Team Fortress 2 Sniper & Spy Update Released

[modeps]

Wanna meet the Spy or the Sniper? Now you can, again, for the first time, since the last time. Valve has released (http://store.steampowered.com/news/2529/) their epic update to Team Fortress 2, which includes both Spy and Sniper updates. Awesome. If that wasn't incentive enough to check it out, don't forget about the free weekend, or the 50% off sale going on RIGHT NOW.

Hit that headline for full notes.

[modeps]

Full release notes:

Updates to Team Fortress 2 have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The specific changes include:

Maps

* Added new map, Pipeline. Pipeline is the first map in a new game mode named payload race, which uses two carts in each map instead of only one like traditional payload maps
* Added new arena map Sawmill
* Added new arena map Nucleus
* Added new community payload map Hoodoo
* Updated Dustbowl to fix not being able to jump into the window in the first building of the second stage


Sniper Changes

* Added new sniper rifle replacement, The Huntsman. Instead of a sniper rifle, you have a bow that allows you to move around faster while firing, and fire more quickly than the sniper rifle. Works better at medium range than the standard rifle
* Added new SMG replacement, Jarate. If thrown on an enemy they will take more damage for short period of time. Also extinguishes flames on yourself or allies
* Added new SMG replacement, The Razorback. Will protect you against a single spy backstab, and stun the spy for a short period of time. Comes with a 15% move speed penalty for the wearer
* Standard sniper rifle now shoots through friendly players
* Added 54 new Sniper voice lines
* Added 35 new Sniper achievements


Spy

* Added new revolver replacement, The Ambassador. First shot is very accurate and will cause a critical hit if it hits an enemy's head. Accuracy is poor for a period after that
* Added new watch replacement, the Dead Ringer. When armed, you will appear in all ways to die to the first damage you take from an enemy. You'll be cloaked for 8 second after taking this damage. Upon de-cloaking you'll make a loud, distinct sound
* Added new watch replacement, the Cloak and Dagger. Your cloak meter is only depleted when you move, so you can stay invisible indefinitely if you're standing still
* Spy name tags now show up properly when disguised as their own team
* Fixed a bug that would cause spectators to see disguise weapons incorrectly
* Fixed a bug where enemy spies disguised as friendly spies would have cigarettes that didn't burn
* Fixed a bug where overhealing disguised spies would show the wrong overhealing amount to the medic
* Made it more obvious on first person view model when your motion cloak is out of juice and you are partially visible
* Also made it more obvious on first person view model when you're bumped while cloaked
* Improved the way your disguise weapon is determined to make it clearer and fix a couple of rare issues
* Spies disguised as enemy spies now get a random mask to help complete the disguise, and their target id will be set appropriately
* Spies disguised as medics now have an Ubercharge: line in their disguise target info
* Spies outward facing "disguise health" now matches their disguise target when they first apply the disguise
* Spies can now pick up health kits for their "disguise health", even when uninjured
* Disguise UI doesn't show up in minimum UI mode (hud_minmode)
* Spies that disguise as a player using an unlockable now show that unlockable in hand
* Spies can now use enemy teleporters
* Added 70 new Spy voice lines
* Added 34 new Spy achievements


Scoreboard changes

* Dominations no longer get wiped when teams switch sides
* Dead players draw slightly darker in scoreboard
* Converted class labels to class icons
* All players now display the total number of people they are dominating


General

* You now find new and old items as you play, instead of through achievements
* Fixed a bug that would cause the scout's ball to regenerate at inappropriate times
* Demomen can now detonate their stickies while taunting
* Flamethrower's air burst now extinguishes fire on friendly targets
* Grenades and rockets deflected by a pyro under the effects of Kritzkrieg will now be criticals
* The Heavy and Sniper now have new custom death animations
* Fixed payload HUD not updating properly if you join in the middle of a match and the cart isn't moving
* Engineer's dispensers now give 20%, 30%, or 40% of player's max_ammo (for each ammo type) on each use, based on the level of the dispenser
* Added -sillygibs commandline parameter which will allow the non-violent gibs to be enabled
* Added a new taunt for the Kritzkrieg, which also heals for 10 points
* Improved the deathcam camera handling used when a player plays a custom death animation
* Added missing chalkboard and serverbrowser images for community maps shipped in previous updates
* Removed "Final" from map names in the serverbrowser quick list


Servers

* Added "sv_allow_voice_from_file" convar, which defaults to 1. When set to 0, it'll prevent clients from using the "voice_inputfromfile" feature to broadcast wav files over voice
* Enabled "sv_allow_wait_command" convar, which defaults to 1. When set to 0, it'll prevent clients from using the "wait" command

[Reo Strong]

Anybody else disgruntled about the drop system replacing the earning system for new weapons?

[modeps]

Anybody else disgruntled about the drop system replacing the earning system for new weapons?

No. This will curb the retarded rush to earn them by idiots.

[Chimp]

No. This will curb the retarded rush to earn them by idiots.

Well, before all of the idiots would congregate on Achievement servers and get them. Now, with the completely random nature of them the servers are full of snipers and spies, because everyone thinks you need to be that class to get the "drops."

They need to make some sort of change - I don't know what, but anything other than the current way.

[sgtslappy]

Well, before all of the idiots would congregate on Achievement servers and get them. Now, with the completely random nature of them the servers are full of snipers and spies, because everyone thinks you need to be that class to get the "drops."

They need to make some sort of change - I don't know what, but anything other than the current way.

Nah. The server I usually play on was Sniper and Spy for the first couple hours. Then they realized you don't need to be the specific class to get the unlocks, so the number of Spies and Sniper went down.

[MasterEvilAce]

Anybody else disgruntled about the drop system replacing the earning system for new weapons?

I like that I don't have to try to get all the achievements in a day in order to enjoy the awesome new unlocks.

But.. It's dumb that people are unlocking the same weapons they already have. Some guy has gotten 4 nataschas... what's the point in that? He could have had all the sniper unlocks and a spy unlock. It needs to unlock stuff you don't have before giving you 'repeats'

[Jotoco]

Got the cloack and dagger in 15min
haha

Update é awesome

[[GH-SC]Ryctor]

5 hours of playing and not a single unlock :/

[Chimp]

I'm about 12 hours of play in and have gotten Sandvich and Flare Gun....both of which I already had.

I actually wouldn't mind the system but for that one thing - they HAVE to change it so it only gives you items you don't already have. Otherwise, it's utterly retarded.

[Albinobees]

the repeats are so that you can trade with other players soon... i can link the info if you want, but i'm eating tacos right now, and i think we all know whats more important.

[Albinobees]

also, as a side note i've got like 3 sandwiches in my inventory....so

and linky! http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/58765

tacos were good btw