Dec 18, 2024

Steam News - kaci

The third annual Steam Year In Review Steam Replay has arrived, and your very own jaunt down gaming memory lane awaits! It's a fun-filled, fact-filled, friend-filled (because you can share it!) look back at what you played in 2024.

Name change? What name change?

Ok, you got us. We called it Steam Replay when we launched it in 2022. Then last year, some of us thought "Hey! What if we changed it to Steam Year In Review for giggles?" Then we all giggled and did it.

Then this year, someone said, "Um, that was a dumb idea we had last year. Are we crazy if we change it back to the better name for it?" And we all said "Shut up, Gabe, that's too much work." HA HA we kid, it was actually Chris. Or Eric? No wait it was Jane. Or maybe Tom? And we actually said "That's a great, collaborative idea, fellow teammate!" and here we are.

You, on Steam, by the numbers

How many games did you play, and how does that compare to last year? Did you unlock a bunch of achievements? What about your longest streak? These fun numbers and more are in your Replay.

There are spiders!

...graphs. Spider GRAPHS, we mean, showing in spider language what kinds of games you played.

...and so much more!

There are so many fun ways to look at your year in Steam gaming: playtime by month; playtime by what you played on; even playtime across your Steam Family if you're part of one!

Sharing is caring

Each Steam Replay is different, so what will yours look like? Take a look at your own, and share it both on and off Steam with your friends (and see what theirs look like too!)

Dec 16, 2024

Team Fortress 2 Update Released

Team Fortress 2 - Valve

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

Added missing No Gloves style for the Consigliere's Coverup
Added missing Versus Saxton Hale kill icons
Added some tournament medals
Fixed Taunt: Curtain Call voice lines overlapping with other Spy voice lines
Fixed the Playful Aurora and Frisky Morning Unusual effects not moving correctly
Updated Aurora Skies Unusual effect to fix a timing issue
Updated the Necroprancer to fix an issue with the materials
Updated the Dusk Duster to fix an issue with the materials
Updated the Dapper Noel
- Remade normal map to be compatible with OpenGL
- Re-baked Diffuse & updated backpack icon to reflect above changes
- Removed misplaced ambient occlusion
- Fixed problematic face flexes
- Fixed an issue where Engineer's beard was protruding from his goggles
- Fixed an issue with the jigglebones being disabled
- Rigged Sniper's hat to be compatible with his melee taunt
Updated Scrooge McDoc
- Transparent lenses are rigged to the correct bone (prp_glasses instead of bip_head) so it should now work correctly with taunts that move the glasses
- Improved scarf rigging and positioning to allow for better compatibility with shirt cosmetics
- Updated the backpack icon
Updated koth_overcast_final
- Fixed an issue with the models/materials
- Added back snow coverings (now using displacements) to some props that were missing them
- Fixed misaligned textures in various places
- Fixed weird lighting bug on a wall in blue spawn
- Fixed 'Hotel' sign not displaying properly
- Added back indicators under some health and ammo kits that were missing them
Updated cp_fortezza
- Removed sniper window leading into last
- Fixed Engineer being able to build in some doors
- Fixed some props being solid
- Slight art pass update
Updated vsh_maul
- Players can no longer hide from Saxton in the dark
- Fixed props inside other props
- Fixed z-fighting brushes
- Fixed missing particle effects for the water feature
- Fixed orientation of water feature particles
- Minor lighting changes around the cinema
- Adjusted LOD change distances for Cinema sign
- Updated VSH logic
- Grounded levitating props
- Aligned misaligned textures
- Fixed mis-textured walls
- Clipped upper metal beams
- Fixed clip brushes sticking out from walls that could be walked on
- Players will now be pushed off of the fire bell
- Adjusted cinema sign shadow
- Used spell check on Saxton's Package sign
- Updated how music is activated and deactivated
- Fixed clipping on the hanging big ornaments

Dec 11, 2024

New Settings for Game Updates - In Beta

Steam News - Emilyk

Today's Steam Client Beta update includes a few improvements that give you more control over when Steam will download updates for your installed games.

When downloading game updates, Steam continues to try to strike a balance between keeping your games ready to play and efficiently using your bandwidth. For games you recently played, Steam will download game updates shortly after they are released. For games that you haven't played in a while, Steam might wait a few days to bundle multiple updates together or choose to download the update while you are asleep.

While this default behavior works in most cases, there are times when you need more control of when updates are applied. Some users might want to delay updating a 200GB game until they are ready to play it again in a few months, especially if they are on metered connections or have monthly bandwidth caps. For others who play the same game every night, they might want updates downloaded as soon as they are available.

What's new?

We've added a new section to control the default behavior for when game updates are applied, under "Downloads" in the Steam Client settings. You can set the default to: let Steam decide when to update the game (based on factors like when you last played the game, bandwidth availability, etc.) or wait to update until the game is launched.

To set specific game overrides, go to Library > Game> Game Properties (the gear icon). The options remain the same, with cleaned up descriptions.

To see which games have specific overrides, head back to the Steam Client "Downloads" settings and click "Manage Exceptions".

Looking for even more control?

These new settings join a robust set of existing download options that can be found under "Downloads" in the Steam Client settings. Head there to limit your download speed, pause downloads while you play or stream a game, and more. If there is a setting you would like to see and can't find, please let us know!.

Learn how to opt into the Steam Client Beta to help test new features like these.

Dec 11, 2024

Team Fortress 2 Update Released

Team Fortress 2 - Valve

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

Happy Smissmas 2024!

All players who play TF2 during the event will receive a Stuffed Stocking as a gift! Stockings contain goodies for good little Mercenaries.
Featuring 6 new community maps: Overcast, Fortezza, Penguin Peak, Patagonia, Cutter, and Maul
Added the Winter 2024 Cosmetic Case
- Contains 23 new community-contributed items
- The Festivizer can be found as a bonus drop when opening the case
Added 3 new community-contributed taunts to the Mann Co. Store
- Taunt: Fore-Head Slice
- Taunt: Peace!
- Taunt: Curtain Call
Added 18 new community-created Unusual effects
- 9 new effects for Unusual hats
- 9 new effects for Unusual taunts
All cosmetic and taunt cases will grant Smissmas 2024 Unusual effects instead of their normal Unusual effects during the event. This does not include crates.
Mann Co. Store winter sale!
Smissmas runs through January 7th, 2025

General

Fixed a client crash when previewing imported items in the Workshop dialog
Fixed showing an error model when equipping the Scottish Resistance
Fixed The Executioner not hiding the Scout's dog tags
Updated the Mountebank's Masque to fix a problem with the materials
Updated/Added some tournament medals
Updated vsh_distillery, vsh_nucleus, vsh_outburst, vsh_skirmish, and vsh_tinyrock
- General
  - Added the gamemode intro movie (made by Lacry, thanks)
  - Improved the delivery of VSH-related voice lines for Soldier, Engineer and Sniper
  - Updated some VSH-related voice lines for Saxton, Soldier, Engineer and Sniper (thanks The Rat Man)
  - Added Hale's kill icons
  - Visual improvements to Hale's Ability HUD (thanks Funicular)
  - Added a visual cue signaling an upcoming Saxton Punch!
  - Minor visual improvements to Saxton Hale and his particle effects
  - Fixed the boss bar sometimes starting invisible
  - Fixed a rare crash caused by seeing blood decals on Hale while playing on low graphics quality settings
  - Fixed a rare bug when Hale's Ability HUD textures become missing
- Balance Changes - Saxton Hale
  - Added Brave Jump Fatigue. Each consecutive jump will be less powerful, requiring a short break to restore to full strength
    - Weightdown ability is disabled during Jump Fatigue
  - Increased Hale's health by ~100HP per opponent
  - Adjusted Hale's health formula against 24+ opponents - Hale now gains 2000HP for every opponent past 23 (thanks Megascatterbomb)
  - Hale's resistance to knockback reduced from 75% to 35%
  - Head Stomp damage now scales with Hale's downward speed, dealing between 64 and 193 damage (previously dealt flat 195 damage)
- Balance Changes - Mercenaries
  - Explosives and fire now deal 50% more damage against Hale
  - The 40% minigun damage penalty now applies to full crits only
  - Broken Demoman shields now retain the charge ability
  - Demoman shields now absorb only 50% of the incoming damage upon breaking (a would-be-lethal blow will leave the Demo at 1HP)
  - Greatly decreased sticky trap damage reduction
  - Removed Scottish Resistance's 20% damage penalty
  - Baby Face's Blaster now loses 20% of its boost upon Wall Climbing
Updated vsh_tinyrock (additional changes)
- Improved performance
- Fixed odd clipping at one of the spawns
Updated vsh_distillery (additional changes)
- Improved performance
Updated vsh_nucleus (additional changes)
- Fixed setup time ending five seconds too early
- Improved detailing in some areas
- Improved clipping on staircases
- Increased control point capture time to 15 seconds
- Removed collision on some lights
- Changed damage model and damage amount of the toxic waste pit and puddles
Updated vsh_skirmish (additional changes)
- Fixed setup time ending five seconds too early
- Fixed an issue where Engineers could build in the crocodile pit
- Fixed not being able to wall climb certain trees in the main arena
- Fixed some lighting issues on stalactites and other props
- Parts of Hale's intro sequence no longer play while waiting for players
- Improved optimization and detailing in some areas
- Improved clipping on spiral stairs (Thanks Aar!)
- Updated security system
Updated cp_brew
- The shortcut from RED spawn to the "A" point now has a nobuild trigger
- Added floor indicator for the health kit in the "A" point wooden shack
- Adjusted "A" point wooden shack to allow more breathing room
- Fixed getting stuck on the "A" gate's frame
- Fixed teletrap near "A" point ditch route
- Fixed being able to place buildings inside an out-of-bounds room outside "A" point
- Fixed some stuck spots near "B" point
- Fixed being able to shoot through a crack in the BLU forward spawn
- Fixed floating props in the diner
- Fixed one way door not forcing itself closed
- Cleaned up some collisions and clipping across the map
- Improved lighting on all of the archways
Updated koth_krampus
- Fixed missing trees in skybox
- Improved look of waterfall texture near full health-kit
- Fixed minor visual errors
- Minor NPC clipping changes
- Fed krampus some oats
Updated pl_emerge
- Switched on the cart light
- Fixed RED players being able to sit on the edge of an exit of BLU's starting spawn
- Fixed some doors showing incorrect textures
- Fixed the final capture point displaying an incorrect string
- Fixed the map occasionally playing incorrect ambient sounds
- Minor visual and performance tweaks
Updated cp_carrier
- The Carrier now has full crits rather than mini-crits
- The Carrier now uses the robot voice lines
- Improved hearability of the Carrier's voice lines and footsteps
- Fixed visual bugs with the boss bar
- Fixed the Carrier sometimes becoming invisible while taunting
- Fixed animation glitches when a Demoman Carrier holds a Stickybomb Launcher
- Fixed occasional phasing through the elevator platform at BLU spawn
- Decreased size of the frog

Nov 5, 2024

Steam Client Update, November 5th

Steam News - boyd

Steam Game Recording

Steam Game Recording is now available to all users! It's a new built-in system for creating and sharing your gameplay footage, which runs in the background so you never miss a moment.

There are many ways to use this all-new set of features, from capturing your highlights to documenting entire campaigns. It's easy to find, clip, and share your gameplay.

For more info, visit the Game Recording website.

Windows

This version of the Steam client will no longer run on Windows 7 or Windows 8. Users on these OS versions will not automatically update to this new version of the Steam Client. See the Windows 7 and Windows 8 Support FAQ for additional details.

macOS

This version of the Steam client will no longer run on macOS 10.13 or 10.14. Users on these OS versions will not automatically update to this new version of the Steam Client. See the Steam macOS 10.13 and 10.14 Support FAQ for additional details.

General

Updated embedded Chromium build in Steam to 126.0.6478.183.
Fixed issue where drag-and-drop of text into a chat would send the text immediately instead of dropping it into the edit area.
Re-enabled remote install from Steam client via the streaming dropdown.
Improved detection of other computers for streaming and peer downloading when using a secondary wireless interface.
Fixed progress bar not updating during game update and move operations involving large files.
Fixed overlay hanging in some games on macOS and Linux after a game restarts itself.
Fixed the names of manually added or removed games not appearing in the collection filter header if the game had been removed from the user's library.
Fixed steamwebhelper deleting temp directories that it may not have previously created.
Fixed a bug that could prevent Offline Mode login on the first restart after installing an update.

Remote Play

Added support for AV1 video streaming on high end systems.
Fixed the cursor being too small when streaming from a PC with desktop scaling enabled.
Fixed using software encoding instead of hardware H.264 when HEVC is enabled and unavailable.
Fixed black screen when streaming HEVC from Steam Deck.

Steam Overlay

Fixed crash in some games using D3D9.

Steam Input

Fixed crash occurring when querying community controller configurations in the configurator.
Added support for wired XBox controllers on macOS Sequoia.
Fixed the "Turn off Controller" action causing Steam to launch BPM if the main window was focused.
Increased maximum sensitivity of Joystick Mouse mode.
Mode Shifts now support D-Pad directions and Right Joystick.
Mode Shifts now support Track Pad Touch on DualSense/Edge, DualShock, SteamController and SteamDeck.
SIAPI Glyphs for Playstation Dualsense are now monochrome to match Icons in Big Picture Mode.
Fixed an issue where bindings that were present from converting a configuration from one controller type to another could be active but not removable due to being filtered out of the binding interface.
Always show the controller tab in app properties for non-Steam shortcuts.
Added Invert X and Invert Y to Mouse Regions.
Scroll Wheel mode can now be chosen from the dropdown in SIAPI games (Inside of Edit Loadout, not Quick Settings).
Fixed an issue where using a Steam/QAM button chord in a non-Steam game could leave the desktop config loaded instead of the game's config.

Linux

Fixed some miscellaneous common crashes.
Fixed slow startup on systems where the reverse hostname lookup for the loopback interface is not localhost.
Detecting and passing commands to an already running Steam client is significantly faster.
Added a -disable-screensaver-inhibit command line option to prevent Steam from inhibiting the screen saver when activity is detected.
Fixed Linux crash launching steamwebhelper occurring with some system configurations.
Steam developers can now select which Steam for Linux runtime to use for native titles. Please consult the partner site for more details.
Native titles will execute in 'Steam for Linux runtime 1.0 (scout)' by default, instead of the legacy runtime environment.
This behavior is consistent with Steam Deck and promotes better compatibility across all Linux desktop distributions.
Note that this new feature can be turned off globally with "-compat-force-slr off" on the Steam client command line.
Always allow the Steam client to fallback to X11 when SDL_VIDEODRIVER/SDL_VIDERO_DRIVER is set to wayland.
Removed the UI toggle to disable Steam Play globally, correctly reflecting that Steam Play is always enabled on Linux. Steam Play was always partially active even when set to off in the UI as it is a requirement for Steam client operation.
Fixed a case where the wrong DPI scaling factor would be used for systems using a non-gnome based session with an active gnome-desktop-portal service.
Extended recent Steam Play fixes to third party compatibility tools.

Discovery Queue

Fixed the Discovery Queue presentation so that the elements around the videos show correctly.
Improved the animation when scrolling through the discovery queue.

Big Picture Mode

Fixed keyboard input dialog in-game failing to close/re-open properly if Steam Overlay is toggled while visible.
Fixed multi-line mode support in the dialog shown by the ShowGamepadTextInput API call in Steamworks.
Fixed the on-screen keyboard not immediately popping up when games invoke the text entry dialog.
Fixed a case where the text entry dialog could lose focus and require moving focus to the buttons and back to the text entry.

Note: The client was updated again at 5pm PST to fix a few bugs that were discovered shortly after release.