Aug 16, 2012
Introducing the TF2 Game Hub
Team Fortress 2 - SZ
<a href="http://steamcommunity.com/app/440"><img src="http://www.teamfortress.com/images/posts/tf2_gamehub.jpg" width="440" height="337" border="0"></a>

Interesting math fact: If you added up every Steam Screenshot, every YouTube clip linked from a Steam account, and every Workshop item you guys have created together, you'd have over <b>89,000,000 pieces of community-generated content.</b> Wow, is that a big number. And since we take the time to print out every TF2 screenshot, transfer every TF2 video to DVD, and lovingly whittle every TF2 item you design out of soap, the TF2 offices are getting a little cluttered. A load-bearing picture stack in the screenshot district toppled over last week, and the fire department suggested we create some sort of central online hub for this stuff before somebody died.

Introducing the <a href="http://steamcommunity.com/app/440">TF2 Game Hub,</a> a central repository of community-created and official content, as rated by you, the Steam users—game-centric discussions, workshop items, screenshots, videos, news. It's all here, under a single virtual roof.

And this is just the first step. We plan to have a hub for every game on Steam—<a href="http://www.steamcommunity.com/communitycontent">click here</a> to find out more about the new Steam Community. We're sending out an invite-only beta for the Community today, but the TF2 hub's outside the beta and visible to everyone, so feel welcome to drop by and check out some of the new features.
Aug 16, 2012
Introducing the TF2 Game Hub
Team Fortress 2 - SZ


Interesting math fact: If you added up every Steam Screenshot, every YouTube clip linked from a Steam account, and every Workshop item you guys have created together, you'd have over 89,000,000 pieces of community-generated content. Wow, is that a big number. And since we take the time to print out every TF2 screenshot, transfer every TF2 video to DVD, and lovingly whittle every TF2 item you design out of soap, the TF2 offices are getting a little cluttered. A load-bearing picture stack in the screenshot district toppled over last week, and the fire department suggested we create some sort of central online hub for this stuff before somebody died.

Introducing the TF2 Game Hub, a central repository of community-created and official content, as rated by you, the Steam users—game-centric discussions, workshop items, screenshots, videos, news. It's all here, under a single virtual roof.

And this is just the first step. We plan to have a hub for every game on Steam—click here to find out more about the new Steam Community. We're sending out an invite-only beta for the Community today, but the TF2 hub's outside the beta and visible to everyone, so feel welcome to drop by and check out some of the new features.
Aug 16, 2012
TF2 Update Turns Into Man Vs Servers
Team Fortress 2 - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Craig Pearson)

Win all this, or play for free. Just when I thought I was out they pulled me back in again. I’d uninstalled TF2 and everything was going well: other games were getting attention, my girlfriend showed me this thing called ‘Outside’, that didn’t have people setting me on fire or asking me to give them stuff, and then Valve announced Mann Vs Machine. I could just give it a try, yes? I can always uninstall it? I knew I was lying to myself, but it needn’t matter: it’s not like I’ve managed to get into a game. (more…)

Aug 16, 2012
Watch Me Play TF2's New Mann vs. Machine Mode
Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress 2's long awaited Mann vs. Machine update launched yesterday and so far it's been a mixed bag. As Mike Fahey mentioned earlier today, matchmaking is an unplayable mess, due to the sheer demand and a lack of community servers. Hopefully that will be resolved in the coming days, but in the meantime you can still play the mode directly, using the server list.


And that's exactly what I did!


The video above is from the last wave of a match I played earlier today. As you can see, they've significantly revamped the system to include perks. Near the end, my Engineer's turret was a monster.


Oh, and a word of advice: Beware those sentry busters. They pack a wallop.


P.S. I am aware that I suck.
P.P.S. In retrospect, Engineer was a poor choice for video.


Aug 16, 2012
Introducing the TF2 Game Hub
Team Fortress 2


Interesting math fact: If you added up every Steam Screenshot, every YouTube clip linked from a Steam account, and every Workshop item you guys have created together, you'd have over 89,000,000 pieces of community-generated content. Wow, is that a big number. And since we take the time to print out every TF2 screenshot, transfer every TF2 video to DVD, and lovingly whittle every TF2 item you design out of soap, the TF2 offices are getting a little cluttered. A load-bearing picture stack in the screenshot district toppled over last week, and the fire department suggested we create some sort of central online hub for this stuff before somebody died.


Introducing the TF2 Game Hub, a central repository of community-created and official content, as rated by you, the Steam users—game-centric discussions, workshop items, screenshots, videos, news. It's all here, under a single virtual roof.


And this is just the first step. We plan to have a hub for every game on Steam—click here to find out more about the new Steam Community. We're sending out an invite-only beta for the Community today, but the TF2 hub's outside the beta and visible to everyone, so feel welcome to drop by and check out some of the new features.


Aug 16, 2012
Can't Wait to Play Team Fortress 2's Mann Vs. Machine Multiplayer? Tough.
Team Fortress 2

Can't Wait to Play Team Fortress 2's Mann Vs. Machine Multiplayer? Tough.I've been seeing this screen a lot since downloading the Team Fortress 2 update yesterday, and I am not alone. With hour wait times, server connection issues and various other problems, Mann Vs. Machine co-op play is nearly unplayable.


I say nearly because you can still grab a group of friends and start your own server. I made one by myself and it started up fine. Then the robots came, and destroyed me.


But if I try to get into a community game server I get close to an hour wait. Obviously people are playing, but those people are not me, and they aren't many of the irate inhabitants of the Team Fortress 2 Steam forums either.


In the forums players are also reporting long waits for the Mann Up servers, the premium $.99 per completed mission servers , indicating the wait starts small but goes on much longer than indicated. One user claimed to have been sitting at a 10 minute wait time for more than a half hour.


I can't confirm this personally, however — when I tried to buy a ticket the store wouldn't complete my purchase. Take my money already!


At least I can watch! Joining an MvM map on the server list works, but unless there are less than six people playing I'm stuck as a spectator.


So far there's not much from Valve on the matter. We've reached out to the company to see if we can get some sort of update on when everything will be running smoothly, and will update the post should we receive a response.


In the meantime, stick with your friends and you should (theoretically) be okay. If not, make yourself a sandwich and hope the connection doesn't time out.


Aug 16, 2012
Team Fortress 2: MANN vs MACHINE now live
Team Fortress 2
MVM2


Are you ready to FIGHT? Are you ready to SCRAP until every ROBOT you see is SMASHED INTO A PILE OF ASSORTED BITS OF CASE AND WIRING AND OILY BITS OF COLD MECHANICAL SOUL that is conveniently for the purposes of this sentence ALSO called SCRAP?

Of course you are! It's MANN VS MACHINE TIME AND...oh, hang on.

IN AN ESTIMATED 32 MINUTES, IT IS MANN VS MACHINE TIME!

Yes, the latest patch for Team Fortress 2 is out - and it's a popular one. I've been trying to get into a game for the last hour and a half, and have yet to actually manage it thanks to full-to-bursting servers and connection errors after patiently queuing up like some kind of polite, quiet person. I was originally planning to bring a quick hands-on verdict of a round or two. Instead, all I can say is that the matchmaking screen is very calm and soothing, and a credit to menu screens everywhere.



It will of course settle down once the entire internet has stopped hammering it, and in the meantime you can read the player guide right here to see the robots you'll be fighting and how the character upgrade system will work. The most surprising thing though is the addition of "Mann Up" tickets for an extra fee. You don't have to buy these to play, but they do buy you access to special servers where rare items can be found. Tickets are only used up on completion of a successful mission though, so you don't have to worry about wasting one on a bad team. There's also a progress tracking element involved, but as far as I can tell it looks like it's a similar deal to the existing crates - an option if you want to fast-track your collection of weird and wonderful gubbins, but by no means mandatory.



There are three MvM maps, Decoy, Coal Town and Mannworks, each with three "Missions" - one Normal difficulty and two Advanced for each. Unlike regular Team Fortress, you earn money for kills, which can be spent on character upgrades that last the duration of the match, with the addition of canteens for instant mid-game power-ups like a five second Ubercharge.

I'm looking forward to trying it all out.

Please would everyone else stop connecting for a few minutes so that I can.

Aug 15, 2012
Mann vs. Machine is LIVE, Maggots!
Team Fortress 2 - SZ
<a href="http://www.teamfortress.com/mvm/"><img src="http://www.teamfortress.com/images/posts/mvm_mannup_day3_blog.jpg" width="440" height="330" border="0"></a>

All right, men! This is it! Gray Mann's robot army is HERE! The Mann vs. Machine war has begun!

The robots are at our doorstep, men, and trust me – they are not going to be asking for a cup of sugar. No! These monsters are going to <i>break down</i> our doors, <i>take</i> our sugar, and sprinkle it on our <i>graves!</i>

While you sassy little sweet peas are chewing on that, strap on your book-goggles and prepare to learn about <a href="http://www.teamfortress.com/mvm/faq/">Mann Up Mode!</a> And <a href="http://www.teamfortress.com/mvm/bounty/">loot and achievements!</a> And a <a href="http://www.teamfortress.com/mvm/decoy/">new map</a> designed by ME! <i>Hup hup hup!</i> Eyes left! Eyes right! Eyes left! Eyes right! Now you are READING, puddin' cups!
Aug 15, 2012
Mann vs. Machine is LIVE, Maggots!
Team Fortress 2 - SZ


All right, men! This is it! Gray Mann's robot army is HERE! The Mann vs. Machine war has begun!

The robots are at our doorstep, men, and trust me – they are not going to be asking for a cup of sugar. No! These monsters are going to break down our doors, take our sugar, and sprinkle it on our graves!

While you sassy little sweet peas are chewing on that, strap on your book-goggles and prepare to learn about Mann Up Mode! And loot and achievements! And a new map designed by ME! Hup hup hup! Eyes left! Eyes right! Eyes left! Eyes right! Now you are READING, puddin' cups!
Aug 15, 2012
Team Fortress 2, Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch Updates Released
Day of Defeat: Source - 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:


Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch
  • Brought in line with shared engine changes

Team Fortress 2
  • Added Mann vs. Machine
  • Added Archimedes
  • Added The Soldier's Stogie
  • Added The Robro 3000
  • Updated The Helmet Without a Home to be paintable
  • Fixed some clipping issues with The Salty Dog
  • Removed player penetration from The Pomson 6000 and boosted the damage to compensate
...