I just now noticed, no summer update?

[EArkham]

I track all projects I do, whether for work or for mapping, in a program called Grindstone, so I have pretty close to exact hours. I dunno if any of this info is even remotely interesting or at all useful, but I already have it tracked, and since we're talking about how long stuff takes, why not share it.

MAPS:

• mvm_isolation_rc1 - 6 hours 35 minutes
• mvm_isolation_rc2 - 2 hours 57 minutes
• WIP unnamed halloween map from last year (unplayable atm) - 18 hours 53 minutes
• pl_snowycoast_b1 (contest ready) - 88 hours 48 minutes
• pl_snowycoast_b2 - 4 hours 19 minutes
• pl_snowycoast_b3 - 66 hours 38 minutes
• pl_snowycoast_b4 - 11 hours 22 minutes
• cinematics for snowycoast (payload explosion) - 27 hours 11 minutes
• pl_snowycoast_b5 (accepted by Valve at this point) - 7 hours 5 minutes
• pl_snowycoast_b6 - 11 hours 29 minutes
• koth_sekhmet_b3 - 25 hours 53 minutes
• cp_antiquity_b15 (first major revision) - 76 hours 36 minutes
• cp_antiquity_b16 - 23 hours 26 minutes
• cp_antiquity_b17 (minor changes) - 2 hours 10 minutes
• cp_antiquity_b18 (more minor changes) - 3 hours 30 minutes

MAP MODELS:

• Fountain (model only) - 6 hours 43 minutes
• Fountain particle effects - 2 hours 46 minutes
• Egyptian Sphinx and Props - 29 hours 10 minutes
• Santorini Props - 12 hours 14 minutes
• Japan Expansion Set Props - 33 hours 26 minutes
• Mayan Props - 86 hours 18 minutes
• Antiquity Asset Revision - 112 hours 40 minutes (lel)
• Sequoia Trees - 12 hours 19 minutes

Some of these numbers might be a little misleading. For example, the particle stuff only took as long as it did because you pretty much have to constantly close the tools version and open the game version to test, and TF2 for some odd reason takes FOREVER to start when you do that.

Map times do not include compile time, but that's usually never more than 15 minutes for final LDR+HDR. Exception being antiquity, which takes me about 25 minutes for final LDR+HDR. Also not counted is playtest time.

Model times also include time it takes to compile, test, make promotional images and write up the release posts.

The payload cinematics took a long time because I had to figure out the best ways to simulate and then compile the models. Setting up the simulation took some time, too, cause I had to import the last point into 3ds max for stuff to bounce off of.

I have no idea why that fountain took me 6 hours. That's insanely slow for me. I must have changed my mind 1/2 way through about something and rebuilt it.

 

[Lampenpam]

Some of these numbers might be a little misleading. For example, the particle stuff only took as long as it did because you pretty much have to constantly close the tools version and open the game version to test, and TF2 for some odd reason takes FOREVER to start when you do that.

You don't have to do that. While in tools mode press F10 to switch to "game mode" then press F11 to fullscreen the game and now its just like you were playing tf2. Now start a map with the particles you are editing. Look at them and press F10 to go back to "tools mode", where you can edit the particles. As soon you change anything, give the particle system in the game a "stop" and "start" input to see the changes you have made in game.

I hope that will save you some time in the future!

 

[EArkham]

You don't have to do that. While in tools mode press F10 to switch to "game mode" then press F11 to fullscreen the game and now its just like you were playing tf2.

Woooow, can't believe I didn't realize this. Just checked it, and it even says right at the top of the window F10 "switch mode". I guess I tunnel vision hard when working on particles, lol.

 

[Benoist3012]

You are a life savior, I was suffering from the same issue, many thanks.

 

[fubarFX]

big ups to my man earkham for using time tracking. I do my time tracking with toggl which is super simplistic and easy to use.
degrootcreep took 127 hours to produce.

 

[CommodoreKong]

Uncle Dane visited Valve/the TF2 team today.

He got a little wrench:

and he got a signed engie poster from Valve:

and put out this interesting tweet:

i doN't have any informatIoN about the pyro updatE, but i also wouldn't juSt straIght up spill it if i did. we can eXpect something soon.

Of course the capital letters spell out "nine six"
Seems like our long wait will be over next Wednesday.

 

[Muddy]

Seems like our long wait will be over next Wednesday.

lol

 

[Erk]

lol

 

[CommodoreKong]

lol

Well I can't blame Dane for thinking that the TF2 team was hinting at the update release date for him. I probably would of thought the same thing.

Really Jill should of came out on Reddit pretty much right away when the 9/6 tweet started to gain traction and let people know that wasn't the release date.

It's going to be interesting to see what exactly is in this update, it does sound big but not so big to justify a nearly 450 day wait since Meet Your Match.

 

[AcidGamer]

I don't know why but I feel like we are going to get Pyro Update on October 10.
You may say:
"But Acid, why do you think that tf2 is going to get Updated on its 10th anniversary?"

And I will answer you by saying:
"I don't know. Probably because it's TF2 10TH anniversary and it seems right to release the biggest and the greatest update in tf history on its 10th anniversary!"

And then you would respond with:
" you moron it's not going to be great or big! it's juts going to fix some stupid bugs and introduce a ton more and also add a gagilion more hats nothing new"

And then I'm going to cry in the corner of my room staring at a photo of Gaben whispering:
"Can we have more weapons? Please..."

 

[Pocket]

Valve has a habit of falling so far behind on things they even miss significant milestones that they've had literally years to prepare for. In other news, water is wet.

 

[EArkham]

I'd read somewhere (maybe Facepunch?) that they were moving into the new offices this week. Anyone have confirmation of that?

 

[Benoist3012]

I'd read somewhere (maybe Facepunch?) that they were moving into the new offices this week. Anyone have confirmation of that?

I remember reading something similar, although can't confirm, I'll try to find the post.

 

[CommodoreKong]

I'd read somewhere (maybe Facepunch?) that they were moving into the new offices this week. Anyone have confirmation of that?

They were going to move in July and then it got pushed back to September. I'm not sure if September is still a go for the move.

I don't think the move will have much impact on the TF2 team. My company moved last year and we hired a moving company to do the vast majority of the work, pretty much all I had to do was pack up my personal stuff and unpacked it at the new place.

 

[Zed]

They were going to move in July and then it got pushed back to September. I'm not sure if September is still a go for the move.

There's a joke in here somewhere.

 

[CommodoreKong]

Looks like the move is confirmed to happen in 2 days by a Valve employee on Twitter

 

[Izotope]

Looks like the move is confirmed to happen in 2 days by a Valve employee on Twitter

"[...]Failed genetic experiment" I wonder if this is a Lilo & Stitch reference.

 

[CafeineMan]

I hope they will fix cheat, so many aimbot snipers at the moment (scout also ?).

 

[CommodoreKong]

I hope they will fix cheat, so many aimbot snipers at the moment (scout also ?).

The VAC team is working on real time machine learning cheat detection but it's still in beta for CSGO last we heard. I imagine this system will eventually come to TF2 if it works out okay for CSGO but who knows how long it will take.

One thing I would like to see the TF2 team to do is make it easier to kick cheaters. If someone creates a fresh Steam account with no games other than TF2 it should require less than a majority (maybe 5 or 4 votes) to kick someone for hacking. Maybe if a new account comes from an IP address or has any hardware IDs for previously VAC banned account it's also easier to kick them by default. If someone continues to get more and more reports and kicks for cheating than it should require fewer and fewer votes to kick that person, maybe to the point where you just need one other vote.

Obviously this isn't a perfect solution (and Valve will have to deal with the issue of hackers making more fake accounts) but I think it will help with the hacker issue.

 

[CafeineMan]

I agree with that.
But some send automatic spam in the chatbox and you can't convice others players to vote, some have no name also...

Another problem with TF2 currently, it's with payload maps or 5CP maps. After a certain time (one or two stages for exemple), players leave and you are often suddenly 7 vs 5. I'm very frustrated with that. This was my favorite games mod but now I avoid it.