News
19 CommentsValve unveils Steam Trading Cards for players to earn and trade for rewards
By Dave Tach on May 15, 2013 05.15.13
Valve unveiled a beta program for Steam Trading Cards today, which users can earn, trade and cash in for rewards, according to a press release from the company. Participating players will earn game-specific trading cards and turn them in for rewards like game badges, profile backgrounds, emoticons, coupons and more through the Steam Trading Cards program. "Up to half" a game's card set will be available from playing the game. The other half is "earned through your collecting prowess." Players who "craft" their cards into game badges, which appear on user profiles, can also "level up" their badges by collecting the set of cards again. Games supporting the Steam Trading Cards at its beta launch include Don't Starve, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Team Fortress 2, Portal 2...
Deals
2 CommentsPortal series gets deep discounts in this weekend's Steam sale
By Dave Tach on Apr 19, 2013 04.19.13
Valve's Portal series of teleporting first-person puzzle games is on sale this weekend, offering 75 percent discounts on multiple games and bundles through Sunday, April 21, according to a listing on Steam. The most recent entry in the series, Portal 2, is on sale for $4.99 (regularly $19.99). You can also buy two copies of Portal 2 for $8.74 (regularly $34.98) and send the extra copy to a friend to team up for the game's multiplayer component. For $6.24 (regularly $24.98), you can buy the Portal Bundle, which includes Portal and Portal 2. Even Portal 2 - The Final Hours, a digital book chronicling the game's development, is on sale for $0.49 (regularly $1.99). Each game is compatible with Windows and Mac and supports Steam Play, meaning buyers get copies for both platforms.
Culture
2 CommentsthreeA reveals Portal 2, Lost Planet figures
By Jenna Pitcher on Apr 08, 2013 04.08.13
Toy designer threeA Toys unveiled its final versions of Portal 2's droids Atlus and P-Body, along with a few Lost Planet figures, at its event at Beast Kingdom Toys in Taiwan. The two droids feature detailed wear and tear, such as scuffs, chipped paint and a grimy texture finish to bring the "harrowed testers" look together. As for threeA's Capcom partnership, the designer showcased a human soldier and a Vital Suit from the Lost Planet franchise. No release or pricing information on either products have yet been announced. Photos of the figures and the event can be viewed here. The unveiling comes after a Portal fan created a GLaDOS robotic arm ceiling lamp using an UP! Plus 3D printer.
News
3 CommentsPAX East panel shows how video games enter the classroom
By Dave Tach on Mar 23, 2013 03.23.13
At a PAX East panel today, Lisa Castaneda, a middle school math teacher from outside of Seattle, and Geoff Moore, a gaming entrepreneur from Toronto, discussed how video games can be introduced into classrooms, using Portal 2 as the test case. Castaneda is an advocate for gaming in the classroom, having used Xbox 360, iPads and computers in her curriculum. Her interest in Portal 2 began with a school field trip to Valve, which is headquartered close to her school. She and Moore use the Teach with Portals website, which Valve released to teachers last June, calling it a set of "free content and game design tools, as well as an interactive community for exchanging lessons and experiences." By November, more than 2,500 teachers had incorporated Portal 2 and Portal 2 Puzzle Maker into...
News
26 CommentsHalf-Life and Portal movies in early idea stages, J.J. Abrams says
By Michael McWhertor on Feb 06, 2013 02.06.13
"It's as real as anything in Hollywood ever gets," Abrams said of the just-announced plans to develop movies based on Portal and Half-Life. "Which is that we are really talking to Valve, we are going to be bringing on a writer, we have a lot of very interesting ideas." "And both a Portal and Half-Life movie are things I want to see," Abrams said. "We're also aware of the cautionary tales of movies that became games and vice versa. Our goal here to is to treat the world Valve has created in both these properties like anyone would a book or some great story that comes from a pitch or original script — just to treat it with the respect they treat their games and their players with." Valve co-founder and president Gabe Newell has expressed apprehension in the past about making movies...
News
1 CommentMinecraft, Portal 2 and Trackmania are the latest learning tools for STEM summer camps
By Emily Gera on Jan 31, 2013 01.31.13
iD Tech Camps, a summer program that teaches the fundamentals of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), is adopting video games as an educational tool for students of seven to 18 years of age. The program is designed to teach students to design their own video games and create apps for iPhone and Android devices, among other technology-driven creations. For its 2013 season, iD Tech Camps will feature three new courses based around the Minecraft platform, in addition to classes oriented around games such as Portal 2, Trackmania and Shootmania: Storm, where students will learn traditional STEM skills. According to the program creators, titles such as Portal 2 can be used as an aid in teaching math and physics, while Minecraft will let students use programming features to...
News
16 CommentsPacific Rim will feature a toned down GlaDOS
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Jan 05, 2013 01.05.13
Director Guillermo del Toro cast Ellen McLain, the voice of Portal's robotic villain, as Pacific Rim's AI in homage to GlaDOS, but the film will feature a slightly less distinctive filter, the Toronto Sun reports. McLain's voice has been filtered to sound similar to both Portal games. Although del Toro wanted her voice in the trailer to be "full-on GlaDOS," the filter used in-film doesn't produce nearly as strong of a resemblance. Del Toro approached Valve for permission to use the voice of GlaDOS, telling them "there's no AI I'd rather have than GlaDOS." "I wanted very much to have her, because I'm a big Portal fan," del Toro said. "But just as a wink. She's not cake obsessed. She's not out to destroy humanity." GlaDOS made her debut as the AI in Pacific Rim's first trailer, which...
Deals
5 CommentsRazer cyber sale includes $500 off original Blade laptop
By Brian Crecente on Nov 25, 2012 11.25.12
Computer gaming peripheral and laptop maker Razer's "weekend cyber deals" includes $500 off of the original design of the Razer Blade laptop, five discounted controllers and mice, two headphones and some bits and pieces. The biggest discount nets you the company's original Razer Blade for $1,499, down from $1,999. Other discounts include: Battlefield 3 Razer Onza Tournament Edition: $39.99 Dragon Age 2 Razer Onza Tournament Edition: $39.99 Razer Hydra: $69.99 Razer Hydra Portal 2 Bundle: $79.99 Razer Chimaera 5.1: $149.99 Mass Effect 3 Razer Chimaera 5.1: $179.99 Star Wars: The Old Republic Gaming Mouse: $99.99 Transformers 3 Laptop Sleeve Case: $29.99 Transformers 3 Razer Vespula: $19.99 Tron Gaming Keyboard: $109.99 It's important to note the code, listed on the page for...
Deals
0 CommentsSteam Autumn Sale continues with deals on Max Payne 3, Sleeping Dogs, Portal 2 and more
By Michael McWhertor on Nov 22, 2012 11.22.12
Valve's six-day sale on Steam games continues today with a feast of savings on titles in the Max Payne, Portal and Prototype series, as well as soon-to-expire deals on Dead Island and Rage. Leading today's Steam Autumn Sale deals are games both new and not so new, some of which are discounted up to 75 percent off. Arma 2: Combined Operations - $14.99 (50 percent off) Max Payne 3 - $14.99 (75 percent off) Awesomenauts - $3.39 (66 percent off) Portal 2 - $4.99 (75 percent off) Sleeping Dogs - $24.99 (50 percent off) Prototype 2 - $19.99 (50 percent off) Steam is also selling previous games in the above series at discounts today. The original Portal is $2.49 and Prototype is $4.99. Both Max Payne and Max Payne 2 are currently selling for $2.49. Additional Arma games are also...
News
2 CommentsPortal 2 on Steam adds split-screen to co-op mode, Big Picture support
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Nov 21, 2012 11.21.12
Valve has added split-screen to Portal 2's standard co-op multiplayer mode, the company announced today in a post on Steam's website. The game's PC version is also now available for play in Steam's Big Picture mode, allowing players to boot up Portal 2 on their televisions. The update released today also fixes two bugs, including one that halts player movement after hitting the "quick ping" button to call a partner's attention to something, and a glitch preventing players from exiting the "Robot Enrichment" customization area or "Create Test Chambers" menus when using an Xbox 360 controller.
