Team Fortress 2 Latest Update Released – Here’s What’s Changed!

Valve has just dropped the Team Fortress 2 latest update, packed with exciting new content and significant changes. From spooky maps to gameplay tweaks, there's much for both new and veteran players to dive into. Let's break down what's new in this massive update.

Scream Fortress XVI Has Arrived

Seven New Community Maps to Explore

The Team Fortress 2 latest update introduces Scream Fortress XVI, featuring seven brand-new community-created maps: Toxic, Darkmarsh, Freaky Fair, Dynamite, Circus, Outburst, and Blazehattan. Each map offers unique challenges and Halloween-themed fun that will entertain you for hours.

New Cosmetics and Taunts

Alongside the maps, players can enjoy the Terrifying Trove Case, which contains 21 new community-designed cosmetic items. There's also a chance to snag a taunt Unusualifier as a bonus. Additionally, four new community-contributed taunts are now available in the Mann Co. Store:

• Taunt: Crushing Defeat
• Taunt: Peace Out
• Taunt: Commending Clap
• Taunt: The Punchline

Gameplay Improvements and General Updates

Enhanced UI and HiDPI Support

The Team Fortress 2 latest update brings improved UI scaling based on resolution, offering better HiDPI support. This enhancement ensures that the game looks crisp and clear on high-resolution displays.

Bug Fixes and Performance Tweaks

Valve addressed several bugs affecting gameplay. Notably, issues in Mann vs. Machine mode with the Huntsman weapon have been fixed. Players can now pick up currency even if it's on a teleporter, enhancing the overall gaming experience.

Zombie Infection Mode Gets a Revamp

General Changes and Team Renaming

Zombie Infection mode has seen significant changes in the Team Fortress 2 latest update. Zombies no longer spawn instantly; their respawn timer now depends on the map. Teams have been renamed to "Survivors" and "Zombies" to better reflect the gameplay dynamics.

Specific Zombie Class Adjustments

• Zombie Pyro: Introduced a new ability called "Dragon's Breath," which fires a Dragon's Fury fireball capable of reflecting projectiles and knocking back enemies.
• Zombie Heavy: Health reduced to 450 from 600, and now drops a medium health kit upon death.
• Zombie Medic: Now emits health to nearby zombies like a dispenser but can no longer attack while using the Heal ability.

Additional Map Updates and Fixes

Map Enhancements

Several maps have received updates to fix localization issues, improve performance, and enhance gameplay. Maps like zi_murky, zi_devastation_final1, and zi_atoll have been optimized for better player experiences.

Community Feedback Implemented

Valve has taken community feedback seriously in the Team Fortress 2 latest update. For instance, cp_gravelpit_snowy has improved performance by combining props, and koth_sawmill_event has fixed an overlay issue.

Team Fortress 2 Update Notes

• Featuring 7 new community maps: Toxic, Darkmarsh, Freaky Fair, Dynamite, Circus, Outburst, and Blazehattan
• Added the Terrifying Trove Case
  • Contains 21 new community-created cosmetic items that make up the Terrifying Trove Collection
  • Has a chance to give a taunt Unusualifier as a bonus item
• Added 4 new community-contributed taunts to the Mann Co. Store
  • Taunt: Crushing Defeat
  • Taunt: Peace Out
  • Taunt: Commending Clap
  • Taunt: The Punchline
• Added 22 new community-created Unusual effects
  • 12 new effects for Unusual hats
  • 10 new effects for Unusual taunts
• Added the Scream Fortress XVI War Paint Case
  • Contains 12 new community-created War Paints that make up the Scream Fortress XVI War Paint Collection
  • Has a chance to give a taunt Unusualifier as a bonus item
• All players who launch the game will receive a Soul Gargoyle if they don't already have one
  • Grants access to Merasmissions and Halloween item transmutations
  • Tracks Merasmissions completed and souls collected
• All Halloween Contracts have been reset, allowing them to be completed again
• Added new Contracts for this year's featured community maps
• Completing a Halloween Contract will give players a classic Halloween item and the chance for a Terrifying Trove Case
• Continue last year's event by collecting the souls of dead players for your Soul Gargoyle by killing enemies, doing map objectives, or collecting the Soul Gargoyles that spawn in the maps
• All cosmetic and taunt Cases will grant Halloween 2024 Unusual effects instead of their normal Unusual effects during the event. This does not include Crates.
• Join Halloween matches by using the Special Events category in Casual
• Scream Fortress XVI runs through November 7th, 2024

General

• Added UI scaling based on the resolution for better HiDPI support
• Fixed the reload speed attribute in Mann vs. Machine not scaling projectile speed and gravity correctly for the Huntsman (community fix from Marxvee)
• Fixed the damage bonus attribute in Mann vs. Machine not scaling correctly for the Huntsman (community fix from Marxvee)
• Fixed not being able to pick up currency in MvM if it's on a teleporter
• Fixed Keyless Winter 2016 Case not playing the special winter case sound
• Recompiled some skybox models to fix UV issues
• Updated the Scariest Mask EVER to fix some issues with clipping
• Updated Sapped Unusual effect to fix the animation playing at the wrong speed
• Added check to prevent copying a disguised target's action slot item when disguised as them
• Exposed CTFBaseBoss::SetResolvePlayerCollisions() for VScript users
• Updated/Added some tournament medals
• Updated Sapped Unusual effect to fix the animation playing at the wrong speed
• Updated several maps to fix localization issues
• Updated zi_murky, zi_devastation_final1, zi_atoll, zi_woods, zi_sanitarium
  • General Changes
    • Zombies no longer spawn instantly- their respawn timer is now dependent on the map
    • Changed team names to "Survivors" and "Zombies" (Instead of "RED" and "BLU")
      • Note: this change is only visible in casual mode or servers with mp_tournament set to 1
    • Survivor Spy can now disguise as a Zombie and will be seen as a Zombie by the enemy team (Thanks Sprinkles!)
      • Note: disguised Survivor Spies will still be highlighted by Zombie Spy’s “Reveal” ability
    • The Pomson 6000 now puts Zombie abilities on cooldown on a hit
    • Survivor Pyro can now destroy Zombie Engineer's EMP Grenade by hitting it with the Homewrecker
    • Walking into Zombie Sniper's Spit now consumes the Spycicle and prevents initial damage
    • Standing in Zombie Sniper's Spit now emits additional sound effects and a burning green HUD overlay
    • Added new kill icons for every zombie attack
  • Zombie Changes
    • Removed the out-of-combat speed buff from all Zombies
    • Zombie Pyro
      • Zombie Pyro has a new ability - "Dragon's Breath"
        • Fires a Dragon's Fury fireball
        • The initial cast of the fireball can reflect projectiles and airblast enemies
      • Zombie Pyro now deals mini-crits to burning players on melee hit
      • Zombie Pyro now creates a small explosion on death, knocking back enemies in a 125-radius
      • Zombie Pyro no longer emits a Gas Passer cloud on death
    • Zombie Demoman
      • Added new sound effects to telegraph Zombie Demoman's Blast Charge ability
    • Zombie Heavy
      • Zombie Heavy's health was reduced to 450 (from 600)
      • Zombie Heavy now drops a Medium Health Kit on death
    • Zombie Sniper
      • Zombie Sniper's Spit damage vs buildable is now reduced by half
      • Zombie Sniper's Spit now applies a screen overlay to players standing in the pool
    • Zombie Medic
      • Zombie Medic now emits health like a dispenser to nearby Zombies
      • Zombie Medic can no longer attack while using Heal
      • Added a new sound effect for Zombie Medic's Heal ability
    • Zombie Spy
      • Zombie Spy no longer emits particle effects while cloaked, making him fully invisible when not attacking. Jumpscare warning!
    • Zombie Scout
      • With other zombies getting slower, Zombie Scout's speed stands out more than ever before
  • Bug Fixes
    • Fixed a bug that allowed Zombie Demoman to survive his own Blast Charge (Thanks gasous nebule!)
    • Fixed a bug that caused Zombie Demoman to not receive kill credit when killing players with Blast Charge
    • Fixed a bug that caused Zombies to not gib correctly
    • Fixed a bug that caused Zombie cosmetics to persist on RED players after the round restarts
    • Fixed a bug that caused Zombie Sniper's Spit Pool to nudge players slightly in certain circumstances
    • Fixed a bug that caused players to have the incorrect player skin when respawning at round start
    • Fixed a bug that would cause players to become stuck in spectate mode when attempting to join a game in progress
    • Fixed an issue with "game_text" entities not being correctly cleared after a round reset
• Updated zi_murky (additional changes)
  • Survivors now spawn across the map in multiple small groups instead of all at the sewage plant
  • Added a life preserver shop to connect to the lonely shack in the southern end of the map
  • Added a new dock network with a series of platforms leading to the roof of the central boathouse
  • Added a small ramp to the left-most sewer pipes
  • Removed some awkward ladder ramps and replaced them with proper docks
  • De-cluttered the roofs across the map
  • Removed the floating large medkit
  • Removed expensive reflections from the water
  • Reduced color correction intensity
  • Clipping improvements
• Updated zi_atoll (additional changes)
  • Set a culling distance for most props
  • Added occluders on the lighthouse to improve performance
• Updated zi_woods (additional changes)
  • Fixed the announcer not being silenced when time is added
• Updated zi_sanitarium (additional changes)
  • The roof is now accessible
  • Added several routes to the roof
  • Slightly reduced the intensity of the fog
  • Added more pumpkin bombs
  • Raised the skybox height
• Updated cp_gravelpit_snowy
  • Improved performance by combining props
  • Improved clipping
  • Increased volume of laser gun finale
  • Miscellaneous improvements
• Updated koth_sawmill_event
  • Fixed an overlay
• Updated koth_undergrove_event
  • Fixed several out-of-bounds exploits in the Underworld (thanks MN!)
  • Adjusted overworld pumpkin bomb placement and increased maximum bomb count to 6
  • Fixed an incorrect texture on RED's side
• Updated koth_synthetic_event
  • Moved spells away from mid
  • Detail adjustments
  • Clipping fixes
  • Very minor lighting changes
• Updated pd_mannsylvania
  • Added even more Bats!
  • Added more spawn points for pumpkin-bombs
  • Added new nag voice line for if Dracula does not receive any blood donations
  • Removed setup time, and replaced it with a normal countdown instead
  • Increased duration of the Vampire Powerup after leaving Dracula's Castle from 15 -> 20 seconds
  • Decrease dropped blood bag timer from 15 -> 10 seconds
  • Decreased respawn wave times for the losing team from 4 -> 2 seconds
  • Decreased respawn wave times during a neutral game state from 4 -> 2 seconds
  • Changed the main spawn doors to have windows
  • Removed Rare Spell spawn by the graveyard area, replaced with Common Spell
  • Health and ammo pickup adjustments
  • Clipped stairs by the Castle's exit portal
  • Minor visual updates
• Updated ctf_applejack
  • Fixed the projectile weapons from not working inside the buildings
  • Removed bullet collision from the intelligence room handrails
  • Removed the prop jump up to the sniper balcony, to help snipers feel more comfortable there
  • Removed the vents with missing textures
  • Fixed the bug with being able to get stuck in the blue shed
  • Fixed a stuck spot in mid-shed (ty Midnite!)
  • Fixed a texture being weird in the intel rooms
  • Fixed a black displacement in the red intel yard
  • Removed the collision from the food in the red spawn table
• Updated cp_ambush_event
  • Fixed exploit where players were able to build into RED 1st base (Thanks MN!)
  • Improved lighting at the RED base in stage3
  • Fixed lantern being clipped into cliff wall in the cavern at stage1
  • Fixed odd shadows cast by some props
  • Fixed coffin from being non-solid in stage2
  • Fixed spawn camping spot in stage2 at RED indoor exit
  • Fixed a few hovering lamp props
  • Fixed some prop fading too soon
  • Fixed rare issue where players fell off directly to lava on underworld teleportation
  • Clipped a few crates to make it easier to jump on them
• Updated arena_lumberyard_event
  • Recreated the game mode in VScript
  • Significantly increased server performance
  • Instead of using the best-of-seven round system on top of casual's best-of-three system, the map will simply run 15 traditional game rounds like ZI and VSH
  • Updated the healing ghost appearance for RED team
  • Text pop-ups are now drawn in chat instead of in the middle of your screen
  • Reduced volume of the incoming spell
  • Removed the random Skeleton King and the Horseless Headless Horseman
  • Removed the rare spell given to the last player standing
  • Converted some medium health kits into small health kits
  • Removed small health kits from the second story of both churches
  • Fixed a pumpkin bomb that was stuck in the terrain
• Updated pl_embargo
  • Fixed an exploit that allowed BLU to teleport to RED spawn (thanks Jameson)
  • Fixed the lack of countdown at the end of the round

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