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

Source Engine Changes (CS:S, DoD:S, TF2, HL2:DM)

• Fixed another server crash exploit caused by malformed network packets
  

Team Fortress 2

• Added three new community maps:
  
  • Koth_Lakeside
    
  • PL_Frontier
    
  • PLR_Nightfall
    

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

Source Engine Changes (CS:S, DoD:S, TF2, HL2:DM)

• Fixed a server crash exploit caused by malformed network packets
  

Counter-Strike: Source

• Updated De_Inferno
  
  • Community fixes
    

Team Fortress 2

• Fixed the Amputator and the Crusader's Crossbow healing teammates that have the Equalizer as their active weapon
  
• Updated the Red team skin for the Fists of Steel
  

As if we could keep this from you. We tried to but then quickly realized we're not very good at keeping secrets. Case in point, this whole <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmWv6gyRjCs">sing along</a> episode. On with the community updates:<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.ukcs.net/">United Kingdom Community Servers</a> is running a <a href="http://ukcs.net/communitycup/">Knockout Cup</a> in the Highlander format. Rules can be found <a href="http://ukcs.net/communitycup/#jumpto">here</a>. Spectators should head over to <a href="http://www.tf2tv.com/">TF2 TV</a> to check out the action. Live. That's right. Live. As in when it happens. Like a news cast. Except better. There's rockets.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.esl.eu/eu/tf2">ESL</a> is doing a 128 slot <a href="http://www.esl.eu/eu/tf2/news/148791/">1 on 1 Scout Cup</a>. Two weeks left for signups! As if that wasn't enough, there's prizes for the top three! Be sure to grab the custom map for the contest as well.</li>
<li>SlienceMaster's username suddenly becomes forgivable once you realize he's made this <a href="http://sliencemaster.deviantart.com/art/The-Voodoo-Juju-195802779">fancy hat</a>. It certainly looks like the Voodoo Juju. Probably will need to confiscate it to be sure. Perhaps we could setup a donation drive for him to buy a spellchecker. </li>
</ul>

As if we could keep this from you. We tried to but then quickly realized we're not very good at keeping secrets. Case in point, this whole sing along episode. On with the community updates:

• United Kingdom Community Servers is running a Knockout Cup in the Highlander format. Rules can be found here. Spectators should head over to TF2 TV to check out the action. Live. That's right. Live. As in when it happens. Like a news cast. Except better. There's rockets.
  
• ESL is doing a 128 slot 1 on 1 Scout Cup. Two weeks left for signups! As if that wasn't enough, there's prizes for the top three! Be sure to grab the custom map for the contest as well.
  
• SlienceMaster's username suddenly becomes forgivable once you realize he's made this fancy hat. It certainly looks like the Voodoo Juju. Probably will need to confiscate it to be sure. Perhaps we could setup a donation drive for him to buy a spellchecker.
  

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

Source Engine Changes (CS:S, DoD:S, TF2, HL2:DM)

• Improved the version mismatch error message received when connecting to a server with a different version than your client
  

Team Fortress 2

• Made Bill's Hat always tradable.
  
• Fixed a client crash caused by a malformed custom client spray.
  
• Added a Red team skin to the Fists of Steel.
  
• Fixed melee attacks not destroying remote detonation pipes.
  
• Added the Rimmed Raincatcher to the list of Unusual hats.
  
• Fixed the Stickybomb Launcher viewmodel sleeves using the wrong team colors for team Blue.
  
• Fixed players getting set bonuses on tournament servers when the server is restricting the player's weapons using the item_whitelist.
  
• Updated PL_Thundermountain
  
  • Updated the final stage to have the train begin receding after 25 seconds (15 seconds on the final stretch).
    

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

• Increased the base damage for the Scout's Sun-on-a-Stick, and changed it to always mini-crit against burning targets if the attack is not already critical
  
• Fixed burning deaths to always use the death notice icon for the weapon that started the burn
  
• Updated the RIFT pre-order items to be not-tradable until the RIFT pre-order period is over
  
• Updated the burn effect from the Pyro's Sharpened Volcano Fragment to only last for a limited time on enemies
  
• Updated the description of the Well Spun Hat claim code item
  

Any time we have a tie-in promotion with another game, we'll send the TF mercs a package with all the new items in it (except Heavy, who lives in some remote log mansion in the Dzhugdzhur Mountains. We just mail it to the nearest Siberian town, and they dogsled it up to him eventually). This gives them a chance to get acquainted with the new weaponry, so they're not surprised when they show up back to work.

But when we sent out our latest promotion--Rift, the upcoming MMO from Trion Worlds--we were puzzled when Scout sent it back, unopened. We gave him a call.

"Hey, man," we said. "We were wondering why you hadn't opened--"

"Are you frickin' <i>kidding</i> me? <i>Another</i> tie-in. My apartment's still filled up with crap from all the last ones."



"Like this. Ear buds. What the hell am I supposed to do with ear buds? Play Sarah McLachlan at a guy until he gets so sad he dies? Look, alright, I'll open it, but I am done with this crap. Brown hat anna bat, that's my new motto. Simple, clean, eas--<strong>oh my GOD what is this beautiful thing?</strong>"

<a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/91000/"><img src="http://www.teamfortress.com/images/posts/rift.jpg" width="420" height="255" border="0"></a>

"It's called the Sun-on-a-Stick," we said.

"Holy crap, this is so friggin'..."

"Did this come from <i>hell</i>? It <i>did</i>, didn't it? Awww, <i>man</i>. It's like what the Devil uses when he plugs up his toilet or somethin'."



So that was that. We're hoping <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/">Steam</a> customers who <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/91000/">pre-order Rift by March 1st</a> will have a similar reaction. You'll get two exclusive melee weapons in Team Fortress 2, the Sharpened Volcano Fragment and the Sun-on-a-Stick. Additionally, we're adding a permanent Team Fortress 2 achievement that grants players a redeemable code for an equally exclusive (and terrifying) headpiece in Rift, the Well Spun Hat.

<i>Team Fortress 2</i> players will automatically receive the melee weapons beginning today. Players who want to snag a Well Spun Hat need to complete the new Riftwalker achievement. After applying the code on their Trion account page, <i>Rift</i> players will receive the Well Spun Hat in their in-game mailbox, beginning with the game's head-start period on February 24th.

The Sharpened Volcano Fragment and the Sun-on-a-Stick will be obtainable through crafting after the Rift pre-order period ends.

Any time we have a tie-in promotion with another game, we'll send the TF mercs a package with all the new items in it (except Heavy, who lives in some remote log mansion in the Dzhugdzhur Mountains. We just mail it to the nearest Siberian town, and they dogsled it up to him eventually). This gives them a chance to get acquainted with the new weaponry, so they're not surprised when they show up back to work.

But when we sent out our latest promotion--Rift, the upcoming MMO from Trion Worlds--we were puzzled when Scout sent it back, unopened. We gave him a call.

"Hey, man," we said. "We were wondering why you hadn't opened--"

"Are you frickin' kidding me? Another tie-in. My apartment's still filled up with crap from all the last ones."



"Like this. Ear buds. What the hell am I supposed to do with ear buds? Play Sarah McLachlan at a guy until he gets so sad he dies? Look, alright, I'll open it, but I am done with this crap. Brown hat anna bat, that's my new motto. Simple, clean, eas--oh my GOD what is this beautiful thing?"



"It's called the Sun-on-a-Stick," we said.

"Holy crap, this is so friggin'..."

"Did this come from hell? It did, didn't it? Awww, man. It's like what the Devil uses when he plugs up his toilet or somethin'."



So that was that. We're hoping Steam customers who pre-order Rift by March 1st will have a similar reaction. You'll get two exclusive melee weapons in Team Fortress 2, the Sharpened Volcano Fragment and the Sun-on-a-Stick. Additionally, we're adding a permanent Team Fortress 2 achievement that grants players a redeemable code for an equally exclusive (and terrifying) headpiece in Rift, the Well Spun Hat.

Team Fortress 2 players will automatically receive the melee weapons beginning today. Players who want to snag a Well Spun Hat need to complete the new Riftwalker achievement. After applying the code on their Trion account page, Rift players will receive the Well Spun Hat in their in-game mailbox, beginning with the game's head-start period on February 24th.

The Sharpened Volcano Fragment and the Sun-on-a-Stick will be obtainable through crafting after the Rift pre-order period ends.

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

Source Engine Changes (CS:S, DoD:S, TF2, HL2:DM)

• Further improved engine handling of server queries.
  

Team Fortress 2

• Added Rift promotional items
  
  • New items: Sun-On-A-Stick and Sharpened Volcano Fragment.
    
  • New achievement: Riftwalker
    
• Updated several more models with optimizations and new LODs.
  
• Fixed seeing a partial health bar in the upper left corner of the spectator menu.
  
• Fixed the control point progress bar not being aligned properly when using cl_hud_minmode 1.
  
• Fixed the The Essential Accessories hiding the Scout's hat/headphones.
  
• Updated sounds for the Brass Beast.
  
• Updated the Scottish Resistance stickybombs to always glow if they will be detonated by a right-click, including the stickybombs under the Demoman's feet.
  
• Changed default crosshair to be more opaque, like the custom crosshairs.
  
• Fixed some missing surfaces on the bottom of the Pyro's mask.
  
• Fixed the assister's name not being listed in the Fish humiliation and kill notices.
  
• Fixed the Force-a-Nature not drawing correctly in the character loadout screen.
  
• Engineers who hit teammate's sentry guns with their wrench now get kill assists from that sentry.
  
• Made the Jag gift wrappable.
  
• Fixed seeing a badge on the player when a noisemaker is equipped.
  
• Fixed particle effects on the Hustler's Hallmark.
  
• Added FCVAR_DONTRECORD flags to 'bind,' 'bind_mac,' 'unbind,' 'unbind_mac,' and 'unbindall' so they can't be recorded into a demo (fixes having your keys changed when you watch a demo).
  
• Updated Cp_Granary
  
  • Added a new entrance to the mid Red/Blue ramp rooms.
    
  • Clipping, lighting and perf improvements.
    
• Tournament mode HUD fixes
  
  • Fixed seeing an empty alert tray under the stopwatch timer.
    
  • Fixed a bug where the time for the tournament mode stopwatch wasn't being displayed.
    
  • Fixed the countdown when both teams are ready always reading "0 seconds"
    

Eyes forward, you damp sacks of wet pants! In stark contrast to the usual garbage masquerading as news on this website, I am pleased to announce something actually noteworthy: <a href="https://www.gamingheads.com/teasers/soldier.php">I AM NOW AVAILABLE IN STATUE FORM</a>.

<a href="https://www.gamingheads.com/teasers/soldier.php"><img src="http://www.teamfortress.com/images/posts/soldier_statue_teaser.jpg" width="420" height="273" border="0"></a>

Hello. This paragraph is a cool-down period so you can collect yourself before I continue.

That's right, me! A statue! It is wholesome! It is American! It is a handsome reminder to unwedge your voluminous buttocks from your straining computer chair and do some push-ups! If that last sentence was enough to motivate you to actually do some push-ups, switch to one-handed and use your other hand to click the <strong>BUY</strong> button. Pre-orders start February 7th 8AM PST, sharp! As an added bonus, there will be an exclusive run of 300 numbered statues that come with both the rocket launcher and the Direct Hit. Both Red and Blue are available. That is all! DISMISSED!

<strong><i>- SOLDIER</i></strong>


And in other TF community news...<ul>
<li>A few folks have been busy working on a new theme pack for map authors to take advantage of called <a href="http://www.minerality.fr/bulletcropsproject/bulletcrops/">Bullet Crops</a>. It looks pretty sweet (even if the name doesn't make any sense).</li>
<li>The <a href="http://etf2l.org/">ETF2L</a> and their Highlander Community Challenge is heading to the finals soon! There are only eight out of 850 teams left and the finals are expected to be played in a couple of weeks. </li>