Nov 11, 2016
Vote for the Saxxy Awards!
Team Fortress 2



When the leaves begin to change, the days become a little shorter, and everything blurs into egg nog-flavored regret, it is time again for the Sixth Annual Saxxy Awards! Entries have been submitted, folks, so it's time to nurse your hangover with creative SFM videos all day long. Click here to watch and vote for your favorite entries. Laugh! Cry! Get absolutely nothing done at work or school! Voting ends 3PM PST on Wednesday, November 16th, and nominees will be announced Thursday, November 17th, so get to voting!


Nov 10, 2016
Team Fortress 2 Update Released
Team Fortress 2
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:
  • Updated tf_gravetalk setting for Competitive mode to be on by default
Nov 10, 2016
Team Fortress 2 Update Released
Team Fortress 2 - 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:

  • Updated tf_gravetalk setting for Competitive mode to be on by default
Nov 10, 2016
Team Fortress 2 Update Released
Team Fortress 2
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:
  • Fixed invisible weapons on other players when they have recently changed loadout
  • Fixed color correction not working
  • Fixed players not always returning to the matchmaking lobby screen at the end of a Mann vs. Machine match
  • Fixed particles not being removed from cosmetics when toggling between third-person and first-person views
  • Fixed seeing the wrong custom projectiles for grenade launchers like the Iron Bomber when the wielder has recently changed loadout
  • Fixed some Strange map filters displaying the wrong map names in their descriptions
  • Replaced convar tf_teamtalk with tf_gravetalk
    • When enabled, living players can receive text and voice chat from dead players
    • When disabled, living players cannot hear the dead, regardless of team
    • Removes the odd behavior of tf_teamtalk wherein living players were exclusively unable to hear dead players on the other team
    • Defaults to on, except in Competitive matches
  • Fixed being able to use The Holiday Punch on enemies during a Halloween boss truce
  • Fixed not being able to activate the Pyro's Phlogistinator rage again right away if the first attempt failed
  • Fixed Mann vs. Machine bots not playing the teleport sound effect and not becoming invulnerable after teleporting
  • Fixed not switching Snipers to their melee weapon while under the effects of the "tiny" spell
  • Fixed a missing material in the main menu
  • Added the Unusual Cap to be used for granting a Self-Made Unusual Cap to Unusual particle effect contributors
  • Added the Chapelaria 6v6 tournament medals for season 1
  • Updated the spawn/death sounds for Monoculus and Merasmus to remove the Horseless Headless Horsemann sound effects
  • Updated the localization files
  • Updated mvm_ghost_town to fix the cube maps
  • Updated mvm_mannhattan
    • Fixed Spies spawning behind the closed door at Gate A
    • Fixed Sentry Busters sometimes staying at Gate A instead of attacking the sentry gun
  • Updated pl_millstone_event (Hellstone)
    • Fixed an exploit where you could trap Horseless Headless Horsemann in place
    • Fixed some door frames from being able to shoot through them
    • Fixed a texture error
    • Fixed a barrel that you could walk through
    • Improved navigation file for better bot movement
    • Fixed being able to shoot through building wall located front of RED 1st base
    • Community request: Added OnTruceStart and OnTruceEnd outputs to the tf_gamerules entity for maps
Nov 10, 2016
Team Fortress 2 Update Released
Team Fortress 2 - 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:

  • Fixed invisible weapons on other players when they have recently changed loadout
  • Fixed color correction not working
  • Fixed players not always returning to the matchmaking lobby screen at the end of a Mann vs. Machine match
  • Fixed particles not being removed from cosmetics when toggling between third-person and first-person views
  • Fixed seeing the wrong custom projectiles for grenade launchers like the Iron Bomber when the wielder has recently changed loadout
  • Fixed some Strange map filters displaying the wrong map names in their descriptions
  • Replaced convar tf_teamtalk with tf_gravetalk
    • When enabled, living players can receive text and voice chat from dead players
    • When disabled, living players cannot hear the dead, regardless of team
    • Removes the odd behavior of tf_teamtalk wherein living players were exclusively unable to hear dead players on the other team
    • Defaults to on, except in Competitive matches
  • Fixed being able to use The Holiday Punch on enemies during a Halloween boss truce
  • Fixed not being able to activate the Pyro's Phlogistinator rage again right away if the first attempt failed
  • Fixed Mann vs. Machine bots not playing the teleport sound effect and not becoming invulnerable after teleporting
  • Fixed not switching Snipers to their melee weapon while under the effects of the "tiny" spell
  • Fixed a missing material in the main menu
  • Added the Unusual Cap to be used for granting a Self-Made Unusual Cap to Unusual particle effect contributors
  • Added the Chapelaria 6v6 tournament medals for season 1
  • Updated the spawn/death sounds for Monoculus and Merasmus to remove the Horseless Headless Horsemann sound effects
  • Updated the localization files
  • Updated mvm_ghost_town to fix the cube maps
  • Updated mvm_mannhattan
    • Fixed Spies spawning behind the closed door at Gate A
    • Fixed Sentry Busters sometimes staying at Gate A instead of attacking the sentry gun
  • Updated pl_millstone_event (Hellstone)
    • Fixed an exploit where you could trap Horseless Headless Horsemann in place
    • Fixed some door frames from being able to shoot through them
    • Fixed a texture error
    • Fixed a barrel that you could walk through
    • Improved navigation file for better bot movement
    • Fixed being able to shoot through building wall located front of RED 1st base
    • Community request: Added OnTruceStart and OnTruceEnd outputs to the tf_gamerules entity for maps
Nov 7, 2016
Left 4 Dead Creators Release Lost Campaign
Left 4 Dead - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Adam Smith)

Turtle Rock are moving on from Evolve, their hunters vs monsters multiplayer game on which development recently ceased. Before starting something new, though, here’s a brief return to something old – their Valve-published masterpiece, Left 4 Dead [official site]. Via the Turtle Rock forums, studio co-founder Chris Ashton has uploaded Dam It, a campaign that, in a loose narrative sense, falls in between Dead Air and Blood Harvest. It’s not entirely finished, with some features not working correctly, but if you have a copy of the original game, you can download and play it right now. … [visit site to read more]

Nov 5, 2016
Turtle Rock's last unfinished Left 4 Dead campaign is now available to play
Left 4 Dead

Left 4 Dead developer Turtle Rock Studios has released its final, unfinished campaign for the zombie shooter, and you can play it right now. All you need is Left 4 Dead and an internet connection to download the files.

Co-founder Chris Ashton posted a link to the campaign on the Turtle Rock forums, saying that the studio had "just finished putting the Dam campaign ... into a L4D add-on."

"It's gray box, and some code features are missing, but it's playable from beginning to end," he wrote. "It also includes two standalone survival maps that never shipped."

You can download the Dam It campaign here. There are two ways to install the addon, with the "automatic" way consisting of unzipping the .vpk file and double clicking it to launch. The "manual" way, on the other hand, requires you to unzip the same file and copy it over to Left 4 Dead's "addons" folder.

The add-on's page says, "Dam It stitches Dead Air and Blood Harvest together." However, because it's an add-on, code changes are not included. This results in a number of issues, including explosions not triggering panic events in the hangars, zombies not crawling consistently in the orchard, and the covered bridge not collapsing with explosions. In addition to the full issue list, you can see a map of the campaign on Dam It's webpage.

Turtle Rock was recently taken off of development of 2K's monster-hunting shooter Evolve. Despite its ceased development, its servers could still stay active, as long as 2K wants to keep them up.

"[Keeping servers up will] all be up to 2K on out, the same as anything Left 4 Dead related is in Valve's hands," Ashton wrote to a fan on Turtle Rock's forums.

Nov 4, 2016
Now Accepting Submissions for the Sixth Annual Saxxy Awards!
Team Fortress 2


It's that time of year again, folks. That creative tour de force you've been working on in SFM all year? Well, it's time to shine. That's right! Submissions are now open for The Sixth Annual Saxxy Awards!


Final submissions are due Friday, November 11th at 3:00PM PST, but we highly recommend you submit versions earlier in the week to guard against unforseen networking or computer problems. We want to see those submissions, so get them in! Check out the guidelines to learn more.


Nov 4, 2016
EdgeGamer s 2016 NA Ultiduo Tournament
Team Fortress 2


EdgeGamers is hosting an UltiDuo tournament next weekend! See if you have what it takes to be the ultimate Soldier/Medic (or Medic/Soldier) combo in EdgeGamer s 2016 NA Ultiduo Tournament. 32 Dynamic Duos will go head-to-head this November 12th and 13th, with prizes awarded to the top two teams. But don't wait around! Sign-ups are on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here learn more.


Nov 2, 2016
Team Fortress 2 Update Released
Team Fortress 2
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 GA'lloween 2016 community event medals
  • Fixed sv_shutdown not working for community dedicated servers
    • All servers now enter hibernation state when they are empty and have no remaining work, which informs commands such as sv_shutdown
    • Added tf_allow_server_hibernation (default: 1) to allow disabling hibernation state
    • This should generally only be necessary if running server plugins that are not compatible with hibernation
    • Added sv_shutdown_cancel to cancel a pending shutdown
  • Updated the truce period during Halloween boss fights
    • Players are no longer affected by the truce when in their spawn room, allowing them to fight their way out if necessary
    • Sappers can no longer be used while a truce is active
  • Updated the "tiny" spellbook spell
    • Fixed a case where players could get outside the world
    • Fixed not switching Heavies to their melee weapon
  • Updated player destruction mode so the "Team Leader" does not heal teammates while in the Underworld
  • Fixed Halloween contract reward items not being craftable
  • Fixed Strange Human Cannonballs and Strange Battery Canteens not tracking stats
  • Fixed Casual search criteria being saved automatically while connecting to a server
  • Fixed a case where players could suicide on a pumpkin bomb to gain progress on certain Merasmissions
  • Updated the equip region for the Spine-Chilling Skull
  • Updated pl_fifthcurve_event (Brimstone)
    • Fixed exploit where players could get under the map near BLU starting area
    • Fixed exploit where players could get out of the map near graveyard
    • Fixed exploit where players could enter RED base as BLU
    • Fixed some skeletons running into lava when there are no enemies in Hell
    • Fixed medieval tiny spell & other Merasmus voice spells lasting too long for some players
    • Fixed big ghost getting stuck when map ends
    • Fixed a spot where players could get stuck if entering it under Tiny spell
    • Fixed another case of non-solid pumpkin
    • Tuned respawn time for RED team at last area
  • Updated cp_sunshine_event (Sinshine)
    • Fixed multiple visible nodraws and other texture bugs
    • Fixed nonsolid pumpkin in lobby
    • Fixed trigger bounds in RED spawn
    • Various lighting changes
...