• Fixed a client crash caused by low detail skeletons
• Fixed a dedicated server crash related to gamestats
• Fixed a dedicated server crash caused by the payload carts getting stuck
• Fixed green zombies not spawning on Linux dedicated servers
• Fixed broken melee animations for some all-class weapons
• Fixed players being able to issue the "boo" command when they are not ghosts
• Fixed cloaked Spies losing their spells if they attempted to cast them while cloaked
• Fixed the stealth spell only lasting for 2 seconds instead of 8 seconds
• Fixed players keeping their spells if they were rolling for them while leaving hell
• Fixed not switching back to the normal weapon if a spell was cast while standing on another spell
• Updated spells so they cannot be deflected

• Added new main menu character images for Scream Fortress 2013
• Fixed a server crash related to The High Five taunt
• Fixed neutral pumpkin bombs exploding with blue particles
• Fixed health on hit particle effect precache error
• Fixed client nTextureFrame < 0 warning spew in dev console
• Updated the round restart event to remove spells after playing in hell
• Updated plr_hightower_event to improve server stability
• Updated The Chicken Kiev so it can't be equipped with the Cold War Luchador or the Large Luchador
• Re-enabled the crafting recipes for zombie costumes
• Note missed from yesterday's update:
  • Updated the Vaccinator to use the reload key to cycle through resist types

Ahoy, buoys and gulls, it s almost Docktober 31st, and that means it s time for the Fifth Annual Team Fortress Tort-urous Halloween Special, which this year is based entirely around the terrifyingly complex legal questions that haunt maritime law. AWOOOOOOOO! [Sound of receiving a jury summons]

And that horrifying description of an obviously terrible idea for a Halloween update an idea so dreadful that we gave up on it almost fourteen hours ago was just the FIRST of this year s many spine-chilling, spine-tingling, all-around spinal cord-injuring shocks. We have one word of advice to those of you who survived our previous four Halloween Specials: Stop lying. These updates will kill you GUARANTEED! [sound of our lawyers reading that sentence]

This year's Scream Fortress map is Helltower, a Payload Race variation, with at least one major difference: You're all powerful magicians. Everybody gets a spellbook gifted to them automatically, which you can equip in your Action Slot in order to pick up and cast spells. The team that wins the race will be granted a buff for the final climactic battle, where you will fight for the ultimate Halloween reward: Your own lives. And a reward.

So, fear fans, it s time to put aside your precious laws of the sea, because this year anything can happen. Ghosts? Yes! Forbidden magic? Yes! Skeletons? Oh, yes. A Hellmouth? Obviously. A corpse? Yours. Really? Check your pulse. The murderer? You. Anyway, we d love to sit here and shock you to death all day, but the update s live.

• Help settle the score in one of the longest running feuds in Mann history
• Comic and additional information available on the website (http://www.teamfortress.com/bazbobarrabus)
• Scream Fortress 2013 runs until Nov 11, 2013
• Added New Halloween Map Helltower
  • Equip a spell book and cast spells against your enemies
  • Spells can be found by pushing the cart, killing enemies and during the Witching hour
  • The Clocktower contains powerful magic during the Witching hour
  • Win the race to start mega healed in the final battle for your prize
• Granting Spellbook Magazine to all players who launch TF2 during Scream Fortress
• Added over 100 Halloween tagged items from the TF2 Steam workshop
• Added Spooky Crate and Spooky Key to drop list and Mann co Store respectively
• Added class Transmogrifier's to covert Scream Fortress 2013 items of one type to another
• Added item Enchantment: Eternaween
• Enabled Halloween event maps in quick play
• Enabled Halloween gifts on Halloween event maps
• Enabled Halloween Spell Potions
• Enabled Mann Vs Machine event map Wave 666 in bootcamp
• Enabled Halloween themed Unusual Effects to be found from Mann Co Supply Crates
• Haunted Quality Items can now be listed on the Steam Market place

• Lowered Merasmus's base health

• Medic's Crusader Crossbow now silently reloads when unholstered, similar to Pyro flaregun
• Fixed the charge rate for the Bazaar Bargain when the player has 0 heads
• In PvP Medics can now see the clip status of a patient s active weapon

• Updated The Air Raider so it can be painted correctly
• Updated The Bone Dome so it doesn't hide Pyro backpack
• Strange Part: Kills While Ubercharged can no longer be applied to Strange Equalizers and Escape Plans
• Fixed the backpack panel using the wrong "drop_sound" when items are moved around

• Improved readability of the UI in VR
• Removed the IPD calibration tool. TF2 will now obey the Oculus configuration file. Use the Oculus calibration tool in your SDK or install and run "OpenVR" under Tools in Steam to calibrate your IPD.
• Added dropdown to enable VR mode in the Video options. Removed the -vr command line option.
• Added the ability to switch in and out of VR mode without quitting the game
• By default VR mode will run full screen. To switch back to a borderless window set the vr_force_windowed convar.
• Added support for VR mode on Linux

• Fixed an exploit that allowed unlimited uses of noisemaker items
• Fixed not being able to earn the Brotherhood of Steel achievement in MvM (play with 5 friends)
• Fixed the camera target not always being visible when using the replay editor
• Removed some servers that forged player counts from quickplay and the server browser

Something is coming, everybody. Not "right now" coming but you know, we're working on it. In the meantime, here's something to get you in the proper spirit.

• Added the Fall 2013 Acorns Crate Key
• Added the Fall 2013 Gourd Crate Key
• Automated craft bots can no longer craft high-value items (i.e., hats)
• Fixed Nessie's Nine Iron missing gameplay description
• Fixed exploit that allowed dead players to attack living players
• Fixed disguised Blue team Spies showing blue health particles over their heads when disguised as the Red team
• Fixed the Sandvich meter being drawn in the HUD when the Sandvich is not equipped
• Fixed a bug that would cause some players to be unable to change their active item preset
• Strange Part: Kills with a Taunt Attack can now be applied to Strange Knives and Fists
• Strange Part: Kills While Explosive-Jumping and Strange Part: Posthumous Kills can now be applied to The Loose Cannon

• Fixed the Demoman charge sound being played multiple times simultaneously

• Added the Fall 2013 Acorns Crate #72
• Added the Fall 2013 Gourd Crate #73
• Added a new promo item: The Grandmaster
• Fixed several bugs that would cause inconsistent behavior when switching between or modifying loadout presets
• Fixed a bug that would cause modifying (i.e., painting, renaming) an item to break loadout presets involving that item
• Fixed the Ubersaw taunt attack using the incorrect deathnotice image
• Fixed the Demoman charge sound being clipped by the weapon crit sound
• Fixed being able to incorrectly earn the Scout achievement "Retire the Runner" by killing a Heavy who had just eaten The Buffalo Steak Sandvich
• Updated Hardy Laurel for the Soldier and Engineer so it doesn't float on their heads
• Updated the Summer Shades and Professor Speks so they don't float in the air during Sniper taunts
• Updated Cp_Granary
  • Added nobuild and clipping to fix exploits above the forward spawns
  • Adjusted player shadows to reduce shadows casting through walls
  • Skybox rendering fixes

It's almost awards season, and that can only mean one thing: For the next two months people from Hollywood are going to give each other spray-painted trophies and play music in the middle of one another's acceptance speeches. And when all the dust settles, all the Steven Spielbergs and Tom Hankses of the world will look down at their dumb little statuettes and think, "I wish I'd gotten a Saxxy."

Well, too bad, Tom Hanks, because you're not getting one. (Even if you submit an entry; that's how hard-line our no-Tom-Hanks-trophy stance is.) As for everybody else, though, a Saxxy could be yours. But not unless you submit an entry, so get cracking, because the entry date's fast approaching!

Head over to the SFM website for a more complete breakdown of dates and contest rules!