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Valve have now officially released their overhaul of the Steam Chat feature to everyone as of last night.

Here's what's new for everyone:

  • Added new friends list, chat and voice chat features
  • Added icon and optional balloon for announcing new Steam Features and Blog Updates
  • Added banner announcing future end of support for Windows XP and Vista
  • Enabled GPU acceleration in web views by default
  • Added option to disable GPU acceleration in web views in Settings->Interface
  • Added support for binding F13-F24 as hotkey buttons
  • Improved IME handling for web pages shown in Steam client and Steam overlay

Specifically for Linux users:

  • Added the ability to import Windows icons for games with no Linux icons; will only take effect after reinstalling the game and recreating the desktop and launcher shortcuts
  • Fixed an issue where the system might become temporarily unresponsive after exiting the client due to events accruing in the window system
  • Updated Steam Linux Runtime with the latest versions of the SDL libraries
  • Fixed a problem where the screensaver would always be disabled if Steam was running
  • Fixed an issue where Steam could crash when running Steamworks-enabled games, or where Steamworks functionality wouldn't work properly in the game.
  • Fixed an issue where CS:GO and Dota 2 matchmaking would not function properly.

This update also brings in the recent Steam Input updates from the beta channel, which gives support for PS3 Controllers as a separate controller type along with HoriPad Mini4, Level Up Cobra, Mad Catz FightStick TE 2, Mad Catz FightStick TE 2+ PS4 Controllers and HORI Pokken Tournament DX Pro Switch Controller.

It seems it released with a bit of an issue that Valve quickly fixed, where apparently people could hear you through your microphone without you knowing. Valve fixed it rather quickly after they were made aware of it. I'm not too sure on the specifics of it, as the reddit post talking about it has been edited.

Full news on Steam here.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Steam, Valve
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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MayeulC Jul 26, 2018
Quoting: GuestWhat I don't like about the new chat is that you see it always when you start the steam client.
I am annoyed by this as well, but like some of the improvements, so I just wish there was a toggle for this.

Quoting: HoriWhy wouldn't it? It's still a chabge, <snip> An "other chabges"
I'm fine wit a typo, but two times the same typo makes me suspicious... What happened? Mobile autocorrect decided to learn this new word and liked it better? :P


An annoying issue I've been hit with recently on Steam is that taking an in-game screenshot trough the steam overlay strips focus from the game, and it cannot regain it (I must close the game and reopen it, as it ignores almost all input). It also happens out of the beta, so not necessarily related to the friend list update. Anyone else hit by the same issue?


Last edited by MayeulC on 26 July 2018 at 2:59 pm UTC
tuubi Jul 28, 2018
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