TF2!

[Corezy]

Lvl 3 Mini Sentry bug has been resolved, including other minor bugs.

That's a lie

[Schrodinger]

Oh great, thanks Valve, now I'm a liar too.

[Valbrandur]

So apparently, someone is making Warhammer 40k models for TF2.

It looks nice to me but I've unfortunately never had anything to do with Warhammer.

Here's a trailer video of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEgjqcI03xw

[foxfireattack]

Mann. Co. Update

You know what? F*** you Valve. You and your Steam Wallet BS. I'm not going to play a game that gives some else better weapons just because they have deeper pockets...

I feel no guilt in idling.

[MeaCulpa, S.C.M.]

Somehow, I missed this sticky.

Now, I haven't actually *been* to the store, so I don't know how that's going to work out. I'm assuming (though hoping I'm wrong) that the set items will be buyable. In which case, the whole balance of the game goes to crap.

I've always thought of TF2 as having an amazing ability to balance itself despite constantly adding new content. The way that new items aren't more powerful intrinsically makes it friendly to new players as well as experts. It has easy to use classes (pyro, heavy, medic) that still have a bunch of advanced capabilities (jump ambushing with heavies, airblasting ubers for pyros, etc) that keep them from staling with use. Alternatively, they have advanced classes (spy, demoman) that work as a sort of natural progression if you find those classes staling regardless.

But what added a real joy to the game was the random influx of new items, and the ability to get them with achievements. The way you set your items once you had them would completely change how you played your class--A scout with Bonk, Force-a-Nature, and Sandman becomes specialized for capping. A spy with Dead Ringer can harass front lines for long periods of time while one with Cloak and Dagger can go straight for intel/Capture Points/engie forward bases. I can't think of a completely useless build for any class (though I haven't seen the new items).

With the new item sets, however, it seems that some are purposefully overpowered. The sniper's, for example, makes it impossible for him to die from headshots (even fully charged ones, he will be left with 1 hp presumably) and causes jarate effect on anyone he shoots. The spy's allows him to silently decloak (at a cost of taking .5 seconds longer), silently kill anyone he backstabs, and disguise himself as that person at a quicker-than-normal rate once they die.

If these items are specifically buyable, people willing to shell out money are going to be the only ones with high scores. Experts won't be completely ousted, but it's going to be considered a feat if they can kill someone with full item sets activated. If those were random drop, I wouldn't care. Even trading it'd probably be a considerable feat to actually get those items, and any advantage you got would probably be earned. But saying "You have to pay money to actually get good" means that people who are just casually interested (or simply don't want to play) will lose interest. From a developer's point of view, that seems fine on the surface--TF2 isn't an MMO. What it's going to lose is its attraction of new players. The first time I got on TF2--literally the first time I touched it--I picked up sniper and went to work, scoring 5 headshots in one life within the first few minutes. I picked up heavy and pyro later got the same amount of kills. I was hooked instantly--I knew I wasn't very *good* at the game (I still can't play a very effective spy, like the kind that always seems to be in the middle at 2fort until you're actually keeping an eye out for him) but I was still contributing.

The question is, will the item-buy system break that up?

Thoughts welcome+encouraged.

[Valbrandur]

I have to ask, does anyone have Killer's Kabuto here?

I am hoping to trade my Vintage Merryweather for a Killer's Kabuto and checking if anyone is interested here.

[Sefris]

The sniper's, for example, makes it impossible for him to die from headshots (even fully charged ones, he will be left with 1 hp presumably) and causes jarate effect on anyone he shoots.

I thought that meant the gun couldn't get headshots, not protect the sniper from headshots. Why would a dart gun protect the sniper from headshots?

[JediGuy]

The sniper's, for example, makes it impossible for him to die from headshots (even fully charged ones, he will be left with 1 hp presumably) and causes jarate effect on anyone he shoots.

I thought that meant the gun couldn't get headshots, not protect the sniper from headshots. Why would a dart gun protect the sniper from headshots?

The gun can't get headshots. Furthermore, if the Sniper has ALL of his pack's unlocks, he becomes immune to headshots.

[Schrodinger]

http://www.teamfortress.com/mannconomy/item_sets/

Find out if they are over powered yourself. If they are, it should be resolved expediantly.

[Sefris]

The sniper's, for example, makes it impossible for him to die from headshots (even fully charged ones, he will be left with 1 hp presumably) and causes jarate effect on anyone he shoots.

I thought that meant the gun couldn't get headshots, not protect the sniper from headshots. Why would a dart gun protect the sniper from headshots?

The gun can't get headshots. Furthermore, if the Sniper has ALL of his pack's unlocks, he becomes immune to headshots.

Okay, I (somehow) missed that part. However, if he has the whole set, he loses a good majority of his killing power. A shield that only adds 25 health, a sniper rifle that can't headshot, and a knife that makes him take more fire damage. Sure, critting instead of mini-critting would be powerful, but with no jarate and just the bad rifle, you'd have to shoot them first for it to be effective.

[Narane]

L'Etranger + Dead Ringer sounds like an overpowered combo.

In those chaotic rounds where there's a never=ending battle around the cart (even so more than usual), not even a Heavy can push the cart. At those times, try going Dead Ringer and just do nothing but push carts all day. Pop out of cloak as soon as you get hit, let the cart quickly recharge the cloak back up, then hold out the Dead Ringer again, and repeat.

Even in ammobox-less areas, Spies are going to be unkillable without a Pyro around.

Also, uhhhhhhh

[MeaCulpa, S.C.M.]

So apparently, someone is making Warhammer 40k models for TF2.

It looks nice to me but I've unfortunately never had anything to do with Warhammer.

Here's a trailer video of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEgjqcI03xw

Want. Want. Want. Want. Want. Want. Want.

[Volgaia]

L'Etranger + Dead Ringer sounds like an overpowered combo.

In those chaotic rounds where there's a never=ending battle around the cart (even so more than usual), not even a Heavy can push the cart. At those times, try going Dead Ringer and just do nothing but push carts all day. Pop out of cloak as soon as you get hit, let the cart quickly recharge the cloak back up, then hold out the Dead Ringer again, and repeat.

Even in ammobox-less areas, Spies are going to be unkillable without a Pyro around.

If you think that DR spies are gonna be annoying with the L'Etranger, try a spy with a decent normal invisiwatch. Those guys can make it at least halfway across a map as it is. With cloak regen, they can be invisible for almost forever, with more mobility than the Cloak and Dagger can ever provide.

[Basitin_Boy]

Also, uhhhhhhh

Yea
It is man milk if you know what i mean.
http://nerfnow.com/comic/394 (Safe btw)



And snipers can be almost impossible to kill they manage to get a personal dispenser or a pocketmedic. The only thing that can take them out is a spy or 2 snipers shooting him at the same time. It is a tad bit annoying.

[FoobyKamikaze]

New update:

Fixed Engineers being able to build level 3 mini-sentries using The Wrangler for real this time

I found this amusing.

Of course I never knew how that worked in the first place. x: