Team Fortress 2

Should you ever feel the need to propose to that special someone in the middle of a game of Team Fortress 2, you can now do just that, after developers Valve added an official wedding ring to the game.

It's called the Something Special For Someone Special, and is available as a crafted item. It was added as part of a December 19 update to the game.

If you want to use it to actually propose, great! If not, I'm sure machinima creators will put it to good use.

Ladies, brace yourselves. Secret wedding ring item added to Team Fortress 2 [PC Gamer]

Done with that Zynga story? Thought that was all the economics you were getting today? Nope. While he's not recommending investor action, writer Paul Manwaring did some number crunching and conservatively valued Team Fortress 2's unique items economy at, oh, about $50 million.

Now, that's not $50 million in real money that Valve has either made, or has been invested by gamers into a system and is floating around loose somewhere. Hats and unique items are found by unlocking crates, crates are unlocked with keys, and keys can be acquired for free, basically at the equivalence of 18 dropped weapons to one key. (They may also be bought for actual money, too.) This is a valuation, nothing more.

Manwaring examined the statistics kept (and made public) for TF2 and, long story short, finds that a community of 30,000 concurrent players each day in TF2 on Steam is injecting $1.54 million worth of "refined metal" into this virtual economy each week. Refined metal is what creates a key. Since the hat economy began in May 2009, Manwaring estimates that "we can be confident in a minimum figure of $52.7 million," as its valuation, "without even taking into account weapons bought in the store, promotional items and more. The true figure is probably double this."

I highly recommend you read Manwaring's entire post. Again, it's not money in Valve's bank account. But it is another way to characterize the enthusiasm and time investment Team Fortress 2's dedicated players sink into the game.

The $50 Million Virtual Millinery [Paul Manwaring, for The Online Society]

I celebrate Australian Christmas with cold beer and barbecued meat. Valve, well, Valve celebrate it a little differently. In 2010 they took Team Fortress 2 all medieval, and in 2011, they're sending it into space.

Continuing a partnership began earlier this year, the first items coming as part of the festive update are from WETA's Dr. Grordbort, giving the Engineer some new weapons and tools and the Pyro just some new weapons. All of which look amazing.

There are the customary comics as well, the Pyro's prominence thus far giving fans hope that this Christmas, finally, may be the time we get to Meet the Pyro. And get some questions answered.

Australian Christmas

[Team Fortress 2]

Prop builder Zander Brandt, whose awesome Mass Effect rifle we've featured previously, has for his next project done something a little faster, a little more obnoxious.

It's the Force-A-Nature, one of the best weapons available for Team Fortress 2's Scout.

While it may not be one of Team Fortress 2's more memorable weapons, that doesn't make this replica any less impressive. I love the gloss effect, giving it that cartoon shine, just like the game.

The cosplay modelling is also a cute touch.

Team Fortress 2: Force a' Nature [Zander Brandt]

It shouldn't be hard to guess who it is, either. Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson was invited to play in Team Fortress 2's third Mixup event. Playing on RED, he was teamed with Valve's Jon Lippincott and Cobalt's Daniel Brynolf (against a BLU comprising filmmaker Freddy Wong, Valve's Robin Walker, and others). After Notch collected the "Primeval Warrior" medal in a later game, Walker also presented him with the "Top Notch" hat.

As described by the Team Fortress 2 wiki, the hat is a cardboard box that resemble's Notch's avatar in the visual style of Minecraft It's equippable by all classes (as this gallery shows) although because of its size, "it significantly clips with items that exist in the whole head, necklace, glasses, ears, face and beard equip regions."

As of now, Notch is the only one to possess it. From "Top Notch's" description:

Welcome to a secret society so exclusive it makes the Illuminati look like a Costco. How exclusive? You are the only member. This is the only item of its kind in all of existence. So don't craft it, Miney.

In case you're thinking Notch doesn't have skills deserving of such a trophy, check out this box score from another match, in which he was the overall high scorer, also bagging 37 kills.

I Love Team Fortress 2 [The Word of Notch]

"Top Notch"-equipped Demoman
"Top Notch"-equipped Engineer
"Top Notch"-equipped Heavy
"Top Notch"-equipped Medic
"Top Notch"-equipped Pyro
"Top Notch"-equipped Scout
"Top Notch"-equipped Sniper
"Top Notch"-equipped Soldier
"Top Notch"-equipped Spy

The hosts of this video, HouseholdGamer, call this series of Skyrim tweaks a "Team Fortress 2" mode. I can see the resemblance, but to me, it looks like like a Killer7 mode.

It looks this weird because there are no textures. None whatsoever. There's just 3D models, the sky and you, which is why everything looks so naked. And surprisingly awesome.

Skyrim Without Textures Looks...Pretty Cool, Actually [GameSetWatch]

If you'd like a free insane costume for the Heavy in Team Fortress 2, you have about two days to pick it up. It also helps if you want Saints Row: The Third on PC, as that's what you have to preorder to grab it.

The game, which is $49.99 comes with three pieces of flair: "The Mark of the Saint," or a shiny badge that any class may wear; then the "Apoco-Fists" and "The Cold War Luchador," which are Heavy-only. (Seen above). All this stuff is based on the Luchadores gang from Saints Row: The Third who are themselves rather robust individuals.

History Comes Alive! [Team Fortess Blog]

In an old Mr. Bean episode titled "Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean", the titular hero gets his head lodged in a turkey. It's a classic, and what inspired this Team Fortress 2 workshop creation.

Items in Steam Workshop are up for consideration in Team Fortress 2.

While the game is known for its funny hats, it also should be known for its fresh poultry. On players' heads.

If for some reason you have not seen the previously mentioned Mr. Bean episode, do yourself a favor and watch it here. If you've already seen it, do yourself a favor and watch it again. And again.

20 Lb Turkey [Steam Thanks, Trevor!]

Team Fortress 2 is getting some updates for Halloween: Objects, items, hats, you know the deal. It's also, though, got something a little more exciting: a new Team Fortress 2 comic.

One that tells the tale of how the Demo lost his eye. And how cute a Saxton Hale costume looks on a little fat kid. And how a kid can dress up as France and somehow get away with it.

You can read the comic below. For more info on the items being released for Halloween, head here.

Scream Fortress [Team Fortress 2]

Iain Andrews' site Steam Postcards has long been my wallpaper supplier of choice. Why? Because he plays games and takes screenshots that aren't the kind of thing you'd find in a magazine or popular internet video game website.

He instead takes, well, postcards. Scenic shots of the background, or the walls, or the sky, or whatever, finding stuff that just looks good, instead of stuff that makes the game look good.

His current subject of choice is id's RAGE, but scroll down the Tumblr page and you'll see games like Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Mirror's Edge, Mafia II, Team Fortress 2, Red Orchestra and even Kane & Lynch.

The images maybe aren't nice enough to print out and frame, but like I said, they're perfect for wallpapers!

Steam Postcards [enwandrews]