Getting [Steam]-Rolled 9

[Faulty]

What with all your extensive practice, I imagine I'm going to get pwned next time I get around to playing TF2.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Sure there's all that, but I offer an alternative suggestion. Djinn and I try to turn you into confetti during a round. Whoever dies less is the winner.

I support this completely...provided I can get TF2 functional again.

*curses at his FPS drop that nothing seems to fix*

[Dogmantra]

Sure there's all that, but I offer an alternative suggestion. Djinn and I try to turn you into confetti during a round. Whoever dies less is the winner.

Not fair at all. You know Djinn installed that addon that makes all your boolet hit me regardless of where you aim!

[Griever]

Is it possible to have a votenocrits or similar function?

I just hate random crockets so much.

[Arbitrarity]

Is it possible to have nocrits?

I just hate random crockets so much.

Fix'd Because some people actually like crits. Crazies.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

On the crits issue...no, we cannot.

Why, I hear you ask?

Simple. I don't want to have to vote nocrits on or off at the start of every map, and it's a common enough request from some people that it would be spammed.

We have the server proper for just having fun. Let's face it: we're basically a pub, and some of our players are very new. Getting a lucky crit against drolkcal or Arb, for example, may help them feel good about the game. That's just part of TF2.

For competitions and Highlander practice, yes, they'll go off. But I'm not making that default, because we're running a standard TF2 server. Crits are part of the game, and I personally don't want to see a "crit vote" four times per map.

[TheLogman]

On the crits issue...no, we cannot.

Why, I hear you ask?

Simple. I don't want to have to vote nocrits on or off at the start of every map, and it's a common enough request from some people that it would be spammed.

We have the server proper for just having fun. Let's face it: we're basically a pub, and some of our players are very new. Getting a lucky crit against drolkcal or Arb, for example, may help them feel good about the game. That's just part of TF2.

For competitions and Highlander practice, yes, they'll go off. But I'm not making that default, because we're running a standard TF2 server. Crits are part of the game, and I personally don't want to see a "crit vote" four times per map.

This is basically how I feel about it too. Also, Crits add an element of luck to the game. Without it, we're just playing class-based counterstrike, where everything is all about skill all the time. And in that sort of world, everything is really fun occasionally, sure, but it requires a precision of sorts that although it's great to encourage and develop, really shouldn't be a requirement to have fun or be effective in a pub server. Especially not a community fun server.

[Mtg_player_zach]

On the crits issue...no, we cannot.

Why, I hear you ask?

Simple. I don't want to have to vote nocrits on or off at the start of every map, and it's a common enough request from some people that it would be spammed.

We have the server proper for just having fun. Let's face it: we're basically a pub, and some of our players are very new. Getting a lucky crit against drolkcal or Arb, for example, may help them feel good about the game. That's just part of TF2.

For competitions and Highlander practice, yes, they'll go off. But I'm not making that default, because we're running a standard TF2 server. Crits are part of the game, and I personally don't want to see a "crit vote" four times per map.

There is a kritzkrieg for a reason.......
I don't know about you, but when I kill someone with a crocket I dont' feel like I earned that kill. It was luck. Plain and simple. Which does not appeal to me.
Now kritzkrieg, I <3 kritzkrieg.

[Dispozition]

The Djinn uses Evil Rocket!

It's super effective!

Medic fainted.

Dispozition used Evil Rocket!

It doesn't affect the enemy Djinn.

[Worira]

If they're upstairs covering you, surely this involves running away and not doing anything for an entire Tank fight?

Exactly. Hence "Kite Like a Man".

Also, I've been playing a bit on a server where inflicting damage and getting kills gets you experience points, which can be used to increase several attributes. In my case?

11% crit boost. Meaning 23% total crit chance when I'm doing well.

That means one in four rockets, on average, will crit.

[Bryn]

Both TF2 and L4D blogs updated again. More details on The Passing, and they've changed the random drop system. Also, you can play L4D2 with Valve.

L4D2

The first game add-on for Left 4 Dead 2 brings the original Left 4 Dead (L4D1) Survivors down south for a meeting with the L4D2 cast, while delivering new single-player, multiplayer and co-operative gameplay for the PC and Xbox 360.

The Passing also introduces a series of weekly game mode events dubbed "Mutations." These week-long runs of new gameplay modes range from "Realism Versus" mode to "Chainsaw Massacre," which gives all players chainsaws with an unlimited supply of gasoline. There are over 20 Mutations planned, each playable on all L4D2 Campaigns. Mutations are exclusively available to owners of "The Passing" DLC.

In addition, "The Passing" offers a new co-operative challenge mode of play, support for infected bot play in Versus, a new "uncommon common" zombie class (the fallen survivor), melee weapon (golf club), and firearm (M-60).

Available for 560 Microsoft Points on Xbox 360 and free on the PC, "The Passing" takes place just after the Dead Center campaign of L4D2. Set in a small town in rural Georgia, players assume the role of the L4D2 Survivors as they meet with the L4D1 characters.

Exclusively available for Xbox 360 and the PC, L4D2 sets a new benchmark for co-operative action games. The title adds melee combat to enable deeper co-operative gameplay, with items such as a chainsaws, frying pans, axes, baseball bats, and more.

With the AI Director 2.0, L4D's dynamic gameplay is taken to the next level by giving the Director the ability to procedurally change weather effects, world objects, and pathways in addition to tailoring the enemy population, effects, and sounds to match the players' performance. The result is a unique game session custom fitted to provide a satisfying and uniquely challenging experience each time the game is played.

Finally, with new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, and items, Left 4 Dead 2 offers a much larger game than the original, featuring more co-operative campaigns, more Versus campaigns, new Survival maps, and the new competitive game mode, Scavenge.

To celebrate the launch of "The Passing" DLC this Thursday Valve employees will be playing on the PC between 11am-5pm PDT and then on the 360 from 7pm-11pm PDT using special accounts. To play with someone from Valve just friend one of the following:

On PC:
L4D2_DEV_1, L4D2_DEV_2, L4D2_DEV_3, L4D2_DEV_4, L4D2_DEV_5, L4D2_DEV_6, L4D2_DEV_7, L4D2_DEV8, L4D2_DEV_9, L4D2_DEV_10

On the Xbox 360:
L4D2 DEV 1, L4D2 DEV 2, L4D2 DEV 3, L4D2 DEV 4, L4D2 DEV 5, L4D2 DEV 6, L4D2 DEV 7, L4D2 DEV 8, L4D2 DEV 9, L4D2 DEV 10

TF2

Today we're shipping some significant changes to the item drop system.

• Previously, we rolled randomly at intervals to see if you got an item drop. Now we roll to determine when your next item drop will occur. So you're guaranteed to find items at fairly regular intervals. The bulk of drop complaints we've received in the past have been from players having unlucky streaks, where they didn't find any items for weeks. That won't be possible now.
• We've significantly increased the rate at which item drops occur, compared to the previous average interval.
• There's now a maximum amount of playtime per week in which you get item drops. Playing beyond that amount won't find any more items. The amount varies, but if you play an hour or so a day you're good. Some of your unused time will rollover to the following week, so if you're an intermittent player you'll also be fine.

What are the net effects of these changes? Here's the quick summary:

• If you're an idler, you're going to find fewer items than you were prior to this change. Sorry. On the bright side, there's less reason to idle, because it won't earn more than players who are playing regularly.
• Everyone else will find items more frequently, and with greater regularity.

We're still thinking about how to allow you to influence your drops. When we see discussions on the forums, people often ask why we don't tie it to some in-game performance (like your scoreboard position, or number of kills, etc). Many players understand that if we did this, idle servers would simply change into servers running plugins that generate those in-game events frequently (as we saw in the Soldier & Demoman WAR!).

There's another side of it that we care about just as much, which is the message it would send to all the players who don't want to idle. Any in-game performance metric we chose would result in there being specific maps, classes, tactics, and so on that resulted in more drops. We really don't want that to happen. When it's simply playtime, you're free to play the game however you like. If you love Payload, you can play Payload maps without worrying about whether you're earning less drops than the guys playing Arena maps. Community mapmakers don't have to worry about whether their maps earn item drops fast enough. Similarly, server operators can configure their servers however they like, without worrying about reducing the rate at which their players are earning drops. In short, while it's far from perfect, not tying to in-game performance is a lot less poisonous to your minute-to-minute game experience.

[AlterForm]

**** YES!

FINALLY!

Although it strikes me that rolling for your next interval could produce "losing" streaks just as easily as rolling at each interval. Valve probably knows to make it a normal curve (or similar function), though.

[NeoVid]

Realism Versus mode ahahahahaaaahaaaa die survivors DIE

Anyway...

So idling is crippled, and playing for marathon stretches when I can play will really pay off. Cool. Now, this had better have increased the hat drop rate.

[Dragor]

Yesh! Yesh!

[shadow_archmagi]

[CENTER][SIZE="7"]**** YES!
Although it strikes me that rolling for your next interval could produce "losing" streaks just as easily as rolling at each interval. Valve probably knows to make it a normal curve (or similar function), though.

Well, except that before it was

"Roll every hour to see if you get an item" which at the very worst could result in always rolling "No item at all"

Now it is "Roll to see how many hours until you get an item" which, at the very worst, could result in always rolling "Three hours" or whatever the maximum amount of time is.

[Phase]

Hokay, so.

This Thursday I will be away until eight-o'clock EST at an awards ceremony, and will therefore, with homework, not be able to play the Passing until roughly 9:30 PM EST.

My question is this: Are any of you buggers either similarly afflicted or completely insane enough to wait and play The Passing with me for the first time, sans spoilers?

[TheLogman]

As I do not expect to have any work that night, and I do not expect to have the potential for any sort of off-line diversions, I would totally enjoy doing such a thing.

Plus, when it gets that late, I have a better chance of not being interrupted.

The 7 and 8 o'clock games always get messed up, but if it STARTS at 9:30, I think I may have a chance of actually being able to play through.

[watsyurname529]

Hokay, so.

This Thursday I will be away until eight-o'clock EST at an awards ceremony, and will therefore, with homework, not be able to play the Passing until roughly 9:30 PM EST.

My question is this: Are any of you buggers either similarly afflicted or completely insane enough to wait and play The Passing with me for the first time, sans spoilers?

I am similarly afflicted/completely insane.

[AlterForm]

Yesh! Yesh!

YES! YES!

Well, except that before it was

"Roll every hour to see if you get an item" which at the very worst could result in always rolling "No item at all"

Now it is "Roll to see how many hours until you get an item" which, at the very worst, could result in always rolling "Three hours" or whatever the maximum amount of time is.

True. Hence the much rejoicing.

[Emlyn]

If you own Half-Life 2 (which you should) and you haven't played Minerva then you need to download it and play it. An absolutely amazing single palyer mod, it rivals HL2 for actually gameplay and setting. Seriously, go play this. NOW.

[chiasaur11]

If you own Half-Life 2 (which you should) and you haven't played Minerva then you need to download it and play it. An absolutely amazing single player mod, it rivals HL2 for actually gameplay and setting. Seriously, go play this. NOW.

Did you just get around to it?

Because I've been championing that thing for over a year now.

Man, the twist at the end of part three.

[Worira]

Hokay, so.

This Thursday I will be away until eight-o'clock EST at an awards ceremony, and will therefore, with homework, not be able to play the Passing until roughly 9:30 PM EST.

My question is this: Are any of you buggers either similarly afflicted or completely insane enough to wait and play The Passing with me for the first time, sans spoilers?

I am down with that, as they say.

[Fawkes]

Did you just get around to it?

Because I've been championing that thing for over a year now.

Man, the twist at the end of part three.

Man, you guys built that up so much, that bu the time I actually played it, I was hugely disappointed.

I don't even remember the twist.

[Emlyn]

Man, you guys built that up so much, that bu the time I actually played it, I was hugely disappointed.

I don't even remember the twist.

Come on, from a level design stand point they are as good as HL2. Heck there are some parts that are better. The guy who made it got hired by Valve for crying out loud.

In other news I couldn't stop laughing after Faulty got charged into the safe room insuring that two people made it instead of just me.

[Worira]

Charger just wants to help his buddy out.

[watsyurname529]

Anyone know why party hats were on the server today?

[Sleverin]

I am similarly afflicted/completely insane.

I do not get home until 6 PM PST, or 9 PM EST, I am more than willing to do a run down of campaign mode of the passing, maybe even twice, time permitting. So it's Thursday then? woo!

[Player_Zero]

Anyone know why party hats were on the server today?

Probably one of the Valve staff's birthday or anniversary of something or other. Happens from time to time.

[chiasaur11]

Come on, from a level design stand point they are as good as HL2. Heck there are some parts that are better. The guy who made it got hired by Valve for crying out loud.

Part 2's a bit of a brief dip in quality, though.

[Emlyn]

Part 2's a bit of a brief dip in quality, though.

The only bit that is still lodged in my mind is the past chapter. Especially the end, holy crap was that fun. From the time I got topside I was so engaged I forgot to quick save, which almost ended very badly.