Major Update Speculation V35 - A Distinctive Lack of Communication - Games

[QUOTE=Fluury;51663570]We should actually be happy that there is no tiny bugfix patch. A long drought of patches usually means a Major Update is coming. We had it before Smissmas, and we are having it now. Pretty sure we are going to get the Pyro Update in January.[/QUOTE] A long wait between updates doesn't guarantee a major update is coming, though I do agree it's odd we haven't gotten a patch yet, I figured we would have a bug fix update by now.

[QUOTE=ComodoreBluth;51664777]A long wait between updates doesn't guarantee a major update is coming, though I do agree it's odd we haven't gotten a patch yet, I figured we would have a bug fix update by now.[/QUOTE] Well not a 100% chance but how many times do we have a large Update drought and then nothing at all

[QUOTE=Blackavar;51660810]someone needs to make an afro for scout and just call it "The Sex Bomb"[/QUOTE] Make a shirtless scout model with that tattoo. [editline]13th January 2017[/editline] Does anyone else think that because of the comic they might add a scout primary like the one he was originally planned to have called 'The Submackeen'?

[QUOTE=ComodoreBluth;51664777]A long wait between updates doesn't guarantee a major update is coming, though I do agree it's odd we haven't gotten a patch yet, I figured we would have a bug fix update by now.[/QUOTE] I've always seen maybe a few bugfixes before an update, after that long drought.

I just received a 6.4 MB update, not sure what there is, but probably just the Winter Sale ending.

Looking at the Github changes ([url]https://github.com/SteamDatabase/GameTracking-TF2/commit/659f8106e695a0c03c53aeb204fe97a4486e2731[/url]) there are a pretty large amount of backend changes, even saw some "Bugreporter" popping up several times while floating over it. Perhaps the dead Casual Games got fixed? I still dont see this as a proper Update too, so Ill continue to hold onto my Update drought theory.

is the tf2 team slowly relistening? i've never head of them responding to any emails, suggestion of any kinds of change/add, or anything of the sorts. i didnt know tf2 had a github too, can someone tell me what is the point of a github? thanks

[QUOTE=ApertureXS200;51666634]is the tf2 team slowly relistening? i've never head of them responding to any emails, suggestion of any kinds of change/add, or anything of the sorts. i didnt know tf2 had a github too, can someone tell me what is the point of a github? thanks[/QUOTE] They always responded from time-to-time, just people recently started to pick up on posting their "I'll forward it, thanks." responses for some reason. Also, tf2 does not have a github.

[QUOTE=ApertureXS200;51666634]is the tf2 team slowly relistening? i've never head of them responding to any emails, suggestion of any kinds of change/add, or anything of the sorts. i didnt know tf2 had a github too, can someone tell me what is the point of a github? thanks[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=LZoleee;51666743]They always responded from time-to-time, just people recently started to pick up on posting their "I'll forward it, thanks." responses for some reason. Also, tf2 does not have a github.[/QUOTE] There is a source 1 game github that is mostly tf2 current viewed by a valve community moderator. [url]https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Source-1-Games/issues[/url] Valve mainly uses github for issue tracking, but usually the point of using git and github is to have version tracking of code, so you can track your changes and revert to a previous version easily if necessary.

[QUOTE=Fluury;51663570]We should actually be happy that there is no tiny bugfix patch. A long drought of patches usually means a Major Update is coming. We had it before Smissmas, and we are having it now. Pretty sure we are going to get the Pyro Update in January.[/QUOTE] You wanna back that up with a :toxx: ? TF2 has NEVER had a major content update in January, and hasn't had a major update Q1 in six years.

[QUOTE=Mort Stroodle;51667300]You wanna back that up with a :toxx: ? TF2 has NEVER had a major content update in January, and hasn't had a major update Q1 in six years.[/QUOTE] If we are rolling with the theory that the Major Update was planned for Smissmas, but was delayed due to technical issues, it appearing in Q1 is plausible. This is further backed up with an unexpected Update drought we never had through January, suggesting that they are heavily working on it - these droughts before Major Updates usually last 2-4 weeks, so we'll see soon enough. They are 100% cooking up something significant to say the least.

I want to believe but everything I know about valve and the tf2 team tells me "no"

[QUOTE=Mort Stroodle;51667300]You wanna back that up with a :toxx: ? TF2 has NEVER had a major content update in January, and hasn't had a major update Q1 in six years.[/QUOTE] This is the only time in years that a Q1 major update seems like a possibility.

They said at the time they're not using their time and resources for playtesting. Pretty good indication how they are doing with the update.

I think smissmass WAS shit for pyro/etc update. I don't think it means that it's coming soon. I think it's just because the TF2 team is like, 5 people right now, they need all the dev time possible to even MAKE a class update. (also anyone wanna play mvm or something all my friendos are offline but i wanna shoot robits)

[QUOTE=Sheer Visor;51667833]I think smissmass WAS shit for pyro/etc update. I don't think it means that it's coming soon. I think it's just because the TF2 team is like, 5 people right now, they need all the dev time possible to even MAKE a class update. (also anyone wanna play mvm or something all my friendos are offline but i wanna shoot robits)[/QUOTE] theres a [URL="https://discord.gg/NDEAwZf"]facepunch tf2 discord[/URL], me and some gamers play mann up also i dont think smissmas was that huge of an update, honestly a couple of festives and problem fixes

I wonder if they'll have another go with comp mode or just leave it as the shitfest it is now and move on. Nobody seems to be playing it and they must know that Nearly every game now I'm against a hacker or two anyway and I assume this experience is common.

[QUOTE=Fluury;51666410] Perhaps the dead Casual Games got fixed? [/QUOTE] The casual thing is so weird, sometimes I'll be in rematches where people quickly get matched in so there's almost always be a full player count and sometimes I'll be in rematches where they matchmaking system just refuses to match anyone in and people slowly drop out until there's basically no one left playing.

[QUOTE=ComodoreBluth;51667719]This is the only time in years that a Q1 major update seems like a possibility.[/QUOTE] There was the Strongboxes too, which I can't remember if they were openable in January or February

[QUOTE=Drury;51667828]They said at the time they're not using their time and resources for playtesting. Pretty good indication how they are doing with the update.[/QUOTE] I think it's more that they tend to focus on playtesting at dedicated times and right now they're at a different point in their development cycle.

[QUOTE=geel9;51668101]I think it's more that they tend to focus on playtesting at dedicated times and right now they're at a different point in their development cycle.[/QUOTE] That's kinda what I meant, said it wrong. Don't expect the update anytime soon. It's coming June or later. It will be great.

I'm more excited with the Valve plan to move toward a new, bigger office complex (according to the news) in May 2017. The first weeks could be rough, but we could see an improvement in a lot of Valve games and/or sections!

[QUOTE=FalconHBFS;51668280]bigger office complex[/QUOTE] more room to waggle controllers in without blindly socking a ficus

[QUOTE=chandlerj333;51668571]more room to waggle controllers in without blindly socking a ficus[/QUOTE] Ah, that's why last year was somewhat lackluster. The potted plant was unconscious.

[QUOTE=geel9;51668101]I think it's more that they tend to focus on playtesting at dedicated times and right now they're at a different point in their development cycle.[/QUOTE] Did they tell you about how they play test weapons when you visited them Geel? My guess is that since the TF2 team is smaller then 20-24 people they do smaller play tests with a few weapon changes to try and get weapons into a good state, then when they have an idea of what may work do a larger play test with more Valve employees (so they have a full server under more normal conditions) and let everyone know what weapons they changed and what to focus on in the test.

I'm not buying the "We cant balance weapons because it requires playtesting and we dont have enough peeps for that" argument. It's true for when you turn a weapon into a different concept, or change something major and controversial, but there are some no-brainers you can fix by just changing a number, which dont require playtesting at all. Darwin's Shield says Hi.

I'm not saying that the question of whether the Pyro/Jungle/next major update launches soon or in June/July is gonna be a matter of TF2 living on or dying in the next couple of years, but it's certainly gonna be an indicator of what we can actually expect in terms of major updates in the future. 'Cause if they pretty much skipped Scream Fortress AND Smissmass to end up only being able to ship a major update with actually significant gameplay content in the next [I]summer[/I]... It really doesn't bode well as far as their efficiency/ability to provide teased content in a reasonable time goes, does it? Not to mention how they can't be arsed to try some rebalances every month or so - hell, if things don't work out or end up being too controversial, you can always just revert them or tone down the stat changes. It's not 'content' that [I]needs[/I] to be reserved for major updates only - they can still do major rebalances with those instead of adding a crapton of new weapons as far as I'm concerned, but it's so sad looking at how the OW team and many other developers supporting MP titles are able to constantly tweak gameplay balance each month, sometimes within weeks.

Snip-O

[QUOTE=Stric_Matic;51669667]I'm not saying that the question of whether the Pyro/Jungle/next major update launches soon or in June/July is gonna be a matter of TF2 living on or dying in the next couple of years, but it's certainly gonna be an indicator of what we can actually expect in terms of major updates in the future. 'Cause if they pretty much skipped Scream Fortress AND Smissmass to end up only being able to ship a major update with actually significant gameplay content in the next [I]summer[/I]... It really doesn't bode well as far as their efficiency/ability to provide teased content in a reasonable time goes, does it? Not to mention how they can't be arsed to try some rebalances every month or so - hell, if things don't work out or end up being too controversial, you can always just revert them or tone down the stat changes. It's not 'content' that [I]needs[/I] to be reserved for major updates only - they can still do major rebalances with those instead of adding a crapton of new weapons as far as I'm concerned, but it's so sad looking at how the OW team and many other developers supporting MP titles are able to constantly tweak gameplay balance each month, sometimes within weeks.[/QUOTE] they didnt add new weapons since a long time

[QUOTE=Stric_Matic;51669667]I'm not saying that the question of whether the Pyro/Jungle/next major update launches soon or in June/July is gonna be a matter of TF2 living on or dying in the next couple of years, but it's certainly gonna be an indicator of what we can actually expect in terms of major updates in the future. 'Cause if they pretty much skipped Scream Fortress AND Smissmass to end up only being able to ship a major update with actually significant gameplay content in the next [I]summer[/I]... It really doesn't bode well as far as their efficiency/ability to provide teased content in a reasonable time goes, does it? Not to mention how they can't be arsed to try some rebalances every month or so - hell, if things don't work out or end up being too controversial, you can always just revert them or tone down the stat changes. It's not 'content' that [I]needs[/I] to be reserved for major updates only - they can still do major rebalances with those instead of adding a crapton of new weapons as far as I'm concerned, but it's so sad looking at how the OW team and many other developers supporting MP titles are able to constantly tweak gameplay balance each month, sometimes within weeks.[/QUOTE] Valve haven't reverted any weapon changes in years, and it's infuriating. New rebalances will be built off of failed iterations, not old ones which worked better, and it's resulting in weapons being confusing messes that have strayed far from what they were ever supposed to be.