Steam Big Picture Mode Beta Kicks Off in September

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

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Steam’s Big Picture Mode beta will be available next month after over a year’s wait. Steam is also getting closer to showcasing Steam Greenlight and the Steam Community overhaul within the next few months.

“In early September you’ll be able to hop into a beta, click a button, and see Steam reformatted for your TV and usable with a PC game controller, or a mouse and keyboard if you want to play that way,”
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"or a mouse and keyboard if you want to play that way"

WTF? Game controllers suck, mouse and keyboard is the only way to play.
 
I already play all of my games on my T.V., it's a 32" setup as my monitor. So how is this really any different than what we have already been able to do for many years now?
 
This is in a way a potential major blow to consoles..

Someone will make a set top PC with this as the intended use. With full digital distribution & steam sales it could take off & give a much more universal platform eventually squeezing some of MS & Sony's market share.
 
Steam Community feature has already been released, at least in the form of Beta. They sent out a bunch of invites during the past couple of days.
 
bastage said:
This is in a way a potential major blow to consoles..

Someone will make a set top PC with this as the intended use. With full digital distribution & steam sales it could take off & give a much more universal platform eventually squeezing some of MS & Sony's market share.
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Yeah, ^^ this. Steam "console" so to speak in full fledged development.
 
03grandam said:
I already play all of my games on my T.V., it's a 32" setup as my monitor. So how is this really any different than what we have already been able to do for many years now?
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As I understand it, it's basically a television optimized UI for steam, that's fully functional and accessible using console style controllers without jumping through configuration hoops.
 
BBA said:
"or a mouse and keyboard if you want to play that way"

WTF? Game controllers suck, mouse and keyboard is the only way to play.
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NO. Right tool for the right job, remember? Racing games much? Game Controllers have their place at the PC table.
 
Yoda4561 said:
As I understand it, it's basically a television optimized UI for steam, that's fully functional and accessible using console style controllers without jumping through configuration hoops.
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Like what?

As i still here in front of my PC/HDTV with KB/M and 6 controllers that have always worked with everything..... I dont know what hoops you've come across but.... there are none. What is this, a TV-out mod? I guess that makes sense.....
 
BBA said:
"or a mouse and keyboard if you want to play that way"

WTF? Game controllers suck, mouse and keyboard is the only way to play.
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Do you have more Internet friends than real friends?
 
Gaming from the couch is done for co-op and works best with controller. This will allow people who have a PC for a better / diverse gaming experience forgo having to buy a console to do the family / friend local group play.

If they were smart, they would do a media center front end and seize the opportunity that its been excluded (with the exception of the short lived upgrade deal) in Windows 8.
 
they're preparing for the Steam Console since Consoles is the future and PC gaming is dying :p
 
BBA said:
"or a mouse and keyboard if you want to play that way"

WTF? Game controllers suck, mouse and keyboard is the only way to play.
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Errrr... you do realize that this is going to be intended for a TV, right? I'm pretty sure a keyboard and mouse isn't going to be the most ideal controller from the comfort of a couch. Likewise, there are quite a few PC games (console ports) that play better with a controller.
 
jpm100 said:
Gaming from the couch is done for co-op and works best with controller. This will allow people who have a PC for a better / diverse gaming experience forgo having to buy a console to do the family / friend local group play.

If they were smart, they would do a media center front end and seize the opportunity that its been excluded (with the exception of the short lived upgrade deal) in Windows 8.
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But what PC games actually allow for this? Multiple gamers on the one PC going to the one display like consoles can do?
 
BBA said:
"or a mouse and keyboard if you want to play that way"

WTF? Game controllers suck, mouse and keyboard is the only way to play.
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For most games, sure. But certainly not for all. I couldn't imagine playing a racing simulator effectively with a keyboard and mouse, for instance.

And, yes, there are people who'd prefer to play most games with a controller. It depends on the person. Options are always good.
 
Intel_Hydralisk said:
There are actually a few with same screen co-op console ports.
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Such as? I remember looking for them in the past and didn't really find much worth playing (since a large portion of my friends have gaming PCs rather than consoles, yet all of us are too lazy to organise a LAN).
 
Tudz said:
Such as? I remember looking for them in the past and didn't really find much worth playing (since a large portion of my friends have gaming PCs rather than consoles, yet all of us are too lazy to organise a LAN).
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Split second had it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcDfcjXiw68

Serious Sam 3 BFE does as well: http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/09/serious-sam-3-to-seriously-offer-four-player-splitscreen/

There's probably more. These are the ones I've played that I can recall off the top of my head.
 
What about fair play when it comes to 'choosing a mouse and keyboard'? Wouldn't someone with a mouse and keyboard just annihilate people using controllers in an FPS game? I know people are getting pretty good with FPS shooters and controllers, but the mouse is always a quicker response/kill imo... Sure some people use controllers on PC as it is, but this just really expands that gap. In the future, punk kids used to nothing but a 360 or PS/3 might be surprised when they come across someone using a mouse and keyboard and start whining HAX!!!! :D
 
Betaboy1983 said:
What about fair play when it comes to 'choosing a mouse and keyboard'? Wouldn't someone with a mouse and keyboard just annihilate people using controllers in an FPS game? I know people are getting pretty good with FPS shooters and controllers, but the mouse is always a quicker response/kill imo... Sure some people use controllers on PC as it is, but this just really expands that gap. In the future, punk kids used to nothing but a 360 or PS/3 might be surprised when they come across someone using a mouse and keyboard and start whining HAX!!!! :D
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wonderfield said:
If people want to play at a disadvantage, let 'em.
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I think perhaps you're missing the point of this. I don't think the intention is for people to sit down on their couch and start playing Counter-Strike with a controller. There is a very large number of PC games that to a lot of people play a lot better with a controller. Take any racing game for example. M+KB sure isn't ideal there. A lot of thrid person games too... Assassins Creed series, Dead Space, Darksiders, Trine, Limbo, Sonic... all games I found were much easier and more enjoyable with a controller. Titles like this, too me, would have really benefited from what Steam is working on here. Personally, I'm all for it.
 
You are all missing the point. The steam UI can be fully controlled with a game pad without having to install additional software such as xpadder or joy2mouse. SHEESH! That is the point!
 
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