Yes, and the IGN review mentions that possibility.

This review is more favorable, going into the initial discomfort with the controls that improved to the point where the reviewer felt it was more accurate than an Xbox controller:
http://www.techradar.com/us/reviews/...1212868/review
Another review:
http://www.stuff.tv/steam-box/ces-20...ontroller/news

Other hands-on reviews:
http://www.trustedreviews.com/steam-...r_Games_review
http://www.digitaltrends.com/game-co...steam-machine/
http://www.t3.com/reviews/valve-steam-controller-review

It will depend on the game. For platformers, generally a D-pad (2D) or analog stick (3D) would be better. While the Steam controller may handle it better, I remember that DS port of Mario 64 that used the touchscreen to simulate analog control - I HATED it. With the Steam controller, there is also no D-pad so it has to be simulated with the touchpad. It won't provide the same kind of feedback or even work the same way as a real D-pad.

What they should have done, IMHO, was create a traditional 360-type controller but with a touchpad instead of a right analog stick. There was no need for two of them, and certainly not at the expense of a real D-pad and well-placed buttons.

I just thought of something. With Playstation Now streaming, I wonder if it would be possible to use a Steam controller with that?

It'd have to be on something that supports both Playstation Now and the Steam controller. Playstation Now is only initially going to be supported on PS4, PS3, Vita, and 2014 Sony Bravia TVs, and as far as I know none of those will have support for the Steam Controller.

Isn't the Steam Controller just USB? Most TVs nowadays have USB. Will a TV even recognize a controller with no console? I never tried it, but I guess it would have to recognize it if the new Bravias can stream without a console.

The Steam Controller prototypes are USB, but that might not be the only connection possible when they go into production.

However, just because a device has a USB connection, doesn't mean a TV with a USB port can recognize it. The Steam Controller is markedly different than a traditional controller; I don't know how its two touchpads would map to something not designed to handle it.

The new Bravia TVs reportedly work with a PS3 controller plugged in via USB, at least according to the picture on this article:
http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/7/528...n-now-hands-on

However, I doubt the Bravia TVs support Xbox controllers.

But gaming rigs with a pre-loaded and/or customized OS have been available for years. My point is that the Steam Machines are bringing nothing new to the table beyond the controller. Yes, the OS is new but if this is for people who don't want to build their own rig, the options already abound. Steam Machines should have been a standard not another in a myriad of options that only serve to alienate people who are too overwhelmed by the options available in terms of gaming PC's to ever buy one of their own (let alone build one).

Or a controller with two analog sticks, good D-pad, well-placed buttons and a touch pad


I'm still a little fuzzy about what the Steam controller is capable of doing that the item above can't.

The Steam controller is supposed to be more precise, like a mouse, compared to analog sticks. Although it apparently has a pretty steep learning curve based on what people with beta units are saying.

I don't mind that they used touch pads but the radically different button scheme is probably what most have trouble with, even after growing acustomed to the response of the touch pads.

That's the big thing; the inclusion of a new OS that should hopefully provide an easy maintenance box for playing games on. It's the combination of being pre-built, pre-installed, with the specialized OS and controller.

Companies have been trying to push TV-focused PCs for years. Hell, Microsoft built in their Media Center into editions of XP and up for home users for years. But Windows is just too high maintenance and not quite customized for TV use, not to mention the potential controller mess of having games designed for either Keyboard/mouse or traditional controller.

Take each individual element of a Steam Machine and pick it apart, and maybe the machine as a whole isn't appealing for that one element. But it's all the elements combined to hopefully provide a near-console experience for PC games on the TV that makes it appealing.

For one, the PS4 touch pad isn't that well situated for two-hand use, like, say, using the touch pad and one of the analog sticks at the same time.

See the below video at the 1:36 and 3:36 marks:


http://youtu.be/eeAjkbNq4xI?t=1m36s

http://youtu.be/eeAjkbNq4xI?t=3m37s

The alternating touch pads to move the same mouse cursor mode looks really interesting and fast, and not something that can be replicated by the PS4 controller.

Why Valve thinks you'll want a Steam Machine
http://www.polygon.com/2014/1/9/5292...-steam-machine

Steam Controller hands-on: It's only weird until it works
http://www.polygon.com/2014/1/9/5290...valve-ces-2014

Valve is working on native support for the Steam Controller in DOTA 2:
http://www.polygon.com/2014/1/8/5289...eam-controller

Dropping the touch screen?

http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/15/s...oller-changes/

Looks like iBuy will be scaling back the graphics card in their $499 model:

http://www.woot.com/offers/cruel-tea...ef=cnt_wp_1_11

Wait, what?

I was under the impression that the $499 model of the iBuyPower machine was originally meant to have integrated graphics and more expensive models and customizations were set to have dedicated. Woot says 250X yet various reports from CES mentioned both the 260X, 270X, and the 290X at that $499 price point.

Until iBuyPower says, "Here's what you get at $499," I won't believe it.

Until we actually see a goddamned Steam Machine for sale, I won't believe anything.

Controller delayed until 2015.
2015
(2+0)/(1+5)
2/6
1/3
0.333333333

Half Life 3 confirmed!!

They probably got annoyed by the constant Harassment and said it to shut fans up

http://www.alienware.com/alpha

Alienware announced their first Steam Machine that will launch at the end of the year. However, with Windows 8.1 and a wireless 360 controller included.

What does $549 get you?

• Intel Core i3 Haswell processor
• Custom Nvidia “Maxwell”-based GPU with 2GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory
• 500GB SATA 3 HDD
• 4GB of 1600MHz memory
• Dual-band Wireless-AC 1x1 with Bluetooth 4.0
• HDMI-out, HDMI-in (with pass-through), Gigabit Ethernet, optical audio out, two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports

You'll also be able to configure the Alpha with options including Core i5 and i7 processors, 8GB of RAM, and 1TB or 2TB hard drives.

Like anyone, I'd wait until the Steam OS and the controller are ready for prime time.

yeah, 'cause that's going to happen.

The ready for prime time version will include a copy of Half Life 3.

Well, it's not officially a Steam Machine, since Valve has delayed that branding until next year, when the Controller is finalized.
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/0...ed-until-2015/

I'm guessing Alienware decided they had put too much money into this model to cancel it, and it'd be too expensive to delay it, so just release it as a Windows-based machine. It was expected that at least some of the Steam Machines would come dual-boot anyway.

I'm guessing the agreement with Valve precludes them from including SteamOS pre-installed, but end users can do that themselves after buying it, then buying a Steam controller separately once it's released.

A file hidden in the most recent Steam client beta suggests that an analog joystick may be added to the Steam Controller:
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/0...am-controller/

I still don't like it. I'm guessing you're supposed to move with the stick and then use the left touchpad as "buttons" to select weapons or something? There's still no real D-pad.

Unless they really want to accommodate lefties that may want to aim with it, I don't see why they need a left touchpad. Just make this thing like a 360 controller but with a touchpad on the right instead of an analog stick, and add a couple of extra non-gameplay buttons in the middle so we can take screenshots, push to talk, etc.

Or they could make it modular like the Phoenix Revolution controller.

This is finally a thing.

http://www.polygon.com/2015/6/4/8727...ne-launch-date

The Alienware versions just look like the current Alpha, although I heard the current hard drives were only 5400rpm and these are at least 7200.

Can you install Windows on a Steam Machine? SteamOS is Linux, and so it won't run games that don't have Linux versions. I'm not sure how many games don't have a Linux version. Maybe most newer games do, but what about older games like the original Bioshock, Crysis, Witcher, Arkham Asylum, etc. Honestly, I would just rather have Windows since it can do more than just play games (like Office and such). That's the biggest downside to a Steam Machine in my opinion. That's why I like the Alpha more because it is essentially a Steam Machine albeit with Windows instead of SteamOS. That plus the Alpha comes with an Xbox 360 controller instead of that Steam controller which I'm not entirely sold on it being a good controller. It seems more like a gimmicky controller like the Wiimote to me.