Another day, another journalist claiming that Valve is killing SteamOS (amongst other things mentioned) and it couldn't be further from the truth. I'm going to be pretty blunt in this one, because it needs to be.
I give you this sensationalist piece from Softpedia titled "Valve Is Killing Its Projects by Abandoning Them, Including SteamOS".
While it's true SteamOS hasn't turned into the almighty force some hoped, here at GOL, I always said it would never be a big success overnight and it would take a long time. That hasn't changed and SteamOS is still very much alive. In June of this year, Valve did a major update to SteamOS that dropped AMDGPU-PRO in favour of Mesa, it had a big Kernel version bump and more. Only a few days later another SteamOS beta was released with more updates. The development is ongoing and you can hardly call something that was updated majorly only a month ago, as something that's being abandoned.
They quite literally have no idea what they're talking about. I don't think Valve has ever said anywhere they were pouring money into OpenGL and Vulkan development. Valve did actually help to kickstart Vulkan, Valve has also hired developers to work on Linux graphics drivers. The public Mesa mailing list is extremely active, with patches from all sides flowing in every day, with the Valve developers doing quite a bit of work. Anyone following it knows this, they would too if they looked. They should know too, since they report on Mesa. Only recently one of the Valve developers finished up the OpenGL multithreading code in Mesa, which can give big performance gains in certain games.
The bit about developers not being heard of any more is also strange. It takes a long time for a brand new API to gain traction, but it is gaining with Vulkan games being released. Croteam have thrown their weight behind it, so has Feral Interactive. Not a massive amount sure, but again, it takes time. Games already in development won't throw out their entire renderer for Vulkan, but new games have a good chance of using it.
No one really knows if Half-Life will continue or not. Apart from that, the other examples are all still sold and worked on. SteamOS, as mentioned, is regularly updated. The Steam Controller is constantly updated with new awesome features, there's even been hints of a second revision. The Steam Link is still selling well with plenty of people rather happy with it. It's not quite likely any of them will follow the path of Half-Life, there's nothing whatsoever hinting at it, they're pulling speculation out of their backsides here with no sources to show for anything they're saying. It's bottom of the barrel reporting.
No, it hasn't. Vulkan 1.0.55 was released only yesterday and last I checked there's more Vulkan games than there is DirectX 12 games on PC. What part of that has slowed down considerably? It hasn't, not at all. I'm also unsure as to what they mean by "integrated VM solutions", I'm going to assume they're really trying to sound smart, but missing the mark. They likely mean wrappers, but so many things come under that banner and wrappers aren't necessarily a bad thing.
I'll be honest here, I really don't like Softpedia and I think their reporting is quite often terrible. They reported on the iCloud hack that happened some time ago, by using one of the stolen images of a celebrity in their article—just awful.
I often end up feeling like we're one of the few sites that won't scaremonger for traffic, because it's stupid. It's an article where clearly research just hasn't been done, but hey it makes a good headline to click right?
I won't blindly stick up for Valve or any company, as every company serves their own agenda. However, Valve are very clearly and often quite publicly still supporting Linux, SteamOS, Steam Controller and so on. I will gladly report on it when there's signs they are dumping something, but there's no such signs yet. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
I give you this sensationalist piece from Softpedia titled "Valve Is Killing Its Projects by Abandoning Them, Including SteamOS".
While it's true SteamOS hasn't turned into the almighty force some hoped, here at GOL, I always said it would never be a big success overnight and it would take a long time. That hasn't changed and SteamOS is still very much alive. In June of this year, Valve did a major update to SteamOS that dropped AMDGPU-PRO in favour of Mesa, it had a big Kernel version bump and more. Only a few days later another SteamOS beta was released with more updates. The development is ongoing and you can hardly call something that was updated majorly only a month ago, as something that's being abandoned.
QuoteValve also promised to put a lot of money in the development of OpenGL and Vulkan, so that Linux could feature the same type of performance with games running on Direct3D, on Windows. That is also a really quiet front, and after some initial success, developers are not heard anymore.
They quite literally have no idea what they're talking about. I don't think Valve has ever said anywhere they were pouring money into OpenGL and Vulkan development. Valve did actually help to kickstart Vulkan, Valve has also hired developers to work on Linux graphics drivers. The public Mesa mailing list is extremely active, with patches from all sides flowing in every day, with the Valve developers doing quite a bit of work. Anyone following it knows this, they would too if they looked. They should know too, since they report on Mesa. Only recently one of the Valve developers finished up the OpenGL multithreading code in Mesa, which can give big performance gains in certain games.
The bit about developers not being heard of any more is also strange. It takes a long time for a brand new API to gain traction, but it is gaining with Vulkan games being released. Croteam have thrown their weight behind it, so has Feral Interactive. Not a massive amount sure, but again, it takes time. Games already in development won't throw out their entire renderer for Vulkan, but new games have a good chance of using it.
QuoteValve is becoming famous for two things. One is the easiness of which they make money from their Steam Platform, and the other is their started and failed projects. The most famous of them is the Half-Life series, which ended abruptly and it feels abandoned. It’s quite likely that SteamOS, Steam Controller, and Steam Link are following the same path.
No one really knows if Half-Life will continue or not. Apart from that, the other examples are all still sold and worked on. SteamOS, as mentioned, is regularly updated. The Steam Controller is constantly updated with new awesome features, there's even been hints of a second revision. The Steam Link is still selling well with plenty of people rather happy with it. It's not quite likely any of them will follow the path of Half-Life, there's nothing whatsoever hinting at it, they're pulling speculation out of their backsides here with no sources to show for anything they're saying. It's bottom of the barrel reporting.
QuoteThe development of Vulkan, an open source alternative to Direct3D, has slowed down considerably. Games are still being developed for Windows systems and ported to Linux with the help of integrated VM solutions, which greatly decrease performance.
No, it hasn't. Vulkan 1.0.55 was released only yesterday and last I checked there's more Vulkan games than there is DirectX 12 games on PC. What part of that has slowed down considerably? It hasn't, not at all. I'm also unsure as to what they mean by "integrated VM solutions", I'm going to assume they're really trying to sound smart, but missing the mark. They likely mean wrappers, but so many things come under that banner and wrappers aren't necessarily a bad thing.
I'll be honest here, I really don't like Softpedia and I think their reporting is quite often terrible. They reported on the iCloud hack that happened some time ago, by using one of the stolen images of a celebrity in their article—just awful.
I often end up feeling like we're one of the few sites that won't scaremonger for traffic, because it's stupid. It's an article where clearly research just hasn't been done, but hey it makes a good headline to click right?
I won't blindly stick up for Valve or any company, as every company serves their own agenda. However, Valve are very clearly and often quite publicly still supporting Linux, SteamOS, Steam Controller and so on. I will gladly report on it when there's signs they are dumping something, but there's no such signs yet. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Some you may have missed, popular articles from the last month:
The comments on this article are closed.
Quoting: ArdjeGuys, I am having trouble with the term indie and AAA.
Of indie I know they are not sponsored by a big publisher. Does that mean that AAA is sponsored by a big publisher? As I cannot really see any other difference. And since AAA and indie seems like mutually exclusive in about any argumentation the only difference is where the money comes from.
So you know what: I don't care about AAA or indie. It's certainly not about eye candy or playability.
Basically Triple A games is merely a term publishers use to set them apart as the elite of gaming development and publishing world. Same as in movie studios you have you're big corporations with it's massive budgets then you get you're small Double A publishers like Codemasters and Paradox then you have indie/kickstarter teams/individuals. Trying to compete budget wise with large studios is the reason THQ at least the original THQ is not around anymore.
3 Likes, Who?
Quoting: cRaZy-bisCuiTBut it is, isn't it? Sure, you can open 'em up and upgrade 'em, just like you can install Linux on a computer that shipped with Windows. But most people never would. Steam Machines worked fine out of the box.Quoting: Whitewolfe80I would say the same, but I'm not sure how this should work out. Steam Maschines will always exist with different configurations of hardware. It's not quite the Plug'n'Play these people are used to.Quoting: cRaZy-bisCuiTSo what is the user base they so actually aim for?
They have to be aiming it at console players the fact the default view drops you into big picture mode. If you are already using Linux chances are there is no way you are dropping you're distro to go to steam os.
The reasons Steam Machines didn't sell were more a matter of polish/features on the OS side, like with little multimedia support and so forth, and price. And marketing push being too small. Perhaps to some extent lack of games, but Steam Machines could run many more games than consoles ever can at launch, and with the help of the Steam controller, many games that consoles normally can't at all, so I don't think the games as such were that major a deal. If Valve put a solid bit of work into polish on SteamOS, making sure it matched or exceeded whatever Xbox and PS do, and made some deals with Netflix et al. and made sure the results were, again, polished and transparent, easy to use, and if they then opened up the Valve wallet and mounted a major league marketing push, and if they made some subsidy deal with a big manufacturer so the price point would be right (they'd make it back from their cut on all the extra games sold on Steam) I think they would have an excellent shot at making Steam Machines a big big thing.
The other problem was talking points about games running slow on Linux/SteamOS. Likely they won't go for it again unless and until Vulkan is solidly in use for a good number of games and drivers are in solid shape, so we have some desirable games that run as fast or faster than on competing platforms.
3 Likes, Who?
lucifertdark Jul 23, 2017
The last time I bought a pre-built PC it was obsolete before I'd even got it out of the store, that the PCs biggest strength & weakness, you can upgrade it but it's already obsolete the moment you decide which one you want.
1 Likes, Who?
Quoting: lucifertdarkThe last time I bought a pre-built PC it was obsolete before I'd even got it out of the store, that the PCs biggest strength & weakness, you can upgrade it but it's already obsolete the moment you decide which one you want.Yes and no. My 7-year-old Sandy Bridge i7 is still powerful enough for all my gaming needs. If you don't go for the absolutely cheapest components (or laptops) and don't expect to run every new game at ultra settings, barring HW failures (thank almighty Tux for guarantees/warranties) you can squeeze a good bit of use out of them. The GPU is the one component you will need to keep updating every couple of years.
5 Likes, Who?
Quoting: tuubiQuoting: lucifertdarkThe last time I bought a pre-built PC it was obsolete before I'd even got it out of the store, that the PCs biggest strength & weakness, you can upgrade it but it's already obsolete the moment you decide which one you want.Yes and no. My 7-year-old Sandy Bridge i7 is still powerful enough for all my gaming needs. If you don't go for the absolutely cheapest components (or laptops) and don't expect to run every new game at ultra settings, barring HW failures (thank almighty Tux for guarantees/warranties) you can squeeze a good bit of use out of them. The GPU is the one component you will need to keep updating every couple of years.
Yeah I mean in all honesty I gave an old Q6600 away about 2 years ago its still being used for gaming granted at low or med at 1600 x900 but that is a 10+ year old chip still handling games today.
1 Likes, Who?
lucifertdark Jul 23, 2017
I should have said the last machine I bought pre-built was one that came with Windows 95 & really struggled to do anything with Windows XP & that was supposed to be top of the line when I bought it. Obsolete before I got it out of the store. I learnt my lesson though as I've never bought a pre-built system since.
Last edited by lucifertdark on 23 July 2017 at 4:07 pm UTC
Last edited by lucifertdark on 23 July 2017 at 4:07 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
Quoting: lucifertdarkThe last time I bought a pre-built PC it was obsolete before I'd even got it out of the store, that the PCs biggest strength & weakness, you can upgrade it but it's already obsolete the moment you decide which one you want.Consoles are obsolete before you even buy them. But since they're not building new consoles with the components now available, this obsolescence is masked in a way it isn't with PCs.
2 Likes, Who?
Valve has always been very vocal about that they want to let others integrate steam link into their hardware. "It was not about the link, it was about the ability to have a relatively open streaming platform."
now that you said that, you reminds me that some tv oems are trying to ship games alongside their tvs, it might be a good idea to make an tv strong enough to run some games and use steamOS or compatible on the tv.
" don't think it matters that much if a ton of people actually run SteamOS as their distro. It's the way it influences distro design, and reassures developers, that is important."
it will not influence the design if no one use it, even game developers will not target it, and steam runtime is proprietary.
are you really saying that the solution for the linux fragmentation is: ship proprietary code?
" Want to target the next gen of Playstation and PS4, along with X-Box, etc.? Next gen consoles with minimal problems? You'll use Vulkan."
xbox one will not support vulkan since MS is trying to push Dx12 and xbox is one of the reasons that directx is still relevant.
" . It all comes down to research if you dont think the market is there for you're game do not promise a port linux gamers have long long memories. "
what is the difference if we do? we arent consumers anyway.
if they then relase their games for linux and we dont buy it as an revenge, it will be like the witcher 2/3 case.
if we do buy even without the linux support, they have no reason to not promisse something they cant fulfil...
" consoles you have at least a generation which will play certain games and after a few years there's a new one. Having flexibility of am usual x86 computer also means doing compromises."
ps4 and xbox one are x86...
" Perhaps to some extent lack of games, but Steam Machines could run many more games than consoles ever can at launch,"
the ammount of games is irrelevant, no one that have an ps3 will sell it or buy another machine to play "atari games" or 8 bit indie shit.
ps4,xbox one and windows can play those anyway, the reason they buy an new machine is to play games that they old machines can't
there are milions of flash games out there, why we arent playing those too?
because we are looking at quality not quantity.
now that you said that, you reminds me that some tv oems are trying to ship games alongside their tvs, it might be a good idea to make an tv strong enough to run some games and use steamOS or compatible on the tv.
" don't think it matters that much if a ton of people actually run SteamOS as their distro. It's the way it influences distro design, and reassures developers, that is important."
it will not influence the design if no one use it, even game developers will not target it, and steam runtime is proprietary.
are you really saying that the solution for the linux fragmentation is: ship proprietary code?
" Want to target the next gen of Playstation and PS4, along with X-Box, etc.? Next gen consoles with minimal problems? You'll use Vulkan."
xbox one will not support vulkan since MS is trying to push Dx12 and xbox is one of the reasons that directx is still relevant.
" . It all comes down to research if you dont think the market is there for you're game do not promise a port linux gamers have long long memories. "
what is the difference if we do? we arent consumers anyway.
if they then relase their games for linux and we dont buy it as an revenge, it will be like the witcher 2/3 case.
if we do buy even without the linux support, they have no reason to not promisse something they cant fulfil...
" consoles you have at least a generation which will play certain games and after a few years there's a new one. Having flexibility of am usual x86 computer also means doing compromises."
ps4 and xbox one are x86...
" Perhaps to some extent lack of games, but Steam Machines could run many more games than consoles ever can at launch,"
the ammount of games is irrelevant, no one that have an ps3 will sell it or buy another machine to play "atari games" or 8 bit indie shit.
ps4,xbox one and windows can play those anyway, the reason they buy an new machine is to play games that they old machines can't
there are milions of flash games out there, why we arent playing those too?
because we are looking at quality not quantity.
2 Likes, Who?
you know how to get more games on linux?
simple, with more engines supporting it.
just look at how many visual novels we have, and the reason for that, is that Renpy became popular and it supports linux.
now, renpy have an proprietary competition with much more features, we gona lose an niche of games if we dont improve it, people will start using other tools to make visual novels and as a result those games will not support linux anymore.
nowadays, unreal, unity, cry engine do support linux, so its easy for small developers to support it, and more likely big developers will.
but nowadays, big developers are doing their own engines instead for some reeason, except for japan.
so the future is uncertain, but one of the most critical things for the linux sucess is engines, the libraries, to support multiplatform
simple, with more engines supporting it.
just look at how many visual novels we have, and the reason for that, is that Renpy became popular and it supports linux.
now, renpy have an proprietary competition with much more features, we gona lose an niche of games if we dont improve it, people will start using other tools to make visual novels and as a result those games will not support linux anymore.
nowadays, unreal, unity, cry engine do support linux, so its easy for small developers to support it, and more likely big developers will.
but nowadays, big developers are doing their own engines instead for some reeason, except for japan.
so the future is uncertain, but one of the most critical things for the linux sucess is engines, the libraries, to support multiplatform
0 Likes
Quoting: elmapulyou know how to get more games on linux?
simple, with more engines supporting it.
just look at how many visual novels we have, and the reason for that, is that Renpy became popular and it supports linux.
now, renpy have an proprietary competition with much more features, we gona lose an niche of games if we dont improve it, people will start using other tools to make visual novels and as a result those games will not support linux anymore.
nowadays, unreal, unity, cry engine do support linux, so its easy for small developers to support it, and more likely big developers will.
but nowadays, big developers are doing their own engines instead for some reeason, except for japan.
so the future is uncertain, but one of the most critical things for the linux sucess is engines, the libraries, to support multiplatform
Although not universally true as crytek and Unreal 4 have linux versions and we have not seen that many games using either engine on linux and there are tons of unreal 4 games.
0 Likes
Patreon
PayPal
See more from me