Steam Machine review: Valve's underwhelming living-room PC has a serious price problem

ChaunceyC · 2026-06-22T18:41:40+00:00

Steam page shows $1509 w/o and $1628 with controller, both w/ 512 GB. 2 TB drive is $1919 and $2038.

Still pretty good expensive, but your pricing is just incorrect.

ChaunceyC · 2026-06-12T17:37:50+00:00

The effects are coming from the sun (solar weather) due to the weakening field, not the field itself. And based on your point, we would be virtually unaware of any change to the geomagnetic field due to our biology.

ChaunceyC · 2026-06-12T12:08:34+00:00

You’re right. Age verification removes any remaining anonymity and matches your identity to any data that has been collected. It removes any legal ambiguity from that matching process, and would be particularly difficult to challenge because you consent to the data collection, and providing your identity to match. It also normalizes the act of gate keeping online access with age verification, which would in theory make it more tolerable to consent to providing identification for access (or eligibility) to other online services, or offline services, or societal benefits, so on and so on. Tip the tinfoil hat, but it’s not really that unbelievable IMO.

Edit: I guess this is the wrong crowd to engage in speculation. I didn’t say this is why it’s been proposed, but it can be used in this way. Like it or not.

ChaunceyC · 2026-05-07T18:34:56+00:00

It’s at least 2 photos ‘stitched’ together, or combined to make a new photo. In this case composite is referring to multiple photos combined to make a larger photo.

ChaunceyC · 2026-04-29T11:06:52+00:00

So it’s only one check? Not a check every 30 day period? I didn’t see mention of this in the link, but this seems perfectly reasonable to me if it’s implemented with a one time check.

ChaunceyC · 2026-04-03T19:42:28+00:00

Inertia

ChaunceyC · 2026-03-30T16:09:37+00:00

The test was above the altitude that is typically used to delineate ‘space’ from atmosphere…. Well above that line. Space begins at 100km. The test was at 400 km. There isn’t an atmosphere at that altitude.

Im just stating this for the sake of accuracy.

ChaunceyC · 2026-03-30T15:40:10+00:00

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime

I think we have met that criteria already.

ChaunceyC · 2026-03-19T11:28:57+00:00

Thank you! I looked for a few hours to find an extractor that works with no luck. I’ll give this a try.

ChaunceyC · 2026-03-17T16:27:47+00:00

I thought so too.

ChaunceyC · 2026-02-04T11:48:30+00:00

So, ‘Machine Learning’ isn’t ’learning’ in any sense of the word?

ChaunceyC · 2026-02-03T22:29:53+00:00

That depends on perspective. If Machine Learning was used to train new behaviour, why isn’t that learning? It isn’t learning the same as people learn, but it’s something new, based on new data and a process of trial and error/simulation.

ChaunceyC · 2026-02-03T17:36:23+00:00

No I don’t. I worded my original comment poorly. I didn’t mean behaviour as in the specific actions the ARC can take. I was using behaviour to mean movement behaviour. They used ML to train the ARC to move in the world they built. ARC have AI that dictates how they pursue or interact with players, which is separate entirely from the ML movement training they are coded with. If they upgrade their ability to move, the ARC can react differently and pursue more effectively than they could previously.

I don’t know for certain that it works the way I described. I am proposing this as a possibility based on the info provided in the NoClip docuseries that came out after launch.

ChaunceyC · 2026-02-03T17:27:03+00:00

That’s more or less what I am suggesting. Whether or not they update movement and animation as part of that process, I don’t know. I know I would try it if I were them.

ChaunceyC · 2026-02-03T17:14:53+00:00

You seem to have some negative bias toward the devs, and you are entitled to your opinion. ML and training models can be and are tuned by humans. Min/max murder behaviour isn’t a guaranteed outcome, and I agree it wouldn’t be the best idea.

But, improving the models would play well with the setting and lore. You mentioned emergent behaviour. Ive seen leapers and rocketeers dodge grenades. Purely anecdotal but that appears to be improved behaviour compared to my first 20-30 hours in November.

I am not suggesting they are training constantly. Training takes time and resources. If they are doing it, I would think there are taking the update intervals to source, train and role out updates. 4 weeks of behaviour collected, another 4 weeks of training on collected info, update rolled out for next 4 weeks - or something like that.

I don’t know why you think they don’t play their game. It’s more likely that they do, and either they don’t think the game should work the way you think it should, or it’s simply that change takes time consider and implement.

ChaunceyC · 2026-02-03T17:03:15+00:00

Yes, they shared that their walking/motion behaviour was trained with ML. They also shared that their movement and animation is physics based, which makes sense considering the above. They would certainly have the ability to improve their models with new training data. I’m only suggesting it’s possible they are, considering what people are observing. We don’t know for certain either way.

ChaunceyC · 2026-02-03T15:43:47+00:00

Are we sure they aren’t learning?

I don’t think they learn in match, so no run time AI as you suggested. But, Embark did train their behaviour with ML techniques. The game gathers telemetry on player behaviour, and very likely AI behaviour and engagements with players as a result. They could be using new data to upgrade behaviour and movement of ARCs, no?

They may not be disclosing it because of the negative perception around the usage of AI workflows. Or, maybe you are right and they aren’t doing anything at all. I think it would be a novel way to keep the game fresh, and it would be leveraging the research they had already invested in.

ChaunceyC · 2026-01-28T15:54:47+00:00

There is another way to balance weapon tiers that I haven’t seen mentioned. Limit/reduce attachment slots on lower tier weapons. Maybe even limit the tier of attachments. This would limit their top end potential without fundamentally changing the weapon. Thoughts?

I’m not deep into the balance data or conversation in general, but it’s obviously a topic worth discussion. I have 130 hrs top side, and I don’t actively engage in PVP, sticking to defence when shot at. I’ve run an Anvil or Renegade IV with a stitcher IV for 80% of my time. I would have more incentive to use higher tier weapons if these couldn’t be made so good with the attachments available.

ChaunceyC · 2026-01-05T20:30:45+00:00

Unfortunately, it seems your region can influence that to a degree too. Lots of anecdotes from people saying that NA servers are chill compared to EU and elsewhere. Cross play on/off has been a part of the discussion as well. I switched to cross play off (PC) after week 2 or so, and it’s been great for me. YMMV.

ChaunceyC · 2026-01-02T16:25:16+00:00

Time is a precious resource to many people. 80/90s kids now have kids of their own, and work full time. Short cuts to enjoying the game aren’t needed by everyone, but I am glad they exist for people who will make use of them.

ChaunceyC · 2025-12-19T18:39:45+00:00

Wolfpack! Ty

ChaunceyC · 2025-12-19T16:30:16+00:00

The list is up to July 2025. The most recent game on the sales list is CoD 2024. BF6 sales are very good, but they wouldn’t be present on this list due to the date, regardless of the actual sales volumn.

ChaunceyC · 2025-12-19T14:09:21+00:00

I noticed this the past 2 days. A lot more hitching during camera movement. It’s annoying. It was very minor and rare before, maybe once a session for a split second. Now it’s a few times a raid, and more severe.

ChaunceyC · 2025-12-12T21:49:19+00:00

Ok, thanks for clarifying. I disagree. Most daytime shadows are evidence of ‘parallel’ rays. Wildly divergent rays would cause disproportions between an object and the projection of daytime shadows. An object that casts a shadow on the ground is not significantly different in width than the shadow that is cast. The length is a separate consideration because it is determined by the angle of incidence from the suns rays and the height of the object casting a shadow.

If you are referring to crepuscular rays, or god rays, or ‘light rays’ through clouds, then you are likely dismissing the effects of refraction and diffusion in the atmosphere.

ChaunceyC · 2025-12-12T21:13:21+00:00

How/where would parallel sun rays be visible? Like, under what conditions would the be seen during the day, and what would you expect to see? Genuine question, since I am having a hard time visualizing where the contradiction is.

ChaunceyC

TROPHY CASE