Team Fortress 2 update is devoid of hats, full of training and tips

By Griffin McElroy

The latest update to Valve's Team Fortress 2 is bizarrely characterized by what it doesn't contain: hats. No hats to be seen here, folks! Rather than stuff the patch with new, digital chapeaus, Valve has added somewhat beefier offerings, like a matchmaking system that sets up inexperienced players with a "Coach," new training exercises for the Spy, Engineer and Demoman, and a redesigning of the KOTH_Badlands map.

You can check out the full list of updates after the jump — though, if you're like us, you'll probably just peruse the list while hunting for any surreptitious Portal 2 ARG clues. They're everywhere, we tell you!

  • Added new map Koth_Badlands
  • Updated CP_Well
  • Spawn room by second cap for each time is now a one-way door
  • Updated Training
  • Added 3 new training courses for the Demoman, Engineer, and Spy
  • Added the Ready for Duty achievement for completing all of the training courses
  • Added a new system to associate dedicated servers with Steam accounts
  • Use the ConCommand "cl_gameserver_create_identity" in the Team Fortress 2 client console to create a server account using the currently logged in Steam account. This will generate values for "tf_server_identity_account_id" and "tf_server_identity_token"
  • Put the values for "tf_server_identity_account_id" and "tf_server_identity_token" into your server.cfg
  • Use the ConCommand "cl_gameserver_list" in the Team Fortress 2 client console to list all of the game server accounts owned by the currently logged in Steam account
  • Added a new system for coaching players

Added a new vote system

  • Server convars to control the vote system
  • sv_allow_votes : Allow voting?
  • sv_vote_failure_timer : A vote that fails cannot be voted on again during this period.
  • sv_vote_allow_specators : Allow spectators to vote?
  • sv_vote_issue_changelevel_allowed : Allow votes to change levels?
  • sv_vote_issue_kick_allowed : Allow votes to kick players from the server?
  • sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_allowed : Allow votes to set the next level?
  • sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_allowextend : Allow votes to extend the current map?
  • sv_vote_issue_restart_game_allowed : Allow votes to restart the game?
  • sv_vote_issue_scramble_teams_allowed : Allow votes to scramble the teams?
  • sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_choicesmode : Present players with a list of maps with the lowest playtimes to choose from?
  • sv_vote_kick_ban_duration : How long should a kick vote ban someone from the server? (in minutes)
  • dynamic model loading to improve performance

Combat Text changes

  • Added a new convar "hud_combattext_healing" to display the amount of healing done per second
  • Added bonus points to the items displayed using Combat Text
  • Starting position of values is now affected by range to target, making it easier to see numbers when next to targets
  • Updated voice to use the Steam voice codec to improve quality
  • Servers can toggle between the old codec and the new codec with the convar "sv_use_steam_voice", which defaults to 1.
  • Fixed not being able to see the correct colors for painted hats when running with DX8
  • Fixed not being able to see the | character in custom names and descriptions
  • Fixed a couple cases where custom sprays would not import correctly

Duel changes

  • The duel dialog has been extended to include class-specific duels in addition to the default duels
  • Duel badges now only show the number of wins a player has
  • Added Payload maps to Offline Practice
  • Fixed taunt kills made with a Katana not counting towards honorbound kills
  • Fixed a bug where killing a Katana wielder with a Katana was incorrectly causing an increased crit chance
  • Fixed infinite noisemakers exploit where noisemakers could continue to be used after their charges had run out
  • Improved the Medic overheal effect so it's more noticeable
  • Fixed func_build entities to respect the team value and prevent the associated team from building in the area

Items changes:

  • Added new "Sort by Rarity" option for sorting backpack items
  • Improved the backpack sorting algorithms
  • Added "styles" for the Ghastlier Gibus, Scotsman's Stove Pipe, Treasure Hat, Hat of Undeniable Wealth And Respect, and the Googly Gazer
  • Added paint preview to the preview section when shopping for hats
  • Updated the Googly Gazer to be paintable
  • Added new paint styles to the Pyromancer's Mask
  • Items in the action slot won't be swapped until returning to a supply cabinet
  • Replaced the no-crit attribute with -25% damage on the following: The Eyelander, The Gunslinger, The Southern Hospitality, The Powerjack (also added +20% melee vulnerability), The Horseless Headless Horseman's Headtaker, The Ullapool Caber, The Claidheamohmor
  • Dalokohs Bar – Removed item cool down meter and ammo count when using the Dalokohs Bar
  • Fists of Steel – Increase deploy times 20%, Ranged damage reduced 40% (down from 60%)
  • Loch-n-Load – Damage increased by 10%
  • Equalizer – Tuned high-end damage range so it's no longer possible to one-shot certain classes, Suppress the medic call effect while active
  • Battalion's Backup – Reduced rage generation rate by 50%
  • Concheror – Damage-to-health conversion increased to 35% (from 20%)
  • Mad Milk – Heal 60% of damage done (down from 75%)
  • Sun-on-a-Stick – Base damage lowered slightly but guarantees crits against burning players instead of mini-crits
  • Fan O' War – Marking someone for death now lasts 15 seconds (from 10 seconds)
  • Flaregun – Flares always crit burning targets, regardless of range
  • Backburner – Removed the restriction on airblast, Ammo cost increased 150% (4 blasts at full ammo), Damage bonus reduced to 10% (from 15%)
  • Sydney Sleeper: Charge rate increased 25%

Bot changes:

  • Added Spy TFBots. Spy bots have basic cloaking, diguising, sapping, and backstabbing behaviors now, and are ready to join the fight
  • TFBots understand the basics of the Payload scenario now, and will push the cart on offense, and try to stop the cart on defense
  • Added navigation meshes for pl_goldrush, pl_badwater, pl_upward, pl_thundermountain, and pl_hoodoo_final
  • Improved TFBot reactions to cloaked and/or disguised enemy Spies
  • Improved Demoman bot behaviors for planting sticky bomb traps
  • Demoman bots will now try to move to a safe spot and lob stickybombs onto enemy sentry nests to destroy them
  • Soldier bots switch to their shotgun after emptying their rocket launcher at close/medium range
  • TFBots will no longer hide from sapped or carried sentryguns
  • Engineer bots are better at moving their sentry gun nest as the scenario changes
  • Improved Sniper bot algorithm for finding good sniping spots for both Capture Point and Payload scenarios
  • Sniper bots will take opportunistic shots at targets while they move to their desired sniping spot
  • Fixed bug where Sniper bots would sometimes stand around in their spawn room doing nothing.
  • Improved TFBot ability to find a safe vantage spot to attack enemy sentry guns
  • TFBots will no longer try to use a teleporter entrance they can't actually reach
  • Added tf_bot_melee_only cvar. If set to 1, all TFBots will be restricted to only using their melee weapon

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