Linux is the future of gaming - Gabe Newell

i'll believe it when i see it.

 

This is all linked to ATIs R290x gpu presentation and all there mojo regarding their new console type API called Mantle:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7371/understanding-amds-mantle-a-lowlevel-graphics-api-for-gcn

Its an API just like OpenGL or a bit like how glide and 3dfx back in the hayday... anyhow Battlefield 4 supports 'Mantle' and performance from AMD gpus should improve over Nvidia in there upcoming R290x card

oh and Steamos supports Mantle since its opensource.....

You put all this mojo together and throw in the fact its opensource so nvidia can use it..... Linux and Steam and BF4 and other upcoming games that support mantle api then we may just have pc gaming reborn.... would give ps4/xbox1 a run for sure.

 

http://allthingsd.com/20130927/valv...m-controller-with-dual-trackpads-touchscreen/

 

I don't want to judge it without using it, but I really don't think I would like that controller. In general I don't like touchpads for games, and the button layout is horrible. With the buttons spread apart like that, you won't even be able to hold down one button and press another (like in a Mario platformer where you have to run and jump), unless you map one of the actions to a shoulder button.

There's also no D-pad, which I think is still important for certain genres (especially classic games) and for navigating menus that are made for a keyboard or D-pad. Even if I had one of these, I'd need a traditional gamepad along with it.

I also don't like the idea of using a touchscreen to map different buttons. As with a keyboard and mouse, you really shouldn't have to look down at your controller; the buttons should be identifiable by feel and position alone. I would have preferred they leave out the touchscreen (which also drives up the price, surely) if they weren't going for something big like what Nintendo did with the Wii U.

There's no way I would buy one of these without extensively trying it out first. It's too soon to tell, but I'll likely stick with my mouse and keyboard for FPS/adventure games and a traditional gamepad for gamepad games.

 

My time with the Steam Controller

More impressions here

 

WASD + Mouse always rules

 

The whole "big picture/controller enabled" thing is to compete with consoles. That and to promote the upcoming Steam box too, probably. One of the reasons that folks use consoles is because they can kick back on the couch and use their controller to play the game.

He makes some good points in that video. I tend to agree with his (Valve's) assessment of the market and how it has reacted to closed off proprietary vs more open systems. He sees the direction that MS is going with Windows and how the environment is shaping.

Like he said, PC sales may be dropping but game sales aren't. Hardware sales are on the rise too. AMD made a presentation recently where they stated that "PC gamers continue to buy and build with a fervency that could be compared to motorcycle, 4x4, and car enthusiasts, always looking for more power, speed, utility, and handling".

It's going to be interesting to watch how things play out over the next several years.

 

Steam Machine prototype specs announced;

"As we talked about last week, the Steam Machines available for sale next year will be made by a variety of companies. Some of those companies will be capable of meeting the demands of lots of Steam users very quickly, some will be more specialized and lower volume. The hardware specs of each of those machines will differ, in many cases substantially, from our prototype.

Valve didn't set out to create our own prototype hardware just for the sake of going it alone - we wanted to accomplish some specific design goals that in the past others weren't yet tackling. One of them was to combine high-end power with a living-room-friendly form factor. Another was to help us test living-room scenarios on a box that's as open as possible.

So for our own first prototype Steam Machine ( the one we're shipping to 300 Steam users ), we've chosen to build something special. The prototype machine is a high-end, high-performance box, built out of off-the-shelf PC parts. It is also fully upgradable, allowing any user to swap out the GPU, hard drive, CPU, even the motherboard if you really want to. Apart from the custom enclosure, anyone can go and build exactly the same machine by shopping for components and assembling it themselves. And we expect that at least a few people will do just that. (We'll also share the source CAD files for our enclosure, in case people want to replicate it as well.)

And to be clear, this design is not meant to serve the needs of all of the tens of millions of Steam users. It may, however, be the kind of machine that a significant percentage of Steam users would actually want to purchase - those who want plenty of performance in a high-end living room package. Many others would opt for machines that have been more carefully designed to cost less, or to be tiny, or super quiet, and there will be Steam Machines that fit those descriptions.

Here are the specifications for Valve's 300 prototypes.

The 300 prototype units will ship with the following components:
GPU: some units with NVidia Titan, some GTX780, some GTX760, and some GTX660
CPU: some boxes with Intel i7-4770, some i5-4570, and some i3
RAM: 16GB DDR3-1600 (CPU), 3GB GDDR5 (GPU)
Storage: 1TB/8GB Hybrid SSHD
Power Supply: Internal 450w 80Plus Gold
Dimensions: approx. 12 x 12.4 x 2.9 in high "

Sounds like a tweakers-heaven and a new casemod rage in-the-making.
Hopefully, AMD will join the party eventually. Steam Community link

 

I really hope they succeed. This is exactly what current open source community needs. For the past few years ever since first iPad came out, the laptop industry started following trend of everything unswappable. Now today you can buy a laptop and you can't change the GPU, the CPU, you can't even change RAM or the battery. This I think is insane and is only a marketing ploy to force people to buy new laptop every year instead of upgrading the one they have. The market has followed Apple like sheep and Im hoping Valve will change that.

 

To not be able to upgrade hardware is not an issue for the average consumer wich most notebooks are designed for. But if you are one of those that like to have the ability to change any hardware inside when you want then it's very likely that you are aware if that is possible or not possible even before you buy it. So overall that is a small problem. But the Macbook Air to name one example everything from the inside out is designed so there is no room inside that's not used already. So upgrading the Air for the average person is literally impossible, same can be said about most ultrabooks wich share a similar design.

And IMO people are not forced to buy a new notebook every year, the hardware and even the battery will last longer than that, I think you know that too.

Note I too wouldn't mind to have the ability to upgrade the hardware if I would feel like it, but I would check if that is possible before I buy the notebook. But the average consumer would never even try to upgrade anything inside, so they don't bother to check if it is possible for them to do that after a year or so.

 

I wonder if laptops are supposed to be upgradable, because what do people say is if you want to upgrade your computer, use desktop instead.

 

I just upgraded my laptop to a total of 8GB ram and an SSD. If I chose to upgrade via the manufacturer I would end up paying extra $500-700. I also needed extra speed and RAM for my new software. If my laptop wasnt upgradeable I would have had to spend extra money on buying new laptop. For me desktop is unacceptable because it is not mobile and my current job requires me to be mobile.

 

Well, fair enough. But I still think that desktop is the choice if I want to upgrade the components, while laptop is supposed to be locked.

 

I disagree. Laptops for decades were unlocked. It was only when Apple came down with completely locked down laptops did the entire industry started to copy them. Including the inferior keyboard.

Back on the subject kudos for Valve making steam upgradable. While I don't play video games as much I will support them and again vote with my money.

 

Wonder if it would open the doors for services such as Netflix being available ?

 

netflix is going to be available sooner or later because they are switching from sliverlight to html5.

 

Steam Controller Demonstration by Valve...

-http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eeAjkbNq4xI