An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Added The Robo-Sandvich, The Festive Sandvich, The Festive Buff Banner, and The Festive Huntsman to the list of items allowed in Medieval mode
  
• The Prize Plushy can now get assists in Pyrovision
  
• Fixed a server crash caused by players bleeding to death
  
• Fixed spectator bots picking up the bomb in Mann Vs. Machine
  
• Fixed The Bazaar Bargain counting crit-boosted body-shots as headshots
  
• Fixed The Festive Holy Mackerel using the wrong sounds
  
• Fixed Strange Buff Banner and Strange Sandvich not always tracking usage
  
• Fixed seeing the fire texture on The Soldier's Stogie in DirectX 8
  
• Fixed missing style names for The Barnstormer
  
• Fixed the achievement "The Great Deflate" not counting certain Balloonicorn and Reindoonicorn items
  
• Updated paint effects for The Hot Dogger, The Salty Dog, The Counterfeit Billycock, and The Cold Killer
  
• Updated the localization files
  

<a href="http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=9714"><img src="http://media.steampowered.com/steam/news/9714/saxlettermayo.png" width="100%" border="0"></a>

A letter from Saxton Hale has been posted to the TF2 blog. <a href="http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=9714">Click here</a> to read it.

A letter from Saxton Hale has been posted to the TF2 blog. Click here to read it.

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Added new promo items
  
• Mann Vs. Machine
  • Fixed clients being able to issue mp_tournament_restart, tournament_readystate, and tournament_teamname commands
    
  • Fixed an exploit that allowed players to stun a mini-boss
    
  • Updated mvm_bigrock with some new func_nobuild areas
• Fixed a regression where minicrits were being affected by long-range damage fall-off
  
• Fixed a client crash related to arrows and bolts
  
• Fixed an exploit where certain player conditions could be used indefinitely
  
• Fixed clients seeing incorrect stats during changelevel
  
• Fixed the Tomislav playing firing sounds when it wasn't firing
  
• Fixed being able to score assists with yourself in certain situations
  
• Fixed being able to cross into enemy spawn rooms using the high-five taunt
  
• Fixed Festive versions of weapons not completing a set when equipped
  
• Fixed a client crash when viewing the Top Sellers tab in the Mann Co. Store
  
• Fixed styles not working properly for The Barnstormer
  
• Updated The Digit Divulger to allow skin to be seen in the knuckles and wrist area
  
• Updated The Cold Killer to add paintability and fix unusual effect placement
  
• Genuine-quality items and festive items that are otherwise tradable can now be listed on the Steam Community Market
  
• Updated the localization files
  

<a href="http://store.tf2.com/?hidecarousel=1&appid=440#cat=1194199205&p=2"><img src="http://media.steampowered.com/steam/news/9661/stamptaunteffect.jpg?t=1356638708" width="100%" border="0"></a>

Though we think we’ve done a good job rewarding community contributors who make cosmetics and weapons, we could definitely do more for TF’s diligent, underappreciated map makers. With that in mind, we’re trying two new approaches to the problem.

<b>Map Stamp Improvements</b>

After taunting in a community map that you’ve contributed to, you now leave behind a trail of large stamps. The more you contribute, the longer the trail!

We’re now also tracking hours played in each map. In the “Maps” section of the in-game Mann Co. Store, you can see how many hours you’ve played each community map and how many times you’ve contributed to it. Plus, occasionally, on check out, you’ll be gently reminded that it might be nice to add a stamp to your cart for a map that you’ve played frequently but haven’t contributed much to. After you’ve seen this reminder once, you can have it show other map stamp suggestions by checking the “Support Community Map Mapers” box near the “check out” button.

<b>Map-Specific Strange Filters</b>

Sold in the store, these new filters let you set your strange weapons to only track events on specific community maps. For instance, if you only care about kills on “Yukon”, you can change the filter on your shotgun to just capture that. When filtering stats for a weapon, you’ll also get a custom rank modifier. So, in the aforementioned “Yukon” example, you’d now have a “Strange Canadian Shotgun”. The goal is to give players who really like specific community maps a way to both track their stats on those maps and broadcast their interest even when they’re playing on other levels.

Note that in both cases, 100% of the revenue (minus net taxes) goes to the contributor, so let’s get out there and support our map makers!

Though we think we’ve done a good job rewarding community contributors who make cosmetics and weapons, we could definitely do more for TF’s diligent, underappreciated map makers. With that in mind, we’re trying two new approaches to the problem.

Map Stamp Improvements

After taunting in a community map that you’ve contributed to, you now leave behind a trail of large stamps. The more you contribute, the longer the trail!

We’re now also tracking hours played in each map. In the “Maps” section of the in-game Mann Co. Store, you can see how many hours you’ve played each community map and how many times you’ve contributed to it. Plus, occasionally, on check out, you’ll be gently reminded that it might be nice to add a stamp to your cart for a map that you’ve played frequently but haven’t contributed much to. After you’ve seen this reminder once, you can have it show other map stamp suggestions by checking the “Support Community Map Mapers” box near the “check out” button.

Map-Specific Strange Filters

Sold in the store, these new filters let you set your strange weapons to only track events on specific community maps. For instance, if you only care about kills on “Yukon”, you can change the filter on your shotgun to just capture that. When filtering stats for a weapon, you’ll also get a custom rank modifier. So, in the aforementioned “Yukon” example, you’d now have a “Strange Canadian Shotgun”. The goal is to give players who really like specific community maps a way to both track their stats on those maps and broadcast their interest even when they’re playing on other levels.

Note that in both cases, 100% of the revenue (minus net taxes) goes to the contributor, so let’s get out there and support our map makers!

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Added "Benign infiltration" to the Mann Vs. Machine mission-cycle file for servers
  
• Fixed a Dead Ringer Spy exploit in Mann Vs. Machine mode
  
• Fixed a regression with mini-crit damage calculation
  
• Fixed a client crash in the Medi Gun charge meter when using a custom HUD
  
• Fixed Festive Huntsman arrows and Rescue Ranger bolts using incorrect hit boxes
  
• Fixed Tough Stuff Muffs not using the correct model for the Engineer
  
• Fixed a clipping problem with the Hunger Force
  
• Fixed Strange Festive Sandviches leveling up multiple times in a single use
  
• Fixed a lighting issue in mvm_bigrock
  
• Updated the backpack icon for the Festive Ambassador
  

<a href="http://www.teamfortress.com/mechaupdate/"><img src="http://www.teamfortress.com/images/posts/mechaupdateislive.jpg" width="100%" border="0"></a>

This is not a test blog post! You are not dreaming! This is actually happening! Go get it! There is nothing more to say! We’re still talking! Amazingly, you’re still reading! This is getting weird! Well, we’re going to end this blog post now! You can keep reading it if you want, we guess, but we’re going to stop writing! Okay, we’re still writing! And you’re still reading. You don’t feel remorse or fear or eye strain and you will never, ever give up until all these words are read! You are the greatest reader of ALL TIME and this is the “300” of reading! Only instead of getting killed by Persians, we’re going to suggest you simply go check out the brand new, incredibly convenient <a href="http://store.teamfortress.com/">Mann Co. Online Store</a>. There’s a bunch of words there that need reading. Plus pictures.

This is not a test blog post! You are not dreaming! This is actually happening! Go get it! There is nothing more to say! We’re still talking! Amazingly, you’re still reading! This is getting weird! Well, we’re going to end this blog post now! You can keep reading it if you want, we guess, but we’re going to stop writing! Okay, we’re still writing! And you’re still reading. You don’t feel remorse or fear or eye strain and you will never, ever give up until all these words are read! You are the greatest reader of ALL TIME and this is the “300” of reading! Only instead of getting killed by Persians, we’re going to suggest you simply go check out the brand new, incredibly convenient Mann Co. Online Store. There’s a bunch of words there that need reading. Plus pictures.

Updates to Team Fortress 2, 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 (TF2, DoD:S, HL2:DM)

• Updated some Big Picture features
  
• Additional improvements for client stability
  

Team Fortress 2

• Australian Christmas has begun!
  • Added community-contributed winter event items
    
  • Added three new community weapons
    • The Vaccinator
      
    • The Loose Cannon
      
    • The Rescue Ranger
  • Added Naughty and Nice winter keys to the Mann Co. Store
• Mann Vs. Machine
  • Added a new tour of duty with unique loot:
    • Operation Mecha Engine, with 3 new advanced skill missions
      
    • New map mvm_bigrock
      
    • New Engineer Botkiller items
  • Added new Engineer robot
• Added new Strange Filter items to the Mann Co. Store to support community map makers
  
• Added new checkout dialogs and taunt-activated effect to raise awareness for Community Map Stamps
  
• Added +context_action command (defaults to X for controllers). This will use the action slot if your Canteen contains a charge and will taunt otherwise3
  
• Added +attack3 command (defaults to middle-mouse button)
  
• Added Adult Swim items to the Mann Co. Store
  
• Fixed an exploit that allowed players to be permanently invulnerable
  
• Fixed the Pyro’s airblast not working correctly when facing downhill
  
• Made Force-A-Nature pushback more consistent
  
• Updated pl_barnblitz
  • Fixed various map exploits
• Updated sd_doomsday
  • Fixed various map exploits
• Updated the localization files