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Updates to Team Fortress 2, Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:


Source Engine Changes (TF2, DoD:S, HL2:DM)

• Fixed a bug where rejected players could leave a "ghost" player that takes up a slot on the server browser
  

Team Fortress 2

• Fixed tf_mm_strict to work as documented
  

The Age of Empires Online: Celebration Bundle and the Age of Empires Online: Steam Starter Pack are now available to purchase on Steam, and for a limited time they're available for 50% off!

Age of Empires Online is the next chapter in the best-selling Age of Empires PC game franchise features some of the greatest ancient civilizations including the Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, and Celts, with more being introduced all the time!

Updates to Team Fortress 2, Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:


Source Engine Changes (TF2, DoD:S, HL2:DM)

• Updated client rate value to default to 30000 to improve network performance for most players
  • Rate was previously set by Steams Internet connection speed setting
• Updated client rate value to be stored in the config.cfg file
  

Team Fortress 2

• Fixed a crash caused by a string table overflow
  
• Fixed a client crash related to the freeze panel
  
• Fixed a client crash related to ragdolls
  
• Fixed a client crash related to the Mann vs. Machine upgrade panel
  
• Fixed a client crash related to Mann vs. Machine stats
  
• Fixed a crash related to server plug-ins spawning a Mann vs. Machine Tank before the game is ready
  
• Updated the dedicated server to exit when attempting to start a Mann vs. Machine map with less than 32 maxplayers
  
• Fixed mp_timelimit causing Mann vs. Machine mode to not reset properly when the defenders lose
  
• Fixed the Mann vs. Machine wave loss/victory dialog buttons not being clickable sometimes
  
• Fixed the Mann vs. Machine victory dialog getting stuck on the screen
  
• Fixed the Mann vs. Machine wave summary dialog showing up at the beginning of the first wave
  
• Fixed seeing incorrect upgrades in the Mann vs. Machine upgrade panel
  
• Updated upgrade icons to remove numbers
  
• Fixed Sentry Busters picking disposable buildings as valid targets
  
• Fixed an instance of the Sentry Buster sound looping endlessly
  
• Updated the backpack image for Archimedes to fix an alpha channel problem
  
• Updated the colors for The Battery Bandolier
  
• Fixed the disconnect reason not being localized properly for Mann vs. Machine mode
  
• Fixed player glow colors not based on player health in some community mods outside of Mann vs. Machine mode
  
• Removed console spew related to missing movement warnings
  
• Updated the matchmaking ConVar tf_mm_strict
  • A value of 2 will hide the server from the server browser but will still allow direct connections
• Updated Mvm_Mannworks
  • Adjusted clipping on left side drop down where bots may become stuck
    
  • Fixed lighting seam near base
    
  • Fixed vphysics prop error in console
    
  • Minor clipping pass on areas players may become hung up on

#steam Yesterday, Valve announced that their Big Picture service will be entering a beta phase soon. The Big Picture is a version of Steam optimized for television screens and controllers. Plug your PC into your 50" TV, and you can kick back on the sofa with a version of Steam that's designed to be readable from across the room, rather than squinting at the standard version. More »

Today's Deal: Save 75% off the Unstoppable Gorg!

Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!

A Valley Without Wind is a massive PC and Mac game from a tiny development team, meaning it experiences the standard industry lifecycle in a unique way. Arcen Games launched two major updates to the initial release, appearing to be in the process of completing the game even after its launch, and now update 1.3 hopes to rework "the biggest thing that players who have not bought the game gripe about," Christopher Park says: the art.

A visual update isn't what Arcen Games initially planned on integrating, however. Update 1.3 is a reactionary measure to a few things, including the launch of Diablo 3.

A Valley Without Wind was selling three times better than Arcen Games' first title, AI War, when it first hit Steam on April 24. "Then a funny thing happened - Diablo 3 came out," Park writes. "Literally the next day, our sales plummeted to one-tenth the value they had been the day prior. The whole game industry saw a contraction, even on the iOS, for a week or two there, from what I could tell. Keith remarked that it was like 'a massive whale jumping out of the ocean and the ocean level falling for everyone else.'"

Now, to generate more interest from the press (you know us so well, Arcen) and to satisfy fan demand for better art, Arcen Games hired Heavy Cat Studios to rework the visuals. The team should be done with the reskin in November, along with a dozen new spells and more updates, making the final product A Valley Without Wind 2.0.

A Valley Without Wind is finishing a run as Steam's Daily Deal right now, with just a few hours left. Check it out for cheap here, and read about Arcen Games' update details and anti-Kickstarter philosophy in Park's blog post here.

Edmund McMillen's PC Basement Collection isn't just a compendium of his old games - McMillen reports that all of the games in the collection have seen updates. For example, "ALL games in the collection will feature achievements," tracked within the collection, and providing unlocks upon completion of each game.

Time Fcuk has a "FULL 33 level 2nd chapter" and a new level editor, Meat Boy and Triachnid have tweaked controls, and Aether has a new soundtrack by Danny Baranowsky.

Additional bonuses include footage from Indie Game: The Movie of McMillen talking about the games in the collection, and "a new secret game!... but its a secret..." For a full rundown on the extras in the $4 collection, find a list on McMillen's site.

I still have my reservations about Steam’s general clunkiness and a few very user-unfriendly quirks, but I have to say, this Community update’s quite a doozy. (Does anyone use the word “doozy” anymore? Did anyone ever? Am I the sole keeper of its honorable and incredibly dorky-sounding legacy?) On top of much-appreciated Game Hubs, group pages are getting an overhaul, personalized content will all display in one spot, and friends will get their own separate tab with Facebook-like statuses and feeds. But when, pray tell, can you lay claim to all these shiny new features and become a better friend? Well, it’s complicated.

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#counterstrike When shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive launches next week, it will have a Zombie Mod from the folks over at plaguefest.com. More »

On tonight's episode of GTTV, Valve's Gabe Newell revealed that a beta for Big Picture mode would launch "soon." Big Picture mode, first announced in early 2011, will allow gamers to hook up their PC or Mac to their living room television - well, okay, it doesn't have to be in your living room, just wherever you've got a TV. Valve aims to offer "simple, easy-to-read navigation designed specifically for TV" and controller support with Big Picture mode.

Tonight's episode of GTTV isn't available online yet (it's still technically on Spike TV on the east coast, if you want to catch the last few minutes) so we're going off host Geoff Keighley's Twitter account right now. We'll be sure to update as more information is made available. In the meanwhile, go grab a rag and dust off that moldy old television set!

On tonight's episode of GTTV, Valve's Gabe Newell revealed that a beta for Big Picture mode would launch "soon." Big Picture mode, first announced in early 2011, would allow gamers to hook up their PC or Mac to their living room television - well, okay, it doesn't have to necessarily be in your living room, just wherever you've got a TV. Valve aims to offer "simple, easy-to-read navigation designed specifically for TV."

The episode of GTTV isn't available online yet (it's still technically on Spike TV on the east coast, if you want to catch the last few minutes) so we're going off host Geoff Keighley's Twitter account right now, but we'll be sure to update as more information is made available. In the meanwhile, go grab a rag and dust off that moldy old TV!

When Counter-Strike: Global Offensive launches next week, it's bringing brain-loving zombies with it. In collaboration with a mod team at Plaguefest.com, Valve has revealed that a Zombie Mod for CS:GO will be available alongside the game's launch - specifically for PC - on August 21.

"It was important to us as we developed CS:GO to make sure it was as moddable and extensible as any CS game," a blog post on the official Counter-Strike site noted earlier today. "So this is just one of the many mods that will be available in the coming months."

Though the post was light on details, it did add that lovers of CS:GO and movies should tune into GameTrailers TV tonight on Spike TV at 1am ET/10pm PT. It's probably Counter-Strike related, but we're still holding out hope for Gabe Newell's home movies.

#valve In an interview with GameTrailers TV that will air tonight, Valve head Gabe Newell elaborates a little bit on his distaste for Windows 8. More »

Updates to Garry's Mod have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:

- Fixed random crashing

Battle vs. Chess is Now Available on Steam and 25% off!*

Commanders, assemble your armies! BATTLE VS. CHESS calls for an interactive feather duster, chartering the successful chess game principle into the present day multi-media world.

Animated fantasy figurines assemble in magical worlds and await your command! As a Commander, execute skillful maneuvers on the game board and catapult yourself directly into the battle with devastating attacks, chessman vs. chessman.

*Offer ends August 23rd at 10AM Pacific Time.

Things are moving apace at Valve. With the announcement of their first internal non-gaming project coming tonight (although it might be a documentary film), and the news that Steam will soon start selling software alongside games, you get the impression that they’re attempting a significant repositioning. So, based entirely in speculation, here’s what I’m wondering: Could this eventually lead to the release of SteamOS?

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#steam A few thousand (well, more like 100,000) lucky gamers can now use the new Steam community features announced this week by Valve. More »

Act now and save 75% on Alan Wake during the Weekend Deal!

When the wife of the best-selling writer Alan Wake disappears on their vacation, his search turns up pages from a thriller he doesnt even remember writing. A Dark Presence stalks the small town of Bright Falls, pushing Wake to the brink of sanity in his fight to unravel the mystery and save his love.

Act now and save 66% on the Sniper Elite Franchise during the Weekend Deal!

In the dark days of the end of World War Two amidst the ruins of Berlin, one bullet can change history…

Today's Deal: Save 50% off the A Valley Without Wind!

Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!

Preview of Team Fortress 2 Game Hub now accessible for all

August 16, 2012--Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Counter-Strike and Team Fortress) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced the launch of a limited access Beta for its new Steam Community features.

The Steam Community Beta is now open to the first 50,000 players who earned the 'Pillar of the Steam Community' badge and includes another invite to share. Beta access will increase incrementally until the public launch.

To celebrate the launch of Team Fortress 2's new game mode, Mann vs. Machine, the Team Fortress 2 Game Hub is now accessible to everyone.

The new Steam Community update includes:
Game Hubs - Every game on Steam now has a Game Hub, which provides a quick way for users to browse the best of a variety of content as rated by the community at large. Each Game Hub also includes a game-specific discussion area where players can talk about their favorite Steam games.

Group Updates - Player-created groups have been redesigned so it's now easier to see what a group is all about and who is participating in it. Groups now also include public and private discussion areas where they can remain in touch with their own communities.

My Content Updates - The content you've created now lives in one central place with new viewing options including an "image wall" layout that showcases your top-rated content. Also new is the ability to mark screenshots, videos, and workshop items as Favorites to save or share with friends.

Friend Activity - The new feed makes it easy to view, rate, and comment on the content and activities of your friends in a visually-rich and interactive presentation. Players can also broadcast game-specific status updates to start a conversation with their friends, directly in the activity feed.

Steam is a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC and Mac games with over 40 million accounts around the world and over 2,000 titles offered.

More details regarding the Steam Community update are available at www.steamcommunity.com/communitycontent.

#castlecrashers Castle Crashers, the awesome side-scrolling brawler that's a lot older than most of us probably realise, is getting a third lease on life with the announcement of a PC port. More »

GAMEPLAY:

- Fixed Captain's Mode Level 1 & 2 penalties reducing a bit more time than intended.
- Silencer: Fixed Invoke proccing Last Word.
- Juggernaut: Fixed a bug that was causing the first tick of Healing Ward to always heal the Radiant team.
- Tiny: Fixed Toss disabling allied Blink Daggers.
- Huskar: Fixed Life Break not hurting Huskar if he jumped on a magic immune unit.
- Outworld Destroyer: Fixed Essence Aura not proccing on items.

UI:

- Save/Load system for private games is back online.
- Clicking on a hero portrait in the stats dropdown now queries that hero.
- Added stat dropdown category "net worth", the value of non-consumable items in their inventory and their current gold.
- Fixed world lines not being drawn properly when networked to other clients.
- Fixed Hero card movies not working if the hero selection was made while you had the dashboard up.
- Fixed the timeline being broken if you jumped back to the picking stage while viewing the Vs animation.
- Fixed Silenced state getting stuck on in the hud.
- When spectator fog of war hotkeys are pressed, the UI now updates to match.

STORE:

- Added over 50 new items from the community.

Updates to Team Fortress 2, Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:


Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch

• Brought in line with shared engine changes
  

Team Fortress 2

• Added Mann vs. Machine
  
• Added Archimedes
  
• Added The Soldier's Stogie
  
• Added The Robro 3000
  
• Updated The Helmet Without a Home to be paintable
  
• Fixed some clipping issues with The Salty Dog
  
• Removed player penetration from The Pomson 6000 and boosted the damage to compensate
  

Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack, one of the best-received Vita launch games, is now a Steam game, where it'll presumably meet with another warm reception.

The new PC version includes Steam achievements, cloud saves, and leaderboards, and several new, more substantial changes. Those include new minigame levels, higher-resolution graphics, and "new hidden references and bad jokes."

For its first week on Steam, developer Drinkbox Studios has discounted the game by 10%. You too can be Attacked by Mutant Blobs for just $7.19.

#rumor It's been one hell of a week for Valve rumors, but unlike the silly Half-Life 3 speculation that was floating around yesterday, this one seems plausible. More »

Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack is now available on Steam and is 10% off until August 22nd at 10AM Pacific Time!

Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack is a side-scrolling puzzle-platformer about a grumpy mutant Blob that escapes into the world and starts eating everything around him. A follow-up to the Platformer "Tales from Space: About a Blob", Mutant Blobs Attack features new levels, new powers and controls, and a new playable Blob.

This is a retro 50's sci-fi 2D platformer of CATACLYSMIC proportions. Consume Everything. Regret Nothing.

Today's Deal: Save 50% off the Dungeons & Dragons Online Menace of the Underdark™!

Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!

New features announced each day this week, beta access available soon

A new set of features are being previewed today, focusing on organizing and showing off your collection of screenshots, videos, and Workshop items.

With this update, Steam is putting all the content youve created and shared in one convenient place to make it easier to both show off and manage. Your screenshots will be organized into a rich, continually scrolling page that were calling the Image Wall, showing off both your recent and top-rated images at the top. Videos and Workshop items will also get their own sub-section in your shared files, with the ability to easily sort and manage them.

Plus, when you come across someone elses screenshot or video that you really like, you can add it to your favorites to easily find it later in this same area.

Please visit www.steamcommunity.com/communitycontent for more details. The final set of new features will be announced tomorrow, along with plans for the closed beta.

The following issues have been fixed:
- The HUD was being cut off in certain resolutions (particularly 4x3 aspect ratios).
- Player stats were displayed as 0 when changing resolutions. The stats were always stored correctly, just displayed wrong.
- In multiplayer, the game continues when one player alt-tabs or loses focus. Previously, if one player paused the game by alt-tabbing, it would pause everyones game.
- The game now starts up in the same resolution as your desktop, rather than trying to switch to 1280x720. If youve already played the game, though, it will still use your current settings.