Valve Nukes "Steam Box" Reports; Focusing on New UI

[exfileme]

Don't expect any hardware or hardware partnerships to come from Valve anytime soon.

Valve Nukes "Steam Box" Reports; Focusing on New UI : Read more

 

[Kryan]

good. now stfu and finish HL:Ep3 or HL3 or whatever you want to call it.

 

[rantoc]

In other words Steam will have icons the size of 1/4 the entire desktop and be metrolike... progress... yeah right!

 

[JOSHSKORN]

Metro Steam here we come!

 

[alvine]

wheres my Ep3?!

 

[southernshark]

Well unlike the title of this story, which said they nuked the idea of Steambox, they in fact did not deny it at all, but rather just changed the subject to something else. Hopefully the idea happens because really if any company could make a console like box that does not suck, it would be steam.

 

[kawininjazx]

Do they not know how to build a PC? Core i7 with a GT430? How about an i5 and take the $80-$100 you saved on a real GPU?

 

[Guest]

How about Steam for Linux? The PC is a great platform as it is.

 

[shardey]

They need a flash drive, or a separate partition, that can be booted so the need for windows isn't necessary to play games.

 

[crewton]

[citation][nom]bundwallah[/nom]How about Steam for Linux? The PC is a great platform as it is.[/citation]

Agree! It would push us one step closer to OS freedom.

 

[atikkur]

yeaa.. better they focused on software that turn ordinary pc into console-like pc-game platform, wether it is brand new games os or just windows optimization.

 

[jimmysmitty]

[citation][nom]kawininjazx[/nom]Do they not know how to build a PC? Core i7 with a GT430? How about an i5 and take the $80-$100 you saved on a real GPU?[/citation]

As said, it was a build just to see what they could use for their new UI.

And I am sure they know how to build PCs. Most every one who works at VALVe are PC gaming nerds, like us. They also have a dedicated IT room that builds and maintains PC systems.

As for the new UI, I doubt it would be anything like metro but something that will work on PC monitors or TVs. A lot of people didn't like the current UI at first, I didn't mind it, but now most don't seem to mind it either.

As long as I can get to my games without too much hassel, I am perfectly fine.

 

[taintsauce]

[citation][nom]bundwallah[/nom]How about Steam for Linux? The PC is a great platform as it is.[/citation]

+1, but I don't think we'll be seeing that any time soon. If I was an optimist, I'd say they were waiting for the X/Wayland switch to solidify before making their move, but I'd wager that it's just not a high priority right now.

If it WERE to happen, I doubt it would be Steam for Linux so much as Steam for Ubuntu (and possibly a couple of the other big-name distros), at least in the "officially supported" sense. Too much hassle for customer service to have to remember each and every distro's quirks.

 

[slabbo]

I'm guessing "Steam Box" is more of a certification for a PC much like the THX certification on certain sound systems. So anything with Steam Box would be certified to play any Steam game. Because from the sounds of it, no one here would need a Steam Box console if you already have Steam installed on your PC. But a Steam Box certification on new PC's would help those who are PC illiterate chose the right PC for using Steam and playing games.

 

[beardguy]

I bet money this follow up is because, after they announced it, they received such negative feedback on the Steam Box.

Back to the drawing board.

 

[Usersname]

[citation][nom]crewton[/nom]Agree! It would push us one step closer to OS freedom.[/citation]Linux isn't freedom. It's just another OS.

 

[COLGeek]

I am not surprised. This is not one of Steam's core competencies and I am sure would have been underwhelming.

 

[bloc97]

[citation][nom]bundwallah[/nom]How about Steam for Linux? The PC is a great platform as it is.[/citation]
They can even save 300$ and use an Phenom II x4... Then they can buy an somewhat high-end GPU.

 

[atminside]

Nvidia GT430.....now that is some high end stuff :/

 

[yumri]

really the nVidia GT430 is as much as the nVidia 520 but the 520 is slightly faster so i hope if they are doing it they will use the 520 instead as it will last with decent graphics for slightly longer then the 430 would.

 

[dalauder]

I just hope Steam's new UI isn't as sluggish as the current one with all the log-in problems. I don't get why they have to have such a useful service that's delivered in such a mediocre system. If I were grading it, I'd give it a C-.

 

[jbheller]

The build a simple box using a zotac motherboard that comes with a GT430. It still faster than the crap HD2000 or HD3000 that a lot of laptops still utilise but not really gamable.

Sticking with the low profile idea you could use the other version of the zotac z68 mother board which as a pci 16x slot, get a low profile card like the sapphire 6670, and change the i7 for a i5 2500 or 2500k. Chip is $100 cheaper which will pay for the graphic card. Motherboard is cheaper too. So for the same price, you get much better overall system performance.

Personally id love to see a steam box. Set it up with the OS in flash memory like a HP thin client. The cut down windows XP that these units run is small and fast, and uncorruptable as the OS patition can be set to be read only. Include a ssd or laptop drive 100 gigs or so should be adequate, and the system could be really good.

Another alternative is to use an FM1 motherboard, with an A8-3500k or better and the same sapphire 6670 low profile card. Some like the asus motherboard even come with a nice remote control. Would make an ideal console replacement.