TF2 Update 1/06/2010

[SoBe Green]

Server Browser (for TF2 and DoD:S)
- Added a client-side server blacklist:
- Supports blacklisting of specific servers, all servers on an IP, and all servers on a class C range.
- Saves the server list to a file, and has an Import button to allow easy sharing (cfg\server_blacklist.txt)

Balance changes:
- Reduced the health penalty on The Sandman.
- The Force-A-Nature knockback on target now:
- Only applies to hits that deal more than 30 damage and are in close range.
- Factors in the firer's angle of attack when determining the knockback direction.
- Has less of an effect on grounded targets.
- The Dead Ringer now:
- Reduces cloak to 40% when uncloaking early.
- Has a 35% cap on the amount of cloak it can gain from an ammo pack.
- Has a quieter de-cloak sound.

Changes / Fixes:
- Fixed a performance & stability issue with AMD processors.
- Improved the stability of the game server -> item backend connection.
- Fixed a rare server crash related to dispensers.
- Added min/max values to viewmodel_fov convar to match the settings in the slider.
- Reduced the number of moons in ctf_doublecross, sadly.
- Demo playback now ignores sv_pure settings, allowing demos to easily contain custom content.
- Fixed a crash related to sv_pure and the wireframe_dx6 shader.
- Players can no longer shoot while stunned.
- Fixed a bug that caused movement speed reductions to not work on stunned players.
- Soldier Rage bar no longer resets when touching a resupply cabinet.

Achievement fixes:
- Fixed the "Second Eye" Demoman achievement.
- Fixed a bug in the "Play Doctor" Medic achievement.
- Changed the requirements for the "Medals of Honor" Soldier achievement.
- Updated description for the "Blind Fire" Demoman achievement to better explain the requirements.
- Fixed an issue that affected several achievements requiring the use of the Equalizer.

Community requests:
- Added "skip_next_map" server ConCommand to skip the next map in the map cycle.
- Added "Play a hit sound whenever you injure an enemy" option to the Multiplayer->Advanced options menu.
- Added server "tf_use_fixedshotgunspreads" convar. When set, shotgun & scattergun pellet spreads will use a non-random distribution.
- Added a "show_htmlpage" command to allow server operators to display custom web pages to clients.

Changes to the TF Bots:
- In KOTH mode, Bots are now:
- More likely to roam around and hunt enemies if there is lots of time left.
- Become more likely to push for the point as time runs down, or their teammates start to capture it.
- Medic bots now:
- Opportunistically "overheal" nearby friends when they can.
- Prioritize healing of injured nearby friends more.
- Don't focus on Heavies quite so exclusively.
- Don't spam their Medigun continuously at round start.
- Won't choose cover far below their heal target so much (koth_nucleus).
- Fight back with their syringe-gun appropriately.
- Various improvements to combat behaviors.
- General bot improvements:
- They no longer stand still on the point when capturing or defending it.
- They choose more varied routes now.
- They choose better defensive spots around captured points.
- They fall back to another weapon when they entirely run out of ammo.
- They adjust their FOV when using zoomed in sniper scope.
- They treat in-range Sentries as the most dangerous threat.
- They fire their weapons is more realistic bursts.
- Engineers use their shotgun properly.
- Added a "virtual mousepad" concept to rework how bots track enemy players:
- They now periodically estimate the position and velocity of the enemy they are tracking, instead of "locking on".
- After rotating beyond a maximum angle, they will pause for a fraction of a second to re-center their "virtual mouse".
- Allows for over/undershoot "slop" in aiming. Looks more natural, and allows skilled players to dodge.
- Addresses the "180 spin around and fire", "Heavy bot is OP", "Sniper is OP", and "I can't fight a Heavy bot as a Scout" issues.
- Tuned Sniper spot finding algorithm to generate more diverse locations, partially addressing the "Predictable Sniper camping spots" issue.
- Soldier bots are more careful to not fire rockets that will explode on nearby geometry and kill them
- Fixed a bug where bots tried to heal from a Dispenser being carried by an Engineer.
- Tuned scoreboard logic to guard against malicious server operators spoofing bot pings to hide the "BOT" tag.
- Added more bot names as suggested by the TF community.

Hoorah Force of Nublet users now have to actually learn to play Scout. Win!
Equalizer now works for achievements. Win!
Now voogru can make a very easy vote_skip command. Win!

[MassaStorm]

You think Valve's seen the error of their ways in regards to the Scout unlocks? They keep having to tweak the Sandman and FaN.

[SoBe Green]

I think the Sandman is finally right where it needs to be. Even when hit by it someone still has to aim to hit you although the days of watching a Force of Nublet hit me with the sandman and then proceed to miss me with BOTH shots I will certainly miss. The health reduction made it even more useless as just about every class could one hit you. Stunning ubers obviously had its balance issues. Maybe CTF well will require aiming now.

The FaN was a bad idea from the start. Scouts already did insane damage before the update. They need and still need a way to support the team on non CTF maps without adding extra damage. Short of that the Scout never needed anything to begin with.

[SaberMonk]

I'm happy to see the sound reduction to the Dead Ringer, but I wonder why they thought it needed a nerf to its energy usage. I've seen so few spies who use it, and even fewer who know how to use it effectively, that I wonder why they thought it was necessary.

[AngelicDeathKitten]

I've been learning the Dead Ringer and to see it get nerfed is a sad day indeed. I think its the pros that they're nerfing it for... I once killed the same spy eight times in 30 seconds, just kept running around and picking up ammo packs and fallen weapons.

[SoBe Green]

DR is not a method of transportation. Lower cloak time + quieter uncloak sound = Used correctly

[oranjuZ]

Factors in the firer's angle of attack when determining the knockback direction

-

Apply the same thing to pyro's airblast... and ill make out with each and everyone of you. So stupid how that thing works.

[voogru]

Added a "show_htmlpage" command to allow server operators to display custom web pages to clients

Something me and a friend requested, expect to see some stuff with this soon.

Tuned scoreboard logic to guard against malicious server operators spoofing bot pings to hide the "BOT" tag

Something I personally requested, thank me later.

[MassaStorm]

custom backpacks and items

[MomawNadon78]

Since this has turned into a request thread, I want a Lvl101 Healthy Axe of Maiming that will replenish my health at +3hp per second, give me a +15hp per hit bonus, deal a +15 of extra dmg on a crit strike, and a -5hp per second for 10 secs with each hit.

TF2RPG for the win

[faults]

finally the much needed FaN nerf.