In December last year, Valve introduced its analogue Twitch – Steam Broadcasting. Month the service is in beta stage, and with the latest update Steam opportunity to broadcast the game became available to all users.

Steam Broadcasting function is available in the main client program and the three browsers: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer 11, and Apple Safari. So far, the function only works on Windows 7 and Winsows 8, but in the future also promise to support Windows Vista, Mac OS and Linux.

Steam Broadcasting main difference from the same and other Twitch strimingovyh platforms is that there is no need to make any extra options that are not even necessary to run independently broadcast. To view just need to select the appropriate item in the player profile, stream starts automatically when someone starts to follow, as you play.

In the settings you can set who can view your broadcast. By default, the player who is broadcast, must confirm the request. But you can allow you to view all comers, then your stream will appear in the game center.

So far, the only access broadcast live, save the video for further distribution is impossible. The quality of Stream can not exceed 1080p. The developers emphasize that not only can broadcast the game window, and a work desk. This presents some limitations. A player can not show live third-party material protected by copyright, pornographic or pirated content. You also can not discuss methods of hacking the game and the use of cheat codes. User noticed something “illegal” in the streamers can send a complaint to the Valve on a particular player.

Read the answers to frequently asked questions about Steam Broadcasting can be on this page.

With the latest update to the Steam client also appeared embedded counter FPS, intended to replace the Fraps, and were made to improve the work of the Big Picture and SteamOS. For a complete list of changes can be found on the corresponding page on Steam.

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Street Valve Corporation holiday again – the number of simultaneously present in the Steam network users 1 December exceeded 7,000,000, which once again highlights the growing popularity of the service.

It should be noted that the previous record for the number of simultaneously present in the Steam users was equal to 6.6 million at the time of fixing a new record of the most popular game on Steam was Dota 2 – more than 540 thousand users. Second place deservedly won Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with a modest number of users – about 94 thousand. Among other popular games that helped jump bar at 7 million users, it is worth noting The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Sid Meier’s Civilization V and Football Manager 2013. Many believe that the establishment of a new record contributed to the decline in prices of some popular games.

It is expected that over the next few months interest in the products and service Steam Valve increase from hitherto unseen force, and this will contribute to the recently announced Steam OS, Steam Controller and Steam Machine from companies partners. We recall not so long ago it became known that Valve iBuyPower and in 2014 released Steam Machine for $ 500 .

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Earlier it was reported that the first version of Steam Machine from partner companies Valve, which will be available in mid-2014, will be shown during the CES 2014. iBuyPower has decided not to wait until January 2014, and show a prototype of such a system now.

According to Engadget, iBuyPower is preparing to release two versions of Steam Machine, under code names and Gordon Freeman. Unfortunately, the characteristics of new products is kept secret. However, we know that both models in tandem with any game on Steam can give stable 60 frames per second at a resolution of 1080p.

Recall, Valve still in early October revealed Steam Machine prototype specification and announced its intention to send 300 prototypes of its new gaming system Steam users for beta testing.

Resource The Verge notes that one of the models in the performance Steam Machine iBuyPower (at the moment it is not known what kind) will go on sale next year, priced at $ 499. At its core production configuration includes AMD, Radeon R9 270 video card and hard drive capacity of 500 GB. We also know that it comes complete with a game controller Steam Controller.

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After the success of Steam in the field of publishing indie games platformoderzhateli painted together in the love of the indie scene, promise to support independent publishing indie games and even include a little game in the starting lineup the next consoles, however, after the U.S. PlayStation 4 is already current, generation. Actually, a small platform puzzle Contrast and became one of the starting projects for Play Station 4. For players, the CIS countries, which will have to wait for PS4 launch until November 29, the game is already available on other platforms, including on Steam.

Contrast – this is a game of light and shadow. A simple three-dimensional platformer that flick of the wrist turns into a two-dimensional. Such a decision we have already seen in several projects, unlike Contrast – to use lights and shadows to create and manipulate level elements.

The game’s plot, despite some pretentiousness and theatrical environment, is very simple. Teenage girl Didi worried about his father, who seems to have got into some kind of scam, and wants to help him reconcile with his mother and returned to the family. She wakes up in her room polusumrake and sent to the night city streets, filled with shadows, fragments of dreams and memories, to make things right. Didi company is its imaginary friend, girl-acrobat with the telling name Don (Dawn), which can turn into a shadow and travel between sleep and more deep sleep between 3D and 2D.

Contrast mesmerizing combination of breathtaking art deco atmosphere, films noir, coffee and light Shantanu madness. There are no people, except Didi and Don, only silhouettes on the walls, but they communicate with each other and with the girl – is overshadowed by its daily memories. The entire game world – it’s literally a few blocks around the house Didi rolled into a tangle of quaint streets, terminating nowhere. In general the whole chamber and Contrast very cozy, filled with rays of light and filled with music and warmth. 

Basis of the gameplay – light and authors work with him masterfully, good engine Unreal 3 allows. For the sake of simplicity, there is no perception of the penumbra, but those are the rules of the game. But moving the light sources can literally change the level and find new ways. Unfortunately themselves platform puzzle game is not very complicated, some special call for a player is not here – almost all of you will pass the first time. 3D to 2D transition levels only in strictly defined areas on flat surfaces illuminated by light, so figure out what to do in each subsequent time is not difficult. 

Contrast in the original puzzles and so little, and one of the levels, Shadow Theatre, generally literally verbatim quote from Limbo . It is certainly one of the best role models, but I would like to see all the individual works of the authors. 

Contrast short game. Three acts can run for 2.5-3 hours, even with search collectibles and secrets. Final stories are so predictable that even insulting. The visual style and mood of the game promises some mystery, detective story or drama, and as a result we get a little banal family history, a place that in some lowly daytime drama. A pity. 

However, despite some incompleteness and innuendo, Contrast is very sweet and cute, but the idea behind the gameplay, although not disclosed to all one deserves to meet her. If not now, then during the New Year’s sale on Steam.

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Recently, Valve has invited representatives of news sources in its headquarters in Bellevue, Washington, to share with them some of the features of the game system Steam Machine, Steam Controller game controller and OS SteamOS.

Recall that the company Valve has opened in early October, Steam Machine specifications of the prototype , but the appearance of the body left for a snack, stating that the final design has not been approved. Currently, she decided to fill this gap. Distinctive features of the black housing rectangular steel grate for withdrawal of heated air, which covers half of the body, as well as a large circular power button. On the front cover removed two ports USB 3.0, while the rear panel boasts an extensive list of interfaces, including audio jack for headphones, ports, USB, RJ-45 connector and the video output HDMI.

It is also noted that the design of the housing, Valve has paid a significant portion of their time and attention to the ventilation holes to allow minor dimensions of the case does not reduce the efficiency of the cooling system. Resource Wired reports that Valve has resorted to some tricks and careful design of the housing. Steam Machine components accommodated in the housing separately from each other in a “thermally isolated areas”. Journalists resource The Verge called partitions “plastic casings, printed out with the help of 3D-printer.” As they do not call, they have one purpose – to regulate the air flow to improve the cooling efficiency.

It is reported that the design of the controller with two round trackpads, was not immediately approved. Prior to that, the development team has created several prototypes using, according to The Seattle Times, tools from the garage of Gabe Newell. Early prototypes differed integrated joystick and trackball unusual shape. The photos below tell it better than words.

During the announcement of the controller Valve announced that Steam Controller is a “new generation of devices that provide super-precise tactile feedback” that better conveys a sense of control. After testing the controller journalists Resource The Verge noted that the built-in “tiny electromagnetic drives” can you move your fingers to feel every inch.

“If I did not know for sure, that could easily be confused with a trackball trackpads,” – said the representative of The Verge.

According to the resource Engadget, operating system SteamOS has a lot to do with the Big Picture mode in Steam, which has always been focused on the use of the living room.

It was learned that the version of the Steam Machine from partner companies, which will be available in mid-2014, will be shown during the CES 2014. At the moment, Valve does not plan to release their own gaming systems Steam Machine, but in the future may change your mind.

It should be noted that the production Valve controller includes gyro tracking movements. In addition, Half-Life 3 will not be exclusive to the SteamOS. We also know that at this point 40 of 330 Valve employees are still working on hardware performance Steam Machine.

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Valve has announced a new milestone in the history of their own digital distribution service games Steam – the number of registered users broke the mark of 65 million, which is approximately 30% more than the year before.

By the way, the peak attendance of service at the moment is about 6 million This can be easily verified in the statistics Steam, where daily attendance for a better perception of the curve is shown as a wavy shape. Fluctuations are completely dependent on the time of day.

By far the most popular game on Steam Dota 2 remains. The maximum daily amount of players in Dota 2 is more than 0.5 million official release Dota 2 to the model free-to-play took place this year. After a long period of beta testing, the sequel to the popular mod for Warcraft III – Defense of the Ancients, in the shortest possible time is now available for users of Steam.

Recently, the service Steam was 10, which was for some kind of Valve’s push to expand into new markets. Recall a little earlier, Valve announced the OS Steam OS , reference design game system Steam Machine and game controller Steam Controller .

For comparison, it is worth mentioning that the number of users of the service Microsoft Xbox Live is 48 million, while the users of the Sony PlayStation Network, there are 110 million

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Following its own operating system, OS Steam, specification game consoles Steam Machines and the new game controller Steam Controller Valve has announced its own developers conference games – Steam Dev Days, now finally acquired all the features platformoderzhatelya.

The two-day conference will be held in his native Seattle for the company, on January 15-16, 2014. At the event, you will feel the very Steam OS, Steam Machines and Steam Controllers, learn about design considerations for Linux and Steam OS, to communicate with the team Steam, industry veterans attend lectures and take part in round table discussions. Overall, the program is similar to other such events, but, of course, with a focus on the platform Valve.

The cost of participation in the Steam Dev Days for a single developer is quite humane – $ 95. Press the event is not permitted.

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As reported in the announcement, Valve is going to send 300 prototypes of its new game system, known as Steam Machine, Steam users for beta testing and gathering feedback. And now it became known that the same will be inside the “steam engine”.

As previously reported, Steam Machines will produce different companies, and they will present different configurations, from budget to high-end solutions and gaming systems – so they are likely to be different from the prototype, which is going to test the Valve. According to her, the company wanted to present something special, so the current prototype – this is a productive system assembled from components of the upper price range. In this case, the system can be upgraded to your liking, replacing all the stuffing, leaving the original Steam Machine a unique case. Developer immediately notes that gather Steam Machine and can be yourself (which is not surprising, because in fact this is an ordinary PC), and even promises to publish drawings of the body – so that the user can optionally create their own copy of the Steam Machine, like the original, even externally.

So, the actual configuration of the first 300 prototypes Steam Machine from Valve:

• Video card: NVidia GTX660, GTX760, GTX780, Titan 
• Processor: Intel i3, i5-4570, i7-4770 
• Memory: 16 GB DDR3-1600 memory (RAM), 3 GB GDDR5 (GPU) 
• Storage: Hybrid SSHD 1 TB / 8 GB 
• Power Supply: 450 W 
• Dimensions: approximately 30 x 31 x 7 cm

Skin and body until it shows – according to Valve, its ultimate refinement is not over yet. The exact date of dispatch of the prototype also does not reveal – we only know that it will happen this year.

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“Three-step” the announcement of the expansion of the universe Steam, Valve which stretched for nearly a week, finally came to an end, and the finale was the presentation is not Half-Life 3, hoped for millions of fans of the series and the game controller of its own design – Steam Controller.

According to Valve, the development of its own controller was conducted throughout the year, and the main task was to provide its full support to the entire library of Steam-games, including even the old name, which in principle are not familiar with this type of control as the game gamepad (about Valve not even refrained from boasting, “We tricked the old games. They think that you’re playing with a keyboard and a mouse”).

Not surprisingly, the result of their labors little resemblance to the traditional to the current understanding of gamepads – the main element of the Steam Controller are two circular trackpad located in the place where the current controllers are analog sticks (it looks as though they were depicted in the schematic icon in the announcement of the third day) . Valve assures us that the touch trackpads (which also act as buttons) to offer a much greater precision than conventional sticks, and that the resolution of the controller Steam comparable with the resolution of the mouse. Thus, it can be used to play all the genres, including those traditionally considered “mouse” prerogative – shooters, real time strategy, simulations, etc. (A separate item here for some reason there is Euro Truck Simulator 2 – the game is, of course, in his own very worthy, but definitely a niche – it really is so important for the audience Valve?). 

However, trackpads – is not the only control that responds to touch. In the center of the controller is the touch pad (similar solution is used, by the way, in your controller, “an indie console» Ouya). It seems that with the help of Valve plans to address the issue of compatibility with old games gamepad is not familiar with such input devices, because it is the touch pad is best suited to simulate a mouse.

Among other developments, applied in the Steam Controller, Valve indicates a kind of “super-precise tactile feedback” that better conveys a sense of control than conventional vibro motors in today’s Force Feedback-gamepad. 

But, of course, no gamepad, even the most revolutionary, can not do without buttons. They have Steam Controller will be as much as 16 (strange, that’s not 100 …). The buttons are arranged symmetrically (which should please the left-handed), and half of them will be available without interruption of the thumbs of trackpads.

An interesting feature of Steam Controller will be the total configuration – Steam users can create their own layout controls for different games using a special tool and share them with each other – sounds like an analogue Steam Workshop.

In this first encounter with the strategy of Steam completed, is to wait for more detailed information (by the way, to publish her ​​promise in this group ), while it is known that the details of the prototype for SteamOS will be unveiled next week.

Well, the last announcement was a disappointment to many – people until recently were hoping for something much more loud and sensational (Half-Life 3, yes). However, it was the announcement of its own controller was actually quite logical and easily predictable – the company is developing a complete solution for migrating your Steam store into the living room, and in this situation is stupid relegated to its direct competitor, what are now automatically becomes Microsoft, is such an important element of the system, as an input device (it is, of course, on your controller, Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller for Windows, which is now the de facto standard for computer games).

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As expected, after the announcement of Steam OS two days ago, Valve announced today the release of the 2014 video game systems on the basis of the operating system.

And Valve does not plan to release their own notorious Steam Box, or, as they called on the page announcement, Steam Machines . The company is developing a reference design, providing partners to produce customized endpoints.

In 2014, according to Valve, the market will present a number of devices on the Steam OS. And in order to better understand the needs of users, the company created a prototype Steam Machines, and is ready later this year to send 300 of these systems Steam users to test and gather feedback.

In order to participate in the beta Steam Machines must perform a series of simple tasks on Steam and get a special badge. 30 testers will be selected from among the most active members of the community, the other “console” will be distributed randomly among all complete this task. The lucky ones will be determined after October 25. At the time of writing more than 12,000 people signed up to potential testers.

Owners of Steam Machines, according to Valve, will be available 3000 games Steam – more than 100 games already optimized for Steam OS plus other streaming via home.

The counter on the page announcements started again , Valve will make the following announcement on Friday 27 September at 20-00 in Kiev. According to the disclaimer at the end of the FAQ by Steam Machines, we can talk about the controller for the system.

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