Showing posts with label Steam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steam. Show all posts
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
17.) Bring a Steam App to Xbox One & PS4!!
The modern console industry is under siege from two fronts. On one, we have the mobile and micro-console platforms, making the bet that they can suck more casual players away from the major console platforms by offering perfectly fun, smaller games for a fraction of the price. While this may be true for casual players due to their simplicity, gamers rarely find themselves having to decide whether to play a mobile game over a console game. This is largely due to the fact that game consoles are built for the living room or bedroom as a home entertainment device. For example, if they are leaving home and on the go, sure they’ll pull out their phones and play a game. Consoles were built for the living room so once they arrive home; they can play on their Xbox or PS4. From there, they decide from their game collection for their console, which one game they would like to play. Majority of console games would have trouble functioning on touch-screen devices as their input because the gameplay wouldn’t play well do to their complex controls. The gameplay works well with the mouse and keyboard, or a gamepad controller in mind.
However, there are mobile gaming devices like MOGA for instance, which helps resolve this issue. MOGA is essentially a mobile gamepad controller that connects to your phone. Devices like these that works in conjunction with your phone is great because it’s hard to play many 3D games like first-person shooters for instance on phones. With touch-screen for input, your fingers can get in the way of the gameplay and complex controls can be cumbersome for touch-screen input. While offering the comfort-ability of a gaming controller, MOGA comes equipped with a full set of console-style controls such as dual clickable analog sticks, L1/R1 shoulder buttons, L2/ R2 shoulder triggers, a D-Pad… everything you need. MOGA actually comes in a variety of controller types. This device comes with a mounting system to help secure your phone. It fits up to 3.2 in/82mm wide and even many phones equipped with a case. I first came across MOGA while I attended GDC Next 2013.
Then we have the PC gamers, arguing that for the same price or a little more you can get a fully customizable and graphically superior PC, with access to far more games, productivity uses and more. One big advantage PC gamers have is the STEAM service. My question is this:
After all, Steam for the most part is a service. By creating a Steam app on consoles, Valve would expand their service, reaching more players cross-platform and usher in more money. By allowing the service to work cross-platform, it will make it easier on gamers to access all of their Steam games from any device. Microsoft and Sony would benefit as well since they could split the profit (either 10 to 20 percent for them since the app would be on their consoles and the rest of-course to Valve). Something along those lines, but I don't know - that's just an example since Steam is Valve's baby. The PS4 allows players to play PS3 games through streaming but the downside to game streaming is bandwidth. Although I think streaming Steam games should be optional, by making STEAM into an app for consoles, it would help avoid bandwidth issues if gamers also have to option to download their Steam games to their console’s hard drive.
This would help bring immense value to both Xbox One and PS4 consoles and allow Valve to expand their service. By getting STEAM’s service into more users’ hands, it will help bridge the gap even more between PC and console gamers by allowing them to play together. This would allow players to access their collection of STEAM games virtually anywhere, regardless of what platform they are on. Xbox One and PS4 would essentially work like a “STEAM Machine” by giving gamers the option to either stream or download the games they own from STEAM onto their console. MOGA (if powerful enough) could function as a “Mobile Steam Machine” for instance. Steam machines represent PC gaming giant Valve’s biggest attempt to move into console territory by essentially making PCs that operate as much like consoles as possible while still maintaining the advantages that come with a more open platform. Microsoft and Sony should further allow players to connect and link their Xbox Live and PSN accounts as well as their gamer-tags to their Steam account. This will further help bridge the gap between console, mobile and PC gamers and allow them to play their Steam games cross-platform!
The plus side for Microsoft and Sony is that a STEAM app would allow them to expand their game library. Wouldn’t it be great to have a Steam App, log in with your account, and download and play your games on your Xbox or PS4? When you use the Steam app, you still need to have a Steam ID to purchase and play games. Your steam achievements are completely separate from your Xbox Live gamerscore and Playstation trophies. Through the Steam app, Xbox One, PS4 and possibly mobile devices like MOGA could function like a PC for this purpose. In the Steam app, the Xbox One and PS4 should also allow USB keyboards and mice for games as well as navigation. With applications like Moonlight Game Streaming, gamers can stream their collection of games from their PC to another device and play them remotely. It’s perfect for gameplay on the go without sacrificing the graphics quality of your gaming computer. The Xbox One and PS4 are equivalent to a mid-high end PCs and should be able to handle most PC games with ease on the mid-level graphics settings (at least).
I think that there should be some good integration between Xbox and Steam. If, for example, I'm playing a game on Steam I'd like my Xbox status to say that I'm playing said game, even if it's a non-Steam game that was added to my Steam list. I'd also like notifications from Steam to look similar to Xbox notifications. For example, if I get an achievement on Steam I'd like it to look the same as receiving an achievement on an Xbox game, which will make the overall UI look less fragmented. I'd also like to see some kind of integration with the Steam overlay, so that I can still access Xbox features such as viewing messages from Xbox friends without leaving my game. I heard that you are working with Valve to help improve the gaming experience on Windows, and I think that my ideas could do just that.
As mentioned earlier, a Steam App would also add a lot more value to buying a console as well by being able to play PC games without having to own a high-end gaming PC. This would be great for Microsoft and Sony to advertise to gamers who don't have a powerful enough computer. Already, I can see an advertisement on TV by Microsoft saying, “With the Steam App, the Xbox One can work as an optional and affordable Steam Machine.” Unfortunately, for STEAM to play its games well on consoles, the console version of its games will have to be set to certain optimal settings due to their hardware specs. Also, the Xbox One and PS4 for the most part can support mouse and keyboard, which is great since many PC games through STEAM utilize them. Imagine being able to play games like Garry's Mod And Five Nights At Freddy's on your console.
Problem Areas
One big problem area is that both companies are attempting to make a profit off of digital game sales. So the question is, why pay $50 or $60 for a console game, when you can purchase the same game on STEAM for less? In short, Microsoft and Sony could loose money to Valve, but I am certain something could be worked out so that all parties profit. It can be difficult to do any partnership where the same game purchases are available on both consoles and Steam. In the past, I have stated many times that videogame exclusives is one the driving factors that helps sell consoles.
Alternative Solutions
1.) Microsoft should Bring a Windows 10 App to Xbox One
Microsoft could charge a reasonable fee to players who want to purchase and install a Windows 10 App from their Xbox One Store to their console. Windows 10 is familiar and easy to use. It is fast, and comes with plenty of security features than its predecessors before it. It is also designed to work well with the hardware and software you already use. Through this app, players could access Steam that way.
2.) Sony should Bring LinuxOS to PS4
Likewise, Sony could offer players an LinuxOS app for purchase from their store.
Since Microsoft and Sony are charging more money for their games on Xbox and PS4 than Steam, they need to offer more content and deals for players to help justify their prices. Ex: "The PS4 version comes with..." Offer STEAM discount codes. For example, by paying for Xbox Live Gold or PSN, gamers could get a free STEAM game every month. That way, Microsoft and Sony can make a profit, and help justify paying for their service since Steam is free. There are many reasons as to why I think Microsoft and Sony should invest into acquiring a STEAM app. The main reason is because the Steam Machine has the potential to end the Xbox One and PS4. So lets take a look at some of the advantages Steam Machines have.
Advantages of STEAM Machines:
1.) Steam Machines launched with over 1,500 Games
The Steam Machine launch line-up is bigger than the current game libraries of the PS4 and Xbox One. I am fully aware that most of these titles aren’t new games. But what’s impressive is the increase in Linux-compatible games with SteamOS. In October 2014, there were around 700 compatible games, while now there are around 1500. The arrival of Steam Machines should also further increase the amount of Linux-compatible games.
2.) Steam Machines are highly customizable & Future-Proof
The lowest-end Steam Machine costs around $500 and packs approximately the same amount of power as a PS4 and Xbox One. The biggest amount of customizability you get with PS4 is being able to switch out the hard drive, where as the Xbox One can store its games on external hard drives. Steam Machines, on the other hand, are there to be tweaked with and upgraded as you please. The $549 Syber Steam Machine, for example, comes with an Intel i3-4160 processor, GeForce GTX 750 GPU, 4GB RAM and 500GB hard drive. The PS4 and Xbox One have similar specs, aside from their advantage of having 8GB RAM each. But 8GB RAM can be bought for around $50 these days, so that’s how much it would cost to boost your Steam Machine to 12GB RAM, ensuring it “out-RAMs” the consoles. For the most part, there’s little difference between a Steam Machine and its rivals, but the fact that it’s open to tweaking gives it an advantage over the competition.
3.) MUCH Lower Prices for Exactly the Same Games
If you buy a PS4 or Xbox One, you’re essentially tied in to either console’s ecosystem. Publishers need to pay licensing fees to Microsoft and Sony to release games on their consoles and in the growing digital downloads market, both consoles are in complete control thanks to the Xbox Marketplace and PlayStation Store. The PC games market is far more competitive. Sure, Valve’s Steam Machines are designed in a way that encourages you to buy games directly through Steam, but you can easily go to any of hundreds of digital outlets on the internet and buy your games through them instead. This makes it easy to shop around for the best prices. This, combined with the fact that publishers don’t need to pay a premium to release games on PC, means that you can find games for much lower prices on launch, and those games will also drop in price much faster after launch. Wait a few months, and you’ll be paying half the price or less for a PC game as you would for its console counterpart.
4.) More Steam Machine Options to Fit Your Budget
It’s the first, and most important, argument for why you might want to go with a PC over a console. They give you more power for less money. It’s a bit problematic, though: it implies that a significant number of people are going after crisper graphics, and also that those people don’t already prefer to play on PC. Console gamers might be excited about the graphics bump that comes with each new generation, but less interested in the year after year optimization that PCs allow for. However, part of the joy of Steam Machines is the various price points at which consumers are able to purchase them. There are enough different models of the Steam Machine that you can find one to fit your budget which is great new. With that said, depending on how powerful you want yours to be, the higher the cost. Prices range from $449 all the way up to $5000.The cheapest Steam Machines – from Alienware and Syber – weigh in at $449 respectively. These models have approximately similar power to a PS4 and Xbox One and can be customized.
I am not implying that gamers are going after better graphics and personally I don’t favor graphics over gameplay. This is where console sales can make a comeback because they are getting cheaper and by integrating a Steam App, they could serve as an optional “Steam Machine” for both console and PC gamers. Consoles although less versatile than PC as it stands are intuitive and simple. They’re deeply linked to the living room, which is arguably still one of the best places to play video games. Many people feel concerned about having a PC running on their living room TV because of how complex and versatile they are. It creates a user interface problem for PC since many gamers don’t sit from their couches with a mouse and keyboard. Steam’s Big Picture Mode helps fix this problem because its interface essentially functions like a console’s. It’s both user-friendly and simple, and works with other controllers besides mouse and keyboard.
5.) You Don’t Need to Pay to Play Online!
This… is a big major point that I somewhat touched on earlier. With STEAM, you don’t have to pay for online. Sure, the fees for Xbox Live and PlayStation Plus aren’t astronomical, but this is where PC gamers cringe and I can’t blame them. Why should gamers have to pay for the privilege of gaming online? Isn’t it enough that we’ve paid for the game, paid for the platform we’re playing it on, and are paying fees to be online? For the Steam App to truly be a selling point on consoles, even if they run out of Xbox Live Gold or Playstation Plus, they should still be allowed to use STEAM since their consoles are connected to the internet. I am aware that for Microsoft and Sony, a subscription fee for online gaming has become the status quo of this generation. Steam Machines make no such demands of gamers. Steam’s interface known as the Big Picture Mode as mentioned earlier is simple too, and features all the bells and whistles found on the PS4 and Xbox One.
6.) STEAM Machines Support PS4 & Xbox Gamepad Controllers besides the standard Mouse & Keyboard
If you are like me and still somewhat skeptical or not sold on the Steam Controller and prefer to stick with what you know, then that’s perfectly fine. Steam Machines don’t limit you like the PS4 and Xbox One do by letting you use any controller you like for your gaming. Sure, if you’re using your Steam Machine in the living room as you should be, then you’re probably not envisioning slapping a plank on your lap and putting a keyboard and mouse on top of that. If that idea doesn’t appeal to you, then you can just plug in an Xbox 360 or Xbox One wired controller and it’ll work straight away. The Xbox 360 wireless adapter also works with Steam Machine, allowing you to use any Xbox 360 controller or accessory like a racing wheel wirelessly on it. The PS4 controller will work with SteamOS as well, however as of now, you will need to remap it by going to Settings > Controller in Big Picture. If you want it to work via Bluetooth, you might need to install a free tool like DS Input Mapper or Sixad. As it stands, Steam Machines offer far more versatility than the current-gen game consoles. This brings me to my next point.
Alternative Solution
The Sofa Surfer will change the way PC games are played. Now with Steam's Big Picture Mode and the on-going trend of Steam Boxes as well as living room computers, people are going to run into a problem. How will gamers play PC games on the couch if they prefer mouse and keyboard as their primary method of playing. The Sofa Surfer helps resolve this issue. In short, it's basically a powered table that you rest on your lap. It provides a USB hub to connect your mouse and keyboard as well as a nice surface area for players to move their mouse. Please support the Sofa Suffer on their KickStarter page.
7.) STEAM Machine can be used as a PC
The moment you turn on your Steam Machine, it will go straight to ‘Big Picture Mode’, which is Steam’s gamepad-friendly equivalent to the PS4 or Xbox One dashboard. This makes Steam Machine a touch competitor since it offers a comfortable, console interface for a machine that’s more powerful than rival consoles. Under the surface of Steam’s dashboard, SteamOS is essentially a re-skinned version of the popular Linux distribution, Debian. With a few clicks, you can easily leave the SteamOS interface, go to the desktop, and use your Steam Machine like any Linux PC. This will allow gamers to be able to install proper functioning browsers like Chromium and Firefox. While there are no dedicated SteamOS apps yet for YouTube or Netflix, you can simply access them as well as any other online streaming services using the browsers. You can also use the desktop to organize and manage your collections of pictures, music, videos and documents just like on a PC if you wish.
Valve’s baby is more powerful, more versatile and has a bigger launch line-up than any games console ever launched. With more than 1500 launch games, free online play and the best prices around, what is holding the STEAM Machine back? Is it simply a case of no one being interested in the Steam Machine, or because no one really knows what to think about the mysterious device? Microsoft and Sony already has a long history of building up their fans, so it may be hard at first for STEAM Machines to pull away gamers from their favorite consoles. Whatever the case, by making Steam more accessible cross-platform, the platforms gamers own will not matter because it will bridge the gap. It will boil down to what gamers’ preferences are. Microsoft and Sony should pay attention, because the Steam Machine holds plenty of advantages over the Xbox One and PS4. This is why they should highly consider looking into investing in a Steam App. As it stands currently, many console gamers are unaware of the advantages of Steam machines. Together, let's make the Xbox One and PS4 have the best of both worlds: console and PC. Thank you for reading. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
MOGA
However, there are mobile gaming devices like MOGA for instance, which helps resolve this issue. MOGA is essentially a mobile gamepad controller that connects to your phone. Devices like these that works in conjunction with your phone is great because it’s hard to play many 3D games like first-person shooters for instance on phones. With touch-screen for input, your fingers can get in the way of the gameplay and complex controls can be cumbersome for touch-screen input. While offering the comfort-ability of a gaming controller, MOGA comes equipped with a full set of console-style controls such as dual clickable analog sticks, L1/R1 shoulder buttons, L2/ R2 shoulder triggers, a D-Pad… everything you need. MOGA actually comes in a variety of controller types. This device comes with a mounting system to help secure your phone. It fits up to 3.2 in/82mm wide and even many phones equipped with a case. I first came across MOGA while I attended GDC Next 2013.
Then we have the PC gamers, arguing that for the same price or a little more you can get a fully customizable and graphically superior PC, with access to far more games, productivity uses and more. One big advantage PC gamers have is the STEAM service. My question is this:
Why should STEAM be limited to PC gamers?
What if Steam was accessible on mobile gaming devices like MOGA as well as Xbox One and PS4?
After all, Steam for the most part is a service. By creating a Steam app on consoles, Valve would expand their service, reaching more players cross-platform and usher in more money. By allowing the service to work cross-platform, it will make it easier on gamers to access all of their Steam games from any device. Microsoft and Sony would benefit as well since they could split the profit (either 10 to 20 percent for them since the app would be on their consoles and the rest of-course to Valve). Something along those lines, but I don't know - that's just an example since Steam is Valve's baby. The PS4 allows players to play PS3 games through streaming but the downside to game streaming is bandwidth. Although I think streaming Steam games should be optional, by making STEAM into an app for consoles, it would help avoid bandwidth issues if gamers also have to option to download their Steam games to their console’s hard drive.
This would help bring immense value to both Xbox One and PS4 consoles and allow Valve to expand their service. By getting STEAM’s service into more users’ hands, it will help bridge the gap even more between PC and console gamers by allowing them to play together. This would allow players to access their collection of STEAM games virtually anywhere, regardless of what platform they are on. Xbox One and PS4 would essentially work like a “STEAM Machine” by giving gamers the option to either stream or download the games they own from STEAM onto their console. MOGA (if powerful enough) could function as a “Mobile Steam Machine” for instance. Steam machines represent PC gaming giant Valve’s biggest attempt to move into console territory by essentially making PCs that operate as much like consoles as possible while still maintaining the advantages that come with a more open platform. Microsoft and Sony should further allow players to connect and link their Xbox Live and PSN accounts as well as their gamer-tags to their Steam account. This will further help bridge the gap between console, mobile and PC gamers and allow them to play their Steam games cross-platform!
The plus side for Microsoft and Sony is that a STEAM app would allow them to expand their game library. Wouldn’t it be great to have a Steam App, log in with your account, and download and play your games on your Xbox or PS4? When you use the Steam app, you still need to have a Steam ID to purchase and play games. Your steam achievements are completely separate from your Xbox Live gamerscore and Playstation trophies. Through the Steam app, Xbox One, PS4 and possibly mobile devices like MOGA could function like a PC for this purpose. In the Steam app, the Xbox One and PS4 should also allow USB keyboards and mice for games as well as navigation. With applications like Moonlight Game Streaming, gamers can stream their collection of games from their PC to another device and play them remotely. It’s perfect for gameplay on the go without sacrificing the graphics quality of your gaming computer. The Xbox One and PS4 are equivalent to a mid-high end PCs and should be able to handle most PC games with ease on the mid-level graphics settings (at least).
I think that there should be some good integration between Xbox and Steam. If, for example, I'm playing a game on Steam I'd like my Xbox status to say that I'm playing said game, even if it's a non-Steam game that was added to my Steam list. I'd also like notifications from Steam to look similar to Xbox notifications. For example, if I get an achievement on Steam I'd like it to look the same as receiving an achievement on an Xbox game, which will make the overall UI look less fragmented. I'd also like to see some kind of integration with the Steam overlay, so that I can still access Xbox features such as viewing messages from Xbox friends without leaving my game. I heard that you are working with Valve to help improve the gaming experience on Windows, and I think that my ideas could do just that.
As mentioned earlier, a Steam App would also add a lot more value to buying a console as well by being able to play PC games without having to own a high-end gaming PC. This would be great for Microsoft and Sony to advertise to gamers who don't have a powerful enough computer. Already, I can see an advertisement on TV by Microsoft saying, “With the Steam App, the Xbox One can work as an optional and affordable Steam Machine.” Unfortunately, for STEAM to play its games well on consoles, the console version of its games will have to be set to certain optimal settings due to their hardware specs. Also, the Xbox One and PS4 for the most part can support mouse and keyboard, which is great since many PC games through STEAM utilize them. Imagine being able to play games like Garry's Mod And Five Nights At Freddy's on your console.
Problem Areas
One big problem area is that both companies are attempting to make a profit off of digital game sales. So the question is, why pay $50 or $60 for a console game, when you can purchase the same game on STEAM for less? In short, Microsoft and Sony could loose money to Valve, but I am certain something could be worked out so that all parties profit. It can be difficult to do any partnership where the same game purchases are available on both consoles and Steam. In the past, I have stated many times that videogame exclusives is one the driving factors that helps sell consoles.
Alternative Solutions
1.) Microsoft should Bring a Windows 10 App to Xbox One
Microsoft could charge a reasonable fee to players who want to purchase and install a Windows 10 App from their Xbox One Store to their console. Windows 10 is familiar and easy to use. It is fast, and comes with plenty of security features than its predecessors before it. It is also designed to work well with the hardware and software you already use. Through this app, players could access Steam that way.
2.) Sony should Bring LinuxOS to PS4
Likewise, Sony could offer players an LinuxOS app for purchase from their store.
Since Microsoft and Sony are charging more money for their games on Xbox and PS4 than Steam, they need to offer more content and deals for players to help justify their prices. Ex: "The PS4 version comes with..." Offer STEAM discount codes. For example, by paying for Xbox Live Gold or PSN, gamers could get a free STEAM game every month. That way, Microsoft and Sony can make a profit, and help justify paying for their service since Steam is free. There are many reasons as to why I think Microsoft and Sony should invest into acquiring a STEAM app. The main reason is because the Steam Machine has the potential to end the Xbox One and PS4. So lets take a look at some of the advantages Steam Machines have.
Advantages of STEAM Machines:
1.) Steam Machines launched with over 1,500 Games
The Steam Machine launch line-up is bigger than the current game libraries of the PS4 and Xbox One. I am fully aware that most of these titles aren’t new games. But what’s impressive is the increase in Linux-compatible games with SteamOS. In October 2014, there were around 700 compatible games, while now there are around 1500. The arrival of Steam Machines should also further increase the amount of Linux-compatible games.
2.) Steam Machines are highly customizable & Future-Proof
The lowest-end Steam Machine costs around $500 and packs approximately the same amount of power as a PS4 and Xbox One. The biggest amount of customizability you get with PS4 is being able to switch out the hard drive, where as the Xbox One can store its games on external hard drives. Steam Machines, on the other hand, are there to be tweaked with and upgraded as you please. The $549 Syber Steam Machine, for example, comes with an Intel i3-4160 processor, GeForce GTX 750 GPU, 4GB RAM and 500GB hard drive. The PS4 and Xbox One have similar specs, aside from their advantage of having 8GB RAM each. But 8GB RAM can be bought for around $50 these days, so that’s how much it would cost to boost your Steam Machine to 12GB RAM, ensuring it “out-RAMs” the consoles. For the most part, there’s little difference between a Steam Machine and its rivals, but the fact that it’s open to tweaking gives it an advantage over the competition.
3.) MUCH Lower Prices for Exactly the Same Games
If you buy a PS4 or Xbox One, you’re essentially tied in to either console’s ecosystem. Publishers need to pay licensing fees to Microsoft and Sony to release games on their consoles and in the growing digital downloads market, both consoles are in complete control thanks to the Xbox Marketplace and PlayStation Store. The PC games market is far more competitive. Sure, Valve’s Steam Machines are designed in a way that encourages you to buy games directly through Steam, but you can easily go to any of hundreds of digital outlets on the internet and buy your games through them instead. This makes it easy to shop around for the best prices. This, combined with the fact that publishers don’t need to pay a premium to release games on PC, means that you can find games for much lower prices on launch, and those games will also drop in price much faster after launch. Wait a few months, and you’ll be paying half the price or less for a PC game as you would for its console counterpart.
4.) More Steam Machine Options to Fit Your Budget
It’s the first, and most important, argument for why you might want to go with a PC over a console. They give you more power for less money. It’s a bit problematic, though: it implies that a significant number of people are going after crisper graphics, and also that those people don’t already prefer to play on PC. Console gamers might be excited about the graphics bump that comes with each new generation, but less interested in the year after year optimization that PCs allow for. However, part of the joy of Steam Machines is the various price points at which consumers are able to purchase them. There are enough different models of the Steam Machine that you can find one to fit your budget which is great new. With that said, depending on how powerful you want yours to be, the higher the cost. Prices range from $449 all the way up to $5000.The cheapest Steam Machines – from Alienware and Syber – weigh in at $449 respectively. These models have approximately similar power to a PS4 and Xbox One and can be customized.
I am not implying that gamers are going after better graphics and personally I don’t favor graphics over gameplay. This is where console sales can make a comeback because they are getting cheaper and by integrating a Steam App, they could serve as an optional “Steam Machine” for both console and PC gamers. Consoles although less versatile than PC as it stands are intuitive and simple. They’re deeply linked to the living room, which is arguably still one of the best places to play video games. Many people feel concerned about having a PC running on their living room TV because of how complex and versatile they are. It creates a user interface problem for PC since many gamers don’t sit from their couches with a mouse and keyboard. Steam’s Big Picture Mode helps fix this problem because its interface essentially functions like a console’s. It’s both user-friendly and simple, and works with other controllers besides mouse and keyboard.
5.) You Don’t Need to Pay to Play Online!
This… is a big major point that I somewhat touched on earlier. With STEAM, you don’t have to pay for online. Sure, the fees for Xbox Live and PlayStation Plus aren’t astronomical, but this is where PC gamers cringe and I can’t blame them. Why should gamers have to pay for the privilege of gaming online? Isn’t it enough that we’ve paid for the game, paid for the platform we’re playing it on, and are paying fees to be online? For the Steam App to truly be a selling point on consoles, even if they run out of Xbox Live Gold or Playstation Plus, they should still be allowed to use STEAM since their consoles are connected to the internet. I am aware that for Microsoft and Sony, a subscription fee for online gaming has become the status quo of this generation. Steam Machines make no such demands of gamers. Steam’s interface known as the Big Picture Mode as mentioned earlier is simple too, and features all the bells and whistles found on the PS4 and Xbox One.
6.) STEAM Machines Support PS4 & Xbox Gamepad Controllers besides the standard Mouse & Keyboard
If you are like me and still somewhat skeptical or not sold on the Steam Controller and prefer to stick with what you know, then that’s perfectly fine. Steam Machines don’t limit you like the PS4 and Xbox One do by letting you use any controller you like for your gaming. Sure, if you’re using your Steam Machine in the living room as you should be, then you’re probably not envisioning slapping a plank on your lap and putting a keyboard and mouse on top of that. If that idea doesn’t appeal to you, then you can just plug in an Xbox 360 or Xbox One wired controller and it’ll work straight away. The Xbox 360 wireless adapter also works with Steam Machine, allowing you to use any Xbox 360 controller or accessory like a racing wheel wirelessly on it. The PS4 controller will work with SteamOS as well, however as of now, you will need to remap it by going to Settings > Controller in Big Picture. If you want it to work via Bluetooth, you might need to install a free tool like DS Input Mapper or Sixad. As it stands, Steam Machines offer far more versatility than the current-gen game consoles. This brings me to my next point.
Alternative Solution
The Sofa Surfer will change the way PC games are played. Now with Steam's Big Picture Mode and the on-going trend of Steam Boxes as well as living room computers, people are going to run into a problem. How will gamers play PC games on the couch if they prefer mouse and keyboard as their primary method of playing. The Sofa Surfer helps resolve this issue. In short, it's basically a powered table that you rest on your lap. It provides a USB hub to connect your mouse and keyboard as well as a nice surface area for players to move their mouse. Please support the Sofa Suffer on their KickStarter page.
7.) STEAM Machine can be used as a PC
The moment you turn on your Steam Machine, it will go straight to ‘Big Picture Mode’, which is Steam’s gamepad-friendly equivalent to the PS4 or Xbox One dashboard. This makes Steam Machine a touch competitor since it offers a comfortable, console interface for a machine that’s more powerful than rival consoles. Under the surface of Steam’s dashboard, SteamOS is essentially a re-skinned version of the popular Linux distribution, Debian. With a few clicks, you can easily leave the SteamOS interface, go to the desktop, and use your Steam Machine like any Linux PC. This will allow gamers to be able to install proper functioning browsers like Chromium and Firefox. While there are no dedicated SteamOS apps yet for YouTube or Netflix, you can simply access them as well as any other online streaming services using the browsers. You can also use the desktop to organize and manage your collections of pictures, music, videos and documents just like on a PC if you wish.
Valve’s baby is more powerful, more versatile and has a bigger launch line-up than any games console ever launched. With more than 1500 launch games, free online play and the best prices around, what is holding the STEAM Machine back? Is it simply a case of no one being interested in the Steam Machine, or because no one really knows what to think about the mysterious device? Microsoft and Sony already has a long history of building up their fans, so it may be hard at first for STEAM Machines to pull away gamers from their favorite consoles. Whatever the case, by making Steam more accessible cross-platform, the platforms gamers own will not matter because it will bridge the gap. It will boil down to what gamers’ preferences are. Microsoft and Sony should pay attention, because the Steam Machine holds plenty of advantages over the Xbox One and PS4. This is why they should highly consider looking into investing in a Steam App. As it stands currently, many console gamers are unaware of the advantages of Steam machines. Together, let's make the Xbox One and PS4 have the best of both worlds: console and PC. Thank you for reading. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
1.) JUDGMENT DAY!
Back in the 1980s the gaming industry experienced a huge crash. Basically, long story short, the gaming industry lost consumer confidence and when they could no longer sell the videogames to the consumer, the product became worthless and the entire genre almost died. This led to a bunch of cartridges being buried into the desert because they was simply no way to sell them to the consumer. A lot of the circumstances that were surrounding the original crash are actually beginning to happen today. These exact symptoms are happening right now in the gaming industry. For my first blog post, I want to talk about the potential of that happening, what caused it to happen originally, what similarities there are now and what you can I can do to prevent this (Judgment Day) from happening. To start off, I will say the gaming industry at the moment at large is doing very well for the most part. The industry is selling millions of copies of a huge variety of different games made by different developers and different publishers.
As it stands, the gaming industry is probably more profitable then it has ever been. However the exact same thing was true back in the 80s when the initial crash happened. It was a very profitable business, there were consoles in every home and department stores were filled with games. What led to the crash is simply this; there were far too many low-quality videogames and not enough high-quality videogames both for far too much of a price. Ultimately, the consumer lost confidence because of this. Consumers realized not only could money be wasted if they purchased a game that they picked off a shelf, but they had no way of knowing which games were good and which games were bad. So time and time again, they felt burnt and ripped off so gradually they began to turn to other types of entertainment instead. Unfortunately, this stuff sounds awfully familiar to the modern gamer.
Right now, there is a huge variety of games that have some very hefty price tags and its almost impossible for the modern consumer to figure out which games are worth purchasing and which ones are not worth their time and money. So who is to blame for all of this? The simple answer is all of us, but I will explain it further.
BLAME # 1.) GAMERS (You & I)
Okay, now many of you are probably reading this thinking, "Oh no he didn't!" Alright, let me explain. As consumers, we ultimately make the decisions whether or not we are aware of it. We also ultimately make the policies, even if we are not directly involved in developing these games. Every time you and I make a purchase, that is a confirmation that what the creators and publishers of that product are doing is somehow right. If you are not skeptical and you don't choose to vote with your wallet then you and I are not the problem. Every time we buy a bad game, or one of these games that are chopped up on micro transactions, or every time we buy a poor sequel, then you and I are part of the problem. So that is the first thing we need to fix.
BLAME # 2.) EA
Electronic Arts is playing a very pivotal role in eroding consumer confidence. It doesn't really matter which program you point to. Whether its franchises like Madden that continues to be published in worse and worse forms, every time they publish a new game, consumer confidence is being destroyed by EA. With that said, they are certainly not the only AAA developer that is doing this kind of thing. Activision and Blizzard did this with Call of Duty and Diablo 3. Gearbox did this with the Aliens game. There is a huge list of games being published by AAA developers that are not just kind of boring or living up to the hype, but simply just not as fun.
BLAME #3.) The folks over at STEAM
STEAM allows you to self publish a game and that sounds great until you realize that is what caused the crash in the 1980s. This is similar to the issues surrounding self publishing Xbox Live Indie Games on Xbox 360. Any company who could afford to hire a couple of programmers for a couple of weeks could write any old program, slap it on to a cartridge and self-publish it onto to one of the available systems at the time. There was no checks and balances system so a lot of these games turned out to be not so great. The STEAM Greenlight program does allow small companies and independent developers to design games and self-publish them. Are the games worth their purchase price? That is a hard topic for me to discuss because I myself am an indie developer and some of the most beloved games I have ever played were created by a couple of people in their bedroom and self-published. With that said, I am so grateful to be living in a time where we can do that. Gamers are growing frustrated because they feel as thought they are not getting their money's worth with majority of programs that make it on STEAM as of right now, but I am optimistic that this will change soon.
Motivation for Indies
If you are self publishing, ask yourself is my game ready to be on the market. Market test your product. Don't give in to the outside pressure from the game community to release your product when you are not fully confident with it; especially if you know it still needs to be further developed. Learn from your mistakes after your game has been out for a bit and create patches and game updates. Try not to take any criticism too personal, even ones that might be biased and toxic. Our job and the work we do as independent developers is crazy, beyond challenging and overlooked at times, so stay passionate about what you do and persevere. After all, it takes time to succeed at doing anything well. It won't happen overnight.
Motivation for Indies
If you are self publishing, ask yourself is my game ready to be on the market. Market test your product. Don't give in to the outside pressure from the game community to release your product when you are not fully confident with it; especially if you know it still needs to be further developed. Learn from your mistakes after your game has been out for a bit and create patches and game updates. Try not to take any criticism too personal, even ones that might be biased and toxic. Our job and the work we do as independent developers is crazy, beyond challenging and overlooked at times, so stay passionate about what you do and persevere. After all, it takes time to succeed at doing anything well. It won't happen overnight.
A Prime Example: Xbox Live Indie Games on Xbox 360
I will use my own personal experience as an example to sound less harsh towards any indie developers or aspiring indie developers reading this. With Xbox Live Indie Games, all developers had to make their programs and content from scratch because you could not use a game engine to create a game on the platform. Because I was and still am currently learning game development, after I made my first game, I decided not to publish it. After all, it was only my first game and I knew that it wasn't something I would publish. I knew how hard it was to make a game from scratch and I new how much time and effort I put into my first game. But just because it was hard and just because I made a game did not mean that the game was great and somehow sell-able. I realized my game has to be truly fun and I have to actually like my game myself or I was going to erode consumer confidence. This is what eventually happened with Xbox Live Indie Games in the beginning because anybody and anyone could publish a game on Xbox 360 if they paid for the dev kit. People have always been quick to criticize Xbox Live Indie Games for being a cesspool of low quality "fart" apps, avatar games and Minecraft clones, but the problems ran much deeper than that. I am not going to sit here and say there were not low quality games on the system, but marketplaces like the ios app store have them as well and have been far more successful.
Contrary to popular belief, the submission process was too cheap. It was only $100 a year for anyone to submit up to 10 games, which was later increased to 25 games. Right now you are probably reading this thinking "What?! Too cheap? Isn't that good for indies?" It would seem so because this lowered the barrier to entry, but if the barrier is too low, than it actually isn't. If the price was higher, developers wanting to put their game on the platform (especially a major console) would have taken their work far more serious. The biggest complaint about the system, especially from moderators, was the appearance of cheap apps, vs. actual robust games. The reason that these existed was that they had setup a system that made this work on an economic level. So anyone willing to pay the $100 could put up their game in front of millions of people since Microsoft did not regulate whether or not these games were worth publishing. Now you are probably reading this thinking, "If Microsoft didn't fully regulate the submission then who?"
Most people are unaware of how Xbox Live Indie Games made it to the system. Microsoft, to avoid obvious legal problems, devised the following system: You would submit a game or update to a game on the system and it would go in a review list. At this point other developers on the system (yes, your direct competition) would review your game (yes, before it released to the public or anyone had seen it). At this time, the reviewer would either submit a pass or fail vote on the game. If the game received 7 passes, it would appear on the system. If it received 2 fails for any reason, it would get completely booted out of the system. Whether your game passed or failed, a 7 day wait period was imposed on the title preventing you from resubmitting or updating the game in this period. If you resubmitted the game without fixing the issue, you risked being permanently banned from the entire system.
After 30 days if your title did not clear the system (for example people weren’t interested in it enough to vote on it at all), you failed automatically and needed to restart the process. If you needed to release a Multi-language title, in addition you need 2 reviews for each language you want to release in (this made releasing or even updating localized titles nearly impossible). Aside from the obvious problems that arise from letting your competition see early releases of your titles and ultimately deciding if your game should make it to the system, Microsoft intentionally left the criteria for review vague with rules like, “Your game cannot be frustrating or confusing”. With rules like that you could have fun imagining the creative ways that one could judge a title unfit to release. Each fail costing the developer another week plus the time it takes to accumulate the votes again, potentially holding titles in limbo for months.
It would seem that this would quickly degrade into the chaos of developers maliciously failing each other to prevent them from competing with them, however in practice, as if in some sort of odd social experiment, the opposite actually occurred. Everyone had a mutual goal of getting their title though this tedious process so it became common practice to do “kickback reviewing”, where one developer would “review”(pass) your game with the expectation that you would do the same. This became so prevalent that it actually degraded the quality of the titles on the system as a whole. Because the barrier to entry was so low to create an XBLIG (Xbox Live Indie Game) on the Xbox 360, I am starting to see similar things like this happening now with games being released through Steam Greenlight.
If you are unfamiliar with Steam Greenlight, it is a service created to help bring a more variety of games to Steam. Users would choose which games were added to the service. This gave independent game developers an opportunity to showcase, as well as build beta versions for Steam users. If users pledged so much support for these games, then Valve would help to make the top-pledged games available to the Steam service. So developers were able to release their games without publishers hovering over their shoulders governing whether their games should be published or not. While Steam Greenlight helped more and more developers bring their games to Steam, it led to an overabundant number of games on the service making it difficult for a single title to stand out. If the folks over at Steam aren't careful in not making similar mistakes with indie games on 360, this service might potentially phase out.
Surely Microsoft would step in to enforce order. Due to legal reasons, no one at Microsoft was allowed to view any content on the system until it was officially released to the public. Not even the discussion that occurred in the game’s review forum. Their solution to this was the moderators or MVPs. These MVPs ran essentially unchecked by Microsoft and had ultimate power over the system. They single handily had the ability to make it so your game would or wouldn’t go out. To be fair, these people had a VERY hard job and were not compensated at all for it. They were reigning in complete chaos and it always amazed me how devoted they were to the system. With that said, their “war-torn” demeanor at times became combative and rude. Some of them had very strong opinions that they were quick to bluntly express and they were the ultimate law on the system.
If there was a serious issue or debate about your game it could be deferred to Microsoft. However since Microsoft could not see your title directly or the discussion that transpired, it would become the moderator’s job to present your case to them and deliver the verdict. You could imagine if the moderator was not on your side this would never go well. Regardless, Microsoft’s de-facto response was always “You guys decide as a community” which in reality meant, “The moderator makes the decision”. If the moderator gave the community the license to pass or fail a game that is what happened. As a reviewer, if you disagreed and didn’t follow suit it usually resulted in some sort of disciplinary action. Any meaningful discussion about how the system could be improved or be changed was almost always immediately silenced.
Could Steam Greenlight Phase Out?If you are unfamiliar with Steam Greenlight, it is a service created to help bring a more variety of games to Steam. Users would choose which games were added to the service. This gave independent game developers an opportunity to showcase, as well as build beta versions for Steam users. If users pledged so much support for these games, then Valve would help to make the top-pledged games available to the Steam service. So developers were able to release their games without publishers hovering over their shoulders governing whether their games should be published or not. While Steam Greenlight helped more and more developers bring their games to Steam, it led to an overabundant number of games on the service making it difficult for a single title to stand out. If the folks over at Steam aren't careful in not making similar mistakes with indie games on 360, this service might potentially phase out.
BLAME # 4.) YouTubers, Publishers, Gaming Journalist & Blogs
The primary function of games media should simply be this:
To inform the consumer about a game or a product so that they can make an informed decision and determine whether or not the game is worth its price tag.
That means we are publishing screenshots, gameplay, and facts about the game to help them make an informed decision. Also, unbiased first looks at the game and unbiased reviews is the most important thing game reviewers are suppose to do. Now I am not saying that you can't be entertaining while you do it. Just look at the Angry Joe Show on YouTube. I first found out about the Angry Joe show through my friend Lafe when I expressed my concerns to him about the game Destiny. I will probably talk about that in a later blog post.
Angry Joe is a great example of being informative and entertaining at the same time. He provides excellent reviews and doesn't just say games are bad but provides reasons why and what developers can do to improve them and make it better. As long as games media is not providing unbiased information that allows the consumer to make an informed decision, then yes - we as game reviewers are part of the problem. It is important for game reviewers to remind consumers that they have all the power and for them to treat consumers that way.
Angry Joe is a great example of being informative and entertaining at the same time. He provides excellent reviews and doesn't just say games are bad but provides reasons why and what developers can do to improve them and make it better. As long as games media is not providing unbiased information that allows the consumer to make an informed decision, then yes - we as game reviewers are part of the problem. It is important for game reviewers to remind consumers that they have all the power and for them to treat consumers that way.
On one hand, you have a bunch of not so great AAA titles being developed and on the other hand, you have a bunch of not so great indie games being developed. So when you put these two together, you have a terrible sandwich. On top of that, the people who are here in games media whose job it is to help the consumer cut through the not so great games to find the ones that are great, are simply not doing good enough of a job. All of these elements are adding up to create a brand new game crash where we lose consumer confidence because they have no one to trust and game consumers keep getting burnt over and over again. So its not all bad news because I think this can be fixed but I won't assume it will be easy. So if you are reading this, here are some ways we can prevent Judgment Day from happening.
Solution #1: Trial Modes
So that consumers don't feel like they are not getting their money's worth, game developers need to allow players to try their games before purchasing it. By making a trial mode, this can be a great way to lure players and give them a taste of what is to come. Trial modes can also be a great way to advertise and showcase the rest of the game's features if purchased. We have seen this feature work well with Xbox Live Arcade games on Xbox 360.
SOLUTION #2: Game Consumers must realize they have all the power
>
We as game consumers have the power and the purchasing decisions that we make result in the types of games that game creators make. If we choose not to purchase a "bad sequel" or a not so great indie game, eventually they will stop making them. As an independent developer, I know how hard it is to make a game, especially one from scratch. So instead of just hoping they'll eventually stop making them, my hope is that they can listen to our feedback and improve upon them. Thanks to Xbox Live, PSN, and Steam Updates, game development companies can potentially make changes and patches to their games. We as gamers whether we realize it or not help play a crucial role in game development companies learning from their mistakes and taking risk. Now we can put the blame on game publishers as we should but here is the reality:
If a game publisher can knowingly sell a half-baked product at full price, why would they stop?
Its not until the consumers wake up and choose not to purchase which will lead to publisher making changes. The people that do have power, and yes I am kind of pointing fingers at Microsoft, Sony, Valve and the Apple Store who make the consoles and devices need to determine whether or not these games are worth publishing and allowed to be on your storefront or online marketplace to begin with. For those of us who do have a voice in the industry whether it be a YouTube Channel, blog, Twitter Feed, or a giant gaming journal - we must take the hands of consumers and guide them through the not so great games and make sure they find the games they know consumers will enjoy. If not, then we are failing the entire industry. Now Judgment Day does sound pretty crazy and I truly hope that I am wrong, but if we make these changes, no harm can come of it. The industry is only going to get better. So lets prevent Judgment Day from happening. Thank you for reading.
Its not until the consumers wake up and choose not to purchase which will lead to publisher making changes. The people that do have power, and yes I am kind of pointing fingers at Microsoft, Sony, Valve and the Apple Store who make the consoles and devices need to determine whether or not these games are worth publishing and allowed to be on your storefront or online marketplace to begin with. For those of us who do have a voice in the industry whether it be a YouTube Channel, blog, Twitter Feed, or a giant gaming journal - we must take the hands of consumers and guide them through the not so great games and make sure they find the games they know consumers will enjoy. If not, then we are failing the entire industry. Now Judgment Day does sound pretty crazy and I truly hope that I am wrong, but if we make these changes, no harm can come of it. The industry is only going to get better. So lets prevent Judgment Day from happening. Thank you for reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)