TF2 Newbs (Team Fortress 2) Blog

There’s been a smattering of small updates, which are listed at the end of this post. Here’s a summary of the changes of the four updates since Feb 29:

• TF2 Competitive Mode will soon beta; patches have been adding relevant content to the game
• Added Civilian Grade Stat Clocks to the game; functions like a strangifier for graded contract weapons
  • Multiple ways to acquire these have been added to the “Item Grade Trade-Up”
• Gift Wrap has returned!
  • Only works on untradeable items
  • You can unwrap an item you’ve wrapped, but the gift wrap is still consumed
  • Gift Wrapped items are sent thru Steam Trading, which may create a hold if one of you doesn’t use the Mobile Authenticator
• Fixed: MvM Mann-Up victories sometimes failing to give you loot in exchange for your tickets
• Summer Shades, Bounty Hats, Treasure Hats, and HOUWARs are now tradable!
• Added a “Last Hit” or killshot sound option
• Added combat text and hit sounds for damage done to buildings
• Lots of changes to the areas around the 2nd and 3rd points on pl_snowycoast
• Fixed various exploits, incl. the dropped weapon exploit on Borneo’s last point (YAY!)

What’s a “Civilian Grade Stat Clock”?

You may recall the Mann Co. Trade-Up option launched during the Tough Mettle campaign, giving you the ability to trade 10 contract graded weapons for a random weapon of the next highest tier. By right-clicking a contract weapon, you could reach this window:

(Halloween items have a separate Trasmuting coupon.)

New options have been added to let you “craft” Civilian Grade Stat Clocks. It is functionally a Strangifier tool, counting the kills you receive when applied, and it works on any contract graded item.

Choose five of any of these items for the exchange:

• Freelance (Grade 2) or higher contract graded items, even if they are untradable
• Strange-quality weapons and/or cosmetics, even if they are untradeable

NOTE: If any of the items have the untradable trait, the resulting Stat Clock you receive will inherit the untradable trait, as will any item you attach it to.

Impact on the Steam Market

Do you have a bunch of junk Strange weapons lying around? If so, they have become a little more valuable in the last week. People have been buying up cheap Stranges and turning them into Civilian Stat Clocks–in some cases, Marketing those Stat Clocks for a profit (at the moment, almost US$1).

So a Strange Fire Axe, which used to sell for about 7 cents, now sells for 15-18 cents. Not a big deal, but it does mean that another item on the Market that used to be near-worthless have spiked in demand and becoming somewhat rarer. The same has occurred for Grade 2 contract weapons with higher wear, as they also have hit the same sell price.

Here’s All of the Patch Notes:

(previous patch was February 2nd, 2016)

February 29, 2016

• Added content and features necessary to begin limited public testing of the TF2 Competitive Mode beta
  • For more information on how you can participate in testing, please visit https://steamcommunity.com/groups/tfcompetitive
  • Updated several maps^[1] to support competitive mode
• Community request: Added SetPlayerPointsOnDeath input to tf_player_destruction_logic and a PointsValue key field to the item_teamflag entity when used in Player Destruction mode
• Fixed Mann vs. Machine Mann-Up victories sometimes failing to take player tickets and reward loot
• Fixed security issues when loading certain custom content (thanks to Nathaniel Theis and Simon Pinfold for these reports)
• Added the Civilian Grade Stat Clock
  • Applies a Strange Stat Clock to a Civilian grade weapon
  • Can be obtained by trading in a combination of 5 Freelance grade or better items through Mann. Co Trades
• Mannpower update
  • Grappling hook movement speed penalty for powered up flag carriers increased by 10%. Flag carriers with no powerup still have no penalty.
  • Reflect powerup
    • Removed 25% resistance attribute
    • All classes can now have up to 400 health
    • Fixed a bug where reflection damage was being calculated prior to distance falloff reduction
    • Reflection damage increased from 50% to 80% of damage received
    • Fixed a bug where sentry rockets would reflect damage to the owning Engineer rather than the sentry itself
  • Supernova powerup
    • Minimum stun duration increased from 1 to 2 seconds
    • Stun duration increased by 0.5 seconds for each additional victim stunned (max 4 seconds)
  • Vampire powerup
    • Melee attack now returns 1.25x damage as health (up from 1.0x)
  • Regen and King powerup
    • Increased the frequency of health regeneration. Rate of heal is increased for Scout and Spy
    • Increased metal regeneration amount
• Gift Wrap has returned!
  • Gift wrapped items will be delivered through Steam trading, and are subject to trade holds if the sender doesn’t have a Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator
  • Items can now be unwrapped by their original wrapper
  • Moving forward, only tradable items can be gift wrapped. Items that are currently gift wrapped can be delivered regardless of the tradability of the contents of the gift.
• Giftapults can again deliver items to random players online, but will remain un-craftable
• Updated The Bounty Hat, Treasure Hat, and Hat of Undeniable Wealth And Respect to be tradable
• Vote kick events now display that target player’s Steam avatar
• Updated models/materials for Hot Heels, The Trencher’s Topper, The Exorcizor, The Mutton Mann, Doc’s Holiday, The Cotton Head
• Updated the Crusader’s Crossbow
  • Added a new shoot sound
  • Added a new impact/heal sound when a teammate is healed
• Fixed the Taunt: Kazotsky Kick not hiding the Heavy‘s weapon
• Fixed That ’70s Chapeau not being removed when the Sniper taunts
• Fixed the Catastrophic Companions hiding the player’s hat and headphones
• Fixed an LOD issue for The AWPer Hand
• Added combat text and hit sounds for damage done to buildings
• Added a “Last Hit” sound option to Hit Sounds
  • Triggered when one of your attacks causes the death of a player or building
  • Can be toggled in the Adv. Options menu
• Updated the materials for the Panic Attack to support mat_picmip
• Updated the Taunt: Zoomin’ Broom sound effects
• PASS Time update
  • Fixed workshop maps not loading correctly
  • Fixed being able to get inside jump pads
  • Removed Sandman long-distance steal
  • Added experimental cvars for playtesting
• Updated cp_vanguard
  • Removed teleporter exploit on second point
  • Various minor fixes (lighting, collision, optimization)
• Updated pl_borneo
  • Fixed an exploit related to the final control point and dropped weapons
• Updated pl_snowycoast
  • Adjusted various spawn point facings to make side exits more obvious
  • Adjusted position of resupply cabinet in RED‘s 1st spawn
  • Added ledge to 2nd point flank route window
  • Adjusted common sentry nests on 2nd
  • Added stronger light to entrance of lower flank route
  • Door near RED’s first spawn now opens on A capture and closes on final bulkhead opening
  • RED no longer get forced respawn when 2nd is captured
  • Added minor spawn for RED once 2nd is captured, active until BLU pushes through kennels
  • Adjusted timing of flank doors at 2nd and in mines
  • Updated door texture for flank exit by 2nd point gate
  • Improved defendability and enlarged 3rd point
  • Adjusted position of 3rd cap
  • Adjusted health & ammo at 3rd
  • Updated door texture for flank exit by mines
  • Changed a medium ammo pack at last to full ammo pack
  • Added door to ledge at last to improve RED defendability (closes when bulkhead opens)
  • Added 3rd exit to BLU’s last forward spawn
  • Improved defendability of ledges at last inside building
  • Added new dropdown area to RED’s last
  • Adjusted lighting in various areas
  • Fixed dx settings on light pole props

Undocumented changes

• Added a normal quality Power Up Canteen as a default action item.
• Updated The Exorcizor to be equipable by the Soldier, Pyro, and Medic.
• Updated The Mutton Mann to be equipable by the Scout, Soldier, and Heavy.
• Updated The Cotton Head to be equipable by all classes.
• Updated the Iron Bomber and Quickiebomb Launcher‘s explosion sounds.
• Updated all Stickybomb Launcher’s reload sounds.
• Updated the firing sounds of all weapons that use the Heavy’s Gloves sound effect.
• Changed BLU team’s side of cp_foundry to the ctf_foundry version.
• Updated the localization files

Full Patch Notes: March 1, 2016

• Fixed player ready status display issue when playing in lobby-based matchmaking modes (i.e. Mann vs. Machine)
• Fixed a crash in the matchmaking search screen when right-clicking
• Fixed new Crusaders Crossbow^(sic) sounds not working on the Festive Crusader’s Crossbow
• Fixed missing Crusader’s Crossbow crit sound
• Fixed health/ammo cabinet sound regression
• Removed unintended changes to cp_foundry
• Updated the Summer Shades so they can be traded
• Update last Hit sounds^(sic)
  • Added several options (located in Adv. Options on the main menu)
  • Fixed custom sounds not working in sv_pure servers
  • Fixed not hearing the Last Hit sound for Spies using the Dead Ringer

Full Patch Notes: March 3, 2016

• Mann Co. will now accept untradable items in exchange for Civilian Grade Stat Clocks
  • The untradability will be applied onto the Stat Clock and onto any weapon the Stat Clock is applied to
• Fixed not being able to use custom hitsounds and killsounds on servers using sv_pure 2
• Updated cp_foundry to support the Competitive mode beta
• Updated the draw sound for the Dead Ringer
• Updated equip_region settings for the Exorcizor and the Cotton Head
• Updated models/materials for the Beep Boy, Sidekick’s Side Slick, The Rotation Sensation, The Chill Chullo, and The Breakneck Baggies

Undocumented Changes

• Updated the Breakneck Baggies to be equippable by all classes.
• Updated the Beep Boy to be equippable by the Scout and Pyro.

Full Patch Notes: March 7, 2016

• Fixed a client crash related to player names
• Fixed some HUD elements remaining hidden after using +inspect and the scoreboard
• Updated models/materials for the Beep Boy, Dead of Night, and the Graybanns

Undocumented Changes

• Updated the Dead of Night to be equipable by all classes.

[N] Obey