TF2 Updates: The Sniper

http://www.teamfortress.com/sniperupdate/

Bow and Arrow:

Pros:
charges to full faster than sniper rifle (1 sec full power)
can stick corpses (live people?) to walls
instacrit headshots
likely fires faster
possibly could counter bonk? (unlikely)
possibly allows for movement at full speed while aiming (uncertain)

Cons (guesswork):
no scope - I doubt it has a zoom function
likely does less damage (either from non-headshots or just overall)
less ammo

No release date for the patch has been announced, but Valve is supposed to unveil new details over the coming days about the other Sniper updates.

:O awesome, makes me want to play sniper more

I just heard about it today on a server.
This looks cool, but it'll be weird having 7/10 players in a team as snipers.
The new maps are cool and that new gametype looks nice.

it'll be scout/spy heaven.

They should update them all at once. :|

No, that's dumb. The game would go without update for a year and then they'd throw everything at once?
Instead, keep the game alive and active so everyone waits so that they can see all the updates/get all of them
Besides, if you give too many achievements at once, people get bored of trying to do them



More info:
Sniper update turned into a spy update!

The sniper gets a backshield, so he can stay safe from spies (Seeing as everyone will be spies, now the the sniper update will come out)
All the new spy-items are cool. It'll be a whole lot easier =)

Meet The Spy:
http://www.gamingterritory.com/tf2stuff/siQz7yfT5Tc-high.mp4

Meet The Spy:
http://www.gamingterritory.com/tf2stuff/siQz7yfT5Tc-high.mp4

holy crap I laughed so hard.

The Razorback
pros:
whips the spy for 10,000 volts when he backstabs you
prevents backstabbing until knife cools down

cons:
doesn't look like it protects you very much, maybe keeps you from instant kill
slowdown
destroyed on one hit

SPY:
the "Dead Ringer"
any nonlethal damage cloaks you and creates an illusion that you died
pros:
increased enemy paranoia
disguise -> cloak seamlessly
unknown if the cloaking masks fire

cons:
might out quickly
unknown if metal pickup works or not

the "Cloak and Dagger"
pros:
increased enemy paranoia
remain cloaked forever by standing still

cons:
no metal pickup
might run out quickly

And then there's 'meet the spy'!
http://www.gamingterritory.com/tf2stuff/siQz7yfT5Tc-high.mp4

in meet the spy you see the red spy fling a sapper along the ground, which emits a pulse and disables the sentry.  could this be the final upgrade item?

Nah, I think the meet the videos have a little extra stuff. The spy flining the sentry and the sniper having a hand-to-hand combat with the spy. Also, the blue soldier killing his own team spy..etc etc.

Also, it would've been cooler if before backstabbing the heavy and soldier, the red spy would've said "Surprise"
..
..


And I think the dead ringer will not be of great help because when you fake your death, the "player kill player" sign won't come on the top right.

And I think the dead ringer will not be of great help because when you fake your death, the "player kill player" sign won't come on the top right.

Agreed. I think the Cloak and Dagger is gonna be a lot better.

Also, the "sliding the sapper along the ground" seems kinda lame; I mean, ingame, you always have to attach the sapper to the sentry, and even then it takes about 5-10 seconds to destroy, so I doubt they'll actually put that in the game.

Also, lol at Scout's mother.

Nah, I think the meet the videos have a little extra stuff. The spy flining the sentry and the sniper having a hand-to-hand combat with the spy. Also, the blue soldier killing his own team spy..etc etc.

the flare gun was in meet the sniper.
the sandvich was in meet the scout.

both of them were released after the videos (if I'm not mistaken)

Also, the "sliding the sapper along the ground" seems kinda lame; I mean, ingame, you always have to attach the sapper to the sentry, and even then it takes about 5-10 seconds to destroy, so I doubt they'll actually put that in the game.

I'd imagine that the sliding sapper would only stun the sentry, not destroy it.  or maybe take longer to do.

I assume from the video that there will be a spy item that allows you to instantly change into the person you kill?

I assume from the video that there will be a spy item that allows you to instantly change into the person you kill?

hmm
that's also very possible.

That would be very cool, but you can still do that.
What would be cooler would be that after you kill your enemy, you can make his corpse vanish and keep his name for like..until he respawns or something?

That would be very cool, but you can still do that.
What would be cooler would be that after you kill your enemy, you can make his corpse vanish and keep his name for like..until he respawns or something?

that's what I was thinking when I said that.

oh lol
;-;

Spy Achievements:
http://www.teamfortress.com/spyupdate/

And because they haven't given what the achievements are (not when I read it >:C). Also, I don't think we can trust this lol
http://tf2wiki.net/wiki/Spy_achievements

Many of these are very easy though. Backstabbing a scout/spy happens as you keep playing as a spy, killing snipers with revolvers are everyday things-if they see you coming towards them etc

Edit: Diplomacy says there will be a revolver unlockable.
!

spy unlock is going to be called 'the ambassador' and the sniper will be getting 'jarate' likely a reference to the april fools' joke

Spoiler for:

also, KKK member is 10th class
snuck him into the meet the spy vid.
screen below

Spoiler for:

edit:
also, look closer at the spy on this page: http://www.teamfortress.com/spyupdate/day04_english.htm

he's holding a cig in his left hand, and teh dead ringer in his right hand
what if the ringer is a disguise kit replacement?

Meet The Spy was awesome, Scout's Mom.... 

Spy and Sniper are my second/third favorites in no real order, so this is super cool.

Nah, I think he just does it to show of his new thing (fake corpse seen behind sniper). And the cig is to be cool.
But yes, the dead ringer will replace something..but not the disguise kit. It's the main thang

it's a possibility.

Nah, I think he just does it to show of his new thing (fake corpse seen behind sniper). And the cig is to be cool.
But yes, the dead ringer will replace something..but not the disguise kit. It's the main thang

Sapper maybe?

Wow...the ambassador looks fantastic.
Also, are the released Sniper updates actually real? Like the Bow and Arrow, that's really cool.

Yeah, I think on day 7 the sniper will kill the spy and they'll list the achievements etc.
Also, I was expecting the ambassador to be a silencer-type thingy.


;-;

Sapper maybe?

they'll never replace the sapper, it's as central to the spy as the disguise kit.

Honestly, if you used the Dead Ringer (assuming no disguise kit) with either the regular watch, or the Cloak and Dagger, it is very possible that you could stealth around their base invisible near constantly, and if they find you, you can appear to die and escape.  It's just as effective, if not moreso, than the disguise kit. It is, in essence, a second type of disguise.

edit: you'd still be easily found by routine spychecks.  This spy is also very offensive, and lacks the capability to sap (mostly) due to lack of disguises.  It essentially would make this type of spy into an assassin, and less of a utility character.

Instead of an impersonation spy, you could be an infiltration spy.  Different play styles for different people.

Also, are the released Sniper updates actually real? Like the Bow and Arrow, that's really cool.

yes, it's been confirmed to be a dual update.

Honestly, if you used the Dead Ringer (assuming no disguise kit) with either the regular watch, or the Cloak and Dagger, it is very possible that you could stealth around their base invisible near constantly, and if they find you, you can appear to die and escape.  It's just as effective, if not moreso, than the disguise kit. It is, in essence, a second type of disguise.

And here I was thinking the spy was godawful useless without the disguise kit, and you come and oneup my own thoughts. 

The spy had a 'feign death' move in the original TF, but Valve said that it was too difficult to impliment in TF2, so they took it out. I guess they figured out a better way to use it.

Honestly, if you used the Dead Ringer (assuming no disguise kit) with either the regular watch, or the Cloak and Dagger, it is very possible that you could stealth around their base invisible near constantly, and if they find you, you can appear to die and escape.  It's just as effective, if not moreso, than the disguise kit. It is, in essence, a second type of disguise.

And here I was thinking the spy was godawful useless without the disguise kit, and you come and oneup my own thoughts. 

even if the dead ringer doesn't remove the disguise kit, it still becomes a very offensive based spy, as you can pretty much pull this off by picking up ammo while invisible, and uncloaking in the same hotspots as before.

A skilled spy will become very overpowered.
Anyways, it is now called the Sniper Vs. Spy Update. Jarate introduced.
Sounds and looks funny, dropping piss on people.
Achievements look easy, many of them NEED the unlockables (not that they can be easier with them, they need them)

Can't wait =)


Edit: http://www.tf2wiki.net/wiki/Sniper_achievements
lol, if these are real then they are WAY too easy

Why the razorback isn't useless.

It seems VALVe is catering to a more mid-range, in the thick of it all, combat sniper with this update.

The Huntsman is midrange, Jarate is a utility weapon, and the Razorback is protection against your natural enemy.

But the Razorback seems utterly useless.
If you're lining up a shot from a roost on 2fort or Granary, he can just shoot you, no problem. The lowered speed and lack of another weapon is also a problem. If you're playing backline sniper, that is.

Imagine you're in a group with the Huntsman and the Razorback. You're mid-ranging and helping your team get kills by sticking around them rather than hanging out on a roof somewhere. The spy sees you with your razorback. He's not going to shoot you, that'd be stupid (no guaranteed kill and he'd be revealed), and he sure can't backstab you, because then he'd be revealed and unable to stab again, still without the assurance of a kill. Also, in the heat of things, the spy might try to go on a stabbing spree and land one on you without thinking. Bam, volts to the brain and a hot knife. Seems like a pretty useful item in a situation like this.

And yes, I realize that the razorback really doesn't do much if you play backline, and that you'd be better off without it, I won't dispute that point as I agree with it.

If you play in combat with the midrange weapons, then the razorback is actually feasible. Like the other updates, they're allowing for multiple play styles. Hell, this would even make snipers useful for indoor maps, where sniping is dreadful (at least for me).

I, personally, might get some use out of this thing in combo with the Huntsman.

Lastly: this is all speculation, the razorback might do far more than just a backstab shield, I'm going based on the idea that all it does is protect from backstabbing.

New Valve Thing: You prolly know this
No more milestones needed. To unlock a weapon, you just gotta walk over dropped weapons, but that too isn't needed. I was specing and got an ubersaw, and saw a scout get the sandman when he killed another.
It's pretty cool.

New Valve Thing: You prolly know this
No more milestones needed. To unlock a weapon, you just gotta walk over dropped weapons, but that too isn't needed. I was specing and got an ubersaw, and saw a scout get the sandman when he killed another.
It's pretty cool.

no, the new unlock system is total trash.
You get a random chance to get new items by doing nothing.

and you can get duplicates.

One person I know has 6 backburners.

It is trash because you get it by doing nothing, and I hate it because i didn't get what i want.
they will change it



they will

Im happy for the updates as TF2 is half price

and free for 3 days :3

I was talking to someone about the update and had the idea that valve may place a durability on unlockables. This will mean youll need multiples.

Of course this is speculation whilst i was drunk and on a surf map

I was talking to someone about the update and had the idea that valve may place a durability on unlockables. This will mean youll need multiples.

Of course this is speculation whilst i was drunk and on a surf map

no, multiples is for 'trading'

they've released more info, you get randoms on intervals, which are set, adn you randomly get any unlock weapon.

They're still working on it, but as of now it's pretty terrible.

So it's live? Cool....gonna have to play some.

This new unlock system seems awful, the achievements were good in this because they got you somewhere and allowed a new play style. I felt proud getting all of my medic weapons legitimately, this kinda just kills it.

http://www.teamfortress.com/

It depends on how much time you play for.

Hey? Want new weapons? Well, waste your time playing and you'll probably get what you want
or you could just get 4 ubersaws
or nothing

But atleast they're plannin' on item trading in the future. If I can't get something you have in plenty, i can just ask you.

True. The Ubersaw is so amazing, really....amazing.

So the headgear thing, that's a joke about the MMO or are they really going to add new headgear? Either way an MMO based on TF2 or Head Gear would be awesome.

I don't see the point in new hats? Unless they give more health or something but

why hats

the hats are purely cosmetic.

people are making MMO jokes about the 'drop' system and stuff.

the hats are purely cosmetic.

people are making MMO jokes about the 'drop' system and stuff.

Exactly. If they added stat boosting abilities to hats it'd suck. It'd throw the balance of the game off methinks.

The drops totally made it mmo
and the hats
omg
why

The drops totally made it mmo
and the hats
omg
why

I got a second Ubersaw....so whenever this trading thing happens, I have an extra.

I'll take the saw when everything gets rolling, I was like 3 achievements away from that when they changed the system.

what don't you have?

When they do start the trading, if anyone has a secondary Cloak and Dagger or Ambassador, that would be great.

I'll let you know if I do.
I got one Cloak and Dagger and it's awesome, but I haven't gotten a second.

I'll take the saw when everything gets rolling, I was like 3 achievements away from that when they changed the system.

what don't you have?

Medic is my main and I have all his weapons so I don't need any of those, but the Bow would be sweet if you have extras.

I have a sandvich and natasha I think, but I don't use heavy so they're all yours. I have some pyro stuff, but that's one of your mains, right? The medic and spy headgear are cool, I wonder when it's going live. =\

lol, I got the sandman. It's ok, but no double jumping makes the fun go away.

I bonked a pyro

Medic hat is live, I saw a dude with it today.

I usually play Pyro or Demoman, but lately I've had a good run of luck with the spy, after getting the Cloak and Dagger.

I have all the pyro weapons, earned 'em legit with the achievements

Pyro is my main character. I'm usually reckless and suicidal in FPS, and running up to enemies and putting them on fire is the perfect fit for me. I'm psycho XD

Though I haven't played in months until last night. I have no new weapons except for Jarate... I play a pyro - I burn people. And as I play a Pyro, I get an item that is my main enemy? Damn you creators of this jar of....piss...

Truth be told, this new system of randomly getting items will take some time getting used to.

I got the bow and the razor back (and a sandvich) in one inning which IMO is pretty sweet. 

Awesome, I read on TF2wiki that the hats are like the weapons, unlocked randomly. Kinda annoying, but easier than going through 25 achievements!

I got the bow and the razor back (and a sandvich) in one inning which IMO is pretty sweet. 

you just got luckier than 9/10ths of the playerbase

this is bad
skanker got the kritkrieg ( i think) , 2 blutsaugers and now he got a cloak and dagger

he also got the axtinguisher
and he's just played for 3 days..
I GOT THE SANDMAN
I HATE IT
WHY CANT I GET A SPY THING

I've gotten so far...

Huntsman, Razorback, Blutsauger, Kritzkrieg (x3), Cloak and Dagger, and Ubersaw.

I've gotten so far...

Huntsman, Razorback, Blutsauger, Kritzkrieg (x3), Cloak and Dagger, and Ubersaw.

Wow. Nice....I'm wanting to try out the Jarate but I can never get anything. I played for almost three hours this morning, and another three or four last night and I've only gotten a dupe ubersaw, dupe flare gun, huntsman (which is awesome BTW), razorback and a dupe ubdersaw.

What do you guys prefer, Medigun or Kritzkrieg? I use the kritzkrieg most of the time, and it works real well. But I see more people using the medigun. Just thought I'd ask...

this is bad
skanker got the kritkrieg ( i think) , 2 blutsaugers and now he got a cloak and dagger

he also got the axtinguisher
and he's just played for 3 days..
I GOT THE SANDMAN
I HATE IT
WHY CANT I GET A SPY THING

Ditto bro.

I've gotten so far...

Huntsman, Razorback, Blutsauger, Kritzkrieg (x3), Cloak and Dagger, and Ubersaw.

This makes me
Why can't I get some sniper/spy thing

Saxton Hale

Anagram of Hot Anal Sex.

I've gotten so far...

Huntsman, Razorback, Blutsauger, Kritzkrieg (x3), Cloak and Dagger, and Ubersaw.

This makes me
Why can't I get some sniper/spy thing

Saxton Hale

Anagram of Hot Anal Sex.

Got the ambassador, but I haven't found a use for it since I prefer the dagger. The cloak and dagger replaces the dagger? Is it like the razorback?

Got the ambassador, but I haven't found a use for it since I prefer the dagger. The cloak and dagger replaces the dagger? Is it like the razorback?

no...it is a spy watch replacement...

Got the ambassador, but I haven't found a use for it since I prefer the dagger. The cloak and dagger replaces the dagger? Is it like the razorback?

no...it is a spy watch replacement...

Oh wai.......t.
The dead ringer is disguise, so there's no knife replacement. Not bad, I like the knife, but a throwing knife or poisoned one would also be kinda cool. No backstab insta-kill but massive DoT?

they both replace the spy watch, no disguise kit change or anything.

I found 2 Jarates and a Dead Ringer. I still need to get the Ubersaw, Sandman and Bonk...

I'd gladly trade the Dead Ringer for the Cloak and Dagger; I don't like playing Spy if I can't cloak whenever I want to.

One Ambassador.
Four Sandmans.

Nothing else.

all I wanted was the ambassador, cloak and dagger, and huntsman.
I've gotten the C&D and the Huntsman, still waiting on the Ambassador.

in total I've gotten...

Cloak and Dagger
Huntsman
Razorback
Kritzkrieg x3
Blutsauger x2
Bonk!
Ubersaw

they both replace the spy watch, no disguise kit change or anything.

Oh. Cloak and Dagger is the movement based one and Dead Ringer is the auto-disguise.
A DoT dagger that never wears off until respawn would be neat, especially to see how people use it and counter it. You could just heal it away, but you'd be wasting medics on less-than-useful medic pals all the time. Or it'd pressure the engineers? Either way, it'd be a great pressure tool even with a single spy using it. No back stab but enough DoT to pressure the other team into a semi-permanent defense. Useful for a rush strategy, poison the team, force medics upon them and then rush them, but again, it's  spy vs. spy deal, it can also easily be countered by the same tactic.

Annnnnnd....Valve added back milestones as an additional way to unlock the weapons. Nice thing is that while trying to get those achievements you can also randomly unlock weapons!

I have way too many piss-water-jars

NEW UPDATE

They added milestones back!
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!

Too bad I already have everything. ~minus any helmets.