Current events
Source for Xbox 360 available now
16 Oct: Source is now officially available for licensing on the Xbox 360. Currently only Threewave Software and Valve themselves are known to be developing for Mcrosoft's new console with Source.
It's an 'official middleware solution', so it looks like MS thought it was pretty good too. :-)
Valve is pleased to announce the availability of the Source engine technology as an official middleware solution for developers on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
Source, the technology that powered Valve's Half-Life 2, is already the benchmark game technology on Microsoft's Windows platform, offering state of the art performance in graphics, networking, artificial intelligence, physics simulation and more. The version of Source, available for Xbox 360, is optimized to utilize the platform's advance graphics hardware and offer full support for Xbox Live.
"The combination of Source and the Xbox 360 provides game designers throughout the industry the chance to create powerful entertainment experiences," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "Whether they're pursuing a traditional FPS, RTS, RPG or delving into new genres, Source and the Xbox 360 are designed to offer the flexibility and tools to allow designers to pursue any design imaginable."
For more information about licensing Source or leveraging any of Valve's technologies, please email Jason Holtman.
The Ship SDK
03 Oct: A third-party version of The Ship SDK has been built and released for those inclined to make maps for The Ship.
Game Connect 2006
28 Sep: A few mod teams with an Aussie presence will be attending Game Connect conference on the 28th Nov - 1st Dec at the Brisbane Convention centre. Check out ModDB, ModHQ, and the mods own profiles for more info in coming weeks.
Bugzilla
06 Sep: Mike Durand has opened a Bugzilla, a bug-tracking tool, where everyone can report bugs related to the SDK.
Valve at Leipzig
24 Aug: Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal and Team Fortress 2 have been previewed at the Leipzig games show. See shakey-cam gameplay footage here!
SDK Project: Hammer-only mods
16 Aug: SDK Project is an experiment in creating mods that create new completely gameplay purely through Hammer and the entity Input/Output system - no code involved! The project has already led to a breakout clone, Marble Madness: Source and zombie-crushing racer, complete with slow-mo cameras and a time rewind function.
Impressive stuff indeed. Read and see more at http://www.sdk-project.com/!
Modding tutorial DVD series announced
14 Aug: Noesis Interactive launches Mod Your World DVD series for Half-Life 2.
First 2 of the DVD series "3D Content Creation with SOFTIMAGE|XSI" and "Character Design & Integration with Half-Life 2" will be available in early September 2006.
"Map Design & Integration with Half-Life 2" and "Advanced Character Design" will be available in Q4 2006. http://www.softimage.com/about_us/press_room/2006/060801_noesis.aspx
SDK Update
11 Aug: A minor SDK Update was released today. The changelist can be viewed at the SteamPowered News page here - http://www.steampowered.com/index.php?area=news&client=1&id=717&appid=211
FGD Upgrade
8 Aug: Upgraded versions of both base.fgd and halflife2.fgd have been released by ts2do. They include fixes to many datatypes, exempt keyvalues; spawnflags; and I/O connections, and overall entity corrections. Get it here.