Going From Happy Simple Console TF2 To WAAAAGGH Laptop TF2

[Seil]

Just like the title says.

Okay, okay - I got a laptop in the wee days of 2011, and it's the first computer I own that could be considered a decent gaming machine. (That's decent, not messianic, as Dragon Age II so aptly proved, which means that it's still the PS3 for me) but I've heard a lot about this hip, happening game called Team Fortress 2. Okay, yeah, I heard about it way back when, bought the Orange Box for PC as soon as it was available, back when I had a computer which was frankensteined together after years of abuse. (Much like the actual Frankenstein.)

But then I bought it for PS3 a while later and lo, good times were had. I was capturing flags in 2Fort, and defending points in Dustbowl, and... that's it, actually. (Seriously, who plays Hydro?)

Well, with the aforementioned laptop, I'm able to enjoy all the TF2 goodness that... why are there hats? Special weapons? I... what's going on here?

[Revising Ocelot]

DISCLAIMER: I'm a literal moron, so some/all of this may be inaccurate.

Well, Valve wanted to provide free updates to TF2. Since this is all getting done through Xbox Live on the 360, Microsoft disagreed and wanted Valve to charge for updates (with MS getting some of the cash too, I presume). Valve refused to charge for updates... so 360 TF2 got absolutely nothing. I don't know what the situation was for the PS3 TF2 though - I think the OB was outsourced to EA or someone as Valve didn't know how to develop for PS3 systems? *shrug*
For Portal 2 they've got the hang of PS3 development, so that + DLC and such will be available there for free (360 version will still need DLC to be purchased I believe).

What you're seeing now is the accumulation of tons and tons of updates to TF2, some trivial, some large. The last few months have seen a huge surge in available hats and new weapons, many of them made by the community (due to a contribution page). Add in various tie-ins with other games on Steam (eg. preordering TW: Shogun 2 gets you stuff in TF2 right now), and it all becomes a big mess.

Note that just about everything is craftable ingame, especially weapons with different mechanics. Stuff like the PNatI items are cosmetic only, so personally I'm not particularly bothered by this recent deluge of items.


Might want to have a gander at http://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Patches. And the rest of the Wiki, for that matter.

[Specterbane]

Pretty much this kinda stuff.

Valve's pretty much turned TF2 into it's all purpose money making machine by putting out weapon-packs or hat-packs or bunches-of-random-crap packs released with other games and just in general releasing new weapons to keep the game interesting. Now they're giving people the offer to buy shit or give them the "opportunity" to pay for a random drop that may or may not be complete crap for you since you've already got it.

The Manco store's got an explanation of it too.

[Azisien]

What? There's no TF2 on PCs.

I mean, Valve has Hat Trading Fortress 2, which is somewhat similar.

[Fifthfiend]

Originally Posted by Specterbane

PNow they're giving people the offer to buy shit or give them the "opportunity" to pay for a random drop that may or may not be complete crap for you since you've already got it.

Alternately, just wait for the item itself as a random drop. Or craft it.

[Doc ock rokc]

Originally Posted by Specterbane

Pretty much this kinda stuff.

Valve's pretty much turned TF2 into it's all purpose money making machine by putting out weapon-packs or hat-packs or bunches-of-random-crap packs released with other games and just in general releasing new weapons to keep the game interesting. Now they're giving people the offer to buy shit or give them the "opportunity" to pay for a random drop that may or may not be complete crap for you since you've already got it.

The Manco store's got an explanation of it too.

I agree that crates are crap but you can still delet them or give them away for free (i know a few that are rediculously lucky and get Unatural hats all the time)
anyway I find the store is a necessary evil. as it keeps the E bay 200 dollars for a hat thing from happening.


Also the reason it wasn't working for the PS3 is because the PSN network is a monster that devastates files not in a specific format. the steam works thing will fix that hopefully.

[Aerozord]

Originally Posted by Seil

Well, with the aforementioned laptop, I'm able to enjoy all the TF2 goodness that... why are there hats? Special weapons? I... what's going on here?

hats for the most part are just cosmetic, there are some "sets" where having certain items with the hat on will give you some perks. As for weapons, every class got a class update which added three new weapons, and haphazardly they added more on top of this.

Patch wise I'd say the biggest changes were, pyro's compression blast. This lets you reflect missiles, demo projectiles, and put out burning allies. It also knocksback enemies which is nice with environmental hazards. So you know you can deflect lvl 3 sentry missiles but, not really practical.

Other was making all engineer buildings upgradable and you can now pick them up and move them.

Spy disguise was also tweaked, they can now switch weapons and reload while disguised. Disguised as a medic shows a fake ubercharge scale, health is randomized, basically dont rely on those console tricks to spot them

[Jagos]

I truly wish there was a way to sell crates to Valve OR find a way to get enough points to open the damn things. I am SERIOUSLY not going to open them otherwise...

[Aerozord]

my main issue with the crates, is that some of the items they give you is less then the cost of the key. Already gambling for a duplicate, but to get something you not only have, but could have bought for half the price, that just sucks