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>

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: I AM NOW AVAILABLE IN STATUE FORM.



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 BUY 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!

- SOLDIER


And in other TF community news...

• A few folks have been busy working on a new theme pack for map authors to take advantage of called Bullet Crops. It looks pretty sweet (even if the name doesn't make any sense).
  
• The ETF2L 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.
  
  

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 engine handling of server queries
  

<a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/63200/"><img src="http://www.teamfortress.com/images/posts/MNC_demo_assault.png" width="420" height="210" border="0"></a>

If you buy a copy of <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/63200/">Monday Night Combat on Steam</a> between now and 10AM PST, February 1st, 2011, you'll get two batches of exclusive items. In MNC, you'll receive class-specific mods to make your classes look a bit more TF2-y. And over at Team Fortress, you'll get an MNC-branded hat that any class can wear, as well as a custom hat and outfit for the Scout.

Why are we doing a cross-promotion like this? We've been playing Monday Night Combat at the TF offices, and it is frickin' addictive. We wanted to make sure the TF2 community knew about it. So buy Monday Night Combat! You'll get a chance to play a fun game, and get a pile of new items for your trouble.

If you buy a copy of Monday Night Combat on Steam between now and 10AM PST, February 1st, 2011, you'll get two batches of exclusive items. In MNC, you'll receive class-specific mods to make your classes look a bit more TF2-y. And over at Team Fortress, you'll get an MNC-branded hat that any class can wear, as well as a custom hat and outfit for the Scout.

Why are we doing a cross-promotion like this? We've been playing Monday Night Combat at the TF offices, and it is frickin' addictive. We wanted to make sure the TF2 community knew about it. So buy Monday Night Combat! You'll get a chance to play a fun game, and get a pile of new items for your trouble.

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 the dedicated server not running on machines using Win2k
  

Team Fortress 2

• Added the Monday Night Combat gear
  
• Added Crit-a-Cola to the weapon drop list
  
• Added missing chalkboard/serverbrowser materials for 5Gorge
  
• Fixed some missing particles systems in the low violence version
  
• Fixed a bug with the round ending when a control point is captured during Overtime in CP_Egypt
  
• Fixed the game not running on machines using Fat32
  
• Updated the localization files
  

As if we'd let you languish without some updates from the community!

<a href="http://construction.tf2maps.net/"><img src="http://www.teamfortress.com/images/posts/construction_theme.png" width="420" height="249" border="0"></a><ul>
<li><a href="http://tf2.wireplay.co.uk/">Wireplay</a> is about to launch Season 8 with some new unlocks allowed. Check out their site for the full list.</li>
<li><a href="http://tf2maps.net/">TF2Maps.net</a> has released a completely new theme pack this week dubbed the <a href="http://construction.tf2maps.net/">construction theme</a>. Additionally there's a new arena map, "Hard Hat" that goes along with it showcasing the new assets. They also have an <a href="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=15962">Asymmetry vs Symmetry</a> control point mapping contest going on for good measure. Hopefully they don't take up blogging anytime, because that'd be really embarrassing for us.</li>
</ul>