Over on Steam, Valve Software reports that the Source SDK 2013 release now supports the Oculus Rift VR specs and mod developers on Mac OS X and Linux machines. The company is also now using Github to host the source code which is located here, and providing a new license, posted here, that allows mod authors to share their changes to the SDK more easily.
"The other change with the Source SDK is that now Hammer and the other mod tools ship with their respective games instead of as part of the SDK Launcher," Valve said. "The launcher itself is being phased out, so it will disappear from your Tools list."
Information about how to run the tools from the games can be found here.
According to the release notes, running a compatible mod with -vr on the command line will run the mod in stereo and enable head tracking on the Oculus Rift. Playing Source-based games through Rift is as awesome as you would imagine it, with characters standing next to you as if they're really there in physical space. At this point, Rift provides near-perfect immersion, and a must-have for any FPS fan once it finally goes retail in 2014.
The release notes also report that Steam Pipe (the new Steam content delivery system) is supported by the sample mods, and existing mods can change their gameinfo.txt to match the new format and gain Steam Pipe support. Games also now build and run clients on Windows, OSX, and Linux, Valve said, adding that dedicated servers are supported on Windows and Linux.
PC gaming developers can find instructions on getting started with the new Source SDK 2013 on the Valve Developer Community wiki.
