TF2 Newbs (Team Fortress 2) Blog

Ok, this is a big big big big update. Let’s get started. Here’s an overview:

1. Summer Sale and Stuff
2. Lots of general game changes
3. Lots of item tweaks
4. Two new maps and a bunch of map fixes.
5. Over 60 more Gold Star cosmetic items have been added

[Added 4:45 EST June 12th: TF2Newbs' Server #1 is currently running Process (even though it says 2Fort), and #16 is running Standin (even though it says Gravel Pit). Join these servers and play on the new maps! Go to the TF2Newbs homepage and click on the servers to join them.]

Note: Anything tagged (Repatch) was a fix applied the day after the Major Update, on a July 11, 2013 patch. Anything tagged Repatch 2 was a patch the day after that, on July 12, 2013.

1. Summer Sale and Stuff

Steam Summer Sale is NOW LIVE. There are flash (short-duration) sales, sales you can vote on, and now, a lot of Steam games have Trading Cards. See this FAQ to learn more about the cards.

You can now use your Summer Claim Checks, turning them into one of eight Summer 2013 Coolers (crates #62-#69), which are color-coded. Each crate has seven or eight new Gold Star items. You need a color-coded key, which are the usual $2.49 at the Mann Co. Store. In a future blog post, I will give visuals of all of the new items available.

At this time, the Claim Checks, Coolers and Keys DO NOT have an expiration date. This is different from previous Summer swag.

 2. General Game Changes

There’s a lot here, so I think a list of bullets may be the best way to take it all in:

1. Store-Related Changes:
   • Map Stamps and Strange Filters for the new maps Standin and Process can now be purchased from the Mann Co. Store
   • Added text search functionality to the store and your backpack
   • Fixed a bug causing incorrect non-US-currency prices on items in the Steam Community Market.
   • (Repatch 2) Fixed a bug causing incorrect counts of kills, etc. on items viewed in Steam Community and in-trade windows.
2. MvM Mode Changes:
   • If all team members unready, the countdown timer stops. Do this when a player disconnects or begins to join the game, so you won’t play at a disadvantage.
   • Robots killed by sniper headshots or his explosive headshot upgrade, they now drop red-colored money that is automatically collected without having to be picked up by a teammate.
   • Giant Charged Soldier’s rockets now move at the standard speed of a rocket, rather than significantly slower.
   • Fixed some incorrect giant robot projectiles speed attributes (?)
3. Backpack Changes:
   • Added text search functionality to the store and your backpack
   • By default, items with non-standard qualities (like Strange and Unusual) will not be selectable in your crafting window. There is also a checkbox where you can toggle this on/off.
   • Unusuals and Stranges no longer stack in your loadout equip page.
   • Double-clicking a crate now takes you to that key’s page in the Mann Co. Store
   • (Repatch) Fixed the “Show Entire Backpack” option not preserving empty backpack slots and forcing items to stack
4. Gameplay Changes and Bugfixes:
   • (Repatch 2) Fixed the Spy getting afterburn immunity when disguised as a Demoman with the Chargin Targe
   • (Repatch 2) Fixed the Pyro not using the correct model for the Reserve Shooter
   • Fixed a bug where Red spies would spawn a blue healing particle when picking up a health kit.
   • Fixed baseballs, milk jars and jarate jars sometimes going through thin geometry
   • Fixed Righteous Bison and Pomson projectiles from getting stuck on doors
   • Fixed a bug where certain projectiles and Engineer building gibs would cause doors to get stuck.
   • Fixed a bug where Ubercharge effects would always show on your character after being killed with a full Ubercharge.
   • Fixed the Marked-for-Death status being visible on cloaked or disguised players
   • Added a Respawn Cabinet to the itemtest map.
   • Added new icons above the HUD’s health meter to show current status effects that previously did not have icons, such as mini-crit buffs.
   • (Repatch) Fixed Disco Beat Down unusual effect showing through some walls
   • (Repatch) Fixed a bug from the previous day’s patch where arrows and other projectiles would collide with the hitboxes of teammates
5. Item Changes:
   • (Repatch 2) Crosslinker’s Coil is now tradable and giftable
   • Cadaver’s Cranium, Antlers, and Infernal Impaler can now be uncrated with Unusual quality
   • The following items can now be painted:
     • Chieftain’s Challenge
     • Lord Cockswain’s Pith Helmet
     • That ’70s Chapeau
     • K-9 Mane
     • Stovepipe Sniper Shako
     • Pounding Father
     • Vox Diabolus
   • “The Public Enemy”, “The Urban Professional”, and “The Dumpster Diver” now show up as sets, but provide no set bonuses.
   • Cursed Soul items (Halloween zombie skins) are now nameable
   • Strange Bacon Grease can now be gift-wrapped
   • (Repatch) Fixed a bug where Strange Parts and Strange Filters could not be removed
6. Other changes:
   • (Repatch 2) Updated the descriptions of the Short Circuit and the Loose Cannon
   • Added a new advanced option allowing damage numbers to overwrite critical hit particles
   • Reduced intensity of Bleed and Jarate effects under DirectX 8
   • Fixed a bug with crouching animations during Humiliation
   • Fixed a bug where custom item names/descriptions with HTML script would change the appearance of the item
   • Fixed level-3 dispensers’ geometry
   • Fixed level-2 dispensers being identical to level-1 dispensers in some cases
   • Fixed suicide death notices showing the dead player’s last deployed weapon instead of skull and crossbones

 3. Item Tweaks

The following changes to the game balance affect many of the underused (or abused) items in TF2.

Note about Sets: Sets no longer give an in-game effect, so that players don’t feel forced to use a host of items to gain an effect, and also so enemies aren’t sure whether a player has conditions applied while wearing an item (i.e. snipers were immune to headshots wearing the Croc-O-Style Kit, but not if just one item). Now, set wielders leave behind a calling card.

 Scout

• Crit-A-Cola
  1. “Damage taken is mini-crits” during use lessened to “Damage taken increased by 25%”. Damage dealt is still mini-crits.
• Shortstop
  1. While deployed, grants 20% bonus healing from all sources
  2. While deployed, increases all forced movement (like rocket explosions) by 80%
• Winger
  1. While deployed, increases jump height by 25%
• Fan of War (undocumented)
  1. Text description reminds the player that only one target at a time may be Marked-for-Death by this weapon
• Set: The Special Delivery
  1. No longer grants +25 max health
  2. Leaves a calling card on your victims
• None of the Scout’s other four sets have any changes.

Soldier

• Battalion’s Backup
  1. Increases banner effect’s damage reduction from sentries to 50% (was 35%). Damage reduction from all other sources during banner effect remains at 35%.
  2. Rage now generates by damage dealt (was damage received). Requires 600 damage dealt to ready banner.
• Black Box
  1. Now has a new sound animation (actually a fix)
• Concheror
  1. Rage now generates by damage dealt (was damage received). Requires 480 damage dealt to ready banner. Buff lasts for 10 seconds (unchanged).
  2. Buffed players continue to heal 35% of damage dealt, and now also receive a speed boost
     • Most characters’ speed increases by 105 Hammer units (about 35% faster)
     • Scouts increase the same amount of units, but net about a  25% speed increase
     • Heavies increase by 92 Hammer units, which is still a 40% speed increase
     • Soldiers increase by 96 Hammer units, which is still a 40% speed increase
• Cow Mangler 5000
  1. Reduced clip size from 5 to 4
  2. No longer suffers the “-10% damage” or “5% slower reload time” penalties; now same as stock rocket launcher
  3. Added missing “Alt-Fire overload projectile sets players on fire” text
  4. New particles and sounds
• Escape Plan
  1. Players now receive Marked-for-Death status (receive mini-crit damage)  while deployed and for a short time after (~2 seconds, I think)
• Original
  1. Now uses correct sound animation
• Set: The Tank Buster
  1. Removed the “20% sentry damage resistance on wearer” attribute
  2. Added: Leave a calling card on victims
• None of the Soldier’s other five sets have any changes.

Pyro

• Phlogistinator
  1. Fixed Mmmph gauge resetting when you touch a supply locker. Now you should keep your accrued gauge.
• Powerjack
  1. When equipped, gain 20% vulnerability (extra damage) from all sources.
  2. When deployed, increases move speed by 15%.
• Set: The Gas Jockey’s Gear
  1. Removed “10% faster move speed” and “+10% bullet damage vulnerability”
  2. Added: Leave a calling card on victims
• Neither of the Pyro’s other two sets have any changes.

Demoman

• Chargin’ Targe
  1. When equipped, you no longer suffer afterburn (continual fire damage), just like a pyro.
• Loose Cannon
  1. Reduced charge time to 1 second (from 2 seconds).
  2. Range no longer affects cannonball impact damage:
     • Bounce deals 11-32 damage
     • Splash (partial explosion radius) deals 22-64 damage
     • Direct deals 57-77 damage
  3. Added the Double Donk: unique sound and particle effects
     • When you hit your target less than half a second before the projectile detonates, and if the target is hit by the explosion, you’ll hear/see the Double Donk, and deal mini-crit explosion damage
• Set: The Expert’s Ordnance
  1. Removed the +10% fire resistance attribute
  2. Added: Leave a calling card on victims
• The other three Demoman sets have no changes.

Heavy

• Buffalo Steak Sandwich
  1. “Damage taken is mini-crits” during use lessened to “Damage taken increased by 25%”. Damage dealt is still mini-crits.
• Dalokohs Bar (and Fishcake)
  1. Now heals 25 health per second (formerly 15) over 4 seconds, for a total of 100 health healed (formerly 60).
  2. Still grants +50 max health for next 30 seconds. Can still be eaten repeatedly without cooldown.
• Set: The Hibernating Bear no longer grants 5% critical hit resistance. The set now provides no changes at all.
• None of the Heavy’s other sets have any changes.

Engineer

• Gunslinger
  1. Fixed a bug causing mini-sentries to heal while being constructed
• Rescue Ranger
  1. Base damage increased to 40 (from 35) per bolt.
  2. Increased building healing to 75 (from 50) per bolt.
• Short Circuit
  1. Reduced ammo cost per attack to 18 metal (from 35).
  2. Refunds part of the ammo cost when it destroys a projectile. (Not sure how much….)
• Wrangler
  1. Slightly reduced the accuracy of a wrangled sentry at long range; no longer has “perfect” aim.
  2. Protective shield now wears off after only 1 second (from 3 seconds), then resumes automatic control normally.
• None of the Engineer’s sets have changed.

Medic

• Crusader’s Crossbow
  1. Changed from arrow projectile to a large syringe.
  2. Added new trail effects, and smoother animation. No change in rate-of-fire.
  3. Now properly prevents healing players that are prevented from healing (i.e. Equalizer equipped).
     • Actually, this HAS NOT been fixed yet!
• Quick-Fix
  1. Gained 50% Overheal: you can now overheal targets to 125% of their normal health (as opposed to the 150% maximum of the stock medigun)
  2. Uber now affects the medic when there is no heal target (heals at 300% rate, or 100 health/sec out-of-combat).
  3. Fixed shotguns with knockback (i.e. Force-A-Nature) affecting players under effect of Quick-Fix’s Uber.
  4. (Repatch) Fixed infinite heal exploit
• Vaccinator
  1. Uber now fully prevents damage from a critical hit from the selected type, and depletes Ubercharge meter based on the amount of damage prevented.
     • The rate of Ubercharge meter lost per damage prevented is unclear.
     • The medic should heal the amount of the critical hit damage prevented.
  2. Note: Medics still heal from self-damage inflicted on healing targets with the appropriate beam.
• Set: The Medieval Medic no longer grants +2 health/2 seconds regeneration. The set no provides no changes at all.
• None of the other Medic sets have changed.

Sniper

• Bazaar Bargain
  1. Improved the starting charge rate to -20% standard (from -40% standard).
     • Each headshot still increases the charge rate by 20%.
     • Each bodyshot or miss reduces the charge rate by -20%.
  2. Capped the max charge rate at 200% standard.
• Cozy Camper
  1. Removed the movement penalty of 80% entirely. Still recovers 2 health per 2 seconds.
  2. Added: Increases damage taken by 20%.
• Darwin’s Danger Shield
  1. Added: 15% bullet damage resistance. This is enough to survive an uncharged headshot, or fully-charged bodyshot, from a stock sniper rifle.
  2. Added: Increases damage from explosion sources by 20%.
  3. Note: Still grants a passive bonus of +25 health.
• Set: Croc-O-Style
  1. Removed headshot immunity (see Darwin’s Danger Shield)
  2. Added: Leave a calling card on victims
• None of the Sniper’s five other sets have any changes.

Spy

• Dead Ringer
  1. When under the effect of Feign Death, any damage taken decreases the duration of the Feign Death effect. Standard max duration is still 6.5 seconds.
     • Feign Death still prevents 90% of the damage from the triggering effect, as well as 90% of any damage incurred during the cloak.
     • It is unknown how much Feign Death duration (or charge meter) is consumed per point of damage incurred during the cloak.
  2. (Repatch) If you are disguised as one of your teammates and Feign Death is triggered, you now spawn a ragdoll of that teammate, instead one of your Spy self–thus helping to maintain your disguise.
     1. This teammate ragdoll only spawns with the Dead Ringer equipped.
• L’Etranger
  1. Added: +40% increased cloak duration.
     • Stock Invis Watch: 14 seconds max.
     • Cloak and Dagger: 8.7 seconds max (or 84 seconds crouch-walking).
     • Dead Ringer: 9.1 seconds max, but does not provide damage reduction or non-flickering after the standard 6.5 second elapses.
• Spy-cicle
  1. Fixed a bug that caused charge meter to not reset when killed.
• Set: The Saharan Spy
  1. Removed: reduced decloak volume and 0.5 sec longer cloak blink time.
  2. Added: Custom particle effects while taunting.
• Set: The Man of Honor has no changes.
• Set: The Invisible Rogue has no changes.

4. Maps and Map Fixes

NEW OFFICIAL MAP:  cp_standin — “Standin”

• This is a three-point Control Point map, with a neutral point B that must be captured before you can cap the opposing team’s point A to win.
• Alpine setting in cloudy weather with no deep water; you may have seen this map during competitive league play such as ESEA and UGC.
• (Repatch) Fixed players getting out of the map, and hiding in vents

NEW OFFICIAL MAP: cp_process — “Process”

• This is a five-point Control Point map, similar to Granary.
• Alpine setting in daylight with no deep water; very popular among 6v6 competitive league play.

MAP CHANGES:

All of the maps below have had corrections (clip smoothing, prop collisions, added or corrected fencing or skyboxes, missing textures, etc.). The following bullets show additional changes:

• cp_badlands
  1. Fixed jumps being ruined by small rock ledge near spiral
• cp_dustbowl
  1. Prevents BLU from building in spawn on stage 1
  2. Fixed players shooting through rocks in stage 2
  3. Fixed players getting killed through the ceiling under stage 2, cap 1
  4. Increased tunnel clearance in stage 3 near cap 2
  5. NOTE: Building teleporters in RED spawn doors on stage 3 still permitted, as is pyro flamethrowers clipping through same spawn door
  6. Fixed improper textures in Pyrovision
• cp_egypt
  1. Prevents players from building on top of arches and high ledges; this was a major exploit on stage 2, cap 2
  2. Fixed clip brush exploits
• cp_gorge
  1. Prevents BLU from building in initial spawn
• cp_granary
  1. Fixed improper orientation of arrow signs
  2. Prevents players from getting above RED’s forward spawns
  3. Removed player collision from hanging lamps and security cameras
  4. Balanced collision of rocks in final capture arenas to match each other
  5. Re-ordered spawns for consistency between RED and BLU
• cp_gravelpit
  1. Removed a hidden health kit under terrain (visible under noclip)
• cp_gullywash
  1. Fixed players getting out of the map near the middle capture point
  2. Fixed collision exploits near the middle capture point
• cp_mountainlab
  1. Fixed collision issues on the ladders and hill leading to the first point
• cp_steel
  1. Prevents RED from building inside spawn
  2. Prevents RED players from blocking BLU’s spawn exit door leading to point B
  3. Fixed collision on ledge near point B
  4. BLU spawn point over grate removed
• ctf_2fort
  1. Prevents building from inside spawn
  2. Fixed clipping exploits on battlements
  3. Increased height of BLU door leading to spiral stairs, allowing a player to crouch past a dispenser placed in the doorway
• ctf_well
  1. Fixed players jumping out of the map entirely
• koth_king
  1. Health/ammo pickups are now symmetrical on both sides of the map
  2. Prevents players from building inside spawn doors
• koth_lakeside
  1. Prevents rockets passing through terrain near the capture point
• koth_viaduct
  1. Prevents players from building in the rafters of their spawn rooms
• mvm_coaltown_event
  1. Has been renamed to mvm_ghost_town to fix voting problems
• mvm_bigrock
  1. Prevents players from building on the rocks in the cave section; this will significantly increase the difficulty for attacking robots just emerging from their spawn
• pl_badwater
  1. Fixed player clip brushes exploits
  2. Prevents BLU players from building inside spawn
  3. Fixed players getting stuck with teleporters under the sign by the first capture point
  4. Prevents all players from entering the middle room just above the final cap, until the cart reaches the third capture point nearby
  5. RED players can now be crushed by the closing of the spawn door when the cart reaches the second capture point
  6. General performance increase when playing the map
  7. (I think!) Prevents players from building in the skybox
• pl_barnblitz
  1. Prevents players from building in the skybox
  2. Teleporters no longer self-destruct when used on the battlements near BLU’s first spawn
• pl_frontier
  1. Fixed spawn doors not working properly after second capture
  2. Prevents BLU from building inside their second spawn room
  3. RED players can now enter BLU’s spawn room during humiliation/end of round
• pl_goldrush
  1. Fixed collision on props and clip exploits; handrails no longer collide bullets and projectiles
  2. Prevents players from building in spawn exits
  3. Prevents players from building on the perch in stage 1 shack near first cap
  4. Prevents players from shooting through the floor in the same shack
  5. Prevents players from building on the roof of the shack near the end of stage 3
  6. Allows players to build in the stage 3 “garage” near RED’s final spawn
• pl_thundermountain
  1. Fixed clipping in stage 3 BLU spawn
  2. Prevents players from building in the “cliffside kill zone” (?) in stage 1
• pl_upward
  1. Fixed handrail collision with bullets and projectiles
  2. Fixed collision gap to prevent BLU players from being shot in their first spawn room (left side tunnel, I believe)
  3. Prevents players from building under the catwalk on the ledge of the final pit
  4. Prevents players from building inside RED’s final spawn room
  5. Prevents players from building inside spawn doors
  6. Fixed players being trapped inside of capture point sign
  7. Prevents BLU from entering their final spawn room while it is neutral
  8. Fixed exploit where BLU can be trapped in their final spawn room
  9. Fixed players being trapped by teleporting under stairs near near final cap
• plr_hightower
  1. Fixed clip brush exploit above building on clip edge
• plr_nightfall
  1. Fixed players jumping outside the map
• plr_pipeline
  1. Fixed handrail collision with bullets and projectiles
• tc_hydro
  1. Fixed clip brush exploit where players could get out of the map
  2. Prevents players reaching the top of the monument

Please inform me of any omissions or typos. I did leave out some scripting changes and other minor info–I tried to include information pertinent to almost every player.

[N] Obey

 

 

 

 

 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 10th, 2013 at 8:55 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.