I've never used Xfire, but I decided to check out the site change that annoys everyone.

I guess that they got the message, since you can go to classic.xfire.com (link at top of Xfire.com), which I guess is the old layout.

Titan Quest is co-op and underrated- and you can play on one account doing the ol' login switch if you only have one copy.

Left 4 Dead 2 is now on Steam Workshop, and now getting mods is really easy. Same with Portal 2, although Portal has an easy to use level designer that you could use.

Borderlands 2 is great for co-op, though I'll issue you a warning: Becareful on the playthrough 1 of doing every sidequest and overlevelling. It makes the easy sort of lame, and the loot doesn't scale that well (if you overlevel), unless you are on the new game + (Or "Vault Hunter Pro")

Co-optimus has a comprehensive list of Co-op games - although you'll have to click on the pages to get more information like LAN or splitscreen, or story etc.

Shadow of Chernobyl first, Clear Sky if you want more of the same, and then/otherwise Call of Pripyat.

The stories are different in each game, but the CS is a prequel to SOC, and CoP is the sequel to SOC, storywise if you need to know.

The reason why SOC is first is because its a great game, (My reviews are rather long, but in segments for ease of reference), and its different to CoP in many ways, but you might get used to some of the changes in Call of Pripyat, so going back might be alittle difficult.

Clear Sky is rightly called the least of the series, mainly because it added a new faction system that was (and still is) bugged, and it feels very similar to SoC, and the changes are dismissable to best. but it is more of the same, and if you liked that formula from SoC, it's great.

Call of Pripyat is a very different game, because of the additions that were made because of community feedback. It is also a lot shorter and easier than SoC, but in terms of gameplay it's the best in the series, but not so much in story and atmosphere.

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"][QUOTE="famicommander"]Valve itself is clearly invested in the success of Linux as a gaming platform. Their Steambox console doesn't run Windows, it runs Linux. Valve isn't stupid; they know that for this thing to sell they need to have games for it. You can probably expect to see most popular Valve titles come over with Team Fortress 2 out and Left 4 Dead 2 coming. If Valve makes money at it, the rest of the major players in the PC market will follow. If Valve doesn't make money, the rest will likely stay away. But we do know that at least one Blizzard title is coming to Linux this year: http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTI2ODE And EA has been releasing (mostly shovelware) games on the Ubuntu Software Center for some time now. Publishers are aware of Linux and some dip their toes in the water, but the real test will be Valve. The other publishers won't just let them have a free uncontested revenue stream if there is money to be made with Linux gaming. Barujin

Other than the fact that Valve is pushing for Linux VS Windows, money plays an obvious role in the decision. Windows is costly for inclusion in a product, but Linux is free.

It goes further than that. It might be because Microsoft would have to push Windows 8, which Gabe Newell has criticised as being basically terrible.

However, according to this interview, you can install Windows if you want on the box, but it comes with Linux by default. But it definitely seems to me that Gabe is insinuating that people can install older versions of Windows, because Valve couldn't make a Windows 7 Steam Box.

Cost is important, but knowing Gabe, Valve doesn't like platforms that have certain standards (like the PS3 originally, and now Windows 8. I guess the PS3 situation changed when Sony allowed Valve to make Steam for the PS3 and do their own thing).

Well, lets give everyone a home. I'd hate to see any of them be without a publisher. Especially Relic and 4A. Elann2008

Same. But I think Relic won't have much of a problem, especially since they have ties to the Warhammer 40k licence, and they are the top of the (admittedly diminished) RTS market, meaning that they have little competition.

4A are in the most difficult position, but I don't think that they are owned by THQ. And they are allowing for pre-orders on their site, which either means that they are really confident, or they'll survive this.

But I really hope that THQ can survive this.

Thanks man! I just started playing Ur-Quan Masters after hearing good things about Star Control 2, and I'm loving it so far.

The graphics were alright, but some of the combat stuff really needed a tune-up,, which you've made.

You get my humble thanks.

Well, it seems that everyone has a copy in some from now. People who already had it have multiple giftable copies now it seems.

Go to the Dota 2 store page (Either while logged in online or on the client (also logged in), and the page will say that you already own it, and gives you the option to play now. It doesn't appear in your library unless downloaded (I think, It's a problem I've had recently with Transformers FoC as well.)

Link in my earlier post, or just go to steam and type in in.

Looking at the Steam Page, I found this:

"Dota 2 is a Free to Play game, that is not yet fully released. The game is constantly being updated with new heroes and new features.

The Early Access Holiday Pack is your opportunity to get in the game now. Your purchase includes an *Early Access Pass to Dota 2 in addition to the following in-game items!

*If you already own Dota 2 you will receive a giftable Early Access Pass to give to a friend."

Which explains why some people got gifted *a* copy, and the free-to-play part might explain why everyone has a sudden copy.

Is there any conformation on the News links for the game? (In the Steam library window)

Super Meat Boy, Torchlight (I want to get 2!) and Endless Space.

Turns out I'm a closet Masochist.

Others of note: Zeno Clash is good but a little repetitive, and Dubloon's a nice free RPG.

I have one that I haven't used in a while (So I can't tell you about new games), But it's generally immersive and once you get used to it, it's the best control scheme for racing games, because it's more sensitive for one thing, so saving time off time trials is a more tense affair as it means that turns allow for a hundred different angles/routes through them, whereas a mouse + Keyboard set up is more like you either go inside track or outside track, because it's far less precise.

But the big problem is the quality of the wheel, and force-feedback (Which is when there is resistance in the wheel, like a regular steering wheel). The last couple times I tried to use a wheel it worked (as in the game picked it up) but there was no force-feedback (granted it was years old at that point, so I couldn't get new drivers). And watch out for Mad Catz (Or whatever their name is) because they make notoriously crappy gaming gear, and they make most steering wheels for games.

But all this is based on a wheel at least five years old at this point, so before you rush off and spend $200 bucks (I think that's what I paid, but to be fair it was NZD, do it'll be a lot cheaper I'm sure), wait for other comments of people who use newer wheels on newer games.

EDIT: I just remembered that the last game I played with the wheel was Need For Speed: Shift 1 + 2, and those worked, but I remember having problems with DiRT.