It’s amazing how a small modification like seeing how much damage you’re doing has all sorts of game-changing ripple effects. As a medic, I had previously taken the blutsaugher over the syringe gun, since the health leech gave me feedback on my accuracy. Now that I can tell when I’m actually hitting people, I don’t see a reason not to take the syringe gun for the health regeneration.
As Strato mentioned, it’s also made learning the scout class much easier. Counterintuitive strategies like running up to melee range before using the scatter gun, and switching to the pistol at medium or far range make more sense when you can see the results.
It bothers me that there are so many little game-improving toggles that aren’t turned on by default for new players, and are hidden in obscure places in the options menu. Between autoreloading, fast weapon switching, automatic healing notification, and seeing damage done, anyone who just started this weekend is at an unfair and unnecessary disadvantage.
I’m amazed at how good the pistol is at range - it still does about 8 damage a hit, and at that crazy fire rate you can chew through people’s health enough to get them on the run in no time.
It’s definitely helping me understand the game in ways playing it for two years hasn’t.
Any other revelations?
Jab
3723
I was thumbing through the options a few minutes ago, what does the quick disguise selector do for the spy?
Also fast weapon switching is a god send, I just went on a mini killing spree with the pryo by going from flamethrower to axetinguisher.
pyrhic
3724
Ya, cause those items will really even up the odds against all the slavering 14 year olds who have played the game non-stop for 2 years and know every single angle, hiding spot and approach for every single map, as well as having every unlockable item.
I used to be good at this game, now stepping in is like asking to get spanked for an hour by a big german with an unsanded oak board…
Similar to playing every MP shooter out there, but not quite as bad. I’ve never been an elite TF2 player and I haven’t played for a while, but I can hold my own. Try something like Battlefield 2 for a “why the hell am I even trying?” vibe.
If I were rich and stuff, I’d run a private server farm for “older” games so I could actually play them without being sniped 0.1 seconds into a spawn.
Cubit
3726
I’m still bitter that Valve took all my unlocks away that I earned by running the idler program.
Strato
3728
I’m impressed with the syringe gun crit needles. If I recall correctly 30 damage a hit. Given the rate of fire with that thing, I always hope when there is a group of enemies that I can get the crit buff to do some real damage.
Ya, cause those items will really even up the odds against all the slavering 14 year olds who have played the game non-stop for 2 years and know every single angle, hiding spot and approach for every single map, as well as having every unlockable item.
You missed the point. In less than one minute you can go into two options submenus and enable between three and seven different features that make the game much easier to play. New players never know about these options, since they’re ambiguously named, located in an obscure place, and aren’t mentioned in the loading screen hints.
There is a fundamental difference between an advantage gained by hidden menu options, and an advantage gained from two years of practice.
pyrhic
3730
No, I understood. However your point was that those items constitute an unfair and unnecessary advantage - my counter is that it’s almost negligible beside the other unfair advantages that are hovering vulturelike over the game.
Hunty
3731
I’ve definitely got rustier, though I am generally doing alright. I don’t think that this is true for TF2 anywhere near as much as with other games. The graphic and level design are so bold and up close, your objectives are so clear, and the class design fosters enough incidental teamwork that generally you can at least contribute.
I got my hands on the Equalizer and the Direct Hit. The former is basically a direct upgrade, and as I was never exactly shy about whipping my shovel out at the best of times (wahey) I’ve got some pretty good use out of it. As for the latter… well, I’m in adjustment period; i.e. I fucking suck with it. I unlocked it last night on the PC Gamer server and plummeted down the board like a brick once I equipped it. Admittedly I was attacking an iron-clad defence on the last stage of Hoodoo with no medics, but still, I think I managed to kill about three people in ten minutes. Definitely a learning curve there.
Great headsup on the extra options by the way - I’ve been playing on and off since release, and my setup is so locked in these days I never even look in the options menu, so they’re news to me…
Pod
3733
I got this of reddit:
The hit damage numbers that I’m talking about is the new advanced multiplayer feature that shows the amount of damage you do in floating text above your target’s head.
make a file named “HudDamageAccount.res” and put it in your tf\resource\ui folder and make the contents of the file this:
“Resource/UI/HudDamageAccount.res”
{
“CDamageAccountPanel”
{
“fieldName” “CDamageAccountPanel”
“text_x” “0”
“text_y” “0”
“delta_item_end_y” “0”
“PositiveColor” “0 255 0 255”
“NegativeColor” “0 255 0 255”
“delta_lifetime” “2.0”
“delta_item_font” “HudFontMedium”
“delta_item_font_big” “HudFontBig”
}
}
it increases the font size, changes the color to green, and makes them stay around a bit longer.
If anyone has any further additions/changes, I’d love to hear 'em.
I don’t use exactly this, as I made the 2.0 into a 1.5 and changed Medium to MediumSmall and Big to Medium, because healing/kritzing a heavy caused me to go blind from all the bright green.
Meet the Pyro.
Okay, so not really, but still good fun.
Pod
3735
TF2 is beginning to bore me. I don’t like these new weapons. It feels really lame to get killed by them :/
Crafting flash game (plus a faster version and fastest version) that illustrates just how silly the entire system is for hats. First hat found at 150 hour mark and second hat crafted at 250 hours - and both were the same hatless sniper hairdo. It does seem pretty liberal with the camera beards, though.
roBurky
3737
Last night, I was playing combat medic. I was firing needles down a corridor towards some enemies at the other end. A demoman used the targe to charge towards me, and died instantly from hitting every airborne needle along the way.
Finally got the Eyelander last night. Only took forever and a day.
The crafting system does seem completely silly–all the folks I’ve seen complain a lot about it. Then again, given what you’re crafting for, I’d imagine it’d take awhile but the problem is you don’t even get the unique stuff half of the time.
— Alan
Strato
3739
Crafting gives something to do while waiting for the game timer to count down to start play, or alternately waiting for the respawn.
Also, firing the needles are one thing, but firing crit needles into a tightly huddled group on a cart is another. Those suckers do a lot of damage when critted.
dermot
3740
Dunno if anyone’s still playing this, but I’ve set up a dedicated server on 83.141.117.122 if anyone’s interested. Hosted in Dublin so it might suit my fellow Euro’s. Any suggestions on map rotation and/or mods would be welcome.
