TF2 Newbs (Team Fortress 2) Blog

By the way, 2fort servers #04 (and sometimes #05 and #18) have been regularly starting up most evenings, usually around 6PM EST/3 PM PST, and are active for a few hours. If you’re looking for some 2Fort action without hackers or grossly unbalanced teams, just type “connect server4.tf2newbs.com” into your console; no password required.

Meanwhile, the ever-expanding adventures of the Newbs’ XCOM 2 saga can be found on our forums. Read up while you’re powering through all that fruitcake.

Speaking of fruitcake, server admin Packhead is streaming free Christmas music! Find that link on our forums as well.

The short version of the latest Holiday Update:

• The Steam Winter Holiday Sale started today!
• No new contracts, maps, or weapons this season. Definitely a simpler update this holiday season.
• Logging in to TF2 during this event scores you a Gift-Stuffed Stocking tool item.
  • If used, it contains 2-3 random weapons, paint can, name tag, description tag, backpack expander, giftapult, and occasionally other random items such as cosmetics. These items are untradeable.
• The keyless Winter 2016 Cosmetic Crate drops new community-made cosmetics.
  • Instead of buying a key and dropping/buying a crate, you just buy the unlocked crate.
  • Crates don’t expire, but they can only be bought for a short time.
  • Crates have a chance of also dropping a Festivizer tool that makes an item festive.
  • Festivizers now work on more items.

• Mann Co. Store is having a 20%-75% off sale, highlighting tools and cosmetics.
  • Sale now thru January 11th.
  • Valve Winter Sale hasn’t started… yet.
• Matchmaking changes (see below)

Matchmaking Changes

At the end of a Comp or Casual match, the following happens:

1. Players are automatically formed into a rematch with the same teams of players.
2. Server then prompts map vote of current map or two others, based on searched maps of player prior to match.

Casual now has a new, voluntary version of the old autobalance system. During a match, you may be prompted to switch sides if teams become unbalanced because of players leaving games. If you volunteer, you will earn bonus XP during the match; you are not required to switch, and no one will be forced to switch sides.

Also, you can now set a maximum accepting ping for Comp or Casual matches but selecting the gear icon in the Matchmaking lobby.

Full Patch Notes: Dec 21, 2016

As always, full patch notes courtesy of the excellent Official TF2 Wiki.

• All players who play TF2 during the event will receive a Stuffed Stocking as a gift! Stockings contain goodies for good little Mercenaries.
• Added the limited-time key-less Winter 2016 Cosmetic Case to the Mann Co. Store
  • Contains 17 new community-contributed items
  • The Festivizer can be found as a bonus drop when opening the case
• Added 3 new taunts to the Mann Co. Store
  • The Scotsmann’s Stagger (community-contributed)
  • The Didgeridrongo (community-contributed)
  • The Table Tantrum (Valve)
• New weapons for the Festivizer!
  • Fire Axe, The Jag, The Kritzkrieg, Pistol, The Quick-Fix, Natascha, The Sandman, The Spy-cicle, Kukri, Shovel and The Scottish Resistance
• Mann Co. Store winter sale!
  • Look for 20%-75% off selected unlocked cosmetic crates, taunts, and tools in the Mann Co. Store through January 11th, 2017
• Matchmaking Improvements
  • At the end of a Casual match, players are automatically formed into a new match with the same players and teams
    • Players get to vote on which map the new match will take place on
      • There are 3 maps to vote on, chosen based on the maps everyone in the match had selected when they began searching for a match. The current map is always the first option.
    • This replaces the Rematch system
  • Players can now set their maximum acceptable ping by clicking the new gear icon in the top right of the Casual and Competitive matchmaking lobby screens and choosing “Ping Settings”
• New autobalance system to help with balancing teams when players leave a match. The system will ask players to volunteer to switch teams.
  • Automatically enabled for all Casual match servers
    • Players who switch will be able to earn bonus XP as a reward
  • Community servers can enable this new feature by using “mp_autoteambalance 2″

General

• Fixed security issue reported by Justin G. (sigsegv) and Linus S. (PistonMiner)
• Fixed not clearing the teleport condition for players who have their teleport interrupted before the teleport is complete
• Fixed PASS Time exploit related to bonus points
• Updated mat_monitorgamma so it can be adjusted in Competitive mode
• Fixed the ShouldPreserveSquad flag not being parsed correctly in Mann vs. Machine mode
• Fixed a bug related to bot Engineers and teleporters in Mann vs. Machine mode
• Fixed not being able to transfer Strange stats between versions of Jarate and the Sapper
• Fixed incorrect particle position for Unusual taunt effects when using the Racho Relaxo^(sic)
• Added the ESA Rewind tournament medals
• Added the Winter Wonderland 2016 community medals
• Updated the Dalokohs Bar to fix a bug related to the health buff
• Updated cp_metalworks to fix a texture problem
• Updated pd_watergate
  • Respawn times will now change depending on which team is in the lead: 8 seconds to leading team, 4 seconds to trailing team
  • Moved the current beer amount to the center of the HUD
  • Added a jump to low spawn route to give respawned players something to do en-route to mid
  • Added a light to illuminate roof-snipers better
  • Adjusted some clipping[N] Obey 

NOTE: Currently, servers #13 and #27 (UK) are down.  The usual server mechanics have been notified, and I’m sure everything will be up in less than a day. –[N] Obey

Here’s what’s going on:

1. The 2014 Saxxy winners have been announced! Click the link to watch the nominated videos.
2. All TF2 servers can now allow a vote whether to activate/deactivate player-count autobalancing only.
3. All TF2 servers now, by default, allow teamtalk to be on (allowing dead players to be heard by living players).
4. Muting a player now applies to text chat as well as voice chat.
   • Previously, this was not available without SourceMod or other third-party scripts (I think).
5. Minor changes to rd_asteroid

Full Patch Notes

• Improved memory usage for Mac clients
• Fixed an exploit that allowed item nametags to go beyond the 40 character limit
• Fixed a bug where reflected rocket explosions from non-stock flamethrowers would cause the flame sound to loop
• tf_teamtalk is now on by default – the dead can talk to the living
• When you mute a player, the mute settings now apply to text chat as well as voice chat. If you want the previous behavior, change convar cl_mute_all_comms to 0.
• More weapon models are now loaded on demand to reduce overall memory usage
• Added “Enable/Disable Auto TeamBalance” votes
  • Successful votes will enable/disable team player count balancing
  • Use sv_vote_issue_autobalance_allowed to control if this vote is enabled on the server
  • Votes not allowed in Mann vs. Machine, Medieval mode, Arena mode, Tournament Mode, or Training
• Updated rd_asteroid
  • Increased overtime to 45 seconds
  • Added more sound cues when overtime starts
  • Dropped reactor cores now blink on the HUD when they are about to return
  • Added latest art assets to blue base exterior

Undocumented changes

• Renamed Enchantment: Eternaween to Eternaween.
• Added a description to Tipped Lid.

[N] Obey

By the way, have you played the beta maps Asteroid or Cactus Canyon lately? They’re really coming along, and much more fun than when they were first launched.  Today’s patch doesn’t change their terrain at all, but does add a few wrinkles to the play style for Asteroid.

The short version for this patch:

1. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite TF2 short for the Saxxy Awards! Voting ends 11:59 pm PDT on Monday, Sept. 29th.
2. You can now buy Limited Late Summer Crate Keys (the usual US$2.49), to unlock #86 crates of the same name.
   • About half of the contents will be Strange, and all of the contents will be Limited (unable to be crafted or bought in the future).
   • Crates cannot be opened after October 13, 2014.
   • See the crate drop list below. There is one cosmetic for each class, and one all-class cosmetic: the Pocket Heavy.
3. Items you have received now carry a “NEW!” banner in your inventory, until you mouse over them.
4. In the middle of a match that is attempting to rebalance the server population, you will immediately respawn if you are either auto-balanced, or if you voluntarily change sides.
   • Of course, this doesn’t work in modes like Arena or MvM.
5. Limited Items (i.e. items that cannot be dropped, crafted, or bought from the Mann Co. Store, but could be uncrated):
   • Now the entire text line is colored bright yellow, as opposed to just the word Limited, in the item’s text line.
     • For example: “Limited Level 53 Hat“.
   • Retired hats are now properly identified as Limited items.
6. Asteroid has added sounds, adjusted return time for stolen reactor cores, and a 45-second Overtime to allow the enemy to attempt to steal the winning team’s core.

Crate Series #86
Drops		Yes
Items
[[Mishap Mercenary|Template:Dictionary/items/mishap mercenary]]		11 .00%
[[Lady Killer|Template:Dictionary/items/lady killer]]		11 .00%
[[Lone Survivor|Template:Dictionary/items/lone survivor]]		11 .00%
[[Poacher's Safari Jacket|Template:Dictionary/items/poacher's safari jacket]]		11 .00%
[[Thirst Blood|Template:Dictionary/items/thirst blood]]		11 .00%
[[Mann of the Seven Sees|Template:Dictionary/items/mann of the seven sees]]		11 .00%
[[Hillbilly Speed-Bump|Template:Dictionary/items/hillbilly speed-bump]]		11 .00%
[[Unshaved Bear|Template:Dictionary/items/unshaved bear]]		11 .00%
[[Pocket Heavy|Template:Dictionary/items/pocket heavy]]		11 .00%
or an Exceedingly Rare Special Item!		1 .00%

Full Patch Notes: Patch 1

• Added Limited Late Summer Crate Key to the Mann Co. Store. Available until October 13, 2014.^[1]
• Fixed the Limited label not being displayed for items on the Steam Community Market or in the Steam backpack
• Fixed colorization of item level description line for Limited items
• Added tournament medals for BETA LAN 2014
• Added a NEW! label to new items in your backpack until you mouse over them
• Fixed a case where cosmetic items would be orphaned in the world
  • R.I.P. Captain Canteen^[2]
• Fixed not being able to open the Taunt menu during the bonus time on an Arena map
• Fixed a dedicated server crash related to bot Spies
• Fixed item level not displaying correctly in the Mann vs. Machine lobby
• Updated the auto-balance code to immediately respawn players that are automatically switched, or that voluntarily switch, during a balancing period
  • Not supported in Mann vs. Machine, Medieval mode, Arena mode, Tournament Mode, or Training
• Updated the removeid command to support Steam2 and Steam3 ID formats
• Updated the materials for The Atomic Accolade
• Updated the equip_region for The Special Eyes
• Updated rd_asteroid
  • Added a 45 second overtime when a team reaches max points
  • Added placeholder pickup ship and robot worker to indicate a team has reached max points
  • Added a sound to captured and returned points as they fill the progress bar
  • Captured and returned points now fill the progress bar faster
  • Progress bar escrow indicator now stays in place as points are added
  • Touching the reactor core no longer fully resets the return timer. Every second the reactor core is held will add a second to the return timer.
• Virtual Reality Mode
  • Fixed selecting the wrong refresh rate when running on a display that does not use the desktop refresh rate

   

Undocumented changes

• Added Limited attribute to retired hats.
• Added a kill icon for Nostromo Napalmer.
• Correct the sight on Rocket Launcher.

Patch 2

• Fixed a client crash caused by using custom HUD files

[N] Obey