Yep - native non-web interfaces too (there are still some web interfaces in BPM, but mostly ones that aren't used that often), works very well. pls valve, more native interfaces in the desktop client :3
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Steam big picture mode gets drastic redesign
- Thread starter Krejlooc
- Start date
Yep - native non-web interfaces too (there are still some web interfaces in BPM, but mostly ones that aren't used that often), works very well. pls valve, more native interfaces in the desktop client :3
brotkasten
Member
I really appreciate that and it does look really cool (especially the keyboard part), but like I said, watching movies is and remains a priority. Booting into BPM first, then scrolling endlessly or searching for XBMC and then fumbling around with a controller instead of a remote is a no-go for me. Although I should make it clear that I blame Kodi for the issues, rather than BPM. It's not that I couldn't get it to work but rather that I don't want to waste my time on a setup that could break any time I sneeze at it.
So easy to manage, and it shows you current listing prices too. I've found that, if I undercut the current market price by a penny, I can sell virtually any item within seconds.
I think after november, when the steam universe stuff officially launches, they might concentrate on the desktop client a bit more. It's been really exciting to see BPM get an overhaul recently, though.
If all you use is XBMC, then it'll always be the very first option under library, as it's the most recently played.
And I control BPM usually with an MCE remote. It works with remotes, not just game controllers.
JailDesigner
Member
I use BPM all the time and I sometimes have the taskbar over the entire interface (Win10).
Anyway, is there an option to go offline mode? It was removed long ago, it was on the logoff, shutdown, restart menu.
paperspace
Member
Why not just try it out?
Yeah, I've long assumed that the desktop client will get its own overhaul circa the official release of Steam Machines/SteamOS. Small cosmetic and usability changes aside, the current client is now over half a decade old.
Not any more, it seems. Like I said, it's still a work in progress. There is a menu under community called options that just says "Coming Soon" as an example. And some of the binding menus in the steam big picture mode still just display the field element's name (like steam_ui_bpm_left_bumper_text) instead of the correct description.
I hope they add the offline mode selection back in, along with the HDD management stuff. Way long ago, you used to be able to select which HDD to install to in BPM but that option has been gone for months now.
People mention this in every BPM thread, and this has never described my experience with BPM. BPM doesn't, and never did, constantly crash for me. Just like anything, it'll occasionally crash, but those are usually pretty rare. And I've been using BPM since the very day it was released as my primary shell replacement for windows. BPM has been my PC interface for years now at this point.
I should note that the primary PC I run BPM for gaming from is only used for games, it sits under my TV. It only runs steam, downloads games, and uses Kodi (which is connected to NAS drives on my network). So it never gets any sort of spy ware or things of that sort from browsing the internet.
This is a great update, just tried it out on my SteamOS HTPC. The animation and overall presentation is greatly improved. The layout is still functional, but I thought that was okay before, it's really the overall look and feel is much more polished. Hope I get my Steam controller soon, I pre-ordered on Day 1. Next 3 weeks are taking too long!
I'm not sure what you mean. The trailer show?
You can see trailers, and other videos people have uploaded per game on their status page. If you scroll down to videos, it'll search youtube for the game and return results. You can also watch live broadcasts of the game in the menu.
Are you saying Steam had a show built in that showed nothing but trailers?
Fried Food
Banned
Looks very cold. Not something I want to spend time in.
Navigating with the D-pad is not a good option right now. It'll skip over options you can click on.
Example would be the picture in the OP. You can interact with the very top bar (messages, music, settings, etc.) but it'll skip the middle row and go straight towards the bottom towards the games. You got to use the sticks to navigate through it correctly.
Edit: Using Xbox One controller.
Example would be the picture in the OP. You can interact with the very top bar (messages, music, settings, etc.) but it'll skip the middle row and go straight towards the bottom towards the games. You got to use the sticks to navigate through it correctly.
Edit: Using Xbox One controller.
brotkasten
Member
I'll definitely give it a try when I'm back at home, as I always do with new versions. It's just that the experience from the last few times didn't leave a good impression. Again, less because of BPM itself and more because XBMC/Kodi seems to make it needlessly hard.
Btw, are there any mentions of a background updating process in future versions? That would also help a lot with the user experience on Windows, especially when you're on the beta branch.
Hamster Plugin
Member
Very nice. Big Picture is quite useful for Nvidia Shield streaming, I have to try it out later.
Azure Dream
Member
Correct, there's a Trailer Channel that just plays them back-to-back.
Edit: Trailer TV, it's on the bottom row of categories when you first enter the store page.
Yep, it was buried in the BPM - you could start it and it would show trailer after trailer from different games. It would always crash after a few trailers though.
I haven't used it in a while and I'm not too sure where it was exactly, but I think it was in the row below the Store area.
Edit: What Azure Dream said.
Oh wow, I had never seen this before. Checking out Trailer TV right now.
I honestly haven't felt the need as I can do everything on my sofa with a mouse and keyboard. I was really surprised how everything scaled so well, on my TV. It was one of my concerns before I got into PC couch gaming.
jim-jam bongs
Member
Gosh
I think I shall opt in to this hotness.
I think I shall opt in to this hotness.
mntorankusu
Member
So happy to have a native interface for achievements now. It doesn't look great at the moment, but it's so much better than using the web browser already.
Jawmuncher
Member
I should try and mess with it again.
RealityCheque
Banned
Its as though they know we all have insurmountable backlogs and an uncontrollable compulsion to keep buying more games.
toadsworth
Banned
Will Steam Link be using big picture mode as well?
yup
NewVegasDog
Member
Ooo,that's definitely a much better looking UI than the old one.
Interfectum
Member
Looks very clinical.
It's a shell. It's meant to give your PC and steam an interface suitable for a television.
It's like a free, downloadable console UI.
SteamOS uses Big Picture Mode as it's Shell. SteamOS is the operating system, Big Picture Mode is the frontend.
SteamOS officially launches in November when the first retail steam machines hit the market.
Cool, does it by any chance attempt to get rid of instances where the desktop pops up while a game is loading? I love the concept of Steam's Big Picture, but with all due respect I find it lacking in polish and presentation. I mean, I figure it's probably a problem with Windows itself (or the games themselves), but I wish they'd find a way around it. When I'm in BP the last thing I want is to have the desktop/taskbar make a brief appaerance and ruin my immersion.
Even with this new beta update that the OP is pushing, its still does that to me. Some games do it, some don't....but you'll get a brief flash of the desktop because the game will start in windowed-mode....then pop into full screen and all my games are set to full screen.
It'll be interesting from a UI standpoint to see where Valves BPM mode ends up against MS Xbox/PC app on Windows 10's BPM for launching PC games through their client instead of Steam.
Dr. Zoidberg
Member
When I use the desktop client on my 1080P TV the text is tiny and hard to read, and the steam app ignores windows scaling settings. What's the EASIEST way to fix this problem? Is there a recommended theme?
I've read you can edit some file and do it manually but that's a really piss-poor solution from Valve.
That's true. The generic buttons and icons are really bland, especially with the lack of color and contrast.
LucidMomentum
Member
HNNNNNNNNG. With this I may be able to use the Steam Link as a mini streaming device for in-house media off my main Kodi HTPC.
Psyrgery ES
Member
Yeah! Finally!
Looks great
Looks great
Hero Prinny
Member
family_guy
Member
Because the regular client is so inviting.
Similar threads
- Locked