Weekly Steam News (15/07/05)

[CrazyHarij]

This week Valve reveals the winner of the "Trip to Valve" contest and a new tournament system, as well as recommendations of a few highly anticipated modifications.

This coming Monday, July 18th, one of the winners of the "Win a Trip to Valve" contest will be arriving here at our offices. Lawrence S. Burstein PhD, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida purchased the "Gold" edition of Half-Life 2 during the contest timeframe and was our first winner.
[br]</br>
In other news, we're always on the lookout for new and interesting mods which use the Source engine. Here's the latest batch which have caught our eye:
[br]
[br]

<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4">
<tr>
<td>
<p align="center">
[br]
Insurgency[br]
</td>
<td>
<p align="center">
[br]

Hostile Planet[br]
</td>
<td>
<p align="center">
[br]
Badge of Blood</td>
</table>
<table>
<td>
<p align="center">
<!-- this link doesn't work in IE, so using the page on VDC instead. http://www.hylobatidae.org/minerva/index.html -->

[br]
MINERVA[br]
</td>
<td>
<p align="center">
[br]
Hull-Breach[br]
</td>
</tr>
</table>​

[br]
Also, we've launched a new webpage for tournaments, where organizers can submit a tournament registration request for their event to be posted on the Valve Tournament Calendar. If you're looking to compete, spectate, or host an event, check it out.

Restart
your Steam client, or click here to
receive the update.

 

[Chris D]

Apologies for the look of the thread guys. vBulletin isn't always the best at handling HTML See the front page for what it SHOULD look like.

 

[jdufault]

No worries, a steam update is always welcome...:cheers:

I am intent on seeing more insurgency stuff coming out, that mod looks to be extremely good. The sheer detail the team is doing with that game is awesome.

 

[Morganhahaha]

I wish they'd spotlight mods that weren't already extremly popular...

 

[Chris D]

There's a reason why they're extremely popular though.

 

[jimbo118]

the minerva one looks pretty sweet, the map looks awesome, very cool looking, sumit Valve would be proud of...

 

[Morganhahaha]

There's a reason why they're extremely popular though.

What difference does that make? Obviously their "popular for a reason"... as opposed to popular for, no reason?

What I'm saying here is, those mods are already very popular, everyone who's into HL2 mods is anxiously waiting for those mods to come out already. Their already well on their way to being released anyhow. Valve should spotlight up-and-coming mods that show promise, that way those mods can get positive attention and possibly more people to help in their making.

 

[SidewinderX]

Well, my advice to ya'll is to view the source of the page (on valve's site). You'll see the most important mod there.

(I kid, I kid... props to Chris_D for spotting it though)

 

[Psycho]

I can't wait for Hostile Planet, just looking at the screenshots make me addicted to that game O_O

 

[shakey]

I like how DoDS was supposedly meant to be coming out late Spring, and now it's completely disappeared from the News again. Good job at keeping us up to date Valve!

 

[63]

Well, my advice to ya'll is to view the source of the page (on valve's site). You'll see the most important mod there.

(I kid, I kid... props to Chris_D for spotting it though)

Heh, Cold War :thumbs:

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Did you somehow miss the update about DoD:S two weeks ago ?

Good job on keeping up to date shakey!

 

[Chris D]

What difference does that make? Obviously their "popular for a reason"... as opposed to popular for, no reason?

What I'm saying here is, those mods are already very popular, everyone who's into HL2 mods is anxiously waiting for those mods to come out already. Their already well on their way to being released anyhow. Valve should spotlight up-and-coming mods that show promise, that way those mods can get positive attention and possibly more people to help in their making.

MINERVA is relatively new. They spotlighted the Guildhall projects recently. They've had two or three updates where they've highlighted new and upcoming mods.

 

[63]

MINERVA is relatively new. They spotlighted the Guildhall projects recently. They've had two or three updates where they've highlighted new and upcoming mods.

Speaking of the Guildhalls, weren't those supposed to be released a couple of weeks ago?

 

[SimonomiS]

I can't wait for Hostile Planet, just looking at the screenshots make me addicted to that game O_O

Holy hell I love that game already.

 

[Pesmerga]

I still don't know why Insurgency is so popular. Judging from the work of the other mods, I think it's safe to say we can only really judge mods based on models, concept art, and creativity.

Insurgency, or Operation CO-IN, has little in the way of creativity. I'm not going to say it's a Cstrike clone, but comon, we already have 50 middle eastern war games, not to mention another 500 middle eastern war mods already in development, 99% of which will fail. Honestly, I really feel that the creators are only making this mod because they KNOW it will be a success, and in that comfort, won't even attempt to do anything new or radical that might interfere with an already perfected genre.

But I digress, the other mods look fantastic, and I'm especially anticipating Project Hull Breach.

 

[Insano]

I like how DoDS was supposedly meant to be coming out late Spring, and now it's completely disappeared from the News again. Good job at keeping us up to date Valve!

They are going to redo everything of the game, it's not a simple port anymore. Be happy. Don't worry.

 

[Argyll]

Can you please name those 50 middle eastern war games along with the 500 middle eastern war mods? I'd like to see them all

But seriously, do you think it's stupid to have it based on the war in Iraq? We also are oriented to the war in the Balkans during the mid-1990's. That's because I personally, as founder, primary designer, and leader of the mod, would rather play a different theater other than the Middle East. What many people don't realize yet is that INS is very dynamic in terms of gameplay configuration for level design. We can easily code in new teams or weapons or player classes and they could right away be used in existing maps without any need to recompile.

If you've read all of the above, and have some experience in the modding (primarily Half-Life) community, you could maybe understand this: If a mod is popular and has a strong community that also has some sort of talent for 3d and 2d artwork along with level design... these community members could pull together and put together perhaps artwork set in a new theater. This means that since the art is in place, the INS team can then go ahead and code the necessary backend for new teams... which can then automatically be used in existing and all future levels.

Sorry for going a little off-topic here, but I just felt that had to be said based on the previous comments about Insurgency.

I haven't seen Minerva before and their level design does look quite impressive! Plus I don't know about any other mods, but INS wasn't contacted by Valve before this, so I imagine they just picked them from being listed on their Wiki. I'd advise any other mods to get listed on there too in order to improve your chances for the attention

 

[Pesmerga]

Figures that Argyll himself would reply

By all means, your mod may be great, but I'd have my doubts about the microwave if the only thing supporting it was words of good faith.

I'm simply saying, it's kind of ironic to see that a mod like yours, that obviously has similarities to the obvious "cstrike clone" motif, rise up in the ranks so quickly. Are we so hypocritical to bash any similar Counter-Strike clone yet, a gaming company, renound for revolutionizing the FPS genre, holds it in such high esteem? Am I wrong to have my doubts about a game because I've seen nothing more than words of good faith and high poly models?

I've heard lots about your mod and the supposed capabilities of dynamicy (is that a word?), and remember being in the waiting channel on half-life radio when your mod was Op CO-IN and heard you or some representative talking about how it differed from the run of the mill run and gun by utilizing a freeform way of coding. I may be wrong, my memories are vague, but I simply dislike it when something that people have been putting down for generations are now being celebrated. Is it simply because the gamer's mind can be changed so easily, or maybe your mod brings us something new? I guess we'll see...

 

[Chris D]

Speaking of the Guildhalls, weren't those supposed to be released a couple of weeks ago?

One of them was. It was a singleplayer 3rd person game.

Eclipse was released and Samurai Legends is still pending/

 

[Cargo Cult]

Valve should spotlight up-and-coming mods that show promise, that way those mods can get positive attention and possibly more people to help in their making.

Erm... I think that's what they've done here.

I'm the person (singular) behind MINERVA. A couple of days ago, virtually nobody knew of my little map. Now, people are talking about it all over the place.

If that's not spotlighting an up-and-coming mod that they consider shows promise, I don't know what is!

(Oh, and thanks for all the comments. It's still slightly bewildering; my descriptive vanity page on the Valve wiki is now their second most popular page, and I'm now waiting for it to pass the wiki's own front page. Hopefully it's deflected some of the bandwidth usage their way... ;-] )

 

[neva]

Insmod is teh win

 

[63]

Erm... I think that's what they've done here.

I'm the person (singular) behind MINERVA. A couple of days ago, virtually nobody knew of my little map. Now, people are talking about it all over the place.

If that's not spotlighting an up-and-coming mod that they consider shows promise, I don't know what is!

(Oh, and thanks for all the comments. It's still slightly bewildering; my descriptive vanity page on the Valve wiki is now their second most popular page, and I'm now waiting for it to pass the wiki's own front page. Hopefully it's deflected some of the bandwidth usage their way... ;-] )

Dude, who killed those 2 billion people and what's his address

Congrats on the recognition, it's good to see some good SP maps in the works. It's getting annoying seeing these endless 'warehouse filled with zombies' scenarios.

 

[Ames]

Erm... I think that's what they've done here.

I'm the person (singular) behind MINERVA. A couple of days ago, virtually nobody knew of my little map. Now, people are talking about it all over the place.

If that's not spotlighting an up-and-coming mod that they consider shows promise, I don't know what is!

(Oh, and thanks for all the comments. It's still slightly bewildering; my descriptive vanity page on the Valve wiki is now their second most popular page, and I'm now waiting for it to pass the wiki's own front page. Hopefully it's deflected some of the bandwidth usage their way... ;-] )

It's because we love you so.

 

[shakey]

Did you somehow miss the update about DoD:S two weeks ago ?

Good job on keeping up to date shakey!

You mean three weeks ago, when they said "For instance, Day of Defeat: Source will feature HDR lighting for all of its levels the day it is released," or 4 weeks ago when they said in short "DELAY."

Good job on being a patronising asshat, whatever your name is!

 

[Chris D]

His name is Pi Mu Rho.

 

[Morganhahaha]

If that's not spotlighting an up-and-coming mod that they consider shows promise, I don't know what is!

Well thats one mod, or, one map as you say? What about the other 200+ mods? Surely they don't have to do every single one of them in a weekly steam update, but theres a lot of unique mods that are shaping up nicely, but just don't have as much work completed as these more popular mods.

All I'm saying is 4 out of 5 mods they just posted news about are already popular with nice sized fanbases (and if i recall correct hasn't INS been spotlighted by them already?), so why don't they spotlight Brawl or Off-limits or NMRIH or Neotokyo or one of the many, many, many other mods out there that aren't as popular?

Maybe its just triage, their taking the 'best' from the mod pool because they think those are the most likely to succeed... but surely if they posted news about lesser known mods they'd gain a lot more support. It would be kind of like "Look at *less well known mod*! They have valve's blessing! I better hop on their forums and participate in their community, or lend a helping hand so their mod can come out sooner" you know what I mean?

Anyways, don't see what all the confusion is here, I've repeated myself a few times now, I sound like a broken record But, people keep quoting me and misinterpreting what I said, soo...

 

[63]

Or Warriors of the Apocalypse...

 

[Morganhahaha]

You said it, not me

 

[63]

You said it, not me

You could have just come out and said you wanted recognition instead of dragging it out...

 

[Pesmerga]

*pets SixThree and his brother, FourTwo*

Yeah, it's really ashame that Valve is going to pretty much ignore any mod that even might have a chance at not releasing even a beta. I'm not saying it would be their fault that a mod didn't succeed, that's not the case at all, just saying maybe Valve could make a list of 20 or so mods that they are looking foward to.

 

[Morganhahaha]

You could have just come out and said you wanted recognition instead of dragging it out...

And you could keep your bullshit to yourself and not try to make things personal. I like how you're trying to discredit me when all I'm saying is that Valve favors popular mods over all others. More so, I never even hinted at the fact that I run a mod, and if they were to ask to spotlight our project I would probably have to pass on it, we're not ready for that sort of attention. Other mods on the other hand are.

Please cut the shit and don't dilute the discussion with bullshit accusations.

And I agree with Pesmerga, I'm glad someone else out there sees things the right way.

 

[Insano]

Have a public, decent release and they will put you in the Steam news. It's up to you

 

[Tarky]

I'm simply saying, it's kind of ironic to see that a mod like yours, that obviously has similarities to the obvious "cstrike clone" motif, rise up in the ranks so quickly. Are we so hypocritical to bash any similar Counter-Strike clone yet, a gaming company, renound for revolutionizing the FPS genre, holds it in such high esteem?

Sorry for dragging this up, but just had to reply..

People jump onto most games now that have weapons in a realistic environment and go "OMGEE CS CLONE H4X!!!". I also dislike when people give shit to mods when they haven't played them nor even read about them. I may be a team member for Insurgency but I am also the Mod Manager for ModDB and one of my roles is to check out a lot of the mods that come in to see if they are original, this means reading.. yes reading believe it or not

Don't think this is a flame or anything Pesmerga, I am just simply stating some things that annoy me which your post triggered. I do understand the viewpoint you are coming from and yeah would love to give INS to everyone now and say this is how it is different, but it isn't at that stage yet..

 

[Pesmerga]

I do understand the viewpoint you are coming from and yeah would love to give INS to everyone now and say this is how it is different, but it isn't at that stage yet..

No, you're right, I guess I've just seen too many mod developments during HL1 to continue to hold any trust in words. Give me gameplay videos! Hasn't it been long enough?

Good luck to your mod.