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14:33
Team Fortress 2 Robotic Boogaloo update adds 57 new items
PC Gamer
TF2Robot2
Image by R0B0CITRUS - http://steamcommunity.com/id/RetroCitrus/

Because sometimes you just need more rivets and scrap metal to get the job done. Team Fortress 2's latest content patch Robotic Boogaloo went live today, the first update forged entirely by the Valve shooter's own community. The update includes 57 new items, all of which we're told are totally new and completely non-derivative. The new item set includes some strange and wonderful mechanical hats, at least one of which is a delicious metal hot dog.

The new items are only available from RoboCrates, which can be accessed with the appropriately named, $2.49 tradable RoboCrate key. The RoboCrates themselves become rare drops in the free-to-play game starting June 3, according to the official TF2 website. Also, in what the website reports is a first for game's expansive economy, all content creators who contributed to Robotic Boogaloo will share in the revenue from the sale of RoboCrate keys.

Since we may be halfway to becoming robots ourselves, this new patch seems apropos. For a taste of the new content's eclectic robot style, check out the community-made trailer below or the update's included comic, DEATH OF A SALESBOT.

11:07
The First Entirely Community-Created Update is LIVE!
TF2 Blog


When we first launched the Workshop back in 2011, we had no idea what the TF2 community was capable of. As the hats, beards, boots and hairdos started rolling in, we realized there was a huge well of creativity out there. But we didn’t appreciate just how deep those waters ran until the community-made updates started appearing. Now we've finally gotten to the point where we're able to shine a well-deserved spotlight on your efforts, starting with the Robotic Boogaloo Update, which includes 57 new items—the most community items we've ever shipped at once. Currently the items are only available in RoboCrates. RoboCrates will become rare drops after June 3rd.


This update is 100% created by the TF2 community. And when we say everything, we mean everything—the in-game content, the update hub website, the animated short, the comic, even the splash images in the Steam store. Even better, everything you created avoided the classic trap of using other companies’ intellectual property. (Those of you working on a Darth Vader Pyro mask, we've got some bad news for you.) Plus, in a first for the Team Fortress economy, all the creators of the Robotic Boogaloo Update have decided to share the revenue earned from the sale of RoboCrate Keys. That means that everyone involved will be profiting from this update, not just the people making hats.


This doesn't mark the end of Valve-produced TF2 updates, by the way. As far as we’re concerned, there's plenty of room for both to happily co-exist. We're in uncharted territory here, and it's exciting to be exploring it with you. Amazing work, everyone!


10:54
Team Fortress 2 Update Released
Product Update - Valve
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:


Source Engine Changes
  • Fixed server CPU spikes caused by compression of string tables and packets.
  • Added sv_netspike, sv_netspike_sendtime_ms, and sv_netspike_output convars for investigating server performance
  • net_compresspackets_minsize default value increased to 1024. This convar now also determines the threshold to determine when a "fragment" (logical game network message, before being broken up into network packets) is compressed.
  • Added vprof_vtrace and vprof_report_oninterval convars, and tweaked vprof_dump_spikes and vprof_dump_oninterval to reduce output

Team Fortress 2
  • Added the Robotic Boogaloo community update: http://www.teamfortress.com/roboticboogaloo/
  • Fixed a chat exploit that would cause other clients to timeout from dedicated servers
  • Updated the Mann Co. Store
    • Added RoboCrate Keys
    • Added A Random RoboKey Gift
    • Added Pile of RoboKey Gifts
    • Backpack Expanders on sale at 80% off
  • Updated the localization files
10:54
Team Fortress 2 Update Released
TF2 Blog
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:
Source Engine Changes
  • Fixed server CPU spikes caused by compression of string tables and packets.
  • Added sv_netspike, sv_netspike_sendtime_ms, and sv_netspike_output convars for investigating server performance
  • net_compresspackets_minsize default value increased to 1024. This convar now also determines the threshold to determine when a "fragment" (logical game network message, before being broken up into network packets) is compressed.
  • Added vprof_vtrace and vprof_report_oninterval convars, and tweaked vprof_dump_spikes and vprof_dump_oninterval to reduce output
Team Fortress 2
  • Added the Robotic Boogaloo community update: http://www.teamfortress.com/roboticboogaloo/
  • Fixed a chat exploit that would cause other clients to timeout from dedicated servers
  • Updated the Mann Co. Store
    • Added RoboCrate Keys
    • Added A Random RoboKey Gift
    • Added Pile of RoboKey Gifts
    • Backpack Expanders on sale at 80% off
  • Updated the localization files
May 15, 2013
Steam Trading Cards releases in beta, introduces game badges, XP, and leveling
PC Gamer
steam trading cards


If you don't have beta participation turned on in your Steam settings, go do that so you can start collecting trading cards, earning XP, and leveling up. Yup, Steam just got gamified.

The games participating in the Trading Cards beta are Don't Starve, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Team Fortress 2, Portal 2, and Half-Life 2, and "up to half the card set" for each can be earned by playing them. The other half of each set is "earned through your collecting prowess," which presumably means trading with Steam users who got different drops.

Once you collect a complete set, you'll be able to craft a game badge which will appear on your profile and unlock "marketable items like emoticons, profile backgrounds, and coupons." Badges can be leveled up by collecting the required trading cards again, and all badges—including any you already have—now give you XP which contributes to your "Steam Level." Leveling up has its own benefits, awarding you "non-tradable items like profile showcases, extra friends list slots, and more."

Now that playing games on Steam is a game, are you bothered that someone out there is already beating you? If so, the PC Gamer Steam group may be a good place to start looking for trades.
May 15, 2013
Steam Trading Cards releases in beta, introduces game badges, XP, and leveling
PC Gamer
steam trading cards


Join the Steam Trading Cards group on Steam to score a beta invite so you can start collecting trading cards, earning XP, and leveling up—yup, Steam just got gamified.

The games participating in the Trading Cards beta are Don't Starve, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Team Fortress 2, Portal 2, and Half-Life 2, and up to half of the new virtual trading cards for each can be earned by playing them. The other half of each set is earned "through your collecting prowess," which presumably means trading with Steam users who got different drops.

Once you collect a complete set, you'll be able to craft a game badge which will appear on your profile and unlock "marketable items like emoticons, profile backgrounds, and coupons." Badges can be leveled up by collecting the required trading cards again, and all badges—including any you already have—now give you XP which contributes to your "Steam Level." Leveling up has its own benefits, awarding you "non-tradable items like profile showcases, extra friends list slots, and more."

Now that playing games on Steam is a game, are you bothered that someone out there is already beating you? If so, the PC Gamer Steam group may be a good place to start looking for trades.
May 15, 2013
Valve launches 'Steam Trading Cards' in beta
Shacknews - Steve Watts

What do you do when your platform already sells and launches video games? Make the platform itself a video game, naturally. Valve announced the beta launch of "Steam Trading Cards" today. The collectible meta-game lets you upgrade your Steam profile by playing games and collecting and trading their associated (virtual) cards.

The trading card system earns you cards for playing supported games, along with collecting and trading. Once you earn enough, you can craft a game badge, which can be used to earn rewards like profile backgrounds, emoticons, and Steam coupons. This also adds a leveling mechanic to your badges, in which you can earn XP to earn rewards like extra friends list slots and profile showcases. Joining the Trading Cards group will put you in a queue to get into the beta, and Valve will be allowing people into it in waves.

So far, the beta supports Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Don't Starve, Half-Life 2, Portal 2, and Team Fortress 2. Valve promises it will expand to more games in the coming months. You can check out the FAQ for more details.

May 14, 2013
Team Fortress 2 Update Released
TF2 Blog
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:
  • Added a missing material for the UGC medals
  • Added server convars related to investigating server network and CPU utilization:
    • sv_netspike
    • sv_netspike_sendtime_ms
    • sv_netspike_output
Notes missed from yesterday's update:
  • Added player avatars to the votekick menu
  • Added -insert_search_path command line argument
  • Fixed deflected Cow Mangler 5000 projectiles doing full critical damage instead of minicrit damage like other deflected projectiles
May 14, 2013
Team Fortress 2 Update Released
Product Update - Valve
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:

  • Added a missing material for the UGC medals
  • Added server convars related to investigating server network and CPU utilization:
    • sv_netspike
    • sv_netspike_sendtime_ms
    • sv_netspike_output
Notes missed from yesterday's update:
  • Added player avatars to the votekick menu
  • Added -insert_search_path command line argument
  • Fixed deflected Cow Mangler 5000 projectiles doing full critical damage instead of minicrit damage like other deflected projectiles
May 13, 2013
Team Fortress 2 Update Released
TF2 Blog
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:
  • Added UGC Highlander Season 9 and UGC 6vs6 Season 11 medals
  • Fixed the Botkiller Sniper Rifle, Rocket Launcher and Spy Knife weapons using incorrect team materials for the arms
  • Fixed a bug that allowed level 3 mini-sentries in Mann Vs. Machine mode
  • Fixed a problem where underwater explosions would cause graphics corruption
  • Fixed an issue with HDR rendering where auto-exposure would vary incorrectly in some areas
  • Fixed an issue where objects underwater would not render properly
  • Fixed incorrect ellipsizing of text in some cases for the Mac version
  • Updated the Phlogistinator to reduce the rate for gaining MMMPH when attacking tanks and robots in Mann Vs. Machine mode
  • Updated the Tuxxy tuxedo so it can be crafted
  • Updated The Wilson Weave and The Ham Shank so they can be crafted, traded and gift-wrapped
  • Updated the console so it can be accessed from the terminal that was used to run the game for the Linux and Mac versions
  • Updated the Linux version
    • Fixed triggers never registering as "released" on certain game controllers
    • Fixed clipboard issues on some window managers, most notably KDE
    • Fixed a bug where the map list would be reversed
    • Made loading custom fonts for third party HUDs work on certain fonts
...

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