SteamOS can change the world if done right.

[Lil Wilbert]

If I had to guess almost everyone reading this forum wants steam to be very successful. I myself hope there is a steam box in every living room, and valves revenue goes up by 200%. Which is why I would like to share my views in the hope that it helps even in the smallest of ways. Now I am no expert, and I can't talk for anyone more then myself, but here they are.

What is SteamOS?
To me SteamOS is a distro specifically designed for the (10 foot experience). It’s designed to be used on the couch. Its main competitor is the consoles, the (PS4,Xbox One,WII U) ect. While each console varies, there are unifying themes, Each is very simple to use and requires little no technical know how. You just put in game in and it plays. Now I am mainly a computer player I own almost every console (both old and new) but I only tend to play them on the odd occasion. However I have been playing destiny for the past week on the PS4 and it allowed me to get some insight into a small pool of console players and their views on Pc gaming. What I found was this,

You sometimes forget not everyone is computer illiterate, I was talking about computer gaming to about 7 people via PS4 voice chat. I mentioned SteamOS, none of them had a clue what it was, I mentioned linux none of them had a clue what it was. One of the guys mentioned he did own an alienware 15 inch laptop. He told me he use to use it but it got slow, I asked almost jokingly a reformat didn't work? He had no clue what a reformat was.

So the SteamOS has to be designed for someone who is computer illiterate, everything has to be plug and play, and the install has to be not only be easy but a video guide on how to install the os would help. We know the in’s and outs of these computers but not everyone does. I know this is not always possible, especially considering vendors seem to sometimes forget people use linux with there products( Im looking at amd). However to compete with consoles it is gonna have to be next to perfect. Pressure is gonna have to be put on these company's from both the community and valve. I feel like I did my part, I have posted several times, on the AMD drivers forum page, and have even called them to remind them there drivers are lacking. Hopefully a lot of AMD SteamOS users are doing the same.

I will say this, Valve if you can get console players to swap over. Your sales are going to go threw the roof, almost everyone who bought a steam box is going to at least get one or two games for it. I find the cost of console games is higher on average, so I suspect when they see 75% off sales 5 or 10 dollar games, they are going to be gobbled up.

Gamers like myself on the other hand who own hundreds and hundreds of games, your sales from us really won’t be affected. I own almost every game I want to play for windows, since I don’t have to rebuy the game for linux. The amount of purchases I make won’t really change.

SteamOS to stand out will need at least the majority of features that console players are use to, They are going to need YouTube, Netflix. Party voice chat. Since SteamOS had YouTube cross that off the list, Netflix looks like its coming to Ubuntu.

http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/19/6552939/desktop-linux-is-finally-getting-netflix-support

Hopefully they are willing to extend the same support to you guys.

Lastly Group or Party chat would be a nice feature. I know you have it in specific games, and you can voice call a friend but the added feature would be quite nice.
Also all of these things should be easy to use and find, just cater to that again computer illiterate person.

There is more I would like to add later to this post but I am already running late, Please ignore the spelling and grammar mistakes, I wrote this while trying to get ready for work.

[Balderick]

SteamOS could appeal to more than console gamers. Not all confirmed steammachines come in the guise of a console. Casual gamers, hardened pc gamers, retro gamers, indie loving gamers, AAA only gamers, big screen gamers, small screen gamers, touchscreen gamers, VR headset gamers, 50 year old gamers, 5 year old gamers, any old gamer could all be very easily catered for by steamos.

The os part of steamos to me indicates desktop users are also a target demographic of steamos. There is a desktop environment which any user can use to build their own ultimate desktop experience thanks to the wonders of using linux as a base for steamos.

The name of this group indicates steamos has universal appeal. Not just for the living room and not just for current gamers using consoles to have an alternative option to their existing choices.

[Lil Wilbert]

I agree,
I use SteamOS when I am gaming on my monitor inches from my face. However every product needs a identity and the one valve choose is a console replacement, and I am ok with that. I just want linux and steamos to become popular. I want a steambox in every home, and when that happens support for more traditional keyboard and mouse pc games will flood in.

[Balderick]

Most other OS's have had native support for controllers for many years. Many first person shooters for PC do not come with native controller support due to the performance issues (speed and accuracy) in comparison to using a mouse. Most first person shooters for PC and/or consoles that do have native support for controllers use aim assist and other optimisations to compensate for this hardware defficiency in comparison to using a mouse.
Hardened PC gamers accustomed to using keyboard and mouse refer to this as cheating. Valve using trackpads on their steamcontroller should make using a controller for first person shooters a realistic option for gamers and game devs. We just need to wait for first person shooters made for steamos containing code for the new steam controller API to come along to prove this is indeed a realistic and advantageous option for first person shooter lovers wanting another option over using keyboard and mouse emulation in order to use a controller for their games of choice.

[Lil Wilbert]

Yea the steam controller has to be top notch. Its what the user interfaces with, no matter how good the system is, if the controller is a pain to use, the experience will be ruined. Thankfully Valve knows this and its the main reason the OS is delayed.

[Cale]

Indeed, Steam could change the world once again. Tremendous opportunity.

[Cale]

I crafted a User Experience iteration, Big Picture & SteamOS.
Take a look.
https://vimeo.com/106142349

Gallery:
https://www.behance.net/gallery/19774881/SteamOS-Design-Iteration

Key-points :

- Integrated main menu reducing the back and forth current interaction and boosting persistence.

- Submenus and children, unified array of content.

- Customization, easily adding sense of personality just by allowing the user add their backgrounds.

- Backgrounds, increasing game / content context.

- Profiles, allowing steam accounts to have several profiles, like Netflix does.

- Chat and friends list, boosting the status update usage and party assemble.

- Apps, specifically designed applications to be used on the big screen. Not just browser services. Like iOS is to OS X or Android to Linux for that matter.

Hoping you find the point of view useful.

[Lil Wilbert]

All I can say is wow cale, Amazing ui! I really hope a SteamOS team member sees this.

[Cale]

Wohooo! Thanks Greg. \m/

[Balderick]

Originally posted by GregMc:

All I can say is wow cale, Amazing ui! I really hope a SteamOS team member sees this.

+1 slick dude very slick

Originally posted by cale:

• Apps, specifically designed applications to be used on the big screen. Not just browser services

That list of apps could/should include any desktop app already installed!? add non-steam application is borked in steamos-session

[Cale]

Originally posted by 40-1PvtBalderick:

+1 slick dude very slick

Thank you so much ;D

Originally posted by 40-1PvtBalderick:

That list of apps could/should include any desktop app already installed!? add non-steam application is borked in steamos beta

That's interesting, I think we could have a trigger / filter to show those non-SteamOS applications. Hypothetically if you're using your controller and then all of the sudden you have to plug-in your mouse and keyboard it might not be the best experience for most users.

SteamOS has the opportunity to hit it big on the big screen, "Smart TVs" have baby software and consoles just a few apps, all seems like Phones before 2007.

[Balderick]

Originally posted by cale:

Hypothetically if you're using your controller and then all of the sudden you have to plug-in your mouse and keyboard it might not be the best experience for most users.

Due to steamos being beta i already have kb + m connected (i could just ssh so to allow controller only in steamos) for troubleshooting as well as for using desktop gnome-session.

xboxdrv is an anlternative to valves proprietary steam controller software to give an easy option for a full system wide controller only machine. (steamos-session and gnome-session). That is on the assumption steam controller works in other environments other than steamos-session. Sadly there is not much relative feedback regarding the current steam controller version due to all the changes since beta testers (lucky 300 and 1200 Brix) were issued with mk1 steam controllers. not seen any third party feedback for mk2 steam controller and there is an unofficialy confirmed mk3 steam controller currently being tested in-house.

It is possible to use kb + m emulation in any available OS (like xboxdrv for linux or xpadder for windows) to allow full controller only use as well as "legacy mode" for steam games or any app that does not natively support controller. So a full featured os is easily made controller only and already in existence.

[Cale]

Originally posted by 40-1PvtBalderick:

Due to steamos being beta i already have kb + m connected (i could just ssh so to allow controller only in steamos) for troubleshooting as well as for using desktop gnome-session.

xboxdrv is an anlternative to valves proprietary steam controller software to give an easy option for a full system wide controller only machine. (steamos-session and gnome-session). That is on the assumption steam controller works in other environments other than steamos-session. Sadly there is not much relative feedback regarding the current steam controller version due to all the changes since beta testers (lucky 300 and 1200 Brix) were issued with mk1 steam controllers. not seen any third party feedback for mk2 steam controller and there is an unofficialy confirmed mk3 steam controller currently being tested in-house.

It is possible to use kb + m emulation (like xboxdrv) in any available OS to allow full controller only use as well as "legacy mode" for steam games or any app that does not natively support controller. So a full featured os is easily made controller only and already in existence.

Yeap, you're right. Technically it can be done right and hopefully in the future as well.

I wouldn't recommend using keyboard and mouse regularly, to solve that you just can hook up your Linux/PC machine to your TV with Steam's Big Picture Mode. It wouldn't make much sense developing an entire OS.

We need to encourage Developers to make SteamOS optimized games and applications, interacting either with Valve's controller or your weapon of choice. Making SteamOS as popular on the living room as Android on mobile devices regardless the technical knowledge.

Hoping you find this point of view useful.

[Balderick]

I do. xbmc is one app that may not have been designed with steamos specificaly in mind but is one example of third party app with native controller support. Adding code for the new steamcontroller api would make it more steam controller friendly for those who have that luxury.

I think portability is key for devs making their apps hugely successful. For example using steam hardware survey confirms one per cent of steam users are linux users. So targeting one specific platform like steamos may limit the quality and choice of such apps designed and made for steamos exclusively in mind. After saying that though it must be acknowledged how much the steam for linux library has grown in relatively short time period though none can claim to be steamos exclusive afaik.

I wouldn't recommend using keyboard and mouse regularly, to solve that you just can hook up your Linux/PC machine to your TV with Steam's Big Picture Mode. It wouldn't make much sense developing an entire OS.

I tried to show there is no need to develop full os. Using xboxdrv in both steamos-session and gnome-session with appropriate configuration files or launch options give a fully working controller in both environments. i.e. steam bpm and gnome desktop. Simply adding desktop apps to steam library would give use of those apps in bpm. Just like running steam in windows can do. Again using kb + m emulation there too removes the need for having kb + m connected for full controller compatibility.

Making SteamOS as popular on the living room as Android on mobile devices.

What if steamos was ported to ARM and then trounced android? I think there is more possibility of that happening over steamos taking over the x86 platform. Most tablets now come with mini hdmi so the big screen thing would still be an option. The advancements in gpu and processing power as well as game engines providing multi platform support means PC games can now be played on mobile devices that is both ARM and x86 mobile devices.

[Lil Wilbert]

People are bringing a lot of great feedback and idea's to the table. Come on valve guys read this :)

[Ryochan7]

Originally posted by 40-1PvtBalderick:

The os part of steamos to me indicates desktop users are also a target demographic of steamos. There is a desktop environment which any user can use to build their own ultimate desktop experience thanks to the wonders of using linux as a base for steamos.

The name of this group indicates steamos has universal appeal. Not just for the living room and not just for current gamers using consoles to have an alternative option to their existing choices.

Maybe SteamOS is an Operating System and Steam Universe means the greater span of the Steam brand besides the desktop client. Is iOS targeted to desktop users? SteamOS is not meant to be a desktop OS replacement.