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

Hey, it’s finally here–and some players thinks it’s the best Halloween update to boot!  The event runs through November 12, 2014. Better strap in, because you’re gonna love the bumper cars!

1. Launch of new Halloween 2014 Map: Carnival of Carnage.
   • Magic spells and end-of-round zany bumper car fun included.
2. 50 new Halloween-themed cosmetic items.
   • Everyone gets one free Halloween Gift Cauldron and can unlock another.
3. New melee weapon reskin: The Necro Smasher
   • Earn by unlocking enough Halloween 2014 achievements.
4. Full patch notes
   • Unusual items uncrated until November 12, 2014 will have Halloween-themed Unusual effects, instead of the typical effects granted by its Unusual Series.
   • For a limited time, you can buy previous Halloween-themed cosmetic items from the Mann Co. Store.
   • Halloween Crates can be bought from the Mann Co. Store.

Read the new TF2 comic: “Blood Money”!

0. Servers Currently Set to Halloween Maps:

Carnival of Carnage (2014 Event): #07, #09

Helltower (2013 Event): #12, #15

Harvest Event (2009 Event): #13

1. Carnival of Carnage

Merasmus’s Carnival of Carnage [sd_doomsday_event] is a Halloween Event map, and a reskin of Doomsday, Valve’s only official-to-date Special Delivery map. Instead of launching the monkeynaut Poopy Joe briefly into outer space to win, now you compete to be the team to raise a suitcase full of tickets to the top of the Strongmann Machine, while Merasmus launches snarky comments and global curses at everyone.

When the suitcase reaches the top, both teams enter one of three possible bumper car mini-games!! Oh, and there are Magic Spell powerups for you to cast at the other team, like the Helltower map. And yes, you can cast spells while driving a bumper car!

For more information on how to play this map, consult my TF2Newbs’ Guide to Halloween Event Maps.

2. Gift Cauldrons and New Cosmetics

Alert!  You have new items!

Yes, you do! Every player’s TF2 account automatically receives one Antique Halloween Gift Cauldron, and you’ll be alerted the first time you load the game.  This Limited action item can be used once to drop 3 random Scream Fortress VI cosmetic items.  The items dropped from the Cauldron will either be Unique, Haunted, or Strange Haunted qualities–and at least one will be Strange Haunted. The Gift Cauldron is Limited so it is not marketable, giftable or tradable, nor sold in the Mann Co. Store, but I assume the items it drops are giftable and tradable…?

Any Strange Haunted items will have two Strange Parts automatically attached to the cosmetic item: the “Carnival Games Won” Strange Part and the “Carnival Underworld Kills” Strange Part (which measures players knocked off the track.

It is possible to get a second Halloween Gift Cauldron by earning the Merasmachievement “Bumper to Bumper to Bumper”, by being on the winning team for all three bumper car mini-games at the end of rounds of the Carnival of Carnage map.

Meanwhile, it is possible to buy any of the 50 new Halloween-themed cosmetic items in the Mann Co. Store.

3. Unlock the Necro Smasher

Complete the “Step Right Up” Merasmachievement, by completing 4 other Merasmachievements, to earn your very own Necro Smasher! It is an all-classes-but-spy wooden mallet you can use to melee bludgeon your foes, just like your stock melee weapon. If you’re an Engineer, it’ll also repair your stuff. It’s tradable.

Full Patch Notes

• Scream Fortress VI has arrived!
  • Help Merasmus with his carnival!
  • Comic and additional information available on the website (http://www.teamfortress.com/screamfortress6)
  • Scream Fortress VI runs until November 12, 2014
  • Added new Halloween map Carnival of Carnage
    • Merasmus will spread misfortune with server wide curses
    • Added a Strongmann Test-Your-Strength machine which is in no way an eldritch portal to Bumper Car Madness!
  • Added bumper car minigames. Win by completely ghostifying the other team or by completing the objective
  • Alt-fire to speed boost your bumper car
  • Cast magic spells while driving
  • The collision force a bumper car receives increases as the car takes damage
  • Force is displayed in the bumper car HUD as a percentage
    • Ghosts can come back to life by touching a friendly bumper car
  • 50 new Halloween-themed community cosmetics^[1]
  • 6 new achievements

• During Scream Fortress VI:
  • A Halloween Gift Cauldron is granted to all players who play during the event
  • Added Halloween crates to the Mann Co. Store. These crates do not require a key to open
  • All Unusual hats and taunts that are unboxed during the event will receive Halloween-themed Unusual effects
  • Previous Scream Fortress content is available in the Mann Co. Store

• General :
  • Reduced the number of Fireball spells granted to 2^[2]
  • Updated the tf_spells_enabled ConVar
    • Removed the Teleport spell from the general spell list when spells are enabled outside of Helltower
    • Added rare spells to the general spell list, except Skeletons and Monoculus
  • Turning a player into a ghost now grants the attacker a kill credit
  • Players can now fly around as a ghost by holding the jump key
  • TargetID system
    • Now creates a floating health indicator over the target
    • Reduced size of nameplate
    • Added tf_hud_target_id_alpha ConVar to control the transparency
  • Fixed player voice transmissions not transmitting the last second of recording
  • Fixed a dedicated server crash when the autoexec.cfg contains a bind command
    • Fixed Unicode font performance and rendering issues for Mac clients
    • Fixed an exploit that allowed players to remove the ghost condition

• Hammer :
  • Added a field to the Tools->Options->3DView tab that multiplies the length of the rendered light_spot cone preview

Undocumented Changes

• Added a new startup music track for Scream Fortress VI.
• Removed old Scream Fortress startup music track from the game.
• Added Necro Smasher, Kritz or Treat Canteen, Deadliest Catch.
• Corrected the description of FR-0.

Oh, By the Way…

There’s this: someone reported a serious flaw in TF2 so Valve could fix it. To thank him, they let him have a hat of his choice: a one-of-a-kind Strange Cheater’s Lament with Sunbeams! (Courtesy of Nuunsa and Reddit)

[N] Obey