Large TF2 Update coming Feb 14th

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cpt.whistlepants

Gawd
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On Thursday, February 14 at 11 am PST (that's tomorrow), all PC versions of Team Fortress 2, will receive its largest update since the product was first made available on October 10, 2007, as part of Valve's best-selling Orange Box compilation. Sounds exciting eh?

The free update includes global optimizations for networking, graphics, and player statistics, plus improvements to Source TV for tournament viewing.

In addition, three of the currently available maps (Dustbowl, Granary, CTF_Well) have been iterated for enhanced performance and gameplay.

The release is headlined by the introduction of “Badlands,” a new map that pushes control-point gameplay onto vertical landscapes.

Available free to all Team Fortress 2 PC gamers around the world automatically via Steam, the full update includes the following:

Source Engine
  • Refactored how lightmaps are downloaded to the graphics card at level load. On some hardware configurations this can lower level load times significantly
  • Optimized some particle systems to improve performance on some hardware configurations
  • Player stats are now sent up as they change, rather than when the player dies
  • Improved playback of sub-frame sounds
  • Fixed a crash caused by alt-tabs during map load
  • Eliminated unnecessary temporary memory allocation in scenefilecache
Team Fortress 2
  • Badlands released (yay)
  • Changes to Dustbowl
    • Added a new access point to the stage2 attacker gates (drop-down left from spawn), allowing attackers a way to reach the left route without being subjected to the spam and sentry gun fire
    • Fixed a gap in stage 3, cap 1 that allowed a player with to wiggle above the "ceiling" clip
    • Fixed a gap behind stage 1, cap 1 house
    • Fixed a high perch on stage1 cap1 house roof
    • Fixed a perch offering view of nodraw textures and the skybox (stage1 cap2 rock barrier)
    • Fixed a few places where rockets/demoman pipes could pass through non-solid models
    • Sealed up a gap over stage1 lower startgate
    • Clipped off tall windows in stage 3 to prevent sentry guns from behind built behind them
  • Changes to Capture the Flag Well
    • Fixed trains not starting on map spawn
    • Removed cap association from red spawns that were spamming console
  • Changes to Granary
    • Removed spawn timing advantage from the middle (from -3 to 0)
    • Fixed several model perch exploits (red, blue cp1 gate and blue cp2 gate pipe)
    • Fixed a few places where players could get stuck between containers and silos
    • Adjusted playerclips on red container that made it appear like players were floating
  • Added a small delay (200 ms) before a zoomed sniper shot can get a critical hit
  • Added server side convar mp_fadetoblack. Same functionality as Counter-Strike, used mainly during in-person tournaments and LAN events
  • Added flamethrower "sizzle" sound when the Pyro is hitting a target
  • Updated explosion debris to be a bit darker
  • Fixed idle players not being kicked from the server if mp_allowspectators was set to 0
  • Added ctf_well to the default mapcycle.txt file
  • Added ctf_well to the default motd.txt file
  • Fixed floor tile material type
  • Fixed some weapon damage info missing from TF2 game stats
  • Made some small changes to the Demoman viewmodel that were causing performance problems
  • Added exec'ing a .cfg file on the client when you select a class to play.
  • Added a new timer to the HUD to show the value of mp_timelimit. This is useful if you're playing a timed match on 2Fort, where you only set a timelimit on the server and no other win conditions.
  • Added server log entry for buildings destroyed by their owner
  • Fixed sentry gun shadows being clipped
  • Updated glass material
SourceTV
  • SourceTV now uses a hidden slot on the game server. This allows for 24 player servers to also have a SourceTV proxy connected to it
  • Fixed Pyro's flamethrower flames not showing up in SourceTV
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http://www.steampowered.com/v/index.php?area=news&id=1441&l=EN&cc=US
 
ya sounds really good, can't wait.. and less exploits are always good, because even though they can be fun for some, they ultimately create some balance issues when you have people aware of the exploits and others that are not.. but overall it's not that big of a deal..
 
Gonna have to wait until Friday night to enjoy this one...I don't see the wifey letting me off this easy :D
 
Optimized some particle systems to improve performance on some hardware configurations
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I'm looking forward to this one! There are some particle effects in HL2:E1 that make my frame rates take a shit... hopefully this is what they're fixing.
 
Thanks too a crappy school test and labs at college my wife swapped work days and so we did Valentines day yesterday so I am free to enjoy the update :p
 
I don't like how they're taking out all the high perches that make the game more fun. Next thing they'll take out the ability to build on the B roof in gravel pit.
 
Eagle156 said:
I don't like how they're taking out all the high perches that make the game more fun. Next thing they'll take out the ability to build on the B roof in gravel pit.
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The B roof is an intended design choice. It's explained in the commentary.
 
Server is updated... 66.45.163.42 (20 player)
Clients at home will have to wait until I get there in about a hour.

 
Badlands looks fun, played for a short while with a crap team (as usual :/ ) and didn't enjoy it much but hopefuly on a better server with players who've learnt the map will prove more interesting.

IMO the push/pull maps like that aren't TF2's strong point, the assault ones are the most fun for me.
 
Tried badlands...not sure if I like it just yet...maybe because I am getting killed like 3x as often. It seems that there are a lot of entry points for cloaked spys to come up from behind and knife the hell out of you. It is good if you play spy well though.

I was really hoping this update was the goldrush mode or whatever it is called...oh well
 
Its a pretty good map, i like it. But like above posters have said, lots of entry points and rather large map.
 
riot8ap said:
Tried badlands...not sure if I like it just yet...maybe because I am getting killed like 3x as often. It seems that there are a lot of entry points for cloaked spys to come up from behind and knife the hell out of you. It is good if you play spy well though.

I was really hoping this update was the goldrush mode or whatever it is called...oh well
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For some reason, I thought Badlands was the gold rush map too...

Maybe it was just the server I was playing on, but the map leads itself to LOTS of Sudden Death's, mostly because of the CP in the middle, nobody can really get passed it.

Map is very awesome for snipers as well.
 
Roufuss said:
For some reason, I thought Badlands was the gold rush map too...

Maybe it was just the server I was playing on, but the map leads itself to LOTS of Sudden Death's, mostly because of the CP in the middle, nobody can really get passed it.

Map is very awesome for snipers as well.
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Must've been the server. I played for a bit on a horrible team (maybe it was just bad Engineers not knowing how to defend a new map). True, a lot of the battle centers around the middle CP, but once the spire CP falls it is game over.
 
maybe you prefer "my gfx card sucks ... ping is too high ... don't have a 2000dpi mouse ... he's glitching"
 
TheNuker said:
Interesting how it's always the team that sucks :rolleyes:
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TF2 suffers because it nullifies so much of the individuals skill, which means if you get lumped with a bad team there really isn't a lot you can do to help, individual players cannot really make a difference.

Even when you go support and try and heal other players they just do stupid things like retreat when you've just ubered them or whatever, I only find TF2 enjoyable when playing with people I know IRL.
 
Frosteh said:
TF2 suffers because it nullifies so much of the individuals skill, which means if you get lumped with a bad team there really isn't a lot you can do to help, individual players cannot really make a difference.
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Sure they can. I've found that when my team is next to worthless, the best thing I can do is go scout and tie up as many enemies as I can between their base and their objective. I've delayed a half-dozen enemies at once before, it can take them quite some time to corner and kill me...the scout's speed is godly when used well. While they were busy with me, my team overwhelmed the rest of their defense and took a point. It's even better when a buddy and I play using our own private vent server. Two scouts are a HUGE pain when they coordinate well.

I killed a full-health heavy with a bat last night. I was completely out of ammo. Stick and move, stick and move :D

Frosteh said:
Even when you go support and try and heal other players they just do stupid things like retreat when you've just ubered them or whatever, I only find TF2 enjoyable when playing with people I know IRL.
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Retreating while ubered is better than charging out in the middle of the entire enemy team while ubered. You can't kill them all in ten seconds, please don't expect a medic to just dive in with you and wait to die when the uber quits. I'd rather be getting my next uber charged up than be waiting to respawn.
 
Sounds like you just need to find a good server. I can see why a team is going to suck right now on Badlands just because it was only released yesterday and people are still learning the map. It doesn't mean they are a crappy player or anything, it just takes time to get used to.

I disagree with the fact that one person can't make a difference. I'm not the greatest player by any means, however, there have been times when myself and maybe another have logged in around the same time and changed the tide. I admit, it's difficult for one person to make things work, however, you are there to work as a team. Surely there has to be one other decent person on a team other than yourself....Teams lose when they don't work together. I get so sick of losing a round only to hear someone with a larger than God attitude comment and say his team sucks when he is near the bottom or in the middle score wise. You win as a team, you lose as a team.

+1 for thinking this was the Goldrush add on. Don't know why I thought that but it appears I wasn't the only one.
 
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