If the Steam Machine/SteamOS fails will it take Linux gaming with it?

Samsonite2010 · 07-03-2015, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 273

I don't know about you, but I get the impression that many gamers like to spend ages tinkering with settings to get things working faster for their games and with Linux being completely open it should be much easier for them to do just that. I'm guessing somebody who spends ages building their system with all kinds of tweaks would also like to tweak their OS. Have to admit though that's pure conjecture on my part.

That is a good point - SteamOS almost caters for both the console market and the "PC master race" gaming scene where gamers enjoy optimising their systems and games and even customising things - normally the realm of Windows and I think it is actually easier and more consistent an experience tinkering with Linux compared to Windows.

273 · 07-03-2015, 05:33 PM

This all reminds me I really must try to dual-boot SteamOS and give it a go just to see how it compares to a general use distro and how well the few games I play work.

Samsonite2010 · 07-03-2015, 05:36 PM

Me too, although I am looking to build a new Linux machine for gaming soon, probably with a GTX 980 Ti and I could try SteamOS as a first test.

whm1974 · 07-04-2015, 03:58 PM

You guys will be fine with a general purpose Distro. No need to install SteamOS.

DJOtaku · 07-14-2015, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sefyir

I don't think steam & linux is going to fail. Personally, I think that steamos machines will hit modest appeal with drastic shifting in the "perception" of linux gaming.
I have a debian computer running steam "big picture" which is basically steam os but lets me run other stuff (like kodi and a lot of daemons

. Is that a loss on steams side, or a win? I have to say, it's pretty fancy and works well with a gamepad or keyboard.

While I find it annoying when consoles try to be a media center, steamos could potentially thrive since all the technology for sharing is basically at their fingertips. Then possibly permitting mods, further customization and you could up end with a very popular machine.
I hope they do good advertising on how it would be better then a tradtional console versus advertising how similar it is. There's a few limitations on consoles (file format support, limited graphics card capability, generally very minimal user configuration) that could be used to sky rocket past consoles. Not to mention keeping games for life (go ahead and try to play your original xbox games with xbox 1), their recent library sharing policy, game return policy... steam has a lot of usability consoles cannot match (and don't seem to want to)

I have to agree with you that one thing I like about Steam Big Picture mode is that it allows you to have a general purpose computer as your gaming machine. I too am running both Kodi and Steam on the computer connected to the living room TV. Rather than having a good gaming system with crappy media center capabilities (PS3), I'm able to have best of breed for both!

273 · 07-14-2015, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whm1974

You guys will be fine with a general purpose Distro. No need to install SteamOS.

There's a thread on this site somewhere where somebody found that certain game controllers were supported under SteamOS but not under Mint (I think it was).
Even were that not the case every distribution is different and I think it's worth using other distributions now and again and with Steam's gearing towards gaming it may be things like newer NVIDIA drivers are installed and things run faster. Or maybe not, there's only one way to find out...

whm1974 · 07-19-2015, 07:21 PM

Quote:

There's a thread on this site somewhere where somebody found that certain game controllers were supported under SteamOS but not under Mint (I think it was).

I hope that was fixed or will be soon. Nothing against SteamOS, but I prefer to use a general purpose Distro.

Sefyir · 07-19-2015, 07:51 PM

Distro's are frequently tuned for different purposes. While there's nothing wrong with using another distro and installing steam, there may be "stuff" that is set differently in SteamOS as opposed to others distro's.
I'd assume a lack of office software (libreoffice, pdf readers, etc), reduced or gui programs for easily sharing or receiving files, reduced services and include programs that make configuring game pads or whatever more easy. Of course, a good focus on tuning of gpu cards.

A lot of this stuff is easy to do on any other distro... but there's a difference between having to do it and having it already done.
I'd be shocked if anyone on this forum said "I prefer the slimmed down focused distro with fewer features!"

This is the same reason why newbies shouldn't install kali. It's a specialized distro for a specific purpose.
It is (and SteamOS will likely be) a excellent distro for its intended purpose.

Apples to oranges.

dugan · 07-20-2015, 03:56 PM

It's SteamOS for settop boxes, Ubuntu for desktops and laptops. Both are officially supported platforms.

273 · 07-20-2015, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dugan

It's SteamOS for settop boxes, Ubuntu for desktops and laptops. Both are officially supported platforms.

That wasn't the impression I got -- I thought that the console type boxes were being given less emphasis and the OS was being touted as a kind of "Gamer's OS" for OEMs and interested self-builders. Ubuntu, also, seems to be absent?
http://store.steampowered.com/steamos/buildyourown
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SteamOS

Rinndalir · 09-08-2015, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 273

I thought that the console type boxes were being given less emphasis and the OS was being touted as a kind of "Gamer's OS" for OEMs and interested self-builders. Ubuntu, also, seems to be absent?

Ubnutu's absent because those are links for steamos. Ubuntu is a supported linux distro for steam.
Steamos is about the 10ft. experience, a.k.a. living room experience. Steamos starts with steam in BPM(big picture mode).
BPM looks similar to a console like ps4/xbone.
Valve is not putting effort into making steamos a desktop os.

273 · 09-08-2015, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rinndalir

Ubnutu's absent because those are links for steamos. Ubuntu is a supported linux distro for steam.
Steamos is about the 10ft. experience, a.k.a. living room experience. Steamos starts with steam in BPM(big picture mode).
BPM looks similar to a console like ps4/xbone.
Valve is not putting effort into making steamos a desktop os.

Well, yes, BPM looks like a console but the hardware being sold isn't cheap -- for over $1000 I would want more than a console, for example. And $4,999.99 for a console?
http://store.steampowered.com/sale/steam_machines
The Steam Machines being sold look like gaming PCs to me not a priced-below-cost console.

Rinndalir · 09-08-2015, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 273

Well, yes, BPM looks like a console but the hardware being sold isn't cheap -- for over $1000 I would want more than a console, for example.

I agree. And this is a very common sentiment. There are some steammachines that are lower but there's nothing stopping you from setting up a full blown desktop environment on steamos. Then you can switch back and forth between the desktop and steam(BPM). Valve will not be supporting that adventure.

Rinndalir · 09-08-2015, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samsonite2010

Terraria

This is on linux now. Mac too I think.

Rinndalir · 09-08-2015, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whm1974

I don't want to jinx Valve here, but I don't see the Steam Machine or SteamOS taking off. The controller however might go through the roof. What is the use case for me buying one or switching to SteamOS?

How much is Linux gaming dependant on the succues of SteamOS and/or the Steam Machine?

Haha, jinx valve, that's funny. You know how much money they made while you typed that up? A whole butt-load.

Valve's invested in steamos, why would it go away? Maintaining it will continue, it's their long-range plan. They can't rely on microsoft, maker of Windows and Xbox, to treat them right. They had to make their own OS to make the linux platform easier for devs to support and easier for valve to support.

The use case for a steammachine is that it's another console for the living room. Lot of people have multiple consoles. The difference with steammachines is that you will have better graphics and performance. 4k displays @60fps is a big step up. Consoles fall behind in performance from day 1.