Originally posted by kadepsyson

Also, yes you can build a more powerful desktop to crush this tiny Piston.  But if you don't feel like moving your computer from your desk over to your TV, or don't feel like moving your desktop when you travel across the country, this could be an excellent choice.

I'd love a device that's incredibly easy to transport and lets me play my steam library of games where I travel to personally.

That's something I hadn't considered.  It would be a fairly portable way to play a lot of games on the go, provided you have a tv and internet connection.

I'd still be concerned about the overall quality of the graphics though.

Originally posted by Kuppa

Originally posted by kadepsyson

Originally posted by Kuppa

Originally posted by kadepsyson
Is this the Steam Box or is this a small computer designed to work with Steam?  I had thought Valve would be making something, not some other company making something to work with Valve's software and approval.

Valve is just that, a software company. Turning into a hardware company takes a ton of money and knowledge(specifically around manufacturing logistics). It makes sense they find someone else to work with for this.

Well it would be far from the first time a software company had launched some hardware, or gone in a surprising direction.  Microsoft is a pretty big example of this.

Hell even Nvidia made a gaming console, don't see why Valve can't do it themselves when they employ a guy who builds rocket engines for fun.

MS is way bigger than than Valve is and took a long long time before they developed their first one(with partners btw) they don't actually build it.

 

Nvdia does hardware....

 

It's not so much the creative part as it is the immense undertaking that is manufacturing complex hardware.

Microsoft makes the Xbox, not a bunch of companies make their version of the xbox for use with Windows games.  Valve doesn't make the Piston - Xi3 does.  Other platforms by other companies are making steam ready gaming devices too.  That is what I was saying - it wouldn't have been the first time a software company made their own thing, but Valve either hasn't revealed their own hardware, or is not going to actually make a steambox but just give other company's their blessing to do so.

Nvidia does hardware yes, but this is their first and a sudden shift into making a gaming console.

Not the steambox, a failed kick starter project that is being picked up by valve.

Threads like these deserve to be deleted.

Originally posted by asmkm22

Originally posted by kadepsyson

Also, yes you can build a more powerful desktop to crush this tiny Piston.  But if you don't feel like moving your computer from your desk over to your TV, or don't feel like moving your desktop when you travel across the country, this could be an excellent choice.

I'd love a device that's incredibly easy to transport and lets me play my steam library of games where I travel to personally.

That's something I hadn't considered.  It would be a fairly portable way to play a lot of games on the go, provided you have a tv and internet connection.

I'd still be concerned about the overall quality of the graphics though.

Why would you be concerned about the graphics quality?  Surely if you are thousands of miles from your desktop PC, playing your steam library even with a moderate quality would be better than the complete inability to do so, especially when the transport of the device that allows it was incredibly easy, right?

I for one enjoyed playing on my Xbox 360 in an airport terminal despite the small screen size.  What to do with hours of layover?  I could have sat there and cried because I wasn't able to bring my desktop and three huge monitors as a carryon, or I could have enjoyed gaming, as I did.

I mean what would you do to change the device?  make it far less portable but have better graphics, in which case why not just lug a full computer around?

For reference, me at an airport this past holiday season:

Originally posted by moosecatlol

Not the steambox, a failed kick starter project that is being picked up by valve.

Threads like these deserve to be deleted.

So Valve may yet unveil their Steam Box.

Originally posted by moosecatlol

Not the steambox, a failed kick starter project that is being picked up by valve.

Threads like these deserve to be deleted.

The problem is that people are using the term steambox to reference a specific device, when it's really more of a category of devices, like "windows box" or "linux box."

The thread is fine.

Originally posted by asmkm22

Originally posted by moosecatlol

Not the steambox, a failed kick starter project that is being picked up by valve.

Threads like these deserve to be deleted.

The problem is that people are using the term steambox to reference a specific device, when it's really more of a category of devices, like "windows box" or "linux box."

The thread is fine.

This ^ 

Originally posted by kadepsyson

Originally posted by asmkm22

Originally posted by kadepsyson

Also, yes you can build a more powerful desktop to crush this tiny Piston.  But if you don't feel like moving your computer from your desk over to your TV, or don't feel like moving your desktop when you travel across the country, this could be an excellent choice.

I'd love a device that's incredibly easy to transport and lets me play my steam library of games where I travel to personally.

That's something I hadn't considered.  It would be a fairly portable way to play a lot of games on the go, provided you have a tv and internet connection.

I'd still be concerned about the overall quality of the graphics though.

Why would you be concerned about the graphics quality?  Surely if you are thousands of miles from your desktop PC, playing your steam library even with a moderate quality would be better than the complete inability to do so, especially when the transport of the device that allows it was incredibly easy, right?

I for one enjoyed playing on my Xbox 360 in an airport terminal despite the small screen size.  What to do with hours of layover?  I could have sat there and cried because I wasn't able to bring my desktop and three huge monitors as a carryon, or I could have enjoyed gaming, as I did.

I mean what would you do to change the device?  make it far less portable but have better graphics, in which case why not just lug a full computer around?

 

For reference, me at an airport this past holiday season:

personally, I read books when I have to travel, lol.  I game enough at home, so when I'm abroad, I'm happy to do other things.  I used to have a GBA with me for lighter games, but now my phone fulfills that role.  But normally I just pull out a paperback and get cracking.  Or go to the airport bar and meet new people.  That's sometimes fun too.

Originally posted by asmkm22

Originally posted by moosecatlol

Not the steambox, a failed kick starter project that is being picked up by valve.

Threads like these deserve to be deleted.

The problem is that people are using the term steambox to reference a specific device, when it's really more of a category of devices, like "windows box" or "linux box."

The thread is fine.

Samsung Galaxy S4 announced!  IT"S THE GOD DAMN STEAM BOX!!!!  check it out, the thing can run the steam mobile app, therefor this must be the steambox.  I know, you may think of it as a smartphone, but it is actually the steambox.

Actually when I think of "Steam Box" I am looking for information on Valve's hardware device that they have not yet announced.

Originally posted by asmkm22

 

personally, I read books when I have to travel, lol.  I game enough at home, so when I'm abroad, I'm happy to do other things.  I used to have a GBA with me for lighter games, but now my phone fulfills that role.  But normally I just pull out a paperback and get cracking.  Or go to the airport bar and meet new people.  That's sometimes fun too.

Yeah I was reading a new paperback book on the plane rides.  Can't plug in that thing in the air haha.

Originally posted by kadepsyson

Originally posted by asmkm22

Originally posted by moosecatlol

Not the steambox, a failed kick starter project that is being picked up by valve.

Threads like these deserve to be deleted.

The problem is that people are using the term steambox to reference a specific device, when it's really more of a category of devices, like "windows box" or "linux box."

The thread is fine.

Samsung Galaxy S4 announced!  IT"S THE GOD DAMN STEAM BOX!!!!  check it out, the thing can run the steam mobile app, therefor this must be the steambox.  I know, you may think of it as a smartphone, but it is actually the steambox.

 

Actually when I think of "Steam Box" I am looking for information on Valve's hardware device that they have not yet announced.

Thats what he said. People are looking for a Valve made Steam Box. The problem is there isn't one and there isn't one going to be announced. Valve isn't developing any hardware. They have partnered up with different hardware developers and manafacturers to do it for them. The "Steam Box" is actually referencing these devices, it's just that some don't understand that.

Originally posted by kadepsyson

Originally posted by asmkm22

Originally posted by moosecatlol

Not the steambox, a failed kick starter project that is being picked up by valve.

Threads like these deserve to be deleted.

The problem is that people are using the term steambox to reference a specific device, when it's really more of a category of devices, like "windows box" or "linux box."

The thread is fine.

Samsung Galaxy S4 announced!  IT"S THE GOD DAMN STEAM BOX!!!!  check it out, the thing can run the steam mobile app, therefor this must be the steambox.  I know, you may think of it as a smartphone, but it is actually the steambox.

 

Actually when I think of "Steam Box" I am looking for information on Valve's hardware device that they have not yet announced.

According to Steam (or Gabe himself maybe), it's not something they are specifically looking to develop, in the same way that Playstation and Xbox is.  They just want to establish a set of specifications for hardware manufacturers to be able to follow, presumably so that Steam can start certifying games as "steambox ready" or whatever they want to call it.

The idea being that once that specification gets established, developers will be able to take it into account with their PC games.  I imagine it would be a specification that gets updated periodically, but that's the basic idea.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2414039,00.asp

I think we can call it debunked. There is really no such thing as a "steam box" like someone around here has been saying it's more of a system that would run on different hardwares. Not one piece of hardware made by Valve.

Originally posted by Quizzical
Regardless of whether this or any other project is blessed by Valve or not, I think there could be a market for $400 pre-built rigs with specs chosen to be sensible for a severe budget gaming system.  (A10 APU with 1866 MHz DDR3 in properly matched channels.)  But not if it's $1100 for a severe budget gaming system, as that misses the "severe budget" part.

Maybe, but it seems like a bad year to think about releasing something like this with Xbox and Playstations getting updating this year most likely.  I'd hate to invest in a Steambox device for the same price that I can get a next gen console that servers almost the same purpose (aside from the traveling thing someone mentioned).

Bleh...integrated graphics card...

...and no space to put a killer graphics card in.

Originally posted by asmkm22

Originally posted by Quizzical
Regardless of whether this or any other project is blessed by Valve or not, I think there could be a market for $400 pre-built rigs with specs chosen to be sensible for a severe budget gaming system.  (A10 APU with 1866 MHz DDR3 in properly matched channels.)  But not if it's $1100 for a severe budget gaming system, as that misses the "severe budget" part.

Maybe, but it seems like a bad year to think about releasing something like this with Xbox and Playstations getting updating this year most likely.  I'd hate to invest in a Steambox device for the same price that I can get a next gen console that servers almost the same purpose (aside from the traveling thing someone mentioned).

The next generation Xbox is about a year away.  There aren't credible rumors of the PS4 even being that close, so that's looking more like a 2014 launch.

There are also rumors that the next generation Xbox and PlayStation will both be integrated graphics themselves.

Originally posted by asmkm22

Originally posted by Quizzical
Regardless of whether this or any other project is blessed by Valve or not, I think there could be a market for $400 pre-built rigs with specs chosen to be sensible for a severe budget gaming system.  (A10 APU with 1866 MHz DDR3 in properly matched channels.)  But not if it's $1100 for a severe budget gaming system, as that misses the "severe budget" part.

Maybe, but it seems like a bad year to think about releasing something like this with Xbox and Playstations getting updating this year most likely.  I'd hate to invest in a Steambox device for the same price that I can get a next gen console that servers almost the same purpose (aside from the traveling thing someone mentioned).

The problem is if Xbox and PS3 do see new systems this year, what are they going to offer? Sony just filed a patent on software that will remove the ability to play second hand games. Microsoft had similar information leak. Both have purchased streaming game companies (Well sony has, Microsoft has been looking into streaming companies. I don't know if Microsoft has actually purchased one yet, they could even be working on the service on their own). 

Other leaked information and materials along side the rumor mill don't paint a pretty picture for what the next gen Xbox and PS are going to have in store for us. There are some nice additions in the information, but theres a lot of bad in there. 

Now what steam has going for it. Steam is known as a cheap source for games. The recent sales followed by the announcment of steam enabled devices is going to do good things for them. Sure... you can likely get a new gen PS or Xbox for around a grand that offers similar or slightly better performance and specs and then spend 60-70+ a game or you can spend a grand on a "steam box" device that does a lot more, has free online service, has cheaper games (Some times much cheaper. Look at the recent sale bundles lol, $100 for 6-10 good games isn't bad. On the go Steam gaming, locally delivered Steam gaming, so many ways to play Steam games which are mostly the games people want to play. 

Me personally, I think its the other way around in the end. Microsoft and Sony would not be wise to launch a console this year. Numerous gaming devices are launching this year on top of streaming services, hardware, and software. Without a solid lineup of games from the word go and competetive pricing it could prove to be a very bad move for either to launch.