Original Story: Two new maps for Valve's Team Fortress 2 will hopefully arrive within the next two months, the studio has informed Shacknews. One of the new arenas is a remake of Team Fortress Classic's Badlands map, with an emphasis on more vertically-oriented gameplay due to the presence of control points on towering spires.
"Our estimate is that both these maps should be out within the next 2 months," Valve employee Robin Walker told Shacknews. "We expect to ship other new content before that."
That other content includes the forthcoming Medic achievement pack, which will add several new achievements for the Medic as well as a significant gameplay tweak for the class.
"It's a large scale modification to the core of the game," Walker hinted. "It'll debut in a limited fashion through the Medic first, but it'll be affecting all classes eventually."
"We're really looking forward to the community reaction," he continued. "We're really excited about where TF2 will be going over the next year."


Update: Valve's Robin Walker has clarified that the new maps will definitely hit the PC, but are undecided for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Team Fortress 2, which are only available in The Orange Box.

OriginalArticle: New TF2 PC Maps, Achievements and 'Large Scale' Gameplay Shift Within 2 Months (Updated) (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50709)

Previously scheduled to arrive during Q1 2008, the forthcoming co-op zombie shooter Left 4 Dead (PC, X360) will now hit in the late summer, Valve has revealed to Shacknews.

So mixed news good & bad :shock:

Large scale gamplay shift?

hmm..

What would I change?

Sentry Turret range increaces with upgrades.
Spys limited to 3 sappers, not infinate (can get more from re-supply/dispenser).

Not sure what else.. what about you guys?

Large scale gamplay shift?

hmm..

What would I change?

Sentry Turret range increaces with upgrades.
Spys limited to 3 sappers, not infinate (can get more from re-supply/dispenser).

Not sure what else.. what about you guys?
This would make the already good engineer class ridiculously over-powered.

I'm hoping the 'large scale gameplay shift' is an exaggeration by valve for advertising, there's no major gameplay issue and the game is good as it is. I can think of a small tweaks though.

I would: Either change the critical hit system or remove criticals all together (save the sniper headshot and spy backstab) to stop the random slaughter and deaths. Stop that brief extra few seconds at the round end when the winning team can rape the losers effecting the in game score and stats. Maybe give the demoman a crappy gun like a pistol to fend off scouts or shoot directly at anything. Change the speed of captures at certain points on certain maps. And a contentious couple: Maybe add the ability to an existing class or a whole new class that can replenish ammo like the medic does for health (as an they could extra they could use an uber to increase the power of targets shots). Add special items in places like ammo and health boxes with bonuses like an uber or more power or speed.

This would make the already good engineer class ridiculously over-powered.

I thought this already happened anyway?

I'm hoping the 'large scale gameplay shift' is an exaggeration by valve for advertising, there's no major gameplay issue and the game is good as it is. I can think of a small tweaks though.

I would: Either change the critical hit system or remove criticals all together (save the sniper headshot and spy backstab) to stop the random slaughter and deaths.

This is IMO one of the best points about the game and really helps balance things out, I can't really think of anything to back that up with, but I just get the feeling that if they were removed, TF2 would lose something. What if you could have a critical 'meter' of some sort? As you get hits on someone, it'd go up, then you could hit a key to 'use' the critcal and have a period of increased damage, or just the chance of a critical hit could go up from 0% to 33% for the next 10 seconds?

Stop that brief extra few seconds at the round end when the winning team can rape the losers effecting the in game score and stats.

I kinda like that, and TBH the scores get reset every map. It gives me an incentive to try and push as far as I can forward, don't know about anyone else.

Maybe give the demoman a crappy gun like a pistol to fend off scouts or shoot directly at anything.

Sorta agree with you here, but it might be like giving the pyro a pistol instead of a shotgun, you'd make him too rounded a class.

Change the speed of captures at certain points on certain maps.

I couldn't agree more, what's the point of the last cp on grainery?

And a contentious couple: Maybe add the ability to an existing class or a whole new class that can replenish ammo like the medic does for health (as an they could extra they could use an uber to increase the power of targets shots).

I like this idea. I can't remember who could drop ammo in tfc (or am I making that up and it was a different game), but it's definitely annoying to find yourself fat, Russian and armed with a large lump of metal that you can't do anything with.

Add special items in places like ammo and health boxes with bonuses like an uber or more power or speed.

If they do something like this, for christ's sake make it a server side variable! I loved Runes in Q2, it made that game multiplayer Valhalla, but it's not to everyone's taste.

Personally, I'd bring in a limited set of grenades. Maybe sack off the conc grens (although conc-jumping was a laugh). But the engi's should have EMPs, it would give them an incentive to try and attack, and you can't spam with them if they made it so they could only take out structures. Plus I'd bring in fire-transfer. Like (excuse the term) AIDS in tfc, the fire could jump to anyone who touched the player on fire.

In a nutshell, I would change nothing.

like the idea of the fire transfer, and the extra powerup drops would be good, IF they where random and not set parts of a map, as this could make a map won just by camping some little powerup point.
the ammo thing i thought was taken control off by the dispencer .?? if the engy's keep pushing up with the team then the ammo issue should not arrise
hate it when the engys are holding a part too far back for the forward team to use the dispencers.
and are you talking about EMP nades?
that could be a killer. could make SG's usless on some maps

maybe if the dispencers where made a little bit more able to withstand an attack it might be better

;17173']and are you talking about EMP nades?
that could be a killer. could make SG's usless on some maps

When was the last time you saw an engineer on an attacking team? I just think the class has no real use when pushing forward (that's a bit of an overstatement I admit, but you can see what I'm getting at). If they could hold 2-3 EMP grenades that could say take 1/3 or 1/2 of a SG down, or less but with a wide splash radius, or maybe not hurt them at all, just reduce their rate of fire/disable the rockets/lower their accuracy/range, then I just think engis would have a use at the sharp end.

I thought this already happened anyway?
I don't think the range increases, just the durability, it might though, certainly though the spy's get infinite sappers and on populated servers or with a good team defense sapping everything is often the only way to break the line.
This is IMO one of the best points about the game and really helps balance things out, I can't really think of anything to back that up with, but I just get the feeling that if they were removed, TF2 would lose something. What if you could have a critical 'meter' of some sort? As you get hits on someone, it'd go up, then you could hit a key to 'use' the critcal and have a period of increased damage, or just the chance of a critical hit could go up from 0% to 33% for the next 10 seconds?
I know what you mean, criticals add to that sort of silly ott action element of TF2, but I just don't like that they're so random (critical rockets make me weep). Some sort of preset variable as you suggest would work imo.
I kinda like that, and TBH the scores get reset every map. It gives me an incentive to try and push as far as I can forward, don't know about anyone else.
I like the ability to take some vengeance on a valiant defender who's been pwning my attacks, but why have it effect your score and not just for fun? Cant achievements be awarded during this time or have I got that wrong? Surely that's wrong, I mean a pyro can get into your spawn and kill half the defenseless team in seconds.
Sorta agree with you here, but it might be like giving the pyro a pistol instead of a shotgun, you'd make him too rounded a class.
I see what you mean, he'd get a bit to good all round, he needs the weakness.
I couldn't agree more, what's the point of the last cp on grainery?
Exactly.
I like this idea. I can't remember who could drop ammo in tfc (or am I making that up and it was a different game), but it's definitely annoying to find yourself fat, Russian and armed with a large lump of metal that you can't do anything with.
Engies drop ammo in BF2 and the like. I originally thought this idea was silly but it could work. Players could get a command, like "Medic!", but "Ammo!" and a (a mexican) guy could run up with an ammo nanolathe spray gun and his uber could give temporary constant criticals to his target.
If they do something like this, for christ's sake make it a server side variable! I loved Runes in Q2, it made that game multiplayer Valhalla, but it's not to everyone's taste.
*remembers the big suicide blast skull thing in Quake 3 Team Arena and smiles*
Personally, I'd bring in a limited set of grenades. Maybe sack off the conc grens (although conc-jumping was a laugh).
class specific nades was something that was going to be in TF2 from the start, (I think?) so I reckon you might have twigged a likely addition in the updates.
Plus I'd bring in fire-transfer. Like (excuse the term) AIDS in tfc, the fire could jump to anyone who touched the player on fire.
I'd like this, but might it over-power the pyro though?

class specific nades was something that was going to be in TF2 from the start, (I think?) so I reckon you might have twigged a likely addition in the updates.

From what I've read on steampowered (a while back) Valve are not putting nades in for the reason that tfc (team-fortress classic) used to be ruined by grenade spamming. MIRV grenades were too powerful, conc grenades used to annoy people and could make medics jump from one side of a map to another (most notably Well). I just think certain grenades would have a place in tf2.

I'd like this, but might it over-power the pyro though?

Maybe, but if the damage was set to dissipate between contacts (i.e. person 1 gets hit by the pyro, gets 100% of the fire damage. He touches person 2, they get 50%, person 3 gets 25%, etc). As fire damage wears off anyway, its not a huge hit. AIDS was worse as it kept hitting you until you died, and victims would stand outside spawn and infect every poor sap that respawned.

;17173']the extra powerup drops would be good, IF they where random and not set parts of a map, as this could make a map won just by camping some little powerup point.
You've got a point. If they were random there'd be random annoyances where you win or lose by luck too, scrap that idea I reckon.
;17173']the ammo thing i thought was taken control off by the dispencer .??
Attackers are meant to get ammo from fallen guns but the less needy end up getting it a lot and dispencers deal out health too but the medic is still a must, an 'ammo man' (I'm dubbing him (or her?) an amigo) would be just as useful.

Add a badger class, improve the faults with the pyro class & improve the medics syringe gun. :shock:

Attackers are meant to get ammo from fallen guns but the less needy end up getting it a lot and dispensers deal out health too but the medic is still a must, an 'ammo man' (I'm dubbing him (or her?) an amigo) would be just as useful.

but think if you had a hev+doc+ammo.... and if you added another doc into that it would be impossible to stop the hev, tho tbh if i see a hev+doc i go for the doc

;17186']but think if you had a hev+doc+ammo.... and if you added another doc into that it would be impossible to stop the hev, tho tbh if i see a hev+doc i go for the doc

Just means 3-4 kills for a spy rather than 2!!!!!

And everyone goes down with a fully charged HS from a sniper. I love to see the medics panic when their friend gets dropped and they're left in the middle of the enemy's base!

"Hey gringo, you be wantin' some ammo now eh!" (Mexican accent)

sounds Cornish to me Istari.

sounds Cornish to me Istari.
In a Mexican accent? Besides the Cornish would be more like, "Aye-up, yous wouldn't be afta a bit of ammo would ya... pastie, pastie, scone!".

Left 4 Dead Hands-on Previews (http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=745#)



http://www.shacknews.com/images/sshots/Screenshot/9057/9057_478f97f0e458c_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.shacknews.com/screenshots.x?gallery=9057&game_id=4084&id=112254)
http://www.shacknews.com/images/sshots/Screenshot/9057/9057_478f97f5e96bc_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.shacknews.com/screenshots.x?gallery=9057&game_id=4084&id=112255)
http://www.shacknews.com/images/sshots/Screenshot/9057/9057_478f97f9b1851_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.shacknews.com/screenshots.x?gallery=9057&game_id=4084&id=112256)
http://www.shacknews.com/images/sshots/Screenshot/9057/9057_478f980130fb1_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.shacknews.com/screenshots.x?gallery=9057&game_id=4084&id=112258)

TF2 Getting Second CTF Map Very Soon (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50926)

The second official Capture the Intelligence map for the PC version of Team Fortress 2 may arrive as soon as tomorrow, developer Valve told PC Gamer (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=180349). A retooled version of the existing Well area, the reworking sports the same basic layout but removes the Control Points of its other iteration, with intelligence packages placed at each team's base instead. Of course, the existing Control Point edition will still be available for play.
http://www.shacknews.com/data/www/dev.shacknews.com/htdocs/shack_images/sshots/tf2/070425_tf2_01_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.shacknews.com/screenshots.x?gallery=7238&game_id=4049)http://www.shacknews.com/images/sshots/Screenshot/9062/9062_4790268f65edb_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.shacknews.com/screenshots.x?gallery=9062&game_id=4049)
The studio noted that the map is tentatively planned to arrive tomorrow, January 24, but that its release may slip until next week. When the game first debuted last fall, many criticized the colorful class-based multiplayer shooter for containing five Control Point maps but only one CTF environment.
In addition to the new version of Well, Valve is also planning to implement two more maps (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50709)--Badlands and Goldrush--along with a new gameplay mode, class-specific achievements and unlockable items (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50905) within the next month or so.
The company has repeatedly expressed its intent to provide owners of the PC version with free game-expanding content and features, though it has yet to determine how or if the additional content will be added to the console editions.

Sweet!

In addition to the new version of Well, Valve is also planning to implement two more maps (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50709)--Badlands and Goldrush--along with a new gameplay mode, class-specific achievements and unlockable items (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50905) within the next month or so.

From what I've read elsewhere, Goldrush won't be a new map, it's the new gameplay mode. Blue have to get a gold-cart from one side of the level to the other. The more blue players around the cart, the quicker it moves. If any red player is in the vicinity of the cart though, it stops dead.

There's also been mention of a new medic ability. They can permanently increase the health of a team-mate to 200%. However this means that going Uber will take MUCH longer, and may not happen at all. There may be new medic gun abilities to come!

And Badlands!!!!! YEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully I'll actually be able to play the soddin game soon, once all these assessments are done.

*continues bribing Drax's professors to give him more work* :roll:

In a Mexican accent? Besides the Cornish would be more like, "Aye-up, yous wouldn't be afta a bit of ammo would ya... pastie, pastie, scone!".

ah let pro cornishman do it

hay melover wanting more pastys would ya yarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr proper job !

New TF2 CTF Version of "Well" Map Released (Update: Screenshots) (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50970)


The latest Team Fortress 2 update has been released, most notably including the map CTF_Well, a capture the flag variant of the existing control point map. Along with the new map, other features were added, including some graphical optimizations and the ability to autosave a scoreboard screenshot each time a game ends. Valve also fixed numerous glitches, such as a recording problem with SourceTV, exploits on CP_GravelPit, a custom spray-related crash, stat recording bugs, and more.
http://www.shacknews.com/images/sshots/Screenshot/9104/9104_479a7bea07977_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.shacknews.com/screenshots.x?gallery=9104&game_id=4049&id=112633)http://www.shacknews.com/images/sshots/Screenshot/9104/9104_479a7bee6056b_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.shacknews.com/screenshots.x?gallery=9104&game_id=4049&id=112634)
(Update: We are now hosting a CTF_Well screenshot gallery (http://www.shacknews.com/screenshots.x?gallery=9104&game_id=4049) courtesy of re4ctor.)
Simply sign into Steam and launch Team Fortress 2 to download the update. The full changelog can be found below:
- Added new capture the flag map CTF_Well
- Added Spanish map descriptions
- Added new option to auto-save a scoreboard screenshot at the end of a map to the Multiplayer->Advanced dialog
- Added more particle optimizations for mid range and low end hardware
- Updated CP_GravelPit to fix all known exploits and changed the scoring method to score per capture rather than per round
- Updated "nextlevel" CVAR to trigger a changelevel at the end of the current round (not mini-round)
- Fixed SourceTV demo recording problem
- Fixed mp_stalemate_enable not preventing Sudden Death mode on some maps
- Fixed a couple cases where player stats were not being recorded correctly
- Fixed some log entries being truncated
- Fixed crash caused by trying to import a custom player spray
- Removed the "Reset Stats" button from the Player Stats screen [This would have beaten the simian team auto message except I had a massive powercut in the night]

both the servers were updated and playing this map @ 23:00 last night!!

http://image.hazardstrip.com/ss/games/promo/thm_900.jpg (javascript:scrn.Set('900.jpg','http://image.hazardstrip.com/ss/games/promo/900.jpg')) http://image.hazardstrip.com/ss/games/promo/thm_901.jpg (javascript:scrn.Set('901.jpg','http://image.hazardstrip.com/ss/games/promo/901.jpg')) http://image.hazardstrip.com/ss/games/promo/thm_902.jpg (javascript:scrn.Set('902.jpg','http://image.hazardstrip.com/ss/games/promo/902.jpg'))

too small to see what is going on badger

http://image.hazardstrip.com/ss/games/promo/900.jpg
http://image.hazardstrip.com/ss/games/promo/901.jpg
http://image.hazardstrip.com/ss/games/promo/902.jpg

Battlefield Heroes Details Emerge

Some of the first details of the recently announced Battlefield Heroes have made their way out via the game's handy dandy developer blog. Senior producer Ben Cousins shared some slides and info in the first update of note. We picked through the ramblings of Mr. Cousins for these new details:
Based on BF2142 Engine
Low system requirements
More RPG elements
Crazy unrealistic feel similar to BF1942
Quicker learning curve
Remain true to core BF elementsAnnounced just a couple of weeks ago, Battlefield Heroes is going to be a free PC-only online game supported by in-game advertising and microtransactions. The details of those microtransactions have not been fully detailed but one would assume that means you can buy in-game items with really small amounts of money.

I was with them in enthusiasm until: "Based on BF2142 Engine" was mentioned, ah welcome back feelings of dissapointment associated with DiCE :sick:

More Battlefield Heroes Details Emerge; Third-person Camera, Three Classes, Point-based Abilities

Following yesterday's trickle of Battlefield Heroes news, fansite Planet Battlefield is now reporting a deluge of details said to be lifted from the latest issue of Games For Windows magazine. Due to arrive this summer, EA DICE's Battlefield Heroes will be a free multiplayer-only PC title supported by in-game advertising and micro-transactions.
According to the site, Heroes will give players more health, less-damaging weapons, and shorter respawn times over past Battlefield titles. Apparently the action will occur from a third-person perspective, with the site writing that a first-person view can be eventually obtained "if really wanted," though it is currently unclear if that means the perspective is an earned option, a purchasable feature, or may be added in a patch.
A point system will allow players to buy in-game items and abilities, with the earned sum based on the performance of a player's chosen faction. Abilities are said to play a more integral role due to the title's emphasis on longer battles. Appearance-altering items include badges, helmets, belts, and boots.
Three classes have been revealed thus far: the standard soldier, the fast-moving commando, and the heavily-armed gunner. In all, the game may feature about 15 abilities at launch, with the possibility of that number going up to 50 within the first year.
Other changes and tweaks to the Battlefield formula will have vehicles appearing immediately when players reach a spawn point, a number of taunt and body language options, and a detailed feedback system to help players buy new abilities and set up their characters before the match begins.

More Battlefield Heroes Details Emerge; Third-person Camera, Three Classes, Point-based Abilities (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/51148)

Large scale gamplay shift?
Spys limited to 3 sappers, not infinate (can get more from re-supply/dispenser).


That, I believe, would favour the engineer, unless the Spy's sapper did more damage or it took more than one hit from the engineer's wrench to remove it.

I would be in favour of leaving it as it is, of course. It's hard enough to take down a sentry in most maps, especially those maps where the fighting is concentrated in to a single and small area [e.g. Dustbowl] where players, and ultimately sentries, are grouped together (thus the reason why I love cp_well / ctf_well - the game play is generally stretched and sentry sapping is one-on-one affair between the spy and engineer :D).

I've never actually timed the event, but I think it takes around 5 seconds for a sapped sentry gun to be destroyed (if left unattended by the engineer that is), which I think gives the engineer ample time to react.