Team Fortress 2 and Portal

[miffy495]

Given the suck of my current computer, I'm tempted to get the whole thing for 360 as I've never had a problem with console shooters. Main concern with this: Will there be cross-platform play? Will I be able to play with you folks if I'm on 360 and you're on PC?

[Wrestlevania]

Main concern with this: Will there be cross-platform play? Will I be able to play with you folks if I'm on 360 and you're on PC?

I very much doubt it, sadly, due to necessary and implicit imbalances (slower and less twitchy play on consoles, because of the control differences) between PC FPS gaming and console FPS gaming.

But, if Valve were to enable this, they'd not be doing it through Games for Windows.

[Thrik]

Yeah, I have to say I entirely can't see how a PC/360 combination could work. First-person shooter games are as a general rule much easier to precisely aim with when using a mouse and thus immediately would give those players an advantage; Team Fortress is a game that's particularly based around insane, fast play, and I fear 360 players would simply be too sluggish no matter how good they are with the pad and'd get really frustrated

Incidentally, I played for the first time last night and thought it was absolutely excellent. I was a die-hard TFC for a few years back in its day, and this seems to have captured the general feel that made it a uniquely appealing game (and that has been lost in subsequent online-only games, even if they are great in their own ways).

Combined with the crazy artistic direction (which is difficult to truly capture in anything but HD videos as it looks amazing in high-resolution motion), this is a serious winner. There'll always be plenty of people who just can't get on with the rabid gameplay that is a hallmark of Team Fortress, but for those that like it... man, this is a treat.

If anyone's interested, I took continuous footage of my first twenty minutes or so and then proceeded to chop bits out so it's literally a sequential demonstration of every weapon/item for each class in the game. Why you'd want to watch it is up to you, but it was all on a live server so you get to see plenty of action too. Not really worthwhile if you're already in the beta, of course -- I don't do anything special.

[Nappi]

Excellent video! And the game looks very fun too. If I preordered the orange box now, would I still be able to download the beta? *

How does that spy work, btw? For instance, can you be in a disguise for as long as you like? And do you remain in that disguise after attacking an enemy (so that no one else sees it)? Do your teammates recognize you?

EDIT: * Seems so. Now, all I have to do is figure out how much I value my studies.

[Thrik]

Yar, the Spy can remain disguised indefinitely. The only thing that'll break the disguise is using your weapon, so killing an enemy will consequently break the disguise.

However! There is a way to make the Spy become completely invisible for a temporary period (five seconds I think, maybe 10), which may or may not have something to do with the mysterious box I selected while playing as the Spy and then shook my head at after realising I couldn't work out what to do with it.

I'm guessing the invisibility is superb for making a getaway after assassinating someone in the back, and probably a better idea than diving head first into an angry Pyro like me.

Man. Can't wait until work finishes so I can play some more.

[DanJW]

The Eurogamer review mentioned that barging into the spy also reveals his true form. I imagine the scout might be good at that.

I think I'm going to focus on the Demo Man. The reason being that every single HE grenade kill in CSS makes me guffaw. Imagine the joy I could find having an infinite supply of explosives! My second class will likely be the scout, as I love runing rings around people.

[Wrestlevania]

Can't wait to suit up as an Engineer again (alternatively, a Soldier). It's been almost a decade since I played Team Fortress Classic last, when I used to play in the UK's national championships via BT Wireplay - we were almost top of division two, kicking arse!

Great video btw, Thrik, thanks for sharing.

[Thrik]

The Engineer is a seriously cool class in TF2. Not only is he aesthetically and audibly pleasing, but his load-out is probably the most extensive of all the classes. I've not played with any class in any great level of depth yet, but I spent a lot of time with the Engineer in TFC (after the Medic of course) and the TF2 version feels very, very similar. Except without the EMPs.

I also love the new blueprint building thingy, which is in my video during the Engineer demonstration. It's not conveyed so well in the video, but it looks awesome ingame, beautifully sharp and crisp like a piece of paper hovering just above the ground.

Valve? More like master of aesthetics.

[Cigol]

I also love the way the intelligence documents leave a subtle stream of raggedy papers allowing you to track the captors There are lots of nice touches like this throughout. The water in 2Fort is a treat as well, muffled sound, blurred vision. It's just the little things.

As for the Spy, it's my understanding from play testing that when you adopt a disguise you take on the names of the opposing teams equivalent. So if you choose to be a heavy and there is a heavy on their team - you'll take his name. If there is no heavy then you'll have *unknown* as your name, which means if someone mouses over you it's a sure bet they are gonna pump you full of lead. I've heard of scenarios where you adopt someone's name only for that person to end up looking straight back at you perplexed

Brushing against people does seem to ruin the disguise, or at least make it flutter arousing suspicion (this is just by judging the reactions of those I have bumped into on my travels). Whilst the invisibility cloak is very obvious at the beginning and end of its cycle - so beware. It leaves a trail of particles and sputtering animations at these points.

[Nappi]

I don't need learn no English.

Downloading it now at 2MB/s. I was suprised to notice my "teen" credit card actually worked.

[DanJW]

Bah! And yet Steam refuses to acknowledge my "Maestro Certified" debit card. So I'll probably have to wait for a box off the shelf (although it is nice to have a physical copy).

[Cigol]

Paypal it, then nerf your Paypal account?

[Thrik]

I ran into that problem ages ago (Solo), but what you can do is sign up for PayPal and use that as a proxy seeing as Steam accepts PayPal. Doesn't really take much to set up a PayPal account assuming you haven't already, beyond an automated verification call to your phone that asks you to press some buttons in response to read-out numbers.

Edit: God damn!!!!! Every time. Beaten.

[Cigol]

Yes, but yours was far more eloquent

[Nappi]

Oh man, this game is wicked fun! I've tested most of the characters but mainly played with the soldier. I'm trying to get to know the levels first. Today I played a bit longer with the spy also. It's interesting character in that it will probably take a lot of time master (in other words, stay alive for more than one or two kills).

I don't know if you benefit from the various achievements, but they are a nice addition. At least they encourage you to try all those different classes.

I also like the way the game points where your spleen and other body parts are if you get blown to bits.

[BigJKO]

Thrik, you seriously need to post more awesometastic videos, please. Especially ones where you don't die every five seconds..

But seriously. Awesome video!

[ysbreker]

I'm about to go crazy and rent a TF2 server. So we can have an idlethumbs battle night. Anyone up for that?

[Cigol]

I'd definitely be up for that

[Thrik]

Yeah, I'd probably come along. Long as the hours are Euro friendly.

[Nappi]

I might join, but I have been quite busy lately. Plus, I would probably just be the idiot running around not knowing what to do, since I haven't played multiplayer shooters all that much.

[Wrestlevania]

So, basically, it's "PC or fuck off" then? :\

Come on Miff, we'll play over here...

[Nick]

Zomg I'm so happy with TF2. Brings back fond memories of playing the original Quake mod. Rocket jumping works ftw!

[Cigol]

I might join, but I have been quite busy lately. Plus, I would probably just be the idiot running around not knowing what to do, since I haven't played multiplayer shooters all that much.

According to Kieron Gillen; your class is the Medic

[Nappi]

How do you rocket jump correctly btw? I have mostly just failed miserably.

Cigol, I forgot to mention that I like to kill stuff.

[Thrik]

It's all about timing, basically. These are the ingredients:

1. You must be running in a direction

2. You must both fire the rocket and jump at the exact same moment

3. You must be looking right down at the floor; literally as far down as possible

That should propel you to 'right onto the 2fort balconies' heights.