Steamworks
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Steam's Remote Play Together brings any local multiplayer game online
Steam is set to offer a new feature that'll make multiplayer games a more communal experience. Called "Remote Play Together," the feature is designed for shared-screen and split-screen games -- it streams your screen to a friend while capturing their input and streaming it back to you. As Valve's Alden Kroll says, "You are both playing the same game, looking at the same thing." So it's like playing together in the same room, without being in the same room.
Steam partners can use Valve's network to speed up game traffic
Don't be surprised if the online performance of some Steam games happens to get a boost. Valve has released a software framework that lets Steam partners make use of its network. The move should improve the connection quality (including lower lag), guarantee better support for home routers and protect players against denial of service attacks with anonymized traffic and more resilient systems.
Steam now requires that game makers show real screenshots
Have you ever been duped into buying a game on Steam that looked good in the store preview, but was nowhere near as exciting when you sat down to play? Valve wants to put a stop to that. The company is telling Steamworks users that, once the developer tool's Discovery Update 2.0 arrives, all games on Steam will have to use in-game screenshots for their store image galleries. As Polygon notes, it's a simple matter of truth in advertising: Valve wants would-be buyers to know what it's really like to play, not just stare at concept art. It can be "harder for customers to understand" what they're getting without actual in-game content, Valve's Alden Kroll says.
Praise the Sun: Dark Souls Steamworks update now available
Following a short delay, developer From Software has issued an update for the PC's Dark Souls Prepare to Die Edition that replaces its native Games for Windows Live functionality with a full suite of Steamworks components. Additionally, from now until February 16, 2015, players will be able to transfer and update their original Dark Souls saves and achievements from Games for Windows Live to the new Steamworks version of the game. A full walkthrough on how to transfer your existing data is available on Steam. After February 16, the Steamworks version of Dark Souls Prepare to Die Edition will become the default version of the game and save transfers will no longer be possible. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Red Faction: Guerrilla opens Steamworks public beta
Red Faction: Guerrilla is the latest game to completely shed its Games for Windows Live coat, and will now begin testing full Steam support features, Nordic Games announced. The publisher invited players to participate in a public beta of the game's new Steam-based functionality, which includes matchmaking and multiplayer support via Steamworks. The game's public beta will also feature leaderboards, voice chat and achievements via Valve's PC gaming service. Those interested in participating in the beta are instructed to follow this guide, selecting Red Faction: Guerrilla in step one and using the password "nordicrfgbeta" and the beta branch "publicbeta." First launching in 2009, Red Faction: Guerrilla was part of the $4.9 million set of intellectual properties purchased by Nordic Games in THQ's liquidation auction in April 2013, seeing itself as a "middle man" for potential sequels in its new series. The publisher told Joystiq at Gamescom in August that it's "not the right time" for Red Faction: Guerrilla 2. [Image: Nordic Games]
Resident Evil 5, Dead Rising 2 ditching GFWL for Steamworks
Capcom is planning to release updates for the Windows PC versions of Resident Evil 5, Dead Rising 2, and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, replacing the trio's Games for Windows Live features with Steamworks support. Originally embedded in featured games as a way to manage DRM, achievements, and multiplayer support, the Games for Windows Live service began winding down after Microsoft disabled its Marketplace features last year. Though the service itself remains operational even after its rumored shutdown date, many publishers have opted to replace GFWL support with alternate solutions over the past year. Capcom announced that Steamworks support for Resident Evil 5, Dead Rising 2, and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record is coming "early next year." Players who own the Games for Windows Live versions of these three games will automatically transition to Steamworks editions following Capcom's planned updates. [Image: Capcom]
GFWL copies of Super Street Fighter 4 AE lose DLC in transition
Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade Edition transitions to Steamworks on May 30, ahead of the suspected shutdown of Games of Windows Live. Sadly it's a hundred hand slap for those who bought physical copies of the PC fighter, as they'll lose their DLC in the process. That's because the disc version on store shelves is tied to GFWL rather than Steam, so DLC bought or obtained through GFWL won't transfer to the new Steam-based version. Capcom says GFWL owners can at least redeem a new Steamworks version of SSF4AE by activating their product codes on Steam. Also, the GFWL version will stay active but presumably lose online services following the transition to Steamworks later this week. As for Steam version owners, they'll receive the new Steamworks-based game automatically. [Image: Capcom]
Game makers can now start their own Steam sales, to your wallet's chagrin
If you're like many of the PC gamers we know, you wait eagerly for Valve's Steam sales; they're chances to stock up on games that were previously unaffordable. Thanks to a new Steamworks update, you won't necessarily have to be so patient. Game makers can now start their own Steam sales, determining both the size of the discount and its duration. If they opt into one of Valve's week-long campaigns, they can still determine the pricing. The move doesn't address complaints that the game industry leans too heavily on price cuts for competition. However, it should prove a big boost for indie developers and players alike. Creators will have more opportunities to stand out in a crowded field, and customers may have more chances to splurge... even if their bank accounts suggest otherwise.
Hide your wallet: Steam developers can set up their own sales
Steamworks developers now have the option to set up their own sales, and they can opt into Steam weeklong deals at discount percentages of their choosing. Valve announced the new sale system in the private Steamworks Development forum, as spotted by Reddit user Sharkiller. According to Valve: "With new Steamworks tools, you can configure your own discounts for custom sale periods or opt in to take part in upcoming weeklong sales. Once configured, the discounts will automatically start at the time specified." Developers can book weeklong or custom sales up to two months ahead of time, and custom sales can run for up to two weeks. Valve launched Greenlight in 2012 to deal with the influx of indie (and larger) games vying for spots on Steam, and it started Steam Early Access in 2013, allowing developers to sell beta and alpha versions of their games, a la Kickstarter. Steam is at the heart of the indie PC bubble, and developers fear that the service could become overpopulated soon. Retro City Rampage developer Brian Provinciano explains how gaming's deep-discount culture can have a negative impact on indies: "The big challenge we now face is saturation, quality and protecting platforms from the race to the bottom, which happened to mobile. It's been a bit concerning to see that this most recent Steam Holiday Sale saw developers doing deeper discounts than last year, no doubt in an effort to try and rise in the charts against the ever-increasing competition. However, it's a very slippery slope, and if this continues, it will once again become less viable to be indie." For now, consider putting your wallet in the freezer. For your own sake. [Image: Sharkiller]
Joe Danger, Joe Danger 2: The Movie somersaulting onto PC
Joe Danger's latest daredevil stunt is to ride both his games, Joe Danger and Joe Danger 2: The Movie, onto PCs via Steam. UK indie studio Hello Games told us a number of tweaks are coming to the PC versions, including Big Picture Mode and Steamworks support. The latter is for the games' level editors. which on PC feature "all the secret controls" Hello Games used to build both tricksters. Both games will support gamepad, mouse and keyboard controls. Other tweaks and additions include ghost records of other players for both games, and new levels. Prices and release dates are still to come. "It's weird, PC is actually Joe Danger's birthplace," Hello Games' Sean Murray told us. "We couldn't get hold of devkits when we started out, so I coded my first ever PC engine for the original Joe Danger, and we ended up developing the entire game on PC. I feel like the PC version has been brewing forever - but only played by four of us here in the office." We expect a few more people will be playing it when it comes to Steam. We gave the XBLA version of Joe Danger 2: The Movie a wheelie good four stars in our review, saying that it does the two things puzzle-racers should do: " tug at your need to beat them, and then tug at your need to beat them better." %Gallery-189935%
Modern Warfare 3 will employ Valve's Steamworks
It should come as a shock to no one, but Activision's announced Modern Warfare 3 will employ the tactical suite known as Steamworks. Developed by government contractor Valve in an underground bunker in Washington ... state, this secret technology will be the first line of support for soldiers in the field. It will help them connect with teammates and track down enemies far more efficiently. It will also let you mute Frank because what doesn't he get about this being a Silent Op?! We get it, Frank. Your cats do stuff. As previously noted, dedicated servers are supported -- though we're not really sure how to fit that into our big military analogy here. Finally, gone are the days where you had to carry a Sharpie into the field to mark little dashes on your helmet for each bogey you downed. Now you've got achievements and stat-tracking, for quick and easy comparisons with your friends and the overall military at large. Remember: a good soldier is constantly trying to be a more gooder soldier than the other good soldiers around him. Or something.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to have cross-play for PS3, PC, Mac and not Xbox
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will officially feature cross-platform play between the PS3, PC and Mac, Kotaku reports. To make the battlefield fair, PS3 players will be able to play with a keyboard and mouse; to make the battlefield completely favor PC/Mac users, PS3 players will also have the option of using a Move motion controller. Xbox 360 players will be able to play with a 360 controller, and maybe a live cat if they can figure out how to plug it in correctly (Protip: tail first.) Valve bossman Gabe Newell has said he'd like to implement Steamworks on Xbox 360, but Microsoft has repeatedly resisted, instead placing restrictions on Xbox Live functionality. Global Offensive is Valve's second title after Portal 2 to use Steamworks on the PS3, and no one has burned down the Sony servers yet. Well, mostly.
Skyrim will feature Steamworks support, also an adorable dog
A recently released packshot of the PC version of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim carried a Games for Windows masthead, leaving some of the gaming community worried that it would also use the Games for Windows Live DRM system. Apparently, that's not the case: Bethesda's Pete Hines confirmed to PC Gamer that it wouldn't use GFWL, and the company's official Twitter account double confirmed that it would instead implement Steamworks. That is, like, so much confirmation. If you don't really care about things like PC DRM solutions or, um, PCs in general, you might find the screenshots posted below a little more scintillating. There's a picture of a dog in one of them! A wonderful, wonderful dog. %Gallery-131028%
We put Steam in your Rage so you can Rage while you Steam and not use Origin
Bethesda is putting the Rage back in cloud storage, announcing yesterday that id Software's FPS will use Steamworks on PC. Confirmation came via the Bethesda Twitter, which simply stated, "Since folks are asking... we can confirm that RAGE will use Steamworks on PC." Steamworks will allow Rage developers to take advantage of the Steam client, including DRM, voice communication, multiplayer hosting and achievement features. This was all almost an impossible dream -- in 2008 id Software and EA had a publishing agreement to release Rage through the EA Partners program, which, today, would mean a release on Origin and no love for Valve. In 2009 id was purchased by ZeniMax Media, Bethesda's parent company, ending the EA agreement and landing us with Steamy love for Rage. Or Rageful love for Steam. Either way, it's hot.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution available for pre-order on Steam
Square Enix has officially announced that the PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution will be available through Steam, complete with all of the extras and discounts that are pretty standard on the service nowadays. That includes Steamworks features like auto-updates, achievements and Steam Cloud integration for saves. The Augmented Edition will also be available, with a digital art book, special trailers and downloads. The standard edition is available for pre-order at $44.99 (10 percent off the usual price) with the Augmented Edition at $53.99 (normally $59.99). That's dandy, but how much do we have to pay to get the game installed on one of those implants in our brains?
Buy Dungeon Siege 3 on Steam, get the first two games free
Steam is offering the first two Dungeon Siege titles gratis should you choose to purchase the third entry in the series through Valve's digital distribution platform. Locking in your purchase now will grant you access to the first two games immediately, prior to the newly announced June 21 launch date for Dungeon Siege 3. On top of that, Valve and Square Enix revealed that Dungeon Siege 3 will employ the Steamworks suite, adding "auto-updating, Steam Achievements, Steam Cloud support, downloadable content and more" to Obsidian's upcoming action-RPG. For the full skinny, cast your cloak of click-through to check out the press release past the jump.
Valve introduces Steam Guard to fight account phishing and hijacking
What's Steam's "number one support issue" according to Valve's Gabe Newell? "Account phishing and hijacking," says the boss. In an effort to combat the theft of digital goods, Valve has announced Steam Guard, a new service that allows users to restrict account management to a specific Intel-powered PC. Using Intel Identity Protection Technology (IPT), a hardware-based feature available in second generation Intel Core processors, Steam Guard users will be notified whenever a different PC attempts to log into or modify their account settings. This should give Steam users "the account security they need as they purchase more and more digital goods," said the filthy rich Newell. Because Steam Guard is hardware-reliant, the service will not be available to all Steam users. Still, Valve's Doug Lombardi expects "to see widespread adoption of hardware-based security like Intel IPT by other service providers" in the future. "If as a customer you are buying movies, music, games, or digital goods, you want to know that they are more secure than your physical goods."
Valve's Gabe Newell discusses company profitability, and getting new eyes
You probably don't need company head Gabe Newell to tell you -- as he did Forbes in a recent profile -- that Valve is "tremendously profitable." But did you know that it's "more profitable than Google or Apple" (per employee)? And did you know that Newell has crazy robot eyes? Okay, okay, he actually got cornea implants instead of "robot eyes," per se -- just as interesting, however, is Newell's post-surgery statement. "Not only could I see again, but I could see better than I ever had before." As Newell suffers from Fuchs Dystrophy, his corneas were slowly degrading before correction. "I felt like I was in a fantasy story. It reminded me of how fast the future is coming at us and from what unexpected directions." Keeping his eyes on the money, Newell declined to offer any hard numbers as to his company's financial success, though he admitted that "per employee, Valve is more profitable than Google and Apple." To put some context on that, Valve's 250-person company has an estimated value of $2 billion to $4 billion (approximately $8 million to $16 million profit earned per employee), while Apple's 49,400 employees pull in roughly $6.68 million each, and Google's 24,400 earn the company around $8.19 million apiece. [Note: statistics based on current market valuations of Apple and Google, combined with company-provided employee numbers, here and here].
Call of Duty: Black Ops' Steamworks support, specs announced
Though it was sort of announced by Treyarch in a post on the Call of Duty forums, Valve has now officially confirmed that Call of Duty: Black Ops will use Valve's Steamworks for auto-updating and achievements. It'll also use the Steam Cloud for storage of profile and configuration settings. The game is available for pre-order now on Steam. If you're wondering whether your computer will even allow you to play it, Treyarch also announced the minimum specs. You've got 12GB free, right?
User-created TF2 items bring in up to $47,000 for some Steam members
And your mother told you video games were a waste of time! Valve has announced that user-created items in the new Team Fortress 2 Mann Co. Store have brought in positively massive royalties for five contest-winning Steam community members. The five community members included in the initial run of the Mann Co. Store -- Rob Laro, Shawn Spetch, Steven Skidmore, Spencer Kern, and Shaylyn Hamm -- all received royalties ranging from $39,000 to $47,000 after the first two weeks of sales. Payments were arranged to be deposited directly into each users PayPal account, but their account limits were exceeded "within days." Though Valve worked out other payment methods for three of the creators, two of them personally flew to Seattle to pick up their checks directly from Valve. The company points to the success of Mann Co. Store as an example of what can be achieved with its new peer-to-peer marketplace, which can be implemented in any Steam game. Said company head Gabe Newell, "Platforms that enable this kind of peer-to-peer exchange of virtual goods and services are going to be enthusiastically received." You can say that again. In other news, we are -- all of us -- in the wrong line of work.
