Support NeoGAF

[HeLLKnight]

So we have Linux SteamOS, little stream machine SteamBox and... new Source engine for next-gen?

 

[angular graphics]

They refer to Steam Universe as "Steam U."

OMG I TOLD YOU GUYS THEY WERE TEAMING UP WITH NINTENDO!!!!111!

NO U!!1

 

[fluffydelusions]

Gabe Cube is the official GAF pick it would seem.

Lol

 

[dark_inferno]

I am sure it has been said before but I just noticed it. Valve have made the "Steam Universe" Steam group: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/steamuniverse

2136 members and growing.

This purple Steam Universe thingy really seems to be a thing they are trying to push. I mean they have given it a visual identity.

"Discussion about SteamOS, Beta Hardware, and Big Picture Mode."

So announcement #2 and/or #3 is going to be the Beta Hardware...

http://steamcommunity.com/app/223300

The Icon of this "App" has also a purple glowing thing.

 

[crimsonheadGCN]

I am sure it has been said before but I just noticed it. Valve have made the "Steam Universe" Steam group: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/steamuniverse

2136 members and growing.

This purple Steam Universe thingy really seems to be a thing they are trying to push. I mean they have given it a visual identity.

"Discussion about SteamOS, Beta Hardware, and Big Picture Mode."

So announcement #2 and/or #3 is going to be the Beta Hardware...

Here's another group called Steam Hardware: http://steamcommunity.com/games/hardware. A Valve employee, http://steamcommunity.com/id/mightyohm, is a member of that group.

 

[dave is ok]

http://steamcommunity.com/games/hardware

 

[Nzyme32]

http://steamcommunity.com/games/hardware

woop there it is

My guess is beta hardware is the announcement in about an hour, and we decide what valve's end product will be at least

 

[Trogdor1123]

waiting sucks lol

 

[wsippel]

I get the sense at this point, that some people believe Sony is so pro-gamer that they are willing to allow a completely open Linux distro with full hardware control to run games on their machine, that is reportedly being sold at a loss, basically cutting themselves out completely.

Valve would love for SteamOS to be installable on the PS4 but I can't see how Sony benefits at all. It would be incredible for consumers because there is nothing Valve can release that will match the price/performance ratio. They don't have the resources to devote to that kind of R&D and I would hope that they are not willing to sell open hardware at a loss.

While it probably won't be as cheap, it should still be possible to create something in the same ballpark, performance wise, at a similar price point. A Steam Box doesn't need an optical drive and associated licenses for example. It's really just a board, APU, RAM and hard disk in a small case. Depending on how SteamOS is designed, it doesn't need to come with any input devices other than a gamepad. In large quantities, it should be very cheap and easy to manufacture using custom, highly integrated parts (APU and possibly RAM soldered to the board, no unnecessary components and connectors, no cables and so on).

 

[noire]

So announcement #2 and/or #3 is going to be the Beta Hardware...

May have been guessed already, but maybe:

O = SteamOS (high end)
[O ] = Steam Box (mid-tier)
O+O = streaming box (cheap box)

 

[angular graphics]

May have been guessed already, but maybe:

O = SteamOS (high end)
[O ] = Steam Box (mid-tier)
O+O = streaming box (cheap box)

Symbol 3 does not have a box though for the theory to work!

 

[Interfectum]

May have been guessed already, but maybe:

O = SteamOS (high end)
[O ] = Steam Box (mid-tier)
O+O = streaming box (cheap box)

nah:

O: Steam OS
[O ]: Steam Hardware
O+O: SteamOS SDK + Source 2.0

 

[Nzyme32]

May have been guessed already, but maybe:

O = SteamOS (high end)
[O ] = Steam Box (mid-tier)
O+O = streaming box (cheap box)

Good shout

But i'm a gambling man.... after Friday we'll see another countdown page dedicated to game reveals!

 

[dark_inferno]

Symbol 3 does not have a box though for the theory to work!

Its probably only the launch of Family Sharing.

 

[ironcreed]

Symbol 3 does not have a box though for the theory to work!

Symbol 3 is obviously eyes wide open in amazement due to the announcement of Half-Life 3... how I wish.

Either that or Gabe's glasses, lol.

 

[Syf]

Good shout

But i'm a gambling man.... after Friday we'll see another countdown page dedicated to game reveals!

Wouldn't that be something if a new timer appeared on the TV itself. Lawd.

 

[noire]

Symbol 3 does not have a box though for the theory to work!

might not need one, since it's about the interaction of hardware as opposed to a single box.

 

[NaM]

A Valve employee, http://steamcommunity.com/id/mightyohm, is a member of that group.

His most played game:

Actividad de juego reciente
3D MARK 11
144 h registradas
jugado por última vez el 16 Sep

and it doesn't even have cards.

 

[Nzyme32]

Wouldn't that be something if a new timer appeared on the TV itself. Lawd.

ack, genuine heart palpitations! But I almost do expect a video to be on that screen by the end of the week at least

 

[Jintor]

Hope to wake up tomorrow to some news. Night hype thread, stay hyped.

 

[maquiladora]

Hope to wake up tomorrow to some news. Night hype thread, stay hyped.

1 more hour!

 

[crimsonheadGCN]

His most played game:

and it doesn't even have cards.

He's probably testing performance with the new hardware and any changes that was made to the OS.

 

[NaM]

He's probably testing performance with the new hardware and any changes that was made to the OS.

That may be true but why will he use 3dmark? I'll assume they have a better testing application/demo.

 

[wsippel]

He's probably testing performance with the new hardware and any changes that was made to the OS.

I don't think 3D Mark for Linux is a thing (yet).

 

[ashecitism]

Before anyone asks again: 1 hour left.

 

[artist]

How much time left.

 

[crimsonheadGCN]

I don't think 3D Mark for Linux is a thing (yet).

You're right. The only way to get it running right now is through wine.

Also, here's his website:

http://mightyohm.com/blog/about/

I’m an Electrical Engineer. I studied Circuits and Systems at the University of California, San Diego (MSEE ’02).
When I’m not traveling the world, I spend most of my time in Seattle, where I work for a well-known video game company.
I have over eight years experience in radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) design. Most of my experience is in designing power amplifier chips and antenna switches for wireless LAN and cellular devices.
In 2008, I started doing freelance design work in embedded systems development, PCB design, and electronics prototyping. (The really fun stuff!)
I’m an occasional guest-host of The Amp Hour, “an off-the-cuff radio show and podcast for electronics enthusiasts and professionals.”
Along with Mitch Altman and Andie Nordgren, I helped write a free comic book called Soldering is Easy that has been translated into over a dozen other languages and used to teach people around the world how to solder.

It seems like he is a supporter of Open-Source Hardware: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_hardware

 

[chuckddd]

Tic tac tic tac tic tac tic tac

TOE!

 

[greendomo's ghost]

What if instead of "Steam Box" it's "Companion Cube"?

Definitely announcing the hardware today, I think the Source 2.0 and SteamOS SDK is the best bet for Friday, with Oculus Rift or something similar being a long shot.

 

[MaLDo]

He's probably testing performance with the new hardware and any changes that was made to the OS.

Also, here's his website:

http://mightyohm.com/blog/about/



It seems like he is a supporter of Open-Source Hardware: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_hardware

Thats sounds like the person behind the design of the emitter you have to plug in hdmi/dvi_ gpu_output of your main steam pc to streaming to the steambox.

 

[Kocolino67]

Symbol 3 is obviously eyes wide open in amazement due to the announcement of Half-Life 3... how I wish.

Either that or Gabe's glasses, lol.

Gordon also wears glasses

 

[angular graphics]

Here's another group called Steam Hardware: http://steamcommunity.com/games/hardware. A Valve employee, http://steamcommunity.com/id/mightyohm, is a member of that group.

Sweet. I don't remember reading before this interview he did. http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/09/steambox-interview-jeff-keyzer/

"We're planning to be open and involve users, so I think over the coming year you'll hear from us, and it won't be this big secret. I really think that it's going to be quite open," Keyzer said. And there's that hardware beta we heard about last year, lest you forget.

That's pretty much the whole "Soon, we’ll be adding you to our design process, so that you can help us shape the future of Steam." they've been saying here: http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/

 

[GregLombardi]

Didn't someone confirm there are no game announcements this week? Did Valve say that?

 

[PG2G]

It won't be as expensive as a PC if Valve is manufacturing it themselves. Volumes of scale, no OS licensing fee and potentially being able to sell it at a loss and make it up with Steam profits should put it squarely in the console price range not gaming pc price range.

Possible is Valve themselves are releasing the box. Everything I have read suggests that isn't the case. I guess we'll have to wait and see

 

[thomasmahler]

How much time left.

3.180 seconds.

 

[ashecitism]

Didn't someone confirm there are no game announcements this week? Did Valve say that?

Marc Laidlaw said on twitter to someone implying HL3 announcement, that it should be remarkably clear this is all about Steam.

 

[Vyse The Legend]

Didn't someone confirm there are no game announcements this week? Did Valve say that?

One of the Valve engineers said that the announcements are about Steam itself, not games. In fact, he was pretty annoyed that people assumed Half-life 3.

 

[Carlisle]

Gonna chime in with my own interpretation of the glyphs. I kinda see the O as the user. Might have been said earlier, but:

O = SteamOS: single user
[O ] = Steambox: top-down view of user sitting on couch, playing on TV either natively or streaming (it explains the space between the O and ]
O+O = Sharing/Connectivity/Multiplayer: two users.

As for the name, I think SteamEngine sounds cool. Or perhaps SteamRoom. SteamPlay woulda been great if they didn't already use it.

In any event, HYYYYYYPE

 

[Number45]

Gabe Cube is the official GAF pick it would seem.

OK, I can get behind this.

 

[GregLombardi]

One of the Valve engineers said that the announcements are about Steam itself, not games. In fact, he was pretty annoyed that people assumed Half-life 3.

Lol. I can't believe they get annoyed at this. Half Life 2 and its episodes were a game without a conclusion and a major cliff hanger at the end of episode 2. It was also released nearly 7 years ago now, with not one peep from Valve about a follow up.

Everyone is going to think "half life 3", every minute, every announcement forever until Valve either says they aren't making the game, or they release the damn thing.

 

[Brak]

The Steam Hardware group has 1 event in the next two weeks. On Sept. 25th. So Steambox today is like 99% certain. Although I guess it could just be a controller.

 

[Trogdor1123]

So SteamOS, Steam box and then Steambox controller to unit them? Makes sense to me

 

[angular graphics]

Sweet. I don't remember reading before this interview he did. http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/09/steambox-interview-jeff-keyzer/

Oh ok, actually the interview has a couple more revealing parts.

About the name:

"I call it the Steambox. I actually don't know where that name came from originally. I'm not sure whether that was something that was internal or external."

About having control over how it would perform in games, like it happens on consoles:

With a modern home game console, everyone who buys one knows they can expect (basically) the same experience across any device. With PCs, however? Not so much. Keyzer addressed this a bit ambiguously. "Being able to know what the experience for a given game is gonna be like on any platform is interesting, and I think Steam gives us a certain amount of control over that that otherwise we wouldn't have," he said. What that actually means is another question altogether -- one that we'll no doubt see answered across the coming months.

 

[MaLDo]

As for the name, I think SteamEngine sounds cool. Or perhaps SteamRoom. SteamPlay woulda been great if they didn't already use it.

What if SteamGamingplatformthatisneitherxboxnorps4?


So self explanatory

 

[crimsonheadGCN]

45 minutes till the next announcement.

 

[Nzyme32]

A better name for the steam box in my opinion would be

STEAM MACHINE

Go ahead and quote me on that

 

[Sub_Level]

Companion Cube is an amazing name. Im not even big into Portsl but I cant deny.

 

[Raxus]

What if SteamGamingplatformthatisneitherxboxnorps4?


So self explanatory

I'll take one SGPTINXNP, please!


How about Bankai
Wind Scar
Rasingan
Spirit Gun
Gum gum pistol

 

[TheRealTalker]

45 minutes till the next announcement.

I hope its the hardware... but they might save the best for last

 

[Esch]

Cleveland Steambox