Steam Big Picture Mode today?

Kur4mA · 10-09-2012 12:37pm #1

So we might finally see something new on this today? Hmm, I've been curious about this for a long time. I am guessing it's just a larger Steam interface that is built with controllers in mind but will be interesting to see. I'd love to be playing Guild Wars 2 on my couch on the telly for the craic.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/09/10/casting-the-couch-steams-big-picture-beta-out-today/

I'm in work at the moment. Anyone seen any Steam updates for this so far today?

danthefan · 10-09-2012 1:29pm

My PC is hooked up to my TV, this sounds brilliant.

wes · 10-09-2012 1:32pm

Yeah, same here. PC hooked up to the TV. Something like this will be really cool.

SeantheMan · 10-09-2012 1:33pm

Not seen anything on my STEAM about it.
The latest BETA thing I have that I am participating in is the Friends /Community thing, ....no option or anything for this "big picture"

RolandIRL · 10-09-2012 3:17pm

Kur4mA · 10-09-2012 3:49pm

I have to say... I think this sounds awesome.

http://kotaku.com/5941793/valve-is-bringing-steam-to-your-tv-today-watch-out-consoles

ShadowHearth · 10-09-2012 4:19pm

kyub wrote: »

I have to say... I think this sounds awesome.

http://kotaku.com/5941793/valve-is-bringing-steam-to-your-tv-today-watch-out-consoles

It's flipping is. Sort of makes me regret moving my pc from bedroom to dinningroom now.

It still has one flaw: you won't be able to play properly online games on pc with controller. You will get your face planted to the ground and tea baged every 5 seconds.

It's still a huge step forward and I really like the way valve is thinking.

Kiith · 10-09-2012 5:44pm

Is the new mode available yet? Not seeing there, though i'm signed up for the beta in the settings tab.

GreenWolfe · 10-09-2012 7:15pm

Kiith wrote: »

Is the new mode available yet? Not seeing there, though i'm signed up for the beta in the settings tab.

I had a look on the Steam forums, they're saying the end of their working day, assuming WA time it would be past midnight here.

pixelburp · 10-09-2012 9:09pm

So am I right in that this 'just' amounts to a specialised UI for the Steam platform, so it looks nice if you have your TV connected as a second monitor on your PC, right? That in itself is cool n' all, I just don't see the immediate fuss; it doesn't seem like a massive enabler for living-room PC gaming.

Dyr · 10-09-2012 9:16pm

My gaming PC isn't hooked up to my telly. I only use Steam to play games. This is not relevant to my interests. I think a lot of people will be in the same boat

Kiith · 10-09-2012 10:06pm

I'm happy to get a better interface. It's a bit of a pain in the ass trying to read what it says on a 40" tv.

Not ground breaking, but very convenient.

mayordenis · 10-09-2012 10:16pm

Bambi wrote: »

My gaming PC isn't hooked up to my telly. I only use Steam to play games. This is not relevant to my interests. I think a lot of people will be in the same boat

Not every game and every feature is going to be relevant to every person, I really don't get your point.
Unless you're just going for a generic pointless whinge, in which case carry on.

danthefan · 10-09-2012 10:24pm

Bambi wrote: »

My gaming PC isn't hooked up to my telly. I only use Steam to play games. This is not relevant to my interests. I think a lot of people will be in the same boat

Don't bloody well use it then, hardly rocket science.

GreenWolfe · 10-09-2012 11:22pm

I just got it now. Looks interesting, the text input feature is really novel.

dreamers75 · 10-09-2012 11:36pm

looks interesting......

Only possible gripe/hope is will gamepad support become a "must have" for steam works games. i have a few games where i have to download **** just o make the controller function the way its supposed to (ps3 pad mostly).

Hope it does.
Gripe pain in the hole for some games, why cant it fcuking detect what pad i have :mad:

Dyr · 11-09-2012 8:35am

mayordenis wrote: »

Not every game and every feature is going to be relevant to every person, I really don't get your point.
Unless you're just going for a generic pointless whinge, in which case carry on.

I enjoy indulging in generic pointless whinges. :mad: The point is that steam is taking the long view on this and trying to move into a new space but it's dubious that this release is going to fill any great need in their user base.

Kur4mA · 11-09-2012 9:45am

Yes it will. I'm going to hook up to my TV to play around with it. From reading on Reddit and other sites, so are a lot of others so I don't get your point? Also, it's a beta and there are plans to change and improve it based on community feedback. There's a lot of talk and rumours that this is a test for a potential future console from Valve too.

Dyr · 11-09-2012 10:13am

kyub wrote: »

Yes it will. I'm going to hook up to my TV to play around with it. From reading on Reddit and other sites, so are a lot of others so I don't get your point?

I will wager that many/most PC gamer's won't have their gaming rig hooked up to the living room TV.

kyub wrote: »

There's a lot of talk and rumours that this is a test for a potential future console from Valve too.

Eh, that was my point, this is only a step towards something else.

Kiith · 12-09-2012 12:15pm

The beta has also added the option to change where you install your games. So no more having to move stuff from your SSD when it's full. About bloody time (even if it requires a tiny bit of work) :P

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/12/steam-finally-adds-choice-of-installation-drive/

Magill · 06-12-2012 10:04pm

Been messing about with this today.... so slick... really nice interface. This is what i wish the PS3 felt like.

What would be really awesome is if i could somehow have this playing on my TV thats hooked up via HDMI, while i played CS or whatever on my monitor... do it valve...

dreamers75 · 07-12-2012 1:02am

Magill wrote: »

What would be really awesome is if i could somehow have this playing on my TV thats hooked up via HDMI, while i played CS or whatever on my monitor... do it valve...

You can just the sound on the tv will be CS and whatever is playing.

Run your TV/Monitor in "extend these displays" then run your game windowed and drag to the monitor.

I play PES while kids watching movies, just turn off commentary

cherryghost · 07-12-2012 1:42am

Built a Steambox specifically for this. Mini PC to go beside my TV, works a treat

Magill · 07-12-2012 1:39pm

dreamers75 wrote: »

You can just the sound on the tv will be CS and whatever is playing.

Run your TV/Monitor in "extend these displays" then run your game windowed and drag to the monitor.

I play PES while kids watching movies, just turn off commentary

ahh, yeah i do that already. I've got a triple monitor setup atm (TV = 3rd monitor via hdmi). In some games you don't even have to turn the volume down ingame. I know some of the call of duties has ingame mixer settings, so you can have the movie coming out o the TV and gamesounds coming through a headset.

I meant more like playing 2 games at the same time. I know you can run 2 games in windows mode etc, but you can't split up the controls or keep both games focused etc. Would be great if say a mate could play batman using my xbox controller while i played whatever using my mouse and keyboard, would probably require some serious thread programming but im sure valve could manage it ! Would really take PC gaming to a new level i'd say. I can keep dreaming i guess.

Steam Big Picture Mode today?

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