Steam on TV : Othor Games

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 6:08 am

So I have been reading that Steam is coming to TVs now. No details were given yet, so would this mean we can play Skyrim and other games without a computer or console now?
So with no details given yet, what do you think? Playing any PC game avaliable, (as long as Steam is carrying it that is) and you can play on your TV now.

Is this suppose to be the way of the future now? Will this kill the 360 and PS3 and future consoles now? I don't think it will, but will be interesting to see the lag, and if it's a buy one
time or monthly subscibtion.

So what does the BSF think of this now?

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 7:38 am

Y'wha?

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 1:56 pm

No details were given yet, so would this mean we can play Skyrim and other games without a computer or console now?

No. Not unless televisions are made to have hard drive space and the hardware necessary to play back games, instead of simply displaying the information sent to them. Televisions aren't that different from computer monitors, the game itself still needs to be run from something.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 9:53 am

Y'wha?

First thing that came to my mind too.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 5:25 am

My guess is that it would be playing on a server (cloud?) somewhere and just the image would be sent to your TV. But I've heard nothing of this Steam TV stuff, so I don't really know.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 2:05 am

So I have been reading that Steam is coming to TVs now. No details were given yet, so would this mean we can play Skyrim and other games without a computer or console now?

Er...what would the game run on? :confused:

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 9:48 am

My guess is that it would be playing on a server (cloud?) somewhere and just the image would be sent to your TV.

That wouldn't really make sense either...I'm sure Valve is doing well for themselves, but I don't see them splurging on the computers needed to run millions of people's games for them, and the staff to maintain them.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 1:27 pm

Found some links, http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Steam-Coming-Televisions-30357.html, http://www.glitchytasty.com/news/42-pcmac/527-steam-coming-to-tvs-where-does-this-leave-onlive and from http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/02/28/steam-coming-to-your-tv.aspx

From what I can tell, no hard drive is needed, it works of "cloud" or how ever that other gaming site works where it streams the game to your computer. So no computer, no hard drive no console is needed, from what I gather.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 6:16 am

Found some links, http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Steam-Coming-Televisions-30357.html, http://www.glitchytasty.com/news/42-pcmac/527-steam-coming-to-tvs-where-does-this-leave-onlive and from http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/02/28/steam-coming-to-your-tv.aspx

From what I can tell, no hard drive is needed, it works of "cloud" or how ever that other gaming site works where it streams the game to your computer. So no computer, no hard drive no console is needed, from what I gather.

My guess is that this is simply improved support for connecting your PC to your TV…for now.

Is what it sounds like to me.

http://store.steampowered.com/news/5063/

...today disclosed its plans for a new "big picture" mode of Steam which will offer controller support and navigation designed for television interaction.

...gaming opportunities for Steam partners and customers become possible via PCs and Macs on any TV or computer display in the house."

I don't see any mention of Cloud computing similar to Onlive.

Whole article for people who are interested:

Spoiler

Press Releases - Valve
09:43
Briefing Development Partners on New Features for 2011

February 28, 2011 - Valve, creator of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life, Portal, Left 4 Dead, and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today disclosed its plans for a new "big picture" mode of Steam which will offer controller support and navigation designed for television interaction. Big picture mode will enable gamers to enjoy Steam and their library of Steam games on more screens throughout the house.
"Our partners and customers have asked us to make Steam available in more places. With the introduction of Steam on the Mac, and soon in Portal 2 on the PS3?, we've done just that," said Doug Lombardi, VP of marketing for Valve. "With big picture mode, gaming opportunities for Steam partners and customers become possible via PCs and Macs on any TV or computer display in the house."

Details regarding big picture mode are among the highlights Valve plans to share with developers and publishers in its partner meetings during GDC this week in San Francisco, Ca.

Coming off the heels of Steam's biggest year, Valve will also share with partners the data it gathered during the hugely successful launch of Steam Microtransactions late last year within its own multiplayer classic, Team Fortress 2. An in-game economy can now be readily created by partners using the microtransactions system within the Steamworks SDK."We've come to understand what type of content sells well in TF2's in-game store, and the various price points at which players value this content," said Robin Walker, game designer at Valve. "Our players are continually teaching us what works and what doesn't. Much of this feedback can be generalized to other titles on Steam, so we're looking forward to sharing what we've learned with partners at GDC. We're also interested in seeing partners get up and running with their own in-game economies, so they can collect game-specific data to inform their design decisions."

Following the 2010 introduction of Steam for Mac, Valve will also discuss the integration of Steam features in its own titles, including its first day-and-date release for Mac, Portal 2. The upcoming Portal 2 release will also be the first to feature Steam on the PlayStation?3, enabling even broader cross-platform interaction and play between PC, Mac and PS3?.

"Steam continues to define itself as more than a digital distribution service by regularly adding new features for developers and customers," said Jason Holtman, director of business development at Valve. "GDC is a great venue for us to share what we're up to, and what's on the horizon for Steamworks. Plus, it's a great opportunity for us to gather feedback from partners, to help inform our plans."

Steam is a leading platform for the delivery and management of games and digital content with over 30 million accounts worldwide. For more information, please visit www.steamgames.com.

Anything that isn't explicitly stated in that article is just other websites exaggerating what Valve actually said based on where they believe the service could *possibly* lead to.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 6:26 am

Found some links, http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Steam-Coming-Televisions-30357.html, http://www.glitchytasty.com/news/42-pcmac/527-steam-coming-to-tvs-where-does-this-leave-onlive and from http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/02/28/steam-coming-to-your-tv.aspx

From what I can tell, no hard drive is needed, it works of "cloud" or how ever that other gaming site works where it streams the game to your computer. So no computer, no hard drive no console is needed, from what I gather.

I'm not sure where you're getting the cloud idea from, the articles I've read hint that its basically just for using your PC with a controller and a TV.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 7:15 am

I'm not sure where you're getting the cloud idea from, the articles I've read hint that its basically just for using your PC with a controller and a TV.

It was on another article. I can't find it now, wife closed the window when she went of Facebook as I was throwing out the garbage.

. They said something like Cloud.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 10:15 am

It sounds like people are taking a vague description of what's to come and running with it. It doesn't sound like they're planning on moving into OnLive's streaming territory.

With Big Picture mode, gaming opportunities for Steam partners and customers become possible via PCs and Macs on any TV or computer display in the house.

That to me says you'll still be running your games locally, with a UI better suited for a further viewing distance on a big TV using a gamepad, thus "Big Picture Mode".

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:38 am

Sounds more like streaming the video output from a PC over a home network DLNA style, and selling an optional console style controller to go with it.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 4:01 am

Sounds more like streaming the video output from a PC over a home network DLNA style, and selling an optional console style controller to go with it.

Why would anyone want to do this, when you can already hook up your PC to your HDTV anways? If this is the case, then it's like in the 1900s when the stranger comes
into town and sells a medcine that cures all. It's bascially water, but if you think you need it, you will buy it then. So basically this is something that nobody needs but
they try to make you think that you actually do? I can't see this lasting for long.

I guess we will need more details.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 6:15 am

My guess is that it would be playing on a server (cloud?) somewhere and just the image would be sent to your TV. But I've heard nothing of this Steam TV stuff, so I don't really know.

Imagine always having a lag of at least 100 or so, no matter what game you're playing. Thin clients have their uses, but gaming isn't one of them.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 4:56 pm

Imagine always having a lag of at least 100 or so, no matter what game you're playing. Thin clients have their uses, but gaming isn't one of them.

It's not like this exact thing doesn't exist with Onlive... so while the input delay is terrible, it apparently doesn't bother a lot of people.

As for why people would want to do this with a local network... isn't it obvious? Computer in the "office" room, TV in the living room? Decide you want to play on the couch, and as long as you have a good home network, you don't have to move anything. It's basically just Onlive on a local network. Just guessing, from reading this thread. Don't care enough to click links.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 12:36 pm

Imagine always having a lag of at least 100 or so, no matter what game you're playing. Thin clients have their uses, but gaming isn't one of them.

And that'd just be the input lag between you and the game provider, imagine playing multiplayer...

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 11:29 am

Good-bye OnLive, hello Steam.

I'd prefer a simple TV-designed Steam interface than a streaming service, though. I have my PC connected to my HDTV anyway.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 6:50 am

Why would anyone want to do this, when you can already hook up your PC to your HDTV anways? If this is the case, then it's like in the 1900s when the stranger comes
into town and sells a medcine that cures all. It's bascially water, but if you think you need it, you will buy it then. So basically this is something that nobody needs but
they try to make you think that you actually do? I can't see this lasting for long.

I guess we will need more details.

All it is, is just a bigger GUI that can be navigated with a controller. You're reading into this too much.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 4:51 pm

All it is, is just a bigger GUI that can be navigated with a controller. You're reading into this too much.

Exactly, I think its just an attempt to make controllers and interfaces more standardised for use on TV screens across Steam games.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 6:08 pm

Who needs to go back and use the Steam interface when playing a game connected to their HDTV?

I often run an HDMI cable from my laptop to my 1080p projector and play in the living room, but I only access the interface if I need to install or delete a game (i.e., not anytime when it is connected to projector).

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 12:12 pm

Its doubtful that Steam is developing an "OnLive" type network. This looks like a simply GUI change with controller support. Maybe they will develop a remote unit to sync your HDTV to a local computer via wi-fi (802.11g/n), simply a remote monitor.

OnLive requires way too much bandwidth (3mbps minimum, 5mbps recommend; per user). The Steam network is far too large.

***

Think of, how the Oblivion GUI was developed to work across all platforms.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:58 am

Why would anyone want to do this, when you can already hook up your PC to your HDTV anways? If this is the case, then it's like in the 1900s when the stranger comes
into town and sells a medcine that cures all. It's bascially water, but if you think you need it, you will buy it then. So basically this is something that nobody needs but
they try to make you think that you actually do? I can't see this lasting for long.

I guess we will need more details.

Who said anything about it costing money? I didn't see anything in their press release about it costing anything. Steam itself is free as well.

All I'm reading is that they're going to make hooking your PC up to your TV work much better, with more appropriate resolutions, and adding support for controllers.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 10:01 am

Clever bastards. They're trying to make Steam a console. To your high end user this is nothing. For your average joe who has computer but prefers to use a television it will be an excuse to buy some cheap games to play on a TV. This development isn't meant for the high end PC users, but your average person who isn't so great with computers. There's a lot of them too.

» Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:32 am

To me it just sounds like you can now hook up your PC to your TV and steam will support better scaling for that... or something.