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Day of Defeat Source For Free! Well only for 3 Days

This Fourth of July holiday weekend we have a new major update for Day of Defeat Source, the WWII multiplayer shooter from Valve. Valve just released the update to the game via their Steam client, adding tons of new content and features.

The new version adds a new map to the game, Palermo, which is based loosely on the real Italian city that was the site of one of US General George S Patton’s victories (it’ also based on a popular community made map Sarleno). The update also adds 51 new achievements to the game, player stats, Steam Community integration and a new freeze cam.

Also if you haven’t played Day of Defeat Source you will be happy to know that from July 4-6 you will be able to play the full game for free.

Steam Update and Updated Hardware Survey

Another update to Steam was posted this evening. Here’s the latest fix list:

In addition to the fixes and tweaks included (see full list below), this release also includes a new Steam Hardware Survey, which is optional for all using Steam. Results from the Spring 2007 survey may be found here. Results from the current survey may be tracked here.

The specific changes include:

Steam Client
• Fixed preloaded versions of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare being unable to launch
• Allow two shortcuts to use the same executable
• Added ability to create desktop shortcuts for shortcut apps
• Fixed Friends notifications being able to go top-most over the top of the tray context menu
• Fixed case where games would only launch in English
• Fixed Friends names sometimes being used for Clan names, or vice versa
• Fixed a rare crash when attempting to install a game
• Fixed Friends bug where the last Friend would not be shown
• Fixed the tray context menu to be easily dismissed without actually making a menu selection
• Fixed Half-Life 2: Deathmatch crowbar swing speed difference between Windows and Linux servers
• Fixed a potential hang bug in the server browser
• Fixed certain filenames not protected by sv_pure
• Fixed CSoundEnt spam on the server with high numbers of player slots on a server
• Fixed Half-Life 2: Deathmatch chat bug on Linux servers
• Minor optimization to the askconnect panel
• Fixed IP address column reporting IPs backwards
• Security fix for file transfers as reported by James Gray
• Fixed players able to make their name disappear in the scoreboard by setting it to “~~ ~” in the options panels

Offical Portal Plush Weighted Companion Cube

 

This week’s Steam announced the new Orange Box SDK along with plans for their upcoming plush Weighted Companion Cube. Now I know what I want for Christmas.

We remind you that the Weighted Companion Cube won’t talk back, and if it does, please ignore its advice. Thank you.

Dont Buy COD4 From Steam If you Live in Europe

It seems that if you want to buy Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare on Steam and live in the USA it will cost you $49.95, but in Europe that price is $69.95. It’s also worth noting that users from Europe are also charged tax on top of their Steam purchase, bringing the price even higher. Valve has stated that “Pricing on Steam is set by the publisher.” which means it’s time to contact Activision and ask them why.

Half Life 2 : Team Fortress 2 Patch and Pyro Attention

Some Great updates to Valve’s Half Life 2 : Team Fortress 2

Added option to change Field-of-view, between 75 & 90, from the Options->Multiplayer tab

Added option to disable Player sprays

Fixed flamethrower hit detection

Increased flamethrower damage at point blank range

Demoman grenades (not stickybombs) no longer explode on contact after the first bounce

Fixed a startup crash

Fixed a case where players could get stuck in tc_hydro

Fixed player movement prediction errors

Fixed third-person sniper aim animation not matching player’s view exactly

Fixed achievements and stats being awarded when watching other player’s demos

Fixed rare server crash due to data corruption in networking

Fixed a case where some sounds had incorrect volumes

Orange Box Gone Gold

A representative from Valve Software confirmed on Wednesday night that its upcoming releases of The Orange Box for PC and Xbox 360 have gone gold. This means that the company has finished development of the set and has shipped it out for manufacturing and are on their way for an October 10 release date.

The Orange Box comes packed with the latest version of Valve Software’s smash-hit Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One, Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Team Fortress 2 and Portal. Also if you pre-order orange box from steam or any other store you will recieve a $5 discount off the price.

Retail Orange Box Pre-Purchase & TF2 Beta Access At GameStop

Valve announces the pre-purchase program for The Orange Box is underway at GameStop stores, offering a 10% discount, and will offer access to the Team Fortress 2 beta test.

September 24, 2007 - Valve and GameStop today announced that those who pre-purchase the PC edition of The Orange Box at GameStop, the world’s largest video game and entertainment software retailer, before October 10th will save 10% off the regular price and gain access to the beta version of Team Fortress 2 for the PC.

The Orange Box, penned by IGN as “.the package which could legitimately be called the deal of the century,” features three highly-awaited new games by Valve: Half-Life® 2: Episode Two, the second installment in the Half-Life 2 episodic trilogy; Team Fortress® 2, the sequel to the game that put class-based, multiplayer team warfare on the map; and Portal, the game that blends puzzles, first person action, and adventure gaming to produce an experience like no other.

To bring gamers up to date with the Half-Life 2 universe, The Orange Box also includes Half-Life 2, the best-selling and highest-rated action game series of all time, and the episodic debut Half-Life® 2: Episode One-together, more than 30 hours of award-winning gameplay. Customers who already own these titles will have the ability to conveniently “gift” them to a friend upon official release of The Orange Box.

Starting immediately, those who pre-purchase The Orange Box for PC at any GameStop retail store in the US will receive a key-code and instructions to download and activate the beta release of Team Fortress 2 from Steam. The beta will conclude with the release of The Orange Box on October 10th. This year’s most anticipated online action game, Team Fortress 2 delivers new game types, a signature art style powered by Valve’s next generation animation technology, persistent player statistics, and more.

The Orange Box will have a suggested retail price of $49.95 on the PC and $59.95 on the Xbox® 360 and Playstation® 3 console systems. The 10% pre-purchase discount also applies to all three versions at GameStop and participating retail outlets.

For more information about The Orange Box, please visit www.steamgames.com.

Steam Community is out of Beta

Some how I missed this one yesterday. Valve announces the Steam Community is out of beta in preparation for the Team Fortress 2 beta:

September 13, 2007 - After a successful trial period, Valve is proud to announce the public launch of the Steam community features, an expansive set of social networking and online multiplayer features available for free on Steam, as it prepares for the launch of the Team Fortress 2 beta, which is scheduled to begin on Monday, September 17, 2007.

The Steam Community lets gamers create a personal profile-a Steam ID-complete with a photo or avatar, biographical details, favorite lists, and other information. Community members can add peers to a personal Friends List that shows in real-time who’s online and available to chat or play a game. Accessible from within the Steam client or while playing a game, the Friends List makes it easy to invite friends to chat, play a game, or join a group.

Team Fortress 2 is the successor to the grand daddy of class-based multiplayer action games and the multiplayer component of The Orange Box, a unique compilation of new games from Valve. The Orange Box also includes Portal and the full collection of Half-Life 2 games released to date for just $50 on PC and $60 on the next generation consoles.

Starting Monday, September 17, the Team Fortress 2 (TF2) beta opens to those who pre-purchaser The Orange Box via Steam and save 10% of the regular price. The Steam community features will allow TF2 players to track detailed player and team statistics and achievements records.

To explore the Steam community features, install the Steam client available at www.steampowered.com. Click the Community tab within the Steam interface and take a tour of the features and create a profile.

Pre-Order HL2 The Orange Box, Play Team Fortress 2 On Monday

Steam says that preorders of The Orange Box are underway on Steam, and that those who chose to buy the bundle of Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One, Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 by October 10, 2007 earn the right to participate in the beta testing of Team Fortress 2, along with a 10% discount and a casual game. Here’s the BIG announcement, the beta will begin on September 17 and your in it, only if you preorder:

AMD To Give Free Steam Games For ATI Radeon Video Card Owners

Effective immediately, all owners of ATI Radeon graphics cards may receive a free copy of Half-Life 2: Lost Coast and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch via Steam at:SteamPowered.com Steam will automatically confirm the presence of ATI Radeonâ„¢ hardware and then enable immediate access to full versions of the games free of charge.

For added convenience to new purchasers of ATI Radeonâ„¢ products, Steam will be included in all ATI Catalystâ„¢ Software and Driver packages through early 2008.

Customers who purchase the new ATI Radeonâ„¢ HD 2900 XT will also receive, upon release via Steam, the highly anticipated trio of new games coming from Valve: Team Fortress 2, Portal, and Half-Life 2: Episode Two.

Some conditions apply. Customers will be required to download and install the Steam software, and will require an Internet connection.

Anybody have a Extra ATI Video card they want to give me?