Team Fortress 2, the class-based FPS online multiplayer game that came to open arms as part of Valve's The Orange Box compilation, will be receiving a free update tomorrow at 11am PST for the PC version, automatically via Steam. This is the largest update for the game since its initial release last year and will include the following:

The free update includes global optimizations for networking, graphics, and player statistics, plus improvements to Source TV for tournament viewing.

In addition, three of the currently available maps (Dustbowl, Granary, CTF_Well) have been iterated for enhanced performance and gameplay.

The release is headlined by the introduction of "Badlands," a new map that pushes control-point gameplay onto vertical landscapes.

There are more features found within the update, all of which can be found by clicking here.

The title scares me. It's suggestive of future TF2 updates that might not be free.

I think its more to signify that its a content upgrade, rather than just a bugfix.

so its a patch

I like the way they promote it as a "free update".

Does that not make you, as a PC gamer, nervous? Remember back in the day when they just called these things "patches", and you knew you were getting them for free because, well, they were fixing bugs or whatever?

Note the change in terminology; those words were chosen very carefully. How long before we start seeing more and more "booster pack"-style updates?

At the risk of sounding like a wacked-out conspiracy nutjob... THE TIME WILL SOON BE UPON US! Don't forget the good ole days of the good ole games!

edit: s***, I thought I was fast and my witty comments would be the first post :( I was pwned

you need to speak with steve to time it better trog, wouldn't have thought of you as a first post whore tho!

(I meant first comment, not like the OP)

as did I

Hmmmm...yeah I don't like the sound of the wording...it insinuates bad things...

i want the mine cart map :(

There's no allusion to "Free" in that link. They just say update.

So maybe it's Steve Farrely's fault.

The subject and title of the PR email we got was "Free Team Fortress 2 Update Coming Thursday". Also the update above sez: The free update includes global optimizations... etc

Blame Steve Farrelly before consulting blamegen like a blahnana.

Aye. The first thought I had when I read it was, 'crap, that probably means that $ content is coming'.

Badlands, f*** YES.

I REALLY wish ctf_well would get taken out of rotation... just terrible, I instantly quit the server when it comes on.

before consulting blamegen

I know this is leeching the funny out of it but does it always blame Valve Software? Or does it just have a s*** number generator?

ctf_well is f***ing horrid. Badlands will rule. I hope to play this game one again when TPG fixes my f***ing stupid spiking connection.

I know this is leeching the funny out of it but does it always blame Valve Software? Or does it just have a s*** number generator?

Just keep trying it

good old blamegen

I've never forgiven Valve for their failures vis a vis world peace

its not an mmo. steves an idiot

I'm glad Badlands is cap and not ctf.

I can't even play 2fort on pub anymore, because people are f***ing spastics.

I consider myself a pretty decent engineer... on internode rarely a cap will get past me... but then you get 3 other douches that come along when the opposing team is 0 caps and they build 3 SG's right next to you in the couryard.

RARRR!

Then you get an ubered demo that strolls in and stickies ALL SG's at once... nice one team. On the flipside, if I change class... they still have all 3 SG's in the couryard and not on the corner point/intel room (which covers 3 entrances) and the opposing team suddenly gets caps.

RARRR!

/TF2 rage

^^ play cs instead

ctf isn't great for pub play

I remember back in the day when playing TF on quakeworld. 2fort was great back then. It has been played to death though over the last 10 years or so. Let it rest in peace.

Remember The ROCK by Sgt Thundercock!. I really want to see that map brought into it all.

Also the VIP maps were great. What was that map where the VIP had to run through a valley then stand on a podium which slowly raised? That was a great map, only got to be vip a couple of times though :(

Try not to make spelling mistakes in your subjects

Is fortess kinda like a countess, but big, imposing & impenetrable?

WOOO

The new map is great. I'm loving it. Lots of carnage everywhere. Tis a great map for pyro's too. Soldiers + rocket jumping brings good times also. Many paths around the place.

Did they make any changes to the medic ?

Badlands is f***ing awesome, probably had my best TF2 moment before... sooo much carnage.

Capped the 2nd last point by myself, rocket jumped up and nailed 2 snipers while sitting on the point... then the entire other team trys to run up the spiral case and I got 5 crit rockets in a row, 6 - 7 people instantly dead and 5 defenses.

BAM!

Aye that middle point sure has a lot of carnage. It seems that all the classes arrive around the same time.

I've noticed that not many engineers are playing at the moment. I think there will be some interesting Sentry spots that people will come up with. Keeping them mostly safe from the demoman will be difficult I think.

HWguy seems to have it a little harder too, good for defending that last 2 points though. Spy's have an easy time to get around the enemy, only they don't have much to do.

gah this map is gonna be so spammy on 24 player servers.

Well fuk me. It didnt take long for the trol faggets to find bug in the new map badlands. I was just on a server where the engineers had their SG's setup underground (below the map) where they cant be destroyed.

Nice map testing.

Badlands is too cluttered and overly complex for my likings. I may grow to like it more but its too maze like with too many different routes imo.

When they f*** are they releasing the new achievements and the medic addon... they keep stringing it out too long :/

Lol, I rekon that map bug is gold. I used a teleporter last night and found myself outside of the fence. Went for an exploration and saw a sniper and engy + sentry. Hahaha. It'll be fixed soon enough.