Valve have sent word that the latest Half-Life update, including Counter-Strike 1.6 and a new version of Team Fortress Classic will be releasing tomorrow, approx. 6:00 am New Zealand time. This is a very major update and will be the first stage to converting all users over to Valve's Steam content-streaming platform. Steam will enable the game to be updated dynamically without requiring large patch releases. Steam also opens up the possibility of purchasing and downloading full games and mods online. This update won't be a required update initially; there will be a grace period where both CS 1.5 on old servers and CS 1.6 on new Steam servers will be playable online, before the old version will stop working. "In a couple of weeks we will make this update mandatory," said Alfred Reynolds from Valve Software. Players should beware you will require a valid Half-Life or Half-Life: Counter-Strike CD Key in order to install the update. All players will be assigned new "Steam IDs" and the WONID system will slowly be phased out. Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Steam and this update: Q: Can I use Steam with a modem? A: Yes, steam will work for modem users. Q: Is WON going away? A: Yes, once we have completed the rollover we will slowly remove parts of the WON system as they become obsolete. Q: Has the net code been changed since the beta? A: No, apart from small bug fixes. Q: Will my existing 3rd party programs work (i.e Admin Mod, CDeath, ...). A: In general yes, all existing 3rd party programs can still work under Steam. The individual authors of each program will need to inform their users of any install directory or configuration changes. Q: Do I need to alter my firewall setup? A: Steam requires some extra ports to be opened for outgoing access, read this page for details. Q: What happens to my current banlist? A: Everyone will be getting assigned a new Steam ID and it will not be possible to convert old banlists. Wondering what's new in these updates? Here are the full change histories: What's changed in Counter-Strike 1.6 What's changed in Team Fortress Classic What's changed in the Windows HL server What's changed in the Linux HL server Highlights in the Counter-Strike 1.6 update include: the addition of a new Riot Shield item for CTs; two new rifles, the Galil and FAMAS; a new map, de_airstrip and updated versions of de_aztec, de_piranesi and de_inferno; players will score frags for defusing the bomb, or planting the bomb if it explodes; various interface improvements; addition of integrated bots and lots lots more.