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Steam on Mac preview roundup: all but identical to PC
With that hotly-anticipated May 12th release date just around the corner, you might be wondering how Steam on Mac will perform. You're in luck, because some of our favorite Mac news sites have just finished testing the software's closed beta. The verdict? It's practically the exact same as the Windows version, except there's almost nothing to buy. Save for the Growl-like notifications at the top of the screen, the UI is all but indistinguishable, and as promised,data and purchases (if playable) automatically carry over in their entirety from your Windows Steam account. Team Fortress 2 even has cross-platform capability, allowing Mac users to play online with their Windows counterparts, though several journalists noted you might want to invest in a two-button wheel mouse if you don't want to be found out. Source Engine performance on Mac wasn't quite as good as on Windows in tests using the exact same hardware (thanks, Boot Camp), but admirably comes close nonetheless; Electronista was able to maintain a similar framerate in Portal just by disabling two levels of anti-aliasing. Not all Mac users will be able to partake in these games, however; though a MacBook Pro with a discrete 512MB GeForce 8600M card could run them well and a GeForce 9400M laptop managed on low settings, those with only integrated Intel graphics chips might find themselves in for a painful surprise. Read - Electronista Read - MacRumors Read - MacWorld Read - AppleInsider
Steam for Mac opens a portal to May 12, steps through
Valve promised that Steam on Mac would arrive in April. As you're no doubt aware, April is nearly over. Does that make Steam... vaporware? Not quite. Put away the Caruso sunglasses for two more weeks, because our friends at Joystiq just received a one-line email reading: "Valve today announced the public release of Steam for the Mac is May 12. Please stay tuned for more information." Oh well -- at least you're not waiting for Steam on Linux, and you can always stock up on Razer peripherals while you endure the delay.
Steam for Mac beta reveals possible Linux compatibility in the pipeline, penguins rejoice
Gaming on Linux? That's not something we hear every day just yet, but it looks like the good folks at Valve might be considering a penguin revolution. In one of the latest beta releases of Steam for Mac, Phoronix spotted a mention of the open-source platform in the launcher script, and we were also able to verify this code ourselves. Furthermore, the eagle-eyed Linux blog has previously seen a handful of evidence hinting Linux compatibility for Valve's Source gaming engine. We're probably still a ways off from any announcement (if ever) so for now, let's just leave the guys alone -- we don't want to distract them from bringing the Portal goodness to our Macs now, do we?
Steam UI update releases Monday
Click image to take a tour of the new Steam. For the last two months, Valve has been testing a UI overhaul of its Steam client through a beta release. Come Monday, April 26, the beta phase will end, and the update will go live for all users. Following the official release of the new client, users will be prompted to download the update upon launching Steam and be introduced to a plethora of new features for the platform, including cross-game achievement tracking with friends, among other things. If you want to get acclimated to the new digs before the mandatory update on Monday, you still have a few days to get in on the beta, right here. %Gallery-86401%
Portal 2 coming to E3; Valve hosting event Monday, June 14
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Portal_2_coming_to_E3_Valve_hosting_event_June_14'; The hints were all there, but a recent invitation from Valve confirms it: Portal 2 will be at E3. Hosting a press event at the Regal Theater in the LA Live Event Center the night of June 14th, Valve will give those lucky enough to have that press card in their wallet (attend 12 events and you get a free sandwich!) a look at the game. No word on what parts of the game we'll get to see, but anything at this point is welcome ... mostly because we haven't seen anything yet.
Left 4 Dead 2 'The Passing' DLC pushed back, priced at 560 Microsoft Points
We're not exactly used to finding out hot scoops on Valve's game projects from Xbox Live's "Inside Xbox" feature "SENTUAMESSAGE," so it was especially odd to us when we heard that Left 4 Dead 2's upcoming Left 4 Dead 1 crossover DLC "The Passing" got an official price (560/$7) -- and an ambiguous new release date of "Spring" -- from the feature. But that's just what the latest episode told us, not to mention a handful of new deets on the DLC, including info on new variations of enemies and a few new weapons. Back at X10 in February, Valve told us that the content was set to arrive on Xbox Live/Steam by "late March," though it seems that the window has been extended a few more months. We've fired off an email to Valve to see if a more solid release date exists, and we'll keep you updated if we hear anything back. In the meantime, we've embedded the Inside Xbox clip after the break. [Via Kotaku]
Epic giving Unreal Engine 3 devs free Steam SDK update
Carrying on in the longstanding Epic Games tradition of offering up free upgrades to existing products, the developer, publisher and game engine creator announced this morning that it will be adding Steamworks support to Unreal Engine 3. "With Valve offering these services free of charge, the idea of providing the Steamworks SDK [software development kit] to all Unreal Engine licensees was a no-brainer," Epic VP Mark Rein notes in the announcement. As it turns out, Valve offered up the development tools to UE3 developers (via Epic) without charging a single penny. That said, this isn't just a philanthropic gesture on Epic's part, but rather a strategy aimed at targeting the large stable of games powered by Unreal Engine. "Epic's technology is one of the most widely used engines in the industry and has powered many of the best games created in the past 10 years, on multiple platforms," Valve prez Gabe Newell proclaims. That's really the crux of it -- bring in the Unreal Engine 3 users and they might stick around to purchase some other games on Steam. It's a bit of a sneaky trap (and a smart business move to boot), but it's one we wouldn't exactly be upset about falling for.
Valve confirms Steam for Mac, debuts in April
Eager gamers have no doubt already seen the teasers, but Valve has now finally confirmed that its Steam game distribution service and Source engine will at long last be headed to the Mac. According to Valve, the company's current line-up of games (including the Half-Life and Left 4 Dead series) will be available to Mac users in April, while Portal 2 will represent the company's first simultaneous release for PC and Mac later this year. Better still, Steamworks for Mac also boasts a new feature called "Steam Play," which will let you buy a game once and, for instance, start playing it on a PC at work and then pick up where you left off on your Mac at home (we'll give you a moment to let that sink in). Game publishers will have to enable that feature themselves, but Valve says it expects most to take advantage of it.
Portal 2 gets co-op, heading to Xbox 360 and PC
[Game Informer] Today's big reveal of Portal 2 as next month's Game Informer cover did lots of us in the maniacal excitement department, but little for us in the hard facts department. But now, between Eurogamer being told by Valve that the game is heading to Xbox 360 and PC, and Game Informer's reveal that the sequel features a "two-player co-op mode [with] its own campaign [featuring] two new playable characters" (not to mention that it's set to release at "full retail price") we're ... well ... we're still kinda hurting for more news. The most important question of the moment, though: Can we have it right now? Please? We know you said this holiday, but what if we say pretty please? With cherries on top? Source 1 - Eurogamer Source 2 - Game Informer
Happy Valentine's Day from the game industry!
This past week may have been filled with investor calls and press events, but that doesn't mean that some members of the game industry weren't thinking about this weekend's day of love. Over the course of the past seven days, we were either sent these cards (by email) or found them on the various official sites of said developers/publishers -- and now we've compiled them into a love-filled gallery just for you. We might suggest you print out one (on high quality paper, of course) and give it to your dearest, but hey, let's be honest -- you should probably buy an actual card. And a copy of Flower. Hitomi demands digital gifts! %Gallery-85457%
Fable 3 'almost at its final edit' stage, says Molyneux
The head of MGS Europe assuredly has a few more things on his plate than the third game in a franchise he helped create, but in a recent feature on Peter Molyneux at Develop, the British creator calmly pronounced the game to be nearing its "final edit" stage of production. Whether he means "ready for submission to Microsoft" or "we haven't started polishing it yet" (or, heck, anywhere in between) remains unclear, though we'd certainly like to get our hands on the final product sooner rather than later. Additionally, Molyneux triple dips on his love for Valve, proclaiming Half-Life 2 as his "favourite" game ever (you crazy Brits!) as well as the game he would most like to have worked on, and also notes the developer as the one he most admires (get a room, you two!). And hey, if you've been hankering to know his "favourite" album, it's Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon." (Yep, we were kind of disappointed too.)
WoW Moviewatch: Still Alive -- JoCo version
I think Still Alive -- JoCo version wins the "genre bending" award. Still Alive was originally the closing credits song for Portal by Valve Software. The computer system known as GLaDOS promises the Portal player cake throughout the game. It's kind of the carrot to keep the player moving. (This is also the source of The Cake Is Not A Lie.) Still Alive is performed by GLaDOS at the end of the game. Well, being the geek savant that he is, Jonathan Coulton covered Still Alive. Being the WoW culture savant that he is, Spiff took JoCo's cover and turned it into a World of Warcraft machinima. (There are plenty of references to the original Portal game in the video, though, so this version isn't entirely detached from its roots.) Like all of Spiff's videos, Still Alive -- JoCo version is a lot of fun. Spiff does a great job capturing the fun and humor of JoCo's original music. Not to mention, his animation skills are constantly growing and always impressive. Edit: JoCo wrote the original song, mind you. Still Alive was performed at the end of the game by a female artist. This song, then, is the version performed by JoCo. "Cover" is a tough word to use for this, so I wanted to clarify it. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
Left 4 Dead 2 goes free-to-play on Xbox Live next weekend
If you've been sitting around on your hands waiting for the next free opportunity to play Left 4 Dead 2 on Xbox Live with your friends, well, we think you're a bit strange and should likely find a better habit. That being said, you'll be happy to hear that the game will be free-to-play for all Xbox Live members (even you lower class Silver folks) next weekend, starting promptly at 12:00PM ET on Friday, January 15, and finishing up on Monday the 18th (also at noon, as confirmed to CVG by Microsoft). We can't imagine that those of you still holding out will be convinced of an Xbox Live Gold account's worth after just one weekend, but it certainly can't hurt, now can it? Update: The free weekend has been confirmed for Europe only. A Microsoft representative tells Joystiq the company has "nothing to announce at this time" about a North American promotion. When asked if they had a timetable to announce something, the representative politely said that we'll hear something soon one way or another. %Gallery-64704%
Half-Life 2 PC updated with Episode 2 tech, longs for Xbox 360 parity
It's not often that console gamers get to brag to their PC gaming counterparts that their version of any given release is graphically superior; however, 2007's Xbox 360 release of Valve's Orange Box compilation included updated releases of both Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One – rebuilt with Episode Two's fancy new Source engine tech – while the PC releases sputtered on, sans engine enhancements and sans Achievements. Well, that didn't sit right in one Mr. Filip Victor's craw, who grabbed his handy coding toolbelt and started hammering away on the original 2004 game adding things like HDR High Dynamic Range lighting (see above screengrab from the comparison video, posted after the break), updated models and textures and, of course, 32 Steam Achievements (demo video here). While the legality of this project is certainly dubious, the requirement of both Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode Two should assuage your piracy concerns. Now, whether or not that assuages Valve's possible concerns with this project remain to be seen. If you're interested you'd better find a download link in this forum thread, sooner than later. And, if you're keeping score, the Xbox 360 version still comes out on top with an updated version of Episode One, though Victor is apparently "working on the EP1 part now." Until that day of parity comes, enjoy the moment console gamers. [Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]
Final day of Steam Holiday Sale wraps up the best-sellers
Okay, this is it: The penultimate batch of offers in the long-running Steam Holiday Sale. For the final day of the long-running promotion, Valve has elected to re-encheapen some of the games that sold like hotcakes in the sale's earlier one-day discounts. Until 9 a.m. PST tomorrow, the following games will be available for the following prices: BioShock - $4.99 Grand Theft Auto IV - $7.49 Torchlight - $4.99 Left 4 Dead 2 - $33.49 Killing Floor - $4.99 Defense Grid: The Awakening - $2.49 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl - $2.00 (Yes, two American dollars.)
Valve releases Left 4 Dead 2 PC SDK just in time for the holidays
Left 4 Dead 2 on PC has just received a massive update, with both authoring tools for custom campaigns and a support package for those who just want to play custom games coming down the internet's chimney. That second part might not be so exciting if it weren't for the glorious detail that it "allows running ANY map [their emphasis], including custom maps made for the original Left 4 Dead." All your old favorites like the Mushroom Kingdom (with zombies) and Lego (with zombies) -- totally playable in Left 4 Dead 2. The only thing that the Left 4 Dead 2 Team asked for in return was "to get to play your custom maps" in their game, so let's all do them a favor and get right on that. We're personally hoping to see a Back to the Future 2 (with zombies) mod by the weekend. %Gallery-64704% [Thanks, Cj]
Portal lead Kim Swift heads to Airtight Games for 'new, unnamed project'
Best known for her work on Joystiq's 2007 Game of the Year, Portal, Valve's Kim Swift is reportedly leaving her current position for Dark Void developer Airtight Games. According to Develop, she'll be heading up a team of developers working on a "new, unnamed project" for the US-based company. Airtight prez Jim Deal says that he's "thrilled to work with Kim," and that "her addition to the team represents a strategic move ... into new and broader gaming markets." Swift's team will be tasked with creating "games aimed at a more diverse audience" -- a challenge Swift appears ready to handle. "I've learned so much and had some amazing experiences at Valve, but when I heard I had the opportunity to work on innovative titles with my friends over at Airtight, I couldn't pass it up." And now we wait (and hope) for the puzzle-based air combat game that's sure to come of this partnership.
Valve: Keep listening to your customers, keep listening to your developers
Regardless of what some developers may say about Valve's digital distribution service, Steam, the Left 4 Dead 2 developer remains steadfast in its belief that listening to customers and developers is the best way to stay on top of the game. Ars Technica spoke with Valve director of business development Jason Holtman before his keynote at the Montreal International Games Summit, and Holtman explained his company's one-two-punch plan of listening to Steam customers and developers for advice on running the operation. "They're actually usually far better predictors of success than we ever could be," he said. He was also quick to point out that, despite the cyclical claims that PC gaming is "dying," Steam has been enjoying strong digital sales for years. During his presentation in Montreal, he noted that Valve's games have doubling sales numbers (or more) when they're put on sale, with Team Fortress 2 sales having jumped by as much as 520 percent when the Sniper vs Spy update was released. With numbers like that to back up his claim, it's starting to make a lot more sense to us why developers were so happy to defend Steam last month.
Valve selling Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead-themed greeting cards
We know how boring most holly jolly holiday cards can be, so we were glad to see that a handful of Valve-ified greeting cards are now available for purchase at the game maker's online store. Featuring characters from Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, and Team Fortress 2 in compromising holiday situations, there's no doubt that we'll actually – finally – send out greeting cards this year to everyone in our little black book. We're quite partial to the handful of TF2-themed images you see above (just look at The Spy, back with The Scout's mother!), but we're sure there's something for everyone in your list of Source Engine-loving holiday card receivers. [Via Big Download]
Devs show Steam love as Pitchford defends his criticism
Just under two weeks ago, Gearbox Software's Randy Pitchford let out his less than pleasant feelings regarding digital distribution platform Steam and its owner, Valve Software. Today, Ars Techinca posted a rundown of developers from World of Goo's 2D Boy to Sam & Max's Telltale Games who all feel ... the exact opposite of Pitchford. "If this is exploitation, more please," Audiosurf creator Dylan Fitterer said.According to Telltale CTO Kevin Bruner, "Steam may be one the greatest things to happen recently ... we put Steam as one of the A-list distribution channels; up there with XBLA and WiiWare." The praise doesn't stop there -- Ars points out that it was unable to find even one developer who would "admit to feeling exploited" by Valve's business practices concerning Steam. We reached out to Pitchford, who told us, "As a gamer, I love Valve ... as a customer, I love Steam." He clarified, "From an industry perspective, Steam would be even better off if it were a separate company ... trust issues that result from conflict of interest could be mitigated." To Pitchford, it's a question of appearances rather than actual impropriety. "It's just perception within segments of the publishing and development community that, I guess, no one is really talking about."We've posted Pitchford's entire (and quite lengthy) response after the break. Hopefully we're not alone in hoping everyone will just hug it out.
