Something that didn't go unnoticed was that Valve has removed the SteamPlay logo from Steam store pages.
This is interesting, as it was a partial source of confusion amongst SteamOS/Linux gamers. Plenty of us know how to easily identify games that have Linux support, but there was plenty who didn't. People were genuinely getting confused about it all and I don't blame them.
What the "SteamPlay" text meant was essentially: you buy that game once, and get it on any operating system that particular game supports on Steam. It did not mean Linux/SteamOS support, as that was identified originally by the Tux icon and now the SteamOS icon. People were so confused I was asked to write about it before.
It's still confusing though, since the SteamOS icon is just the Steam logo. It's a step in the right direction of course, as now people can't think SteamPlay suddenly means SteamOS, but it's still pretty ambiguous considering it really is just the Steam logo.
What is also interesting is the fact that this could open up more games requiring a purchase across multiple platforms (it has happened before: see CoD Mac edition). Valve haven't announced anything on it, so we don't know what their intentions are.
The more likely conclusion (and what I hope), is that Steam won't allow developers and publishers to separate game purchases by platform.
They haven't even updated their official SteamPlay page back from when they used the Linux "Tux" logo.
This situation is clear as mud. I still think the Tux icon needs to make a return, even if it's in addition to the SteamOS logo. The SteamOS logo would then have a real purpose, to showcase games that are properly tested for SteamOS. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
This is interesting, as it was a partial source of confusion amongst SteamOS/Linux gamers. Plenty of us know how to easily identify games that have Linux support, but there was plenty who didn't. People were genuinely getting confused about it all and I don't blame them.
What the "SteamPlay" text meant was essentially: you buy that game once, and get it on any operating system that particular game supports on Steam. It did not mean Linux/SteamOS support, as that was identified originally by the Tux icon and now the SteamOS icon. People were so confused I was asked to write about it before.
It's still confusing though, since the SteamOS icon is just the Steam logo. It's a step in the right direction of course, as now people can't think SteamPlay suddenly means SteamOS, but it's still pretty ambiguous considering it really is just the Steam logo.
What is also interesting is the fact that this could open up more games requiring a purchase across multiple platforms (it has happened before: see CoD Mac edition). Valve haven't announced anything on it, so we don't know what their intentions are.
The more likely conclusion (and what I hope), is that Steam won't allow developers and publishers to separate game purchases by platform.
They haven't even updated their official SteamPlay page back from when they used the Linux "Tux" logo.
This situation is clear as mud. I still think the Tux icon needs to make a return, even if it's in addition to the SteamOS logo. The SteamOS logo would then have a real purpose, to showcase games that are properly tested for SteamOS. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
Steam must allow developers to separate platform purchases, like you buy the game full price for one platform (any one), and then you buy a low price DLC to get binaries for another platform. Why ? We all have many old games bought for windows that were lately ported to linux, and we got those ports for free, developers will not get some reward for that, porting can be a painful work. Separating platform revenues will help developers to be conforted to make ports.
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Cheeseness Nov 28, 2016
Quoting: Xpanderseriously that steamOS logo is still confusing lots of people.This, so much. The current branding guidelines indicate that this logo is Steam's logo, not a logo for SteamOS or Steam Machines specifically.
If Valve put forward a requirement that everything published on Steam had to have Linux support and in that way had implicit Linux support included as part of supporting Steam, then it'd be fine, but right now using it to indicate optional Linux support is super questionable.
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Quoting: LukeNukemThe Tux icon is fucking hideous though, and scales down like a lump of cow shit does to a rabbit dropping.
Quoting: AnxiousInfusionQuoting: meggermanI have to admit the logo doesn't scale well. It also looks a bit childish, but what else can we use, a stallman avatar ?
A silhouette of an actual penguin, perhaps?
It's recognisable without a mistake, that's what matters, certainly not looks. And if Valve really wants to, they can style it to whatever extent, as long as it remains a cartoonish penguin that makes it clear it's Linux.
Tux as a logotype is wrong from a marketing standpoint but for an entirely other reason. It has a face. Windows has a cross-frame window, Apple has a bitten apple, Linux... has a face with googly eyes. It's way too complicated, not symbolic enough, reminds too strongly of the actual penguin stealing focus from what it is supposed to represent - it's a mascot, not a logotype. Recently I've seen a step in a tutorial that would be a better logo than the final result:
But I'm against any change at this point. A logotype is good when it's associated with a good product and this is why drastic changes to an established brand will always, and I mean it, always be a bad move. Tux can be changed to something more modern over years with baby steps. Anything else will kill the association and make distributions separate from the Linux family in minds of millions of unaware customers.
Quoting: Cheeseness[...] Steam's logo [...] right now using it to indicate optional Linux support is super questionable.
They use it to indicate SteamOS support solely. Many Linux titles lost their SteamOS icon from the store page recently because they don't run on SteamOS (e.g. without a separate launcher).
Last edited by cprn on 28 November 2016 at 1:15 am UTC
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I liked the Tux logo better, to represent Linux. But I figured Valve changed it to the Steam logo to push their SteamOS. Strange they just took it down though. I been curious if SteamOS console's sales have been to low to support further development and this is the first sign of decline.*./tinfoil_hatmode off*
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Cheeseness Nov 28, 2016
Quoting: cprnit's a mascot, not a logotypeThis is super true and is something that a lot of people seem to overlook. Back when Steam for Linux first launched, I made an attempt a while back at creating a stylised Tux inspired logo, which was in the style of the kind of logos Microsoft and Apple were using at the time. It's been adopted by a few games/websites/etc. around the place, but never really gained much traction.
Quoting: cprnThere was a cleanup a while back, yes, but it doesn't seem to be the kind of indicator you're interpreting it as. Right now, there are a number of games that have that icon, but don't behave under SteamOS and/or have launchers.Quoting: Cheeseness[...] Steam's logo [...] right now using it to indicate optional Linux support is super questionable.
They use it to indicate SteamOS support solely. Many Linux titles lost their SteamOS icon from the store page recently because they don't run on SteamOS (e.g. without a separate launcher).
That's all separate from the point I was making though, which is that using a generic mark (the Steam platform logo) to indicate something specific (SteamOS/Linux support) in one context (the platform icon list) is problematic.
Last edited by Cheeseness on 28 November 2016 at 1:33 am UTC
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boltronics Nov 28, 2016
If the Tux logo doesn't shrink to a tiny picture well, why not just make the OS icons slightly bigger? Communicating OS support correctly is kind of important, so I don't see why they want to show it at about the size of a character in the small page text.
Regardless of the actual icon used, I'm surprised they always add the GNU/Linux/SteamOS icon last in the list of icons. I understand it was added to Steam last, but this is Valve's platform. To some, the ordering might imply that Windows is the preferred OS to use Steam with.
Regardless of the actual icon used, I'm surprised they always add the GNU/Linux/SteamOS icon last in the list of icons. I understand it was added to Steam last, but this is Valve's platform. To some, the ordering might imply that Windows is the preferred OS to use Steam with.
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Quoting: CheesenessI made an attempt a while back at creating a stylised Tux inspired logoThis is one nice looking logo. Congratulations; you have talent. You have it somewhere as SVG? What is the licence? Do you have an official website for it?
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Cheeseness Nov 28, 2016
Quoting: deragonQuoting: CheesenessI made an attempt a while back at creating a stylised Tux inspired logoThis is one nice looking logo. Congratulations; you have talent. You have it somewhere as SVG? What is the licence? Do you have an official website for it?
Cheers. Artist is one of the many hats I wear ^_^
SVGs, etc. along with a list of known usages can be found here. I've made it available under CC0, so do whatever you want with it!
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Quoting: meggermanI agree that tux is pretty childish, but let's have a look at the competition: what, a damn Window? Seriously? If tux is childish, Windows' logo is retarded :P . Let's put a cathedral stained glass, for Gates' sake. Or let's put a pretty girl by the Window.Quoting: LukeNukemThe Tux icon is fucking hideous though, and scales down like a lump of cow shit does to a rabbit dropping.
I have to admit the logo doesnt scale well. It also looks a bit childish, but what else can we use, a stallman avatar ?
And that bitten Apple, who would like to eat an apple that's already bitten? Is it symbolic of Apple's recent "control freak" politics? Is it a reminder that this computer is still theirs? :P Oh let me guess, must be something about sharing. But who the heck is interested about this today among Apple Inc.'s clients?
Let's give Tux some love or lets just make a Linus Torvalds logo instead. :P
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Kuduzkehpan Nov 28, 2016
bitten apple is symbol of Alen Turing. Which was suicide with poisoned apple. And also he is master brain of computer tech and a mathematical genius.
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