TF2 Newbs (Team Fortress 2) Blog

[EDIT: All servers are now back up.  Any stats you earned while playing were logged and will automatically update on the next map reset, even though it didn't notify you in-game.  As you were, soldier!  --[N] Obey]

Oh look!  More bugfixes!  Here’s the short version:

1. More changes to pl_cactuscanyon and rd_asteroid.
   • Asteroid now has more bots to kill than before.
   • Power core pickups now restore some ammo and health on pickup.
2. Apparition’s Aspect is now paintable!

Yeah, just a bunch of little stuff.  Here’s the long version:

Full Patch Notes

• Added taunts to the items that can be uploaded to the Steam Workshop
• Added new “Taunt” and “Halloween” tags to the Steam Workshop
  • Previous entries marked with the “Halloween 2013″ tag will automatically be updated to use the new tag in the coming days
• Added tournament medals for the ETF2L and RETF2 EE22
• Client/server performance improvements
• Improved client memory usage by updating weapons to only be loaded on demand
• Improved edict usage on servers to help eliminate “out of edicts” errors during round restarts
• Fixed a server crash caused by using the “map” command in the console while the server is running
• Fixed a client crash when switching between windowed-mode and fullscreen for Mac OS X and Linux clients
• Re-enabled HTML MOTD support for Mac OS X and Linux clients
• Extended the server’s “status” command to display edict usage and player/bot counts
  • status output also includes basic class stats…not fully implemented yet
• Fixed custom content not being shown while watching .dem files that were recorded on servers running with sv_pure
• Fixed an exploit that involved players killing teammates via telefrag by switching to Spectator
• Fixed bad LODs for The Angel of Death coat for the Medic
• Fixed push triggers applying push values twice when lag compensation is being done
• Fixed a Hammer crash related to changing entity types for an existing entity
• Fixed Strange flamethrowers not getting kill credit for deflected projectiles
• Fixed mini-crit and taunt-invite icons being orphaned in the world
• Fixed the Festive Force-a-Nature using the wrong taunt animation
• Fixed the difficulty value not displaying correctly in the Mann vs. Machine scoreboard
• Fixed Mann vs. Machine bots floating in the air when they die from an explosion
• Fixed the Pyro’s clap sounds clipping the voice lines during the Party Trick taunt
• Fixed the Short Circuit creating its firing effects when being deployed
• Fixed Mini-Sentry collision hull being scaled smaller than it should be
• The Frying Pan can now accept Kills While Explosive Jumping strange parts
• Updated the equip_region for the Mining Light and Lord Cockswain’s Novelty Mutton Chops and Pipe
• Updated the materials for the Apparition’s Aspect and made it paintable
• Updated the Eternaween vote so it cannot be initiated by clients without using the Eternaween
• Updated the localization files
• Updated pl_cactuscanyon
  • Completed permanent removal of previous stage 2 from the map
  • Removed the rollback hill in stage 2, and adjusted neighboring u-turn
  • Adjusted the right-hand spawn exit for Blu in stage 2
  • Reworked Sniper window above underpass in stage 2
  • Adjusted spawn times in stage 2
  • Added flatcars to the train in stage 2
  • Blu side path from cart spawn to underpass is now a drop-down in stage 2
  • Widened a doorway along the cart-path in stage 2
• Updated rd_asteroid
  • Removed spawn advantage for attackers that die in the enemy base
  • Moved health and ammo above the front door stairs further into the base
  • Increased bot count. Summed total health and points in each section remains the same.
  • Power core pickups now give health and ammo to the collector
  • Removed small health kit above cave exit
  • Added medium ammo kit in the caves near the medium health kit

   

Hey, you read this far!  Good for you!  By the way, the rumor is that Terraria’s Lunar Update is expected sometime in November 2014!

[N] Obey

HLX:Stats are back up again!  (NOTE: Will be updated over the next few days as things go.)

Here is what you need to know:

• Market-related bugs:
  • Some Specialized Killstreak Kits there were in the Market were removed from the Market; you will have to place them on the Market once more to sell them
  • Tradable Unusual Taunts can now be Marketed
• New convar that, if implemented, prevents Red/Blu players from joining Spectator if it would exceed a set Team Unbalance Limit
• Updated Cactus Canyon, mostly dealing with Stage 3.

Patch 1

• Fixed rockets colliding with other projectiles and getting stuck in the world
• Fixed a bug with the Soldier‘s Fresh Brewed Victory taunt and the Power Up Canteen
• Fixed the Demoman not being able to equip The Grandmaster
• Fixed a bug where Professional Killstreak items were being displayed as Specialized
• Market Listings for Specialized Killstreak kits for the following items have been removed and will need to be relisted
  • Stickybomb Launcher, Minigun, Direct Hit, Huntsman, Backburner, Back Scatter, Kritzkrieg, Ambassador, Frontier Justice
• Fixed character audio being cut short when characters clap during the Conga taunt
• Unusual taunts that are tradable can now be listed on the Steam Community Market
• The Classic can now accept Enemies Gibbed strange parts
• The Manmelter can now accept Allies Extinguished strange parts
• Added mp_spectators_restricted server convar
  • Prevents players on Red/Blue from joining team Spectator if it would exceed mp_teams_unbalance_limit
• Updated the HTML display in the MOTD to use shared Steam browser control
• Updated the materials for The Dalokohs Bar
• Updated the equip_region for the Soldier’s Stash, Exquisite Rack, The Pencil Pusher, and Antlers
• Updated the localization files
• Updated pl_cactuscanyon
  • Stage 1
    • Reworked the geometry of the back stairwell route leading to the final cap
  • Stage 3
    • New design of back yard underpass area
    • Added new building and route near the underpass
    • New geometry for Red battlements and spawn exit by the first cap
    • Added new exit from Red spawn leading to the raised middle rock outcrop by the barn
    • Reworked Red spawn exit by capture point 2
    • Removed rocks and added a new structure by the final cart push
    • Cart now takes longer to pass through the building at the end of^(sic)
    • Adjusted spawn times
    • Adjusted Health and ammo packs

Undocumented changes

• Updated the backpack image for the Dalokohs Bar.
• Updated the item type of the Soldier’s Stash, Pencil Pusher, and Antlers.

Patch 2

• Fixed Linux and Mac clients not being able to launch the game

[N] Obey

Whoops, I forgot to post the patch update!  It is minor, but apparently one nifty undocumented change has appeared:

Some TF2 Items Are Now “Commodities”

…Do what now?

You may recall that back in June ’14, the option to make Buy Orders was introduced to the Steam Market.  When you place a Buy Order, you choose an item that you want to buy as soon as it hits the Market at or under your asking price. It won’t matter who you’re buying from; whenever an item goes on sale, it will check against all the Buy Orders out there that meet its terms, which can also help you sell an item instantly if you sell it under an existing Buy Order’s asking price.  You can have as many Buy Orders as ten times your Steam Wallet’s current value.

Before this week, the only Commodities–items you can buy with Buy Orders–in the Steam Market were the following:

• All Steam Trading Cards and Trading Card Booster Packs
• All Emoticons
• All Profile Backgrounds

Obviously, they were probably testing the Market functionality for several months with items that had both little value and a high volume of existing items.  They must be happy with the results, because they are now increasing the number of items that are Commodities, and therefore can be bought with Buy Orders.  All of the new items are tools, and this is significant:

• Mann Co. Crate Keys (!!)
• Mann Co. Supply Crates and Summer Claim Checks
  • I am unsure if this includes Mann Co. Select or Salvaged crates or not.
• Robot Parts
• Strangifiers, Strange Parts and Strange Filters
• Piles of RoboKey Gifts and Piles of Summer Cooler Key Gifts
  • But single Mann Co. RoboKeys and the nine colored Summer Cooler Keys do not seem to be commodities yet.
• Decal Tools
• Gift Wrap
• Backpack Expanders
• Upgrade to Premium Gifts
• Summer Starter Kits and Summer Adventure Packs

So for example, you can set a Buy Order for Crate Keys for $2, and as soon as one goes for sale at $2 or less, you (and anyone else that has a Buy Order) that qualifies can be sold the keys that go for sale as soon as they hit the market.  Valve doesn’t say whether the “oldest” Buy Order goes through first, or some other random method, so don’t assume that you will get the first item to be placed on the Market for that price. But at least in the case of keys, if you’re patient, eventually someone will quicksell a key for your asking price if you’re sane about it.

In economics, a commodity is something that is always in-demand–such as pork bellies, wheat, or even skilled labor–but in plentiful enough supply that they see frequent trade.

Meanwhile, a currency is something that is assigned an arbitrary value to act as a middleman for trading wealth.  For the last few years, metal, keys, earbuds and certain hats like Bill’s Hat have been acting as a currency, i.e. tradeable items have been valued in terms of these currencies, like “this unusual hat is worth 1.5 buds”.  But since some items being traded also have their own useful function–i.e. keys can be used on crates, and they can be bought through the Mann Co. Store with almost no real limit to supply–then tool items, like keys, are really more of a commodity.

Full Patch Notes

• Dedicated server performance/stability improvements
• Added a new startup music track from Expiration Date
• Added missing photos/thumb images for koth_badlands
• Fixed a client crash related to the snd_restart command for Linux clients
• Fixed a dedicated server crash related to arrows
• Fixed the Bolt Boy using the wrong material for the Blu team
• Improved memory usage for Linux clients
• Updated the Restart Game and Scramble Teams votes to always have a mandatory cool-down period
• Updated sv_memlimit to not be marked as a cheat convar
  • Added sv_minuptimelimit and sv_maxuptimelimit to manage the server restart window
• Updated the equip_regions for the Mustachioed Mann, Ze Übermensch, and Vive La France
• Updated the localization files
• Updated pl_cactuscanyon
  • Removed rollback leading to the final capture point in stage 2
  • Reworked fence position on forward spawn building in stage 2
  • Expanded back alley near the final capture point in stage 2
  • Expanded back pathway near the final capture point in stage 1
  • Added small room inside building half way up the zig-zag in stage 1
  • Adjusted health kits and ammo packs
  • Adjusted spawn times in stage 1 and 2
• Updated rd_asteroid
  • Widened left side spawn exit
  • Players can no longer build inside the staircase near A robots
  • Fixed sticky stair collision when coming out of the water near B robots
  • Changed medium health kit near the C robots to a small health kit
  • Removed aQ2W3″alert” from voice over lines that announce your team has dropped the reactor core
  • Fixed missing patch overlay under small health near center bridge

Undocumented changes

• Several items are now marked as Steam Community Market commodities.^[1]

References

1. ↑ Mann Co. Supply Crate Key, Mann Co. Supply Crate, Robot Parts, Paint Can, Strange Part, Strangifier, Strange Filter, Pile of RoboKey Gifts, Pile of Summer Cooler Key Gifts, Decal Tool, Gift Wrap, Backpack Expander, Upgrade to Premium Gift, Summer Starter Kit, Summer Adventure Pack, Summer Claim Check

[N] Obey

With all the news that is news (not really), here’s what to expect:

1. Headlines of the video game industry
2. TF2 patched on June 30th, and I just got around to it.
   • Cactus Canyon just got a new stage!

1. Headlines

1. PC Gamer reports that ESPN was so impressed with its ratings of its coverage of their Dota 2 International tournament that the sports network may be ready to start covering esports to a greater degree.  Why not? They did draw over 20 million viewers total for the event, according to Valve.
2. The TF2 Blog has announced the Fourth Annual Saxxy Awards! September 24th is the submission deadline.
3. There is an official CivRome mod for Civilization V!  But you need all of the DLC and expansions to run it.
4. ArcadeSushi’s list of the Top 10 RPGs of all time.  Just because.

2. TF2 Changes

The Heavy’s Gloves of Running Urgently (and the Bread Bite reskin) had been changed back in the June 11th patch to cause the equipping Heavy to suffer mini-crits from all damage for 5 seconds after switching off of them, instead of the previous 3 seconds.  Apparently that was a bug, and now the mini-crit penalty is now back to 3 seconds after weapon switching.

The multi-stage beta map Cactus Canyon now has a third stage. And how about this: there is a train to dodge! Capping the point on the train tracks will cause the payload bomb to explode when hit by a train.  Both Cactus Canyon had some updates, as you can read below.

Full Patch Notes

• Added a new startup music track from Expiration Date.
• Fixed projectiles causing teleporter exits to detonate.
• Fixed the Huntsman not firing after being charged in the air and landing on the ground while using cl_autoreload.
• Fixed teammates blocking the removal of sappers when using the Homewrecker, Maul, and Neon Annihilator.
• Fixed a bug with the Gloves of Running Urgently that increased the marked for death time to 5 seconds instead of 3.^[1]
• Fixed a bug related to orphaned marked for death particles.
• Updated the target ID to be hidden while taunting.
• Updated the Bolt Boy to have two styles like the Bonk Boy.
• Updated the equip_regions for the Bonk Boy and the Bolt Boy.
• Updated the materials for the Boo Balloon.
• Updated pl_cactuscanyon.
  • Added stage 3.
  • Limited Red flanking route near cliff to Blu spawn in stage 1.
  • Added health and ammo inside underpass by Blu spawn in stage 1.
  • Adjusted spawn times in stage 2.
  • Adjusted health and ammo packs.
• Updated rd_asteroid.
  • Mode changes
    • Updated HUD layout.
    • Fixed a bug that would prevent players from picking up the reactor core.
    • Teams will now spawn 70% faster if their C robots are dead.^[2]
  • Map changes
    • Fixed unbalanced ammo kits in Blu base near the vault.
    • Added flashing light in the vault that will activate when a player is stealing points.
    • Added larger one way glass windows to spawn exit doors.
    • Added small ammo pack to top of the stairs at the cave exit.
    • Shortened length of pipes in vents that require players to crouch.
    • Increased track length for A robots. This is to provide more angles of attack.
    • Extended flat area near left spawn exit for Engineers to build teleporters.
    • Lowered the health for the A robots from 500 to 300.
    • Fixed a bug where the power supply would not disable the flashing alarms when it was captured.

Undocumented changes

• Updated the backpack icon of the Boo Balloon.
• Fixed another item clipping bug.
• items_game.txt, the items database and misc data file, is now in a new VPK file called tf2_scripts.vpk.

[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