Steam Update

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A new Steam news update is now available, with more promises of new content coming soon. They are still judging HL2DM contest maps, but will release a new map of their own around the same they are releasing a new Counter-Strike: Source update (these updates are promised to happen during "the next month or so"). In other news, HDR support is coming to the Source Engine

One feature that we'll be adding to the Source engine in the coming months is high dynamic range lighting. To showcase this we've taken a part of the Highway 17 chapter of Half-Life 2 and worked it into a single level that incorporates HDR along with some new gameplay. We're calling this short level "The Lost Coast," and it will be made available free of charge to Half-Life 2 customers that meet a specific set of high end hardware requirements. We'll be publishing those requirements soon.
The news item includes some concept sketches from this new singleplayer map. byorn points the way to this site to give you an idea of what HDR does...or you can head over to FileShack and check this HL2 movie from last year.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    February 4, 2005 3:08 PM

    "We're calling this short level "The Lost Coast," and it will be made available free of charge to Half-Life 2 customers that meet a specific set of high end hardware requirements. "

    ..the pay-for-content is coming soon it seems..
    anyone else want to place bets that the rest of the game 'hdr'd' will be available for an extra charge..

    • reply
      February 4, 2005 3:16 PM

      holy hell! they may charge for expansion packs, too!!

      • reply
        February 4, 2005 3:21 PM

        It's outrageous. I'm still pissed that they wanted money for Half-Life 2 after I bought the original.

      • reply
        February 4, 2005 4:14 PM

        well, hey depends on whether you feel you got your money's worth already. the only thing I still do with HL2 is play killbox once in awhile, so so far, not really. so why would I buy an expansion pack or anything else?

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