I'm stepping down. In the past year you might have noticed I've been less active in my role as Senior Staff here, and that's because I was preparing to step down "after the next Jam" (which kept getting delayed). I've not been involved in any major moderation decisions or event planning since 2023, with the exceptions being Stack the Deck (which I originally was not going to be involved in) and the 2024 72hr Jam.
I joined the team as a Server Mod in 2017, became Staff in...
We're well into 2025, but it's time for the 2024 72-Hour Jam Showcase! TF2Maps is back again, showing off 64 of the most entertaining, most mind-melting creations made for last year's charity Jam! This time, they received 390 entries, with 350 of those being eligible for medals. In terms of donations, this year placed fourth, in their history, with a grand total of $6,892.66 raised for Gamers Outreach Foundation!
What is January February? Hell if I know, is that something someone made up? You bet your ass it is! Anyways that doesn't matter, time is linear and also, Happy New Year! We asked for your nominations for the featured maps and boy, we sure did get them again this year. No, we did not have someone submit 100 maps again, thankfully, but we still had a lot. Anyway, here's the newly featured maps!
AsiaFortress Liquid.tf is back with its winter Highlander finals!
Catch the action, witness history, and tune in live starting on the 22nd of February @ 9pm SGT / 2pm CET Want to get involved? Their 6s signups are now open! Important Links:
Mod makers, rejoice! We've just released a massive update to the Source SDK, adding all the Team Fortress 2 client and server game code. This update will allow content creators to build completely new games based on TF2. We're also doing a big update to all our multiplayer back-catalogue Source engine titles (TF2, DoD:S, HL2:DM, CS:S, and HLDM:S), adding 64-bit binary support, a scalable HUD/UI, prediction fixes, and a lot of other improvements!
Unlike the Steam Workshop or local content mods, this SDK gives mod makers the ability to change, extend or rewrite TF2, making anything from small tweaks to complete conversions possible.
The SDK is licensed to users on a non-commercial basis, meaning that any mod created using the SDK must be free, and any content in those mods must be free. TF2 mods may be published on the Steam Store, and after publication will appear as new games in the Steam game list.
Players have a lot of investment in their TF2 inventories, and Steam Workshop contributors have created of a lot of that content. The majority of items in the game now are thanks to the hard work of the TF2 community. To respect that, we're asking TF2 mod makers continue to respect that connection, and to not make mods that have the purpose of trying to profit off Workshop contributors' efforts. We're hoping that many mods will continue to allow players access their TF2 inventory, if this makes sense for the mod.
Added radial fog (from Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Update)
Added support for Steam Networking
Made the default server name for listen servers include the player's name
Made the game launch in native resolution by default instead of 640x480
Client-side prediction fixes (these fix 'jank'/rollback in certain situations)
Fixed a prediction bug where if the player was moved on the client, their input-based movement for that tick was not taken into account in non-player actions
Improved prediction for walking on props and other entities
Made certain client-side entities only trigger local prediction errors
e.g. If the viewmodel experiences a prediction error, the player will not experience a prediction error
Fixed prediction of viewmodel sway
Fixed a prediction error regarding weapon idle animations
Fixed certain breakable props not gibbing correctly
Fixed an issue where certain variables like position would not be updated correctly to match the server in certain situations
Fixed the player's base velocity (eg. conveyors, moving items etc.) getting subtly out of sync from client/server
Fixed players being able to spam duel cancellation messages for a duel that doesn't exist
Fixed not being able to join community servers via Steam invites or game info
Fixed lighting position discrepancies for cosmetic items, weapons, and viewmodels (community fix from ficool2)
Fixed Equipped label overlapping attribute icons in the loadout menu (community fix from Lindon)
Fixed an issue with props and team colors when taunting with Australium weapons
Fixed the Voices from Below effect not working when taunting with the Highland Hound set equipped
Fixed player voice commands being abruptly ended when the player enters shallow water
Fixed incorrect number on the Geneva Contravention achievement icon
Fixed the Military Style for The Surgeon General to stay properly semi-visible at all angles
Fixed some classes missing the BLU team material for That '70s Chapeau
Fixed the Spanish-Latin America option being displayed as English in the Settings menu
Fixed the MOTD dialog not working for Spanish-Latin America
Updated attribute descriptions for The Scottish Resistance and the Stickybomb Jumper to use 'stickybomb' instead of 'pipebomb'
Updated equip_region settings for The Little Bear, The Heavy-Weight Champ, The Grand Duchess Tutu, and the Combat Slacks to fix unnecessary conflicts
Updated the Spooky Night and Ominous Night Unusual taunt effects to fix a visual bug (Thanks Kiffy!)
Updated koth_overcast_final to improve optimization
Updated ctf_applejack
Added block bullets to some stores
Unblocked a window at mid, allowing Snipers to shot across the middle hut
Removed the missing texture in BLU spawn
Gave a chicken a friend, because friendship is magic
Updated cp_fortezza
New radio model for spawn rooms
Changed sentry shack ammo pack on last to a medium
Adjusted health pickups throughout the map
Changed kill volume on cap A double doors to be more consistent with visuals
Improved bot support (Thanks Star Bright)
Detail pass
Updated pl_patagonia
[Stage 1]
Fixed some RED bots stuck forever trying to make an impossible jump on the stairs outside spawn
Fixed the cart not capping the first point on extremely rare occasions
[Stage 2]
Improved optimization
Fixed a nodraw floor near the first BLU spawn train bridge waterfall
Fixed 3D skybox looking pitch black for players using mat_hdr_level 2
[Stage 3]
Improved optimization
Fixed wrap assassin baubles colliding with a solid func_brush bounding box outside BLU spawn
Removed the platform above the open choke of the last point
Added an additional path to the window overlooking the open choke of the last point
Fixed RED bots getting stuck on a solid fence outside the RED spawn
Fixed 3D skybox looking pitch black for players using mat_hdr_level 2
Did you know the construction of the Leaning Tower of Pisa was one hundred and ninety nine years late? Literally everyone alive when construction started was dead by the time it finished. So unless you're having this read to you from the bad side of a Ouija board, you made it out the other end of issue seven's historically-speaking-pretty-short seven year delay alive. Which isn't too bad.
And, honestly, we can think of another, much more popular project we're involved with that you're STILL waiting on: The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, which began construction in 1886 and still isn't done, and which the Spanish government hired us to write a delay-themed blog post about after seeing an early draft of the blog post you're reading right now.
Fixed Baby Face's Blaster's loss of boost not applying correctly (thanks Whurr and MilkMaster72)
Fixed the voice lines refusing to play sometimes
Updated pl_patagonia
Stage 1
Fixed the cart going under the elevator in extremely rare occasions (Thanks Shocked)
Fixed sometimes hearing outside soundscapes inside blue spawn
Fixed being able to build in a very high rooftop after point A
Fixed being able to build in blue spawn
Cart elevator is no longer the glitchiest thing in the universe
Fixed cart not rolling back after completing the elevator descent sequence
Now, if the cart is rolling into the elevator in overtime, the round timer will be set to 5 seconds left, to avoid unfair loses for blue. Timer will resume once the cart reaches the bottom (Thanks I. C. Wiener).
Stage 2
Removed rollback from the train container ramp in last point (Thanks b4nny)
Gave blue more high ground for last point
Added an additional dropdown for blue for last point
Fixed being able to be teleported into red spawn as blue after capping point A
Removed long hill rollback before point C
Fixed bots getting stuck on the closed train doors after cap B
Fixed being able to leave stickies inside blue last spawn
Fixed being able to get stuck in the point C shortcut door for red. If you get trapped, it will kill you.
Fixed a pop-in issue relating to areaportals below point B
Fixed being able to enter the last blue spawn as red
Birdie (Thanks Explocivo808)
Stage 3
Added a fenced section for the long wood cover wall in last point (Thanks b4nny)
Mirrored the window sniper spot in last point choke
Fixed being able to build behind a displacement rock wall in last point
Removed troll teleport spot in last point ending ramp
All Stages
Slightly lowered sun brightness and slightly raised skylight brightness
Improved skybox transitions
The cart no longer tries to defy the law of physics
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:
Happy Smissmas 2024!
All players who play TF2 during the event will receive a Stuffed Stocking as a gift! Stockings contain goodies for good little Mercenaries.
Featuring 6 new community maps: Overcast, Fortezza, Penguin Peak, Patagonia, Cutter, and Maul
Added the Winter 2024 Cosmetic Case
Contains 23 new community-contributed items
The Festivizer can be found as a bonus drop when opening the case
Added 3 new community-contributed taunts to the Mann Co. Store
Taunt: Fore-Head Slice
Taunt: Peace!
Taunt: Curtain Call
Added 18 new community-created Unusual effects
9 new effects for Unusual hats
9 new effects for Unusual taunts
All cosmetic and taunt cases will grant Smissmas 2024 Unusual effects instead of their normal Unusual effects during the event. This does not include crates.
Mann Co. Store winter sale!
Smissmas runs through January 7th, 2025
General
Fixed a client crash when previewing imported items in the Workshop dialog
Fixed showing an error model when equipping the Scottish Resistance
Fixed The Executioner not hiding the Scout's dog tags
Updated the Mountebank's Masque to fix a problem with the materials
Updated/Added some tournament medals
Updated vsh_distillery, vsh_nucleus, vsh_outburst, vsh_skirmish, and vsh_tinyrock
General
Added the gamemode intro movie (made by Lacry, thanks)
Improved the delivery of VSH-related voice lines for Soldier, Engineer and Sniper
Updated some VSH-related voice lines for Saxton, Soldier, Engineer and Sniper (thanks The Rat Man)
Added Hale's kill icons
Visual improvements to Hale's Ability HUD (thanks Funicular)
Added a visual cue signaling an upcoming Saxton Punch!
Minor visual improvements to Saxton Hale and his particle effects
Fixed the boss bar sometimes starting invisible
Fixed a rare crash caused by seeing blood decals on Hale while playing on low graphics quality settings
Fixed a rare bug when Hale's Ability HUD textures become missing
Balance Changes - Saxton Hale
Added Brave Jump Fatigue. Each consecutive jump will be less powerful, requiring a short break to restore to full strength
Weightdown ability is disabled during Jump Fatigue
Increased Hale's health by ~100HP per opponent
Adjusted Hale's health formula against 24+ opponents - Hale now gains 2000HP for every opponent past 23 (thanks Megascatterbomb)
Hale's resistance to knockback reduced from 75% to 35%
Head Stomp damage now scales with Hale's downward speed, dealing between 64 and 193 damage (previously dealt flat 195 damage)
Balance Changes - Mercenaries
Explosives and fire now deal 50% more damage against Hale
The 40% minigun damage penalty now applies to full crits only
Broken Demoman shields now retain the charge ability
Demoman shields now absorb only 50% of the incoming damage upon breaking (a would-be-lethal blow will leave the Demo at 1HP)
Greatly decreased sticky trap damage reduction
Removed Scottish Resistance's 20% damage penalty
Baby Face's Blaster now loses 20% of its boost upon Wall Climbing
Updated vsh_tinyrock (additional changes)
Improved performance
Fixed odd clipping at one of the spawns
Updated vsh_distillery (additional changes)
Improved performance
Updated vsh_nucleus (additional changes)
Fixed setup time ending five seconds too early
Improved detailing in some areas
Improved clipping on staircases
Increased control point capture time to 15 seconds
Removed collision on some lights
Changed damage model and damage amount of the toxic waste pit and puddles
Updated vsh_skirmish (additional changes)
Fixed setup time ending five seconds too early
Fixed an issue where Engineers could build in the crocodile pit
Fixed not being able to wall climb certain trees in the main arena
Fixed some lighting issues on stalactites and other props
Parts of Hale's intro sequence no longer play while waiting for players
Improved optimization and detailing in some areas
Improved clipping on spiral stairs (Thanks Aar!)
Updated security system
Updated cp_brew
The shortcut from RED spawn to the "A" point now has a nobuild trigger
Added floor indicator for the health kit in the "A" point wooden shack
Adjusted "A" point wooden shack to allow more breathing room
Fixed getting stuck on the "A" gate's frame
Fixed teletrap near "A" point ditch route
Fixed being able to place buildings inside an out-of-bounds room outside "A" point
Fixed some stuck spots near "B" point
Fixed being able to shoot through a crack in the BLU forward spawn
Fixed floating props in the diner
Fixed one way door not forcing itself closed
Cleaned up some collisions and clipping across the map
Improved lighting on all of the archways
Updated koth_krampus
Fixed missing trees in skybox
Improved look of waterfall texture near full health-kit
Fixed minor visual errors
Minor NPC clipping changes
Fed krampus some oats
Updated pl_emerge
Switched on the cart light
Fixed RED players being able to sit on the edge of an exit of BLU's starting spawn
Fixed some doors showing incorrect textures
Fixed the final capture point displaying an incorrect string
Fixed the map occasionally playing incorrect ambient sounds
Minor visual and performance tweaks
Updated cp_carrier
The Carrier now has full crits rather than mini-crits
The Carrier now uses the robot voice lines
Improved hearability of the Carrier's voice lines and footsteps
Fixed visual bugs with the boss bar
Fixed the Carrier sometimes becoming invisible while taunting
Fixed animation glitches when a Demoman Carrier holds a Stickybomb Launcher
Fixed occasional phasing through the elevator platform at BLU spawn
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