Difference between revisions of "Meet the Sniper"

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(Corrected model of Sniper's camper van. Previous edition was Series I. Land Rover Series I stopped being produced in 1958 and therefore he couldn't drive a 1965 Series I.)
 
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<div style="float:right;clear:right;background-color:white">
 
 
{{Infobox video
 
{{Infobox video
|class=Sniper
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  | class       = Sniper
|release_date=June 7, 2008
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  | release_date = June 7, 2008
|length=1:40
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  | length       = 1:40
 
}}
 
}}
</div>
 
<br>
 
{{youtube tn|9NZDwZbyDus|Meet the Sniper}}
 
<br>
 
  
== "Meet the Sniper" Video Transcript ==
+
== Video ==
 +
{{youtube|9NZDwZbyDus}}
  
[''A lone RV is driving down a desert road. Camera cuts to the dash, where a bobblehead of the former [[Civilian]] sits. A hand comes from offscreen and flicks the head.'']
+
== Video transcript ==
 +
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" width="100%"
 +
! class="header" | Transcript
 +
|-
 +
|[''A lone RV is driving down a desert road. Camera cuts to the dashboard, where a bobblehead of the former [[Civilian]] sits. A hand comes from offscreen and flicks the head.'']
  
'''Sniper''': "Boom, headshot."
+
'''Sniper''': "Boom. Headshot."
  
[''"Meet the [[Sniper]]" text appears. Cuts to the Sniper driving his RV as [[Magnum Force (Soundtrack)|Magnum Force]] plays in the background.'']
+
[''Meet the Sniper text appears. Cuts to the Sniper driving his RV as Valve's edited version of [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORRuuSioOh0 Magnum Force] plays in the background.'']
  
'''Sniper''': "Snipin's a good job, mate! It's challengin' work, outta doors. I guarantee you'll not go hungry-"
+
'''Sniper''': "Snipin's a good job, mate! [''He pauses to make a right turn''] It's challengin' work, outta doors. I guarantee you'll not go hungry-"
  
 
[''Cuts to a shot of the Sniper brushing his teeth. There are three photographs on the right of his mirror of a [[BLU]] [[Engineer]], [[Heavy]], and [[Scout]] - the Engineer and the Scout are crossed off, but the Heavy is not.'']
 
[''Cuts to a shot of the Sniper brushing his teeth. There are three photographs on the right of his mirror of a [[BLU]] [[Engineer]], [[Heavy]], and [[Scout]] - the Engineer and the Scout are crossed off, but the Heavy is not.'']
Line 24: Line 24:
 
'''Sniper''' "-'cause at the end of the day, long as there's two people left on the planet, ''someone'' is gonna want ''someone'' dead."
 
'''Sniper''' "-'cause at the end of the day, long as there's two people left on the planet, ''someone'' is gonna want ''someone'' dead."
  
[''Scene cuts to view inside the Sniper's scope. The Sniper headshots the Heavy from the previous scene; the bullet shatters the [[bottle]] of the [[Demoman]] behind him, causing the top half of the bottle to embed itself in his remaining eye. The Demoman flails around, takes out his grenade launcher, fires grenades wildly in the air and falls over a ledge, with his stray grenades igniting a cluster of explosive barrels below and causing a chain explosion.'']
+
[''Scene cuts to view inside the Sniper's scope. The Sniper headshots the Heavy from the previous scene; the bullet shatters the [[Bottle]] of the [[Demoman]] behind him, causing the top half of the Bottle to embed itself in his remaining eye. The Demoman flails around, takes out his Grenade Launcher, fires three grenades wildly in the air and falls over a ledge, with his stray grenades igniting a cluster of explosive barrels below and causing a chain explosion.'']
  
 
'''Sniper''': "Ooh."
 
'''Sniper''': "Ooh."
Line 30: Line 30:
 
[''Cuts to the Sniper talking on a pay phone.'']
 
[''Cuts to the Sniper talking on a pay phone.'']
  
'''Sniper''': "Dad? Dad, I'm a- Ye- ''Not'' a "crazed gunman", dad, I'm an assassin! ...Well, the difference bein' one is a job and the other's mental sickness!"
+
'''Sniper''': "Dad? Dad, I'm a- Ye- ''Not'' a "crazed gunman", dad, I'm an assassin! ...Well, the difference bein' one is a job and the other's a mental sickness!"
  
 
[''Back to Sniper in the RV.'']
 
[''Back to Sniper in the RV.'']
Line 36: Line 36:
 
'''Sniper''': "I'll be honest with ya: my parents do ''not'' care for it."
 
'''Sniper''': "I'll be honest with ya: my parents do ''not'' care for it."
  
[''Cuts to Sniper climbing the tall tower in [[Goldrush]] Stage 3, Cap 1. The Sniper now is waiting at the top of the tower for a shot.'']
+
[''Cuts to Sniper climbing the tall tower in [[Gold Rush]] Stage 3, Cap 1. The Sniper waits at the top of the tower for a shot.'']
  
 
'''Sniper''': [''Glances away from his scope briefly to address the viewer''] "I think his mate saw me."
 
'''Sniper''': [''Glances away from his scope briefly to address the viewer''] "I think his mate saw me."
Line 48: Line 48:
 
[''Cuts to a time-lapse image of the Sniper waiting for a shot. Several [[Jarate|jars of urine]] fill up to his side, as the Sniper drinks coffee and waits. As the sun starts to set, the Sniper smiles and finally takes his shot.'']
 
[''Cuts to a time-lapse image of the Sniper waiting for a shot. Several [[Jarate|jars of urine]] fill up to his side, as the Sniper drinks coffee and waits. As the sun starts to set, the Sniper smiles and finally takes his shot.'']
  
[''The Sniper backstabs a [[Spy]] through the chest with his [[Kukri]] on [[Goldrush]] Stage 3, then slides him off the knife with a satisfied expression.'']
+
[''The Sniper backstabs a [[Spy]] through the chest with his [[Kukri]] on Gold Rush Stage 3, then slides him off the {{botignore|knife}} with a satisfied expression.'']
  
 
'''Sniper''': "Feelins'? Look mate, you know who has a lot of feelings?"
 
'''Sniper''': "Feelins'? Look mate, you know who has a lot of feelings?"
Line 54: Line 54:
 
[''Cut back to the RV'']
 
[''Cut back to the RV'']
  
'''Sniper''': "Blokes what bludgeon their wife to death with a golf trophy. Professionals have ''standards''."
+
'''Sniper''': "Blokes that bludgeon their wife to death with a golf trophy. Professionals have ''standards''."
  
 
[''Sniper takes off his hat and puts it on his chest, standing over the dead Spy.'']
 
[''Sniper takes off his hat and puts it on his chest, standing over the dead Spy.'']
Line 60: Line 60:
 
'''Sniper''': "Be polite."
 
'''Sniper''': "Be polite."
  
[''Sniper head-shots a Medic, a Soldier, and a Pyro.'']
+
[''Sniper headshots a Medic, a Soldier, and a Pyro, blowing the last's head clean off.'']
  
 
'''Sniper''': "Be efficient."
 
'''Sniper''': "Be efficient."
Line 70: Line 70:
 
[''The Sniper fires directly at the camera. The screen blacks out.'']
 
[''The Sniper fires directly at the camera. The screen blacks out.'']
  
[''Team Fortress 2 ending flourish music plays.'']  
+
[''Team Fortress 2 ending flourish music plays.'']
  
 
[''Cut back to the pay phone.'']
 
[''Cut back to the pay phone.'']
  
 
'''Sniper''': "Dad.... Dad p-, yeah - put Mum on the phone!"
 
'''Sniper''': "Dad.... Dad p-, yeah - put Mum on the phone!"
 +
|}
  
==Notes==
+
== Notes ==
 
[[Image:Camper.jpg|150px|right]]
 
[[Image:Camper.jpg|150px|right]]
 
 
[[Image:Numberonemug.jpg|150px|right]]
 
[[Image:Numberonemug.jpg|150px|right]]
 
 
[[Image:Headshot.jpg|150px|right]]
 
[[Image:Headshot.jpg|150px|right]]
 
 
[[Image:Airfreshener.jpg|150px|right]]
 
[[Image:Airfreshener.jpg|150px|right]]
  
[[Image:Payphone.jpg|150px|right]]
+
* The title card displays 'COPYRIGHT LOLOLOL' on the bottom right corner, a recurring joke throughout the Meet the Team videos.
  
[[Image:Oldgeezersign.jpg|150px|right]]
+
* The same valley model in the opening shot was also used in ''[[Expiration Date]]'', but without the signs.
  
[[Image:Bobbleheads.jpg|150px|right]]
+
* The billboard in the opening shot and behind the [[Sniper]] in the pay phone scenes reads 'FOAD: Camping Fun, All year round!'. This is both a reference to the "[[camping]]" style of gameplay Snipers employ and the acronym [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/FOAD FOAD] ('''F'''uck '''O'''ff '''A'''nd '''D'''ie).
  
 +
* The sign that appears at the beginning of the video displays the [[Sniper Rifle]]'s old [[headshot]] kill icon.
  
 +
* The Sniper drives a 1965 Land Rover Series IIA Camper Van, a hint to his game style. The van appears to be painted in "Sahara Dust", a green-grey tone.
  
* The location in which this video takes place seems to be partly Gold Rush and [[Fastlane]] while the scenes with the Sniper talking take place in original locations.  
+
* The Sniper's van bears the ''Team Fortress'' series logo on the roof.
  
* The Sniper is driving a 'Camper', a subtle hint to his game-style.
+
* One of the bumper stickers on the camper reads 'MY OTHER CAMPER IS A SWORD VAN!', a reference to one of KC Green's ''Custom Comix''.<ref>[https://kcgreendotcom.com/CC/comics/cc-tf2.gif KC Green's ''Custom Comix'']</ref>
  
* Although the Spy and Scout mock the Sniper for living in a "van", the Sniper actually drives a 196-'s Land Rover Pickup, an English car favored in areas like Australia and Africa because of its toughness. In addition, the Snipers actual RV is a "Slide In" Camper, also very popular in Australia and among Hunters and Outdoorsmen for its ruggedness and ability to handle tough terrain.
+
* A note taped to the windscreen of the camper reads 'TAX IN POST', a reference to the British comedy ''[[w:Only Fools and Horses|Only Fools and Horses]]''.
  
* The bobble-head on the Sniper's dash is a caricature of the [[Civilian]] as he appears in the original [[Team Fortress Classic]].
+
* The Sniper's camper van was eventually turned into a model by Valve for map and machinima makers, and also appears in [[Thunder Mountain]] in the very back of the map, by a water tower on a cliff near the [[RED]] side, and [[Mannhattan]], by the ramp leading up, away from the robot entryway.
  
* '''Body count:''' 6 (8 if you count the Engineer and the Scout crossed off the Sniper kill list)
+
* The bobblehead on the Sniper's dash is a caricature of the [[Civilian (Classic)|Civilian]] as he appears in the original ''Team Fortress'' Classic series of games.
 +
** It was originally a bobblehead of the "[[List of companies|Old Geezer]]" from the "Old Geezer Draft Beer" poster found in-game. It was later replaced because the intended Sniper reference was too obscure for people to understand.<ref>[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=2974&p=5 TF2 Official Website blog post]</ref>
  
* '''Amusing Sign:''' The Billboard in the opening shot and behind the Sniper in the pay phone scenes reads "FOAD: Camping Fun, All year round!" This is both a reference to the '[[camping]]' style of gameplay Snipers employ and the internet initialism [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/FOAD FOAD] ('''F'''uck '''O'''ff '''A'''nd '''D'''ie), often aimed at Snipers in various online games by disgruntled players.  
+
* The phrase "Boom, Headshot.", popularized by the character [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olm7xC-gBMY FPS Doug] in the online comedy series [[w:Pure Pwnage|''Pure Pwnage'']], is common in the first-person shooter genre.
  
* '''Amusing Sign:''' By the roadside in the opening shot is a sign warning people to beware of [[headshot]]s. The Sniper was on the payphone with City Hall for weeks after they put these up. How's a man supposed to get his job done?[http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=2974]
+
* The music in the video is a homage to the "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORRuuSioOh0 ''Magnum Force'']" theme by Lalo Schifrin.
  
* '''Foreshadowing:''' The aforementioned FOAD sign has the silhouette of a Demoman wielding an [[Eyelander]] in the F, beheading someone. Barring a coincidence, this means Valve was planning the Eyelander since November 2008, just over a year before the War! Update. The sign, however, was near impossible to see in fine detail until the video's assets were added to the SDK in October 2009 (2 months before the War! Update).
+
* In the scene where the Sniper brushes his teeth, his signature [[Sniper Rifle]] is reflected in the mirror. It appears correctly right-handed in the mirror, so out of the mirror, it would appear to be designed for use by a left-handed person.
  
* The Pyro is seen wielding the [[Flare gun]], an unlockable weapon which had not been publicly revealed at the time of the video's release.
+
* The jars of urine are the very first glimpse of [[Jarate]], which may also be an explanation for Jarate being referred to in the game files as "urinejar".
  
* The jars of urine are also the very first glimpse of [[Jarate]], and give a possible explanation on how he has so much available.
+
* In the timelapse scene, the Sniper drinks a brown liquid (most likely coffee) out of a mug with the words "#1 Sniper". This is a reference to the RED team always beating the BLU team in the Meet The Team videos. It is also a reference to the "#1 DAD" and "#1 MOM" mugs that are often found in novelty stores.
 +
** Additionally, the first few frames of the scene show the time to be 4PM, but it changes to be a little past 3PM after the Sniper takes a sip.
  
* The phrase "Boom, headshot." may well be a reference to the catchphrase of the character '[http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=olm7xC-gBMY FPS Doug]' in the online comedy series [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Pwnage Pure Pwnage].
+
* The Sniper's "standards" are very similar to the rules that [[w:James Mattis|James Mattis]] gave to the United States Marine Corps as quoted in ''Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq'' (2006) by Thomas E. Ricks: "Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet."<ref name="Dzhugdzhur Mountains">[https://www.armedforcesjournal.com/fiasco/ “Fiasco”, Armed Forces Journal, August 2006]</ref>
  
* The video seems to carry on the tradition of the poor BLU Heavy and [[Soldier]] being abused in every [[Meet the Team]] video. To date the Heavy has been blown to smithereens by the [[Demoman]], was killed first by the [[Engineer]]'s [[Sentry]] in Meet the Engineer, been bludgeoned to unconsciousness by the [[Scout]] and run over by the [[train]] in [[Meet the Scout]], gibbed by the Soldier on two separate occasions, was stabbed to death by an enemy Spy in [[Meet the Spy]], and was even seen killed in a battle during [[Meet the Heavy]] and [[Meet the Sandvich]].  
+
* All three of the Sniper's "standards" were later turned into [[Sniper achievements|achievements]] (there are a total of four, as "Have a plan to kill everyone you meet" is broken into two), and the first two correspond to what the Sniper does in the clips ([[Sniper taunts#Melee|doffing his hat]], and killing three enemies without missing). When he is speaking to his father on the phone, he says that he is "not a crazed gunman, Dad", which is another Sniper achievement [kill 3 enemies achieving an objective in a single life].
 +
** The phrase "[[wikia:w:c:starcraft:StarCraft_II_Versus_achievements|Professionals Have Standards]]" is a [[w:StarCraft#StarCraft II|''StarCraft II'']] achievement, in reference to ''Team Fortress 2''. The achievement in ''StarCraft II'' is to destroy 20 units with Sniper Rounds in a single Unranked or Ranked game, and is the only phrase of the Sniper's standard speech not used as an achievement in ''Team Fortress 2''.
  
* The Sniper is able to produce 3 1/2 jars of urine in 4 hours on just 4 cups of coffee. This is exclusive to Meet the Sniper, as the recharging time for the (then unknown) Jarate is considerably shorter ingame (though it is undisclosed as to whether he makes the new jar during this charge period or he spends the time taking another pre-made one out).
+
* The map used is a modified version of [[Gold Rush]], the train tower climbing sequence (0:49) being the most recognizable reference point, which is the first section of the map outside BLU spawn. Sniper doffing his hat (1:11) is based on the upper parts of the final point of the map.
  
* The Sniper begins waiting for his shot at 4pm and takes his shot at 8:10pm, 4 hours and 10 minutes later.
+
* The Sniper's Sniper Rifle is leaning against the wall during the enactment of the achievement ''Be Polite'' (at 1:11). In the shot directly preceding it, where the [[Spy]] is stabbed with the [[Kukri]] (at 1:05), the Sniper Rifle is missing.
  
* The Sniper's coffee cup says '#1 Sniper'.
+
* The [[Pyro]] is wielding the [[Flare Gun]], an unlockable weapon which had not been publicly revealed at the time of the video's release.
  
* The Sniper drinks decaf, as is evidenced by the orange rim of his coffee decanter. This is most likely in order to keep his nerves steady.
+
* When the Sniper shoots the [[Soldier]] (1:13), the Soldier begins to fall over before the sound of the Sniper Rifle firing plays.
  
* The Sniper's "standards" are very similar to those of the [http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Be+polite%2C+be+professional%2C+but+have+a+plan+to+kill+everyone+you+meet.%22  United States Marine Corps]: "Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet."
+
* When the Sniper shoots the Pyro (1:15), it is implied that Sniper blew up Pyro's mask since there are bits of mask falling as if it exploded; however, Pyro's head cannot be seen due to it being behind their torso. This idea was later revisited to design the [[Voodoo-Cursed Pyro Soul]].
  
* The Sniper can be seen with a bruise under his right thumbnail. He has probably pinched his thumb with the breech while loading a bullet into his bolt-action rifle, the same way as shown in the last scene of the video. It may also be a bruise from him using the SMG, as the firing mechanism hammers back just above where his thumb is usually positioned when firing.
+
* The Sniper appears to have a Garand Thumb, which was an injury common among riflemen in WWII by getting their finger caught in the receiver of an M1 Garand while reloading.
  
* The Sniper kills the Spy with his kukri by stabbing him through the chest. Not only is this a much less effective method of using a kukri, as the blade was designed primarily to chop, but the Sniper also uses it upside down. This may however be an intentional comedic reversal with the Sniper [[backstab]]bing the Spy with a knife of his own. Coincidentally, the [[Tribalman's shiv]], the other kukri for the Sniper, uses upside down viewmodels in this fashion.
+
[[File:Alternate class photo.jpg|300px|right]]
 +
* The ending group shot with all the classes has the Sniper with a different facial expression than usual, and uses different lighting.
 +
{{clr}}
 +
== Related merchandise ==
 +
<gallery>
 +
File:MeettheSniperLithograph.png|[https://store.valvesoftware.com/product.php?i=P3417 Meet the Sniper Lithograph]
 +
</gallery>
  
* While the Sniper taunts the Spy, the bloodstain on the wall quickly changes shading.
+
== References ==
 +
<references/>
  
* In the opening title, the Sniper has several jars of Jarate (then just simple jars of urine) sitting next to his [[Sniper rifle]] as well as several used cigarette butts.
+
== External links ==
 +
* [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2302729/ Meet the Sniper] on IMDb
  
* With the release of the Sniper video the number of team members known to smoke cigarettes comes to four, the others being the Spy, [[Soldier]] and [[Demoman]]. This may be another comedic reversal on the fact that the Sniper and Spy class are rivals, but it is ironic that the Sniper should smoke as Snipers are trained specifically to spot glowing "cherries" of cigarettes on the battlefield (though he does not do this ingame).
+
{{Pyro Update Nav}}
 
+
{{Sniper Nav|state=collapsed}}
* The opening jingle when the 'Meet the Sniper' title appears differs from the other [[Meet the Team]] videos.
+
{{Video Nav|state=uncollapsed}}
 
 
* The music that plays throughout the entire video would appear to be a homage to the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3roS8cJRGEk Magnum Force] theme, the second in the Dirty Harry movies. The video itself carries a strong early 70's theme.
 
 
 
* The bus that drives by at the end has 'BLUDOG' on the side, a reference to the real life [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyhound_Lines Greyhound Lines] bus service. This may indicate the setting being in the US, though there is also [http://www.greyhound.com.au/ a Greyhound Australia] service as well.
 
 
 
* The camper is being driven on the right hand side of the road. This would also indicate that the video is not filmed in Australia, as Australian vehicles use the left side of the road. In addition to this, the driver's seat is on the left side, in Australia the passenger seat is on the left and the driver's seat on the right.
 
 
 
* The Soldier being headshotted and the sound of the shot do not appear to be in sync, but this is fixed in alternate language versions of the video.
 
 
 
* In the scene where the Heavy is shot through the head and the bullet shatters a nearby Demoman's bottle into pieces, the Demoman falls into a pit of explosive barrels. These barrels are only seen as models during gameplay, and do not explode at all, only serving as cover.
 
 
 
* At one point, the Sniper climbs a ladder. While it's possible to create a makeshift ladder in Source SDK (although there is no ''direct'' way to do it), none of Valve's maps include ladders which can be climbed (there are only a few that are lowered, so players can walk on them).
 
 
 
*The Sniper smiles for 10 minutes before finally taking his shot at his unknown target.
 
 
 
*In the Spanish version of "Meet the Sniper," a part of the Sniper's dialogue is censor 'bleeped', while talking about his parents. This only other times this occurs is in the English versions of [[Meet the Scout]] & [[Meet the Spy]], and all versions of [[Meet the Demoman]].
 
 
 
*The Sniper likes to keep his Rifle on a gun rack behind his seat during driving, which is partly visible during some scenes.
 
 
 
*After the Sniper kills the Heavy, the Demoman's [[Grenade Launcher]] is visible on his belt before he equips it.
 
 
 
*In just a few seconds, The Sniper takes down a Medic, a Soldier, and a Pyro. If their health was at max, the Sniper would not be able to do this so quickly because of the charge-up time for a suitably powerful Sniper rifle shot. This would also be a difficult feat even if they were already damaged. The Meet the Team videos do not of course follow the game mechanics exactly, accounting for some strange feats.
 
 
 
*The Sniper reloads his [[Sniper rifle]] by taking a bullet from his vest, ejecting the spent shell, and loading the new bullet into the rifle, all in one fluid motion, as seen towards the end just after he shoots the Pyro. This method of reloading would explain how the rifle has so much ammo without having a cartridge, though the Sniper's vest only holds so many bullets.
 
 
 
*The [[Sniper rifle]] appears to lack the typical laser crosshair in this video.
 
 
 
*The [[Sniper rifle]] bolt pulling sound sounds as if the [[Sniper]] would have pushed the bolt back, but instead he forcefully drags the bolt back.
 
 
 
*No other [[RED]] team members appear in the video. This may be a reference to the 'loner' playstyle of the Sniper, and his bio of not having to rely on others when you never miss.
 
 
 
*An unofficial model replacement for the Kukri gives it the appearance of a golf trophy, inspired by the Sniper's comment within this video.[http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/69722]
 
 
 
*An SDK update on October 21, 2009 allows mapmakers to use props from this video, such as the Sniper's camper van or the #1 Sniper mug.
 
 
 
*One of the bumper stickers on the Camper reads "MY OTHER CAMPER IS A SWORD VAN!", a reference to one of KC Green's Custom Comics [http://rumblo.com/cc/comics/cc-tf2.gif] another reads "I'd rather be camping!".
 
 
 
*A note taped to the windscreen of the camper reads "TAX IN POST", a reference to the popular British comedy 'Only Fools and Horses'.
 
 
 
*The Sniper's van bears the Team Fortress series logo on the roof and its vehicle registration plate is 'HS 101'.
 
 
 
*Originally, Valve toyed with the idea of the bobblehead being a mascot from one of the many product signs dotting the landscape of the TF2 universe. The "Old Geezer" mascot for the Old Geezer beer brand spotted dotted about in some maps was suggested, and a bobblehead model was born. The word "apricot" is Sniper terminology for the medulla oblongata, a "sweet spot" Snipers aim for where the brain and brain stem meet, explaining why the Old Geezer was holding apricot brandy. During playtests, the apricot reference was discovered to be just a too obscure; and more importantly, nobody had any idea who the old guy was with several mistaking him for Santa. Valve recast the model as the Civilian, an escort class from Team Fortress Classic and a far more recognizable figure to TF veterans. The model is now available in the SDK also, along with the other Meet the Sniper exclusive props.
 
 
 
*The apricot reference, meanwhile, was added as an air freshener in the camper's window.
 
 
 
== Other versions ==
 
 
 
{|class="wikitable"
 
|class="subheader"|French
 
|class="subheader"|German
 
|-
 
|{{youtube tn|By0X6O_AuTg}}
 
|{{youtube tn|PJrkM5XaOiA}}
 
|-
 
|class="subheader"|Russian
 
|class="subheader"|Spanish
 
|-
 
|{{youtube tn|V0Iu75CJMIc}}
 
|{{youtube tn|FeJEimdJ-PQ}}
 
|}
 
----
 
 
 
 
 
{{Video nav|coluncolstate=uncollapsed}}
 
{{Sniper Nav|coluncolstate=collapsed}}
 
  
 +
[[Category:Background]]
 +
[[Category:Meet the Team|Sniper]]
 
[[Category:Sniper]]
 
[[Category:Sniper]]
[[Category:Meet the Team]]
 
[[Category:Background]]
 
 
 
{{Languages}}
 

Latest revision as of 02:20, 13 March 2023

Meet the Sniper
Meet the Sniper Titlecard
Video Info
Released: June 7, 2008
Run time: 1:40

Video

Video transcript

Notes

Camper.jpg
Numberonemug.jpg
Headshot.jpg
Airfreshener.jpg
  • The title card displays 'COPYRIGHT LOLOLOL' on the bottom right corner, a recurring joke throughout the Meet the Team videos.
  • The same valley model in the opening shot was also used in Expiration Date, but without the signs.
  • The billboard in the opening shot and behind the Sniper in the pay phone scenes reads 'FOAD: Camping Fun, All year round!'. This is both a reference to the "camping" style of gameplay Snipers employ and the acronym FOAD (Fuck Off And Die).
  • The sign that appears at the beginning of the video displays the Sniper Rifle's old headshot kill icon.
  • The Sniper drives a 1965 Land Rover Series IIA Camper Van, a hint to his game style. The van appears to be painted in "Sahara Dust", a green-grey tone.
  • The Sniper's van bears the Team Fortress series logo on the roof.
  • One of the bumper stickers on the camper reads 'MY OTHER CAMPER IS A SWORD VAN!', a reference to one of KC Green's Custom Comix.[1]
  • A note taped to the windscreen of the camper reads 'TAX IN POST', a reference to the British comedy Only Fools and Horses.
  • The Sniper's camper van was eventually turned into a model by Valve for map and machinima makers, and also appears in Thunder Mountain in the very back of the map, by a water tower on a cliff near the RED side, and Mannhattan, by the ramp leading up, away from the robot entryway.
  • The bobblehead on the Sniper's dash is a caricature of the Civilian as he appears in the original Team Fortress Classic series of games.
    • It was originally a bobblehead of the "Old Geezer" from the "Old Geezer Draft Beer" poster found in-game. It was later replaced because the intended Sniper reference was too obscure for people to understand.[2]
  • The phrase "Boom, Headshot.", popularized by the character FPS Doug in the online comedy series Pure Pwnage, is common in the first-person shooter genre.
  • The music in the video is a homage to the "Magnum Force" theme by Lalo Schifrin.
  • In the scene where the Sniper brushes his teeth, his signature Sniper Rifle is reflected in the mirror. It appears correctly right-handed in the mirror, so out of the mirror, it would appear to be designed for use by a left-handed person.
  • The jars of urine are the very first glimpse of Jarate, which may also be an explanation for Jarate being referred to in the game files as "urinejar".
  • In the timelapse scene, the Sniper drinks a brown liquid (most likely coffee) out of a mug with the words "#1 Sniper". This is a reference to the RED team always beating the BLU team in the Meet The Team videos. It is also a reference to the "#1 DAD" and "#1 MOM" mugs that are often found in novelty stores.
    • Additionally, the first few frames of the scene show the time to be 4PM, but it changes to be a little past 3PM after the Sniper takes a sip.
  • The Sniper's "standards" are very similar to the rules that James Mattis gave to the United States Marine Corps as quoted in Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq (2006) by Thomas E. Ricks: "Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet."[3]
  • All three of the Sniper's "standards" were later turned into achievements (there are a total of four, as "Have a plan to kill everyone you meet" is broken into two), and the first two correspond to what the Sniper does in the clips (doffing his hat, and killing three enemies without missing). When he is speaking to his father on the phone, he says that he is "not a crazed gunman, Dad", which is another Sniper achievement [kill 3 enemies achieving an objective in a single life].
    • The phrase "Professionals Have Standards" is a StarCraft II achievement, in reference to Team Fortress 2. The achievement in StarCraft II is to destroy 20 units with Sniper Rounds in a single Unranked or Ranked game, and is the only phrase of the Sniper's standard speech not used as an achievement in Team Fortress 2.
  • The map used is a modified version of Gold Rush, the train tower climbing sequence (0:49) being the most recognizable reference point, which is the first section of the map outside BLU spawn. Sniper doffing his hat (1:11) is based on the upper parts of the final point of the map.
  • The Sniper's Sniper Rifle is leaning against the wall during the enactment of the achievement Be Polite (at 1:11). In the shot directly preceding it, where the Spy is stabbed with the Kukri (at 1:05), the Sniper Rifle is missing.
  • The Pyro is wielding the Flare Gun, an unlockable weapon which had not been publicly revealed at the time of the video's release.
  • When the Sniper shoots the Soldier (1:13), the Soldier begins to fall over before the sound of the Sniper Rifle firing plays.
  • When the Sniper shoots the Pyro (1:15), it is implied that Sniper blew up Pyro's mask since there are bits of mask falling as if it exploded; however, Pyro's head cannot be seen due to it being behind their torso. This idea was later revisited to design the Voodoo-Cursed Pyro Soul.
  • The Sniper appears to have a Garand Thumb, which was an injury common among riflemen in WWII by getting their finger caught in the receiver of an M1 Garand while reloading.
Alternate class photo.jpg
  • The ending group shot with all the classes has the Sniper with a different facial expression than usual, and uses different lighting.

Related merchandise

References

External links