Steam News

R.U.S.E VIP Beta Coming Soon

November 18, 2009, 12:08 pm - Valve - General Announcement

Ubisoft is pleased to announce the R.U.S.E. extended multiplayer VIP beta, available via Steam starting November 30, 2009.

VIP beta content will initially include two factions (US and Germany) and three multiplayer maps, with additional content being added throughout the beta.

Join the official R.U.S.E. Steam Community Group for details and to keep up-to-date with the latest news and events.

Midweek Madness - Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition $5 Until Thursday

October 20, 2009, 9:48 am - Valve - General Announcement

It's the middle of the week and you're hard at work (or play). You need a break. The solution? Join history's deadliest and most secretive clan of warriors in Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition. Get it before Thursday morning and save 75% off the regular price. Offer available in North, Central, and South America only.

Anno 1404 and Dawn of Discovery Update Released

October 7, 2009, 11:06 am - Valve - Product Update

Updates to Anno 1404 and Dawn of Discovery have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted.The major changes include:

The most important changes:

• A crash while saving a game could result in the online profile being lost. This error has been fixed.
  
• The use of special characters within the Windows user name, profile name or savegame name caused several errors (eg invalid savegames or crashes). This error has been fixed.
  
• Memory errors could lead to invalid savegames under specific hardware configurations. This error has been fixed.
  
• Ships which have destroyed a target now wait at that spot for new orders rather than returning to their starting point.
  
• The AI was unable to settle some islands. This error has been fixed.
  
• A function was implemented allowing the items offered at all three ports to be changed. The player now has the opportunity have the Items on offer changed upon payment of a fee in gold.
  
• Military influence areas and firing radii were visually improved to further simplify use of the military.
  
• Norias no longer worked properly after buying the "Mystery of the nomads' achievement. This error has been fixed.
  
• The "Scroll through Ships" and "Scroll through Warehouses" buttons were moved to a more prominent position above the minimap.
  
• The achievements "We have no time to lose" and "The Emirate" have been adjusted. The Imperial Cathedral must now be built in 7 hrs and the Sultan's Mosque in 5 hrs (previously 8 hrs and 6 hrs). In return, the condition requiring the people's satisfaction level to be "adequately satisfied" or better was removed.
  

• It was possible to delete savegames and screenshots in the "Gateway to the World" from within the game. This function is not planned. Effective immediately, savegames and screenshots can now only be deleted locally. If you want to delete savegames and / or screenshots online this must be done directly in the "Gateway to the World".
  
• Old games from an online profile could be loaded even without successful login to the "Gateway to the World". This function is not planned. Savegames from an online profile can now only be loaded once login to "Gateway to the World" was successful.
  
• In some cases, when creating an online profile identical ID's were given to different profiles. This could lead to a new online profile overwriting another one. This error has been fixed.
  
• Some special circumstances occasionally resulted in performance downturns. Errors causing this problem have been fixed.
  
• An error causing some interface elements to react to external input (eg, volume control on the keyboard, connecting a Logitech USB headset) has been fixed.
  
• In rare cases the "Fog of War" was not displayed correctly after saving / loading a game. This error has been fixed.
  
• In some menus the confirmation button was within the text box. This error has been fixed.
  
• The info bar for quests / messages has been shifted slightly upwards, so that more orders can be displayed when the bar is expanded.
  
• Some interface elements were still visible in Pause mode. This error has been fixed.
  
• There were rare cases of ships sailing through islands. This error has been fixed.
  
• Pigs and cows are now shown the right size on the farthest zoom level.
  
• Some messages were not properly / fully communicated. This error has been fixed.
  
• There were various minor bug fixes. (Incorrectly positioned cooldown displays, tool tips, typos, incompletely displayed text, etc.)
  
• It is no longer possible to use online profiles or create new ones with modified versions [MODs] of the game.
  
• Some interface graphics (confirmation buttons and sliders) were replaced.
  
• The current status of a ship is now also displayed in a tool tip in the ship selection drop-down menu in the strategy map.
  

• In some cases, quest rewards were not properly transferred to the players. This error has been fixed.
  
• The Carpenter was still able to repair buildings during battle. This was not planned. Buildings currently involved in combat you can no longer be repaired.
  
• Assignments requiring the player to pay gold can now only be accepted if the player's balance allows it.
  
• In rare cases, a few menu items (for example, the menu of a production building) were not displayed correctly. This error has been fixed.
  
• In rare cases, there was a significant delay before the caravel was given to the player after the delivery of the first gift for Al Zahir. This error has been fixed.
  
• The player could still purchase ships from Hassan ben Sahid even after their ship limit had been reached. This was not planned and has been fixed.
  
• In rare cases, the Trebuchet also took damage when bombarding a building. This error has been fixed.
  
• In rare cases, some Market buildings did not send out Market carts to pickup goods. This error has been fixed.
  
• The effectiveness of ranged combat units (especially against military buildings) has been slightly increased.
  
• The effectiveness of naval bombardment against land units has been slightly reduced.
  
• The Emperor's Quest "Nurturing the Alliance" has been simplified. Instead of 75 contracts only 40 contracts must now be completed.
  
• The base chance of a ship on an expedition being successful has been reduced.
  
• In some cases where several ships were ordered in one shipyard, the ship limit points spent on them were not refunded if the shipyard was destroyed before the ships were completed. This error has been fixed.
  
• In rare cases, transport ships were unable to build castles. This error has been fixed.
  
• The maintenance costs for Military buildings and Castles are now correctly booked correctly under "Military" instead of under "Buildings".
  
• The effect of the attainment "Binding handshake" at level 3 has been corrected. Before it had the same effect as at level 1.
  
• In rare cases, ships that were part of an assignment appeared inside an island. This error has been fixed.
  
• The Corsairs no longer sink ships required for quests.
  
• Items which the reduce building / vessel maintenance costs no longer reduce those costs to a negative level.
  

• In some cases the AI was able to build within the player's influence area. This error has been fixed.
  
• In rare cases the AI was able to demolish roads within foreign influence areas. This error has been fixed.
  
• The use of a trade route allowed more goods to be bought from AI players than they had put up for sale. This error has been fixed.
  
• In some cases AI transport ships just stood still when attacked. This error has been fixed.
  
• Ship AI has been improved. AI ships (especially in larger ship formations) now behave more intelligently when under fire.
  
• Military AI target selection has been improved.
  
• In rare cases the AI was able to withdraw its units even though they were in combat. This error has been fixed.
  
• In some cases the proceeds from the sale of "favorite articles" to the AI players were not calculated correctly. The AI players now pay the corresponding (higher) price.
  
• The AI can no longer build a castle when the corresponding transport ship is in combat.
  
• The AI no longer puts "0 t" of an Item up for sale.
  
• The AI now builds its walls more efficiently, making it more difficult to capture an enemy AI settlement.
  
• The AI now also builds Carpenters at Patrician level (and higher). This improves the AI's cityscape, especially at higher levels of civilization.
  
• In rare cases active trading did not function properly at AI Harbors. This error has been fixed.
  

• In rare cases the game crashed when loading mission 6 or 8. This error has been fixed.
  
• In rare cases, the game crashed at the end of mission 8. This error has been fixed.
  
• Under some special circumstances, no gift was given to the player in Mission 4. This error has been fixed.
  
• In rare cases, players were unable to obtain the Black Pearl in Mission 7. This error has been fixed.
  
• In some cases the attack in the side quest "Preservation of knowledge" in Mission 5 did not start correctly. This error has been fixed.
  
• The quest "Glassworks" in Mission 5 was not completed if all the necessary manufactories were built before the start of the quest. This error has been fixed.
  

• In some cases the achievement "Man the battlements!" was awarded under false premises. This error has been fixed.
  
• In some cases the achievement "The road map in your head" was awarded under false premises. This error has been fixed.
  
• The achievement "Turn the hose on!" did not always unlock properly. This error has been fixed.
  
• In some cases the medal "Order of the Treasurer" was awarded under false premises. This error has been fixed.
  
• The requirement for the achievement "Who is this Robin?!" has been lowered. Now only 50 Bandit camps are needed.
  
• The requirement for the achievement "Eureka!" has been lowered. Now only 75 attainments are required.
  
• The counters in the tool tips for some successes have been corrected and now show the actual values required.
  

Heroes Over Europe Now Available

September 22, 2009, 5:40 pm - Valve - Product Release

The sequel to the 2005 World War II flight combat game Heroes of the Pacific, Heroes over Europe takes aspiring combat pilots into the bullet-ridden heart of major World War II air battles in glorious high definition.

Heroes Over Europe is set to raise the bar for arcade flying games with the all new "Ace Kill" close combat action and four online modes supporting up to 16 players.

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Update Released

September 21, 2009, 4:05 pm - Valve - Product Update

Updates to Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:

General:

• Added auto-patching functionality
  
• Added community map support for single- and multiplayer
  

• Fixed crashing on the game start on quad core CPU systems
  
• Fixed an issue resulting in lost connection to internet lobby
  
• Fixed a framerate-related issue with stagecoach chase in single-player Chapter 3
  

• Time limits added to multiplayer games to prevent too high money gains from a single match
  
• Added the ability to disable sticky aim with dual guns
  
• Spawn invincibility time extended, spawn effect changed
  
• Added cheater reporting system
  
• Added chat functionality on the character selection screen after death
  
• Code modified to increase protection from cheats and hacks
  

• Spy: damage increased; health increased;
  
• Gunslinger: recoil reduced; accuracy improved;
  
• Hombre: recoil and reload time increased; damage at long range significantly reduced;
  
• Veteran: health and accuracy decreased; additional pistols removed;
  
• Sniper: no-scope accuracy and damage significantly reduced; health decreased; sidearm Ranger swapped for Classic Gun
  

Save 30% on Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood this weekend only!

August 28, 2009, 11:38 am - Valve - General Announcement

Save 30% (in the US and select countries) on Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood. Set in the old west in 1864 this western-themed action shooter has a dual collaborative mode and lots of online multiplayer features.

Ubisoft Expands Catalog Worldwide

August 27, 2009, 10:34 am - Valve - Product Release

Over a dozen classic Ubisoft games are now available to customers worldwide, including two titles new to Steam. Among the titles are Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, The Prince of Persia series, Silent Hunter 4, and titles from The Settlers series.

Newly available titles are 10% off until September 3. Please visit the Ubisoft publisher page for a listing of all recent additions.

Weekend Deal - Brothers in Arms 50-60% off!

July 17, 2009, 12:08 pm - Valve - General Announcement

This weekend only, save 50% on any of the Brothers in Arms games, including the latest critical hit, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway.

Or buy them all together in the Brothers in Arms Pack and save a total of 60%!

Weekend Deal - Might and Magic V and Dark Messiah

June 26, 2009, 11:39 am - Valve - Product Update

This weekend only, pick up any of the Heroes of Might and Magic V games or Dark Messiah Might and Magic for 50% off.

World in Conflict Update Released

June 22, 2009, 9:54 am - Valve - Product Update

Update 1.011 for World in Conflict has been released. The update will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted.

This update adds four completely new multiplayer maps in new settings. Apart from the new maps, changes have mainly focused on balance tweaks to medium helicopters, medium artillery, and infantry units. In addition several bugs and minor issues have been fixed. For additional details on this update, please visit the World in Conflict forums at www.massgate.net.

New features:

• Four new multiplayer maps:
  
• do_Apocalypse
  Deep in the jungles of the Mekong, Soviet and U.S. forces struggle for possession of a vital intelligence dispatch.
  
• do_Canal
  A tranquil canal divides Soviet and NATO forces as they fight for control of a small French Village.
  
• do_Studio
  In an attempt to crush the morale of the hated Americans, Mother Russia has decided to attack the heart of their enemy's entertainment industry!
  
• do_Tequila
  A sleepy Mexican village is shaken out of its siesta by the sound of roaring Soviet and U.S. tanks.
  

• All Anti-Air Strike timings are now much more similar, based on the USSR version.
  
• NATO Air-to-Air Strike has a changed animation of the airplane and is now identical to US and USSR.
  
• NATO Air-to-Air Strike missiles now have the same speed as on the US and USSR Air-to-Air Strike.
  
• Visual change: Ground marker on the Air-to-Air Strike changed to more accurately reflect target area. This does not in any way affect the functionality of the TA.
  
• Infantry squads now drop with a larger spread.
  
• Infantry squads now have a larger formation spread after move orders.
  
• Forest clearing has been removed from all units except for artillery units and special abilities on medium tanks.
  
• Medium Helicopters has had a decrease in health.
  
• Medium Helicopters has had a decrease in missile and cannon range.
  
• Medium Helicopters now has decreased cannon blast damage.
  
• US Medium Helicopters can now fire at targets behind it, making it more similar to the other factions.
  
• Medium Artillery has had its maximum range decreased.
  
• Medium Artillery Special Ability now has increased reload time.
  
• Medium Artillery now receives less reload time improvement when leveling up.
  
• Visual change: Changed the special ability effect on US/NATO Medium Artillery to a larger WP cloud, lingering flames and slight terrain deformation. Overall duration now matches gameplay effect.
  
• Tweaked deployment zones on do_Mauer in favor of USSR.
  
• Tweaked deployment zones on do_Fjord in favor of NATO.
  

• Changed the health of a stone bridge that had 50% more health than it should. All bridges should now be destroyable with two Laser Guided Bombs.
  
• Fixed a bug where infantry squads would sometimes get deselected when a member of the squad died.
  
• Fixed a bug where Sniper units inside buildings would sometimes fire at units they did not have line of sight to.
  
• Fixed a bug where infantry would run out of the forest when dropped from a helicopter.
  
• Fixed a bug where the LOS shader would in some cases calculate incorrectly.
  
• Fixed a bug where the movement lines in the megamap would remain after the units had been ordered to stop.
  
• Fixed a bug where the stone bridge used on do_Canal and do_Village would move when terrain was deformed close to it.
  
• Fixed a bug where the server would crash when certain orders were stacked.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused heat-haze not to render.
  
• Slight tweaks to USSR Medium Artillery special ability: crater size is more consistent, and the effect no longer occasionally fails to play an impact sound.