Valve have updated the SteamOS beta once again, this time they're pulling in some major package updates to give a better experience.
This is the second beta update in less than two months, which is really damn nice to see! A pretty nice start to 2018, let's hope they can keep a little momentum going here.
Here's the major updates:
- 4.14 Linux kernel
- NVIDIA 387.22 graphics driver
- Mesa 17.2.4 for AMD and Intel
There's a few other more minor changes, but those are the biggest. See the changelog here.
Previously, SteamOS was using the 4.11 kernel so that's quite a jump. It's also pleasing to see drivers get updated as well, hopefully soon they will pull in Mesa 17.3 as they're a little behind there, although it may be worth waiting for another point release to make sure it's as stable as possible.
With SteamOS now using Mesa, building an AMD Steam Machine might be a pretty good option. I still hold hope that Valve will make their own unit in-house to have a little more control over the hardware, pricing and marketing—would be a good boost for it.
What are your hopes for SteamOS/Steam Machines in 2018?
Thanks for the tip dubigrasu!
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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@MayeulC @dubigrasu
Long story short it doesn't work, while it should.
Long story short it doesn't work, while it should.
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The Alienware Steammachine R2 I have and also the Zotac NEN support power-on from USB, which at least on the Alienware is controlled in the BIOS settings under the power options. I do not know about any settings on in the Steam client BPM or window mode about that, but I was asked on the initial setup if I wanted it turned on.
I did turn it off it again after a while because I also have a wireless mouse with an USB dongle connected which on the slightest movement turned the steammachine on when I did not want that. So it is more convenient for me without. But it works when the hardware and BIOS support it.
I did turn it off it again after a while because I also have a wireless mouse with an USB dongle connected which on the slightest movement turned the steammachine on when I did not want that. So it is more convenient for me without. But it works when the hardware and BIOS support it.
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Quoting: RedfaceThe Alienware Steammachine R2 I have and also the Zotac NEN support power-on from USB, which at least on the Alienware is controlled in the BIOS settings under the power options. I do not know about any settings on in the Steam client BPM or window mode about that, but I was asked on the initial setup if I wanted it turned on.That's quite interesting!
I did turn it off it again after a while because I also have a wireless mouse with an USB dongle connected which on the slightest movement turned the steammachine on when I did not want that. So it is more convenient for me without. But it works when the hardware and BIOS support it.
I've installed SteamOS several times by now, but I have never been asked such question on my custom configurations setups.
So, looks like USB Wake-up works after all, but only on specific (and tested) hardware configurations (such as "official" Steam Machines).
On my current custom Steam Machine I can wake it up with the wireless steam controller in desktop mode, then click back to BPM. Is practically the same functionality.
Thanks very much for the info :)
P.S. Come to think about, SteamOS also has some specific extra settings when installed on Alienware machines, something about those case lights or something similar...
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Quoting: dubigrasuQuoting: RedfaceThe Alienware Steammachine R2 I have and also the Zotac NEN support power-on from USB, which at least on the Alienware is controlled in the BIOS settings under the power options. I do not know about any settings on in the Steam client BPM or window mode about that, but I was asked on the initial setup if I wanted it turned on.That's quite interesting!
I did turn it off it again after a while because I also have a wireless mouse with an USB dongle connected which on the slightest movement turned the steammachine on when I did not want that. So it is more convenient for me without. But it works when the hardware and BIOS support it.
I've installed SteamOS several times by now, but I have never been asked such question on my custom configurations setups.
So, looks like USB Wake-up works after all, but only on specific (and tested) hardware configurations (such as "official" Steam Machines).
On my current custom Steam Machine I can wake it up with the wireless steam controller in desktop mode, then click back to BPM. Is practically the same functionality.
Thanks very much for the info :)
P.S. Come to think about, SteamOS also has some specific extra settings when installed on Alienware machines, something about those case lights or something similar...
I am not an expert in the various suspend/sleep/shutdown states on modern hardware, but I believe its USB power-on and not USB wake-up. The OS is definitely shut down and all fans and lights, but some electronics still must be running to check for USB activity ofc. And its a fresh bootup when I use a USB device, not a resume or something.
And yes the Alienware lights can be controlled from the BPM including turning them off.
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Quoting: wojtek88Quoting: GrazenI've been buying more and more games in the Windows store already, because of PlayAnywhere. I have an Xbox One X so for some (but not all games... yet) like Mordor Shadow of War or Cuphead buying them through the Microsoft store allows me to play them on both PC and Xbox. It's starting and Valve needs to get their heads out of the sand.
Quoting: GrazenNot sure I understand? I have every system (yes, every). If the game is available on Linux, I buy it on Steam so that I can play it across PC platforms. If the game is PS4 or Switch exclusive, I'll buy it for that platform. If the game is Xbox / Windows I'll buy it on the Microsoft store and play it across PC and console. I don't think any Xbox One PlayAnywhere games are even out for Mac / Linux - so I don't get your point. As for PS4, that's probably the worst and most proprietary platform (well that and Switch) - forcing you to repurchase games games via a streaming service is anti-consumer.
My point was:
You're claiming that "Valve has to get their heads out of the sand" because of Microsoft PlayAnywhere, that allows you to pay once and play games on both - PC and Xbox One X.
My reaction to this sentence is - Steam offers more - you pay once and you can play your games on multiple OS - Linux, Mac, Windows. If most important thing for you is that you can play your games on PC and on console - Steam allows it as well - you can play on your PC and on your console (Where a console is a PC/Steam Machine with SteamOS installed on it).
Honestly I don't know which point you didn't get - I don't want to be offensive, I just wonder what part is unclear.
Maybe what you want to highlight is that Microsoft has exclusives (with PlayAnywhere you mention), Sony has exclusives (on PS4), Nintendo has exclusives (on Switch/WiiU) but Valve doesn't have any exclusives, while they should have.
If so I misunderstood your sentence.
Lol, willful blindness on your part perhaps? Let's take this slow then so that you can better understand. I have an Xbox One X. I have a PC. If I buy Cuphead on Microsoft Store, I can play it in my console in the living room (in 4K) and on my PC. If I buy it in Steam, I can play it on my PC but not on my console. Same PC. Same Price. One gets me more. Which would you buy? If Cuphead had a Linux version would I buy it from Steam instead? Going forward every Microsoft published game will be PlayAnywhere and more and more third party games will be too (Shadow of War is a WB published game, for example). This is clearly Microsoft's strategy, and it's a good one.
As for where Linux fits in this, it really doesn't because the market is so small that it's a rounding error. For games with native Linux support I'll likely buy them on Steam to support the publishers, but really, that's irelevant.
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Quoting: wojtek88Quoting: GrazenI've been buying more and more games in the Windows store already, because of PlayAnywhere. I have an Xbox One X so for some (but not all games... yet) like Mordor Shadow of War or Cuphead buying them through the Microsoft store allows me to play them on both PC and Xbox. It's starting and Valve needs to get their heads out of the sand.I understand your attitude. It sounds nice. But I will add something to this discussion:
I buy games on Steam (or digital versions in local shops if they have better price, never through resellers) using my personal Linux machine. I play them on my personal machine. At work I used to have Windows machine. I was able to play games on that machine. Now at work I have Mac. I am still able to play those games. You need console like experience? You buy small case PC and install SteamOS (or buy Steam Machine) and you don't have to buy those games again. They just work.
What I'm saying is Valve targets more platforms than Microsoft. Microsoft started to promote their console + PC approach some time ago, and that's cool for MS users.
The other topic is number of AAA titles, quality of the ports on Linux and the quality of "console like experience" - they are not yet there, that's why 2,5 years ago I bought PS4...
Your use case makes sense, but I bet that there's more Xbox gamers than Mac / Linux only players out there. Time will tell.
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Quoting: GrazenLol, willful blindness on your part perhaps? Let's take this slow then so that you can better understand.Don't be nasty. I agree with your overall point, no need to ruin it.
Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 15 January 2018 at 5:07 pm UTC
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Quoting: RedfaceYou're actually right, it is also USB power-on, or to be exact they are both working.Quoting: dubigrasuQuoting: RedfaceThe Alienware Steammachine R2 I have and also the Zotac NEN support power-on from USB, which at least on the Alienware is controlled in the BIOS settings under the power options. I do not know about any settings on in the Steam client BPM or window mode about that, but I was asked on the initial setup if I wanted it turned on.That's quite interesting!
I did turn it off it again after a while because I also have a wireless mouse with an USB dongle connected which on the slightest movement turned the steammachine on when I did not want that. So it is more convenient for me without. But it works when the hardware and BIOS support it.
I've installed SteamOS several times by now, but I have never been asked such question on my custom configurations setups.
So, looks like USB Wake-up works after all, but only on specific (and tested) hardware configurations (such as "official" Steam Machines).
On my current custom Steam Machine I can wake it up with the wireless steam controller in desktop mode, then click back to BPM. Is practically the same functionality.
Thanks very much for the info :)
P.S. Come to think about, SteamOS also has some specific extra settings when installed on Alienware machines, something about those case lights or something similar...
I am not an expert in the various suspend/sleep/shutdown states on modern hardware, but I believe its USB power-on and not USB wake-up. The OS is definitely shut down and all fans and lights, but some electronics still must be running to check for USB activity ofc. And its a fresh bootup when I use a USB device, not a resume or something.
And yes the Alienware lights can be controlled from the BPM including turning them off.
To summarize, on SteamOS you can suspend/resume from desktop mode, while also you can completely shutdown the machine and then boot it wireless from your couch by pressing on the Steam button on your SC, exactly like you do on consoles.
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