Valve publishes their own Linux Distribution

[smackababy]

Seriously? No company has done more and you can't give a single example. If you are right, I won't tell you you're wrong. I am ignorant to how Valve has done so much to PC gaming. What is it? Microtransactions? Hats? What could possibly be so important Valve has done to PC gaming? Now, examples please.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Tell that to their TF2 team, still updating the game nearly six years after release. Show me one other big name company that does that.

Don't be naive, they are only providing updates so the game stays relevant and attracts more players and keeps the existing ones. More players means more people buying items which equals more profit. Valve themselves said ever since making TF2 Free-2-Play, TF2 has made them more money. They didn't make it F2P just to be nice. Valve is a business. They want to make money.

 

[irishScott]

Seriously? No company has done more and you can't give a single example. If you are right, I won't tell you you're wrong. I am ignorant to how Valve has done so much to PC gaming. What is it? Microtransactions? Hats? What could possibly be so important Valve has done to PC gaming? Now, examples please.

No. You're too stupid to understand them.

You'd poo poo the significance of the theory of relativity because E=mc^2 is a simple equation.

Likewise you also think I'm comparing Gabe Newell to Einstein, although I have made no such comparison.

 

[Texashiker]

If you are right, I won't tell you you're wrong. I am ignorant to how Valve has done so much to PC gaming. What is it?

Wikipedia is your friend.

 

[Maximilian]

Don't be naive, they are only providing updates so the game stays relevant and attracts more players and keeps the existing ones. More players means more people buying items which equals more profit. Valve themselves said ever since making TF2 Free-2-Play, TF2 has made them more money. They didn't make it F2P just to be nice. Valve is a business. They want to make money.

Correct, but unlike so many other businesses with the same goal valve aren't complete dicks about it. Rarely do you hear of valve screwing over their customers, rarely do you hear of valve running a franchise to the ground, rarely do you hear of valve... this list could go on for quite a while, you get the idea.

 

[Maximilian]

Seriously? No company has done more and you can't give a single example. If you are right, I won't tell you you're wrong. I am ignorant to how Valve has done so much to PC gaming. What is it? Microtransactions? Hats? What could possibly be so important Valve has done to PC gaming? Now, examples please.

Ugh... yeah what irish said...

If you don't know what valve has done for PC gaming you are not a PC gamer and its a waste of time explaining why valve = awesome.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Correct, but unlike so many other businesses with the same goal valve aren't complete dicks about it. Rarely do you hear of valve screwing over their customers, rarely do you hear of valve running a franchise to the ground, rarely do you hear of valve... this list could go on for quite a while, you get the idea.

That is because Valve figured out that maintaining a good reputation with their customers and gifting a cheap digital copy of a game whenever something goes wrong will gain you loyal customers. This is a good thing though. Valve doesn't run franchises in the ground because they do not really release many games to begin with.

Valve isn't necessarily a good company, just a smart one.

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

Well, let's not give them too much credit on TF2. An awful lot of their constant support is essentially cherry picking models and maps provided by the community, or getting other companies to provide such for use as pre-order bonuses on Steam.

They've made no secret that they've made quite a bit of money off the Mann Co. Store, and the ability to make a lot of money off of something other people produce in great quantities at no cost to you - well, keeping that isn't so much as supporting a legacy game as it is recognizing a cash cow.

It's not been completely hands off by Valve - Mann vs. Machine shows you that - but it's not as if they're doing this out of the kindness of their hearts.

 

[Skel]

That is because Valve figured out that maintaining a good reputation with their customers and gifting a cheap digital copy of a game whenever something goes wrong will gain you loyal customers. This is a good thing though. Valve doesn't run franchises in the ground because they do not really release many games to begin with.

Valve isn't necessarily a good company, just a smart one.

I'd agree with that. I'm not a Valve fan by any means, but I'll def agree that they're not stupid. Sadly PC Gaming as we know it is slowing dying, most companies are looking to get out of what we've all grown up with, the desktop PC. It's not going to happen soon, but it's already shrinking and will continue to do so as tablets and other devices start closing in on power. You combine that with cloud computing and it doesn't look good for the tower I have sitting next to me. Valve is seeing a major provider of the desktop starting it's walk away from it, and is smart to start looking at ways to keep it going for a while. It's a really good move to place themselves in that nitch market. If MS walks away from PCs as we know it, they will be a vacuum. Of course the flip side to this is it's only staying off the inevitable. I'm sure that's why they're also looking at consoles with Steam box and other stuff I haven't heard of. I don't think it's a case of Valve saving us from Microsoft, it's more of them attempting to prepare for when MS leaves what we call the PC world.

 

[Dumac]

Valve isn't necessarily a good company, just a smart one.

This really is true.

I'd also say EA isn't necessarily an evil company, just a dumb one.

 

[smackababy]

Exactly, none of you will name an example. Let's try okay? HL1 was innovative 15 years ago. Source Engine I guess could be called innovative, but HL2 didn't innovate. Sure, it had a new story and the physics were the same silly puzzles. After that what have the done besides Steam? CS? Someone else made that. Left4Dead? Oh, they replaced Combine with zombies. No innovation. It is about as much of a zombie survival game as CoD is a military survival game. TF2? Sorry, someone made that one first too. Portal? I suppose an innovating in continuing motion through portals. Microtransactions? I don't think they were the first to do that. Dota 2? Nope, updating the graphics and making it not 800x600 anymore isn't innovation.

Realistically, they only changed gaming 15 years ago by showing people you can have physics modeled in a game engine.

I understand you fanboys get upset someone says your idol isn't a god, but you can't say they innovate. They do, when they actually get around to it, make good games. Nobody is accusing them of not doing that. However, they haven't innovated nearly as much as you guys are claiming. If I am missing something, please do tell me.

 

[Jodell88]

Exactly, none of you will name an example. Let's try okay? HL1 was innovative 15 years ago. Source Engine I guess could be called innovative, but HL2 didn't innovate. Sure, it had a new story and the physics were the same silly puzzles. After that what have the done besides Steam? CS? Someone else made that. Left4Dead? Oh, they replaced Combine with zombies. No innovation. It is about as much of a zombie survival game as CoD is a military survival game. TF2? Sorry, someone made that one first too. Portal? I suppose an innovating in continuing motion through portals. Microtransactions? I don't think they were the first to do that. Dota 2? Nope, updating the graphics and making it not 800x600 anymore isn't innovation.

Realistically, they only changed gaming 15 years ago by showing people you can have physics modeled in a game engine.

I understand you fanboys get upset someone says your idol isn't a god, but you can't say they innovate. They do, when they actually get around to it, make good games. Nobody is accusing them of not doing that. However, they haven't innovated nearly as much as you guys are claiming. If I am missing something, please do tell me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_(software)

 

[Dumac]

After that what have the done besides Steam?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_(software)

Lol

 

[Texashiker]

Exactly, none of you will name an example. Let's try okay? HL1 was innovative 15 years ago. Source Engine I guess could be called innovative, but HL2 didn't innovate. Sure, it had a new story and the physics were the same silly puzzles. After that what have the done besides Steam? CS? Someone else made that. Left4Dead? Oh, they replaced Combine with zombies. No innovation. It is about as much of a zombie survival game as CoD is a military survival game.

You are grasping at straws.

Just from the left 4 dead example it is clear you have no idea what you are talking about.

smackababy, when you get a chance, post a link to your steam community profile. Here is mine- http://steamcommunity.com/id/old-school-player

I joined Steam the day half-life 2 was released.

 

[irishScott]

Exactly, none of you will name an example. Let's try okay? HL1 was innovative 15 years ago. Source Engine I guess could be called innovative, but HL2 didn't innovate. Sure, it had a new story and the physics were the same silly puzzles. After that what have the done besides Steam? CS? Someone else made that. Left4Dead? Oh, they replaced Combine with zombies. No innovation. It is about as much of a zombie survival game as CoD is a military survival game. TF2? Sorry, someone made that one first too. Portal? I suppose an innovating in continuing motion through portals. Microtransactions? I don't think they were the first to do that. Dota 2? Nope, updating the graphics and making it not 800x600 anymore isn't innovation.

Realistically, they only changed gaming 15 years ago by showing people you can have physics modeled in a game engine.

I understand you fanboys get upset someone says your idol isn't a god, but you can't say they innovate. They do, when they actually get around to it, make good games. Nobody is accusing them of not doing that. However, they haven't innovated nearly as much as you guys are claiming. If I am missing something, please do tell me.

Left4Dead just replaced combine with zombies? You've clearly never played HL, HL2 or L4D. Your other examples are also stupid.

You're that crazy hobo who tells everyone the sky is plastic. It's not worth it to explain it to him, you just keep walking.

 

[irishScott]

Lol

Still valid. By smackababy's logic Apple isn't innovative because smart-phones were around before the iPhone.

 

[Dumac]

Still valid. By smackababy's logic Apple isn't innovative because smart-phones were around before the iPhone.

I was just pointing out the uselessness of Jodell's reply. smackababy obviously already knows about Steam - who doesn't?

I like Valve, and I love steam, but I wouldn't call them innovative as a game developer.

HL2: Ep1/2 were, IMO, disappointingly mediocre and took way too long to come out. Counter strike, team fortress, portal, and left 4 dead all originated externally, so the innovation didn't really take place at Valve.

Where Valve does innovate is as a content distributor (Steam) and a publisher/guiding developer. They can acquire a good idea (CS, TF, Portal, and L4D), apply Valve polish, and help the idea flourish into a success. This is the opposite of EA, who takes an idea or talent pool and grinds it into nothingness.

Because of Valve's talent residing in its intelligent business planning and product management, I would be interesting in any physical product that Valve put out.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Your credibility is slipping with every post.

Gabe, steam, valve,,, have given gamers something companies like ea, id and activision never could or would.

Gabe is a visionary. If he says he is going to bring steam to linux, then I hope he holds true to his word.

If steam never happened someone would have done digital distribution on PC. Don't act as if it would never happen because...well, there are other distribution options and if Steam were never around you'd be using them instead.

Gabe whined about stuff he thought would happen with Windows 8. None of it happened, nobody locked Steam out, nobody blocked games, nothing changed except a new UI that loads up at first boot (and even that can be changed for free in 20 seconds). He says he hates Microsoft but in reality he is jealous of Microsoft and wants to be them. He wants to produce a console, he wants an OS with his name on it.

He can't even count to 3 though.

 

[smackababy]

Still valid. By smackababy's logic Apple isn't innovative because smart-phones were around before the iPhone.

Apple innovated with the iPhone yes. The iPod, nope. The only thing innovative about the iPod was the marketing behind it.

What was innovative about L4D? It was a generic shooter that had you killing hordes of zombies instead of soldiers. Nothing really special. There was nothing special about any of the elements of the game except that it was done well. Different types of guns and ammo? It was a first person Resident Evil 4 without the puzzles.

I love how all of you are so upset Valve didn't innovate anything in the past 15 years that doesn't involve Steam. It is a marketplace for buying games. Oh wow, a GameStop on the internet. They are so innovative!

 

[dougp]

You are grasping at straws.

Just from the left 4 dead example it is clear you have no idea what you are talking about.

smackababy, when you get a chance, post a link to your steam community profile. Here is mine- http://steamcommunity.com/id/old-school-player

I joined Steam the day half-life 2 was released.

Good for you. I joined Steam when it was in beta, along with CS1.6 and I was playing competitively - over a year before you. http://steamcommunity.com/id/iamdougp/

My user ID is still an email address - WHICH I CAN'T EVEN CHANGE. Tell me, why is it so hard to adjust something like that? I mean, the almighty Valve can't change a fucking table property. Oh yes, Mr. Holier Than Thou PC Gamer who played 3.6hrs of games on the All-might Steam in the past two weeks vs. Mr. Microsoft here who played 12.3hrs in the past two weeks.

As for L4D, sorry, but it wasn't developed by Valve - they purchased the developer 11 months before the game was released, BUT OVER TWO YEARS AFTER IT WAS ANNOUNCED. Portal? Same thing - the development team was hired after their freeware game was spotted. These are not innovations by Newell or Valve as you're giving them credit for.

 

[irishScott]

If steam never happened someone would have done digital distribution on PC. Don't act as if it would never happen because...well, there are other distribution options and if Steam were never around you'd be using them instead.

Gabe whined about stuff he thought would happen with Windows 8. None of it happened, nobody locked Steam out, nobody blocked games, nothing changed except a new UI that loads up at first boot (and even that can be changed for free in 20 seconds). He says he hates Microsoft but in reality he is jealous of Microsoft and wants to be them. He wants to produce a console, he wants an OS with his name on it.

He can't even count to 3 though.

You can say that about anything from the light bulb to the atomic bomb to facebook. Fact is Gabe was the first to make it successful, and it shows in the sales numbers.

And Windows Blue (or Windows 8 SP1 as some call it) has been leaked already. Microsoft is clearly moving away from the Desktop and is trying to carve out its own ecosystem. Gabe may be wrong about the time table, but there's no mistaking MS's intentions.

As for Gabe being jealous, you know him personally or something? Because with the amount of money Valve rakes in and the amount Gabe personally makes, I don't see how he has much to be jealous of. Wanting a console is just sound business sense, and wanting his own customized OS? Makes perfect sense if one is developing a console.

You sound like a Gabe hater. Come back when you have some reason other than assumptions about the motivations of a perfect stranger.

 

[cmdrdredd]

You can say that about anything from the light bulb to the atomic bomb to facebook. Fact is Gabe was the first to make it successful, and it shows in the sales numbers.

And Windows Blue (or Windows 8 SP1 as some call it) has been leaked already. Microsoft is clearly moving away from the Desktop and is trying to carve out its own ecosystem. Gabe may be wrong about the time table, but there's no mistaking MS's intentions.

As for Gabe being jealous, you know him personally or something? Because with the amount of money Valve rakes in and the amount Gabe personally makes, I don't see how he has much to be jealous of. Wanting a console is just sound business sense, and wanting his own customized OS? Makes perfect sense if one is developing a console.

You sound like a Gabe hater. Come back when you have some reason other than assumptions about the motivations of a perfect stranger.

People in glass houses...

BTW: It's Windows 8.1 not a service pack. Microsoft is actually moving toward what Apple does. Small updates released on disk for cheap instead of service packs between major releases for a lot of money. They probably figure people will pay $30 each year rather than $200 every 3 or so. It still includes desktop and one of the new features is the tile sizes. You can make them as small as a thumbnail to put more on screen but the thing that caught my attention was the supersize option that only applies to the desktop tile. Probably a way to highlight to people "hey guys click me to get out of this UI and go to your deskotop!"

 

[Texashiker]

Oh yes, Mr. Holier Than Thou PC Gamer who played 3.6hrs of games on the All-might Steam in the past two weeks vs. Mr. Microsoft here who played 12.3hrs in the past two weeks.

Butthurt that your most played game is Just Cause 2 with only 19.2 hrs on record?

 

[irishScott]

People in glass houses...

BTW: It's Windows 8.1 not a service pack. Microsoft is actually moving toward what Apple does. Small updates released on disk for cheap instead of service packs between major releases for a lot of money. They probably figure people will pay $30 each year rather than $200 every 3 or so.

An irrelevant saying and an inaccurate nitpick. In fact, you know by invoking "people in glass houses", the full version of which is "people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones", you admit that you've misjudged Gabe's motivations and are lambasting me for doing the same.

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/People+who+live+in+glass+houses+shouldn't+throw+stones

But I'll just assume you don't know what you're saying and that was a failed comeback.

Also I said SP1 is what some people call it, not what I call it. It was also the nature of the update I was referring to. Many updates to the metro interface and live tiles with barely a scratch on the Desktop portion. Microsoft clearly wants to shift focus from the Desktop.

All of which is irrelevant. Your only support for your arguments is your own crystal ball that you can't even begin to explain. You expect us to take that seriously?

 

[smackababy]

Butthurt that your most played game is Just Cause 2 with only 19.2 hrs on record?

Oh no! You played more games on Steam than someone else. Your opinion on innovation in PC gaming clear matters more! Exactly... You are trying to divert the argument because you STILL have yet to give any reasons why anything Valve has done was innovative or why you think Windows 8 sucks besides some anecdotal evidence of your old mother being technologically ignorant and refusing to learn new things.