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TouchArcade Goes Hands-On With Valve's Steam Link App: 'This is the Killer App for iOS Devices'
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It’s interesting that Moonlight wasn’t mentioned. I tried that for a while, but MFI controllers have fewer buttons than XBOX/PS4/Switch, so playing games that required the buttons under the analogue sticks for instance was just annoying. This looks like a better solution overall and I’m interested. Might even consider a Steam Controller as the connection seems so seamless.
Moonlight is the real killer app since you don't have to be tethered to your home wifi. Only problem is using MFi controller with no L3/R3 support.
More likely Apple would happily take the opportunity to eliminate the 'Games' category, as we all know of their dislike for such things on Apple devices.
Meanwhile the streaming device presents a perfect opportunity to sell an extra *cough* computer, as people will obviously be looking for a umm... powerful oh... headless uh... gaming hmm... compact unit that can play the latest games on both Mac and PC platforms...
Perfect opportunity for the high-end Mac mini, or Modular Mac, or even Mac Pro...
If any of these were actually available.
Oh, Apple. You dun goofed.
I'm a relatively avid gamer and use Steam In-Home streaming just for the occasional "casual" style game or for when I just don't want to take time to immerse myself completely (game rig is setup for stereoscopic gaming and racing-sims, so it's the whole chair and getting the FFB wheel and pedals out of the way if I'm playing anything except a racing sim, and 3D glasses and all that - it's a bit of a process...) So for the occasional hop into Life is Strange or FO4 or something like that streaming from gaming rig to my MBP or a truly ancient Mac Mini hooked to a 1080p TV set all works pretty well at high resolutions. BUT, the downside is that Steam itself is part of this whole equation - and Steam forces self-updates, and game-updates, something which all-too-often breaks things even without in-home streaming thrown into the mix. As an example, the XBone bluetooth controller works with the Mac "out of the box" no problem, or, at least it used to. A recent update to the Steam client broke this and they still haven't fixed it! Only solution? To manually roll back the Mac client before launching it every... single... time... Why every time? Because there is no (reasonable - I expect you could figure out a way to blacklist the Steam update server with something like Little Snitch) way to prevent the Steam client from immediately contacting the update servers, downloading the damn update you don't want, and then installing it the very next time you launch the Steam client. Just do a little research on how much Steam users *hate* the forced updates and you'll see just how big a problem this is.
So yeah, this might be great, or it might be a major pain-in-the-arse of waiting around for Valve to fix stuff that they keep breaking...
So yeah, this might be great, or it might be a major pain-in-the-arse of waiting around for Valve to fix stuff that they keep breaking...
I have my PC connected to my livingroom 4K TV. This app is great for when my wife wants to watch cable on the same TV, then i could just go in the other room with my ipad and steam controller and stream behind the scenes. For situations like this, this app is a game changer.
I agree. MFI controllers are ok, but the lack of the thumb buttons is a major oversight (e.g. "feature") by Apple. I hope that Apple does not block the app and that moonlight gets an update to be compatible with the steam controller. The extra plus of moonlight is that I can use the PS4 remote app from my iPad.
This is more useful for people with roommates or families that may be sharing devices. I don’t really see the purpose of this for those that always have access to all of their equipment. Still the more options people have the better.
I don’t get how so many people don’t understand how handy this can be? I have no gaming capable laptops.. I have a very beefy gaming desktop with a huge steam library. My iPad + a decent Bluetooth controller can now play my high performance games anywhere around the house, or even in the garden. To get a laptop that has even approaching this gaming performance I’d have to pay a lot.. Now I can do it more portably with stuff I already have around the house.
The latency is fine, I’ve streamed between my computers over the lan. Some games I can imagine playing on my phone too.
I completed a significant amount of PS4 Assassins Creed 4 remotely - away from my home - using WiFi, on a PS Vita. This sort of tech is pretty awesome.
The latency is fine, I’ve streamed between my computers over the lan. Some games I can imagine playing on my phone too.
I completed a significant amount of PS4 Assassins Creed 4 remotely - away from my home - using WiFi, on a PS Vita. This sort of tech is pretty awesome.
My host computer is a beast with a gorgeous 27" IPS 144hz gsync display. It's hardwired to an ac3100.
On the other end I have an atv 4k hardwired into the same router and it's connected to a 55" 4K tv. This new link app does support 4K streaming and I can use my desired controller for it.
I don't imagine Civilization would be a great game to play over this, but something like Mad Max or Borderlands which both do well with controllers would be a fun time.
So if I understand this correctly - I can play my Steam PC games (eg the RTS game Company of Heroes 2) on my Apple TV but with some crazy control system instead of a mouse and keyboard and it is likely to be laggy as hell?
Even though the experience may not be perfect - it will still be possible?
Even though the experience may not be perfect - it will still be possible?
You might be able to use a keyboard and mouse if they’re wireless and their range is long enough.
I don’t use steam link, but I have used steam streaming to a laptop, and the lag is fine for many games, imperceptible often.
Personally i use a reallllllllllly long hdmi cable and a realllllllly long usb cable with a usb hub plugged into it, so I get pc games in living room and office, but that’s not practical for a lot of people.
I dont think they can.. In the same way that they don’t ban the kindle and comixology apps. Purchases are technically taking place outside of the iOS app itself.
Weirdly you can make purchases within the main steam iOS app anyway, so valve must have found a loophole there.