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.
All posts need to follow our rules. For users logged in: please hit the Report Flag icon on any post that breaks the rules or contains illegal / harmful content. Guest readers can email us for any issues.
I am a realist. Linux gaming as it is now is good for indie gaming only.I think we need some kind of word for games that are made by fairly established companies which are not operating on a shoestring but which do not cost the truly obscene amounts of money and marketing that we associate with the AAA. Maybe AA or something. Because, really, when someone says "indie gaming" I picture a couple guys in a basement, or at most like a quickie rented office space with a bunch of hastily-installed equipment and cables hanging out all over the place. And lots of games, including lots of games on Linux, are not big enough to qualify as AAA but are made by profitable companies with solid sales and track records, moderate numbers of employees, and probably fairly stable offices with ergonomic furniture and receptionists and the whole schmeer.
So if we admit only two categories, "indie" and "AAA", then I guess it's not wrong to say Linux gaming is nearly all indie. But it's kind of misleading. If games are a pyramid in terms of size, slickness and expense, then "indie" sounds like the bottom layer, where in fact Linux has its share of all but the top few blocks.
Ages ago can't remember which gaming site tried to get AA publisher to be a thing in talking in relation to smaller publishers for codemasters and Thq were used as examples back then game publishers that make good games but did not have the budget for the latest and greatest engines, yet more resources than an indie studio.
In terms of setting linux up as the home of indie essh that's not a label Linux needs if you want to grow the linux install base AAA gaming is one of the easiest ways of doing it. If all they want to do is make the current install base happy then yeah continue as it is now Feral and Asypr porting the odd Triple A game with indie studios vomiting out pixel retro platformers and walking sims. I know there are good indie games but we have more dreck than we have gold.
1 Likes, Who?
lucifertdark 21 Jul 2017
There wouldn't be any gaming on PC or Linux at all without Indie developers like Codemasters, they are the Original Indie games company that helped kickstart the entire gaming industry back in the 80s.
Look at Valve too, they started out as an Indie game developer with Half-Life.
Complaining about Indie developers is wrong, complain about Bad Indie Devlopers instead, the ones who promise Linux Ports but never deliver on the promise even after FIVE years, that Giana Sisters port for instance, I won't name the developer as they don't deserve the free advertising.
Look at Valve too, they started out as an Indie game developer with Half-Life.
Complaining about Indie developers is wrong, complain about Bad Indie Devlopers instead, the ones who promise Linux Ports but never deliver on the promise even after FIVE years, that Giana Sisters port for instance, I won't name the developer as they don't deserve the free advertising.
4 Likes, Who?
There wouldn't be any gaming on PC or Linux at all without Indie developers like Codemasters, they are the Original Indie games company that helped kickstart the entire gaming industry back in the 80s.
Look at Valve too, they started out as an Indie game developer with Half-Life.
Complaining about Indie developers is wrong, complain about Bad Indie Devlopers instead, the ones who promise Linux Ports but never deliver on the promise even after FIVE years, that Giana Sisters port for instance, I won't name the developer as they don't deserve the free advertising.
That is true codemasters are not indie anymore though they are a legit publisher but yeah people not delivering linux ports is a problem. The reasons given are pathetic as well linux is really hard guys.If you lack the skill to port to linux fine if you're windows/mobile sales are strong enough bring in the skills you need to port. 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.
2 Likes, Who?
There wouldn't be any gaming on PC or Linux at all without Indie developers like Codemasters, they are the Original Indie games company that helped kickstart the entire gaming industry back in the 80s.
Look at Valve too, they started out as an Indie game developer with Half-Life.
Complaining about Indie developers is wrong, complain about Bad Indie Devlopers instead, the ones who promise Linux Ports but never deliver on the promise even after FIVE years, that Giana Sisters port for instance, I won't name the developer as they don't deserve the free advertising.
Lets not forget the flood of shill developers who came in when Greenlight opened the gates.
Everything from asset flips to card farmers.
3 Likes, Who?
lucifertdark 21 Jul 2017
Lets not forget the flood of shill developers who came in when Greenlight opened the gates.I must be very lucky as I never got caught out by any of them.
Everything from asset flips to card farmers.
0 Likes
Lets not forget the flood of shill developers who came in when Greenlight opened the gates.I must be very lucky as I never got caught out by any of them.
Everything from asset flips to card farmers.
It's not the point you have not bought any of them or not think about it perception. A windows user considering linux sits down boots up steam looks at new releases sees latest triple A games and the greenlight/direct crap as well. Boots linux looks at new releases and its page after page of pixel shaded asset flip crap then one maybe two triple a games back to indie crap. We need quality ports/games on linux great that there are so many people trying to make games but not all of it is gold in fact very few titles are.
2 Likes, Who?
This seems like an exaggeration.
1 Likes, Who?
cRaZy-bisCuiT 22 Jul 2017
I 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. With 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.So 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.
Last edited by cRaZy-bisCuiT on 22 Jul 2017 at 10:59 am UTC
0 Likes
Guys, 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.
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.
0 Likes
I 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. With 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.So 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.
And there we have hit the nail on the head it's not for people who want a plug and play console, it's not for linux power users because they already decided on whichever distro/desktop environment suits them. Which leaves who the techie guys that will get it no matter what because it's new and just to have it sure i get that but who else. Something i think Valve struggled with because they seem to of very quietly killed Steam machines.
0 Likes
Guys, 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?
But 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.I 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.So 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 23 Jul 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?
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.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?
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.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 23 Jul 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 Jul 2017 at 4:07 pm UTC
Last edited by lucifertdark on 23 Jul 2017 at 4:07 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
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.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
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
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
How to set, change and reset your SteamOS / Steam Deck desktop sudo password
How to set up Decky Loader on Steam Deck / SteamOS for easy plugins
See more from me