TF2 First Screen and Press Release

[bapenguin]

Valve sends along the first official screenshot of Team Fortress 2. Well...the first official screenshot of the new TF2.

Team Fortress 2, an all-new version of the title that spawned team based multiplayer action games, features the most advanced graphics of any Source-based game released to date. Players choose from a range of unique character classes such as medic, spy, sniper, or engineer and must work together to complete a variety of tactical objectives.

Full Press Release Inside (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?p=343868#post343868).


http://www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/tf2/thumb.tf2.jpg (http://www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/image.php?image=www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/tf2/tf2.jpg)

[bapenguin]

VALVE REVEALS NEW DETAILS ON EPISODE TWO

Includes Team Fortress 2 and Portal, Heading To PC and Next Gen Console

Bellevue, WA, July 14, 2006 - Valve®, developer of the blockbuster series Half-Life® and Counter-StrikeTM, unveiled Team Fortress® 2 and Portal, two new games to be included in its next release, Half-Life® 2: Episode Two. In addition, the studio announced its plans to deliver these products, plus enhanced versions of Half-Life 2 and Episode One, in one tremendous package for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

"By evolving our development process to an episodic approach, we're able to reduce risk from things such as schedule and funding and invest more in new types of gameplay," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "This allows us to produce innovative titles such as Portal and Team Fortress 2 and deliver them in a timely fashion to customers along with Episode Two."

Episode Two advances the 16-million unit selling franchise, as Valve's trilogy of episodic single player releases continues the award-winning story of Half-Life 2. Armed with new weaponry and vehicles, Dr. Gordon Freeman must race through a countryside riddled with an increasingly feirce Combine threat.

Team Fortress 2, an all-new version of the title that spawned team based multiplayer action games, features the most advanced graphics of any Source-based game released to date. Players choose from a range of unique character classes such as medic, spy, sniper, or engineer and must work together to complete a variety of tactical objectives.

Portal is a new type of single player game that changes how players approach, manipulate, and surmise the possibilities in a given environment in a manner similar to how the Gravity Gun changed our approach to how an object may be leveraged in any given situation.

Team Fortress 2 and Portal will be included with all retail and Steam versions of Episode Two for the PC. In addition, these products plus Half-Life 2 and Episode One will be available in one tremendous offering for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. New videos from Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 will be released next week.

About Half-Life 2

Half-Life 2 has been named Game of the Year by over 35 organizations and sold over four million copies worldwide. The intense, real-time gameplay delivered in the Half-Life 2 games and Team Fortress 2 is made possible only by Source, Valve's proprietary engine technology.

[Varsity]

Previous discussion here (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15049). The verdict so far: shithot.

[Mozgus]

Previous discussion here (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15049). The verdict so far: shithot.
The majority seem to accept the fact that TFC isn't built around realism, and that this visual style suits it. The rest will either come around, or we'll be too busy playing TF2 to miss their whiny, insecure, 12-year-old voices on Steam.

I vote shithot.

[Heretic Machine]

Is it just me, or does that screenshot make them all look action-figure sized?

Also: Shithot.

[ttoastt]

That's pretty awesome, it reminds me of NOLF in a way.

[slink-jadranko]

That is incredibly awesome, not only the Incredibles style art, but the fact we'll be getting it free, along with Portal and engine enhancements to Ep 1 along with it. I am liking Valve more and more all the time.

[Mr.Green]

Wicked. Cool.

In this era where every online shooter tries to be more realistic than the one before it's a breathe of fresh air. Ballsy move Valve!

[Lord Nerdious]

I have a confession, I have never played a Half-Life. And this announcement has me all giddy.

[Heretic Machine]

I have a confession, I have never played a Half-Life. And this announcement has me all giddy.

Then you need to go buy Half-life 2: GOTY. It has Half-life: Source, Counter-strike: Source, Half-life 2, and Half-life 2: Deathmatch on it. I don't think the original Half-life is anything special, but it is there if you want to play it. Half-life 2 on the other hand, is one of the best games I've ever played.

[Orosco]

Is it just me, or does that screenshot make them all look action-figure sized?

Yeah, looks the same to me too, reminds me of those action figures from that movie Small Soldiers. Looks great though, glad to see its still alive.

[Varsity]

Then you need to go buy Half-life 2: GOTY. It has Half-life: Source, Counter-strike: Source, Half-life 2, and Half-life 2: Deathmatch on it.
Or even better, this (http://storefront.steampowered.com/v2/index.php?area=package&SubId=81). Very much worth the money.

[Lord Nerdious]

Or... I could wait for this packacge to be released. Because I don't have a computer even close to running HL2.

[Lord Nerdious]

Acctually let me rephrase that, I'm running a 450Mhz Apple G3.

[mpsmith]

So apparently I'm the only one who thinks it's stupid. The original TF wasn't built around realism, but the second one was supposed to be the most realistic multiplayer combat game of its time. I guess they figured they couldn't compete with BF2 and the like in the realistic/semi-realistic shooters.

[Lunar Blue]

Seems like i wasn't the only one who thought of Incredibles when they saw the shot :D

[Vermillion]

Looks awesome. But will everyone play it on PC, or will there be any 360/PS3 takers?

Flamethrower man FTW!

[saulob]

So apparently I'm the only one who thinks it's stupid. The original TF wasn't built around realism, but the second one was supposed to be the most realistic multiplayer combat game of its time. I guess they figured they couldn't compete with BF2 and the like in the realistic/semi-realistic shooters.

I think it's easier to them.

They are running away from BF2 and the realistic game...

But I liked the picture/style.

[thecrazyd]

So apparently I'm the only one who thinks it's stupid. The original TF wasn't built around realism, but the second one was supposed to be the most realistic multiplayer combat game of its time. I guess they figured they couldn't compete with BF2 and the like in the realistic/semi-realistic shooters.
So this is stupid because it doesn't match up with screenshots from seven years ago? And trying something new to differentiate them from the crop is stupid? This is much more fitting to the TF name.

[Varsity]

If it was between another BF2 and another TF, they goddamn well made the right choice.

[dark_inchworm]

I guess they figured they couldn't compete with BF2 and the like in the realistic/semi-realistic shooters.

Or maybe they didn't feel it was right for one of their next contributions to the game industry to be a war game with boring, cliche visuals.

[TheDancinMan]

Not gonna lie. I did a little dance when I saw this.


Shithot indeed.

[Wadmaasi]

I think it looks like The Outfit, but with cel shading.

[Beelzebud]

OMG that looks so cool. I can't wait to play TF2!!

I always loved playing Engineer, I can't wait to see his turrets. :)

[michaelwhite]

"I always loved playing Engineer, I can't wait to see his turrets."

Say hello to my little friend! Did I mention I was a deadly engineer in my TFC days?

[Varsity]

I always loved playing Engineer, I can't wait to see his turrets. :)
Innuendosense...tingling.

waitasec-

[Beelzebud]

Ok for everyone that wasn't alive when Team Fortress was a Quake mod:

Team Fortress got its start as a cartoonish mod. It was never realistic. So the argument about "Is this a good move" is silly, because Team Fortress was ALWAYS cartoonish.

[fndarkone]

Ok for everyone that wasn't alive when Team Fortress was a Quake mod
wow. it came out august 24 1996 according to wikipedia. i dont think there are any 9 year olds on on this board.

ive never liked the cel shaded look. ill try this game out, im sure. i played the hl2 mod of teamfortress but i didnt play it that much because it wasnt that exciting.

[Varsity]

There is no HL2 mod of Team Fortress, yet.

[Evil_SPanKY]

TF2...w00t!

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

Not to be rude but anyone mad about it not being realistic is pretty stupid. Im not gonna bother saying anymore because its been said by other people.

As for the news... shithot indeed!

[ShankTheChicken]

Just awesome looking. I am completely bored with the "realism" art style employed by games like BF2. In addition to being stylish, the characters are very distinctive, so you will know exactly what is running at you on the battlefield at a single glance (spies excepted). My main wonder is whether the game will still include the progressive maps they talked about several years ago, where the outcome of one match affected the next. I also hope to see the old classic maps such as 2Fort make a return.

Bravo on the changes, Valve. You will have my money. I wonder if EBGames will still accept my TF2 pre-order ticket from 1998?

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

"...enhanced versions of Half-Life 2 and Episode One"

Im assuming these will be given to PC owners in the form of a free update.

[Varsity]

Im assuming these will be given to PC owners in the form of a free update.
Yes yes, all coming to PC through Steam.

[gspot]

I don't think the original Half-life is anything special, but it is there if you want to play it.
Blasphemy
Too short

[thecrazyd]

I am hoping for a The Hunted game mode.

[Captain Awesome]

Just awesome looking. I am completely bored with the "realism" art style employed by games like BF2. In addition to being stylish, the characters are very distinctive, so you will know exactly what is running at you on the battlefield at a single glance (spies excepted). My main wonder is whether the game will still include the progressive maps they talked about several years ago, where the outcome of one match affected the next. I also hope to see the old classic maps such as 2Fort make a return.

Bravo on the changes, Valve. You will have my money. I wonder if EBGames will still accept my TF2 pre-order ticket from 1998?

Same here, im wondering that while they implemented this very cool art style. If alot of the original game designs intended years ago for TF2 would still be intact? Remember the talk of some of those new grenades/gadgets and how the engineer could build a sentry gun and carry it and move it around as he pleased?

The demolitions guy could blow most walls on most of the maps too or something to that effect.

[ShankTheChicken]

I am hoping for a The Hunted game mode.

I forgot all about that mode. Underplayed, lots of fun. People complained when they got stuck as the VIP but I thought it was a blast to club people to death with an umbrella.

[Mason]

So apparently I'm the only one who thinks it's stupid. The original TF wasn't built around realism, but the second one was supposed to be the most realistic multiplayer combat game of its time. I guess they figured they couldn't compete with BF2 and the like in the realistic/semi-realistic shooters.
The original TF2 was going to tread pretty close to the territory that CS/DoD had already covered, and while it all sounded pretty cool, it didn't really add enough unique facets, and lost everything that made TFC great in the first place.

It isn't a matter of Valve being unable to compete (have they ever lost?), but rather not trying to force another entry into an oversaturated market. The medium-scale unrealistic/zany online shooters used to rule the roost, but haven't seen a really serious entry since UT2k4. The timing is right, and if UT2k7 doesn't offer much beyond graphical innovation, it'll be a pretty clear playing field. Plus, lots of us have fond TFC memories, and getting a (shithot) graphical update and gameplay refinement will be very welcome.

[Varsity]

I'm going to be sending an interview off to Gabe later today for the next EA podcast. If anyone has any questions, post them within the next hour!

[motor]

I think I'm going to buy Shadowrun instead.

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[mpsmith]

You who claim TF wasn't realistic are correct, in that it wasn't realistic, but you seem to be forgetting that hardly anything was realistic then. TF was as realistic as anything else (save R6) at the time, and it was certainly NOT cartoonish. I guess I just don't like cartoons (non-anime on Adult Swim excepted).

[edit] original TF2 screens:
http://www.gamesurge.com/pc/tf2/index.htm

[RMan]

That’s just awesome. I was mildly interested in the game, but the art style has actually kicked it up to my #1 most anticipated shooter. Even without the mention of vehicles (which would be nice) the art style ensures the classes will be easily recognizable, as well as allowing far more versatility in the rules/mechanics of the game. I likely played Q3F the most, but it still offered some of the best MP experiences ever for me, definitely looking forward to this one.

[Captain Awesome]

I'm going to be sending an interview off to Gabe later today for the next EA podcast. If anyone has any questions, post them within the next hour!

http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showpost.php?p=344016&postcount=37

[Beelzebud]

You who claim TF wasn't realistic are correct, in that it wasn't realistic, but you seem to be forgetting that hardly anything was realistic then. TF was as realistic as anything else (save R6) at the time, and it was certainly NOT cartoonish. I guess I just don't like cartoons (non-anime on Adult Swim excepted).

[edit] original TF2 screens:
http://www.gamesurge.com/pc/tf2/index.htm

Well see there you go. Those are screenshots from the unreleased version of TF2 that valve never finished.

Go look at the original Team Fortress for Quake and tell me that it wasn't cartoonish. In fact, go look at TFC for the HL1 engine, and tell me those characters are not cartoonish.

[RMan]

Yea, the unreleased TF2 stuff was likely more the result of using HL/CS resources than a well thought out art style (path of least resistance thing). Regardless, the new style is WAY better and I've no doubt it's a far better move than releasing yet another quasi-realistic FPS.

[digitalErich]

I'm going to be sending an interview off to Gabe later today for the next EA podcast. If anyone has any questions, post them within the next hour!
Ask if the Blue team is just a pallet swap or if they have different models.

[John Mirra]

I don't know who that masked man with the suit is, but he is so the class I'm going to play.

I'm really liking how varied the models are looking, too. Unlike The Ship, this game has an artstyle I quite like.

[thecrazyd]

I don't know who that masked man with the suit is, but he is so the class I'm going to play.
The spy!.......

[Varsity]

Ask if the Blue team is just a pallet swap or if they have different models.
Too late, sorry. We'll probably find out next week.

[digitalErich]

Too late, sorry. We'll probably find out next week.
np...I's sure it will be apparent in the gameplay videos they'll be releasing. I'm looking foward to the interview.

[jeffbax]

A realistic TF would piss me off so bad. I still play it for Quake 1. I hope its better than TFC though, I really thought they fell from glory compared to TF Quake... maybe it was the physics, Quake was just more visceral.

[Liquidize105]

It looks like a collage of subjects from different eras, and the toy soldier motif's a nice touch.

Wonder how much Epis2 would cost, not that it matters that much. This basically flips the switch in a lot of people's heads.

[jacktion]

This looks amazing. The art style gives me a large chubby. It looks like my free time might go into this. so sad.

[Montolio]

I'll gladly toss down some money for the 360 all-in-one package. This is a nice surprise from Valve and although I knew we would most likely see HL2 on 360, I didn't realize we would be getting everything and the kitchen sink! The art direction for TF2 is so on and should be a blast.

[Xerxes]

Valve found away to sell HL2 on the xbox 360, again(xbox).

[Taco]

I rarely like the toon look, but this looks great to me.

[Royal Fool]

Wow, they weren't kidding when they said it looked cool. I'm sure The Incredibles was an inspiration for them (Pixar's coolest movie IMO) and I totally love that look. Exagerrated and crazy-looking!

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

Id prefer thinking of it as Toy Soldiers. I really didnt like The Incredibles, so much so I didnt finish it.

[Deadend]

I think the new graphical style is a better fit to how the TF games PLAYED. The scout can run inhumanly fast, characters are using grenades and rockets to boost their jumps, pyros light people on fire... who then stop burning. Medics heal people by whacking them with a medic kit and a headshot from a sniper makes people EXPLODE!

Now, just think about all that craziness... with realistic looking models. To me, if it looked HL2 quality on realism, but still played the old way, the game would feel like a complete mess, as the artists want to have the future of gritty, but the designers want a unrealistic game.

Also, this way the game will age much better, as you can always out-realism someone, but outstyling takes much more work.

[Karmakaze]

My only concern is that this will just end up being another port of TF to a new engine with better gfx, and the gameplay won't be revised much.

*IF* the original TF2 had shipped in time, it would've been awesome, but now I agree with games like BF2, OFP, RO:OST the semi- to sim- realism range is basically covered, though not with some of the almost MMO-esque features they were planning.

But, since this is no longer a stand-alone game, basically just another Valve-created mod for ep2, I'm not expecting anything earth-shattering other than the new visuals. Just hope if that's the case it plays more like TF than TFC.

[Mozgus]

Id prefer thinking of it as Toy Soldiers. I really didnt like The Incredibles, so much so I didnt finish it.
You are a broken man. Incredibles was a fantastic movie.

[bean19]

Team Fortress was the first game to get me into FPS clan play. Though I'm not playing anything in a clan anymore, I've spent years enjoying high-level FPS competition with TFC, Counter-Strike, & UT2K4.

That piece of shit Battlefield 2 is what everyone in my guild is playing now. Occassionally, I come on as a ringer pilot when they need someone, but I freaking hate that unbalanced tripe. I played the next iteration at E3, and while the controls were really difficult for flight without my joystick, it was still fairly simple to own everyone - even the mechs.

Anyway, this has me incredibly excited. . . though it looks like it is just going to be an art update, that's really just fine with me. The game itself is fantastic. I just hope that I can learn to double conc, and hh conc again. I played it about six months ago and was only hitting the difficult concs about 25% of the time.

[thFOOL]

Id prefer thinking of it as Toy Soldiers. I really didnt like The Incredibles, so much so I didnt finish it.

Shut.

up.

First I read someone 'didn't think much' of Half Life one, and now this.

[The Continental]

Keep in mind this isn't called TFC2, it's TF2, the true successor to Team Fortress from the original game's developers (Robin Walker and John Cook). TF is arguably the most ported/copied mod in history, as a result I'd be absolutely shocked if this was simply a port of TFC to the new engine with some updated art. I'm hoping against hope that this will truly build on the core TF gameplay an add an entirely new dimension to it.

[snugglebearofdeath]

I'm diggin' it.

"It's like a sore penis, ya just can't beat it." comes to mind.

[saulob]

Is this the village people ?!

[GoblinToe]

Those screenshots look like CRAP. They went in the completely wrong art direction for my tastes.

I loved Team Fortress, but those screenshots don't impress one bit.

Anyhow, it would take the game of the century for me to install Steam again, so the point is moot.

[thecrazyd]

Those screenshots look like CRAP. They went in the completely wrong art direction for my tastes.

I loved Team Fortress, but those screenshots don't impress one bit.

Anyhow, it would take the game of the century for me to install Steam again, so the point is moot.
So you are a dumbass. Acknowledged.

[Mozgus]

Those screenshots look like CRAP. They went in the completely wrong art direction for my tastes.

I loved Team Fortress, but those screenshots don't impress one bit.

Anyhow, it would take the game of the century for me to install Steam again, so the point is moot.
ScreenshotS?? I only see one. We're you looking at the TF Alpha shots from like 6 years ago? You moron... :D

[Captain Awesome]

Anyhow, it would take the game of the century for me to install Steam again, so the point is moot.

It sounds like no matter what, you intended to dislike it regardless. Either way, I wont be missing you on Steam :D

[Varsity]

Valve have actually got a pretty good filtering system set up: bigots hate Steam, and CS captures most of the morons (not to imply that ALL CS players are morons). The rest of the games live largely in a happy niche, and CZ remains for anyone normal who still likes CS.

[gspot]

I am hoping for a The Hunted game mode.
I would be all over someThe Hunted: Source action

[Varsity]

EXCUSE ME, I'm in need of MEDICAL ATTENTION! :D

[Evil Avatar]

I think I'm going to buy Shadowrun instead.



Huh. I didn't think it was possible to smoke that much dope and live.

[wichenroder]

I don't think the original Half-life is anything special

..huh?

Half Life was and still is awesome. Apart from winning everything and setting the grounds for HL2, I played it recently and it held up just fine.

[BenN1ce]

I think I'm going to buy Shadowrun instead.



Dude..April 1st was a while ago.

[Jasonp107]

While it's certainly understandable not to *like* half-life, I think it would be hard to argue that the first game wasn't groundbreaking by most standards and in most ways.

Even if the plot of Half-Life itself was more or less cookie cutter (which, come on - escape from weird dimension-x science experiment?), it at least suggested the idea of using plots in first person shooters, departed significantly from the stacked-level design DOOM popularized, and had a phenominal level design throughout, and encouraged and fostered one of the most active mod communities to date.

Not insignificant imho - I just think there's a distinction to be made between important and likable.

[Heretic Machine]

..huh?

Half Life was and still is awesome. Apart from winning everything and setting the grounds for HL2, I played it recently and it held up just fine.

Say what you want, it couldn't hold my interest. I'm a retro gamer, so the graphics didn't bother me. But the gameplay and the story just didn't do much for me.

[space egg bret]

Holy shit, I'm very excited about this game! The characters look awesome as hell and very distinct from each other. Cant wait to see that gunner lumbering around the battlefield. I wonder what the maps will look like!

[bean19]

Say what you want, it couldn't hold my interest. I'm a retro gamer, so the graphics didn't bother me. But the gameplay and the story just didn't do much for me.

Wow. . . are you sure you gave it enough time? Certainly it was much more exceptional when it came out than it is today (in a lot of different ways - both technical and in game story-telling), but it is nearly universally adored by gamers.

This isn't just a weird sacred cow that hasn't survived the test of time (like the works of Dickens), Half-Life was ground-breaking and incredibly good.

[aversion2k]

wow. it came out august 24 1996 according to wikipedia. i dont think there are any 9 year olds on on this board.

ive never liked the cel shaded look. ill try this game out, im sure. i played the hl2 mod of teamfortress but i didnt play it that much because it wasnt that exciting.

9 years ago... :( Oh man I'm old

[Panda Love]

Shithot is the only word that comes close.

[JawaSnack]

Shithot...

[Shifteh]

Oh man, I began my clan career on QTF, but Team Fortress 'Classic' was fucking terrible.

This may just redeem Valves attempts at it, in my eyes.

"Fire in the morning, fire in the evening, fire at suppertime."

[Shifteh]

Flamethrower man FTW!


Flame-... flamethrower man?!

Kids these days, I swear.

[MachDelta]

I dunno weather to clap or cry. A new TF game is a definite woohoo. Unfortunatly, I just know it'll be missing ALL the awesome toys and features I loved in Unreal Fortress... Customizable/Upgradable sentry guns. Awards. Sniper camo. A Heavy Gunner class that didn't completely suck (rocket packs + computer assisted targeting on a phatass cannon = mega asskickery). Claymore mines. Directing mortar fire. Flashbangs. Deployable cameras and motion sensors. Biogas grenades. The EMP rod. Homing rockets. Team colored rocket trails. Smoke grenades. An Arsonist class (Pyro) that didn't suck. Ugh... I could go on for ages. That game friggin rocked, and that little community around it friggin rocked. Damn do I miss it. :(

Oh well, i'll probably still check out TF2. :p