[MfA]

So it seems they are going to at least have a separate section of the store for games which work well with controllers. A small step in the right direction. Are they going to add other things to big picture mode though? Netflix/etc, make it a complete HTPC interface. Otherwise it will be a hard sell.

Hopefully they will put the official stamp of approval on some boxes (similar to Microsoft with WHS) as well.

[green.pixel]

I guess this means we'll finally see Alan Wake on PC.


Jokes aside, I think this comes at the perfect moment. A lot of console-only gamers are hungry for new hardware at this point and streamlined gamepad support might be the thing to pull more of them away.

This shouldn't impact game design of traditional PC-centric games, i.e design first for mouse and keyboard then implement gamepad support, right?

[Farid]

That's good news for us HTPC users. The next step would be to include a keyboard/mouse emulator/mapper akin of Xpadder and the likes into Steam to maximize compatibility. At least, for games where gamepad control would make sense (not RTS', obviously).

I love playing some of my games at my desk, then continue playing them on my TV when I feel like it. And that without having to buy the game twice, keep two sets of game saves and without having to compromise on image quality.

Originally Posted by green.pixel

I guess this means we'll finally see Alan Wake on PC.

PC will first need to support the Couch Processing Unit technology.

It's a known fact that PCs have no way to connect to HDTV sets. ...Yeah, right.

[MfA]

I'd hate to see the bastards get money ... but maybe Valve should buy out the Phantom Lapboard patents, it is a pretty inspired design and would go great with this.

[tongue_of_colicab]

I always wonder how much people care about this. People geek enough to have a htpc or hook up their pc's to a tv won't really need a extra interface and just boot stuff from windows. The average person like my brothers or parents who don't really know anything about pc's still won't go and hook up a pc to the tv because of this. Hell, I can't even get my parents to buy a 100 euro mediaplayer for the tv so I'm not forced to watch whatever is on crappy dutch tv when I visit them and those systems are even more idiot proof than this.

[MfA]

If they bring out certified hardware it can just boot into Steam Big Picture mode and hide the fact that it's a PC completely unless you go digging for it intentionally ...

(Locked down windows install, remote administrated, specialized bios to make repair possible even if windows get fucked up, separate windows install for normal use ... all that jazz I already explained in other threads.)

[Mobius1aic]

Originally Posted by MfA

If they bring out certified hardware it can just boot into Steam Big Picture mode and hide the fact that it's a PC completely unless you go digging for it intentionally ...

(Locked down windows install, remote administrated, specialized bios to make repair possible even if windows get fucked up, separate windows install for normal use ... all that jazz I already explained in other threads.)

The Valve Steam-Box wet dream lol........though it's a nice proposition for those who want to PC game on the cheap with a console like ease of use, yet still able to run modified content, play other PC gamers, etc.

[tongue_of_colicab]

You can already pc game on the cheap. Get yourself the cheapest dualcore, 2gb ram and a ~100 euro gpu and you will play every game out there with atleast decent settings.

[MfA]

As you say though, the average person won't even consider doing that with a PC. A Steam certified Big Picture Box which acts just like a console? Maybe ...

Any way, for the moment I would be happy if they seamlessly integrated HTPC functionality ... of course Sony/Apple would scream bloody murder at them, but those partnerships are poisoned apples for Valve any way (and they better wake up to that).