TF2 Newbs (Team Fortress 2) Blog

News:

1. Two hand-picked teams of regulars are preparing to duke it out in 12-on-12 action, and you can watch the stream live here on July 19th at 9pm EST/6pm PST!  There will be prizes for players and spectators alike!
2. In the “Newbs 24/7 2Fort” Chatroom (aka the usual TF2Newbs chat), there is now an idle account named “tf2newbs_adminchat”.
   • From within the Newbs Chatroom, you can report a player and the idle account with automatically forward this report to the hidden admin chatroom for quick response.
   • Type !report followed by the player’s name, the player’s Steam ID (very important), which server, and the issue at hand.
   • Syntax example:  !report 0:00ID00156  PlayerName  server 5 micspamming slurs
   • Where do you get the Steam ID from?  While the player to be reported in the server is still present, open the console and type the command “status”. You can then highlight the line containing the string of numbers (the ID) alongside the name of the player to be reported.  Copy-and-paste to the chat; it’s just that easy!
   • Your communication and initiative keeps the Newbs servers a fun place to play, and your help is veeerrryy appreciated!
3. Head admin and eight-tentacled one |N| octo-dhd says: “Donation Fund Drive completed! We made it! 100% Thanks everyone!”
4. Because we hit our donation goal before the deadline, Octo says he will enable Newbs Points on all servers, with active donators receiving unlimited points!  Features to be announced (and won’t be game-breaking), but could include server entering/leaving announcements, character glows, and more!  I’ll post to the blog when this goes live.
   • Speaking of Newbs Points: What in-game effects do you want to spend your Newbs Points on?  Post in this thread and tell us!
5. This TF2Newbs Blog had over 5,500 hits last month!  Hooray!

See you all Saturday!

[N] Obey

According to |N| Octo, #3 is currently assigned to run pl_cactuscanyon, and #16 is assigned rd_asteroid.  This morning, each server was empty with a different map queued up.  I’m not sure if Octo took them down, or voting or other methods changed the map.  Stay tuned — [N] Obey

Here’s the summary:

1. Launch of the Mann Co. Beta Maps, an Early Access program
   • Now hosted on Newbs’ Servers #16 and #17 #3!!
2. A tweak to the game mechanics on Heavy weapons: Winding up via holding the secondary attack now counts toward reducing the one-second penalty
   • In other words, you can fire the weapon, hold secondary attack to keep it spun up without firing, then resume firing without again suffering the one-second damage ramp up penalty.
   • Also, you can simply start spinning up early, so that when you begin firing, you will suffer less or none of the ramp up penalty.
3. Reminder: Bread Boxes cannot be crafted after tomorrow (7/9/14)
4. Fixed some item skins and item equip regions
5. (Added 7/9/14) In case you missed it: This comic will summarize the ongoing Team Fortress 2 story!
6. (Added 7/10/14) Includes the 7/9/14 patch notes, of fixes to the two beta maps. I posted these after the 7/8/14 patch notes.

Mann Co. Beta Maps!  …Do What Now?!

The Official TF2 Blog informed us today that they want the greater Steam community to play some undertested beta maps and provide feedback.  Sound like something you’re interested in? Because they are live on the TF2Newbs servers now!

Server #16 is now Asteroid, a robot destruction beta map: launching a new game mode!  In robot destruction mode, players compete to destroy the other teams’ harmless enemy robots and/or fetch an intelligence briefcase to earn points, unlocking more waves of robots until a winning point total is reached by one team first.

rd_asteroid

Server #17 #03 is now Cactus Canyon, a payload beta map with two short stages, instead of one long stage like all payload maps before this one.

Server #17 is currently 24/7 pl_badwater, which is what server #03 had been.

You can join these TF2 servers by enabling the drop-down console, and typing one of the following to join:

server16.tf2newbs.com
server17.tf2newbs.com
server3.tf2newbs.com

Got feedback?  Go here for server 16 or server 3. They are beta maps, so they’re somewhat unfinished and may end up being tweaked or overhauled.

Full Patch Notes: 7/8/14

• Added Mann Co. Beta Maps – Early Access program
  • Added 2 new beta maps: RD_Asteroid and PL_CactusCanyon
  • Beta maps can be accessed via the quickplay menu by clicking the Play Beta Maps option
• Added a new startup music track from Expiration Date
• Added UGC Highlander Season 12, UGC 6v6 Season 14, UGC 4v4 Season 1, and Tumblr Vs Reddit Season 2 medals
• Fixed the server browser not properly filtering for the “US – East” region when selected
• Fixed a bug where players that are taunting would not use the correct animation
• Fixed Australium weapons using the incorrect arm skin for the Blue team
• Fixed Mutated Milk not being a valid item for the Scout‘s Special Delivery item set
• Fixed The Stealth Steeler not using the correct team materials
• Fixed some festive weapons using the lowest LOD for the first person view
• Minigun: Winding up via secondary attack now counts toward reducing the one-second accuracy penalty
• Updated the equip_regions for The Southie Shinobi, The Chronomancer, and The Pencil Pusher
• Updated the localization files
• Updated The Towering Pillar of Summer Shades
  • Fixed not using the correct team materials
  • Updated to be paintable
• Reminder – Bread Boxes can no longer be crafted after tomorrow (July 9th)
  • Craft them via the crafting system (Items->Crafting->Special Blueprint->Fabricate Bread Box)

Undocumented changes

• Removed the promotion restrictions from the Big Daddy, First American, Mister Bubbles, Der Maschinensoldaten-Helm and Die Regime-Panzerung.
  • In other words, they are now tradable, giftable, and craftable.
• Renamed the The Napolean Complex to The Napoleon Complex.

Full Patch Notes: 7/9/11

Patch 1

• Updated rd_asteroid
  • Fixed incorrect respawn times for Blu attackers
  • Fixed missing kill triggers in pits
  • Added blockers to starting gates to prevent engineers from building outside the base before the round starts
  • Added medium health kit near large ammo pack at the front doors of each base
  • Removed the ability to create buildings in the lasers
  • Removed chair prop from vent access room near vault
• Updated pl_cactuscanyon
  • Prevented players from shooting over the fences by the mid building in stage 2
  • Prevented players from shooting between spawns in stage 2
  • Fixed a bug which prevented Blu team from winning upon a successful capture
  • Fixed players getting under the terrain near the first Blu Spawn in stage 1

Patch 2

• Updated rd_asteroid to fix another problem with respawn times for Blu attackers

The main thing about this patch is that (hopefully) the B.A.S.E. Jumper will keep servers from crashing–especially the UGC servers during competitive matches!

Oh, and you can now buy and sell Summer Starter Kits and Adventure Packs on the Steam Market.

Full Patch Notes

• Added a new startup music track from Expiration Date
• Fixed a client crash related to the B.A.S.E. Jumper
• Fixed an exploit related to the B.A.S.E. Jumper and supply cabinets
• Updated the B.A.S.E. Jumper backpack to use an open model when the parachute is deployed
• Fixed a few crates not displaying which Unusual Series they can potentially output
• Fixed a client crash caused by applying a tool to an empty backpack slot
• Removed the shot effect for The Classic in DirectX 8
• Updated the name of The Senguko Scorcher to be The Sengoku Scorcher
• Updated the Summer Starter Kit and Summer Adventure Pack to be marketable
• Updated the localization files

[N] Obey

So this happened:

The Demoman sticky nerf HAS BEEN REVERSED!

Yuuup! The default stickybomb launcher no longer has damage ramp up, doing its original full damage as soon as it is armed. However, expect Team Steam to be working on other nerfs and/or alternate weapons for the Demoman.

The long-standing meta in TF2 has been reliant on detonating individual stickies in mid-air, which is very effective for both offense and defense. I’m sure TF2 was–for the first time in years!–trying to implement incremental changes, but this ended up being too much, too quick, and negatively impacted competitions and the like.

In other news: taunts aren’t craftable yet, but soon we may be able to craft taunts, as Steam has included crafting numbers for taunts into the game data.

Full Patch Notes

• Reverted the recent stickybomb damage ramp up change. We will continue to evaluate the use of stickybomb air detonations and potential changes to that mechanic.
• Fixed being able to taunt with enemies between spawn room doors.
• Fixed a problem with The Senguko Scorcher‘s materials
• Updated the Towering Pillar of Summer Shades so they are marketable.
• Updated the attribute description for the Back Scatter to better explain what it does.
• Updated the localization files

Undocumented changes

Set all taunts to be giftable, nameable, and have craft numbers.

[N] Obey

Want to watch some Newbs Dustbowl regulars slug it out with some Newbs 2Fort regulars in a battle for server supremacy and to raise money for a good cause?  OF COURSE YOU DO!

Two hand-picked teams of twelve are preparing to duke it out, and you can watch the stream live here on July 19th at 9pm EST/6pm PST! Two rounds of both 2Fort and Dustbowl will be fought, and the side that caps soonest will win that match.

Child’s Play seeks to improve the lives of children in hospitals through the kindness of the video game industry!  D’awwwww. You can donate through PayPal.

Oh, and there will be prizes for spectators…!

[N] Obey

FYI: The Love & War–Day Two blogpost got 1702 hits in the last two days! Thanks for all your visits, and don’t forget to Bookmark us in your favorite browser!