Steam News - August 17, 2007

[CSN NewsBot]

This week's Steam news update is all about Team Fortress 2, with a sprinkling of a digital designer's wet dream of a convention, and a certain underwater game. Read on!

We'll be in Germany next week showcasing Episode 2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 at the Leipzig Games Convention, one of the biggest annual games events in the world. At the show, we'll debut the second installment in our Team Fortress 2 character movies: you've been introduced to the Heavy Weapons Guy, now get ready to meet the Soldier. We'll post the movie on Steam soon.

Thousands of computer graphics pros migrated to the annual SIGGRAPH convention last week, where artist-in-residence Jason Mitchell gave a presentation on TF2's unique art style. If you're interested in the technical or artistic choices that go into game development, watch the movie (.wmv, 75MB) that Jason showed during his talk. If you're not afraid of formulas and technical-speak, you can even read the white paper, "Illustrative Rendering in Team Fortress 2." (pdf)



As you know, BioShock will be available on Steam next Tuesday in the US, next Friday in Europe. You can beat the stampede to nab the game by pre-loading it today. At 1pm PST, the game will automatically activate and the rest of your life will fall by the wayside. Based on early reviews, we're as excited as the rest of the global gaming community to play it.

Bioshock is poised to knock off Half-Life 2 and Half-life from the top one and three positions on Metacritic's PC games listing. That is quite the feat, and I cannot wait to give Bioshock a go next week.

[meowmeow]

For a game with no multiplayer, it sure is getting major high ratings on some well known gaming sites. GameSpot, IGN, etc.

[Haklin]

Which is good...finally after many years games are coming around to what made them so popular in the early 90's..(prior to multiplayer being such a MAJOR necessity)....STRONG STORY LINE.



Can't wait for my collectors ed

[omgomgz]

I'd honestly like to know why a lot of game developers don't value multiplayer much. It keeps the game alive. Is it the cost of creating and maintaining a master server, or is there even a good answer?

[FAF]

Ask EA....they have neglected BF2 terribly and 2142 is heading the same way. It's the only game I know with a top10 leaderboard almost entirely full of glitchers, stat padders anc cheaters.



Most gamers aren't hardcore gamers who will devote a lot of time to perfecting their game, they will pay their £30/$50 to have a short time giggle on some random Sims game then go back to life again. Publishers just pander to the sector that give them the most money...basic economics :S

[Thortok2000]

While multiplayer games are fun, I like single player games too. I prefer games with a good sampling of both.

[marlyred]

I think TF2 will be amazing, some great ingame footage on this TF2 site.



October is getting closer huh? All the TFc fans should be loving this if its as good as it looks.



Reall looking forward to it!

[DarkViper311]

Thortok2000 wrote..

While multiplayer games are fun, I like single player games too. I prefer games with a good sampling of both.

I personally prefer a game I can enjoy more by myself, most of the time.



Bioshock looks amazing, namely, the atmosphere. They've done a really good job on it.



I miss being able to think fondly of Team Fortress 2.