Difference between revisions of "Team Fortress 2"

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(This is not really necessary to mention, as it was never talked about how TF2 was 32-bit. Removed bit about MacOS not working anymore because TF2 is no longer 32-bit.)
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{{Game infobox
 
{{Game infobox
 
| boxart-image = TF2 Boxart.png
 
| boxart-image = TF2 Boxart.png
| developer = [[Valve]]
+
| developer   = [[Valve]]
| publisher = [[Valve]]
+
| publisher   = [[Valve]]
| distributor =[[Steam]]
+
| distributor = [[Steam]]
| engine = [[Source engine]]
+
| engine       = [[Source]]
| designer = John Cook, Robin Walker
+
| designers    = [[John Cook]], [[Robin Walker]]
| released =  
+
| composer    = [[Mike Morasky]]
*Microsoft Windows & Xbox 360 (Retail - [[The Orange Box]])'''
+
| released     =  {{Collapsible list
**NA: October 10, 2007
+
  | title        = October 10, 2007
**EU: October 18, 2007
+
  | titlestyle  = font-weight:normal;background:transparent;text-align:left;
**UK: October 19, 2007
+
  | '''Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360''' <small>(''The Orange Box'')</small><br>October 10, 2007 <small>(NA)</small><br>October 18, 2007 <small>(EU)</small><br>October 19, 2007 <small>(UK)</small><br>October 25, 2007 <small>(AU)</small>
**AU: October 25, 2007
+
  | '''Microsoft Windows''' <small>(''Standalone'')</small><br>April 9, 2008 <small>(NA)</small><br>April 11, 2008 <small>(WW)</small>
*Microsoft Windows (Steam)
+
  | '''PlayStation 3'''<br>December 11, 2007 <small>(NA)</small><br>November 22, 2007 <small>(AU)</small>
**International: October 10, 2007
+
  | '''Steam'''<br>October 10, 2007 <small>(Microsoft Windows)</small><br>June 10, 2010 <small>(macOS)</small><br>February 14, 2013 <small>(Linux)</small>
*PlayStation 3
+
}}
**NA: December 11, 2007
+
| mode          = [[w:Multiplayer video game|Multiplayer]]
**AU: November 22, 2007
+
| genre         = [[w:First-person shooter|First person shooter]]
*Microsoft Windows (Retail - Standalone)
+
| ratings       =  
**NA: April 9, 2008
+
[[w:Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]]: Mature 17+<br>
**International: April 11, 2008
+
[[w:PEGI|PEGI]]: 16<br>
*Mac OS X (Steam)
+
[[w:British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]]: 15<br>
**International: June 10, 2010
+
[[w:Office of Film and Literature Classification|OFLC]]: R16
*Linux (Steam)
+
| platforms     =  
**International: February 14, 2013
+
Microsoft Windows<br>
| modes = Multiplayer
+
Xbox 360 {{tooltip|*|Backward compatible on Xbox One and Xbox Series X<nowiki>|</nowiki>S}}<br>
| genre = First person shooter
+
PlayStation 3 {{tooltip|?|Servers shut down on 29 March 2023}}<br>
| ratings =  
+
macOS{{verify}}<br>
*ESRB: M
+
SteamOS + Linux  
*PEGI: 16+
+
| requirements  = {{Collapsible list
*BBFC: 15
+
  | title        = Windows
*OFLC: MA15+
+
  | '''OS''': Windows 7 (32/64-bit)/Vista/XP
| platforms = Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Mac OS X, Linux
+
  | '''Processor''': 1.7 GHz Processor or better
| media = Download, DVD, Blu-ray disc
+
  | '''Memory''': 512 MB RAM
| requirements =  
+
  | '''DirectX''': Version 8.1
*Windows
+
}}<!--
*Minimum: 1.7 GHz Processor, 512MB RAM, DirectX® 8.1 level Graphics Card (Requires support for SSE), Windows® 7 (32/64-bit)/Vista/XP, Mouse, Keyboard, Internet Connection
+
-->{{Collapsible list
*Recommended: Pentium 4 processor (3.0GHz, or better), 1GB RAM, DirectX® 9 level Graphics Card, Windows® 7 (32/64-bit)/Vista/XP, Mouse, Keyboard, Internet Connection
+
  | title        = macOS
*OS X
+
  | '''OS''': OS X version Leopard 10.5.8 and above
*Minimum: OS X version Leopard 10.5.8, Snow Leopard 10.6.3, 1GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8 or higher, ATI X1600 or higher, or Intel HD 3000 or higher, Mouse, Keyboard, Internet Connection
+
  | '''Processor''': 1.7 GHz Processor or better
 +
  | '''Memory''': 1 GB RAM
 +
  | '''Graphics''': NVIDIA GeForce 8 or higher, ATI X1600 or higher, Intel HD 3000 or higher
 +
}}<!--
 +
-->{{Collapsible list
 +
  | title          = SteamOS + Linux
 +
  | '''OS''': Ubuntu 12.04
 +
  | '''Processor''': Dual core from Intel or AMD at 2.8 GHz
 +
  | '''Memory''': 1 GB RAM
 +
  | '''Graphics''': nVidia GeForce 8600/9600GT, ATI/AMD Radeon HD2600/3600 (Graphic Drivers: nVidia 310, AMD 12.11), OpenGL 2.1
 +
}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
'''''Team Fortress 2''''' is a team-based multiplayer first person shooter developed by [[Valve]] Software as part of the game bundle [[The Orange Box]]. It was first released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on October 10, 2007. A PlayStation 3 version then followed on November 22, 2007. Following suit, it was released as a standalone title on April 9, 2008, and on June 10, 2010, ''Team Fortress 2'' was released for Mac OS X. The PC and OS X versions of ''Team Fortress 2'' adopted a "Free to Play" model on June 23, 2011 with all revenue being generated from micro transactions in the [[Mann Co. Store|In-game Store]]. After several months of closed beta, ''Team Fortress 2'' was finally released for Linux operating systems on February 14, 2013.
+
'''''Team Fortress 2''''' is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter developed by [[Valve|Valve Software]] as part of the game bundle [[The Orange Box]]. It was first released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on October 10, 2007. A PlayStation 3 version then followed on November 22, 2007. Following suit, it was released as a standalone title on April 9, 2008, and on June 10, 2010, ''Team Fortress 2'' was released for macOS. The PC and macOS versions of ''Team Fortress 2'' adopted a "Free to Play" model on June 23, 2011, with all revenue being generated from microtransactions in the [[Mann Co. Store|in-game Store]]. After several months of closed beta, ''Team Fortress 2'' was finally released for Linux operating systems on February 14, 2013.
  
The game was first announced in 1998 as a sequel to the original ''[[Team Fortress]]'' mod for ''Quake'', but has since been through various concept and design periods. In 1999, the game appeared to be abandoning the art styles of the original ''[[Team Fortress Classic]]'' by transitioning toward a more realistic and militaristic style of gameplay. However, the design continued evolving over the game's nine-year development period and game engine switch. The final art style rendition of ''Team Fortress 2'' resembles that of the original ''Team Fortress'' and ''Team Fortress Classic'' games, and also features a cartoon-like visual style based on the art of Dean Cornwell, J. C. Leyendecker, and Norman Rockwell. ''Team Fortress 2'' follows a popular trend in recent CGI films, in particular, films recently made by {{w|Pixar Animation Studios}}, such as ''{{w|The Incredibles}}''.
+
The game was first announced in 1998 as a sequel to the original ''[[Team Fortress]]'' mod for ''Quake'' (a first-person shooter video game, developed by id Software), but has since been through various concept and design periods. In 1999, the game appeared to be abandoning the art styles of the original ''[[Team Fortress Classic]]'' by transitioning toward a more realistic and militaristic style of gameplay. However, the design continued evolving over the game's nine-year development period and game engine switch. The final art style rendition of ''Team Fortress 2'' resembles that of the original ''Team Fortress'' and ''Team Fortress Classic'' games, and also features a cartoon-like visual style based on the art of [[w:Dean Cornwell|Dean Cornwell]], [[w:J. C. Leyendecker|J. C Leyendecker]], and [[w:Norman Rockwell|Norman Rockwell]]. ''Team Fortress 2'' followed a popular trend in CGI films at the time, in particular, films made by ''[[w:Pixar Animation Studios|Pixar]]'', such as ''[[w:The Incredibles|The Incredibles]]''.
  
 
The absence of media information or apparent development progress for six years of the game's development caused it to be labeled as vaporware, and it was regularly featured in the ''Wired News''' annual vaporware list, among gaming news outlets. Since its release, however, the game has received critical acclaim and several awards.
 
The absence of media information or apparent development progress for six years of the game's development caused it to be labeled as vaporware, and it was regularly featured in the ''Wired News''' annual vaporware list, among gaming news outlets. Since its release, however, the game has received critical acclaim and several awards.
  
 
__TOC__
 
__TOC__
==Gameplay==
+
== Gameplay ==
[[Image:Team Fortress 2 Screenshot.png|250px|thumb|left|''Team Fortress 2'' in play: a group of [[RED]] players attack a [[BLU]] base on the [[Capture the Flag]] map "[[2Fort]]", whilst showing [[Scout]], [[Engineer]], [[Heavy]], and [[Spy]] from the first person perspective of a [[Medic]].]]
+
[[File:Team Fortress 2 Screenshot.png|250px|thumb|left|''Team Fortress 2'' in play: a group of [[RED]] players attack a [[BLU]] base on the [[Capture the Flag]] map "[[2Fort]]", whilst showing [[Scout]], [[Engineer]], [[Heavy]], and [[Spy]] from the first person perspective of a [[Medic]].]]
  
Like its predecessors, ''Team Fortress 2'' is centered around two opposing teams competing for an objective. These two teams are meant to represent a demolition and a construction company as a part of the backstory: Reliable Excavation Demolition ([[RED]]) and Builders League United ([[BLU]]). Players can choose to play as one of nine [[classes]] in these teams, each with their own unique strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and roles. Although the abilities of a number of classes have changed from earlier ''Team Fortress'' incarnations, the basic elements of each class have remained.
+
Like its predecessors, ''Team Fortress 2'' is centered around two opposing teams competing for an objective. These two teams are meant to represent a demolition and a construction company as a part of the backstory: Reliable Excavation Demolition ([[RED]]) and Builders League United ([[BLU]]). Players can choose to play as one of nine [[classes]] in these teams, each with their unique strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and roles. Although the abilities of some classes have changed from earlier ''Team Fortress'' incarnations, the essential elements of each class have remained.
  
''Team Fortress 2'' is the first of [[Valve]]'s multiplayer games to incorporate detailed statistics for players. These statistics include the time spent playing as each class, the average point score, and the most captures or objectives achieved in a single round. Persistent statistics tell the player how they are improving in relation to these statistics, such as if a player comes close to their record for the damage inflicted in a round. ''Team Fortress 2'' also features numerous [[achievements]] for carrying out certain tasks, such as scoring a certain number of kills or completing a round within a certain time. New sets of class-specific achievements were added in updates after main release. These have added new abilities and weapons to each class once unlocked by the player. Unlocked achievements and statistics from previously played games are displayed on the player's [[Steam Community]] or Xbox LIVE profile page.
+
''Team Fortress 2'' is the first of [[Valve]]'s multiplayer games to incorporate detailed statistics for players. These statistics include the time spent playing as each class, the average point score, and the most captures or objectives achieved in a single round. Persistent statistics tell the player how they are improving concerning these statistics, such as if a player comes close to their record for the damage inflicted in a round. ''Team Fortress 2'' also features numerous [[achievements]] for carrying out certain tasks, such as scoring a certain number of kills or completing a round within a certain time. New sets of class-specific achievements were added in updates after the main release. These have added new abilities and weapons to each class once unlocked by the player. Unlocked achievements and statistics from previously played games are displayed on the player's [[Steam Community]] or Xbox LIVE profile page.
  
===Maps===
+
=== Maps ===
{{main|Maps}}
+
{{main|List of maps}}
  
On the PC and OS X versions of ''Team Fortress 2'', the initial release only included six official Valve [[maps]], with several dozen more being added to the game over the years by Valve and the Team Fortress 2 community. On the console versions, however, these original six maps, all released by Valve, are still the only maps available. The official maps are commonly themed with an evil genius or retro-spytech mentality, with secret bases that are concealed within industrial warehouses, as well as exaggerated super weapons such as laser cannons and missile launch facilities taking the role of objectives.
+
On the PC and OS X versions of ''Team Fortress 2'', the initial release only included six official Valve maps, with several dozen more being added to the game over the years by Valve and the ''Team Fortress 2'' community. On the console versions, however, these original six maps, all released by Valve, are still the only maps available. The official maps are commonly themed with an evil genius or retro-spy tech mentality, with secret bases that are concealed within industrial warehouses, as well as exaggerated super weapons such as laser cannons and missile launch facilities taking the role of objectives. During Halloween (called ''[[Scream Fortress]]'') and Christmas (called ''[[Smissmas]]''), several new maps are enabled that often feature Halloween and Christmas/winter themes respectively.
  
When players join a map for the first time, an introductory video shows them how to complete map objectives. Map player limits are twenty-four on the PC and OS X, although the player limit has been altered on some servers to reach as high as thirty-two, while the player limit on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is sixteen.
+
When players joins certain maps for the first time, an introductory video shows them how to complete map objectives. Map player limits are 24 on the PC and OS X, although the player limit has been altered on some servers to reach as high as 32 (it may be upped to 100, but is not recommended), while the player limit on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is 16.
  
==Development==
+
=== Game modes ===
===Origins===
+
{{main|List of game modes}}
Originally developed as a freeware mod for ''Quake'', ''Team Fortress 2'' switched to the GoldSrc engine in 1998 after the development team of Team Fortress Software – consisting of Robin Walker and John Cook - was first contracted and employed by Valve. At the time, ''Team Fortress 2'' was called ''[[Valve's Team Fortress]]''. At the point of Team Fortress Software's acquisition, production moved up a notch and the game was promoted to a standalone, retail product to tide fans over since, as well as time issues, much of the ''Team Fortress'' player base had purchased ''Half-Life'' solely in anticipation of the free release of ''Team Fortress 2''. Work began on a simple port of the game which was released in 1999 as the free ''Team Fortress Classic''. Notably, ''Team Fortress Classic'' was built entirely within the publicly available GoldSrc Software Development Kit (SDK) as an example to the community and industry of its flexibility.
 
  
Walker and Cook were heavily influenced by their three-month contractual stint at Valve, and began working full-time on their design, which was undergoing rapid metamorphosis. ''Team Fortress 2'' was to be a modern war game, with a command hierarchy including a commander, with a bird's-eye view of the battlefield; parachute drops over enemy territory; networked voice communication; and numerous other innovations.
+
''Team Fortress 2'' shipped with three game modes: [[Capture the Flag]], [[Control Point (game mode)|Control Point]], and [[Territorial Control]]. Since the game's release, several new game modes have been added, such as [[Payload]], [[Arena]], and [[Mann vs. Machine]]. Several of these game modes feature both Valve-made and community-made maps. Several [[List of game modes#Unused content|unused game modes]] have been discovered over the years.
  
===E3 1999===
+
=== Customization ===
[[Image:Tf2oldstlye.jpg|thumb|left|The original build of Team Fortress 2 had a more realistic style.]]
+
{{main|Customize items|l1=Customization}}
  
The new design was revealed to the public at the 1999 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) where it earned several awards including Best Online Game and Best Action Game. By this time ''Team Fortress 2'' had gained a new subtitle, [[Team Fortress 2: Brotherhood of Arms|"Brotherhood of Arms"]], and the results of Walker and Cook working at Valve were becoming clear. Several new, and at the time, unprecedented technologies were on show: parametric animation; seamlessly blended animations for smoother, more life-like movement; and Intel's multi-resolution mesh technology dynamically reducing the detail of on-screen elements as they become more distant to improve performance (a technique made obsolete by decreasing memory costs, since today's games use a technique known as level of detail, which uses more memory but less processing power). No release date was given at the exposition.
+
Since the {{Patch name|4|29|2008}}, also known as the '''[[Gold Rush Update]]''', the Loadout menu was introduced. This menu allowed the player to change their [[weapons]] and, with the introduction of [[cosmetic items]] in the [[Sniper vs. Spy Update]], their cosmetic items (previously referred to as '''hats''' and '''miscellaneous items''', or '''miscs''') to change the appearance of their class.
  
In mid-2000, Valve announced that ''Team Fortress 2'''s development had been delayed for a second time. They put the news down to development switching to an in-house, proprietary engine that is today known as the [[Source engine]]. It was at around this time that all news ran dry, and ''Team Fortress 2'' entered its notorious six-year vaporware phase, which was to last until July 13, 2006. During that time, both Walker and Cook worked on various other Valve projects – Walker was project lead on ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'' and Cook became a [[Steam]] developer among other things – raising doubts that ''Team Fortress 2'' was really the active project that was being repeatedly described.
+
In the [[Über Update]], [[Taunts#Special taunts|special taunts]] were added to the game as action slot items and were given their own loadout slot in the [[Love & War Update]]. Taunts allow players to perform certain animations, often used to taunt the enemy players after death. Some taunts are partner taunts, which allows two or more players to perform a taunt together (such as the [[Square Dance]], which can be performed with one other player, and the [[Conga]], which can be performed with many other players).
 +
 
 +
The [[Gun Mettle Update]] in 2015 introduced the [[Decorated]] quality, allowing players to customize the look of their weapons by applying different textures to them, later transitioning to the [[War Paint]] system with the [[Jungle Inferno Update]] in 2017.
 +
 
 +
Cosmetic items, taunts, and Decorated weapons can all feature special [[Unusual|particle effects]] on them.
 +
 
 +
== Development ==
 +
=== Origins ===
 +
Originally developed as a freeware mod for ''Quake'', ''Team Fortress 2'' switched to the GoldSrc engine in 1998 after the development team of Team Fortress Software – consisting of Robin Walker and John Cook - was first contracted and employed by Valve. At the time, ''Team Fortress 2'' was called ''[[Valve's Team Fortress]]''. At the point of Team Fortress Software's acquisition, production moved up a notch, and the game was promoted to a standalone, retail product to tide fans over since, as well as time issues, much of the ''Team Fortress'' player base had purchased ''[[Half-Life]]'' solely in anticipation of the free release of ''Team Fortress 2''. Work began on a simple port of the game which was released in 1999 as the free ''Team Fortress Classic''. Notably, ''Team Fortress Classic'' was built entirely within the publicly available GoldSrc Software Development Kit (SDK) as an example to the community and industry of its flexibility.
 +
 
 +
Walker and Cook were heavily influenced by their three-month contractual stint at Valve and began working full-time on their design, which was undergoing rapid metamorphosis. ''Team Fortress 2'' was to be a modern war game, with a command hierarchy including a commander, with a bird's-eye view of the battlefield; parachute drops over enemy territory; networked voice communication; and numerous other innovations.
 +
 
 +
=== E3 1999 ===
 +
[[File:Tf2oldstlye.jpg|thumb|left|The original build of ''Team Fortress 2'' had a more realistic style.]]
 +
 
 +
The new design was revealed to the public at the 1999 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) where it earned several awards including Best Online Game and Best Action Game. By this time ''Team Fortress 2'' had gained a new subtitle, [[Team Fortress 2: Brotherhood of Arms|"Brotherhood of Arms"]], and the results of Walker and Cook working at Valve were becoming evident. Several new, and at the time, unprecedented technologies were on show: parametric animation; seamlessly blended animations for smoother, more life-like movement; and Intel's multi-resolution mesh technology dynamically reducing the detail of on-screen elements as they become more distant to improve performance (a technique made obsolete by decreasing memory costs, since today's games use a method known as [[vdc:LOD|level of detail]], which employs more memory but less processing power. ''Team Fortress 2'' has switched to this method as well). No release date was given at the exposition.
 +
 
 +
In mid-2000, Valve announced that ''Team Fortress 2'''s development had been delayed for a second time. They put the news down to development switching to an in-house, proprietary engine that is today known as the [[Source engine]]. It was at around this time that all news ran dry, and ''Team Fortress 2'' entered its notorious six-year vaporware phase, which was to last until July 13, 2006. During that time, both Walker and Cook worked on various other Valve projects – Walker was project lead on ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'' and Cook became a [[Steam]] developer among other things – raising doubts that ''Team Fortress 2'' was the active project that was being repeatedly described.
  
 
=== "Invasion" design ===
 
=== "Invasion" design ===
Line 79: Line 105:
  
 
[[File:Invaliencommando.png|thumb|80px|left|Alien commando.]]
 
[[File:Invaliencommando.png|thumb|80px|left|Alien commando.]]
[[File:Invhumancommando.png|thumb|80px|right|Human commando. See [[Concept art#Other_art|concept art]].]]
+
[[File:Invhumancommando.png|thumb|80px|right|Human commando. See [[Concept art#Other art|concept art]].]]
  
 
When the infamous ''Half-Life 2'' source tree was leaked in late 2003, two ''Team Fortress 2'' models were included along with the ''Team Fortress 2'' source code – which was fully compilable. They consisted of an alien grunt and a very stylized, out-of-proportion human soldier. The code was interpreted by fans as making references to parts of the ''Half-Life'' backstory; however, the two leaked player models did not resemble any known style from the ''Half-Life'' series, leading many to think it was meant for ''Team Fortress 2''.
 
When the infamous ''Half-Life 2'' source tree was leaked in late 2003, two ''Team Fortress 2'' models were included along with the ''Team Fortress 2'' source code – which was fully compilable. They consisted of an alien grunt and a very stylized, out-of-proportion human soldier. The code was interpreted by fans as making references to parts of the ''Half-Life'' backstory; however, the two leaked player models did not resemble any known style from the ''Half-Life'' series, leading many to think it was meant for ''Team Fortress 2''.
Line 85: Line 111:
 
The [[Source SDK]] was released with the ''Half-Life 2'' source code, and also provided references to ''Team Fortress 2''. Some code merely confirmed what was already believed, but other segments provided completely new information such as the presence of NPCs in multiplayer matches, the possibility of the game taking place in the ''Half-Life 2'' universe, fixed plasma gun and missile launcher emplacements, and more.
 
The [[Source SDK]] was released with the ''Half-Life 2'' source code, and also provided references to ''Team Fortress 2''. Some code merely confirmed what was already believed, but other segments provided completely new information such as the presence of NPCs in multiplayer matches, the possibility of the game taking place in the ''Half-Life 2'' universe, fixed plasma gun and missile launcher emplacements, and more.
  
None of the leaked information appears to have had any bearing on today's version of the game. This iteration was mentioned in an August 2007 interview with Gabe Newell by GameTrailers and [http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/09/09/interview-valve-on-13-things-theyve-failed-at/ a September 2010 interview with PC Gamer], in which he mentions "Invasion" as being the second phase of ''Team Fortress 2'''s development under Valve Software.
+
None of the leaked information appears to have had any bearing on today's version of the game. This iteration was mentioned in an August 2007 interview with Gabe Newell by GameTrailers and [https://www.pcgamer.com/2010/09/09/interview-valve-on-13-things-theyve-failed-at/ a September 2010 interview with PC Gamer], in which he mentions "Invasion" as being the second phase of ''Team Fortress 2'''s development under Valve Software.
  
===Final design===
+
=== Final design ===
[[Image:Tf2newstyle.jpeg|thumb|right|The final build of Team Fortress 2 goes for a highly stylized 'retro' design.]]
+
[[File:Tf2newstyle.jpeg|thumb|right|The final build of Team Fortress 2 goes for a highly stylized 'retro' design.]]
  
 
The next significant public development occurred in the run up to ''Half-Life 2's'' 2004 release: Valve's Director of Marketing Doug Lombardi claimed that ''Team Fortress 2'' was still in development and that information concerning it would come after ''Half-Life 2's'' release. This did not happen, nor was any news released after Lombardi's similar claim during an early interview regarding ''Half-Life 2: Episode One''. Near the time of ''Episode One's'' release, Gabe Newell again claimed that news on ''Team Fortress 2'' would be forthcoming – and this time it was. ''Team Fortress 2'' was unveiled again a month later at the July 2006 EA Summer Showcase event.
 
The next significant public development occurred in the run up to ''Half-Life 2's'' 2004 release: Valve's Director of Marketing Doug Lombardi claimed that ''Team Fortress 2'' was still in development and that information concerning it would come after ''Half-Life 2's'' release. This did not happen, nor was any news released after Lombardi's similar claim during an early interview regarding ''Half-Life 2: Episode One''. Near the time of ''Episode One's'' release, Gabe Newell again claimed that news on ''Team Fortress 2'' would be forthcoming – and this time it was. ''Team Fortress 2'' was unveiled again a month later at the July 2006 EA Summer Showcase event.
Line 94: Line 120:
 
Walker revealed in March 2007 that Valve had quietly built "probably three to four different games" before settling on their final design. Due to the game's lengthy development cycle it was often mentioned alongside ''Duke Nukem Forever'', another long-anticipated game that went through many years of protracted development and engine changes before being released.
 
Walker revealed in March 2007 that Valve had quietly built "probably three to four different games" before settling on their final design. Due to the game's lengthy development cycle it was often mentioned alongside ''Duke Nukem Forever'', another long-anticipated game that went through many years of protracted development and engine changes before being released.
  
The beta release of the game featured six multiplayer maps of which three contain optional commentary by the developers on game design, level design, and character design, and provide more information on the history behind the development.
+
The beta release of the game featured six multiplayer maps of which three contain [[Developer commentary|optional commentary]] by the developers on game design, level design, character design, and provide more information on the history behind the development.
  
''Team Fortress 2'' does not attempt the realistic graphical approach used in other Valve games using the Source engine such as ''Half-Life 2'', ''Day of Defeat: Source'', and ''Counter-Strike: Source''. Rather, it uses a more stylized, cartoon-like approach "heavily influenced by early 20th century commercial illustrations." The effect is achieved using a special Valve in-house rendering and lighting technique making extensive use of 'Phong shading'. The development commentary in the game suggests that part of the reason for the cartoonish style was the difficulty in explaining the maps and characters in realistic terms. The removal of an emphasis on realistic settings allows these questions to be sidestepped. The game debuts with the Source engine's new dynamic lighting, shadowing and soft particle technologies, among many other unannounced features, alongside ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two''. ''Team Fortress 2'' was also the first game to implement the Source engine's new Facial Animation 3 features.
+
''Team Fortress 2'' does not attempt the realistic graphical approach used in other Valve games using the Source engine such as ''Half-Life 2'', ''Day of Defeat: Source'', and ''Counter-Strike: Source''. Rather, it uses a more stylized, cartoon-like approach "heavily influenced by early 20th century commercial illustrations". The effect is achieved using a unique Valve in-house rendering and lighting technique making extensive use of '[[vdc:Phong materials|Phong shading]]'. The development commentary in the game suggests that part of the reason for the cartoonish style was the difficulty in explaining the maps and characters in realistic terms. The removal of an emphasis on realistic settings allows these questions to be sidestepped. The game debuts with the Source engine's new dynamic lighting, shadowing, and soft particle technologies, among many other unannounced features, alongside ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two''. ''Team Fortress 2'' was also the first game to implement the Source engine's new Facial Animation 3 features.
  
The art style for the game was inspired by J. C. Leyendecker, as well as Dean Cornwell and Norman Rockwell. Their distinctive styles of strong silhouettes and shading to draw attention to specific details were adapted in order to make the models distinct, with a focus on making the characters' team, class, and current weapon easily identifiable. Silhouettes and animation are used to make the class of a character apparent even at range, and a color scheme that draws attention to the chest area brings focus to the selected weapon.
+
The art style of the game was inspired by J. C. Leyendecker, as well as Dean Cornwell and Norman Rockwell. Their distinctive styles of sharp silhouettes and shading to draw attention to specific details were adapted to make the models distinct, with a focus on making the characters' team, class, and current weapon easily identifiable. Silhouettes and animation are used to make the class of a character apparent even at range, and a color scheme that draws attention to the chest area brings focus to the selected weapon.
  
Maps are designed with a neutral space between two bases. They are archetypal spy fortresses, but disguised as inconspicuous buildings to give plausibility to their close proximities. The maps have little visual clutter and stylized, almost impressionistic modeling, to allow enemies to be spotted more easily. The impressionistic design approach also affects textures, which are based on photos that are filtered and improved by hand, giving them a tactile quality and giving ''Team Fortress 2'' its distinct look. The bases are designed to let players immediately know where they are. The RED base uses warm colors, natural materials, and angular shapes, while the BLU base uses cool colors, industrial materials, and orthogonal shapes.
+
Maps are designed with a neutral space between two bases. They are archetypal spy fortresses but disguised as inconspicuous buildings to give plausibility to their close proximities. The maps have little visual clutter and stylized, almost impressionistic modeling, to allow enemies to be spotted more easily. The impressionistic design approach also affects textures, which are based on photos that are filtered and improved by hand, giving them a tactile quality and giving ''Team Fortress 2'' its distinct look. The bases are designed to let players immediately know where they are. The RED base uses warm colors, natural materials, and angular shapes, while the BLU base uses cool colors, industrial materials, and orthogonal shapes.
  
===Release===
+
=== Release ===
During the July 2006 Electronic Arts press conference, Valve revealed that ''Team Fortress 2'' would ship as the multiplayer component of ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two''. A conference trailer demonstrated the game's new graphical style featuring all of the original ''Team Fortress'' classes, pointed towards a more light-hearted and whimsical visual style as opposed to the dark, somewhat more traditional, military simulation that had originally been shown. Gabe Newell, the managing director of Valve, said that their goal was to create "the best looking and best-playing class-based multiplayer game."
+
During the July 2006 Electronic Arts press conference, Valve revealed that ''Team Fortress 2'' would ship as the multiplayer component of ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two''. A conference trailer demonstrated the game's new graphical style was featuring all of the original ''Team Fortress'' classes, pointed towards a more lighthearted and whimsical visual style as opposed to the dark, somewhat more traditional, a military simulation that had initially been shown. Newell said that their goal was to create "the best looking and best-playing class-based multiplayer game".
  
A beta for ''Team Fortress 2'' was released via Steam on September 17, 2007 for customers who pre-purchased The Orange Box and for those who activated their "Black Box" coupon, which was included with ATI HD 2900XT Graphics cards. In addition to The Orange Box customers, LAN gaming centers using the 'Steam for Cafe' system had the game installed and ready to play.
+
A beta for ''Team Fortress 2'' was released via Steam on September 17, 2007, for customers who pre-purchased The Orange Box and for those who activated their "Black Box" coupon, which was included with ATI HD 2900XT Graphics cards. In addition to The Orange Box customers, LAN gaming centers using the 'Steam for Cafe' system had the game installed and ready to play.
  
''Team Fortress 2'' was released October 10, 2007 as both a standalone product via Steam and at retail stores as part of The Orange Box – a game bundle pack priced at each gaming platform's standard price. The package also contains ''Half-Life 2'', ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'', ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two''. and ''Portal''. Valve offered The Orange Box at a $5 discount for those who pre-purchased it via Steam before the October 10 release, as well as the opportunity to participate in the final beta test of ''Team Fortress 2''. The game receives constant, free updates that give the game new content, bug fixes, and additional features.
+
''Team Fortress 2'' was released October 10, 2007, as both a standalone product via Steam and at retail stores as part of The Orange Box – a game bundle pack priced at each gaming platform's standard price. The package also contains ''Half-Life 2'', ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'', ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two''. and ''Portal''. Valve offered The Orange Box at a $5 discount for those who pre-purchased it via Steam before the October 10 release, as well as the opportunity to participate in the final beta test of ''Team Fortress 2''. The game receives periodic, free updates that give the game new content, bug fixes, and additional features.
  
 
''Team Fortress 2'' became free-to-play on June 23rd, 2011 on Steam.
 
''Team Fortress 2'' became free-to-play on June 23rd, 2011 on Steam.
  
==Critical reception==
+
== Critical reception ==
''Team Fortress 2'' was very well received by critics and consumers alike. Charles Onyett of IGN awarded ''Team Fortress 2'' an 8.9/10 praising the quirky graphics and fun atmosphere, but criticizing the lack of extra content, like [[bots]], as well as the removal of class-specific Grenades which were one of the defining features of the original ''Team Fortress''. By contrast, ''PC Gamer UK'' praised ''Team Fortress 2'' for removing the Grenade, continuing to compliment Valve Software for the unique nature of each of the game's characters. Despite some mild criticism over map navigation and the Medic class, PC Gamer UK awarded the game 94%. X-Play awarded The Orange Box with its highest rating (5/5) with nothing but good things to say about ''Team Fortress 2''. Review aggregation site Metacritic ranks ''Team Fortress 2'' as having received "universal acclaim", with an average critic review of 92%, based on 12 reviews by game critic sites, and a 9.6/10 rating based on user ratings. As of January 21, 2008, The Orange Box has a GameRankings score of 96.2% on the Xbox 360, making it tied for the highest ranked Xbox 360 game, and a score of 96.2% on the PC.  
+
''Team Fortress 2'' was very well received by critics and consumers alike. Charles Onyett of IGN awarded ''Team Fortress 2'' an 8.9/10 praising the quirky graphics and fun atmosphere, but criticizing the lack of extra content, like [[bots]], as well as the removal of class-specific Grenades which were one of the defining features of the original ''Team Fortress''. By contrast, ''PC Gamer UK'' praised ''Team Fortress 2'' for removing the Grenade, continuing to compliment Valve Software for the unique nature of each of the game's characters. Despite some mild criticism over map navigation and the Medic class, PC Gamer UK awarded the game 94%. X-Play awarded The Orange Box with its highest rating (5/5) with nothing but good things to say about ''Team Fortress 2''. Review aggregation site Metacritic ranks ''Team Fortress 2'' as having received "universal acclaim", with an average critic review of 92%, based on 12 reviews by game critic sites, and a 9.6/10 rating based on user ratings. As of January 21, 2008, The Orange Box has a GameRankings score of 96.2% on the Xbox 360, making it tied for the highest ranked Xbox 360 game and a score of 96.2% on the PC.
 +
 
 
{| class="wikitable grid collapsible" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable grid collapsible" width="100%"
 
|-
 
|-
!class="header" width="6%" |Evaluation
+
!class="header" width="6%" | Evaluation
!class="header" width="14%" |Magazine / Website
+
!class="header" width="14%" | Magazine / Website
 
!class="header" width="80%" | View
 
!class="header" width="80%" | View
 
|-
 
|-
 
|100
 
|100
|[http://www.acegamez.co.uk/reviews_pc/Team_Fortress_2_PC.htm AceGamez]
+
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20100726134641/http://www.acegamez.co.uk:80/reviews_pc/Team_Fortress_2_PC.htm AceGamez]
|The marriage of highly stylised retro-spy presentation, fresh, high octane action, deep and varied classes and the underlying twinkle of humour in its metaphorical eye make ''Team Fortress 2'' far more than just your average fragfest. Long after the novelty of the graphics wears thin, we are left with a refined and accessible multiplayer game that simultaneously cultivates new players whilst retaining enough depth to accommodate even the hardiest of veterans.
+
|The marriage of highly stylised retro-spy presentation, fresh, high octane action, deep and varied classes and the underlying twinkle of humour in its metaphorical eye make ''Team Fortress 2'' far more than just your average fragfest. Long after the novelty of the graphics wears thin, we are left with a refined and accessible multiplayer game that simultaneously cultivates new players whilst retaining enough depth to accommodate even the hardiest of veterans - as such, this is going to be a firm favourite with shooter fans everywhere for months if not years to come.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|100
 
|100
|[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/team-fortress-2/826482p1.html GameSpy]
+
|[https://pc.gamespy.com/pc/team-fortress-2/826482p1.html GameSpy]
|At this point, it's a leading contender for our Multiplayer Game of the Year, and whether you pick it up as part of the Orange Box package or on its own via the Steam digital download service, it's worth every penny.
+
|At this point, it's a leading contender for our Multiplayer Game of the Year, and whether you pick it up as part of the ''Orange Box'' package or on its own via the Steam digital download service, it's worth every penny.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|100
 
|100
|[http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-07-14-team-fortress-2-re-review Eurogamer]<br>(Re-review) [July 2011]
+
|[https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-07-14-team-fortress-2-re-review Eurogamer]<br>(Re-review) [July 2011]
 
|Team Fortress 2 is the purest embodiment of Valve's philosophy: listening to their audience, always updating, and forever over-delivering. It's also the best argument for Steam as a platform ever made: with an average of one update a fortnight it has expanded and changed so much, yet like its celebrated silhouettes, still stands out, utterly familiar.
 
|Team Fortress 2 is the purest embodiment of Valve's philosophy: listening to their audience, always updating, and forever over-delivering. It's also the best argument for Steam as a platform ever made: with an average of one update a fortnight it has expanded and changed so much, yet like its celebrated silhouettes, still stands out, utterly familiar.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|96
 
|96
|[http://cheatcc.com/pc/rev/teamfortress2review.html Cheat Code Central]
+
|[https://cheatcc.com/pc/rev/teamfortress2review.html Cheat Code Central]
 
|''Team Fortress 2'' is a must-buy. It's the most fun you'll have being shot at in a long time.
 
|''Team Fortress 2'' is a must-buy. It's the most fun you'll have being shot at in a long time.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|96
 
|96
|[http://www.yougamers.com/reviews/12623_team_fortress_2 YouGamers]
+
|[https://www.pcgamer.com/team-fortress-2-review/ PCGamer]
 +
|A brilliant, ever-evolving multiplayer shooter. three years on and Team Fortress 2 is better and cheaper than ever.
 +
|-
 +
|96
 +
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20071015052250/http://www.yougamers.com:80/reviews/12623_team_fortress_2/ YouGamers]
 
|When the biggest flaw of the game is that it gets a bit repetitive after the first hundred or so hours of play, you know you have something special.
 
|When the biggest flaw of the game is that it gets a bit repetitive after the first hundred or so hours of play, you know you have something special.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|94
 
|94
|[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=173003 PC Gamer UK]
+
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20071011063436/http://computerandvideogames.com:80/article.php?id=173003 PC Gamer UK]
 
|Rich, gorgeous and endlessly fun.  
 
|Rich, gorgeous and endlessly fun.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|93
 
|93
|[http://computergames.ro/en/games/viewitem/id/1065/name/team-fortress-2/section/review.html Computer Games Online RO]
+
|[https://computergames.ro/en/games/viewitem/id/1065/name/team-fortress-2/section/review.html Computer Games Online RO]
 
|Watch out though, if you get the taste of it, eventually you might end up telling your boss, "Take it like a man, shorty!"
 
|Watch out though, if you get the taste of it, eventually you might end up telling your boss, "Take it like a man, shorty!"
 
|-
 
|-
Line 152: Line 183:
 
|-
 
|-
 
|92
 
|92
|[http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/team_fortress_2_pc_review GameZone]
+
|[https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/team_fortress_2_pc_review GameZone]
|This game makes me laugh even when I'm losing… an impressive feat.  
+
|This game makes me laugh even when I'm losing … an impressive feat.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|90
 
|90
|[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=83375 Eurogamer]
+
|[https://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=83375 Eurogamer]
 
|The game also does a lovely job of framing your relationship with other players and nurturing them.  
 
|The game also does a lovely job of framing your relationship with other players and nurturing them.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|90
 
|90
|[http://www.gamedaily.com/games/team-fortress-2/pc/game-reviews/review/6055/1798/ GameDaily]
+
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20071015022331/http://www.gamedaily.com:80/games/team-fortress-2/pc/game-reviews/review/6055/1798/ GameDaily]
 
|With a whacky, off-the-wall cartoon style, ''Team Fortress 2'' provides excellent class based multiplayer action. TF2's classes are unique from each other and stand out to fulfill specific roles, but flexible enough to adapt to changing situations.  
 
|With a whacky, off-the-wall cartoon style, ''Team Fortress 2'' provides excellent class based multiplayer action. TF2's classes are unique from each other and stand out to fulfill specific roles, but flexible enough to adapt to changing situations.  
 
|-
 
|-
Line 168: Line 199:
 
|-
 
|-
 
|90
 
|90
|[http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3163581 1UP]
+
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20071027215551/http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3163581 1UP]
 
|I loved, loved TF2's cosmetic makeover. "Cartoon come to life" isn't compliment enough. Some cartoons are better animated, more distinctively stylized than others – and, by analogy, this is among the best.  
 
|I loved, loved TF2's cosmetic makeover. "Cartoon come to life" isn't compliment enough. Some cartoons are better animated, more distinctively stylized than others – and, by analogy, this is among the best.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|90
 
|90
|[http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=8895&sid=7199a8efddca294119c3e596cb55f944 PALGN]
+
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20090112154009/http://palgn.com.au:80/article.php?id=8895&sid=7199a8efddca294119c3e596cb55f944 PALGN]
|''Team Fortress 2'' is, at heart, a gloriously simple game that's been created with style, panache and an undeniable love of gaming. It's the kind of game that you want to show to people who don't play games so that they understand and then either get involved or go away. There is life before ''Team Fortress 2'', and there is life after. After is better.  
+
|''Team Fortress 2'' is, at heart, a gloriously simple game that's been created with style, panache and an undeniable love of gaming. It's the kind of game that you want to show to people who don't play games so that they ''understand'' and then either get involved or go away.<br />There is life before ''Team Fortress 2'', and there is life after. After is better.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|90
 
|90
|[http://www.gamernode.com/reviews/team-fortress-2-review GamerNode]
+
|[https://www.gamernode.com/reviews/team-fortress-2-review GamerNode]
 
|The action is fast-paced and furious, the game's presentation is hilarious and exciting and the gameplay is very easily approachable. Experiment with a few classes or stick with one, but do anything to get your hands on TF2. It'll be an online experience you won't forget.  
 
|The action is fast-paced and furious, the game's presentation is hilarious and exciting and the gameplay is very easily approachable. Experiment with a few classes or stick with one, but do anything to get your hands on TF2. It'll be an online experience you won't forget.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|89
 
|89
|[http://pc.ign.com/articles/826/826080p1.html IC-Games]
+
|[https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/10/09/team-fortress-2-review?page=1 IGN]
 
|It's one hell of a game. With its powerful artistic style and blazingly quick, yet accessible gameplay, it's enough to melt the icy cynicism imprisoning the hearts of even the most jaded among us. That being said, it's not the most complex shooter out there.  
 
|It's one hell of a game. With its powerful artistic style and blazingly quick, yet accessible gameplay, it's enough to melt the icy cynicism imprisoning the hearts of even the most jaded among us. That being said, it's not the most complex shooter out there.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|85
 
|85
|[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/25/technology/circuits/25game.html?ex=1193976000&en=51dae43fa7ceed90&ei=5070&emc=eta1 The New York Times]
+
|[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/25/technology/circuits/25game.html?ex=1193976000&en=51dae43fa7ceed90&ei=5070&emc=eta1 The New York Times]
 
|''Team Fortress 2'' is a beautifully designed game with a visual style reminiscent of old Warner Brothers cartoons, and battles that combine strategy with frenetic action. The only real flaw is the documentation, which is far too skimpy to be of any help at all in learning the intricacies of each soldier class.  
 
|''Team Fortress 2'' is a beautifully designed game with a visual style reminiscent of old Warner Brothers cartoons, and battles that combine strategy with frenetic action. The only real flaw is the documentation, which is far too skimpy to be of any help at all in learning the intricacies of each soldier class.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|85
 
|85
|[http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/team-fortress-2-launch-review/1900-6190347/ GameSpot]
+
|[https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/team-fortress-2-launch-review/1900-6190347/ GameSpot]
 
|''Team Fortress 2'' sets a brilliant stage for its signature brand of class-based multiplayer mayhem.  
 
|''Team Fortress 2'' sets a brilliant stage for its signature brand of class-based multiplayer mayhem.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|80
 
|80
|[http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/team-fortress-2-review/1900-6415650/ GameSpot]<br>(Re-review) [January 2014]
+
|[https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/team-fortress-2-review/1900-6415650/ GameSpot]<br>(Re-review) [January 2014]
 
|Staying relevant even a year after release is rare for a competitive shooter, and yet, here's Team Fortress 2, still lively after seven years in the business. At times it feels like the same game you could have played back then, and at other times it feels like no one will ever quite nail class-based shooter competition the way TF2 does. The experience has evolved over the years without compromising what made it so great in the first place, so though your free-to-play options may have increased considerably in the past few years, there are few that do it as well as Team Fortress 2.
 
|Staying relevant even a year after release is rare for a competitive shooter, and yet, here's Team Fortress 2, still lively after seven years in the business. At times it feels like the same game you could have played back then, and at other times it feels like no one will ever quite nail class-based shooter competition the way TF2 does. The experience has evolved over the years without compromising what made it so great in the first place, so though your free-to-play options may have increased considerably in the past few years, there are few that do it as well as Team Fortress 2.
 
|}
 
|}
  
===Awards===
+
=== Awards ===
''Team Fortress 2'' has won several awards since its release. In its "Best of 2007" awards, IGN.com honored the game with an award for "Best Artistic Design" for the PC. Additionally, ''Team Fortress 2'' received awards for "Best Multiplayer Experience (PC)", and "Best Artistic Direction (PC)" from 1UP.com in its 2007 editorial awards. The game also won "Best Multiplayer Game of the Year" both on the PC and on any platform in GameSpy's 2007 Game of the Year awards along with an award for "Most Unique Art Style".
+
''Team Fortress 2'' has won several awards since its release. In its "Best of 2007" awards, IGN.com honored the game with an award for "Best Artistic Design" for the PC. Additionally, ''Team Fortress 2'' received awards for "Best Multiplayer Experience (PC)," and "Best Artistic Direction (PC)" from 1UP.com in its 2007 editorial awards. The game also won "Best Multiplayer Game of the Year" both on the PC and on any platform in GameSpy's 2007 Game of the Year awards along with an award for "Most Unique Art Style."
  
==External links==
+
== Promotional events ==
*[http://orange.half-life2.com/tf2.html The ''Team Fortress 2'' page] at the official site of The Orange Box.
+
{{main|Promotional items}}
*[http://www.valvesoftware.com/ Valve Software] official site.
+
 
*[http://www.teamfortress.com/ The Official Team Fortress 2 Blog]
+
Over the years, ''Team Fortress 2'' has collaborated with several different games, companies, and communities to feature special crossover content such as weapons and cosmetic items. Some of these events include having ''Team Fortress 2'' content shipped to the associated game, such as featuring one of the mercenaries, maps, or other content.
*[http://steamcommunity.com/app/440 The Team Fortress 2 Game Hub] on Steam.
+
 
 +
== External links ==
 +
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160718014524/https://orange.half-life2.com/tf2.html The archived ''Team Fortress 2'' page] at the official site of The Orange Box.
 +
* [https://store.steampowered.com/sub/469/ The Orange Box]
 +
* [https://www.valvesoftware.com/ Valve Software] official site.
 +
* [https://www.teamfortress.com/ The Official Team Fortress 2 Blog]
 +
* [https://www.steamcommunity.com/app/440 The Team Fortress 2 Game Hub] on Steam.
 
'''Major game updates''' (oldest to newest):
 
'''Major game updates''' (oldest to newest):
*''[http://steamgames.com/tf2/goldrush/ The Gold Rush Update]'' (April 29, 2008)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/goldrush/ The Gold Rush Update]'' (April 29, 2008)
*''[http://steamgames.com/tf2/pyro/ The Pyro Update]'' (June 19, 2008)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/pyro/ The Pyro Update]'' (June 19, 2008)
*''[http://steamgames.com/tf2/heavy/ A Heavy Update]'' (August 19, 2008 )
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/heavy/ A Heavy Update]'' (August 19, 2008 )
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/scoutupdate/ The Scout Update]'' (Febuary 24, 2009)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/scoutupdate/ The Scout Update]'' (Febuary 24, 2009)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/sniper_vs_spy/day01_english.htm The Sniper vs. Spy Update]'' (May 21, 2009)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/sniper_vs_spy/day01_english.htm The Sniper vs. Spy Update]'' (May 21, 2009)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/classless/day01.php Classless Update]'' (August 13, 2009)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/classless/day01.php Classless Update]'' (August 13, 2009)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/pumpkinpatch/ Hallowe'en Special]'' (October 29, 2009)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/pumpkinpatch/ Hallowe'en Special]'' (October 29, 2009)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/war/part1/index.htm WAR! Update]'' (December 17, 2009)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/war/part1/index.htm WAR! Update]'' (December 17, 2009)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/119/ 119th Update]'' (April 29, 2010)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/119/ 119th Update]'' (April 29, 2010)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/macupdate/ The Mac Update]'' (June 10, 2010)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/macupdate/ The Mac Update]'' (June 10, 2010)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/engineerupdate/ The Engineer Update]'' (July 8, 2010)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/engineerupdate/ The Engineer Update]'' (July 8, 2010)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/mannconomy/ The Mann-Conomy Update]'' (September 30, 2010)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/mannconomy/ The Mann-Conomy Update]'' (September 30, 2010)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/screamfortress/ Scream Fortress Update]'' (October 27, 2010)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/screamfortress/ Scream Fortress Update]'' (October 27, 2010)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/australianchristmas/ Australian Christmas]'' (December 17, 2010)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/australianchristmas/ Australian Christmas]'' (December 17, 2010)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/hatless/ The Hatless Update]'' (April 14, 2011)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/hatless/ The Hatless Update]'' (April 14, 2011)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/replayupdate/ The Replay Update]'' (May 5, 2011)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/replayupdate/ The Replay Update]'' (May 5, 2011)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/uberupdate/ The Über Update]'' (June 23, 2011)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/uberupdate/ The Über Update]'' (June 23, 2011)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/manniversary/ The Manniversary Update]'' (October 13, 2011)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/manniversary/ The Manniversary Update]'' (October 13, 2011)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/veryscaryhalloween/ Very Scary Halloween Special]'' (October 27, 2011)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/veryscaryhalloween/ Very Scary Halloween Special]'' (October 27, 2011)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/australianchristmas2011/ Australian Christmas 2011]'' (December 15, 2011)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/australianchristmas2011/ Australian Christmas 2011]'' (December 15, 2011)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/pyromania/ Pyromania Update]'' (June 27, 2012)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/pyromania/ Pyromania Update]'' (June 27, 2012)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/mvm/ Mann vs. Machine Update]'' (August 15, 2012)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/mvm/ Mann vs. Machine Update]'' (August 15, 2012)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/blizzbobarrabas/ Spectral Halloween Special]'' (October 26, 2012)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/blizzbobarrabas/ Spectral Halloween Special]'' (October 26, 2012)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/mechaupdate/  Mecha Update]'' (December 20, 2012)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/mechaupdate/  Mecha Update]'' (December 20, 2012)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/roboticboogaloo/  Robotic Boogaloo Update]'' (May 17, 2013)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/roboticboogaloo/  Robotic Boogaloo Update]'' (May 17, 2013)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/twocities/mannhattan  Two Cities Update]'' (November 21, 2013)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/twocities/mannhattan  Two Cities Update]'' (November 21, 2013)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=12145 Smissmas 2013]'' (December 20, 2013) <!-- Smissmas 2013 don't have a page, the blog post is good for this? -->
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=12145 Smissmas 2013]'' (December 20, 2013) <!-- Smissmas 2013 don't have a page, the blog post is good for this? -->
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/loveandwar/ Love & War Update]'' (June 18, 2014)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/loveandwar/ Love & War Update]'' (June 18, 2014)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/screamfortress6/ Scream Fortress 2014]'' (October 29, 2014)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/screamfortress6/ Scream Fortress 2014]'' (October 29, 2014)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/endoftheline/ End of the Line Update]'' (December 8, 2014)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/endoftheline/ End of the Line Update]'' (December 8, 2014)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=15304 Smissmas 2014]'' (December 22, 2014) <!-- Smissmas 2013 note -->
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=15304 Smissmas 2014]'' (December 22, 2014) <!-- Smissmas 2013 note -->
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/gunmettle/ Gun Mettle Update]'' (July 2, 2015)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/gunmettle/ Gun Mettle Update]'' (July 2, 2015)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/invasion/ Invasion Update]'' (October 6, 2015)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/invasion/ Invasion Update]'' (October 6, 2015)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/screamfortress7/ Scream Fortress 2015]'' (October 28, 2015)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/screamfortress7/ Scream Fortress 2015]'' (October 28, 2015)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/toughbreak/ Tough Break Update]'' (December 17th, 2015)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/toughbreak/ Tough Break Update]'' (December 17th, 2015)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/meetyourmatch/ Meet Your Match Update]'' (July 7th, 2016)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/meetyourmatch/ Meet Your Match Update]'' (July 7th, 2016)
*''[http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=25023 Scream Fortress 2016]'' (October 21, 2016)
+
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=25023 Scream Fortress 2016]'' (October 21, 2016)
 +
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=26448 Smissmas 2016]'' (December 21, 2016)
 +
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=33847 Jungle Inferno Update]'' (October 20th, 2017)
 +
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=34054 Scream Fortress 2017]'' (October 26th, 2017)
 +
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=44907 Scream Fortress 2018]'' (October 19th, 2018)
 +
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=54757 Scream Fortress 2019]'' (October 10th, 2019)
 +
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=76112 Scream Fortress 2020]'' (October 1st, 2020)
 +
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=89183 Scream Fortress 2021]'' (October 5th, 2021)
 +
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=143884 Scream Fortress 2022]'' (October 5th, 2022)
 +
* ''[https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=206148 Summer 2023 Update]'' (July 12th, 2023)
 +
 
 
{{Team Fortress series}}
 
{{Team Fortress series}}
 
 
[[Category:Main]]
 
[[Category:Main]]
 
[[Category:Valve]]
 
[[Category:Valve]]
 
[[Category:PlayStation 3]]
 
[[Category:PlayStation 3]]
 
[[Category:Xbox 360]]
 
[[Category:Xbox 360]]
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[[Category:Games]]

Latest revision as of 07:02, 19 April 2024

Team Fortress 2
TF2 Boxart.png
Basic Information
Released:
Developer:

Valve

Publisher:

Valve

Distributor:

Steam

Engine:

Source

Genre:

First person shooter

Mode:

Multiplayer

Designers:

John Cook, Robin Walker

Composer:

Mike Morasky

Ratings:

ESRB: Mature 17+
PEGI: 16
BBFC: 15
OFLC: R16

Platforms:

Microsoft Windows
Xbox 360 *
PlayStation 3 ?
macOS[citation needed]
SteamOS + Linux

Requirements:

Team Fortress 2 is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter developed by Valve Software as part of the game bundle The Orange Box. It was first released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on October 10, 2007. A PlayStation 3 version then followed on November 22, 2007. Following suit, it was released as a standalone title on April 9, 2008, and on June 10, 2010, Team Fortress 2 was released for macOS. The PC and macOS versions of Team Fortress 2 adopted a "Free to Play" model on June 23, 2011, with all revenue being generated from microtransactions in the in-game Store. After several months of closed beta, Team Fortress 2 was finally released for Linux operating systems on February 14, 2013.

The game was first announced in 1998 as a sequel to the original Team Fortress mod for Quake (a first-person shooter video game, developed by id Software), but has since been through various concept and design periods. In 1999, the game appeared to be abandoning the art styles of the original Team Fortress Classic by transitioning toward a more realistic and militaristic style of gameplay. However, the design continued evolving over the game's nine-year development period and game engine switch. The final art style rendition of Team Fortress 2 resembles that of the original Team Fortress and Team Fortress Classic games, and also features a cartoon-like visual style based on the art of Dean Cornwell, J. C Leyendecker, and Norman Rockwell. Team Fortress 2 followed a popular trend in CGI films at the time, in particular, films made by Pixar, such as The Incredibles.

The absence of media information or apparent development progress for six years of the game's development caused it to be labeled as vaporware, and it was regularly featured in the Wired News' annual vaporware list, among gaming news outlets. Since its release, however, the game has received critical acclaim and several awards.

Gameplay

Team Fortress 2 in play: a group of RED players attack a BLU base on the Capture the Flag map "2Fort", whilst showing Scout, Engineer, Heavy, and Spy from the first person perspective of a Medic.

Like its predecessors, Team Fortress 2 is centered around two opposing teams competing for an objective. These two teams are meant to represent a demolition and a construction company as a part of the backstory: Reliable Excavation Demolition (RED) and Builders League United (BLU). Players can choose to play as one of nine classes in these teams, each with their unique strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and roles. Although the abilities of some classes have changed from earlier Team Fortress incarnations, the essential elements of each class have remained.

Team Fortress 2 is the first of Valve's multiplayer games to incorporate detailed statistics for players. These statistics include the time spent playing as each class, the average point score, and the most captures or objectives achieved in a single round. Persistent statistics tell the player how they are improving concerning these statistics, such as if a player comes close to their record for the damage inflicted in a round. Team Fortress 2 also features numerous achievements for carrying out certain tasks, such as scoring a certain number of kills or completing a round within a certain time. New sets of class-specific achievements were added in updates after the main release. These have added new abilities and weapons to each class once unlocked by the player. Unlocked achievements and statistics from previously played games are displayed on the player's Steam Community or Xbox LIVE profile page.

Maps

Main article: List of maps

On the PC and OS X versions of Team Fortress 2, the initial release only included six official Valve maps, with several dozen more being added to the game over the years by Valve and the Team Fortress 2 community. On the console versions, however, these original six maps, all released by Valve, are still the only maps available. The official maps are commonly themed with an evil genius or retro-spy tech mentality, with secret bases that are concealed within industrial warehouses, as well as exaggerated super weapons such as laser cannons and missile launch facilities taking the role of objectives. During Halloween (called Scream Fortress) and Christmas (called Smissmas), several new maps are enabled that often feature Halloween and Christmas/winter themes respectively.

When players joins certain maps for the first time, an introductory video shows them how to complete map objectives. Map player limits are 24 on the PC and OS X, although the player limit has been altered on some servers to reach as high as 32 (it may be upped to 100, but is not recommended), while the player limit on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is 16.

Game modes

Main article: List of game modes

Team Fortress 2 shipped with three game modes: Capture the Flag, Control Point, and Territorial Control. Since the game's release, several new game modes have been added, such as Payload, Arena, and Mann vs. Machine. Several of these game modes feature both Valve-made and community-made maps. Several unused game modes have been discovered over the years.

Customization

Main article: Customization

Since the April 29, 2008 Patch, also known as the Gold Rush Update, the Loadout menu was introduced. This menu allowed the player to change their weapons and, with the introduction of cosmetic items in the Sniper vs. Spy Update, their cosmetic items (previously referred to as hats and miscellaneous items, or miscs) to change the appearance of their class.

In the Über Update, special taunts were added to the game as action slot items and were given their own loadout slot in the Love & War Update. Taunts allow players to perform certain animations, often used to taunt the enemy players after death. Some taunts are partner taunts, which allows two or more players to perform a taunt together (such as the Square Dance, which can be performed with one other player, and the Conga, which can be performed with many other players).

The Gun Mettle Update in 2015 introduced the Decorated quality, allowing players to customize the look of their weapons by applying different textures to them, later transitioning to the War Paint system with the Jungle Inferno Update in 2017.

Cosmetic items, taunts, and Decorated weapons can all feature special particle effects on them.

Development

Origins

Originally developed as a freeware mod for Quake, Team Fortress 2 switched to the GoldSrc engine in 1998 after the development team of Team Fortress Software – consisting of Robin Walker and John Cook - was first contracted and employed by Valve. At the time, Team Fortress 2 was called Valve's Team Fortress. At the point of Team Fortress Software's acquisition, production moved up a notch, and the game was promoted to a standalone, retail product to tide fans over since, as well as time issues, much of the Team Fortress player base had purchased Half-Life solely in anticipation of the free release of Team Fortress 2. Work began on a simple port of the game which was released in 1999 as the free Team Fortress Classic. Notably, Team Fortress Classic was built entirely within the publicly available GoldSrc Software Development Kit (SDK) as an example to the community and industry of its flexibility.

Walker and Cook were heavily influenced by their three-month contractual stint at Valve and began working full-time on their design, which was undergoing rapid metamorphosis. Team Fortress 2 was to be a modern war game, with a command hierarchy including a commander, with a bird's-eye view of the battlefield; parachute drops over enemy territory; networked voice communication; and numerous other innovations.

E3 1999

The original build of Team Fortress 2 had a more realistic style.

The new design was revealed to the public at the 1999 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) where it earned several awards including Best Online Game and Best Action Game. By this time Team Fortress 2 had gained a new subtitle, "Brotherhood of Arms", and the results of Walker and Cook working at Valve were becoming evident. Several new, and at the time, unprecedented technologies were on show: parametric animation; seamlessly blended animations for smoother, more life-like movement; and Intel's multi-resolution mesh technology dynamically reducing the detail of on-screen elements as they become more distant to improve performance (a technique made obsolete by decreasing memory costs, since today's games use a method known as level of detail, which employs more memory but less processing power. Team Fortress 2 has switched to this method as well). No release date was given at the exposition.

In mid-2000, Valve announced that Team Fortress 2's development had been delayed for a second time. They put the news down to development switching to an in-house, proprietary engine that is today known as the Source engine. It was at around this time that all news ran dry, and Team Fortress 2 entered its notorious six-year vaporware phase, which was to last until July 13, 2006. During that time, both Walker and Cook worked on various other Valve projects – Walker was project lead on Half-Life 2: Episode One and Cook became a Steam developer among other things – raising doubts that Team Fortress 2 was the active project that was being repeatedly described.

"Invasion" design

See also: Invasion
Alien commando.
Human commando. See concept art.

When the infamous Half-Life 2 source tree was leaked in late 2003, two Team Fortress 2 models were included along with the Team Fortress 2 source code – which was fully compilable. They consisted of an alien grunt and a very stylized, out-of-proportion human soldier. The code was interpreted by fans as making references to parts of the Half-Life backstory; however, the two leaked player models did not resemble any known style from the Half-Life series, leading many to think it was meant for Team Fortress 2.

The Source SDK was released with the Half-Life 2 source code, and also provided references to Team Fortress 2. Some code merely confirmed what was already believed, but other segments provided completely new information such as the presence of NPCs in multiplayer matches, the possibility of the game taking place in the Half-Life 2 universe, fixed plasma gun and missile launcher emplacements, and more.

None of the leaked information appears to have had any bearing on today's version of the game. This iteration was mentioned in an August 2007 interview with Gabe Newell by GameTrailers and a September 2010 interview with PC Gamer, in which he mentions "Invasion" as being the second phase of Team Fortress 2's development under Valve Software.

Final design

The final build of Team Fortress 2 goes for a highly stylized 'retro' design.

The next significant public development occurred in the run up to Half-Life 2's 2004 release: Valve's Director of Marketing Doug Lombardi claimed that Team Fortress 2 was still in development and that information concerning it would come after Half-Life 2's release. This did not happen, nor was any news released after Lombardi's similar claim during an early interview regarding Half-Life 2: Episode One. Near the time of Episode One's release, Gabe Newell again claimed that news on Team Fortress 2 would be forthcoming – and this time it was. Team Fortress 2 was unveiled again a month later at the July 2006 EA Summer Showcase event.

Walker revealed in March 2007 that Valve had quietly built "probably three to four different games" before settling on their final design. Due to the game's lengthy development cycle it was often mentioned alongside Duke Nukem Forever, another long-anticipated game that went through many years of protracted development and engine changes before being released.

The beta release of the game featured six multiplayer maps of which three contain optional commentary by the developers on game design, level design, character design, and provide more information on the history behind the development.

Team Fortress 2 does not attempt the realistic graphical approach used in other Valve games using the Source engine such as Half-Life 2, Day of Defeat: Source, and Counter-Strike: Source. Rather, it uses a more stylized, cartoon-like approach "heavily influenced by early 20th century commercial illustrations". The effect is achieved using a unique Valve in-house rendering and lighting technique making extensive use of 'Phong shading'. The development commentary in the game suggests that part of the reason for the cartoonish style was the difficulty in explaining the maps and characters in realistic terms. The removal of an emphasis on realistic settings allows these questions to be sidestepped. The game debuts with the Source engine's new dynamic lighting, shadowing, and soft particle technologies, among many other unannounced features, alongside Half-Life 2: Episode Two. Team Fortress 2 was also the first game to implement the Source engine's new Facial Animation 3 features.

The art style of the game was inspired by J. C. Leyendecker, as well as Dean Cornwell and Norman Rockwell. Their distinctive styles of sharp silhouettes and shading to draw attention to specific details were adapted to make the models distinct, with a focus on making the characters' team, class, and current weapon easily identifiable. Silhouettes and animation are used to make the class of a character apparent even at range, and a color scheme that draws attention to the chest area brings focus to the selected weapon.

Maps are designed with a neutral space between two bases. They are archetypal spy fortresses but disguised as inconspicuous buildings to give plausibility to their close proximities. The maps have little visual clutter and stylized, almost impressionistic modeling, to allow enemies to be spotted more easily. The impressionistic design approach also affects textures, which are based on photos that are filtered and improved by hand, giving them a tactile quality and giving Team Fortress 2 its distinct look. The bases are designed to let players immediately know where they are. The RED base uses warm colors, natural materials, and angular shapes, while the BLU base uses cool colors, industrial materials, and orthogonal shapes.

Release

During the July 2006 Electronic Arts press conference, Valve revealed that Team Fortress 2 would ship as the multiplayer component of Half-Life 2: Episode Two. A conference trailer demonstrated the game's new graphical style was featuring all of the original Team Fortress classes, pointed towards a more lighthearted and whimsical visual style as opposed to the dark, somewhat more traditional, a military simulation that had initially been shown. Newell said that their goal was to create "the best looking and best-playing class-based multiplayer game".

A beta for Team Fortress 2 was released via Steam on September 17, 2007, for customers who pre-purchased The Orange Box and for those who activated their "Black Box" coupon, which was included with ATI HD 2900XT Graphics cards. In addition to The Orange Box customers, LAN gaming centers using the 'Steam for Cafe' system had the game installed and ready to play.

Team Fortress 2 was released October 10, 2007, as both a standalone product via Steam and at retail stores as part of The Orange Box – a game bundle pack priced at each gaming platform's standard price. The package also contains Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One, Half-Life 2: Episode Two. and Portal. Valve offered The Orange Box at a $5 discount for those who pre-purchased it via Steam before the October 10 release, as well as the opportunity to participate in the final beta test of Team Fortress 2. The game receives periodic, free updates that give the game new content, bug fixes, and additional features.

Team Fortress 2 became free-to-play on June 23rd, 2011 on Steam.

Critical reception

Team Fortress 2 was very well received by critics and consumers alike. Charles Onyett of IGN awarded Team Fortress 2 an 8.9/10 praising the quirky graphics and fun atmosphere, but criticizing the lack of extra content, like bots, as well as the removal of class-specific Grenades which were one of the defining features of the original Team Fortress. By contrast, PC Gamer UK praised Team Fortress 2 for removing the Grenade, continuing to compliment Valve Software for the unique nature of each of the game's characters. Despite some mild criticism over map navigation and the Medic class, PC Gamer UK awarded the game 94%. X-Play awarded The Orange Box with its highest rating (5/5) with nothing but good things to say about Team Fortress 2. Review aggregation site Metacritic ranks Team Fortress 2 as having received "universal acclaim", with an average critic review of 92%, based on 12 reviews by game critic sites, and a 9.6/10 rating based on user ratings. As of January 21, 2008, The Orange Box has a GameRankings score of 96.2% on the Xbox 360, making it tied for the highest ranked Xbox 360 game and a score of 96.2% on the PC.

Evaluation Magazine / Website View
100 AceGamez The marriage of highly stylised retro-spy presentation, fresh, high octane action, deep and varied classes and the underlying twinkle of humour in its metaphorical eye make Team Fortress 2 far more than just your average fragfest. Long after the novelty of the graphics wears thin, we are left with a refined and accessible multiplayer game that simultaneously cultivates new players whilst retaining enough depth to accommodate even the hardiest of veterans - as such, this is going to be a firm favourite with shooter fans everywhere for months if not years to come.
100 GameSpy At this point, it's a leading contender for our Multiplayer Game of the Year, and whether you pick it up as part of the Orange Box package or on its own via the Steam digital download service, it's worth every penny.
100 Eurogamer
(Re-review) [July 2011]
Team Fortress 2 is the purest embodiment of Valve's philosophy: listening to their audience, always updating, and forever over-delivering. It's also the best argument for Steam as a platform ever made: with an average of one update a fortnight it has expanded and changed so much, yet like its celebrated silhouettes, still stands out, utterly familiar.
96 Cheat Code Central Team Fortress 2 is a must-buy. It's the most fun you'll have being shot at in a long time.
96 PCGamer A brilliant, ever-evolving multiplayer shooter. three years on and Team Fortress 2 is better and cheaper than ever.
96 YouGamers When the biggest flaw of the game is that it gets a bit repetitive after the first hundred or so hours of play, you know you have something special.
94 PC Gamer UK Rich, gorgeous and endlessly fun.
93 Computer Games Online RO Watch out though, if you get the taste of it, eventually you might end up telling your boss, "Take it like a man, shorty!"
93 PC Zone UK The perfect integration of classes, the character and level design, the visuals, and the level of accessibility. [Dec 2007, p.64]
92 GameZone This game makes me laugh even when I'm losing … an impressive feat.
90 Eurogamer The game also does a lovely job of framing your relationship with other players and nurturing them.
90 GameDaily With a whacky, off-the-wall cartoon style, Team Fortress 2 provides excellent class based multiplayer action. TF2's classes are unique from each other and stand out to fulfill specific roles, but flexible enough to adapt to changing situations.
90 Play (Poland) The ideal online shooter: average player can enter the fray and even hurt somebody, while pros will be grinding away milliseconds from the time to carry the suitcase on 2Forts. And all thanks to the fact that among the nine classes there is exactly zero useless ones. The only serious drawback is the disgracefully low number of maps: only six. [Dec 2007]
90 1UP I loved, loved TF2's cosmetic makeover. "Cartoon come to life" isn't compliment enough. Some cartoons are better animated, more distinctively stylized than others – and, by analogy, this is among the best.
90 PALGN Team Fortress 2 is, at heart, a gloriously simple game that's been created with style, panache and an undeniable love of gaming. It's the kind of game that you want to show to people who don't play games so that they understand and then either get involved or go away.
There is life before Team Fortress 2, and there is life after. After is better.
90 GamerNode The action is fast-paced and furious, the game's presentation is hilarious and exciting and the gameplay is very easily approachable. Experiment with a few classes or stick with one, but do anything to get your hands on TF2. It'll be an online experience you won't forget.
89 IGN It's one hell of a game. With its powerful artistic style and blazingly quick, yet accessible gameplay, it's enough to melt the icy cynicism imprisoning the hearts of even the most jaded among us. That being said, it's not the most complex shooter out there.
85 The New York Times Team Fortress 2 is a beautifully designed game with a visual style reminiscent of old Warner Brothers cartoons, and battles that combine strategy with frenetic action. The only real flaw is the documentation, which is far too skimpy to be of any help at all in learning the intricacies of each soldier class.
85 GameSpot Team Fortress 2 sets a brilliant stage for its signature brand of class-based multiplayer mayhem.
80 GameSpot
(Re-review) [January 2014]
Staying relevant even a year after release is rare for a competitive shooter, and yet, here's Team Fortress 2, still lively after seven years in the business. At times it feels like the same game you could have played back then, and at other times it feels like no one will ever quite nail class-based shooter competition the way TF2 does. The experience has evolved over the years without compromising what made it so great in the first place, so though your free-to-play options may have increased considerably in the past few years, there are few that do it as well as Team Fortress 2.

Awards

Team Fortress 2 has won several awards since its release. In its "Best of 2007" awards, IGN.com honored the game with an award for "Best Artistic Design" for the PC. Additionally, Team Fortress 2 received awards for "Best Multiplayer Experience (PC)," and "Best Artistic Direction (PC)" from 1UP.com in its 2007 editorial awards. The game also won "Best Multiplayer Game of the Year" both on the PC and on any platform in GameSpy's 2007 Game of the Year awards along with an award for "Most Unique Art Style."

Promotional events

Main article: Promotional items

Over the years, Team Fortress 2 has collaborated with several different games, companies, and communities to feature special crossover content such as weapons and cosmetic items. Some of these events include having Team Fortress 2 content shipped to the associated game, such as featuring one of the mercenaries, maps, or other content.

External links

Major game updates (oldest to newest):