boxes" this will work on.

[Ferno]

Until SteamOS works on a computer monitor (and not on a TV, like it specifies on the page), windows is still going to be used on PC's for gaming.

[Isaac]

A TV? You mean console.

[Ferno]

yes, both.

[Isaac]

They're not making a tv...

[Ferno]

Yeah it's not like they've suddenly become samsung, sony, LG, Toshiba... I know that already Issac, cmon.

[Isaac]

I wish... I'd totally buy a Steam refrigerator.

[Alter-Fox]

Don't think that would work too well... at, y'know, refridgerating

[Sirius]

You probably could use steam power to drive a heat pump - couldn't speak to its efficiency though

[Isaac]

Might look like this

[Alter-Fox]

Steampunk!

[Krom]

Actually you know there have been refrigerators that were powered by a gas burner...

I find this Steam OS announcement amusing at the moment because its solution to Native Windows games is for you to stream those from an actual Windows 7/8/etc box somewhere else in the house. But if enough studios develop games natively for the Steam OS, it could kick things off quite a bit for it and other similar linux variants, although maintaining hardware support in the PC space would be a nightmare of epic proportions.

[Isaac]

although maintaining hardware support in the PC space would be a nightmare of epic proportions.

Not if developers only develop with the steam box's hardware in mind, then it's an easier target. There are problems with that, but here's how I see it...

For example, Steam Box could have an Intel 64bit 2GHz cpu with a $200 Nvidia card as standard hardware. This would mean 32bit would have less support on linux and ATI card users would need to get creative in getting their games to work, though they might not have problems.

In other words, orthodox linux users don't expect perfect cross hardware/platform compatibility, ever. It's just nice to see an open source desktop cpu compiled kernel go big for general users. Ubuntu, Fedora, and the others made the first big step in that direction, but Steam OS with Steam Box will make bigger (more users and sales) and more important (eliminating windows dependence) step for the entire desktop linux community.

[Krom]

But that is basically the same as developing for a console, when you only target specific hardware it isn't the "PC space" anymore. The PC space is such a nightmare for hardware support because there are so many different vendors and configurations. You are basically saying "it wouldn't be that hard to support PC hardware if you just don't support the overwhelming majority of it".

[Jeff250]

I find this Steam OS announcement amusing at the moment because its solution to Native Windows games is for you to stream those from an actual Windows 7/8/etc box somewhere else in the house.

I don't think the Steam Box has to come up with a solution to Windows games any more than other consoles do, and insofar as Windows games pose a problem, this feature seems to already do more about it than what other consoles are doing.

[Sirius]

Could always make it dual-boot Windows, I guess... more than the other consoles do. It's also not really a solution, but it's cheaper than a gaming PC at least.

[Isaac]

It should eventually become a solution, sirius.

[Sirius]

Theoretically, but it's got an uphill fight ahead of it. The way it currently works may well give it a foothold; getting games developed to run specifically on it will effectively be like introducing a new console to the marketplace, which - similar to all the new phone operating systems - is going to be difficult to get traction with.

Valve is one of the better backers for such a project, though. Game developers take them a bit more seriously than projects like Ouya.

[Isaac]

Agreed. Linux has had very little success so far as a gaming os. But game consoles generally do very well, maybe even better than Windows, in some cases. What valve is doing is dressing up Linux in a console in a point in time when Windows game sales are starting to go down.

[Tunnelcat]

Gaining Steam now.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/20 ... onsole-war

[Ferno]

I see what you did there TC. Clever.

[Tunnelcat]

Pun intended.

But I am curious to see if this Steam controller will work as well as a keyboard/mouse combo. Looks sketchy. I still hate controllers except for driving vehicles.

[Sirius]

Depends on the game. For the games that previous handheld controllers didn't work well with, this would make only moderate difference. I seem to recall a quote from someone from Valve to the effect of "you can play DotA 2 with it; you just can't win with it".

[Isaac]

Just a reminder. Steam OS is a Linux box: you can plug anything controller into it, even a mouse and keyboard.

[Duper]

Theoretically, but it's got an uphill fight ahead of it. The way it currently works may well give it a foothold; getting games developed to run specifically on it will effectively be like introducing a new console to the marketplace, which - similar to all the new phone operating systems - is going to be difficult to get traction with.

Valve is one of the better backers for such a project, though. Game developers take them a bit more seriously than projects like Ouya.

Exactly Sirius. Value has the clout that is needed to make a viable go of it. Triple A titles will be more likely to play with them than someone like On-Live.