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A Good & Honest Video About The Alienware Steam Machine

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Lon Seidman on youtube posted up a pretty decent video showing off the Alienware Steam Machine, it's worth a watch and has given me some more thoughts.

I think the hidden usb port for the wireless dongle is a fantastic idea, but apparently it can make the signal be a bit iffy which is a shame.

He does mention a few times about the lack of games on SteamOS, and he later clarifies it to be more about the AAA games. We will see a lot of complaints about this, and despite what people think about our still rather large library the bigger AAA games will be a problem for a lot of potential buyers.

It also highlights a major problem, and that is the filtering on SteamOS is quite pants. To show Windows games by default, and having to manually filter them to what is available. That, plus the featured section showing Windows games is a stupid major issue. I sincerely hope Valve have some new filtering up their sleeve for the SteamOS/Steam Machine official launch, otherwise I'm really going to be wondering if they want it to actually succeed. It's a ridiculous issue to not have solved already, and there has been a bug open on github about it for many months. You wouldn't expect to have to filter out Xbox games on a Playstation, so why do Valve think it's a good idea to leave it in for SteamOS? It just doesn't make sense to me right now.

It would work much better if Valve lumped all non-supported games into a category you manually select yourself, as that is what I would personally expect from it. It is the only way that would make sense to me, to only show games I can actually run on my hardware at the forefront.

Every time I log into Steam and view the store, or use Big Picture Mode I'm instantly hooked by the look of a game featured or "recommended for you", only to realise it's a Windows game. It's damned annoying.

This video reviewer isn't the only one who has come across that either, a few of the major PC news websites who did their take on it also noted it was weird.

I obviously want it to succeed for us all, but Valve need to sort this crap out. There's a lot of uncertainty about how anything will be handled, but as usual I'm sure Valve have something up their sleeve. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Editorial, Video
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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51 comments
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Keizgon Nov 2, 2015
This is guy is more worthy of an article (unlike reviewers, he actually uses the damn thing):

View video on youtube.com

His tweet afterwards:

"If there was somehow to get Emulators running on the Alienware Steam Machine, this thing would be GOD Tier."

Just shows Valve needs to invest into their Desktop Mode just as much as their BPM.


Last edited by Keizgon on 2 November 2015 at 8:16 pm UTC
supashang Nov 2, 2015
Quoting: omer666
Quoting: supashangCase in point, how many people bought and played "Witcher 2", "Alien: Isolation" or "Shadow or Mordor" on Windows months/years before they arrived on Linux? I know I did.
Well I am one of those guys who never had such thing as a "Windows partition", as I switched directly from Mac to Linux. So when I buy a Linux game nowadays, it's always the first time I play it. To me the OS is more important than game compatibility. But I know I'm an extraterrestrial :)

You are exactly the target audience for SteamOS. However, given that Windows is the dominant gaming platform on PC and always has been, there will be many millions more like myself who have thousands invested in games there over the years, who are looking for new, original AAA/Indies to hit Linux at the same time as Windows, instead of stale ones ported over from Windows yesteryear.

What the mod doesn't seem to understand is that many people ignore indies and go straight for the over-hyped AAA for their gaming fix. Totally missing out on gems such as "Kerbal Space Program", "Don't Starve", "Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien", "Path of Exile", "Dust: An Elysian Tai"... need I go on? And this is not just a Linux problem, which is why I had to underscore my point to liamdawe since he seems hell bent on avoiding the truth that there is fun to be had in the indie scene too, whether he likes it or not over his XCOM hardon. He seems more happy arguing for AAA as the saviour of SteamOS/Boxes. Completely not what I am arguing against.
badber Nov 2, 2015
Quoting: Segata SanshiroI like this guy's comments... I think the trap he does fall into though is comparing the available games on SteamOS with Windows and not with a console on launch. PC gamers really need to get their (our) heads out of their arses, the world is much, much bigger than what has today essentially become a niche.

Yes, people would be fine with it if they perceived the Steam machine as a console. If the general way to see it is as just a PC with a weird operating system, Valve is in trouble.

The discussion about there being good indie games is exactly the same for music, movies, etc. and it's been had a million times. Sure, if you're not the kind of person who loves Michael Bay movies there is huge amounts of good stuff outside the AAA marketing machine if you bother to look. Most people either do really want only what AAA offers or won't think of looking for anything else.


Last edited by badber on 2 November 2015 at 8:25 pm UTC
supashang Nov 2, 2015
Quoting: liamdaweYou obviously don't get what I'm trying to say: I'm a prime example of the people who wouldn't go out and buy one usually because of the lack of AAA games, but I am already invested in Linux obviously.

Yeah, because Eldritch is on the same level, and the same genre, right..

You're amusing bro.

I see you still have a little growing up to do hey liamdawe? You are intentionally misrepresenting my original argument in favour of your own "AAA will save our Steam Boxes!" while thumbing down indie titles as a source of fun gaming, which was my original argument you didn't get!

I actually used to enjoy frequenting this site, if only to see what games are coming to Linux. But after witnessing first hand that you are nothing more than a butt hurt man child, who condescends sarcastically to fellow Linux gamer/devs expressing a perfectly reasonable opinion - I think it's time to move on. Congrats "bro!" I'm done here.
omer666 Nov 2, 2015
Quoting: supashangYou are exactly the target audience for SteamOS.
I don't think so, the only reason I play on Linux is because it's my OS of choice. I already have a very decent PC that I work on, and that I happen to play on, too.
Quoting: supashangWhat the mod doesn't seem to understand is that many people ignore indies and go straight for the over-hyped AAA for their gaming fix.
He does in fact, and he stated it millions of times himself from the very beginning.
And as a matter of fact, I don't think people going straight to over-hyped AAA games are Steam Machines' target audience either. It looks more like they're trying to create their own audience.
That's what Microsoft did with their first XBox in fact, nobody was waiting for an American console with a Bungie FPS as a launch title.*
Yes a BUNGIE game. Like in "Macintosh-only indie developer".

*Edit : Just as a reminder, at the time everyone was looking forward to the PS2, Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy... That cost SEGA to end making consoles and it definitely affected Nintendo GameCube's sales.


Last edited by omer666 on 2 November 2015 at 8:47 pm UTC
supashang Nov 2, 2015
"Niche indie games won't push Steam Machines to be a major success"

You have totally misunderstood what I am saying. I'm not arguing for Indie games as the saviour of SteamOS over AAA. I'm talking about AAA games NOT BEING the be all and end all of fun gaming ON ANY PLATFORM. You are arguing against me on a totally different tangent in favour of AAA games needed for SteamOS to be a success in order to attract big name players to develop more AAA for SteamOS.

"many users won't switch due to not having them available, etc."

Again, off down your own merry road arguing with yourself!

"Indie games for the most part still sell far less"

So why bother covering indies at all on the site then?! Further, not the topic of my argument and totally missing the point. It's NOT about sales that I am talking about. Again, read my original statement:
"AAA games does not mean "must have for best gaming experience". I couldn't give a rats ass if AAA titles sell more. Rinse repeat - what I'm saying from a gamer point of view, is that you can have as much and in some cases more fun playing indie titles as you can with AAA. I'm trying really hard not to go for the analogy here, but the stupidity from your end is burning my brain!

"I'm a prime example of the people who wouldn't go out and buy one usually because of the lack of AAA games"

Yet, hypothetically - I bet you'd be the first to stand crying in a puddle of piss if all indie games disappeared from Steam/Linux and went Windows/MAC only and all you were left with was Windows AAA ports! Congrats you just went against everything that SteamOS stands for. More big budget flops, rushed release dates, red tape, licensing issues, investors first gamers last...

I think this is where we just agree to disagree. You feel that you can't have fun without AAA games on SteamOS and you won't buy a Steam box without them, I say to the contrary, and to day-one SteamOS releases, plus thousands of hidden indie gems are the way to go for SteamOS/Steam Box.
omer666 Nov 2, 2015
In the end, I don't understand the point you're trying to make... sorry.
supashang Nov 2, 2015
[quote=omer666]
Quoting: supashangYou are exactly the target audience for SteamOS.
Quoting: omer666I don't think so, the only reason I play on Linux is because it's my OS of choice. I already have a very decent PC that I work on, and that I happen to play on, too.

So you disagree that someone who's never used/played AAA games on Windows is not a target audience for selling old/new AAA games on SteamOS? Riiiiiiiight!

Quoting: supashangWhat the mod doesn't seem to understand is that many people ignore indies and go straight for the over-hyped AAA for their gaming fix.

Quoting: omer666He does in fact, and he stated it millions of times himself from the very beginning.

Meanwhile back on earth,

Quoting: liamdawe"...because you're having fun with indie games, it doesn't mean the vast majority will. Indie games for the most part still sell far less"


Sorry... I didn't quite catch that over the laughing coming from Markus Persson et al.

Quoting: liamdaweand have far less of a push than the bigger budget games. I use myself as a prime example of this, I don't put all that much time into indie games often, but I put tons of hours into the bigger games. XCOM for example is one of the highest hours playtime I have on any game (all of which are under Linux I should add)."

"I'm a prime example of the people who wouldn't go out and buy one usually because of the lack of AAA games"

A million times you say?! *sigh! Makes me wonder why indie titles are covered on this site at all!
supashang Nov 2, 2015
Quoting: omer666In the end, I don't understand the point you're trying to make... sorry.

Clearly!

Let me break it down. AAA games = not the be all and end all of gaming entertainment. Indie games are fun too.

While liamdawe may feel the need not buy a Steam Box without AAA games, that's fine, however it is entirely irrelevant to my argument.

Understand?

Good, because he doesn't.
MayeulC Nov 2, 2015
Quoting: KeizgonThis is guy is more worthy of an article (unlike reviewers, he actually uses the damn thing):

[skipped the video for the quote]

His tweet afterwards:

"If there was somehow to get Emulators running on the Alienware Steam Machine, this thing would be GOD Tier."

Just shows Valve needs to invest into their Desktop Mode just as much as their BPM.

I am quite surprised that no one answered him. I might, but I'll let other people a day or two to do so, before I clean the dust off of my old twitter account :)

Maybe Lutris could do the trick for him, I don't know its state as of now.


Last edited by MayeulC on 2 November 2015 at 9:46 pm UTC
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