The Steam Podcast

File Mirrors

• High Quality MP3 - SteamPodcast.com
• High Quality MP3 - Archive.org
• Low Quality MP3 - Archive.org
• OGG Vorbis - Archive.org

UPDATE: The incomplete MP3 file has been corrected. Please redownload the episode if your copy of the podcast gets cut off at the end. Thanks for your patience guys.

This episode is a bit longer than usual, since we had a lot to cover!

This week’s podcast features the following on-air personalities:

• Bob Somers - SteamPodcast.com
• Ramzy Bekheet - SteamPodcast.com
• Dave Weller - Community Manager at Microsoft’s Game Technology Group

1337 C4T of Episode 14

This Week’s New Releases
All scores are from MetaCritic.

• Halo 2 - Vista PC - 85% (4 reviews)
• Fantastic 4: Rise of Silver Surfer - Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2
• Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword - PC
• Wario: Master of Disguise - DS - 60% (27 reviews)
• Zendoku - PSP
• Disney’s Chicken Little: Ace in Action - PSP, DS - 72% (7 reviews)

The following news articles were discussed on the show:

Valve Releases Episode 2 Concept Art [2, 3]

Valve has given us a taste of Episode 2 with some spicy concept art, and things are looking mighty fine so far. If you haven’t seen them yet, check out the links in the show notes.

Saints Row 2 rollin’ onto PS3, 360 in 2008

A quick continuation on one of our earlier stories where we saw GameStop and EB games taking pre-orders for Saints Row on the PS3. Turns out that Saints Row WILL be released on the PS3, but not the original XBOX360 version. The PS3 port of Saints Row has been completely canceled, in favour of Saints Row 2 being released both on the XBOX360 and PS3 simultaneously in 2008.

Left4Dead Fan Site Gets Tour of Valve Headquarters

The guys from Left4Dead411 got a call from Valve asking if they could come out and play. They got a grand tour of the Valve HQ and took tons of cool photos. Ever wondered what it’s like at Valve? Now you know!

Confirmed: Japanese Love Nintendo

So it seems the Japanese really love Nintendo. As it does every week, game-industry research firm Media Create released its chart of the most popular games in Japan. Ever since the release of the DS, a large percentage of top 20 games have been for Nintendo’s handheld, thanks to the brain-training game craze in the island nation. As you can see, the chart is completely DOMINATED by Nintendo games based largely on the DS, with the Wii getting a slice of the action too.

Oh, and if you’re wondering, #22 went to a PSP game going by the name of Monster Hunter Freedom 2.

Perfect Dark: Source Released

Ever wanted to relive the glory days of first person shooters on your Nintendo 64? The Goldeneye: Source beta has been out for a while now, and the Perfect Dark: Source team is joining their ranks with their first public beta. Head over to their site, and check it out!

Q&A: Paul Wedgwood on Quake Wars

This news bit is for anyone who is waiting for the much anticipated Enemy Territory: Quake wars. Splash Damage’s creative director, Paul Wedgwood, talks about his forthcoming game, its longevity, and its recently announced 360 and PS3 ports.

This is both a text article, AND a video interview.

CVG Article Details Valve’s History

ComputerAndVideoGames.com has done a fantastic article on the history of Valve and how they’re currently revolutionizing the game publishing industry with Steam. It’s definitely an interesting read, go check it out when you’ve got some spare time.

Here’s an interesting excerpt from the article:

There are no managers at Valve, and no one has a fixed position. Co-founder Gabe Newell describes himself as a playtester, and Old Man Murray co-founder Chet Faliszek’s job title is ‘Mr Awesome’. Doug tells me that everyone just works on what they want. “If, after Portal 3, Kim [Swift, project lead on Portal] comes in here and says ‘I’m burned on Portal stuff, I wanna go build Day of Defeat maps,’ we’d say, ‘Killer… go do that.’”

Microsoft Screws Up ‘Live’ on Vista?

It seems like the long wait for Live has been a complete waste of time. Not only does it only run on Vista, but in order for your friends to see you online, you actually have to be playing a Live enabled game, such as Halo 2 or Shadowrun. Not only that, but the interface is a direct port of the XBOX360 version, so, as you can imagine, it doesn’t compliment your mouse very well whatsoever.

God of War for the PSP

Here are the screenshots we were talking about.

This news bit will only really appeal to PSP owners or people who have played a PSP a few times. Just take a look at the screenshots and you’ll see what i mean.

Big Thanks to Dave Weller

We really appreciate Dave Weller from Microsoft taking the time to come on the show and talk about some of their current projects. For more information about the things we talked about, you can check out the XNA Game Studio Express site, Microsoft’s Beginner Developer Learning Center, or Dave’s Personal Blog.

Funny Videos

• Insane World Champion Yo-Yo’er
• Awesome Rube Goldberg Machine with Fire

Wrap Up
Keep your fan mail, suggestions, and comments coming. The coolest email address on the net is still fans@steampodcast.com.

File Mirrors

• High Quality MP3 - SteamPodcast.com
• High Quality MP3 - Archive.org
• Low Quality MP3 - Archive.org
• OGG Vorbis - Archive.org

This week’s podcast features the following on-air personalities:

• Bob Somers - SteamPodcast.com
• Ramzy Bekheet - SteamPodcast.com

1337 C4T of Episode 15

This Week’s New Releases
All scores are from MetaCritic.

• Tomb Raider: Anniversary - PC, PS2 - 79% (6 Reviews)
• WarTech: Senko no Ronde - Xbox 360 - 55% (3 reviews)
• Crush - PSP - 82% (4 reviews)
• Smash Court Tennis 3 - PSP
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas - PSP - 50% (3 reviews)
• MindStorm - DS - 40% (2 reviews)
• Bionicle Heroes - Wii - 52% (7 reviews)
• Tetris Evolution - Xbox 360 - 52% (16 reviews)
• Steel Horizon - DS - 40% (10 reviews)

The following news articles were discussed on the show:

It’s Official - StarCraft 2

Thank you Blizzard. It’s about time.

Valve Reaches 13 Million User Milestone

Valve’s online PC distribution service, Steam, has hit more than 13 million active accounts and is averaging more than 7 billion player minutes a month of online gameplay.

Valve Cancels HL2 Black Box

Previously Valve was going to release The Black Box (HL2: Episode 2, Team Fortress 2, Portal) for less than The Orange Box (HL2, both epsiodes, TF2, Portal) so that fans who already had HL2 and Episode 1 could save a little money. Unfortunately, Valve has decided to pull the plug on The Black Box. Valve’s Doug Lombardi explains:

We’re going to have one package, The Orange Box, available on the PC (US$49.99) as well as the 360 and PS3 (US$ 59.99). In addition to the three new products—Portal, Team Fortress 2, and Half-Life: Episode Two—The Orange Box will also contain the full version of Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One. Those who purchase the PC version of The Orange Box will get three separate Steam product codes: One for the three new games, one for HL2, and one for Episode One. This way a PC Orange Box owner can give away their Half-Life 2 or Episode One unused Steam product codes if they don’t need a copy of those games. We are excited to deliver the highest value of new gaming content ever offered in one box.

Also, this has only been confirmed for the boxed versions. Presumably you’ll still be able to get the games cheaper if you purchase them individually through Steam.

2900XT Video Review

For anyone considering buying this card, this video review is for you. As it stands, this card isn’t as cracked up as we all thought it to be. No one’s sure if it’s lackluster performance is simply because of the card itself, or if it’s drivers are simply crippling it. As for now, we can’t be sure.

Meet the Heavy - Valve Shows Off New Facial Animation Technology

Valve released a video showcasing the new facial animation technology available in the next version of the Source engine, and it’s looking pretty sweet. The video is hilarious and features a brief interview with the heavy gunner from Team Fortress 2. This kind of technology really shows that Valve is trying to innovate in ways other game studios have never tried before.

Jack Thompson Sets His Sights On Halo 3

In a letter addressed to Bill Gates, Thompson writes:

Here’s the deal, Mr. Gates: Either Microsoft undertakes dramatic, real steps, through its marketing, wholesale, and retail operations to assure that Halo 3 is not sold, via the Internet and in stores, directly to anyone under 17, or I shall proceed to make sure that Microsoft is held to that standard by appropriate legal means. I have done that before successfully as to Best Buy, and I shall do so again as to Microsoft and all retailers of Halo 3.

It seems odd how he says that his main agenda is focused towards preventing the sale mature games to minors, yet he’s on CNN every other week talking about a bunch of shootings that people over the legal age committed.

Geometry Wars Headed to the Wii

The latest issue of Nintendo Power revealed that the much-loved Xbox Live Arcade game is being fleshed out into a full fledged game, Geometry Wars: Galaxies, to be available on the Wii and DS.

The game is slated to feature an extensive single player campaign and several multiplayer modes. The original “Retro Evolved” version will be included as well.

Manhunt 2 Wii Preview

IGN have done a pretty in depth article on the upcoming Wii exclusive ‘Manhunt 2′. This article looks at some of the new features that we’ll be seeing in the next installment of the Manhunt series, and some of the reasons why this next version will dominate the original.

Funny Videos

• Sedated Kitty
• BOOM! HEADSHOT!

Wrap Up
Keep your fan mail, suggestions, and comments coming. The coolest email address on the net is still fans@steampodcast.com.

Hey guys, just wanted to give you all a quick update since we’ve been MIA while I finished up my final exams.

My exams are done and I’ve got everything moved back home for the summer. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite able to get my stuff finished in time to record an episode this past weekend. I would promise you an episode this coming weekend, but that’s one of the two weekends that I know I’m going to be out of town, halfway across the US. Perfect timing.

However, this is good thing. I’ve got some fancy new shiny things that I’ll be rolling out for the podcast soon, and hopefully they’ll be ready to go for a new episode in a week and a half.

Hang tight.