GENTLEMEN.

[Delmania]

Well, that update page and video got me interested.  Even more so since the game is 50% off this weekend on Steam

[eldaec]

I can't decide which is more retarded, the way the ambassador plays, or the way the bow and arrow looks.

[Teleku]

Speaking of which, how is the bow and arrow?  Is it actually worthwhile?  Or any of the other sniper upgrades for that matter.

[Jobu]

Speaking of which, how is the bow and arrow?  Is it actually worthwhile?  Or any of the other sniper upgrades for that matter.

I haven't received it yet, but it's fucking awesome to see someone dead and pinned to the wall as you run by. Comedy value alone is worth it, IMO.

[Strazos]

I played for more than an hour today, with zero unlocks. 

Is there any zoom on the bow at all?

[Malakili]

Apparently something is wrong with the way items are being found, and the pace is supposed to be greater.

Anyway, heres more info:

Why did we build a new system?

    * With our first four class updates we were tying the new weapons for each class to a set of achievements. Our intention was to make a set of achievements that eventually all players would get, and would be fun to get along the way. In some cases we did a good job at this (Scout), and in some cases we did a bad one (Medic). Across all of the class packs we were disappointed in the number of people that got to play with the new weapons, and feedback from the community was generally not favorable with this approach.


What did we do?

    * For the last number of months we've been working on using the Steam Cloud to store a player's inventory. With that finally in place, we were able to deploy a new system focused on the giving of items to players. That new system watches the amount of time that players are playing TF2, and gives them a chance to find items at regular intervals. They aren't guaranteed to get the item at those points, but they have a pretty good chance. We based the system on granting items on the amount of time played because we don't want players to have to do weird things like join achievement grinding servers to get new content. Basing it off time also has the benefit of ensuring that if you play a lot of TF2, you're going to get more items than players who don't.

How long do I have to play to get an item?

    * When we were tuning this system we first looked at the average amount of time that players spend playing TF2 daily. From there, we set the goal of most players having around 20 items in their inventory after a couple of weeks of play. If you're someone who plays a lot of TF2, you're going to get items a lot faster than that. In the first few hours after the release yesterday, we had some issues that prevented the system from working properly, so that timeframe was not indicative of the system as it's designed.

Is this the way we'll find items from now on?

    * Like everything else we build, we'll be iterating on this system for a while, and have a lot of features planned. Some of the next things we have planned are:

      - Item trading. This is why you're finding duplicates.

      - Giving players a method to influence the system so they   can work directly toward getting specific items.

      - Adding more rare items like the hats.

      We're going to be working on and rolling these out while we're also working on the next class pack, with the goal being to get it all released before then.

Source: http://teamfortress.com/post.php?id=2535

[schild]

This all pretty much guarantees that Valve is eventually going to make an MMOG. This is the sort of design methodology that's testing the grounds for such a thing as it's certainly not going to push a ton more TF2 boxes (the $9.99 price would have done that without any updates ever).

[Fordel]

I have Jarate.


Tremble in fear.

[Kail]

That new system watches the amount of time that players are playing TF2, and gives them a chance to find items at regular intervals. (snip) Basing it off time also has the benefit of ensuring that if you play a lot of TF2, you're going to get more items than players who don't.

That's... good?  I guess?

      - Item trading. This is why you're finding duplicates.

TF2 has an economy now...?!

      - Adding more rare items like the hats.

Oh, hell.

[rattran]

I played for a couple hours, and got duplicates of several pyro and medic items I already had. No new stuff. Bow and Arrow seemed pretty effective at medium range, spies were slightly more annoying, and I still love setting people on fire.

[Triforcer]

I have played 5 or 6 hours since the update and not one unlock, not even a repeat.  I'm starting to wonder if valve hates asian IPS, since in all the time I've played I've seen THREE messages where someone on my server got an item. 

[eldaec]

Create server -> Random Map -> Player limit = 1 -> time limit = 99999 -> Play EvE -> Receive unlocks

[Prospero]

I picked up the Cloak & Dagger last night. It makes you re-think maps a lot; you need to find places that give you good visibility into enemy movement, but are enough out of the way a random pyro won't set you on fire. I found myself missing the normal cloak a number of times, but it definitely seems like a worthwhile sidegrade.

[Strazos]

The Dead Ringer is driving me nuts. It even spits out false kill messages.

All the spies hanging about is driving me nuts, and I don't have my shield yet.


The Huntsman is....amusing. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. I'm more mobile, and I can still kill people, but..I dunno, sometimes I find myself missing the instant-hit of the rifle. And the zoom, but just because I am use to being zoomed.

[eldaec]

btw, it turns out you can still unlock new weapons the old way.

[NiX]

btw, it turns out you can still unlock new weapons the old way.

Yeah, as stated above, it's only for those with milestone achievements.

[NiX]

Create server -> Random Map -> Player limit = 1 -> time limit = 99999 -> Play EvE -> Receive unlocks

Either I'm unlucky or Valve is quick. Patch went out and I'm thinking it was to disable personal servers from connecting to Steam and awarding unlocks.

[eldaec]

One piece of good news, Snipers with the bow and arrow suck monkey balls. Yes, it makes you better at mid range, but not as good as almost every other class.

Seriously, if you must play Sniper, use the Rifle.

[Strazos]

That's what I'm coming to, unfortunately.

[Samwise]

btw, it turns out you can still unlock new weapons the old way.

But not the new new weapons, correct?  Just the ones from previous updates that have associated milestones?

[eldaec]

I don't know tbh.

I do know I passed a pyro milestone today and unlocked a weapon.

But your explanation would make sense.

[NiX]

But not the new new weapons, correct?  Just the ones from previous updates that have associated milestones?

Milestone items only still.

[Samwise]

I'm hoping they go back and add milestones for the spy and sniper for those who don't dig the random drop thing.

[eldaec]

I hope not.

TF2 just isn't fun when half the team is playing the same class.

[Pennilenko]

Im confused, can you find drops now randomly for any class based on play time, or do you have to log play time for the class with which you want stuff?

[Samwise]

Im confused, can you find drops now randomly for any class based on play time, or do you have to log play time for the class with which you want stuff?

It's 100% random.  You don't even have to be playing at all; people in spectator mode get drops too.

[schild]

They seriously screwed the pooch on this distribution thing, it should've been loot from killing randomly diablo style. /ugh

[Thrawn]

One piece of good news, Snipers with the bow and arrow suck monkey balls. Yes, it makes you better at mid range, but not as good as almost every other class.

Seriously, if you must play Sniper, use the Rifle.

I got the bow like RIGHT after the update and everyone keeps telling me it's the best thing ever but I quit using it after a few maps of trying it out.  eldaec is pretty much spot on, the rifle is better.  The bow is fun, and has some use in shorter range maps.  But in most of those cases you're probably better just playing a different class.

Bow snipers shooting at you long range are great because you can pretty much just watch them and dodge the arrows.

[Strazos]

The Bow is nice for narrow hallways, and it's always fun to loft shots at people.

Still going with the rifle though. Now I just need my razorback.

[Teleku]

I don't know guys, I've been watching snipers absolutely tear up maps using the bow and arrow.  They can charge at you, pause for half a second when they see you, then one shot you, then keep charging.  I watched a group of 3 actually charge the base on 2 fort and make it all the way to the intelligence doing this.

[Prospero]

Yeah, I saw some crazy Huntsman action last night. It sucks at long range, but good archers seem to tear shit up in short to medium range.

[Kail]

They seriously screwed the pooch on this distribution thing, it should've been loot from killing randomly diablo style.

I'll drink to that.  Played ten hours this week, got one upgrade (Axetinguisher, which I already had).  So I'm looking at something like what, two hundred hours played to unlock everything?  Fuck, this is a stupid idea.

[eldaec]

I don't know guys, I've been watching snipers absolutely tear up maps using the bow and arrow.  They can charge at you, pause for half a second when they see you, then one shot you, then keep charging.  I watched a group of 3 actually charge the base on 2 fort and make it all the way to the intelligence doing this.

You know what else tears up like that at short range in coordinated groups? Soldiers, Demos, force-o-nature Scouts, and Pyros. Or anything with ubercharge support. And all those classes have a form of defence as well as a decent short range weapon.

People are rating the huntsman because everyone is using it right now, so it is killing you more than most other weapons. OTOH How many snipers are you killing at the moment? I bet lots.