Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardware partners

Re:Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardware... by fufulabs on Saturday March 03, 2012 @11:23AM (#3660368)

Here is what i hope will pan out:

1. Steam OS will be powered by Linux + OpenGL

2. It will have unparalleled gamer-bias and developer-bias instead of revolving around publishers (meaning its truly gamer focused as what has been Valve's MO)

3. It will be just good enough in the graphics department but will instead lower the friction in the assets pipeline department, virality and player-analytics

4. Graphics will now take a backseat to story, AI, art-direction and pacing (due to the hardware spec being fixed and player measuring tools)

5. crowdsourcing features will be baked in thru APIs (Team Fortress hats as a precursor)

6. social multiplayer features baked in thru APIs

7. a standard controller will be mandated

8. optional accessories like bio-measuring gadgets (measure opponent's sweat, heart-rate and track gaze) will be sold online.

If any of this comes to pass then it would have made PC gaming much much more evolved.

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Re:Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardware... by pwf on Saturday March 03, 2012 @12:09PM (#3660466)

I don't think the hardware spec will be fixed. The article seems to think it will be Android-like. Valve will give guidelines like 'must support OpenGL' and 'needs at least HDMI output and 6 USB ports', but if you want to spring for the Alienware Mega-'Console', then you'll have a bit more power.

And the more I think about this and type my response, the less exciting this sounds... All of this is possible on a PC. What they'll be offering us is basically a pre-loaded, locked-down Linux based OS.

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Re:Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardware... by nextparadigms on Saturday March 03, 2012 @02:37PM (#3660905)

Speaking of Android, I think Google should either either Android or Google TV to turn it into a "console platform" rather than the usual "console-device" we have now.

Graphics on ARM chips are getting good enough for enjoyable 3D games in HD, and soon we'll be able to just hook our phones to a TV and play all the Android games there anyway (some phones already do this).

But Google could encourage manufacturers to build special cheap $100 boxes that are meant only for gaming, too. Then it would just be able to gain market share over the Xbox 360 and PS3 in the same way it gained over the iPhone - by getting all manufacturers to make such devices.

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Re:Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardware... by jiggy2011 on Saturday March 03, 2012 @12:13PM (#3660474)

True, but if they invest the resources into making all of these games run on Linux then perhaps those of us with "real" Linux setups will be able to run them too. No more dual booting!

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Re:Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardware... by jjp9999 on Saturday March 03, 2012 @12:53PM (#3660597)

Graphics taking a backseat to the story would be awesome. I think indie games are showing that gamers don't care too much about graphics as long as the gameplay/story are good.

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Re:Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardware... by vibrunazo on Saturday March 03, 2012 @01:21PM (#3660697)

I'd love that as well. But what does Valve has anything to do with it? If it's an open platform, it probably isn't a good idea for them to tell developers to do it their own way. It's up to the developers to decide that.

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Re:Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardware... by fufulabs on Saturday March 03, 2012 @09:30PM (#3661744)

Indirectly thru the values of this Steam box. If most of the hits on this box are not graphic rich but very gameplay or story rich + hardware is mid-range + shiny tools for story, AI and multiplayer it will inform developers to most of their games in one way.

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Re:Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardware... by siphr on Saturday March 03, 2012 @07:20PM (#3661534)

I second this as well. I think the spot light on eye candy due to mass appeal, for the past few years, has shifted the focus from game play it self which is what games are really about. I'd take a clever and fun game over a glossy one any day.

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Re:Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardware... by sliverstorm on Saturday March 03, 2012 @03:08PM (#3660991)

How do they power it with Linux, yet still support EA's Origin like the article claims they will?

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Re:Valve working on 'Steam Box' gaming console with hardware... by jiggy2011 on Saturday March 03, 2012 @12:10PM (#3660468)

bio measuring gadgets sounds interesting , of course it would be very easy to cheat this and heart rate monitors are not particularly comfortable.

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