How does improved Steam startup performance sound? Not too bad right? Well, that's exactly what Valve included in this new Steam client update. And there's more than that...just have a look:

• Improved Steam startup performance
• Fixed a crash when clicking on very long URLs in friends chat
• Fixed the in-game overlay not showing over some D3D9 games that set a texture as the render target
• Fixed a case where the overlay could go temporarily unresponsive due to using a skin that generated bad geometry
• Fixed some cases of trying to send data to Steam servers while disconnected
• Fixed chats in the overlay which have existing text from out-of-game not scrolling to the bottom by default
• Fixed log files from in-game overlay corrupting some output
• Fixed app cache download issue for users with slower connections

It's been almost a month since Valve released Counter-Strike related updates which, among other things, fixed the silent walking exploits. Unfortunately Valve has now decided to pull these fixes back and look for "less impactful" ways of dealing with this issue.

There are other great fixes in the latest update though - take a look at the changelog:

Counter-Strike 1.6

• Rolled back recent silent walking exploit fixes as we investigate less impactful ways of preventing the bug
• Adjusted bomb bounding box to prevent silent plant exploit
• Fix to eliminate or significantly reduce "flashbugs"
• Fixed status icons (buy zone, bomb zone, etc) disappearing when starting a recording, or issuing a fullupdate
• Prevent creating aliases using the same name as existing cvars
• Rate limit fullupdate and some other commands to prevent spamming
• Fixed an issue with grenades where they could go into an area and bounce infinitely, causing the server to choke and or crash

The good people at Valve has released another update to the Steam client. Several disconnect issues has been fixed as well as a list of various bugs. Take a look at the changelog:

Steam Client

• Fixed reconnect issues with chat rooms
• Fixed clients in chat rooms getting into 'ghost chats' if they disconnect and reconnect from the Steam servers
• Fixed client hang if the server browser window was closed while the "Add server" window was open
• Fixed the name of mods being played not always showing to friends
• Fixed switching between fullscreen and windowed mode in a DX7 game with the overlay enabled
• Fixed texture corruption in OpenGL games with the overlay enabled
• Steamworks: added more logging & warning info for the networking API

Finally some Counter-Strike related updates from the Valve office. Most content in this update is server related, but hey, they've fixed the annoying INVALID_STEAM_TICKET rejection when connecting to a server. Hmm, I wan't to see it before I believe it!

Here's the changelog:

Counter-Strike and Condition Zero

• Prevent Russian Walking exploit

Server changes

• Fixed players being kicked from servers with an INVALID_STEAM_TICKET rejection
• Added a message to the server console to show when the server has reconnected to Steam
• Made map name and other variables reported by the server stay more current
• Fixed mp_timeleft not updating in server rules (or any unlogged cvar for that matter)
• Show HLTV being connected in the player count for pings
• Fixed HLTV staying in players list even after disconnect
• Fixed server hang when a user connects with a specially crafted info string
• Fixed occasional crash under Linux on startup for SMP machines (Linux)
• Cleaned up hlds_run script (Linux)

Valve has started off the weekend by releasing several new updates to both Team Fortress 2 as well as the Steam client. The TF2 changes include a new duck timer that prevents duck spamming as well as increased backstab check that makes it possible for spies to side-stab again.
The Steam Client updates fixes the bug with HL2.exe hanging on shutdown as well as several other issues. Complete changelog available below.

Team Fortress 2:

Gameplay changes

• Added a duck timer that prevents duck spamming while running around on-ground
• In-air, players are only allowed to duck once before they touch ground again
• Fixed several bounding box issues with jumping, falling, and rocket jump air-walking. Bounding box should be much more accurate there now
• Increased backstab check so that Spies can side-stab again
• When disguising, Spies now always start showing the primary weapon in their disguise, and can then switch it with the last-disguise key
  
• You can now duck twice in the air. Scout double jumps reset the in-air jump counts
• Increased the jump velocity to account for the tuned bounding box sizes. Jump height should now match the prior-to-last-update heights
• Added "tf_clamp_airducks" convar, set to 1 by default
• Setting it to 0 will remove all constraints on ducking while in the air. Useful for servers running RJ challenge maps

TF2 Fixes

• Fixed flamethrower loophole that resulted in the flame effect being stuck on while the flamethrower wasn't really firing
• Fixed exploit that allowed players to circumvent the force-fire timeout on the pipebomb launcher
• Fixed a bug that caused Natasha's slow on hit effect to be inverted from 75% to 25%
• Restored sawmill_logs.mdl file, fixing some user maps that used it
• Fixed some localization issues with Scout achievement strings
• Removed the "Final" phrasing in the map loading screen
  

Engine fixes

• Fixed a server crash on startup under Linux
• Fixed a buffer overflow issue related to network string tables
• Gamestats uploading is now done asynchronously. This fixes the client timeout issues on map changes
  

CP_Junction

• Fixed an exploit where engineers could build a teleporter exit in an invalid area
• Fixed a few bad overlay assignments and other minor issues
  

---

Steam Client

• Fixed possible case where Steam would get stuck with "Downloading starting..." when trying to download
• Added NTFS check when trying to install Empire: Total War
• Added new dialog to inform the user they failed to register a CD key because they do not own a game which is required to register the key (Empire: Total War Special Forces)
• Added more download regions for Australia
• Fixed several update news links for games going to the wrong page
• Added more information to the game launch display when first-time install steps are being ran
• Fixed HL2.exe hanging on shutdown
• Increased max width of links on game properties dialog (general tab) to match the now wider properties panel.
• Fixed the 'launching game' dialog always waiting for user input if there was update news available
• Updated localization files for dialog variable changes (fixes %s1 appearing in some languages)
• New notification shown when an application is downloaded or updated
• Added teamfortress.com, tf2.com, etc. to list of approved chat urls
• Fixed case where retail install would be unnecessarily slow
• Fixed third-party installers not running if an installer before it failed
• Several Steamworks updates
  
• Fixed "endless update" bug when trying to download Empire: Total War
• Fixed possible case of "Game is unavailable" bug when trying to launch Empire: Total War

Remember that a big Team Fortress 2 Scout update is set to be released on Tuesday February 24th. Visit http://www.tf2.com/scoutupdate daily for more info on the content which already includes a new bat with stunning baseballs, a list of achievements as well as a couple of new maps which you can see below:


ARENA_WATCHTOWER



CP_JUNCTION

Valve Software has released new updates to the Orange Box engine which fixes some problems with stats and achievements in Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal as well as Source mods being incompatible:

Orange Box Engine

• Updated the engine to report SteamIDs using the Steam_0 format instead of Steam_1
• Fixed problems in Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal, and Source mods running the current Orange Box engine
• Reverted the change that capped rate at 30000
• Fixed stats and achievements not working in Half-Life 2: Episode Two and Portal
• Fixed incompatibilities with MODs

Valve Software has a couple of Steam related updates out. The first one deals with RSS and invites for the Steam community while the second update for the Steam client adresses several bugs:

Invites

• Split invites into own tab on the control pane
• Added new invite notification to control panel
• Added 'ignore-all' function to invites
  

RSS

• Added RSS feed for groups and link in action panel, aggregates upcoming events (2 days) and announcements
• Added RSS feed for per-user events (2 days) and link in control panel (currently only available for public profiles)

Steam Client

• Added ability to specify content download region (in Settings->downloads)
• Fixed a condition that would prevent Steam from automatically applying game updates until game launch
• Fixed a bug preventing in-game status for 3rd party games
• Fixed running a non-Steam shortcut not changing user status to in-game
• Updated processor detection for "System Information" window and hardware survey
• Detect Windows 7 correctly in the hardware survey/system info dialog
• Fixed a bug affecting Dawn of War II beta participants in certain languages
• Fixed a bug in the game overlay affecting some Dawn of War II beta participants who have the game overlay disabled
• Fixed a rare case where Steam could prevent games from launching
• Fix crash when right-clicking a text edit control with an input locale that is new with Vista
• Updated German localization
• Fixed some potential string truncation in non-English locales
• Repaired layout of controls in Event announcement popup window
• Additional network API warnings for Steamworks partners

Major Team Fortress 2 update fresh from the office at Valve with improvements such as colored crosshairs and modified critical hit chance. You know the drill - restart the Steam client and go join the fun!

New client features

• Added Viewmodel FOV slider to advanced multiplayer options
• Added a hide viewmodel option to advanced multiplayer options
• Added custom crosshair support
  
  • Added crosshair image, scale, and color settings to the Options->Multiplayer settings tab
  • Moved HUD minimal mode & Disable Spray options into the Advanced Multiplayer settings
• Added "open_charinfo_direct" command that opens the loadout directly to the class you're currently playing
  
  • Replaced the "Open Loadout" entry in the options->keys dialog with this new command. Rebind / reset your config to defaults to use it
    

New server features

• Added "tf_damage_disablespread" convar to disable the 25% damage spread on all damage
• Added class limit support to tournament mode
  
  • Set the "tf_tournament_classlimit_X" convars to the max number of class X allowed
• Added "tf_tournament_hide_domination_icons" convar, that allows a tournament mode server to force clients not to display domination icons over their nemeses
  

Gameplay changes

• Modified critical hit calculation. Overall, critical hit chance is now much more recent-performance based:
  
  • Base chance is now 2% (was 5%).
    
  • Bonus range based on damage done changed from 0%-15% to 0%-10
    
  • Damage range required for bonus changed from 0-1600 to 0-800
    
• Reduced random damage spread applied to all player damage from +-25% to +-10%
• Slight reduction (improvement) of the minigun's spread
• Increased flare direct hit damage from 20 to 30
• Rewrote Natascha's slowdown code to be more consistent
• Sniper rifle now supports Crit Boost state like all other weapons (i.e. Kritzkrieg makes all shots critical hits)
• Stealthed spies are no longer able to pickup the intelligence. They must uncloak first
• Increased soldier primary ammo count from 16 to 20
  

Bugfixes

• Fixed crash when running in tools mode
• Added UTIL_IsCommandIssuedByServerAdmin() checks to several "physics_" CON_COMMAND scripts to prevent clients issuing the commands
• Fixed bug in teleporter logic that allowed engineers to build teleporters with HUGE health values
• Fixed matching teleporter not getting a health buff when the pair is upgraded (only the tele you were hitting got the health buff)
• Fixed Medic UberCharge percentage in minimal-HUD mode
  

One of the rare Counter-Strike updates has just been released and is ready for you when you start up Steam. The update includes a couple of fixes - one of them to prevent clients from crashing servers using various commands:

Fixed clients using reloadresponsesystems, sv_soundemitter_flush, sv_soundemitter_filecheck, sv_findsoundname, and sv_soundscape_printdebuginfo to lag/crash servers

The -pidfile command line option now works for Windows dedicated servers

Yes, another small update to the Steam Client has been released. Apparently there has been some problems with Steam failing to load on Windows 2000 and XP if there's no Service Packs installed (who has an installation of XP without at least SP1 anyway?).
Everything's been taken care of now though, so watch that update come flying the next time you start up Steam!

Valve has released a small update that applies to Team Fortress 2 as well as Day of Defeat: Source. The update adds a quicklist view to the server browser, so now you don't have to worry about wasting valuable seconds when you could be playing the game!

Additions:

Added a Quick List view to the serverbrowser

Just wanted to wish everyone a merry Christmas - hopefully you'll get plenty of gifts and only few soft ones. Below you'll find the usual CS Christmas wallpaper which you might remember from wayyy back in the days!

Don't be shocked if you can't see the usual $ next to the games available for purchase through Steam any longer. If you live in the UK or another European country it might have been replaced with a £ or a €. Here's why:

Products on Steam are now priced using local currency in the United Kingdom (Pounds Sterling), and Europe (Euros). All other countries remain in United States Dollars.

In a recent Gamasutra article Valve interestingly goes into details about the total number of retail sales of the Half-Life franchise games - and it seems the company has made quite a few bucks this last decade. Just take a look at the numbers:

Half-Life: 9,300,000 Copies Sold
Half-Life: Opposing Force: 1,100,000 Copies Sold
Half-Life: Blue Shift: 800,000 Copies Sold
Half-Life 2: 6,500,000 Copies Sold
Half-Life 2: Episode One: 1,400,000 Copies Sold
The Orange Box: 3,000,000 Copies Sold

Counter-Strike (PC): 4,200,000 Copies Sold
Counter-Strike (Xbox) 1,500,000 Copies Sold
Counter-Strike: Condition Zero: 2,900,000 Copies Sold
Counter-Strike: Source: 2,100,000 Copies Sold

On the 19th of November Half-Life celebrated it's 10th year anniversary. As you probably remember it was greeted with overwhelming review scores after its release in 1998, earned over 50 Game of the Year Awards, and birthed a franchise with over 20 million units sold to date. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the company's debut title Valve is now offering Half-Life for just 98¢ through Steam and if you're in the reading mood PlanetHalflife offers a "10 years later" article.