:p

A required update for Team Fortress 2 is now available. Please run hldsupdatetool to receive the update. The specific change include:

Server Browser (for TF2 and DoD:S)
– Added a client-side server blacklist:
– Supports blacklisting of specific servers, all servers on an IP, and all servers on a class C range.
– Saves the server list to a file, and has an Import button to allow easy sharing (cfg\server_blacklist.txt)

Balance changes:
– Reduced the health penalty on The Sandman.
– The Force-A-Nature knockback on target now:
– Only applies to hits that deal more than 30 damage and are in close range.
– Factors in the firer’s angle of attack when determining the knockback direction.
– Has less of an effect on grounded targets.
– The Dead Ringer now:
– Reduces cloak to 40% when uncloaking early.
– Has a 35% cap on the amount of cloak it can gain from an ammo pack.
– Has a quieter de-cloak sound.

Changes / Fixes:
– Fixed a performance & stability issue with AMD processors.
– Improved the stability of the game server -> item backend connection.
– Fixed a rare server crash related to dispensers.
– Added min/max values to viewmodel_fov convar to match the settings in the slider.
– Reduced the number of moons in ctf_doublecross, sadly.
– Demo playback now ignores sv_pure settings, allowing demos to easily contain custom content.
– Fixed a crash related to sv_pure and the wireframe_dx6 shader.
– Players can no longer shoot while stunned.
– Fixed a bug that caused movement speed reductions to not work on stunned players.
– Soldier Rage bar no longer resets when touching a resupply cabinet.

Achievement fixes:
– Fixed the « Second Eye » Demoman achievement.
– Fixed a bug in the « Play Doctor » Medic achievement.
– Changed the requirements for the « Medals of Honor » Soldier achievement.
– Updated description for the « Blind Fire » Demoman achievement to better explain the requirements.
– Fixed an issue that affected several achievements requiring the use of the Equalizer.

Community requests:
– Added « skip_next_map » server ConCommand to skip the next map in the map cycle.
– Added « Play a hit sound whenever you injure an enemy » option to the Multiplayer->Advanced options menu.
– Added server « tf_use_fixedshotgunspreads » convar. When set, shotgun & scattergun pellet spreads will use a non-random distribution.
– Added a « show_htmlpage » command to allow server operators to display custom web pages to clients.

Changes to the TF Bots:
– In KOTH mode, Bots are now:
– More likely to roam around and hunt enemies if there is lots of time left.
– Become more likely to push for the point as time runs down, or their teammates start to capture it.
– Medic bots now:
– Opportunistically « overheal » nearby friends when they can.
– Prioritize healing of injured nearby friends more.
– Don’t focus on Heavies quite so exclusively.
– Don’t spam their Medigun continuously at round start.
– Won’t choose cover far below their heal target so much (koth_nucleus).
– Fight back with their syringe-gun appropriately.
– Various improvements to combat behaviors.
– General bot improvements:
– They no longer stand still on the point when capturing or defending it.
– They choose more varied routes now.
– They choose better defensive spots around captured points.
– They fall back to another weapon when they entirely run out of ammo.
– They adjust their FOV when using zoomed in sniper scope.
– They treat in-range Sentries as the most dangerous threat.
– They fire their weapons is more realistic bursts.
– Engineers use their shotgun properly.
– Added a « virtual mousepad » concept to rework how bots track enemy players:
– They now periodically estimate the position and velocity of the enemy they are tracking, instead of « locking on ».
– After rotating beyond a maximum angle, they will pause for a fraction of a second to re-center their « virtual mouse ».
– Allows for over/undershoot « slop » in aiming. Looks more natural, and allows skilled players to dodge.
– Addresses the « 180 spin around and fire », « Heavy bot is OP », « Sniper is OP », and « I can’t fight a Heavy bot as a Scout » issues.
– Tuned Sniper spot finding algorithm to generate more diverse locations, partially addressing the « Predictable Sniper camping spots » issue.
– Soldier bots are more careful to not fire rockets that will explode on nearby geometry and kill them
– Fixed a bug where bots tried to heal from a Dispenser being carried by an Engineer.
– Tuned scoreboard logic to guard against malicious server operators spoofing bot pings to hide the « BOT » tag.
– Added more bot names as suggested by the TF community.

Jason