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• Fixed a visual bug where sniper rifle viewmodels could be visible at the edge of the scope screen overlay.
  
• Fixed a bug that prevented HE grenade explosions from breaking the vents in de_nuke.
  
• Fixed an issue where viewmodels would sometimes emit double shell eject effects.
  
• Minor performance improvements

We announced Dota Labs a couple months ago, and since then we've continued to iterate quietly on the features in it as we get feedback and data. "Quietly" is fine, but sometimes it can be useful to be a bit louder so today we're turning up the volume a little:

• We're happy to announce the first promotion of a Dota Labs option out of Labs and into the game itself: high-visibility hero health bars, under Options -> Interface.
  
• Over the last weeks (and today), we've shipped a variety of updates to the other features, including additional controls for the overlay map, new data in the pre-match analytics, and the ability to treat targeting modifier keys as toggles rather than holds.
  
• Lastly, because we've gotten so many useful submissions from the Feedback button built into the Crownfall map, we've added one to the Dota Labs UI as well.

As always, please continue to tell us which parts of the still in-development Labs features you like and which you think need improvement.

Our community of artists have also been hard at work. Hundreds of item sets have been lovingly crafted, lovingly polished, and lovingly uploaded to the Workshop, and now it's up to you, the Dota community, to lovingly vote on which ones you'd like to see in the next Collector's Cache!

In the spirit of Dota Labs experimentation, this time voting is open to everyone. From the dashboard, simply click the Collector's Cache Voting button and then upvote or downvote the sets you're the most passionate about. Voting runs from now until May 21st, with the most popular sets getting released as part of a future Crownfall update.

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• Fixed a crash related to the scoreboard

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• Fixed a bug where the game would stop taking keyboard input during the end-of-match map vote.
  
• Fixed a bug where UI characters always had default gloves equipped.
  
• Demo playback will pause at the end of a recording instead of returning to the main menu.
  
• Minor demo playback optimizations.

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• Added arms race game mode for workshop map submissions

An update has been released for Left 4 Dead:

- Fixed an exploit that could force votes to pass without notifying other players.
- Added protections against malicious network packets.
- Integrated several exploit fixes from Left 4 Dead 2.

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• Grenade kills no longer display the "in-air" killfeed icon.
  
• Fixed several cases where clicking on the buy menu or scoreboard would cause the game to stop taking keyboard input.
  
• Fixed too many usercommands being processed when skipping forward in demos. This reduces the skip time by as much as 80%.
  
• Added console output that may be helpful for advanced users to diagnose performance problems. When a very long frame occurs, a brief profile of the frame is printed. At the end of a match, a summary is printed.

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• Fixed a bug where grenade throw animations would get stuck when switching hands.
  
• Fixed a bug where the same grenade type couldn't be thrown multiple times without switching to another weapon first.
  
• Fixed a bug that allowed picking up grenades beyond the normal maximum.
  
• Fixed a bug where smoke grenades would sometimes appear lit as if a flashbang detonated inside them.

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• Fixed a spot in Dust 2 above mid doors where grenades would fall through the world.
  
• Fixed a spot in Inferno where weapons could fall through the world.

The North American TF2 Competitive offseason is kicking off with a bang! Fireside is hosting the Fireside Cup, a $600 (with potential to increase via fundraising), two week cup featuring the best North American sixes players in the region. Not to mention, some of the best teams like Like A G6 will be participating! There is one kicker to this cup though: apart from the traditional sixes composition of two scouts, two soldiers, one demoman, and one medic, only one off-class can be on the field at any time.

This will force teams to put a little more creativity into how they approach any given scenario throughout the game. Gone are the days of the Engineer reinforced Heavy / Pyro / Sniper last hold! The first week will be a best of two group stage, and the next week will follow with a best of 3 playoffs to decide the winner of the cup.

The cup will take place on the weekdays between May 13 - May 23 and will be broadcasted by Fireside and EssentialsTF. Come tune in and watch the best of North America duke it out.

Important Links:

• Announcement
  
• Twitch Stream A
  
• Twitch Stream B
  
• Youtube Stream
  
• Tournament Page
  
• Official Fireside Website

Today's update includes a bunch of quality-of-life improvements that touch upon every part of the game, from maps to UI to gameplay. A few highlights are below, but check out the release notes to see what's new!


Lefties rejoice! Players can now redeploy their weapons, swapping between the left and right hand. You can set your preferred handedness in the settings menu and then switch hands temporarily mid-round with a key press (H on US Keyboards by default).


The buy menu has a few new tricks. To help you decide whether to buy or save, the top right of the buy menu now features the minimum amount of money you're guaranteed to have next round (thanks Kadomos). And at the bottom you'll find the new 'Dropped Weapons' panel, where you can see (and directly pick up) any weapons that you or teammates have dropped in the buy zone.


There are several more HUD/UI changes in today's update. For those of you who have memorized a library of grenade line-ups, a line-up reticle will appear shortly after you pull the pin (you can even customize the delay for each grenade type). And if you've had trouble navigating through smoke, set a Radar Map Alternate Zoom and add a Toggle Radar Zoom key binding, which will let you switch between zoom levels during a round.


We've updated the Active Duty map pool (for both Premier and competitions), removing Overpass and bringing back Dust II. And there are changes to many other maps, including significant changes to Inferno.

Jump right into a match and see what's new, or practice with your friends--practice matches and workshop maps can now be launched with members of your party.

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• Adjusted viewmodel bob movement
  
• Added "Preferred Viewmodel Left/Right Handedness" setting
  
• Added "Switch Viewmodel Left/Right Hand" key binding (default: US keyboard letter H) to switch hands temporarily during gameplay
  
• Viewmodel position setting and left/right hand state are now networked and visible to first-person spectators.
  
• Deprecated "Couch" viewmodel position setting

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• Added "Radar Map Alternate Zoom" setting and "Toggle Radar Zoom" key binding to toggle between zoom levels during gameplay
  
• Added a radar icon for the local player when free cam spectating
  
• Added a grenade line-up reticle that appears shortly after pulling the pin. The timing can be configured for each grenade type independently
  
• Changed weapon Swap text (when pointing at a dropped weapon) to always show the gameplay name of the weapon instead of any customized name it might have.
  
• Added a kill feed icon for "in-air" kills
  
• Added the scoreboard to the ESC menu
  
• Added an icon to indicate bots on the scoreboard

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• Added a "Dropped Weapons" panel, which shows (and allows the direct pickup of) weapons that have been dropped by teammates that are standing in the buy zone
  
• Added the minimum amount of money that a player is guaranteed to have in the next round to the buy menu title bar. (thanks, Kadomos)

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• Increased Zeus movement speed and adjusted the attack cone
  
• Increased Zeus kill reward from $0 to $100 ($50 in Casual)
  
• Increased CZ75-Auto kill reward from $100 to $300 ($150 in Casual)
  
• Reduced XM1014 kill reward from $900 to $600 ($300 in Casual)

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• Lighting adjustments in Inspect background maps
  
• Added Wear Category to the info tooltip in the Inspect screen
  
• Added gameplay name in panels that used to only show customized name. E.g., Inspect screen, inventory tile

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• Replaced Overpass with Dust 2 in the Active Duty Group, current competition map pool, and Premier matchmaking
  
• Baggage
  
  • Opened roll-up doors at spawns
    
  • Updated models for some conveyors
    
  • Solidified stairs
    
  • Various bug fixes
• Inferno:
  
  • Removed overhanging building at top mid
    
  • Removed overhangs at bottom of banana
    
  • Various map tweaks to improve player collision and readability
• Overpass, Nuke, Vertigo, Mirage and Office
  
  • Bug and exploit fixes
    
  • Collision and line of sight adjustments
    
  • Minor performance improvements

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• AK-47 | Inheritance: Texture and mask adjustments
  
• USP-S | Jawbreaker: Corrected ambient occlusion texture

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• Decoupled demo playback camera movement from playback speed. This allows moving the camera even if playback is paused
  
• Added ability to launch practice matches and workshop maps with party members
  
• Added Overwatch system to enable match demo review by trusted partners
  
• Copenhagen 2024 Major sticker capsules are on sale now -75% off
  
• Added ability to adjust brightness in windowed modes