Valve's new Steam Box - Piston

[danrok]

Valve are partnering with Xi3 who make small modular computers.

The Piston may be based on their X7A computer.

More here: Xi3's Steam-funded hardware is codenamed 'Piston,' will be based on newly announced X7A computer | The Verge

[booman]

Piston?
Cool name... why am I not surprised?
But this isn't their "console" is it?

[Daniel ~]

Will this compete with X-box and PS3 or is it portable in it's design intention?

Looks like a Windows thing from the review, but can't tell.?

[booman]

Absolutely!
Their main competition will be Xbox and Playstation.
Its based on Linux so if they don't get a lot of games converted I don't think it will have a chance.

steambox on toms hardware

The cool thing for us is that the Linux games we already have in Steam should work on it too!

[Aedan]

So, they are aiming to have a box that can run 8 monitors without slowdown at the same time, and still have it affordable?

I'm slightly concerned about the bit about different manufactures making steam boxes - does this mean that different boxes run better/worse than others? Doesn't that suggest that developers will tune their software for the lowest common denominator, like they have for Android devices? Does it also mean that you run the risk that you buy a game, and discover it doesn't work on your device?

[booman]

I bet the 8 monitors is just a feature... I'm sure most people will be running one. I didn't notice how they would connect 8 monitors?
Is there a thunderbolt port on it?

Sound like video card manufacturers... each card is a bit different in specs and price...
I don't like the sound of it. You would think there would only be one manucaturer

[Daniel ~]

We've got three well established games consoles. Each with huge libraries and fan bases. X-Box, PS3 and Nintendo.

What is steam going to offer that might persuade us? In short why would I want to buy a console that delivers exactly what my desktop does?

I'd better go read Tom's article hey! ":O}

[booman]

honestly, I don't know...
Since the source games already run in PS3 & Xbox.. there isn't much advantage.

I bet Valve is going to release some new source games only on PC & Piston.
This would definitely bring some attraction to it.

[Daniel ~]

Originally Posted by booman

I bet the 8 monitors is just a feature... I'm sure most people will be running one. I didn't notice how they would connect 8 monitors?
Is there a thunderbolt port on it?

Sound like video card manufacturers... each card is a bit different in specs and price...
I don't like the sound of it. You would think there would only be one manucaturer

What I believe Aedan's pointing out is that yes your right, most people will use but one monitor...but they will have to pay for the capability to run eight monitors...how does that ever get to be cost effective?

Ya know I've been wrong a fair amount in the past...but to me ...something smells fishy here...

For me....Steam has yet to demonstrate they can run games in Linux as well as POL.

Are they holding back with PC Steam in Linux? If they can't do a hell of a lot better than they have...why bother with a Console that can play a half dozen older games?

For that matter...who need a Linux console as such? I don't care what my PS 3 runs on, only that it runs my games. Judging from the number of people who have both systems, most people just want it to run the games they want to play, how they get that done...is of far less significance.

Maybe I just don't understand the big picture...":O}

[booman]

I guess you have to start somewhere. Playstation started with only a handful of games, Wii & Xbox only started with a handful too.

If it gets marketed correctly, they could eventually have a LOT of source games and get developers to write games for it too.
Not to mention these games should also work for PC Linux

[Daniel ~]

No doubt... but they will have a bit off competition. I can invest in a game or I can buy a console, If I buy the console it will have to give me something I don't have.

That's what I'm not seeing,....something I don't have already.

[booman]

Me as well... me as well
if the Piston games also run on Linux natively, then I'll just buy them in Steam and play them on my PC.
Done Deal!!!

[chrisbard]

Lol