7 ms·

The controller is one of the few things I would buy from Valve( I'm assuming it works stand-alone on a PC )[edit]. Unfortunately I can't even consider buying th

by axcocq 11y ago

The controller is one of the few things I would buy from Valve( I'm assuming it works stand-alone on a PC )[edit]. Unfortunately I can't even consider buying their games or operating system due to the built-in DRM and/or forcing Steam usage. [edit]:It requires "Big Picture Mode", which in turn requires Steam to be installed. Sigh...

madez 11y ago
I'm pretty sure it will also work without Steam, though you'd need other software to configure it.
- yoklov 11y ago
  Not sure. We have an early version of one where I work (game dev), and to my knowledge it requires the steam DLL, and doesn't expose XInput/DirectInput bindings (I wasn't the one who added support for it, so this could be a lie, and it could have changed by now).
  - pfranz 11y ago
    I wouldn't be surprised if it was similar to Wacom tablets. Wacom tablets out of the box you get a generic pointing device (a mouse input). If you want the touch/tilt sensitivity you need to install their drivers. This was on Linux years ago, so my memory could be wrong or things might have changed. It actually makes it a bit confusing because you can't tell if you're getting a pointing device or a pressure sensitive output easily.
ryan-allen 11y ago
Steam ain't that bad. It's better than buying titles for consoles. DRM is usually forced on you by 3rd parties, as far as I know Valve titles don't ship with DRM, but you do need to use Steam to take delivery of the game. It's a small price to pay, and a huge convenience.
- axcocq 11y ago
  It ain't bad or better than X, isn't a defense. Steam in itself is DRM. You can't run games without it. There are very few exceptions where you can. You must be online to use it, unless you manually specify offline mode( you must be online to do this ). It is a price I choose not to pay.
  - madez 11y ago
    Just in case you didn't know it already, there is https://www.humblebundle.com/ https://www.humblebundle.com/ . It's a shop with a lot of drm-free titles and let's you download the games over http(s).
    - ccoggins 11y ago
      Also https://www.gog.com https://www.gog.com . Their titles are all DRM free and they regularly have some good sales.
    - Paul_S 11y ago
      humble indie bundle sell a lot of steam keys lately. Lately being last couple of years. Only at the very beginning did they actually care about DRM (or Linux support). GOG are the only people who do it right.
  - veb 11y ago
    Steam may have DRM but they implement DRM properly. That's the difference. Most companies who implement and force DRM on their games don't do it right, and causes issues for the end user, and makes their gaming experience rather shit. Steam makes it easy to search for games, to download them, and to play them. The Steam platform is easy, fast and it just works. It's the same reason Netflix took off - they take out all the hassle, and give you a great experience. I don't hear people complaining that they can't watch Netflix ... without Netflix.
    - axcocq 11y ago
      It doesn't matter how is it implemented and what is your definition of properly. You need to access their servers to play the game. This introduces problems or privacy, security and the right to play the bought game in the future. You last sentence is a nonsensical. Of course you don't hear people complain they can't watch Netflix without Netflix. But they do complain you can't watch Netflix. Notice the difference? Sorry, Netflix is not available in your country yet.
axcocq 11y ago
I couldn't update my comment so here is the citation from Valve's site. http://store.steampowered.com/app/353370 http://store.steampowered.com/app/353370 Requirements A Steam Machine or other computer capable of running Steam Big Picture Mode, in order to view, edit, save, and share Steam Controller mappings.* Big Picture Mode requires Steam to function. http://store.steampowered.com/bigpicture http://store.steampowered.com/bigpicture
antihero 11y ago
You're angry because the SteamMachines are built around Steam?

by axcocq 11y ago

madez 11y ago

I'm pretty sure it will also work without Steam, though you'd need other software to configure it.

yoklov 11y ago
Not sure. We have an early version of one where I work (game dev), and to my knowledge it requires the steam DLL, and doesn't expose XInput/DirectInput bindings (I wasn't the one who added support for it, so this could be a lie, and it could have changed by now).
- pfranz 11y ago
  I wouldn't be surprised if it was similar to Wacom tablets. Wacom tablets out of the box you get a generic pointing device (a mouse input). If you want the touch/tilt sensitivity you need to install their drivers. This was on Linux years ago, so my memory could be wrong or things might have changed. It actually makes it a bit confusing because you can't tell if you're getting a pointing device or a pressure sensitive output easily.

ryan-allen 11y ago

Steam ain't that bad. It's better than buying titles for consoles. DRM is usually forced on you by 3rd parties, as far as I know Valve titles don't ship with DRM, but you do need to use Steam to take delivery of the game. It's a small price to pay, and a huge convenience.

axcocq 11y ago
It ain't bad or better than X, isn't a defense. Steam in itself is DRM. You can't run games without it. There are very few exceptions where you can. You must be online to use it, unless you manually specify offline mode( you must be online to do this ). It is a price I choose not to pay.
- madez 11y ago
  Just in case you didn't know it already, there is https://www.humblebundle.com/ https://www.humblebundle.com/ . It's a shop with a lot of drm-free titles and let's you download the games over http(s).
  - ccoggins 11y ago
    Also https://www.gog.com https://www.gog.com . Their titles are all DRM free and they regularly have some good sales.
  - Paul_S 11y ago
    humble indie bundle sell a lot of steam keys lately. Lately being last couple of years. Only at the very beginning did they actually care about DRM (or Linux support). GOG are the only people who do it right.
- veb 11y ago
  Steam may have DRM but they implement DRM properly. That's the difference. Most companies who implement and force DRM on their games don't do it right, and causes issues for the end user, and makes their gaming experience rather shit. Steam makes it easy to search for games, to download them, and to play them. The Steam platform is easy, fast and it just works. It's the same reason Netflix took off - they take out all the hassle, and give you a great experience. I don't hear people complaining that they can't watch Netflix ... without Netflix.
  - axcocq 11y ago
    It doesn't matter how is it implemented and what is your definition of properly. You need to access their servers to play the game. This introduces problems or privacy, security and the right to play the bought game in the future. You last sentence is a nonsensical. Of course you don't hear people complain they can't watch Netflix without Netflix. But they do complain you can't watch Netflix. Notice the difference? Sorry, Netflix is not available in your country yet.

axcocq 11y ago

I couldn't update my comment so here is the citation from Valve's site. http://store.steampowered.com/app/353370 http://store.steampowered.com/app/353370 Requirements A Steam Machine or other computer capable of running Steam Big Picture Mode, in order to view, edit, save, and share Steam Controller mappings.* Big Picture Mode requires Steam to function. http://store.steampowered.com/bigpicture http://store.steampowered.com/bigpicture

antihero 11y ago

You're angry because the SteamMachines are built around Steam?