Jun 27, 2012

Team Fortress 2, Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch Updates Released

Day of Defeat: Source - Valve

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)

Added ConVars sv_rcon_maxpacketsize and sv_rcon_maxpacketbans to allow server admins to control the maximum RCON packet size and whether or not users get banned for exceeding that limit. The defaults reflect the existing behavior.
Fixed not being able to import custom spray images on Macs
Fixed Macs cancelling http map downloads that take longer than 30 seconds

Team Fortress 2

Added Pyrovision!
Added new game mode Special Delivery and map Doomsday!
Friendly players glow when carrying the flag
Fixed rare cases where flag could fall out of the world
Fixed cases where the Payload HUD looked like the cart is still on a hill when it isn't
Fixed cases where some clients didn't receive broadcasts about long continuous particle effects being started or stopped
Updated the HTML renderer for displaying server MOTD
Votes created by a dedicated server no longer trigger a failed vote cooldown
Fixed map triggered annotation events not working on dedicated servers
Fixed the game crashing if tempents are created that use invalid materials
Using a Name Tag while in game notifies everyone of the name change
Fixed Strange Part: Projectiles Reflected not tracking grenade and sentry rocket deflections
Added new items
- City on Fire item sets
- Pyroland weapons and cosmetics
- Community-contributed cosmetic items for all classes
- Mysterious treasures have been incinerated, but are now craftable
- Added crafting recipe for Pile of Ash
- Scorched Keys are now available in the store for a limited time
- New promo item
Weapon balancing changes
- Gloves of Running Urgently
  - Removed self-damage over time penalty
  - Heavy takes mini-crits while active and for 3 seconds after switching away
  - Attack damage penalty reduced from -50% to -25%
- Tomislav
  - Spin-up speed bonus reduced from +40% to +10%
- Quick-Fix
  - Medic mirrors blast jump of their heal target
- Crusader's Crossbow
  - Reload speed time reduced by +40%
- Cozy Camper
  - Regenerates 1 heath per second
  - Reduced movement penalty from -90% to -80%
- Sticky Jumper and Rocket Jumper
  - Added 'flying' sound to blast jumps
- The Concheror
  - Changed rage building source from "damage done and damage received" to only "damage done"
  - Increased the rate at which Rage builds for this item by +25%
- The Equalizer
  - Removed player move speed modification and added it to a new item named The Escape Plan
  - All owners of the Equalizer will be automatically granted The Escape Plan
- Crit-a-Cola
  - Added +25% increased movement speed while active
  - Increased duration from 6 to 8 seconds
- Atomic Bonk
  - Increased duration from 6 to 8 seconds
- All Flamethrowers
  - Increased base damage by +10%.
- Backburner
  - Removed +10% damage bonus attribute
  - Note: Because of base damage increase, damage remains unchanged
- Degreaser
  - Added -10% damage penalty attribute
  - Note: Because of base damage increase, damage remains unchanged
- Phlogistinator
  - Damage defense while taunting reduced from -90% to -75%
Item bug fixes
- Fixed sentry sometimes spawning in shielded mode while the Wrangler was equipped, but not deployed
- Improved visual and audio cues for when the Manmelter is ready to fire
- Fixed Manmelter being able to earn crits via friendly Pyro self-damage
- Fixed Scotch Bonnet's blue team skin not showing
- Fixed Unarmed Combat's taunt not working
- Unarmed Combat's color now matches the team using it
- Fixed the Apparition's Aspect showing a burning texture in DX8

Jun 27, 2012

Dota 2 Update - June 27, 2012

Product Update - Valve

HIGHLIGHTS:
- Added Luna
- Added Guardian Wisp
- Dota 2 now uses the CELT codec for increased voice communication quality.
- Added a testing tool to the Workshop tab that allows contributors to see their models on a hero before submitting.

GAMEPLAY
- Bloodseeker: Fixed a bug where he could get healed by friendly heroes dying in the area around him that he didn't deny.
- Pudge: Fixed a bug that was sometimes causing Pudge's Dismember to do an extra tick of damage
- Pudge: Fixed a bug that allowed Pudge to deal damage without hurting himself by quickly toggling Rot.
- Rubick: Fixed a rare case where Rubick could get permanently stuck with Telekinesis Land.
- Rubick: Fixed a bug where Rubick would gain permanent Spectral Dagger buffs until he died.
- Rubick: Fixed a bug with Poison Release that would cause you to steal the wrong ability from Shadow Demon.
- Rubick: Stealing Spirit Bear is temporarily disabled.
- Fixed being able to use a different player's items in your combine, if that item was in your stash at the time

VISUALS
- More Rubick spell animations
- Various Rubick visual effect improvements and fixes
- Haste animation added for Bloodseeker
- Adjusted Ogre Magi's sidearm attack animation
- Logos removed from waterfall and mid river areas to safeguard gameplay
- Tweaked dire banner position left of fountain shop
- Roshan timer appear only after 10 seconds have passed from death
- Reduced Gyro's model scale a little
- Removed ambient effects on Razor and Morphling when hexed

UI
- Fixed some cases where icons could get stuck on the screen
- Fixed new heroes not showing up in the hero picker if you had custom view set (They'll now appear in the top left of the grid view, for you to then place as you like)
- Tournament Panel: Fixed game list not refreshing unless you opened a different tournament and then back.
- Tournament Panel: Increased the size of the live games and recent games.
- Tournament Panel: Fixed details button not working properly for the last few games.
- Fixed Spectator label cutting off number of spectators.
- Fixed Live games not displaying correctly after opening a Tournament.
- Fixed a recent bug with the shop not closing when a unit is selected
- Fixed some bugs with losing commentator perspecting when pausing and unpausing
- Added backpack preview to couriers
- Back button in the loadout takes you back to the backpack if you arrived via a backpack right click
- Fixed some slots on the backpack not being right-clickable if they were not on page 1
- Fixed the first equip from the backpack sometimes not working properly
- Added inspect button near the hero panel for heroes that have custom items
- Updated the replay skill filter to have more usefull categories.
- Fixed dragging an item onto itself not turning its icon back on.
- Cheat commands are now echoed to chat
- Added a testing tool to the Workshop tab that allows contributors to see their models on a hero before submitting.

AUDIO:
- Dota 2 now uses the CELT codec for increased voice communication quality.

Jun 27, 2012

Gratuitous Tank Battles Update Released

Gratuitous Tank Battles - Valve

version 1.013
=============
1) Dog Tags and Supply Drops now come with explanatory tooltips.
2) Deployment icons now have extra tooltip data to explain supply trucks and current stock levels.
3) Removed redundant and confusing restock-timers for supply truck icons.
4) Battle minimap now has a popup key that displays like a tooltip to explain the colors.
5) Fixed bug where the procurement achievement would trigger under the wrong circumstances
6) Dialog for loading existing designs on the design screen now also displays mini design icons and the hull name for each item.
7) Unlock system changed so that the important unlocks occur early on in the process.
8) Fixed bug where the overseas medal did not trigger as soon as it should have.
9) Armor color changed to be more orange and less red, to avoid confusion with damage.
10) Fixed bug where game hangs loading on an attacking custom map if the defending ai has too many resources relative to placement opportunities.
11) Fixed bug where editing existing player units can leave the old image being used on the deployment bar.
12) Fixed bug with tank exhausts that meant they would linger too long if you were not looking at them.
13) New feature: You can now drop replacement infantry into half-empty trenches to fill the slots, even mixing infantry types.
14) You can now disable the supplies exhausted siren under the options screen.
15) Fixed bug where you could try to post a challenge despite not setting up a user profile yet.

Jun 27, 2012

New Free to Play on Steam - Tribes: Ascend

Tribes: Ascend - Valve

Tribes: Ascend is Now Available on Steam!

Tribes: Ascend is the world’s fastest shooter - a high-adrenaline, online multiplayer FPS with jetpacks, skiing, vehicles, and multiple classes. The classic shooter franchise Tribes has been played by well over 1 million people. With Tribes: Ascend, the franchise is reborn – fast-paced, vertical, acrobatic combat combined with class-based teamwork and stunning sci-fi visuals.

For a limited time* pick up the Tribes: Ascend Steam Starter pack for 50% off. Perfect for new players, it includes:

-Lifetime 50% XP Boost
-4 Bonus Weapons for base classes
-Infiltrator Class & 4 Weapons unlocks
-Technician Class & 4 Weapons unlocks
-4 Perks unlocks
-800 Tribes Gold

*Offer ends Wednesday, July 4th 10AM PDT.

Jun 26, 2012

Sword of the Stars II: Lords of Winter Update Released

Sword of the Stars II: Enhanced Edition - Valve

r22112b
------

Critical fixes:
+ Fixed a multiplayer combat crash related to weapon damage.
+ Fixed multiplayer crashes related to news events.
+ Fixed a news event crash related to resuming older games.
+ Fixed a scout rider crash.
+ Fixed a crash related to the colony information display in combat.

Other fixes:
+ Fixed an issue that caused civilian population to drop after new
factions were introduced.
+ Improved trade slider notch accuracy.
+ Planet missiles now target battle ships and battle cruisers.
+ Fixed an issue where battle riders were not launching in multiplayer combat.
+ Fixed the issue where minelayer were not working in multiplayer combat.
+ Fixed overharvesting beyond available resources.
+ The grovernment graph marker no longer moves beyond the graph bounds.
+ Fixed grav boat behavior.

Other changes and additions:
+ Gate ships now deploy after the combat phase.
+ Colony stimulus now considers star systems each player already has
colonies in.
+ Fleet support range now takes all support points into consideration,
which should extend range in friendly space.
+ Eliminated players are now reflected in the diplomacy manager.