Jan 24, 2013
Team Fortress 2, Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch Updates Released
Product Update - Valve
Updates to Team Fortress 2, Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:


Source Engine Changes (TF2, DoD:S, HL2:DM)
  • Fixed a bug that was preventing some crashes from being reported
  • Fixed the chat window not accepting characters for some languages

Team Fortress 2
  • Added raw mouse input for the Linux version
  • Fixed missing text in the recipe descriptions for The Rescue Ranger, The Loose Cannon, and The Vaccinator
  • Updated the equip_region setting for The Bootie Time
  • Updated The Menpo to be paintable
  • Updated The Last Straw to be paintable
  • Updated The Digit Divulger with new styles
  • Updated The Rescue Ranger so it can be used as an ingredient when crafting
  • Updated the localization files
  • Updated the Item Import Tool
    • Improved UI layout
    • Added support for facial animations
    • Fixed skins sticking after a different DMX was loaded
    • Added support for LOD testing
    • Hats will automatically add an Unusual attachment point to bip_head
  • Vintage-quality items and Botkiller items that are otherwise tradable can now be listed on the Steam Community Market
Jan 24, 2013
Team Fortress 2, Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch Updates Released
TF2 Blog
Updates to Team Fortress 2, Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:
Source Engine Changes (TF2, DoD:S, HL2:DM)
  • Fixed a bug that was preventing some crashes from being reported
  • Fixed the chat window not accepting characters for some languages
Team Fortress 2
  • Added raw mouse input for the Linux version
  • Fixed missing text in the recipe descriptions for The Rescue Ranger, The Loose Cannon, and The Vaccinator
  • Updated the equip_region setting for The Bootie Time
  • Updated The Menpo to be paintable
  • Updated The Last Straw to be paintable
  • Updated The Digit Divulger with new styles
  • Updated The Rescue Ranger so it can be used as an ingredient when crafting
  • Updated the localization files
  • Updated the Item Import Tool
    • Improved UI layout
    • Added support for facial animations
    • Fixed skins sticking after a different DMX was loaded
    • Added support for LOD testing
    • Hats will automatically add an Unusual attachment point to bip_head
  • Vintage-quality items and Botkiller items that are otherwise tradable can now be listed on the Steam Community Market
Jan 22, 2013
Team Fortress? No, This Is Queen Fortress
Kotaku

Reader Brandon passed this video along yesterday, which he helped make, wondering if we'd ever seen it. I had to say "no", which tore me up inside, because it is absolutely perfect.


Sadly ineligible from winning a Saxxy award due to its use of copyright material, that won't stop it winning hearts here today, because if there's one thing Team Fortress 2 needs more than less hats, it's more Queen.


QUEEN FORTRESS [YouTube]


Jan 20, 2013
TF2′s Pyro, Spy and Heavy join Sonic All-Stars Racing Transformed
PC Gamer
sonic tf2


We don't get too many kart racers on PC, and for that I'm entirely thankful. However, the word on the streets of Green Hill Zone is that Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a good 'un - and it's power-sliding its way to PC on January 31st. Not only that, but this new version of the game features three additional characters, based on iconic PC series Total War, Team Fortress 2 and, um, Football Manager.

From Total War: Shogun comes a Samurai Guy, riding a samurai-themed vehicle that transforms into a plane, a boat, or a kart depending on the track's current surface. (It's not so special - all the vehicles do that.) He's joined by Football Manager's The Tactician, a genero-guy in a suit in a car/boat/plane that does a footbally effect when it transforms. So far, so terrible - BUT. They're saved by the appearance of not one but (sort of) three characters from Team Fortress 2: The Pyro, the Spy and the Heavy, who are swapped out depending on whether you're in the water, in the sky, or on terra firma. If you've always wanted to pit the cast of TF2 against a quite-fast hedgehog with an attitude problem, then your insane wish has come true at long last.

Here is a video of the entire gang in action. I have my fingers crossed for TF2 Tennis next:

(Thanks to PCGamesN.)


Jan 19, 2013
Total(ed) War: TF2, Shogun 2 Join Sonic Racing
Rock, Paper, Shotgun - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Nathan Grayson)

Naturally, Heavy's boat is propelled by miniguns.

You can’t make this stuff up. Well, I mean, I suppose it’s technically possible. I could tell you, right now, that the puck from Ricochet will be getting its own talk show on Adult Swim this fall. But is it really that much more preposterous than a Football Manager (no, not player) plying some variety of ball-based voodoo magic  in Sonic And All Stars Racing: Transformed? With Team Fortress 2′s Heavy, Spy, and Pyro, and Shogun: Total War 2′s, er, Shogun in tow, no less? Here, though, is the absolute craziest part of all: The blue-blur-themed kart racer’s apparently kind of amazing.

(more…)

Jan 17, 2013
Valve launches Steam Guides: browse and create user-made walkthroughs and tips
PC Gamer
Dota 2 Steam Guide overlay


Someday, Valve will eventually run out of wonderful features to pack into its mega-gaming-hub Steam. Let's hope it's a long way off, because we'll all be busy poring over the user-written manuals, walkthroughs, and tips for our various games in the newly launched Steam Guides section of Steam's Community area.

Anyone can create and submit a guide for the game of their choice by clicking the new Guide tab on a game's Community Hub page. You can pretty up your words with images and embedded YouTube videos as well, and the guides also appear upon Steam's overlay whenever you're running a program. Neat. I can finally whip up my "How to avoid tigers" guide I've been planning for Far Cry 3 quickly and easily.

Head over to the Steam Guides page to take a look at the over 1,000 guides already created.
Jan 17, 2013
TF2 joins Sonic All-Stars Racing Transformed
TF2 Blog


Race for first place as the Pyro, Heavy and Spy in the upcoming game Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Save 10% when you pre-purchase on Steam today.

Jan 17, 2013
Thanks to Sega, We Now Have A Team Fortress 2 Kart Racer, Sort Of
Kotaku

Team Fortress 2's Heavy, Pyro and Spy will all be playable characters in the PC version of Sega kart-racer Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. We didn't like the game all that much, but many readers did, so... this is good news, PC/Valve-loving folks!


The game will be out on PC at the end of the month.


This news also should please anyone who plays six-degrees-of-separation with video game characters. See, Sonic has fought all the Nintendo characters in Smash Bros. and now Sonic has raced against TF2's characters. The Heavy was in Telltale's Poker Night, which also starred the rabbit from Sam & Max and others. One step closer to Kevin Bacon!


Jan 16, 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 The Robo-Sandvich, The Festive Sandvich, The Festive Buff Banner, and The Festive Huntsman to the list of items allowed in Medieval mode
  • The Prize Plushy can now get assists in Pyrovision
  • Fixed a server crash caused by players bleeding to death
  • Fixed spectator bots picking up the bomb in Mann Vs. Machine
  • Fixed The Bazaar Bargain counting crit-boosted body-shots as headshots
  • Fixed The Festive Holy Mackerel using the wrong sounds
  • Fixed Strange Buff Banner and Strange Sandvich not always tracking usage
  • Fixed seeing the fire texture on The Soldier's Stogie in DirectX 8
  • Fixed missing style names for The Barnstormer
  • Fixed the achievement "The Great Deflate" not counting certain Balloonicorn and Reindoonicorn items
  • Updated paint effects for The Hot Dogger, The Salty Dog, The Counterfeit Billycock, and The Cold Killer
  • Updated the localization files
Jan 16, 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 The Robo-Sandvich, The Festive Sandvich, The Festive Buff Banner, and The Festive Huntsman to the list of items allowed in Medieval mode
  • The Prize Plushy can now get assists in Pyrovision
  • Fixed a server crash caused by players bleeding to death
  • Fixed spectator bots picking up the bomb in Mann Vs. Machine
  • Fixed The Bazaar Bargain counting crit-boosted body-shots as headshots
  • Fixed The Festive Holy Mackerel using the wrong sounds
  • Fixed Strange Buff Banner and Strange Sandvich not always tracking usage
  • Fixed seeing the fire texture on The Soldier's Stogie in DirectX 8
  • Fixed missing style names for The Barnstormer
  • Fixed the achievement "The Great Deflate" not counting certain Balloonicorn and Reindoonicorn items
  • Updated paint effects for The Hot Dogger, The Salty Dog, The Counterfeit Billycock, and The Cold Killer
  • Updated the localization files
...