4061

Also, because Hydro sucks.

Oh, Snap!

4062

I went back and played some TF2 after not playing it since a couple months after release not to long ago. I was pretty surprised to see the computer I had built to run TF2 at an almost constant 60fps was chugging along between 25-40 during most fire fights. At first I thought it was my computer and actually formatted my drive and upgraded to Win7 thinking my performance would increase, it didn’t. After investigating I find it’s a common problem that stems from the patches they have been churning out.

I wish I could install old vanilla TF2 with bot support, I’d play the hell out of that game.

4063

There are classic servers out there, with none of the new weapons and only the classic maps. Hats were allowed on the last one I visited, I don’t have the IP addy atm.

4064

Ok, I wasn’t really angry about all this store thing, but today I received some kind of crate while playing and now I discover that to open it I must purchase a key for $2.49 that isn’t obtainable otherwise. Really, Valve?

4065

Yeah, that’s something that I really disapprove of. That’s taking inspiration from the worst of the manipulative kinds of microtransation game design.

What makes it even worse is that the crate might contain an old weapon you already have, completely worthless to you, and valued lower in the store than the key you bought to access it. It’s like gambling, with a whole bunch of manipulative tricks to get you to play.

4066

I agree the whole crate and key thing is really dumb…

IMHO , crates should hold only : DUELs, Tags to rename stuff, Paint, and Hats.

Make me buying that key not feel super pissed off, as the crate contains yet another Jarate! >.>

4067

christ. Is Valve just trolling TF2 players now? The crate system sounds ridiculous.

4068

So far I’ve been supportive of the whole endeavor, I don’t mind people buying items that are available through a little time and effort when they don’t hurt the game balance.

But considering the big deal made of “Oh, it’s okay, everything that you can buy can be dropped”, I feel lied to. If they’re going to drop rare items in crates, I’m fine with that even, though I don’t care for buying the key. I especially don’t care for the fact it might just be a random item I’ve already fucking got that’s not as expensive as the key. That’s not a drop, that’s just gambling, and it’s a bad move on their part.

4069

Has anyone been gifted anything? Or given one of the gifts?

4070

I’ve gotten 3 gifts so far. Some guy on the server I was playing on claimed he won $200 at poker, and gave out 3 of the 23 player gift packs.

Does text messages for everyone who gets a gift and who gave the gift, and then if you got a gift you get a little window on the left side of your screen with the player’s Steam community icon saying so and so gave you a gift. Next time you die, you get a “You got gifted: Item!” message just like if it dropped. Gifted items themselves are like store bought items so you can’t craft with them and can’t trade them, and it lists who gave you the gift and when. Got a kritzkrieg, cloak and dagger (Both of which I already had), and the new sniper shield.

Best use for the crates is for trading fodder, by the way. There are crazy people who will spend money on the keys, so a hat in the hand is worth two in the crate.

4071

I’ve just received a crate. Not sure what to do with it. Considering deleting it.

4072

OR you could just trade to some other shmuck and let them buy the key.

4073

I was on a server last night and during the game a guy traded for about ten crates and opened all of them. Then he gave away some gifts. Good times.

4074

So far I’m only really miffed over two things: The fact that some item set bonuses are pure buffs as opposed to tradeoffs like everything else in TF2, and more specifically the Sidney Sleeper which discourages headshots in general. I don’t mind newbie friendly items like the Vita-Saw, but I find myself avoiding the Sleeper simply because aiming for bodyshots goes against my habitual sniper play.

4075

See, I can hit a much higher percentage of bodyshots, so I don’t think I’d mind the Sleeper. I think it’s intended to be a tradeoff for people who can’t currently get the full potential of playing Sniper.

4076

I don’t see the pure buff aspect myself, there’s some definite trading, even on the full set. I’m also betting Valve has tested some of these ideas already, and used Polycount as a way to implement them. That and they’re not afraid to rebalance things after releasing them, so I’m not going to worry over it.

4077

I loaded up TF2 today, and was greeted by a giant sign in my main menu that said Buy This Crocosomething for $17.49.

That’s not “hey, we’re giving players a second option to get these items without grinding for them.” That’s “BUY THIS NOW!!!1!!,” persistently staring at you in the main menu. Ewww.

And $17.49? Isn’t TF2 $20 on its own? Nearly the same price for a few items? It all feels a little desperate to me.

Food for thought: What would the reaction be if this was Activision and something like Modern Warfare?

4078

Pissed, depending on what was up for sale. Though considering there’s a horrifying LACK of outrage over Gamestop Exclusive weapons, I could be wrong.

I think the tone of the game and function of the items makes a big difference, though. Also, Valve hasn’t sold us overpriced map packs or forced any purchase (beyond the key, booooo), so they’ve still got a large amount of built up good will.

4079

I also got a crate tonight , not sure if I am gonna open it or trade it…

4080

I traded a crate for a crate. Only offer I got someone to accept for it so far unfortunately. Sounds like most people aren’t interested in the crates, with good reason. Kinda wish you could smash the crate for some metal at least.