The fine folks over at ETF2L have launched their <a href="http://etf2l.org/highlander/">Highlander Community Challenge</a>, and we're excited to be a part of it. We'll be giving out in-game medals to everyone who participates, so if you've got some friends who should stop wasting their gaming time and get to the work earning virtual goods (for you), now's the time.

<a href="http://etf2l.org/highlander/"><img src="http://www.teamfortress.com/images/posts/highlander.png" width="420" height="229" border="0"></a>

Ubercharged.net has put up their most recent <a href="http://www.ubercharged.net/2010/08/09/how-its-done-larolaro/">Interview with a Community Item Creator</a>, Larolaro. We love reading these, because it's often the case that we get the best feedback when the community talks to itself, instead of when it's talking to us.We ask for feedback on our tools all the time, and everyone's much too nice to tell us directly that they're like a "beautiful ornate chair with a spike carved into the seat". Also, Hackett mentioned to us that he's trying to get in contact with other Community Item creators, so if you've made something that we've shipped, and want to create more colorful analogies for describing our toolset, then contact him on the <a href="http://www.ubercharged.net/forum/index.php?topic=5028.0">UC forums</a>.

The fine folks over at ETF2L have launched their Highlander Community Challenge, and we're excited to be a part of it. We'll be giving out in-game medals to everyone who participates, so if you've got some friends who should stop wasting their gaming time and get to the work earning virtual goods (for you), now's the time.



Ubercharged.net has put up their most recent Interview with a Community Item Creator, Larolaro. We love reading these, because it's often the case that we get the best feedback when the community talks to itself, instead of when it's talking to us.We ask for feedback on our tools all the time, and everyone's much too nice to tell us directly that they're like a "beautiful ornate chair with a spike carved into the seat". Also, Hackett mentioned to us that he's trying to get in contact with other Community Item creators, so if you've made something that we've shipped, and want to create more colorful analogies for describing our toolset, then contact him on the UC forums.

On August 31st WiNGSPANTT and 7 other Golden Wrench owners will commit a nigh unutterable act of brazen item-aggression so egregious that we shudder to think of the implications should the Administrator herself catch wind of it.

On that day <a href="http://www.toptiertactics.com/golden-charity/">8 Golden Wrenches</a> will be destroyed.

<a href="http://www.toptiertactics.com/golden-charity/"><img src="http://www.teamfortress.com/images/posts/golden_demo.png" width="420" height="336" border="0"></a>

Somehow these few have found the strength of will to reject the lure of Australium to serve a greater cause.

Over the last month Jon "WiNGSPANTT" Tran has spent his personal time and energy promoting and collecting donations for the <a href="http://childsplaycharity.org/index.php">Child's Play</a> charity. The more donations received, the more Golden Wrenches to be destroyed on August 31st. As each Golden Wrench is destroyed a global message will be sent to everyone playing Team Fortress 2 announcing the sacrifice. Everyone who donates will receive a place on a special steam group to mark their generosity.

So far the event has managed to raise over $5,000 in donations. Further contributions may very well secure the destruction even more Golden Wrenches.

If you are interested in participating in the Golden Charity event please <a href="http://www.toptiertactics.com/golden-charity/">visit the website</a>.

The TF2 team knew that the Golden Wrench event would be controversial -- an experiment in the distribution of an ultra-rare item. We never imagined that it would empower a small group of players to benefit a much vaster group of children in need. We are constantly shocked and impressed by the creativity of the Team Fortress 2 community, but today we are humbled.

On August 31st WiNGSPANTT and 7 other Golden Wrench owners will commit a nigh unutterable act of brazen item-aggression so egregious that we shudder to think of the implications should the Administrator herself catch wind of it.

On that day 8 Golden Wrenches will be destroyed.



Somehow these few have found the strength of will to reject the lure of Australium to serve a greater cause.

Over the last month Jon "WiNGSPANTT" Tran has spent his personal time and energy promoting and collecting donations for the Child's Play charity. The more donations received, the more Golden Wrenches to be destroyed on August 31st. As each Golden Wrench is destroyed a global message will be sent to everyone playing Team Fortress 2 announcing the sacrifice. Everyone who donates will receive a place on a special steam group to mark their generosity.

So far the event has managed to raise over $5,000 in donations. Further contributions may very well secure the destruction even more Golden Wrenches.

If you are interested in participating in the Golden Charity event please visit the website.

The TF2 team knew that the Golden Wrench event would be controversial -- an experiment in the distribution of an ultra-rare item. We never imagined that it would empower a small group of players to benefit a much vaster group of children in need. We are constantly shocked and impressed by the creativity of the Team Fortress 2 community, but today we are humbled.

This afternoon Corey Peters suddenly yelped and jumped out of his chair claiming that a Creeper had gotten into the new training map he was working on and that it was blocking his ability to get any work done. This was followed a few minutes later by Jon Lippincott claiming he couldn't finish up his code because he had run out of Iron Ore. Even as I write this I can hear Dave Riller telling a story about how he beat a sheep to death with his bare hands to make a new set of pants and a woolly hat.

Visit the <a href="http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=4130&p=">blog</a> to find out what happened next!

This afternoon Corey Peters suddenly yelped and jumped out of his chair claiming that a Creeper had gotten into the new training map he was working on and that it was blocking his ability to get any work done. This was followed a few minutes later by Jon Lippincott claiming he couldn't finish up his code because he had run out of Iron Ore. Even as I write this I can hear Dave Riller telling a story about how he beat a sheep to death with his bare hands to make a new set of pants and a woolly hat.

Visit the blog to find out what happened next!

Updates to Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike: Source and Day of Defeat: Source have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:

Server Browser

• Fixed the server browser not saving filter settings properly
  

Team Fortress 2

• Fixed a speed exploit related to benchmarks
  
• Fixed Parasite hat not being posed correctly on class loadout panels
  
• Fixed a level change crash
  

Updates to Team Fortress 2 have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:

Team Fortress 2

• Added a Parasite hat to celebrate the release of Alien Swarm (http://www.alienswarm.com/)
  
• Fixed a client crash when opening the backpack while running in a language other than English.
  
• Fixed not being able to pick-up buildings in Arena mode.
  
• Fixed an exploit that allowed team kills with Wrangled sentries.
  
• Fixed a bug where teleporters could be given more than their normal amount of health.
  
• Fixed old demos with different data tables thinking the SourceTV player entity was burning.
  
• TF Bot Changes
  
  • Improved performance of bot computations that are done when a point is captured, a round starts, or a checkpoint reached.
    
  • Fixed Engineer bot infinite build-destroy behavior loop regression
    
  • Fixed Medic bots losing their charge if they touch a resupply cabinet
    
  • Fixed a crash due to having multiple types of bot systems running in-game simultaneously
    
  • Fixed bot behavior issue resulting in bot pile-ups near level 3 teleporter entrances
    
  • Bots no longer consider sapped sentries a dangerous threat
    
  • Bots will not try to navigate through enemy spawn rooms (unless they have won the round)
    
  • Bot Engineers will avoid building teleporters on steep slopes which can hinder teammate movement
    
  • Added tf_bot_pyro_always_reflect cvar. Set to 1 to make Pyro bots always reflect projectiles, regardless of difficulty level.
    

<a href="http://artpass.tf2maps.net/"><img src="http://www.teamfortress.com/images/posts/map_comic.jpg" width="420" height="210" border="0"></a>

Just a quick, but excited note: <a href="http://www.tf2maps.net/">TF2maps.net</a> has opened their doors on their new <a href="http://artpass.tf2maps.net/">Art Pass Contest</a>.

It's a fantastic opportunity for everyone involved: you get a chance to show us how much better at detailing maps than we are, and our (ex) art team gets a chance to find new jobs at companies that still need their kind!

Just a quick, but excited note: TF2maps.net has opened their doors on their new Art Pass Contest.

It's a fantastic opportunity for everyone involved: you get a chance to show us how much better at detailing maps than we are, and our (ex) art team gets a chance to find new jobs at companies that still need their kind!