As Steam shows no signs of slowing its dominance of digital distribution for PC (and Mac!), it’s only natural that more niche services would arise; not really to oppose, but to compliment Valve’s service. Enter Desura, a distribution platform similar to Steam, save for one important aspect: It’s focused on independent game developers.

Primarily, Desura will try to give a home to those games turned away by Steam. Though the service won’t just open the floodgates to everything, its creator (and indie mod site) ModDB says it hopes to make acceptance or rejection much more transparent than Valve’s process. Desura is described as a community-based service, intended to foster better, more symbiotic relationships between developer and fan.

Desura isn’t slated to go live until April, but you can get an early look over at Rock Paper Shotgun.

[Thanks, Ramy]

The procedurally generated action adventure platformer—not to be confused with Spelunker HD for PlayStation Network—which Yu describes as “La Mulana meets Nethack”—or side-scrolling platformer meets roguelike—stars a wee Indiana Jones-like adventurer on the hunt for gold, exits and frequent deaths. The XBLA port promises new artwork, new gameplay modes and a new way to shave days off your life.

If you’d like to download the free PC version, you can grab it from Yu’s web site, then greatly anticipate the superior XBLA version.

Or you can just gaze at new screens in Xbox 360 resolution.

Instead of listening to those transmissions in-game, members of various web forums, including the Steam, Facepunch and Something Awful forums—who we credit with the following discoveries—accessed them through more standard file system digging. Some were easily identifiable Morse Code recordings while the majority were SSTV (or slow-scan television) encoded transmissions.

The Morse code audio files included the following information.

1. interior transmission active external data line active message digest active
5. 9e107d9d372bb6821bd91d3542a419d6
12. system data dump active user backup active password backup active
17. beep beeeep beep beep beeeep beeeep beeeep beep beeeep beep beep

File 5 is a doubly encoded, the MD5 encrypted string “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” File 17 was Morse Code for Morse Code for “LOL.” Good times.

The remaining sound files were translated from audio to a series of 22 images, which had the appearance of stills from security cameras installed at Aperture Science, the setting of the original Portal. Many of those images contained shots of numbers and letters from keyboards, chalkboards and whiteboards, as well as the odd equation or formula, requiring the mob of puzzle solvers to tap into their calculus and engineering backgrounds.

Click for super huge size

The mob eventually put those characters together to form the string 9459C6CAC8C203B8128B7CC63068D4FD which itself was an encoded phone number for a Bulletin Board Service. That meant dusting off a few modems, dialing up Valve’s BBS, logging in and letting a mix of ASCII art and text files stream.

That text dump may offer some of our first low-fidelity peeks at the next Portal and gives us a bit of insight into Aperture Science founder Cave Johnson. First, the artwork, which contains (here’s the word again) encoded visuals that may be familiar to the Portal player.

In the above image, we get a peek at an ASCII version of GlaDOS, a few shots of the research facility and what appears to be two robots holding hands. There’s also a confidential document detailing “Low Risk” Human Resource Acquisitions, including hobos, orphans, psychiatric patients and senior citizens.

The above features another peek at GlaDOS, a trio of diagrams and a heart shaped “anomalous emotional response” detection warning.

Finally, two recognizable Portal items, GlaDOS (again) and a pair of automated turrets, among other things, plus a few memorandums from Aperture Science founder Cave Johnson.

CJohnson writes:

“…remind you that APerture Science is built on three pillars. Pillar one: Science without results is just witchcraft. Pillar two: Get results or you’re fired. Pillar three: if you suspect a coworker of bin’ a witch, report them immediately. I cannot stress that enough. Witchcraft will not be tolerated.”

“A lot of you have been raising concerns about the so-called “dangers” of what we’re all doing here. The beancounters told me to tell you that as of today, testing will no longer be as mandatory or as dangerous. That’s not gonna happen and here’s the reason.”

“Science isn’t about why, it’s about why not. You ask: Why is so much of our science dangerous? I say: Why not marry safe science if you love it so much. In fact, why not invent a special safety door that won’t hit you in the butt on the way out, because you are fired.”

“Plus, in the event of your death, I personally guarantee that, thanks to the form you were required to sign this morning, your family will not suffer the indignities of a prolonged and costly legal battle against Aperture Science. Trust me, I am rich, and it is a burden I would not wish on anyone.”

One theory being bandied about by forumgoers is the version of GlaDOS responding from the BBS, which is 3.11, is a reference to March 11, the date that Valve will supposedly reveal more about what this Portal puzzle is all about. It’s also the date the Valve founder Gabe Newell will receive his Pioneer Award at this year’s Game Developers Conference Awards.

There may be more, so let us know if we missed anything in this summary.

According to the Fund’s official website, “Indie Fund is a brand new funding source for independent developers, created by a group of successful indies looking to encourage the next generation of game developers.”

The Fund was established “as a serious alternative to the traditional publisher funding model”, and its aim is to support the growth of games as a medium by helping indie developers get financially independent and stay financially independent.

The current list of investors backing Indie Fund includes some of the most successful independent game creators of the last few years, as follows:

- Ron Carmel and Kyle Gabler, 2D Boy (World of Goo)
- Jonathan Blow, Number None (Braid)
- Kellee Santiago, thatgamecompany (Flower)
- Nathan Vella, Capy (Critter Crunch)
- Matthew Wegner, Flashbang Studios (Off-Road Velociraptor Safari)
- Aaron Isaksen, AppAbove Games (Armadillo Gold Rush)

The Indie Fund has already backed unnamed independent game projects, and will be announcing the name of them soon. Additional details about the need for Indie Fund and the rationale behind it will be shared at next week’s Game Developers Conference, at Ron Carmel’s talk during the Independent Games Summit entitled ‘Indies and Publishers: Fixing a System that Never Worked.’

Alongside the announcement, we caught up with Indie Fund spokesperson and World Of Goo co-creator Carmel to discuss the announcement and its ramifications:

There are certainly a number of methods out there for developers to get funding – from Kickstarter through publisher signings. Why set up this methodology – what is it bringing to the table?

Ron Carmel: Most developers today fund their games by bootstrapping or by signing a publishing deal. In many cases, those indies that sign a publishing deal don’t really need a publisher; they just need funding and can easily handle everything else themselves. Indie Fund provides the funding, but without the overhead or the loss of freedom associated with a publishing deal.

Are you going to give people money and then have no input at all into how that game is designed and then distributed? Or will you work with them on their scheduling and their marketing to make sure that they’re successful?

RC: Developers have full control over their design, IP, publishing rights, etc. We collectively have a lot of experience in making high quality profitable indie games, so we will give our (hopefully) valuable feedback and advice on both design and business. But in the end, it’s up to the developer to make the final call on everything.

Will you be disclosing the size of the fund at any time? Do you have a fixed amount you will fill up or are contributors adding to the fund on a case by case basis?

Ron: Indie Fund is managed and fully funded by the seven of us. We put in enough money to fund a few games a year for two or three years. If things go well and it looks like the indie scene can take in a larger investment and put it to good use, we will raise another round, probably bringing in external investors as well.

Can developers apply to the fund now – or soon? If so, how?

Ron: Actual funding has already begun, and we’re also at various stages of discussing funding with several indie teams. This all happened through word of mouth within the indie community, but we will soon have a more open process for developers to apply for funding. Since this is a new experience for all of us Indie Funders we’re taking things one step at a time and making sure we don’t get ahead of ourselves.

Why do you think that the concept of individual prestigious named angel investors hasn’t really happened in video games in the same way it has in technology, until now?

2008 was a big year for indies with a number of commercially successful releases. There was Audiosurf, then Braid, Castle Crashers, and World of Goo. This set up the two things required to make Indie Fund happen.

First, it proved that an investment in indie games can be very profitable. Second, it allowed us to raise the money from within the indie community instead of having to seek outside investors. Now that we have a few years of indie developers who have successfully self published, we can help the next round of developers who need to get their games out in a much more competitive space.

What happens to profit if the game makes back its money? And what happens to the game’s IP if it doesn’t?

Once the investment amount is repaid into the fund, the developer shares revenue with Indie Fund for a limited time. If a game never gets released or doesn’t earn back the investment amount, well, we kiss that money goodbye.

We’re not interested in owning or managing IP and we don’t want to manage any kind of debt collection. We hope that the games that do well will more than make up for those that don’t. The long term plan is to publicly reveal the funding terms, but we want to make sure our approach actually works before we go there.

What’s the end game for this fund – do you expect to be funding 3 games a year for ever, 5 games and then you’re done, etc?

Ron: I’m really glad you asked that. The end game is actually not about how many projects we fund, it’s about helping games develop as a medium of expression and keeping indie games viable now that the big publishers are investing heavily in downloadable games.

Hopefully we can help keep video games from suffering the same fate as television. Kellee gave a thought-provoking talk on this subject at TEDx last year. Indie Fund alone will not accomplish all these goals, but we hope it proves to be a big step in the right direction.

And we’re giving out spots for the March 8 beta for the flashy racer right here, right now.

But first, a couple of very important things you need to know:

Currently the only version of the game getting a beta is the Xbox 360, which is why we don’t have codes for the PC or PS3.

The beta starts on March 8.

To get in the beta, you will need to take one of the attached codes and enter it at www.Blurthegame.com/beta/. When the beta starts, the person who entered the code on the site will get an email with an Xbox 360 code that will let them into the beta. But make sure you enter your code now to grab your spot, don’t wait or you’ll miss out.

Here are the codes, grab em while the last. Remember these are NOT the codes you enter into your 360, you have to enter this code into the game’s website listed above to be assured a spot in the beta which starts on March 8.

WQMJ-HGKT-GT4D-2GCC
DPQG-R4NH-EJPK-DJ2R
G3DU-9VFL-XFP4-9YTL
2CT9-G7GW-U7U3-GXVR
ZPPR-UJFX-V9M2-T6CJ
FC7P-NR9K-Q9YD-7C6X
W6P4-NG7L-AQ3F-JYLV
PHKF-LA24-A3JF-NJWU
UZVA-KJG2-V4ZN-2W2J
ZNQF-FWWH-4NG7-WU74
QYC2-6J69-U4RJ-4MAA
J7D4-FYCZ-9REE-TNWJ
XDA9-JTJV-3CPL-2UUG
T7JE-PEM3-3XG3-UKNH
KWLU-VK77-VJMF-MYNG
9DK3-DNVK-L9EW-D3Z2
AULV-Q6LH-JMKJ-UMHX
7EX3-GYXD-TT3C-FD6W
MGGE-99EP-JETJ-T3HD
VXMK-PPKW-LH6H-RR3V
YQ7X-7DLP-YLQP-ERUW
9PF3-47J4-GG47-QLAV
LWNE-99CJ-Y9K7-MMTU
U3DX-JERA-VYVG-NVQN
EKE4-N7WZ-4CU9-DVEY
7C97-6364-VT3L-HV2W
6CEA-PPCV-MLMJ-UD2H
73WX-3PFZ-ZZLU-D6P6
7PZF-KDCE-NWDV-9W4F
FYJG-UFQH-WAZD-2HZY
G9VZ-2WRA-ZLVY-29MQ
QAHT-6A7L-UG37-WQ3M
VDQK-DDT9-77CW-DDWC
K2UN-ZFCD-UJEJ-VFQP
7LZH-93HM-MUPL-WAMW
K6D6-LTM3-WQ9K-EFZA
T44R-A4J4-PN7C-V739
VYR7-KTK3-EGFT-ZRZY
YUCE-HTKA-9Z2U-T4X9
NF2N-CWNX-AEMY-DFDF
CYAH-ZHWT-QDRJ-WHNQ
EUUJ-CHDU-F9WL-Z32J
KFAQ-7JZU-FDUZ-MFVH
V6XU-WPVX-YNZA-4UAH
TXCU-HYZL-33RV-FJTL
NZR3-U997-RMZ7-Y3YW
CEEY-W34X-KRW7-DD7A
RP63-DDUD-WVUQ-GXA6
XX6A-QF6V-GZHW-HEJA
LV6G-9CC2-KLDL-DFGD
JXTH-YXMU-2CH2-RR6L
399D-ZLR4-DRZZ-YJJV
TVEM-K7U6-2WGT-L9AN
LLKM-GQM6-42ZL-KPM4
36W7-DQGC-TERY-2EEU
CJQ7-MWPD-E2C9-964A
CRY9-PYGP-RULJ-43UG
K2VL-PEUJ-94ZY-Q7X9
ZZ6G-QY3A-ERQM-LU3T
EZ4J-76DT-274A-FGA2
Z66D-L27J-7CFZ-EPHE
H6LE-L3GG-QWUM-YNML
443K-CKT7-ZNDQ-EN9W
DTPV-JHWQ-AFHX-2K4M
K2EU-C42Z-3H6R-ALPR
PNMC-39DZ-JMQ2-EW6Y
J9UC-TYZN-7Y7J-6W7L
REAZ-PVHY-H3VT-XW77
MJKA-UV4C-RQEY-KUCY
EAGH-FN2M-T6QX-HER6
L4U4-3TVW-NFVP-J27J
ZH72-T474-9Y6E-Q7Y4
LFQ4-GMQW-J7ZL-T9NH
A9AU-FQ6V-CUYK-X7RP
NTZJ-EE7Y-M3E3-TPFU
KMYF-QJHN-ZXQP-2NCA
VRWG-PAQJ-VVRM-ZJY2
7RGN-PJCT-YM36-HMWG
KR72-KXQX-7E2R-YAHE
NWXE-7UM6-3LF4-XV9G
3WLT-KPWP-UYDJ-LXUJ
QNNC-2KPN-JGTH-LJAD
FLFW-ULMA-74GG-G6LK
96XU-UXXF-3A7V-HFUD
VAMD-FPYE-73LW-H3LN
6JU9-4RAQ-M9K6-DGW3
4FDK-6TJT-RPRR-RCK2
HPQ3-PTQZ-4QVT-4XNG
ALRX-CHND-33WT-GYUT
7Z6M-JHCL-D46Q-FA3Q
FF67-QG7V-3LGK-P7PD
FPHG-4UAW-ZGTM-EHQP
9QJX-9QEJ-C4D9-PCPD
AAND-77PY-KWRW-7YEE
62CM-EC7C-3QT2-M24W
JFCG-CVQU-ML3M-YFXG
PHFK-MAHV-CTNH-LQCL
7UGX-L4W9-JEN3-F7FU
RL7U-X9UC-TZ3L-KH47
R47G-ZZAP-AMKX-WJAL

Today’s Portal update, officially, features the following addition: “Changed radio transmission frequency to comply with federal and state spectrum management regulations.” Not officially noted there is the new Steam achievement “Transmission Received” which goes undescribed by the developer, but involves the use of Portal’s in-game radios.

Also included, as spotted by Steam forumgoers are a bunch of new sound files, all prefaced with the word “dinosaur.” According to members there, those sound files feature Morse code encoded transmissions.

While we have no idea at this point what Valve is planning—the Steam mob is currently pounding away at a solution and Morse code experts are encouraged to join the fray—we wouldn’t be surprised if the Half-Life and Left 4 Dead developer was planning a Portal related announcement. If it were to announce Portal 2, we wouldn’t be surprised. If it were to announce a sequel to one of its games in its own game, we’d simply be impressed.

Given the close relationship between Portal and Half-Life, we could also be looking at a separate game announcement, like the long-awaited Half-Life 2: Episode 3. Whatever the case, we’re excited and keeping a close eye on updates.

Update: New sound files, including this new computerized voiceover from something that is not GlaDOS and these transmissions, have been making their way to YouTube from users. Give ‘em a listen.

The game continues, with those sound files containing data for equally mysterious images. There’s plenty of code-cracking to be done, as Valve is going hog wild with this multi-layered puzzle.

Changed radio transmission frequency to comply with federal and state spectrum manage [Steam Forums - thanks, Alex!]

The sixth developer diary for Star Wars: The Old Republic has been released and it features a new (yet familiar) location players will be able to visit when the MMO finally goes live. Devastated by the sinister Sith Lord Darth Malak in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the post-apocalyptic world of Taris will be a “major world” in the upcoming Bioware MMO. While the original vision for the ruined planet was to be a giant swamp-like crater, Bioware smartly decided to shape the environment as a vertical wasteland that both the Republic and Imperial factions are attempting to reshape.

Announced in May of last year and shown in footage form at E3 a month later, Warhammer 40K: Space Marine seems to be a title that THQ and developer Relic are taking their own sweet time on. As evidence to that, these are the first two screenshots that have surfaced for the action RPG.

I’d say that if the game’s visuals are this gorgeous, Relic can take as much time as they need to make sure the game plays as good as it looks.

Carnegie Mellon University Professor, Jesse Schell, dives into a world of game development which will emerge from the popular “Facebook Games” era.

Steam forum members dug through newly released files from the recently launched open beta and dug up a handful of Mac OS X-specific graphics, like the open, maximize and minimize jewel icons that are used in the operating system’s windows.

While those icons could be chalked up to Steam’s change to a WebKit-based rendering engine for the client—Valve has moved away from Microsoft’s Internet Explorer for Steam’s new UI—there are a few other Mac-specific graphics buried within. That includes system dock graphics and a handful of OS X menu files.

While the current Steam library is Windows only, many of Valve’s publishing partners, including EA, Take-Two Interactive, PopCap Games and id Software, publish Mac versions of their games, a potential audience whose needs are not being met by Steam.

We’ve reached out to Valve to see why the developer has added OS X graphics to Steam and if that means support for the Apple crowd, but have not yet heard back.

Mac OS X Support! [Steam Forums - thanks, Mark & Luke!]