Steam Updates and Releases 16 April 2011

Another small set of big updates including Killing Floor, Garry’s Mod and more. Plus the push new steam 16-04-11 for Portal 2 pre-orders continues and Sanctum is now available. Also updated are Dino D-Day and a load of Source games.

Killing Floor Update Released

Updates to Killing Floor have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:

Addressed an issue where client would hang on connecting to servers
Various map bug and exploit updates
Her chamber has been opened... Help Us

Now Available - Sanctum

Posted: 15 Apr 2011 11:20 AM PDT

Sanctum is now available on Steam!

Sanctum mixes first person shooter with tower defense to create a totally unique experience. Pick-up the two-pack to get a friend in on the co-op action!

Garry’s Mod Update Released

Posted: 15 Apr 2011 10:03 AM PDT

Updates to Garry’s Mod have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:

Garry’s Mod

Added D.I.P.R.I.P content
Added Left 4 Dead content
Added Left 4 Dead 2 content
Added Pirates, Vikings and Knights II content
Added Zombie Panic! Source content
Added Dystopia content
Added Age Of Chivalry content
Updated SuperDOF with advanced settings
Updated prop spawning effect
Model file browser is now sorted alphabetically
Sped up startup particle loading
Menus now alphabetically order categories/presets
Fixed presets showing up twice when adding or removing in the editor
Fixed crash when rendering spawnicons
Fixed crash when loading models with different anim system (l4d models)
Fixed CEnvMicrophone crash
Fixed crash when spawning bot
Fixed crash on explosion when entity limit near
Fixed crash when loading a Toybox save caused by Skybox Camera
Fixed render target not resetting to backbuffer if a Lua error occurs
Added reload_postprocess
Fixed crash when browsing models in filesystem
Fixed L4D ragdolls performance when not sleeping
Fixed crash exploit using material tool
Fixed Antlion Guard crash
Fixed being able to colour the world using material tool
Netgraph is hidden when using camera tool
FPS is hidden when using camera tool
Restricted Act command to one every 5 seconds
[TTT] Added time remaining display in pre- and post-round phases.
[TTT] Added millisecond display to damage log.
[TTT] Added ability for spectators to spectate a corpse using ALT+E.
[TTT] Added some useful server tags, shown in the server browser.
[TTT] Changed version number into a tag as well, eg. "ttt:v25"
[TTT] Changed locational voicechat to auto-disable after the round ends.
[TTT] Changed Radar blips to fade a bit when aiming near them.
[TTT] Fixed C4 being carryable after arming it in a specific way.

Last Chance to Pre-Purchase Portal 2, Help Release It Early

Posted: 15 Apr 2011 08:58 AM PDT

This weekend is the last chance to pre-purchase Portal 2. Get your copy now, save 10% and be ready to play the moment it is released.

Help release Portal 2 early: From now until release, play any or all of games in The Potato Sack to expedite the launch of Portal 2. Your efforts will be tracked on the official GLaDOS@home page.

Each game in The Potato Sack has received a massive Portal-themed update, making a collection of 13 hit indie games even better. So why not get a taste of Portal 2 now while you help launch it?

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

Posted: 14 Apr 2011 06:45 PM PDT

Updates to Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike: Source, 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 (CS:S, DoD:S, TF2, HL2:DM)

Fixed a packet injection exploit in the client/server streams
Fixed UDP logging exploit
- Added a new server convar "sv_logsecret" which emits a new S2A_LOGSTRING2 UDP packet to any UDP log targets with the secret value pre-pended

Team Fortress 2

Added new map Koth_Badlands
Updated CP_Well
- Spawn room by second cap for each time is now a one-way door
Updated Training
- Added 3 new training courses for the Demoman, Engineer, and Spy
- Added the Ready for Duty achievement for completing all of the training courses
Added a new system to associate dedicated servers with Steam accounts
- Use the ConCommand "cl_gameserver_create_identity" in the Team Fortress 2 client console to create a server account using the currently logged in Steam account. This will generate values for "tf_server_identity_account_id" and "tf_server_identity_token"
- Put the values for "tf_server_identity_account_id" and "tf_server_identity_token" into your server.cfg
- Use the ConCommand "cl_gameserver_list" in the Team Fortress 2 client console to list all of the game server accounts owned by the currently logged in Steam account
Added a new system for coaching players
Added a new vote system
- Server convars to control the vote system
  - sv_allow_votes : Allow voting?
  - sv_vote_failure_timer : A vote that fails cannot be voted on again during this period.
  - sv_vote_allow_specators : Allow spectators to vote?
  - sv_vote_issue_changelevel_allowed : Allow votes to change levels?
  - sv_vote_issue_kick_allowed : Allow votes to kick players from the server?
  - sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_allowed : Allow votes to set the next level?
  - sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_allowextend : Allow votes to extend the current map?
  - sv_vote_issue_restart_game_allowed : Allow votes to restart the game?
  - sv_vote_issue_scramble_teams_allowed : Allow votes to scramble the teams?
  - sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_choicesmode : Present players with a list of maps with the lowest playtimes to choose from?
  - sv_vote_kick_ban_duration : How long should a kick vote ban someone from the server? (in minutes)
dynamic model loading to improve performance
Combat Text changes
- Added a new convar "hud_combattext_healing" to display the amount of healing done per second
- Added bonus points to the items displayed using Combat Text
- Starting position of values is now affected by range to target, making it easier to see numbers when next to targets
Updated voice to use the Steam voice codec to improve quality
- Servers can toggle between the old codec and the new codec with the convar "sv_use_steam_voice", which defaults to 1.
Fixed not being able to see the correct colors for painted hats when running with DX8
Fixed not being able to see the | character in custom names and descriptions
Fixed a couple cases where custom sprays would not import correctly
Duel changes
- The duel dialog has been extended to include class-specific duels in addition to the default duels
- Duel badges now only show the number of wins a player has
Added Payload maps to Offline Practice
Fixed taunt kills made with a Katana not counting towards honorbound kills
Fixed a bug where killing a Katana wielder with a Katana was incorrectly causing an increased crit chance
Fixed infinite noisemakers exploit where noisemakers could continue to be used after their charges had run out
Improved the Medic overheal effect so it’s more noticeable
Fixed func_build entities to respect the team value and prevent the associated team from building in the area
Items changes:
- Added new "Sort by Rarity" option for sorting backpack items
- Improved the backpack sorting algorithms
- Added "styles" for the Ghastlier Gibus, Scotsman’s Stove Pipe, Treasure Hat, Hat of Undeniable Wealth And Respect, and the Googly Gazer
- Added paint preview to the preview section when shopping for hats
- Updated the Googly Gazer to be paintable
- Added new paint styles to the Pyromancer’s Mask
- Items in the action slot won’t be swapped until returning to a supply cabinet
- Replaced the no-crit attribute with -25% damage on the following:
  - The Eyelander, The Gunslinger, The Southern Hospitality, The Powerjack (also added +20% melee vulnerability)
  - The Horseless Headless Horseman’s Headtaker, The Ullapool Caber, The Claidheamohmor
- Dalokohs Bar
  - Removed item cool down meter and ammo count when using the Dalokohs Bar
- Fists of Steel
  - Increase deploy times 20%
  - Ranged damage reduced 40% (down from 60%)
- Loch-n-Load
  - Damage increased by 10%
- Equalizer
  - Tuned high-end damage range so it’s no longer possible to one-shot certain classes
  - Suppress the medic call effect while active
- Battalion’s Backup
  - Reduced rage generation rate by 50%
- Concheror
  - Damage-to-health conversion increased to 35% (from 20%)
- Mad Milk
  - Heal 60% of damage done (down from 75%)
- Sun-on-a-Stick
  - Base damage lowered slightly but guarantees crits against burning players instead of mini-crits
- Fan O’ War
  - Marking someone for death now lasts 15 seconds (from 10 seconds)
- Flaregun
  - Flares always crit burning targets, regardless of range
- Backburner
  - Removed the restriction on airblast
  - Ammo cost increased 150% (4 blasts at full ammo)
  - Damage bonus reduced to 10% (from 15%)
- Sydney Sleeper:
  - Charge rate increased 25%
Bot changes:
- Added Spy TFBots. Spy bots have basic cloaking, diguising, sapping, and backstabbing behaviors now, and are ready to join the fight
- TFBots understand the basics of the Payload scenario now, and will push the cart on offense, and try to stop the cart on defense
- Added navigation meshes for pl_goldrush, pl_badwater, pl_upward, pl_thundermountain, and pl_hoodoo_final
- Improved TFBot reactions to cloaked and/or disguised enemy Spies
- Improved Demoman bot behaviors for planting sticky bomb traps
- Demoman bots will now try to move to a safe spot and lob stickybombs onto enemy sentry nests to destroy them
- Soldier bots switch to their shotgun after emptying their rocket launcher at close/medium range
- TFBots will no longer hide from sapped or carried sentryguns
- Engineer bots are better at moving their sentry gun nest as the scenario changes
- Improved Sniper bot algorithm for finding good sniping spots for both Capture Point and Payload scenarios
- Sniper bots will take opportunistic shots at targets while they move to their desired sniping spot
- Fixed bug where Sniper bots would sometimes stand around in their spawn room doing nothing.
- Improved TFBot ability to find a safe vantage spot to attack enemy sentry guns
- TFBots will no longer try to use a teleporter entrance they can’t actually reach
- Added tf_bot_melee_only cvar. If set to 1, all TFBots will be restricted to only using their melee weapon

Read more about the update here: http://www.teamfortress.com/hatless

Dino D-Day Update Released

Posted: 14 Apr 2011 01:21 PM PDT

Updates to Dino D-Day have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:

Fixed voice chat.
No more going into Berserk mode when pounced, in a Dilophosaur’s mouth, or other situations that don’t make sense.
sv_accelerate and sv_airaccelerate are now server configurable. Server Admins, slower-moving dinosaurs have trouble with sv_accelerate under 7 so be careful when adjusting this.
Revised Desmatosuchus animations.
Team chat messages now show "(Allies)" and "(Axis)" instead of "(TEAM)"
Raptor and Dilophosaur claws bug that prevented them from attacking right after spawn is fixed.
Added Team Switches to the end of objective-mode rounds. Server admins, if you’re doing your own team-switch with a plug-in bear this in mind.
Added a Film-Grain slider to the Video options menu. Drag it all the way left to get rid of the film grain effect.
Dilophosaur damage balance. Takes less damage from bullets, takes even less damage from bullets while he’s sprinting. We’ll monitor community feedback on this and make more adjustments as necessary.
Removed blur effect from the sniper scope. Other small tweaks to the scope, let us know if it feels better. We can work on some more stuff for the next patch.
Added missing resupply crates in Allied spawn in obj_depot. Other map fixes in obj_depot.
Closed raptor exploit in obj_fortress whereby the raptor could gain access to the Allied spawn.
Fixed buggy capture points in obj_fortess which also happened to be culprit for *most* crashes that occur in this map. It will hopefully be more stable for everyone.
Players now get points for healing and for successfully bombing an objective with a satchel.
Changed team ID tags so they are more visible (and round).