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STEAM | April 2014 - Insert witty title here.

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S

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
Stallion Free said:
After they backed down with the start menu I seriously doubt people would accept no external apps.
Click to expand...

Sure they would, as long as it happened over an extended period of time. Apple switched from PowerPC processors to X86 processors circa 2006-2007. During that period of time, developers could release PowerPC applications, PowerPC+X86 applications, or X86 applications. X86 OSX installs had an emulator so that they could still run PowerPC applications. After a few years, PowerPC support was totally dropped along with the PowerPC emulator. This was a process that normal users didn't notice at all, because applications had either deprecated and been replaced with X86 equivalents or updated for X86 during that period. I wouldn't say 100% of all users were not impacted, but pretty close.

ARM applications on Windows are already Windows Store only. If ARM continues gaining strength and the percentage of devices shifts more towards tablets, it's not insane to suggest that for most users in 6-10 years--remember, 6-10 years ago smartphones and tablets basically didn't exist--the bulk of their programs could be shifted into the Windows Store interface. At that point, the actual harm caused by turning off non-Windows Store applications would be minimal for most users.

The move of a lot of desktop applications towards SaaS with web versions is going to accelerate this process too. Don't be surprised if in 5-7 years most of your applications are running on Web technologies. Hell, Gmail turned 10 this month. 10 years ago webmail was a feint curiosity, now I would wager a majority of people read their email through a web gateway rather than a standalone application.

The logic works like this: If there's a significant incentive to make universal apps, in terms of user adoption, people will. The more people who do, the lower the impact of eventually turning off non-Windows Store apps. Set an arbitrary time horizon, and there you go.

Personally I vastly prefer OSX to Windows as an operating system. I have Android and iOS devices among mobile. I'd never buy a Windows laptop at this juncture. But I have a Windows desktop because it's not a market Apple has good offerings in, and because I use my desktop primarily for gaming and file serving. Desktop Linux still isn't there and I don't feel it will be any time soon (although I was a sysadmin for many years, I'm fluent in *nix server administration, etc). I'm very interested in how my use case will be accommodated going forward.
 
S

Stallion Free

Cock Encumbered
toddhunter said:
For the next windows, probably right.

But Windows 10 might be in a very different position. By then the xbox one might have 50 million boxes being used and people happily using apps through it and their windows phone. Well ok, not windows phone, but things could be very different and I doubt Microsoft will give up on the vision.
Click to expand...
I don't see how 50 million xboners means that like 200 million plus desktop users will suddenly lube up.
 
T

toddhunter

Member
Stallion Free said:
I don't see how 50 million xboners means that like 200 million plus desktop users will suddenly lube up.
Click to expand...

But what good are those 200 million plus desktop users to Microsoft?

Stumpokapow said:
The logic works like this: If there's a significant incentive to make universal apps, in terms of user adoption, people will. The more people who do, the lower the impact of eventually turning off non-Windows Store apps. Set an arbitrary time horizon, and there you go.
Click to expand...

Yeah it wouldn't take long. You could list out about 10 apps and probably cover 99% of the users in the world.
 
T

Twinduct

Member
Christ almighty. I honestly don't understand the attraction to Win 8's Metro side on PC. Mobile? Sure! But I have yet to find any app that I can use to replace it's desktop counterpart.

Every few months I go back and download all the hot apps connected to the service I want to try and every time I walk away completely annoyed and bewildered about it's popularity.

Worst bit is I can understand the visual appeal factor .. but that's where the form over function overload starts. It feels like every function is crippled.

Not leading into the even more useless start screen and it's live tiles giving useless glimpses past anything mundanely structured like the weather.

Anyway Rant over.

Edit: Well that was surprise. I came in to rant since I was annoyed after spending the last two hours trying to figure out why the app store wouldn't download anything only to fix it and be disappointed with the quality of the apps again. Since I have no friends I wanted to share it here and low and behold, there is an actual Win 8 convo going on.
 
H

HoosTrax

Member
Stumpokapow said:
Sure they would, as long as it happened over an extended period of time. Apple switched from PowerPC processors to X86 processors circa 2006-2007. During that period of time, developers could release PowerPC applications, PowerPC+X86 applications, or X86 applications. X86 OSX installs had an emulator so that they could still run PowerPC applications. After a few years, PowerPC support was totally dropped along with the PowerPC emulator. This was a process that normal users didn't notice at all, because applications had either deprecated and been replaced with X86 equivalents or updated for X86 during that period. I wouldn't say 100% of all users were not impacted, but pretty close.

ARM applications on Windows are already Windows Store only. If ARM continues gaining strength and the percentage of devices shifts more towards tablets, it's not insane to suggest that for most users in 6-10 years--remember, 6-10 years ago smartphones and tablets basically didn't exist--the bulk of their programs could be shifted into the Windows Store interface. At that point, the actual harm caused by turning off non-Windows Store applications would be minimal for most users.

The move of a lot of desktop applications towards SaaS with web versions is going to accelerate this process too. Don't be surprised if in 5-7 years most of your applications are running on Web technologies. Hell, Gmail turned 10 this month. 10 years ago webmail was a feint curiosity, now I would wager a majority of people read their email through a web gateway rather than a standalone application.

The logic works like this: If there's a significant incentive to make universal apps, in terms of user adoption, people will. The more people who do, the lower the impact of eventually turning off non-Windows Store apps. Set an arbitrary time horizon, and there you go.

Personally I vastly prefer OSX to Windows as an operating system. I have Android and iOS devices among mobile. I'd never buy a Windows laptop at this juncture. But I have a Windows desktop because it's not a market Apple has good offerings in, and because I use my desktop primarily for gaming and file serving. Desktop Linux still isn't there and I don't feel it will be any time soon (although I was a sysadmin for many years, I'm fluent in *nix server administration, etc). I'm very interested in how my use case will be accommodated going forward.
Click to expand...
Hmm this is an interesting scenario to contemplate. I have to admit, I feel vaguely...threatened?...by the possibility of Apple dominance in the desktop space, as I'm not sure what impact it would have on being able to buy cheap individual components. Basically, would it lead to eroding the DIY market and causing prices to rise as the size of the market shrinks, in favor of Apple's prebuilt boxes. I guess I'd feel more comfortable with it if they were to draw a line in the sand between their OS and their hardware.

I'm neutral as far as Linux. Nothing really against it, but I'm a Windows-based developer at work, so it's more convenient for various reasons to stay with that environment on my home system as well.
 
J

jaundicejuice

Member
toddhunter said:
This is why I was amazed Microsoft didn't make a backwards compatible xbox one. Great features and everything else aside, I'm sure the main reason people prefer steam is we simply have these huge libraries of games. When the xbox one came out, those libraries people had been building went away and it seems a lot of people switched to something else.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much why I've stopped buying consoles and why I'm not much a digital customer on the consoles and handhelds I do own. On those devices, my purchases feel disposable. With PC, I can dig out a game that's a decade or more old and play it on my modern machine. If there's compatibility issues with newer hardware, there's usually industrious individuals creating mods to get those games working.
 
E

Evrain

Member
Mad kudos to catabarrez for his help getting Defiance (and curses to Paypal for wanting some hefty fees over a single dollar). Thanks!!
 
derExperte

derExperte

Member
Evrain said:
Mad kudos to catabarrez for his help getting Defiance (and curses to Paypal for wanting some hefty fees over a single dollar). Thanks!!
Click to expand...

That's why I didn't bother with offering a $/€, if you can't send money as a gift (and I can't) the fees will eat lower amounts up.
 
S

Stallion Free

Cock Encumbered
I just haven't noticed any real growth in the app selection on windows 8 thus far and I don't see the xbone as making a real difference on that growth. What's the incentive for company's like Adobe to embrace this new change?
 
C

catabarez

Member
Alright I was able to get all of the 4 packs redeemed. If anybody is interested in Defiance for $1 either Paypal or Amazon gift card just let me know.
 
C

Casimir

Unconfirmed Member
Just a heads up, Divinity: Original Sin has entered beta. So a majority of the content has been patched in if you're a kickstarter backer or want to join via Steam Early Access.

This is the Beta OT (Yes it still says Alpha, I think I messaged a mod right as they were about to log off.. :( )
 
jshackles

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Grief.exe said:
In-Home Streaming needs H.264 decode to work, correct?

Fire TV is compatible with that format.
Click to expand...

Yet, you can't even stream your own H.264 encoded videos from a network share.
 
G

Grief.exe

Member
Sajjaja said:
That's actually pretty huge if true.
Click to expand...

Amazon's User Guide

Scroll down to page 36 under product specifications

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/customerdocumentation/Amazon_Fire_TV_User_Guide.pdf

Guide also says that the USB port isn't working as of yet, while publications are already reporting they got wired 360 controllers working. Don't know what to believe.

I ordered one today, hopefully I can side load a video player at one point so I can play my existing movie/TV collection.
 
A

Acccent

Member
omg zkylon's new avatar I am totally lost
is this a month where everyone changes their picture too
chaos all over again
;_;
 
L

louiedog

Member
Grief.exe said:
Amazon's User Guide

Scroll down to page 36 under product specifications

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/customerdocumentation/Amazon_Fire_TV_User_Guide.pdf

Guide also says that the USB port isn't working as of yet, while publications are already reporting they got wired 360 controllers working. Don't know what to believe.

I ordered one today, hopefully I can side load a video player at one point so I can play my existing movie/TV collection.
Click to expand...

There's already a Plex logo on the product page for it. The Plex app is actually on sale for 99 cents today on the Amazon Appstore, but I don't know if that version will work with the Fire TV or if they'll release a separate remote friendly one.

I'm more of an XBMC guy and hope we'll be able to sideload it.

Unfortunately the thing has no IR receiver which puts a damper on my desire for it as a media box. I would be interested in streaming my Steam games if that was possible, but at $140 I'd rather step up to a $250 NUC box for all of that and also some native gaming.
 
T

TouchMyBox

Member
Grief.exe said:
Amazon's User Guide

Scroll down to page 36 under product specifications

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/customerdocumentation/Amazon_Fire_TV_User_Guide.pdf

Guide also says that the USB port isn't working as of yet, while publications are already reporting they got wired 360 controllers working. Don't know what to believe.

I ordered one today, hopefully I can side load a video player at one point so I can play my existing movie/TV collection.
Click to expand...

The Linux kernel has native built-in support for the 360 controller, Dualshock 3 and Dualshock 4.

As for your movie collection, have you tried Plex? The Fire will have a Plex app and while I've been a pure XBMC diehard, I tried out Plex since I picked up a chromecast and it's pretty awesome.
 
R

Rickenslacker

Banned
corrosivefrost said:
I already said there's more variety.
But variety is pointless if you have no reason to use it other than "I feel like doing something different."

MGR:R forces you to learn to parry (something that you needed to equip a special relect to even enable in Bayonetta) as well as has benefits of changing sub-weapons and using different combos (use the polearm when dealing with mobs or you want rapid hits, the sai for disabling mechs and movement, or the pincers for damage).

Bayonetta only forced me to use weapons outside of the katana (shuraba) and rocket launchers (Lt. Col. Kilgore) when I needed to for the Alfheims.

I liked the core of the game, but I still think MGR:R blows it out of the water.
Click to expand...
I feel pretty similarly. While I don't need a game to force me to use certain weapon or techniques, I would like them to encourage it in a way other than just scorewank in combat scenarios that are effortless otherwise. To that extent I've never gotten too deeply into DMC or Bayonetta, the latter having some really dull boss fights and setpieces.
 
G

Grief.exe

Member
Sajjaja said:
That's actually pretty huge if true.
Click to expand...

louiedog said:
There's already a Plex logo on the product page for it. The Plex app is actually on sale for 99 cents today on the Amazon Appstore, but I don't know if that version will work with the Fire TV or if they'll release a separate remote friendly one.

I'm more of an XBMC guy and hope we'll be able to sideload it.

Unfortunately the thing has no IR receiver which puts a damper on my desire for it as a media box. I would be interested in streaming my Steam games if that was possible, but at $140 I'd rather step up to a $250 NUC box for all of that and also some native gaming.
Click to expand...

I really need the ability to natively play these files, and it doesn't look like the Fire TV has that capability.

From Plex's FAQ:

Direct Play

Media can be Direct Played on a device if the source media is compatible with the client's playback capabilities, meaning that the source media:

Is stored in a compatible file container
Is encoded in a compatible bitrate
Is encoded with compatible codecs
Is a compatible resolution
Basically, the file is 100% compatible with your device. To find these requirements for your device, you should consult your device's documentation.

When a media item is Direct Played on an App, the file is sent directly to the device without being changed.
Click to expand...

neoemonk said:
I was hoping the mainline games might follow Metal Gear Rising to Steam but alas, it does not seem meant to be.
Click to expand...

Just be patient, that port could take a while.
 
Z

zkylon

zkylewd
Accent said:
omg zkylon's new avatar I am totally lost
is this a month where everyone changes their picture too
chaos all over again
;_;
Click to expand...
:D

sorry someone drew this for me out of the blue (it's my favorite league champion) and i'm too happy about it not to use it :3

i may change back at some point or find something else but i think lux's smirk suits me for now

you'll get used to it :)
 
S

Stallion Free

Cock Encumbered
Accent said:
omg zkylon's new avatar I am totally lost
is this a month where everyone changes their picture too
chaos all over again
;_;
Click to expand...
That's why I use this annoying as shit severely yellow Ferrari horse and almost never change it. It functions as a batsignal to posts that you definitely want to read because they are so high quality and thoughtful.
 
P

Parsnip

Member
I also didn't care for MGR:R as much as some people here. I also fell into the 'oh, you should totally start it on hard' trap. Would have had more fun on lower difficulty. Hard just made it frustrating in so many spots. I hate the parry system.
 
Z

zkylon

zkylewd
Stallion Free said:
That's why I use this annoying as shit severely yellow Ferrari horse and almost never change it. It functions as a batsignal to posts that you definitely want to read because they are so high quality and thoughtful.
Click to expand...
i dunno dude for some reason i can never remember if your posts are worth reading or not

like i think i have your name or avatar forever mistaken with someone else so i'm always debating whether i should or not

but i guess it's working if i'm replying to this lol
 
A

Acccent

Member
zkylon said:
:D

sorry someone drew this for me out of the blue (it's my favorite league champion) and i'm too happy about it not to use it :3

i may change back at some point or find something else but i think lux's smirk suits me for now

you'll get used to it :)
Click to expand...
haha yeah it's fine and yeah it does suit you. makes you look more mischievous and less blasé

Stallion Free said:
That's why I use this annoying as shit severely yellow Ferrari horse and almost never change it. It functions as a batsignal to posts that you definitely want to read because they are so high quality and thoughtful.
Click to expand...
it totally works! (not sure about the latter part tho)
 
M

morningbus

Serious Sam is a wicked gahbidge series for chowdaheads.
Stallion Free said:
That's why I use this annoying as shit severely yellow Ferrari horse and almost never change it. It functions as a batsignal to posts that you definitely want to read because they are so high quality and thoughtful.
Click to expand...
My avatar sneaks up on you smooth and straight stunts.

Like, I'm legit ghost riding my posts.
 
P

pretty done

Member
corrosivefrost said:
I don't think I'll ever understand why people prefer NGB to NGS.
I'd much rather have NGS on Steam -- or include NGB and NGS together in some sort of "definitive" release.
Click to expand...

The terrible weapon upgrade system in Sigma is enough for me to want Black over Sigma. Not a fan of the downgraded difficulty and gore either, but they're not as big of problems as the upgrade system.
 
R

Rickenslacker

Banned
Parsnip said:
I also didn't care for MGR:R as much as some people here. I also fell into the 'oh, you should totally start it on hard' trap. Would have had more fun on lower difficulty. Hard just made it frustrating in so many spots. I hate the parry system.
Click to expand...
It's not really much of a trap, the game is fairly gentle compared to its contemporaries and it's reasonable advice as a lot of people starting on normal remark on how easy it is.

Parry complaints come up a lot and I'm not too understanding why; tap the general direction and a button, the timing is pretty lenient outside of perfect parries. Now the camera -- that can go to hell.
 
Z

zkylon

zkylewd
who else changed avatars?

i usually give people fresh starts after avatar changes since i'm really bad with names

like i'll attribute half mr penguin's posts to jasec and such

Accent said:
haha yeah it's fine and yeah it does suit you. makes you look more mischievous and less blasé
Click to expand...
yea, it's kind funny because that's kind of not at all that character's personality but that's how she drew her and i like smirks

also blasé, huh? learned a new word heh

Stallion Free said:
Damn yo. I figured if I projected confidence it would become truth. I guess not :(
Click to expand...
well i think it's more of my issue of having a shitty memory than anything related to you :p

chip up bro

you're worth reading

i think
 
L

Levyne

Banned
I also changed avatars. I hope I come across like less of a douche.

ussjtrunks said:
Started playing Bioshock 1 for the first time and I already know Im going to enjoy it :)
Click to expand...

I played this for the first time last year and really enjoyed it. I'm glad it was fresh in my mind for the Infinite DLC.
 
Z

zkylon

zkylewd
Levyne said:
I played this for the first time last year and really enjoyed it. I'm glad it was fresh in my mind for the Infinite DLC.
Click to expand...
wow must be weird to play bio1 after infinite.

like you'll be looking for all these clues and connections that passed you by in 2007 (because they didn't exist!)
 
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