TF2 Newbs (Team Fortress 2) Blog

NFL and elite soccer leagues everywhere are horrified: a new challenger has appeared! Finally, a sport where YOU CAN KILL THE OTHER TEAM without having to join a player’s union. The patch summary:

1. New game mode “PASS Time” substitutes a ball and goals to standard CTF play.
   • Pass the ball to allies or throw the ball with primary fire button; steal the ball with a melee hit.
2. “Gun Mettle” map Suijin updated to improve play around its central point.
3. New hat, “The Finder’s Fee”, awarded to users that report major exploits and bugs to Valve.
4. Bugfixes, including:
   • The Loadout Screen now shows the animation of any equipped Unusual Effects.
   • Demoman gained some missing voice lines when laughing.
   • MvM medigun shield will recreate when switching away, then back to medigun, while medigun shield is engaged.
   • Map voting now enabled with Workshop maps.

Don’t forget: “Gun Mettle” Season runs through September 30th, so you can be completing contracts while playing the new game mode.

1. Are You Ready For Some… Football? WTF?!

“Soccer? Is that you?” Actually, PASS Time is more of a capture-the-flag remake, with a single flag that spawns over a neutral point, and to be thrown into the opposing goal as the objective. And when you don’t have the ball (or “jack” as they call it), you’ll fight for it in typical TF2 fashion: destroying the enemy with your weapons. Official blog post here.

It’s a simple variation on the familiar CTF theme. All you have to learn is how to throw and pass the ball, and that’s simple: hold the primary fire button for a targeting cursor, then aim and release to chuck it. You can also pass it to allies in the same manner, and you can call out for passes as well.

Steal the ball from the enemy by killing the player and/or applying a melee hit. Stealing the ball (or being the first to recover it) will grant you a moment of invulnerability, health regeneration and a small speed boost. The game’s center of action will constantly be moving with the ballcarrier, so speed and mobility will be very important. Note that many of the recent weapon tweaks had this game mode in mind when they were launched.

PASS Time is currently in a live beta, similar to rd_asteroid has been for the last year. Currently there is just one map, pass_warehouse: a long, narrow map with plenty of rusty trailers to jump around, air lifts shooting you into the sky, and speed boost zones. Because of the beta, expect changes to be applied to maps and gameplay alike.

One difference: you have to take the ball to the enemy’s zone to score, not your own! You’ll be closer to enemy respawns when nearer their goal than not. You’ll definitely need teammates to respond to respawning enemies and goaltending sentries. There are also few ammo and health pickups, so don’t get killed too quickly or you’ll be scored on while waiting to respawn.

Joining a PASS Time Game

There are Valve Beta servers running Warehouse now, but they may not come up in Quickplay. Search for them in your Servers menu, and bookmark a Valve server, as it will probably be 24/7 for a while.

Early Meta and Strategies

Essentially, half of the team will try to attack or chase the ball, and the other half ends up defending (probably because some players don’t want to chase all over the map). These are the roles I’m seeing so far:

Scout: Right away, a lot of players will play Scout, just for the increased movement speed and jumping ability. Grab the Atomizer and Soda Popper for extra jump, and possibly Bonk! for your secondary, but a skilled Scout player will shine in a killing role also. This game could devolve into everyone playing Scouts, until you run into a goal-camping Engineer.

Pyro: When the enemy all goes Scout, naturally you’ll want to go Pyro so you can harass them with fire. But without water or cliffs to airblast them, Pyro is a little out of his/her element. Consider a Powerjack for speed and the Reserve Shooter.

Soldier: Rocketjumping really helps you get around, and you’re needed to destroy sentries and discourage campers. Your various buffs and the Disciplinary Action are necessary, since a single attacker usually fails to score. Try to convince your Scout to help you keep up. The Rocket Jumper may even be preferable, but then you can’t carry the ball.

Demoman: Although your role is defense, you’ll usually be chasing the ball and harassing the opposing team. Your stickies are needed to remove sentries, but you’ll shine as a demoman, charging ahead of others and stealing the ball with melee.

Heavy: You’re likely to spend most of your time between your goal and midfield, killing those who would take the ball, or guarding positions that would attack your sentries.

– THIS PART UNDER CONSTRUCTION–

2. Suijin: Waking Up From a Sniper’s Dream

Did you enjoy being able to take three steps out of spawn, scope up your sniper rifle of choice, and be able to cover both the enemy’s spawn and the map’s single point in the same view? Did you enjoy getting headshot every time you took a step to the left after you respawned from the last headshot? Well, koth_suijin has changed all of that.

As you can see in my screenshot above, two decorative, apocalypse-immune Japanese blinds has been placed horizontally on each side of the central point, preventing snipers from having an unobstructed view of the point or enemy spawn from their own. However, the blinds are not tall enough to protect against well-placed sentries on the top level above the point.

Also, note the fencing in the screenshot. It has been altered to allow easier passage around the spawn-side stairs on each side. The bridge on the neutral center, however, was not given this increased access.

Moreover, health and ammo pickups have moved around. There is a convenient walkway under the blindside wall’s bridge along the cliff, with a newly placed medium health kit that scouts and spies will surely appreciate.

3. Be a Bug Killer = Earn an Exclusive Hat.

In an effort to further encourage TF2 players to be on the lookout for game-ruining, economy-crashing game exploits, a standing bounty has been named by Valve for those who forgo the urge to be a profiteering haxz0r butthead and do the right thing in the first place: the Finder’s Fee is an all-class hat given by Valve when you self-report such bugs and exploits to Valve, such as a recent hack that allowed someone to create impossible items (like MvM robot weapons) with a Name Tag and an exploit. If you do earn this hat, you’ll probably Win the Internet for that day as well, so there’s that, too.

Hey, it’s not an unusual Cheater’s Lament, but people will recognize your contribution to the game. And the TF2Newbs community no-likey cheaters.

Full Patch Notes

As usual, full patch notes taken from The Official TF2 Wiki.

Patch 1

• Added new game mode ‘PASS Time‘ to the TF2 Beta
  • Check out the blog post for more information
• Fixed a crash caused by a client sending malformed network data to the server (thanks to Nathaniel Theis for this report and test case)
• Added a new hat ‘The Finder’s Fee‘
  • Will be awarded going forward on a case-by-case basis to those who report major economy-breaking bugs or remote-code-execution bugs, and provide detailed information and steps to reproduce
  • Well deserved congratulations to the first recipient, Nathaniel Theis
• Fixed visual bugs caused by picking up weapons with special attributes
• Fixed the Mann vs. Machine Medigun shield not being re-created after switching away from the Medigun and back while the charge is draining
• Fixed some alignment issues in the HUD meters for the Mann vs. Machine rage knockback and Medigun shield
• Fixed left-hand view models not displaying Stat Clocks correctly
• Fixed being able to use the tournament_readystate client command when using per-player ready status mode
• Fixed seeing a HUD mp_timelimit timer for maps that don’t end the round when the map timelimit runs out
• Fixed some missing VO sounds for the Demoman when laughing
• Fixed being able to use the Restore action on Killstreak Kits
• Fixed character loadout menus so they display the particle effects for all equipped Unusual items
• The Huo-Long Heater can now accept Posthumous Kills strange parts
• Updated the Australium Grenade Launcher to fix the wood material being shiny
• Updated the backpack images for the Gun Mettle Campaign Coin
• Updated LODs for several weapons and the sentry gun
• Updated Mann Co. Store prices for foreign currencies to current USD equivalents
• Updated the localization files
• Updated Koth_Suijin with the latest changes from the authors
  • Added cover around the point preventing cross-point sight line
  • Opened second window in point building
  • Tweaked pickup amounts and positions
  • Widened space between stairs to point and bridge railing to allow easier movement
  • Clipping improvements
  • Improved lighting in dark areas
  • Fixed an issue where engineers could build on outlying islands
  • Fixed an issue where engineers could trap teammates by building teleporters in spaces with restricted movement
  • Fixed an issue where the spawn room doors could be held open by an opposing team member
  • Optimization improvements
• Maps Workshop Beta
  • Fixed a common crash when loading some compressed maps
  • Fixed various issues running workshop maps on listen servers
  • Listen servers no longer unnecessarily fetch a second copy of the map
  • Listen servers no longer cause the client to crash upon the second load of the same workshop map
  • Added -ugcpath parameter for dedicated servers to control location of downloaded workshop content
  • Defaults to steamapps/workshop
  • Multiple servers sharing the same UGC directory is currently not supported, and will not go well
  • Added server command tf_workshop_map_status to view currently tracked maps and their status
  • Enhanced handling of updated maps to ensure the newest available version of the map is always used on level change
  • Improved handling of workshop maps in a server’s map cycle
  • Workshop maps in the map cycle will be automatically fetched and updated in the background
  • Workshop maps in the map cycle will have their names updated to the canonical name once known
  • Map votes now work with workshop maps
  • A known issue is that the full workshop map name is currently shown instead of the friendly name
  • Community request: Updated the FindMap and CanProvideLevel API for server-side mods. These functions now always expose the full workshop names for maps when known, even if not the map is not yet installed.

Patch 2

• Updated LODs for the revolver
• PASS Time update
  • Fixed a client crash related to the HUD
  • Fixed the Short Circuit being used to remove the Jack from the game
  • Fixed players being able to pick-up the Jack while they have weapons deployed that cannot be holstered
  • Updated pass_warehouse
    • Fixed players getting into enemy spawn rooms
    • Fixed the Jack being thrown into spawn rooms
    • Fixed being able to build in the goals

Patch 3

Fixed a PASS Time sound bug related to carrying the Jack

[N] Obey

Subsequent patch notes at bottom of post; latest patch July 6th.

Here we go! A MAJOR TF2 UPDATE lands Friday, July 2nd! As always, here is the short version:

1. Here is the original TF2 blogpost announcing the update.
2. Here is the TF2 comic that will attempt to explain the background story up until now.
3. Here is the Page One splash page: The Gun Mettle Update!
4. Here is the Page Two splash page: Describing the 3 new maps and the extensive weapon changes.
   • You will want to scroll down to the heading “Gameplay Changes”; TF2 gameplay has been changed considerably!
   • Some spies can gain a speed boost (on trigger with Dead Ringer; on kill with Big Earner).
   • Spies take 20% less damage when cloaked.
   • Sentries take more damage when sapped than before.
   • Most Engineers build faster and move buildings faster.
   • Repairing a wrangled sentry is less effective than before.
   • Mini-sentries can be repaired, but don’t drop metal when destroyed.
   • Soldiers deploying Equalizer/Escape Plan can be healed by a medic, but at 10% normal heal rate.
   • Soldier’s Liberty Launcher is now a five-clip!
   • Ullapool Caber does less damage than before.
   • Charging Demomen now gain charge gauge on melee kills, not charging kills.
   • Scorch Shot deals more damage, more knockback, and has larger area-of-effect.
   • Vaccinator Ubers now always use just one ubercharge bar.
   • Sydney Sleeper now applies Jarate with non-fully charged shots, but with a duration from 2 to 8 seconds.
   • Bazaar Bargain charges much slower, but a missed shot doesn’t lose counted heads.
   • Heavy miniguns are more effective at damaging sentries.
   • Natasha and Brass Beast grant 20% damage resistance while spun-up or firing.
   • Tomislav now spins up faster, fires 20% smaller bullet spread.
   • Eviction Notice grants Heavy a 3-second speed boost on hit.
   • Dalokohs Bar now overheals to 400 hp (previously 350), cooldown reduced to 10 seconds, can be thrown like a sandvich.
   • Panic Attack shotgun now weapons switches faster, fires and reloads even faster than before.
5. And here is a FAQ about some of the changes.

The “Gun Mettle” Update

The first splash page says that you can buy-in to a special three-month event (lasting until approximately October 1, 2015) for US$5.99. This will earn you a badge-like Campaign Coin that levels up as you complete contracts.

Contracts are achievement-like “skill-based challenges” that you attempt to complete in a week’s time, such as tanking a lot of damage as a heavy or backstabbing five players of a specific class. Each player is assigned two different contracts to attempt completion each week (assuming that each week begins on Thursday at midnight GMT, like the item drop system).

Completing a contract will earn you Contract Points (CP). Collecting CP levels up your coin (to bronze, silver, and gold) and lets you purchase your choice of either a random “Contract-exclusive weapon” OR an unlockable Weapons Case (that requires a key that you have to buy in the Mann Co. Store, I assume). Weapons Cases also drop a single, random “Contract-exclusive weapon” but with potentially rarer qualities.

Contract Weapons

Weapons are randomly generated with the following:

• Its weapon type, such as Shotgun. (Unknown if only stock weapons, or all available weapon types, can be Contract Weapons.)
• A unique “paint job” that is centered differently on each weapon, so no two are exactly alike
  • Teufort and Craftsmann paint jobs come from completing Contracts only.
  • Concealed Killer (generally camoflage-themed) and Powerhouse (neon/electric-themed) paint jobs come from Weapons Cases only.
  • It is not known if any paint jobs are more/less rare than the others, but it can be assumed that Teufort/Craftsmann paints will eventually become more common than the other two.
• One of five levels of “wear”. Unknown if any level of wear is more/less rare than the others.
  • Factory New
  • Minimal Wear
  • Field-Tested
  • Well-Worn
  • Battle Scarred
  • Note: Weapons DO NOT wear when used. They are a given level of wear when dropped, and do not change later.
• One of six “grades” of rarity. Civilian is most common; Elite is most rare.
  1. Civilian–contracts only
  2. Freelance–contracts only
  3. Mercenary–contracts or weapons cases
  4. Commando–contracts or weapons cases
  5. Assassin–weapons cases only
  6. Elite–weapons cases only
  7. NOTE: The rarity grade should not change appearance whatsoever.
• A weapon’s paint job, wear, and grade is entirely cosmetic and does not change its gameplay whatsoever.
• That’s not all. The weapon will be marked as Limited, and will have a chance of being Strange, Unusual, or even both Strange and Unusual!
  • Will the Unusuals have unusual effects? Ummm…. maybe? These are the first weapons able to have the Unusual quality.
• These weapons will be tradable and marketable. If you wish to trade or sell a weapon, look up its worth on the Market or another site like backpack.tf first, so you don’t get scammed.

For example, a possible outcome for a single contract would be a Strange Freelance Shotgun for the Heavy with a Craftsmann yellow-and-blue paint job and a Minimal Wear grade. You can earn potentially two weapons per week, or perhaps two dozen weapons in all over the three-month event window.

Four New Maps

NOTE: These are all Valve-Official; none of them are Beta maps. See the second splash page for pictures.

Powerhouse (I’m guessing cp_powerhouse) is a smaller, three-point control point map, where you have to cap all three points (yours, the central neutral cap, and theirs) to win a round. This looks like it was created by Valve, not the community.

Borneo (I’m guessing pl_borneo) is an “Alpine-themed, single-stage Payload map” Community map.

Suijin (I’m guessing koth_suijin) is a King of the Hill Community map with Oriental buildings and pink-white cherry blossom trees. Sun Tzu would approve.

Snowplow (cp_snowplow_rc3) is a two-stage attack-defense Control Points map. First stage strewn with wooden buildings, second stage is very snowy, with a cart path throughout (but no payload to push). Yes, this is the Community map from the End of the Line Update that wasn’t approved the first time around.

Gameplay Changes

Weapons Now Drop on Death

Previously: A killed character would drop a weapon gib, which can be touched by your character as a medium ammo pickup (and 100 Engineer metal).

Now: A killed character drops a medium ammo box (identical to the medium ammo powerups on a map) and their weapon. If the weapon is normally equippable by that character (such as a Shotgun dropped by an Engineer and picked up by a Heavy), and you pick up the dropped weapon by pressing the (default) F key, you temporarily drop your normal weapon in that slot and equip that weapon until you die.

It will temporarily replace your usual item in its loadout slot until you die (i.e. a Shotgun would replace a Heavy’s Sandvich). It will have the same looks and effects as the weapon had from the person you just looted (i.e. picking up an Australium Sniper Rifle and carrying it around with its cosmetic features). When you die, the weapon goes away, and you drop one of your weapons (essentially a lookalike copy of a weapon in your current loadout). Weapons that have charge meters, such as the various Medic uberguns, provide the amount of charge they had when dropped; a Medic can pick up a Kritzkrieg to find it fully charged!

Worry not about losing a prized possession; your loadout items are retained in your inventory as usual. Someone may get to kill you and take your purple rocket launcher, then go around shooting people with a purple rocket launcher until they die. And you can kill them, take their weapons, and go do the same. No actual items are lost; however, you can drop a weapon that isn’t working and grab a class-allowed weapon in the heat of battle, CS:GO style.

Weapon Updates and Tweaks

Global Changes

• Weapons and ammo boxes now drop on death. See heading just before this one.
• Inspect Target now inspects your own deployed weapon when you aren’t targeting anything. Necessary for Contract work, and to stare at your own fancy weapon.
• Random Damage Spread now DEFAULTS OFF on Valve servers.
  • This means weapons will consistently deal the same damage with each hit.
  • Previously, weapon damage would vary plus-minus 10% of its base damage. Now, each hit deals identical damage.
• Auto Reload now DEFAULTS ON.
  • This affects new players only, so that they will auto-reload as soon as they stop firing, if able.
  • All existing players have their usual setting, and will have to go into their Options menu and toggle this on/off.

Class and Weapon Changes (from the second splash page’s patch notes)

[N] Obey

P.S. Oh, by the way, there are also three new taunts. See splash page two. At the moment, they are only available by buying them from the Mann Co. Store.