Valve hardware division hoping to launch public beta next year

It would be great if they released a kind of PC box capable of playing all the PC titles I’ve wanted to play for ages, but couldn’t because I don’t wanna get into the PC management business.

TG man, you think what you want and do what you want, but the modern day PC doesn’t require you to manage much of anything. If I can do it, you can do it. Esp with Steam and its big picture.

That being said, I am looking forwad to learning what Valve has in mind.

I’ve heard that before OG, and I guess for savvy tech dudes that may be true, but I don’t have the time or the knowledge to source parts for a PC I build myself, I don’t wanna spend the money to go large on a beast, and I don’t have the patience to tinker with resolutions and framerates.

I have a busy life, I just wanna turn the thing on and play, end of story. I used to have friends living close who were PC gaming gods, and in those days I really enjoyed PC gaming because they took care of all of the really annoying shit for me.

I appreciate the PC enthusiast opinion that it’s “not that bad”, and I’m sure it isn’t, but it’s not that easy either. I just wanna buy a 300 dollar or so box that I plug into my TV directly with no fuss or drama. You can’t be telling me that I can do that now with modern PC gaming…

@3, I get what you’re saying, I’d love to be able to pay every PC game without tinkering, just the other day I had to research 20 mins to fix a problem with Fallout 3- it was crashing every 15 mins or so. Turns out it didn’t handle multicore processors very well & I had to edit a .ini file & afterwards it worked like a dream but the point is I should not of had to do any research to run a game. There are numerous other issues with other PC games that would take too long to remember, many still unsolved.

Yeah, that’s my experience. Whenever I was playing on my mate’s PC, an issue would appear, he’d start fixing it, I’d spark up a fatty bumbatti, and by the time we were done with that the problem was gone, so no problem.

To sum up, it’s not that I can’t handle PC gaming problems, it’s simply that I don’t want to. I have enough of those in my real life. Mind you, it has to be said that console gaming is getting closer and closer these days, with patches now completely the norm and compulsory hard-disk installs on my PS3 being pretty typical too.

It certainly will be a new accessory for the computer, not a new computer box. And here’s where I’m guessing that: http://blogs.valvesoftware.com/abrash/

This could be potentially interesting. Hardware coming from a business structure like Valve’s could either be a catastrophic failure (where no one told them it was a bad idea), or something simply brilliant.

Well, I’ll be watching with interest. Either way, it’s likely to shake htings up.

Jeri Ellsworth has done some amazing things in the past. The C64 DTV is still the best “games system in a joystick”-product ever made – even better than the real thing.

@3 You know you could just ask a friend to create a configuration for you. It’s not that complicated really. And PCs and PC games are cheaper than consoles and console games. Not to mention the controls.. The only problem you might encounter on the PC is how good some players are. Some might destroy you the first time you switch to this platform.

^You should try playing some competitive console videogame one day, you massive weirdo.

@9, What a load of bollocks.

“The only problem you might encounter on the PC is how good some players are. Some might destroy you the first time you switch to this platform.”

No different to good console gamers then. As the majority of PC gamers are no better with a mouse and keyboard than people with a pad. Using a mouse and keyboard does not automatically make you better.

Yeah, this whole ‘PCs are easy to build/run now’ myth is exactly that. A myth.

Example: I’m in the process of upgrading the missus’ PC so she can play ‘Panda pants’ (her words, not mine!) at max settings.

First step: Graphics card. Should be easy, no? Swap her HD4850 for a HD6870. Should be minimal driver fuss for a decent speed gain.

Read some reviews, looked good. No warning signs.

Bought, installed, now the machine will not boot. After much investigation it turns out they are not compatible with ASUS P5NE motherboards. It’s not a clock speed, interface, power or driver issue. It’s a BIOS problem and it wont be patched.

Fuck that shit. It just isn’t worth the effort. After years away from tinkering with PC’s I come back and nothing has changed. You might get lucky and things just work but its a minefield, and a fucking expensive, frustrating and time-consuming one at that.

If Valve make a fixed spec box with no access to drivers and with a unified online system then I’ll pay attention (because that will be a console), but until then PCs are just a burden I don’t need, or indeed want.

@11
Wrong. Try making a spread sheet with a pad.

@12, You really should do some research or ask a professional when building or upgrading a PC. It’s just easier to ask 5 minutes of questions rather than fuck up &/or waste money. A quick google search will generally let you know if your components are compatible.

@12, well, you say “now” then reference tech that’s at least 5 years old (maybe 6?). When you go cross-generation with upgrades you can be in slightly murkier territory and you should put more effort into research – 1 google search would have told you everything you needed to know. A GTX 560 would have gotten you similar power with none of the issues (that took me 2 more searches).

#14

I thought I had researched enough. I spent a good few hours reading reviews and comments of the card. No mention of compatibility issues there.

Lesson learned anyway. I was considering getting my own PC up to gaming spec but definitely not now, not ever. Its for music and browsing only.

My 2c: I have a PS3 and a PC and spend 90% of my time gaming on the PC.

Bizarrely, because it’s easier.

I’ve had my current PC for 2 years now, and I’ve had exactly one issue with it. (LA Noire)

But every time I turn on my PS3, it wants to spend an hour updating.

Then I put a game disc in, and it wants to update that. I get fed up and switch it off.

PCs seem to have become easier, consoles have become more annoying.

YMMV.

@11, After being a mainly PC gamer for the past couple years after being an almost exclusive console gamer, I can tell you that it’s a fact that KB&M is in a different league to gamepads, especially after trying to use an X360 gamepad for the first several months in FPS.

#15

PCI express card, PCI express board. There should be no problem.

#17

Thats a problem specifically with PS3, and one of the many reasons I binned mine.

Other consoles dont suffer the same problems. Same with mandatory installs.

@20 Maybe so, but it didn’t used to be a problem with ANY console. I’ve had consoles since the Atari 2600 and the PS3 is without doubt the most annoying one to use.

Gives you an idea of where things are heading I suppose.

My PS3 is now a Blu Ray player and pinball machine.

I even bought an XBOX 360 controller for my PC to play things like FIFA on it instead of the console.

#21

Fair point. As you say, YMMV.

It baffles me how some console craptards keep thinking that they have superior controls without ever trying the mouse and keyboard. It’s really astonishing that people like these exist.

#23

I spent many years as a PC gamer before moving to consoles.

FOR ME a control pad is catagorically better than M&K for most games. I dont enjoy gaming at a desk, or with a board on my lap.

First hand experience.

Now shut the fuck up. Adults are talking.

@24

I’m disabled (malformed hands), so I have a bit of a control bias but I agree that for some games a controller is better – driving games and FIFA are two examples.

but I can’t use a controller for FPS games (too many buttons, not enough fingers in the right place) and SOME games (mostly on console) do not allow remapping of controllers. This is another reason I game more on PC, and I suspect I’m not alone amongst the disabled community. The flexibility of PCs is second to none. Even if there are no options to change control settings, there will be an .ini file somewhere.

I agree on the couch part though.. much more comfortable than a desk.

@24 Personal preference is not fact Mr. Adult. M&K being more accurate for many game types is fact, playing with a game pad is also great for some other game types, like platformers and sports, but a game pad can never have the precision of M&K in a shooter. you might be more comfy with a gamepad, but there are many who are more comfortable with mouse and keyboard. That doesn’t make you any more adult than anyone else.

#25

It’s about time that some standards were introduced to console control schemes I think.

Like you I’d prefer the option to configure a pad exactly how I want it. Stick sensitivity, deadzone, button mapping, etc.

It’s something that should be mandated by the platform holders IMO and would surely benefit everyone, especially gamers like yourself or those with arthritis or carpal tunnel for example.

BTW, just to make this clear, I’m not advocating that either control scheme is intrinsically better. Just that pad suits me better than M&K.

I dont do PC gaming, not only for the constant update or the hustle to keep the Rig updated, which i do see as a core,but is more for the control of the mouse and keyboard conjuction, i always seen those for work i mean to do spread sheats on excel, word documents, power point presentations, etc, i dont consider them fun for playing, because i cannot sit in my couch with those to play games, maybe iam biased, but thats the main reason i dont like PC Gaming, for the controls moreso than the constant build of the Rig.
p.s and i agree with the notion that consoles are becoming with each passing gen more like a PC, with the constant updates , etc, it is something that worries me.

@28
Besides which your “.” doesn’t appear to work that well which could affect some games quite badly.

#29 Doc, i dont follow you, what do you mean?

#26

Accuracy is irrelevant if you can’t game comfortably. So the only relevant FACT is that my controls are better for me and your controls are better for you.

@30
Sorry just being a bit of a grammar Nazi, but you could do with putting a few more “.” in your posts. It would make them easier to read.

@25

Agreed.

What I would also like to see is game reviews telling you if the game has reconfigurable controls.

(I realise I’m in the minority, but I seem to remember that game reviews used to do this back in the day)

I’ve given up on buying driving games for the PS3 now after being burned twice (Driver: LA and Motorstorm) which stick the steering on the left stick, as I can’t pull it. And there’s no way to move it.

This was also true of GRID on the PC, but there is an .ini file you can edit for that.

@28 I think that’s exactly whats happening, and both platforms are becoming more closed.

#32 Doc, Ah ok sorry, please keep in mind that English is not my first language, and i really appreciate your feedback, is the only way to keep improving, thanks.

Really, honestly in the most truthful way I can put it, some gamers have the wrong idea regaurding PCs. Most of the things, like price, configurations, upgrading used to be PC problems.

I buy off of the shelf, I spend less on my PCs then I do my consoles. I have upgraded my consoles HDDs more then I have upgraded my PCs. My second(wifes) PC is now betwen 4-5 years old, I put one upgraded Graphics card in it, it cost me 60usd at Best Buy. I have purchased a 120GB xb360 HDD, and that cost me 100usd at Gamestop. I also bought a 250HDD, I think that one was a 200usd price, but I bought a Final Fantasy Bundle because I got the game, extra controler, and a back up system that included the 250HDD for I think 400usd.

I spent less then 600usd for each of my PCs, I have two.

When you factor in game prices, I have spent much less on my PC then on my xb360.

I am not tech savy. I couldn’t build a PC if you paid me. As for upgrading graphics cards, you flip the locks on the side of the card, uplug the card, plug the new card in, lock the flips on the side, put your case back on and go. The instructions have pictures.

If your really inept, there are plenty of stores that will slap in these things for you while you wait. My brother inlaw uses Geek Squad at Best Buy. There are things you learn, just like I would always buy Logitech over MadKats, I always stay away from AMD graphics cards. The AMD ones always have confige troubles, lack in driver support, and the customer service is horrible.

I recently bought a super nice 3D headphones set for my xb360. Loved it till it just stoped working. It was a Trittin brand, come to find out that is also a MadKat product. I should have know better, but didn’t research who made it. I just bought it because it was cheaper then the turtle beach ones. I now own a TB one. That type of thing could happen regaurdless of what your talking about, from tablets and smart phones, to video game accesories.

I am sure three guys will get on here talking about benchmarks and price points regaurding AMD and proclaim their products are exactly the same but carry better value. I wouldn’t touch them, once bitten twice shy and all of that.

A few months ago, my son bought himself a laptop. 500ishusd 4GB ram, nothing great. He is currently playing Diablo III and Guild Wars 2.

I mean it was what it is. But todays PC gaming is pretty mass market. An it couldn’t be that if it was too expensives, required constant tweaking/configuring, expensive upgrading, or indepth knowledge. For something to be mass market it has to be affordable, easy and accesable.

PC gaming is.

All of those things you guys think PC gaming is, it used to be like that. It just isn’t anymore. Or at least it doesn’t have to be.

While I mostly agree with OG on that, I would always say building your own is better. Overall, it’s really not much harder than what he explained for the graphics card.

It really is a simple process these days and there are plenty of online places that offer simple step by step guides and advice on a build. I have never had any major problems with my machines and they run like a dream. I feel much better knowing the quality of everything I put into it.

OG, you seem to be having reading problems today. I will reiterate:

I removed old PCI express card, installed new PCI express card from same vendor. It stopped my system from booting with no workaround.

PCs are what they are, as they have always been.

@34
Yeah I realise that – no need to apologise. Simply that if you broke things up a bit, then you’ll have more people read and understand your comments.

Gad, I can’t trouble shoot for you. I am not techie at all. I would have to wonder if you recieved a bad card? Or maybe there is a generational issue, like FS suggested. And when you say vender, what do you mean? Who makes the card? Vender to me means peddler/seller/store. Do mean manufacter?

I can’t help you at all. If it were me, I would ask someone who knows about that stuff to help me. But first I would prolly return the card to the store and get another one.

In all fairness, Gad, consoles have problems too. From minor ones like 3rd party acesories to major ones like RRoD. Most things today are made for absolute lowest cost possible, and while a suit will tell you about that being good biz, I still call it cheap. And cheap shit often doesn’t work or breaks. Some products are better and some worse, thats why I won’t go with Madkats, as an example.

OG i feel the same way as Gadzooks does, i think PC doenst worth all the hassle/hustle, theres multiple things that gets in the way, that you need time in order to search and install, it is like music or anime for me, i do prefer to buy a CD and/or buy an anime R1(american distribuitor), than using my computer to download songs for my ipod and/or anime in order to watch it on my computer, because it takes a lot of time, which i dont have, between my kids, wife, games and anime, i dont have that spare or free time, you known i do own an atari, intellevision, NES,SNES, Genesis, Dreamcast,PS2,N64,Gamecube, gameboy, 4 DS, PSP, 4 3DS, 3 wii, 2 ps3 , 3 xbox 360, and the only one that did die on me, was the wii because my son is pretty rude with his consoles, the rest is still functioning till this very day, even the 2005 360 launch model, therefore in that regard, for me consoles are a plus, but i do understand that if people has the knowladge and the time, they are right to game on PC, and see PC as the best gaming offer, i do really understand it, is just that the controls and the hassle is not worht it, for me at least.

I m not trying to convince anyone of anything. Really. I justthink that some folks have the wrong idea about PC gaming. If it was expensive or hard, I couldn’t do it lol.

You still buy Music on CD? I don’t any of the local stores around here even have a decent selection of CDs anymore. I know Walmart carries a small shelf of them. iTunes for me

OG,

By vendor I mean ASUS. ASUS cards, ASUS board. I’ve had good results from them in the past so stuck with what I thought was safe.

It isn’t a duff card. It works in my DAW PC. It’s an incompatibility issue, not listed on the vendor website, but now that I know what to search for I find is widespread.

My point is that PCs have not progressed in terms of ease of build/maintenance in the way you claim. It is not a hassle-free utopia unless you pay for professional maintenance or buy systems pre-built (at a premium).

All platforms have their issues. PCs just as much as consoles.

OG On Amazon, mostly rock, but yes they even release them till this day the last i got was the Megadeth end game CD, by the way great CD, i know iam a dying breed, call me old school, is that i just hate the time it takes to download songs and install them on my ipod, the same with anime, i dont use fansubs or torrents, i wait them for the proper release with R1 distribuitors like Funimation, Sentai, NIS, etc.,

For me , the “closed” nature of consoles click. Single hardware supported for 5-7 years. No pc rig is capable of that.

Dragon, I am playing 10 yr old PC games in 1080p at 60fps. No console has that much backwards compatibilty either.

@44 That’s not what closed means. Closed means that it’s padlocked for developers unless they pay the hardware manufacturer.

And it’s the reason why you only have one subpar interface to choose from, instead of maybe 10 better ones.

It completely stamps out innovation. The reality is that a lot of people would love to do something much better for free, but they can’t, because the console is locked, so the guys who own them can monetize everything that goes on them.

In the beginning I could see the convenience, but these days consoles are anachronisms. Downloading and updating games are such a pain compared to the PC where you often just have to spend one or two clicks doing it. I was pretty shocked to see how bad it was when I went back to using my 360.

Whatever consoles gained by having uniform hardware, they’ve long since lost by failing to update their design and delivery.

OG, not many people play 10 year old games. Although pc is definitely the best platform for vintage games.
Consoles beat pc comprehensively in terms of support.

I’m not a PC gamer either, because of the exact reasons a lot of people state (although if your PS3 has to update every time you turn it on, it means you’re not turning it on except for once every few months). I don’t have the time nor the inclination to research different parts for the computer just to play games. I know my current computer would die from Half Life 1, nevermind something modern, and when I see people say that maybe you should consult a professional, I think…Why should I have to?

I have a PS3. I put a game in. It plays. I have an incredibly comfortable controller (I remember playing the first Alice game on a friend’s PC years ago and the mouse/keyboard controls drove me crazy. Couldn’t play the game for more than an hour before I had to stop). I don’t have to upgrade my hardware every two weeks. I can do everything I need to.

@48,
Exactly.

OG and thats a plus in my eyes, i mean the constant updating in the graphical department, in that PC is light years ahead, i just wish theres some way consoles will do that too, without losing the close environment, like the N64 espansion pack, that let increase the capacity of the console to play certain tittles that had/require better graphics, so if consoles would let improve in easy ways the graphical specs in the same vein as PC, but in a easier friendly way without any hassle, just an open and install operation like the n64 expansion pack, i will love and approve that on consoles.