Jul 4, 2012
There's An Actual Team Fortress 2 Soldier In My House
Team Fortress 2

There's An Actual Team Fortress 2 Soldier In My HouseIt feels like forever since the first piece in Gaming Heads' line of large, expensive Team Fortress 2 statues came out. Probably because it's actually been forever. But now, after over a year, we have a second one available.


And it's just as nice as the first one.


WHAT'S IN THE BOX

1x TF2 Soldier
1x Helmet
2x Weapons
1x Base
1x Authenticity/Membership Card


WHAT I LIKED

  • PERFECT FIT. This statue is made of polystone, a smooth, heavy material that can be pretty hit-and-miss on a piece where intricate detail is required. But a TF2 character? There's not much detail required, meaning that in the flesh it looks just like it does in the game.
  • QUALITY. The standard edition of this statue is $220, the "exclusive" variant $235. That's a lot of stones for a 13" statue, but Gaming Heads have at least gone to the trouble of making it seem worth it, with touches like the fact he's almost completely hand-painted, and that the piece was cast using Valve's actual game model from Team Fortress 2. So at least you know the dimensions and likeness are all spot-on.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

  • LESS BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. The Heavy, with all his bulk and detailed equipment, cost $230. The Soldier is only $10 less, and while my version (the "Exclusive") came with an alternate weapon, it's very similar to the standard one. Considering he's a smaller piece with less impressive gear, it would have been nice to see more than $10 shaved off, especially if you're getting the standard edition that doesn't with the bonus gun.

MY FINAL WORD

There's really not much to dwell on here. This is a picture-perfect, heavy-as-hell polystone recreation of a Team Fortress 2 character. It's pricey, yeah, but given the quality of the piece and how well it brings the character to life, if you're the type to still be reading this far down a toy review and be genuinely interested, it's totally worth it.


The Soldier is limited to 1050 (750 standard, 300 Exclusive) pieces worldwide, and is available from Gaming Heads' website.


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Jul 2, 2012
Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike: Source, Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch Updates Released
Counter-Strike: Source - Valve
Updates to Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike: Source, 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, CS:S)
  • Fixed a problem that allowed spoofed IP addresses to make connections to the game server

Team Fortress 2
  • Teddy Roosebelt can now get assists in Pyrovision
  • Fixed Pyrovision sometimes activating in killcams for more than just weapons and cosmetics
  • Fixed exploit where the Scorch Shot could fire its short range kill pellet at the very beginning of the taunt
  • Fixed blood getting sprayed on the world in some cases in Low Violence and Pyrovision
  • Fixed decapitations creating head gibs in Low Violence and Pyrovision
  • Fixed Hitman’s Heatmaker headshot not properly getting counted on the scoreboard
  • Fixed tracers being fired for other weapons (SMGs) while in focus
  • Fixed Sydney Sleeper’s bonus not properly protecting against Decapitating Headshots
  • Added team color to rainbow-showered players in Pyrovision
  • Updated localization files

Counter-Strike: Source
  • Added ConVars sv_rcon_maxpacketsize and sv_rcon_maxpacketbans to allow server admins to control the maximum RCON packet size and whether or not users get banned for exceeding that limit. The defaults reflect the existing behavior.
  • Fixed not being able to import custom spray images on Macs
  • Fixed Macs cancelling http map downloads that take longer than 30 seconds
  • Updated the HTML renderer for displaying server MOTD
Jul 2, 2012
Meet Team Fortress 2's...Batman? Rap Video?
Team Fortress 2

The fun people are having with Valve's new Source Filmmaker continues. Not long after the secret of the Pyro's identity is revealed do we now get some rap, some Batman and a plea to please, please stop with the remixes of Meet the Heavy.


Did Valve realise that the release of this suite would unleash a flood of kids graduating from making great Garry's Mod movies to making better movies? You bet they did.





Jul 2, 2012
Valveconomics: Why We Gift In Team Fortress 2
Team Fortress 2
tf2


It's not simply about being nice, or even generous, explains Valve economist Yanis Varoufakis in his latest blog post, the snappily named TO TRUCK, BARTER AND EXCHANGE? On the nature of our digital economies. In it, he discusses things like the role of gifts as a way of proving dominance, pure vs. impure exchanges, and the role of gifting in the current Team Fortress 2 economy.

It's interesting stuff, if not exactly light reading. Perhaps imagine it read out by the Heavy?



CREDIT TO ECONOMY! I think you'll agree. Check out the full post here.
Jul 2, 2012
Meet The Source Filmmaker
Team Fortress 2
sfm


It's only been available in closed beta for a few days, but already crazy directors are cracking open Valve's Source Filmmaker and creating their own crazy movies. Wondering what kind of thing you'll be able to put together when it goes live to the rest of us? Here are a few videos to offer a taster.

Also, they're quite funny. Which is nice too.



Expect to see a lot more of this one. MEME IS CREDIT TO TEAM!



See?



This one ends up in the Twilight Zone for some reason...



Of course, not everyone is lucky enough to have been invited to the party yet.



Want to get your hands on it yourself? Sign up for the closed beta here and prepare to show Pixar how it's done. For no budget. In your room. And if Pixar's goal was to create surreal weirdness with the Team Fortress 2 characters. What? It may well be. I've not seen Brave yet. It might star the Medic...
Jul 1, 2012
Source Filmmakers Unmask The Pyro
Team Fortress 2


We all enjoyed Meet the Pyro. It was worth the wait. Except fans still had one question. Who is the man behind the mask?!


Well, wonder no more. Thanks to Valve's new Source Filmmaker, we now know exactly who (or what) is beneath the Pyro's mask.


But be warned, what you are about to see may disturb you.


Jun 29, 2012
ESEA Season 11 LAN Playoffs
Team Fortress 2
Be sure to check out the live stream for the ESEA Season 11 LAN Playoffs for TF2 starting today. The matches begin today and will be running until Sunday.

Jun 29, 2012
Hero Academy Opening On Steam, August 8th
Team Fortress 2 - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Adam Smith)

Meet the Plato

This is the most splendid of news. If you don’t know Hero Academy, it’s a turn-based, two-player tactical game from the chaps behind Orcs Must Die and if you are now wondering why> you haven’t heard of it, it’s because it’s an iOS game. Except on August 8th it’ll also be a PC game, as it’s coming to Steam and allowing cross-platform play. Opponents are played asynchronously, so you take your turn, inform your opponent and wait for a response. This means you can play loads of games at the same time and with its chessy appeal, you’ll probably want to. I shall welcome it to my PC with a smile and, oh look, Valve have provided an exclusive team. Trailer below.

(more…)

Jun 29, 2012
Hero Academy coming to Steam. Includes TF2 characters and cross-platform play
Team Fortress 2
Hero Academy


Have I told you how brilliant Orcs Must Die! is recently? I probably have, I say it a lot. Did you know the developers, Robot Entertainment also made an IOS turn based battle game called Hero Academy? Well if you didn't, now you do, and you should also know that Eurogamer are reporting that it's coming to Steam.



The Steam version of the game will allow for cross platform play with the iOS version, letting you show those trendy Apple folk just who knows more about turn based combat. Oh, and if you own the game on both formats, they'll sync up too. Also, getting the PC version gives you a new squad of heroes based on adorable big headed versions of Team Fortress 2 characters. There's nothing about this announcement that isn't brilliant.

Hero Academy has been out on IOS for several months now, and has gotten a lot of praise so far. Even PC Gamer's own Chris Thursten has spent many a lunchtime furiously tapping away as his iPhone because of it. The game is simple, two teams face each other across a battle grid trying to destroy each others crystals. Each turn lets you re-arrange your troops, bring in new ones or use abilities, then you send it off. When the other player has figured out his move, the game proceeds. Like Frozen Synapse, you're free to have as many games as you want on the go at once, so you're never just sitting around waiting for your opponent to log in.

Hero Academy will arrive on PC on the 8th of August.
Jun 29, 2012
Hero Academy Coming to Steam on August 8
Team Fortress 2

The popular iOS game is getting a PC version with bonus Team Fortress 2-themed content included. Players of both versions will be able to compete cross-platform; owners of both versions will have unlocked content from one available on both.


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