SteamOS is still alive with a new Beta, although it's a rather uninteresting one

Quoting: LeopardValve don't have magical powers to turn gaming industry and it's dynamics such a short time.

Indeed, Valve has a magical power.... the magical power of MONEY

Quoting: Cyba.Cowboy* Too few "AAA" titles are still being brought to Steam/SteamOS - and Valve is not pushing hard enough to change this.

Yep, clearly there wasn't much effort behind this... In fact, I almost wonder why Valve even bothered at all.

Actually they do something.
Why do You think that some AAA games (like Metro Redux or Dying Light) has a DRMFREE Windows version but the Linux version is steam exclusive? I think Valve is subsidizing Linux ports with the condition that those ports must be Steam exclusives.

Quoting: liamdawe

Quoting: killyouGuys, to be honest this is it. We already had the best out of the "linux gaming" movement, now it's loosing momentum. There will be some more games but it will not get any better than it is right now. It might get worse though. We will not exit the artificial life support phase unless something happens on the Microsoft - Valve front.

I think you're being incredibly pessimistic. Nothing about Linux gaming is losing momentum. SteamOS is not the start and end of Linux gaming. I've found the experience of Linux gaming to get better year on year.

If nothing else, most sources seem to be showing increasing Linux use lately. Percentages are creeping up.
There is the admittedly important exception of the Steam survey, which may be screwy or may be getting warped by issues around lots of new Steam members being from the least Linux-y parts of the globe. But generally it seems pretty likely that Linux is seeing a bit more desktop uptake lately, after a long period of relative stagnation. I don't know why and I don't know if it will continue, but it's a dashed good sign. Increased market share will make us less dependent on Valve, at the same time as it gives Valve more incentive to back us.
And it's a good time for it. I think right now, if someone tries Linux out, kicks the tires a bit, there's less reasons than ever before for anyone to want to go back. We got lots of different Linux desktops, but they're almost all good; we got plenty of good games, far more than ever before; we got lots of good, pretty mature open source software; we have good hardware support, even getting pretty decent with the graphics cards; and we still don't do all the control freak crap certain other OSes owned by corporations do. And all the fundamentals of Linux seem to be just continuing to get better. I saw an article about something like "Top 10 Linux annoyances" or something a little while ago, and I read it, and after going through the list all I could think was, "Are those really the worst problems we have left? This is piddling compared to the old days!"
Any growth we get should be sustainable, is what I'm saying, because I can't see there being that much adopter's remorse.


Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 10 November 2017 at 4:19 am UTC

Quoting: LeopardValve don't have magical powers to turn gaming industry and it's dynamics such a short time.

I disagree. Remember the momentum around launch: A multitude of hardware manufacturers supporting a Steam Machine, a huge lineup of promised games (witcher 3,Batman, Evolution (or what it was called again) etc. A lot!).

Now HAD Valve put enough behind it, I think we might have had one more gaming platform both amongst console and PC gamers under the Xmas trees this year.


Last edited by Beamboom on 10 November 2017 at 7:35 am UTC

Quoting: Comandante Ñoñardo

Quoting: LeopardValve don't have magical powers to turn gaming industry and it's dynamics such a short time.

Indeed, Valve has a magical power.... the magical power of MONEY

Quoting: Cyba.Cowboy* Too few "AAA" titles are still being brought to Steam/SteamOS - and Valve is not pushing hard enough to change this.

Yep, clearly there wasn't much effort behind this... In fact, I almost wonder why Valve even bothered at all.

Actually they do something.
Why do You think that some AAA games (like Metro Redux or Dying Light) has a DRMFREE Windows version but the Linux version is steam exclusive? I think Valve is subsidizing Linux ports with the condition that those ports must be Steam exclusives.

@Beamboom

Nope , money and fame doesn't mean anything.

Look at the Windows Phone. We are talking about Microsoft.


Last edited by Leopard on 10 November 2017 at 8:11 am UTC

Quoting: LeopardNope , money and fame doesn't mean anything.

It does mean something, but it is only half of the story. The other half are big titles and users. Both will only grow gradually slowly side by side (kind of chicken and egg issue :)).

I'm placing some hope in the Atari Console and also in the new Intel CPU with AMD graphics, that could be a package for compact and standarized Steam Machines....

To be entirely fair; I see no real use for SteamOS rather than having it on a Raspberry Pi 3 and hooked up to a living room TV. There's hardly a backend to speak of which can be used for all the other things people expect of their OSes. It's first-and-foremost a console OS rather than a desktop OS.

There have been no less than three updates to the Steam Client Beta this week alone, and I feel like Valve is focusing on the proposed new features they want to put in the Steam Client prior to maybe boosting SteamOS again, but again only for console-use.

It's often easier to just dump a random Debian-based distro on a desktop/laptop and then install the Steam Client so people can then also have access to Office suites and the like when they're not gaming. This is just something Valve cannot put all their resources to. There are already vast numbers of people making those particular distros.

It would only cost Valve money with hardly any gain to develop a fully-featured desktop OS versus the slimline console OS which is SteamOS. And that keeps SteamOS in that console-niche where a functioning controller is more important than having frequent (non-security) updates to the backend.

At least, that's how I see it as someone with a Debian-based distro running the Steam Client Beta and only booting up SteamOS once in a blue moon.

Things like PS Now will eventually make all the OSs and PC vs consoles wars irrelevant.


Last edited by Code Artisan on 10 November 2017 at 9:31 am UTC

Quoting: Leopard(...) We need Bethesda like companies and their games to grow. (...)

Very good point. I would take that further. There are few companies, that are competitive with Valve:
- Sony
- Microsoft
- EA
- Ubisoft
It seems, that Microsoft and EA are working together (EA Access on Xbox for example) and EA and Ubisoft have no problem with releasing their games on Sony and Microsoft platforms. However, I would say, that having Sony and Microsoft on board is impossible (they have their own platform and do not publish anything on other platforms), having EA and Ubisoft is very very unlikely because they have their own clients and stores and they have no interest in making Valve stronger.
But there are companies, that make big titles and may be significant to bring bigger attention to Linux:
- Bethesda
- Rockstar Games
- CD Projekt Red
- Activision
- Blizzard
- Konami
- Square Enix (Partially with us already, but we need Raise of the Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy series etc)

Just imagine how good would it look like if Steam Machines would be reborn with bundles with:
1) Steam Machine + Diablo 3 + GTA V + Fallout 4
2) Steam Machine + Final Fantasy XV + Starcraft 2 bundle + PES 2018
3) Steam Machine + Max Payne 3 + Raise of the Tomb Raider + Metal Gear Solid V
4) Steam Machine + Doom + Call of Duty WW2 + Witcher 3

You must admit that such a bundles are something that you would throw money at. At least I know I would.

Valve Steam Machines project is so far a disaster, and I wish you all that there will be new version of it with much much more money invested in the project.

Quoting: dannielloSo... Good luck for Windows 10S - Metro only system where Steam cannot be installed. It could be "wake up" signal for Valve...

That's exactly what I wish for - but I guess Microsoft is not that stupid - they learned their lesson and Windows 10S will be only for schools, public services and for poor regions of world. Rest will have normal version of their system, and this will make both Microsoft and Valve happy with situation as it is, and there won't be new push for Steam machines...

Linux needs three things to succeed as a competitive gaming platform.

• Until Linux has better performance than Windows across the board, Linux won't be mainstream for PC gaming.

Thankfully, Valve has employed full time mesa developers that are making great progress. If you ask me that's currently money better spent than SteamOS.

• Until Linux has the same simplicity of installation/use as Windows, Linux won't be mainstream for PC gaming.

This will make a lot of people here mad, but the experience just isn't on par yet. Steam has made great strides, but there are still things that the end user has to do for an optimal experience. Setting the CPU governor is a great example. Choosing between a myriad of open and closed source drivers is another. Thankfully, the Solus devs are arguably doing just as much as Valve (if not more than) with their snaps to aid in simplicity.

• Until Linux has the AAA industry on board, Linux won't be mainstream for PC gaming.

Say what you want about AAA games and their greedy micro-transactions and their godforsaken PC ports. Say you already have more games in your library than you can play if you want. Say you would never support EA, Ubisoft, and Activision's shady business practices. That's fine, but until we have Bethesda, Blizzard, Activision, EA, and Ubisoft then Linux won't be mainstream.

Thankfully, the third will come in time with the great progress being made on the first two points. I know that's not what most of you in here want to hear, but that's the realistic truth.