3501

As someone who idled, I personally find it quite funny. They created a system that is fairly lame (in my opinion ofc) to start with, and then take action against those who used the program, but mention nothing about those who idle in game (unless I’ve missed something). I honestly can’t see the difference between the two, and just find it amusing that those who idle in game will likely still end up with the Halo and pretend to be good guys.

Anyways, I was a flagged account and I honestly don’t care. Why? Even with idling and playing the game normally, I still have never received a hat, and my inventory is laughable anyways. It’s a terrible system in my mind, but that’s just my two cents.

I am looking forward to rage posts though, the drama should be entertaining at least.

Also, lol @:

3502

Hopefully idle servers are the next to draw Valve’s wrath.

3503

My hat’s off (pun intended) to Valve for doing this. The players who used the idling apps knew they were doing wrong, but somehow convinced themselves that it was acceptable to game the system. Well, Judgment Day has arrived, so enjoy your comeuppance halo-less, cheaters!

3504

The question is, while the program was a very grey area, how can you truly punish players in idle servers? They are using no hacks, cheats, or alternative method to earn items. They are simply fulfilling the minimum requirements set by Valve, which are log in and spend time in game, nothing less, nothing more.

Not to mention, it will help artificially inflate numbers in their stat system and make the game look better in terms of number of concurrent players and overall time played.

My hat’s off (pun intended) to Valve for doing this. The players who used the idling apps knew they were doing wrong, but somehow convinced themselves that it was acceptable to game the system. Well, Judgment Day has arrived, so enjoy your comeuppance halo-less, cheaters!

I would imagine the halos mean very little when idle server users still received them. It will be fun watching everyone run around showing them off though, not knowing who really is ‘legit’ and who isn’t.

3505

Based on what Valve wrote, they’re disciplining those who used external idling apps, not idling servers. Did anyone here solely use idling servers? If so, did Valve take action against you?

3506

Would be interesting to hear as well from more credible sources here, but according to the official forums, they didn’t. As I posted above, there are halo users currently in idle servers, and I doubt they are first timers.

Curious to hear from others as well though.

3507

The only difference between idling in an actual server and using the app was you weren’t actually in a level and you could run it without the game installed. Nice little “fuck you” to the playerbase there. I don’t have the game installed but I ran the idler with no shame.

3508

Ah I never considered it that way, running the program without the game installed as I always had mine installed. Wasn’t even aware that was possible, but I never really looked into it much either. Makes sense though from that viewpoint.

3509

I mean I was running the game in the tiniest window possible before the sourceop server thing came out, the only difference between using one and idling was that I had all my unlocks in a neat little list (with the ability to see the percentages of others if I cared) that used no processing power. I’m unsure as to what great enriching experience getting 10 Killing Gloves of Boxing in a row while playing as to getting them running a simulator. Either way I didn’t earn them.

3510

I’m quite happy, I finally got my first hat with this update. I know that the halo is pretty lame, but it’s better than nothing.

3511

My general viewpoint is that I have no interest in “earning” unlocks, whether it be through achievements or just playing and hoping. I achievement-farmed all my unlocks before the new system, and after that I idled with an app for a bit (but gave up shortly after I realised I was going to have at least 3 of every unlock without much trouble).

I can understand people who enjoy the system, but I just want to play the game. So why “cheat” the system? Because the unlocks make the game more interesting and fun, of course.

So I don’t really view it as doing right or wrong. It seems a little disingenuous to call people who just want to have the unlocks and play “bad” when there’s no possible way at this stage to get some of them faster (beyond playing it all day every day, and even then…).

3512

Blaming your own incompetence to design a working system on the players?

Stay classy, Valve.

3513

I used the Idle app till they fixed it to allow the sniper and spy unlocks to be achievement linked. Having logged more time then I care to mention as a sniper, finding the app that allowed me to get the razorback and huntsman was a great thing. If they had just left the unlocks achievement linked and added the time unlock thing as well I’d never have used it. I don’t care if I don’t get a Halo all I know is now they can’t take my weapons away now.

3514

Even though I don’t play much TF2 anymore, I find this whole situation hilarious.

On the Steam forum, some people are claiming that people are discriminating against halo/non-halo wearers. At this point, I can’t help but think that Valve is running a social experiment that duplicates “A Class Divided”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCjDxAwfXV0

To be fair, I think people who used the idle program should receive a Devil Horns hat.

3515

Here’s proof of the discrimination

3516

That is one of the things I find so fascinating about all this. I have been following the forums while I work on some other things, and it’s been both entertaining and interesting.

Instead of punishing third party program using idlers, they have created community division that will essentially ‘punish’ everyone. As you also have seen, people are discriminating against each other. Halo and non-halo players have been banned from servers depending on the admins, and one group of players is refusing to help another despite being on the same team.

Now with most of the divisional stuff with game updates, time heals all wounds and people tend to accept the changes, with only an extremely small portion actually getting so angry they leave. However, now things are different. There will be a persistent visual reminder, as long as people wear the halo, and it will remind the opposing group of their frustration and continue with their behavior.

The solution of course is to remove the halo, but I am sure a significant amount still will for a long time to come. Not to mention, it has now created a somewhat unfair reward for the halo bearers, not being able to use a hat due to discrimination.

Maybe I am wrong and time will heal all, but I imagine this will persist for some time and create a very unfriendly environment for those who do not have a dedicated server they regularly play on with people they already know.

3517

Why the hell is there so much outcry over this? People go “Meh” over no LAN in the new Blizzard games, but shit themselves when Valve takes away items they got from running idling programs? And not all their items, just the items from idling? And these items are in Team Fortress 2 of all things, which you sure as hell don’t need items to play it in the first place?

Jesus. I’m disgusted.

3518

Obviously people form very strong bonds to items they exploited their way to.

I’m surprised anyone actually expected to keep the items they got from third-party applications. Idling in game isn’t exactly in the spirit of the system, but using an app to manipulate the server stats…boo, hiss, etc.

The halos are just a fun bonus.

Besides, achieved weapons aren’t taken, so…feh!

Also, really, is it that surprising, given http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=2293 right after the third-party unlock issue?

3519

All this fuss over hats and items? If there is one thing I am noticing more and more when I play online, it is the number of angry people out there, anger which seems to be spilling over onto the steam forums too. Some of these guys need to get a grip and decide what is really important. Besides, it is Valve’s game, and they have the final say as to what happens. If they want to be pricks and say “The medic class will now only have 1 HP, a giant head, with sniper bullets that magically home in on them” then it is their right to do so considering they own the IP.

Needless to say, when I play tonight, most likely as medic, I’ll wear my halo with pride, the angel to save my stricken comrades, and continue to heal anyone on the team, halo wearing or not. Actually, imagining the medic as an angel swooping down to heal his comrades is a bit disturbing given his sadistic nature.

3520

That post seems to be talking about something entirely different. That post is talking about some kind of third party app that unlocked all achievements. The app in question just let you idle on a server without having the game client open, exactly like people idling on a sever with the game client open, only with less game client.