NEW Ep2 info! TF2 is the multiplayer mode!!

[Tamer17]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6153984.html

"
2:34 Newell's gone on to discuss the episodic-gaming business model. Short version: Valve likes it. It will even let them explore new types of gameplay in a new upcoming game called Portal (which seems to be a working title).

TEAM FORTRESS 2. WHERE DID THIS COME FROM? Hey, they're still making it! It's got a totally exaggerated, crazy art style now. Looks a little like Spy vs. Spy or No One Lives Forever, kind of a '60s spy feel. It's going to be the included multiplayer mode in Episode 2! Class-based, etc. You know the drill. Great news for shooter fans. We all thought this game was dead years ago.

And hey, Half-Life 2: Ep 2 wlil ship for Xbox 360 and PS3 simultaneously with the PC. The console games will basically include all of the HL2 back content, so you'll get everything on there that you can get on the PC. Who expected all this Valve news?

"

OMFG!!!! EP2 now!!!TF2 ! NEW IP! AHHHHHHHHHHH *dies*.

[Maxi]

WPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TF222222222222222!!!1 I remember those secreens back in what? 2000?

[Tamer17]

Forgot copying this:

2:26 Valve's Gabe Newell is now on the stage to show us an updated trailer for Half-Life 2: Episode 2. There are some new images of a strider and smaller walker-like enemies decimating a group of human fighters in the forest. Otherwise, this is pretty much the same trailer we saw at the end of Episode 1.

"Newell talks about getting players out of City 17 in the next episode (duh), as well as giving them new weapons and new enemies to use them against. Looks like the Source engine will be getting a lot of upgrades in Ep 2. A "cinematic physics" system is coming from former Weta Digital employee Gray Horsfield, along with new particle systems, better foliage, and more."

[PimpinPenguin]

WOO Team Fortress 2 i knew Valve would not let me down.
I wasn't expecting Episode 2 to come on the ps3 and Xbox 360 i wonder what it means about half life 2 back content does that mean half life 2 and episode 1 coming out on the ps3.

That Portal game sound strange shooting portals into walls and floors to solve puzzles and teleport objects around but knowing Valve it will be fun.

[BigBoss7556]

This news is very surprising. It feels like it just came out of nowhere. I was already excited about EP2 but now I'm even more excited for TF2 being included.

[Edcrab]

Badda-fudda-badda-budda-gah?!

Holy shit. :eek:

[TheAntipop]

Sweet, Ep1 and Ep2 on console. Another reason for me to get a 360.

[Vass]

Woohoo

[Tamer17]

About Portal:

"It looks like they took the portal concept from Prey and slapped it on a gun--you can shoot them into walls and floors to solve all kinds of crazy puzzles, teleporting objects around and stuff. Looks like a total mindbender.
"

omg sound great. Now , THIS is a smart way of using portals.

"For whoever asked in the comments, from what I understood the console versions of HL2: Episode 2 will contain all things Half-Life 2, including CS: Source, Team Fortress 2 and Portal. Will amend that info if anything changes"

Great.

I wonder if we get Portal if we but Ep2 through steam. Ep2+TF2+Portal that would be awesome and if the 20$ price tag will stay it would be even better.

Common guys! it's TF2. I though people will go nuts here :)

[Hypnosos]

YES! EP2 on Xbox360! YES! YES!

[Samon]

Holy smokes. Awesome. Looks like I'll be getting EP2 for 360!

[Tamer17]

There is On The Spot live in 13 minutes. They might talk about it so stay tuned.

[GTGear]

I'll most likely be getting Episode 2 on my PC, being that I upgraded the thing to play Episode 1. But who knows, I might buy both.

[Syntaxn]

About Portal:

"It looks like they took the portal concept from Prey and slapped it on a gun--you can shoot them into walls and floors to solve all kinds of crazy puzzles, teleporting objects around and stuff. Looks like a total mindbender.
"

omg sound great. Now , THIS is a smart way of using portals.

Done in the original Prey from 1998 ;)

[MoD]

Omg Omg Omg Omg Omg Omg

[SFLUFAN]

More info:

The video shows a diagram and explains that as an employee of this company, you may have to find the emergency exit to a certain room. However, there are often obstacles in your way, like a gaping chasm. No problem, because all you need to use is your Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device to create dimensional doorways that let you mess with reality. For example, if there’s gaping chasm between you and your objective, just shoot a portal on the far side of the room, then shoot a portal open on your side, then enter the portal. You’ll instantly transport from one side of the room to the next by walking through the portal (you’ll even see yourself going through the portal).

That’s the simplest example of how to use the portal gun. In other situations, you may be under fire by a gun droid. So all you need to do is shoot a portal open over the gun, then shoot a portal open beneath a crate, then watch the crate fall through the hole and crush the gun. It gets even crazier, and the diagrams shown in the trailer showed some incredibly crazy things that you can attempt, like creating a series of portals so that you’re constantly chasing yourself. Some of the puzzles sound like they’ll be “impossible,” so the challenge will be to figure out how to use the portal gun.

This promises to be an incredibly puzzle-style first-person experience, which Newell says is part of the goal. “We wanted to take physics out of this domain as a tool that lets you bounce grenades around to how can we really change the game experience for our customers,” he said.

Team Fortress 2 is back and will be included with Episode Two, and it looks like nothing else on the market. Newell explained that Valve wanted to make this action game distinct, so the graphics (which use the Source engine) look like a Pixar animated movie. To reinforce this, the carious character classes in the game look like cartoon caricatures. These include the Medic with the huge needle or the Demoman with the sticks of explosives. Other classes include the Heavy, the Spy, the Scout, the Engineer, the Sniper, the Soldier, and the Pyro. Newell says that the goal with Team Fortress 2 is to create “the best looking and best-playing class-based multiplayer game.” Team Fortress 2 is certainly unique in appearance, so we’ll see how it plays.

[Loke]

Nice! :E

[Greatgat]

Well slap my nuts and call me Ikerous.

Sounds kewl!

[Warbie]

But who knows, I might buy both.

I'll definately be getting both :)

Excellent news.

[Hazar]

Well slap my nuts and call me Ikerous.


/me obliges

[Greatgat]

Ach! It's more painful than I ever imagined! Why Hazar, why so hard?

edit: ...er, I feel I should edit that, but know of no way to make it acceptable...D:

[ktimekiller]

Wooooot

[0mar]

HL2 Ep2 better not be toned down to cope with the Xbox360. Console controllers are inherently unable to do everything the mouse can...

[DigiQ8]

VALVe is teh shit !

[Man|-|unter]

IGN

Using a demo called "Portal," Newell showed off a special gun used to create portals similar to those used in Prey. A player could create a portal nearby, for instance, and then a second portal on the other side of a chasm; walking through the first would transport him safely out the second.

Valve wasn't clear on just where the portal gun will be used, though it looks to be part of the arsenal in Episode Two.

UPDATE: According to EA, Portal will be included as its own game, along with Team Fortress 2, as part of the Half-Life 2: Episode Two package.

[Darkside55]

Well, I already posted my feelings about this "new" TF2 in the thread in News and Announcements. It doesn't sound like it'll be Brotherhood of Arms, which I don't like, but it's Team Fortress, which I love, so the whole damned situations conflicting me in the brain.

Portal sounds like a really cool thing. A thinking man's gun, that is...which is nice, adding a puzzle element to not only environmental challenges but NPC challenges. But the conspiracy theorist in me reminds me that Valve likes to test certain features out in the public before releasing them in areas where they're truely meant for. This portal game, and the gun itself, might be nothing more than an elaborate test for the return of the last person we saw to wield a portal weapon...

ADRIAN SHEPHARD! http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/899/emottinfoil6lb.gif
dun dun dunnnnnnn

[DigiQ8]

Well, I already posted my feelings about this "new" TF2 in the thread in News and Announcements. It doesn't sound like it'll be Brotherhood of Arms, which I don't like, but it's Team Fortress, which I love, so the whole damned situations conflicting me in the brain.

Portal sounds like a really cool thing. A thinking man's gun, that is...which is nice, adding a puzzle element to not only environmental challenges but NPC challenges. But the conspiracy theorist in me reminds me that Valve likes to test certain features out in the public before releasing them in areas where they're truely meant for. This portal game, and the gun itself, might be nothing more than an elaborate test for the return of the last person we saw to wield a portal weapon...

ADRIAN SHEPHARD! http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/899/emottinfoil6lb.gif
dun dun dunnnnnnn
what the hell is Brotherhood of Arms ?

[Darkside55]

Team Fortress 2: Brotherhood of Arms. Original title.

[Sulkdodds]

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/899/emottinfoil6lb.gifrofl :D

Excellent news.

[kattmat]

I think Ep2 is going to be delayed to early/mid 2007 because of this. Honestly, if Valve manage to get this out in time I'm going to be very impressed.

[bigburpco]

You're going to be very impressed.

[ray_MAN]

My head just exploded!

[Samon]

What the hell are you doing here.

[ray_MAN]

TF2 beckoned me. (AKA: I snuck onto the internet)

[Atomic_Piggy]

Badda-fudda-badda-budda-gah?!

Holy shit. :eek:

Well put.

[Un®ealHerØ]

Its gonna be awsome.

[Iced_Eagle]

Screenshots are coming today according to Gabe :D

Also, it should be interesting to note that Portals is a game made by students who recently graduated DigiPen! :D This excites me as I will be applying there in 3 months, so I'm glad to hear that the education there is being put to good use!

[Edcrab]

I'd like to see the screenshots, because I want confirmation on the art style :o

The contradicting statements I've heard range form Metal Slug-esque super-exaggerated weaponry and chunky vehicles (does it even have vehicles?), to dodgy-sounding Looney Tunes-type madness...

[Tamer17]

Iced_Eagle , what's your source?

[Flyingdebris]

I'm hoping Portal features Adrian Shephard, but there is another possibility.

Who else do we know in Halflife that makes exclusive use of portals...?

The G-man. What if Portal gives you a chance to play as everyone's favorite raspy voiced mystery man. Not saying its likely, but there does seem to be a slight chance i think

[Max35]

According to Gamespy, "portal" will be INCLUDED with ep2.

[Crowbar-at-hand]

Since it will be included ep2 will definatly be more money like $30.00-USD, instead of being $20.00-USD here in the U.S. Nothing is free these days, you know.

[Darkside55]

I would easily pay $100 for Team Fortress 2, even if it's not what I'd been expecting all these years. I could be persuaded to go up to $120. $30 would be a pittance--I think Valve will keep their $20 model though. Ramping up the price every time would be bad for business in the long run, and would alienate some customers.

[Tamer17]

First screen , shows all of the classes:

http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/images/2006/news/07/13/tf2_screen001.jpg

That.Looks.Wicked.

[tehsolace]

bigger version of that screenie

http://www.shacknews.com/screens.x/tf2/Team+Fortress+2/2/thumbs/060714_tf2_01.jpg

[Crowbar-at-hand]

why do TF2 graphics look like HL1, I thought it was made on Source. Its like Half-Life: Source all over again.

[Bob_Marley]

The old TF2 looked like it would be so much cooler that what appears to be coming up.

[Black Op]

Why do people always make a big deal when some game dares to use non-realistic graphics? :dozey: I see nothing wrong with unusual artistic designs for TF2, maybe perhaps I never played TFC in the first place. :P

[Darkside55]

Why do people always make a big deal when some game dares to use non-realistic graphics? :dozey: I see nothing wrong with unusual artistic designs for TF2, maybe perhaps I never played TFC in the first place. :P
Because it's not what TF2 was supposed to be. TF2 had a direction, it was to have so many innovations for its time it's not even funny. Everything in the Battlefield series? TF2 was supposed to have it four years before Battlefield 1942 even came out. It was going to be awesome, but it proved too ambitious for a add-on so Valve released TFC--which is pure awesome--and set to make TF2 its own game, markedly different from TFC.

So for eight years, man, people have been waiting for this game. We had an idea of what it was going to be like, and you see people, the real fans of TF, just happy as hell that TF2's coming out. But everyone who knew anything about TF2 knew the type of game it was going to be, and that's what kept people interested in it. Even when there was no news for YEARS, people still remembered TF2 and what it was supposed to bring. It had a look to it, it had a design to it, it was a war game...it was gonna be sick. And then nothing...and out of nowhere this. This isn't TF2.

I realize I'm practically bashing the thing before it comes out and we haven't even seen the thing in motion. Maybe it'll have some similarities to TF2, but I kinda doubt it. I think my main problem is, this is a game I'd been hyped up for for EIGHT YEARS, and I never lost hope on the damn thing, even when people called vaporware. And then it finally happens and it's...not what I expect. Not what fans of TF2 expected. That's bound to rile some bones, y'know? It's a bit audacious for Valve to release a completely different game under the same name, just because they figure it's dropped far enough off the radar that people will have forgotten, and/or because another game's already done it. I don't care what other games have done, and I think other fans don't give a sh*t either. You know why in almost every interview the interviewer asks about Team Fortress 2? Because they REMEMBERED. They remembered THAT game, not whatever this is.

I dunno, man. I have to reserve final judgement until I actually see the thing in motion but...this whole thing saddens me. So long, Brotherhood. (http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/4207/assassinated2jx.jpg)

[DigiQ8]

Because it's not what TF2 was supposed to be. TF2 had a direction, it was to have so many innovations for its time it's not even funny. Everything in the Battlefield series? TF2 was supposed to have it four years before Battlefield 1942 even came out. It was going to be awesome, but it proved too ambitious for a add-on so Valve released TFC--which is pure awesome--and set to make TF2 its own game, markedly different from TFC.

So for eight years, man, people have been waiting for this game. We had an idea of what it was going to be like, and you see people, the real fans of TF, just happy as hell that TF2's coming out. But everyone who knew anything about TF2 knew the type of game it was going to be, and that's what kept people interested in it. Even when there was no news for YEARS, people still remembered TF2 and what it was supposed to bring. It had a look to it, it had a design to it, it was a war game...it was gonna be sick. And then nothing...and out of nowhere this. This isn't TF2.

I realize I'm practically bashing the thing before it comes out and we haven't even seen the thing in motion. Maybe it'll have some similarities to TF2, but I kinda doubt it. I think my main problem is, this is a game I'd been hyped up for for EIGHT YEARS, and I never lost hope on the damn thing, even when people called vaporware. And then it finally happens and it's...not what I expect. Not what fans of TF2 expected. That's bound to rile some bones, y'know? It's a bit audacious for Valve to release a completely different game under the same name, just because they figure it's dropped far enough off the radar that people will have forgotten, and/or because another game's already done it. I don't care what other games have done, and I think other fans don't give a sh*t either. You know why in almost every interview the interviewer asks about Team Fortress 2? Because they REMEMBERED. They remembered THAT game, not whatever this is.

I dunno, man. I have to reserve final judgement until I actually see the thing in motion but...this whole thing saddens me. So long, Brotherhood. (http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/4207/assassinated2jx.jpg)
Battlefield 2 took Brotherhood Of Arms place.
i think VALVe did well when they changed the art dirction of the game. But still i really want to play Brotherhood Of Arms

[jimmyjam]

I didn't know the humidity could go up from pure whiny tears, but it's wet as shit in this place
tf2 is 8 years old in the same way that prey is 10 years old: that is it isn't
the art design is a natural progression from tf for qw, and brotherhood of arms completely missed the point in this department
R.I.P. BoA and all of its hyper-innovative gameplay ideas! I was so hoping to be the guy who sits next to a machine-gunner and feeds ammo into the gun
that's gameplay right there

[Darkside55]

R.I.P. BoA and all of its hyper-innovative gameplay ideas! I was so hoping to be the guy who sits next to a machine-gunner and feeds ammo into the gun
that's gameplay right there
Oh, I know, that would've been so boring, right? Team gameplay in Team Fortress Classic, who wants that? Valve would've been retarded to release such a thing. Feeding ammo into a gun to better serve your team's defenses, that's stupid. Let the defenders handle it on their own, I don't care.

And working in squads toward the common goal? Nah, pass. Commander mode? I don't need to sit around planning out my team's strategy, I just want to stand around the base and snipe or be the seventh defender down in the flag room, because I'm totally helping my team out.

And officers? Psh, who wants to stand around and give people morale bonuses and accuracy bonuses, among other things? I don't want to hang around with these losers. Let me just advance ahead and try and take down the entire enemy team's defense alone, then die, then come back and try again, then die, then come back and try again. It's better that way in the long run than waiting to move in as a group, trust me.

[jimmyjam]

I can't fathom how any human being could find feeding ammo into a gun fun
as for your other stuff: whoaaaaa that would have kicked 1998's ass!!!!!11
too bad about the inexorable passage of time

[Darkside55]

I still think that stuff has a place today. Look at BF2. That seems to be doing well </understatement>.

The ammo thing, I'd at least find it as fun as any of the more menial tasks in multiplayer games today. It'd be no different than giving out ammo or healing teammates in terms of fun. Some people like the idea of helping out, even if it means they don't see a lot of action. Plus, you have to admit it's a neat idea for a team game.

[Atomic_Piggy]

I've never played Team Fortress before, so I'm more excited about Episode Two. Portal might have nothing to do with Half-life, thats the impression I got anyway.
Say, Team Fortress is on My Games list, maybe I should play?

[Darkside55]

You definately should. It's one of the greatest online multiplayer games of all time, despite low numbers in recent years. It's great fun, has a great community, and is easy to pick up but depending on how far you want to go with it it can have an incredibly high learning curve. Easy to start, difficult to master, like a game should be.

You might have to look around a bit to find a populated server (one populated with people, and not bots), but it's worth it. The game's tremendous fun. Go now, play!

[Atomic_Piggy]

Wow. Thats the only word to describe it. Wow...
*goes and plays more*:)

[Edcrab]

Eh, I think we're being a bit premature here. To instantly say they've dropped such and such a feature or are going to use it less prominently or are now going to have deployable unicorn boots is pretty daft since we really don't know what the game's like- we're just basing a lot of speculation off its artistic merits.

Hell, for all we know it's just TF2:BoA with a new visual direction. I doubt it, but even then I'll bet money this "new" TF2 is going to be more than just team deathmatch, as so many people seem to be thinking right about now...

[Samon]

Because it's not what TF2 was supposed to be.

I think its maybe up to Valve to decide that. But besides, this is far more original - its different and its something new.

[Edcrab]

I think its maybe up to Valve to decide that. But besides, this is far more original - its different and its something new.

I suppose it has been a long time since development started. Besides, I did read the preview(s) that we're apparently talking about here... but since then the rumour on the grapevine was that the game had taken a huge leap away from realism and was dealing with extreme sci-fi stuff.

Well, the press were half right about that! Bring on the videos/previews, I say.

[Cole]

Because it's not what TF2 was supposed to be. TF2 had a direction, it was to have so many innovations for its time it's not even funny. Everything in the Battlefield series?
Exactly. The battlefield series. Why make a game that is so similar? I mean you have BF2 already out, BF2142 coming out, and Quake Wars. Why not make something original and creative? Infact they've been created games with realistic graphics for a while. HL2, EP1, EP2...i'm sure Valve wanted to try something new while also getting a chance to show off more of their engines capabilities.

[el Chi]

The portal gun sounds great on its own, but as a potential weapon for Episode 2 (as IGN speculated) it sounds dreadful. Utterly dreadful.
As does the Strider Blaster or Bummer or whatever the hell it's called.
I think Ep2 is going to be delayed to early/mid 2007 because of this. Honestly, if Valve manage to get this out in time I'm going to be very impressed.
Well although it's obviously gone through a lot of changes, they have been working on TF2 for the better part of a decade...

[Tamer17]

Why does the Strider Buster sounds bad to you?