Steam News Update - November 16, 2007

[CSN NewsBot]

What, it's the weekend already? I guess that means there was another Steam news update? Oh, hey look! I already linked to it and everything. It's the XXL edition this week.

Every few months, we like to find out what kinds of hardware people in the community are using. This is incredibly useful to us as game developers in that it ensures that we're making good decisions about what kinds of technology investments to make as well as giving the community a page to compare their current hardware setup to.



Earlier this week, we reset the Steam Hardware Survey. The first 135,000 responses offer a preview of the latest hardware trends amongst Steam users.

• 40% of your systems have 2GB or more system RAM on board.
  
  
• Just over 2% of respondents can run a DX10 path for graphics.
  
  
• About 40% of your PCs are running with multiple CPU cores.
  
  
• Most of your systems are equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce video card.
  
  
• Windows Vista is the OS of choice for 14% of you.

Check out the rest of the survey data to see the full picture, or take a look at the previous survey results to see where we were a few months back.



We also launched the Half-Life 2: Episode Two stats page this week. Compare your playing experience with the rest of the world: stats include average completion time, total play time, and new death maps, a visual overview of where players died most often in each map.



Bookworm Adventure Deluxe, PopCap Games' popular word puzzler is now $19.95 (previously $29.95). An extra 25% savings this weekend only gets you into the game for just $14.95.



Get a double dose of one of the highest-rated real-time strategy game series of all time. This weekend, Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts and the original Company of Heroes are available together for one low price.



Both offers end Monday, November 19, so act fast.

I've been enjoying some Crysis and Call of Duty 4 off and on this week. So far, CoD4 is surpassing Crysis in terms of fun factor, due largely in part to its multiplayer. Also, Assassin's Creed isn't as bad as some reviews are making it out to be.



We'll have some additional news pieces later this weekend for various events happening around the Net. Also, it seems as though we've switched over our search feature to make use of Google. I'm not sure when this happened, but it does mean rizzuh is on the loose. Watch your backs.

[DeAceShooter]

It will be good if the death maps are available in game as well to put a "boots on the ground" perspective of things rather than from a top-down view.

[Renegade[CSR]]

DeAceShooter wrote..

It will be good if the death maps are available in game as well to put a "boots on the ground" perspective of things rather than from a top-down view.

I second this statement.



I also would like to have these maps created for each user, so they can see where they died in comparison to the overall statistics.

[Linux]

Crysis I think is toppping all games, until Unreal Tournament 3 comes out :). I just like crytek's products being a game dev myself, I like to look at other products and their ideas and way its made. CoD4 is by far the best of all of them and the multiplayer is AWESOME!

[-:Nighthawk:-]

Monitor Refresh Rate (173488 Users)

59Hz - 13,676 - 7.88 %

60Hz - 109,339 - 63.02 %

I find it highly disturbing that over 70% of all users are potentially suffering extreme eyestrain while playing... I personally get headaches from anything under 85Hz, and can't imagine how so many people are living with it.

[Diamond Dust]

well 60hz is the standard for LCD monitors and doesn't strain your eyes like it would on a CRT

[Zips]

-:Nighthawk:- wrote..

I find it highly disturbing that over 70% of all users are potentially suffering extreme eyestrain while playing... I personally get headaches from anything under 85Hz, and can't imagine how so many people are living with it.

As was mentioned, this is the default for most LCD monitors. I used to use 75 for my old CRT, but once I went to an LCD it really doesn't matter in the slightest.

[Haklin]

I'll be staying with xp for another 1-2 years so it'll be interesting to see this survey in a few months again.

[-:Nighthawk:-]

I use dual 19" CRTs. Desk space? What is that?



Realistically, though... do you really think that the majority of the stated ~70% really are using LCDs? I had to use a command line switch to force the video refresh rate in Source-based games to what I needed them to be, and used a 3rd party hack to remove 60Hz modes so the old HL-based mods don't run in that mode. Seems to me that if that's the kind of efforts you have to go through to ensure it's running properly -- there are probably plenty of others just living with it due to not knowing better or not knowing how to fix it.

[Zips]

-:Nighthawk:- wrote..

I use dual 19" CRTs. Desk space? What is that?



Realistically, though... do you really think that the majority of the stated ~70% really are using LCDs? I had to use a command line switch to force the video refresh rate in Source-based games to what I needed them to be, and used a 3rd party hack to remove 60Hz modes so the old HL-based mods don't run in that mode. Seems to me that if that's the kind of efforts you have to go through to ensure it's running properly — there are probably plenty of others just living with it due to not knowing better or not knowing how to fix it.

Look at how many 8800 users there are on that list too. I'm willing to bet that a majority of those 60Hz users are using LCD monitors. Sure, some won't be and are killing their eyes with CRT's at that refresh rate, but that's their problem.

[Thortok2000]

I would classify as 'not knowing better'.



I was actually looking at getting an LCD monitor soon, though. In the meantime, how am I killing my eyes and what can I do about it?



I looked, and the only way I could get a higher refresh rate is to go on a lower resolution, which I don't want to do. -.-



Oh, and if you wanna throw in monitor-buying tips for gamers, I'm all ears.

[Diamond Dust]

Thortok2000 wrote..

Oh, and if you wanna throw in monitor-buying tips for gamers, I'm all ears.

I think if you go LCD a widescreen is a must. Some games don't support it but people find ways to get it to work. widescreengamingforum.com will help for finding work arounds (they have monitor reviews also but I'm not sure how up to date they are)