Update - 19th January 2011

[The Political Gamer]

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14:38Team Fortress 2 Update Released
Product Update - Valve
Updates to Team Fortress 2 have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:

Source Engine Changes (CS:S, DoD:S, TF2, HL2M)
Updated the Linux srcds_run script
Added warning message for people running the server as root
Changed the working directory to the game tree before executing the dedicated server
Updated the existing localization files
Added Czech, Hungarian, Romanian and Turkish localization files

Team Fortress 2
Updated several models with optimizations and new LODs.
Updated the default TF2 crosshairs to use the RGB and scale settings in the Options->Multiplayer dialog like custom crosshairs do.
Added a glow effect to the team intelligence entities when they’re not being carried.
Added a timer to indicate how much time is left before the gate closes in DeGroot Keep.
Added a new plate model to be used when a Heavy throws the Buffalo Steak Sandvich to heal teammates.
Added a note in the trading dialog to let you know when your trading partner is typing.
Added a new Valve map CP_5Gorge.
Fixed the Mad Milk effect not being washed off when a player goes underwater.
Fixed being able to attack teammates using pumpkin bombs and arrows fired by the Huntsman or the Crusader's Crossbow.
Fixed switching to the melee weapon instead of using the lastweapon setting after drinking Crit-a-Cola.
Fixed not seeing the critboost effect on the Scout's Shortstop.
Fixed the Sniper Rifle and SMG view models having Red skins while on the Blue team.
Fixed the Engineer PDA view models (build/destroy) having Red skins while on the Blue team.
Fixed the mini-sentry HUD not playing the alert sound when the sentry is sapped or low on ammo.
Updated the community map CP_Yukon.
Central CP moved up to bridge.
Bridge widened.
Several sticky exploits patched.
Flat bridge added onto CP1's pipes.

http://store.steampowered.com/news/4894/

 

[nik]

5gorge sup

also glow effects

 

[lana]

Rexy is a kind of happy boy.

 

[Rexy]

Kind of. Waiting for my tf2 to update.

 

[honorum646]

LoD models, wat

 

[Ravidge]

Ambassador polycount:

LOD#|Before|After
0|9439|5331
1|-|3259
2|-|958
3|-|205

Huntsman + Arrow polycount:

LOD#|Before|After
0|6564|6320
1|-|2844
2|-|1478

Direct Hit polycount:

LOD#|Before|After
0|9601|5381
1|-|2643
2|-|1092
3|-|391

Frontier Justice polycount:

LOD#|Before|After
0|5052|4961
1|-|3079
2|-|902
3|-|263

Iron Curtain polycount:

LOD#|Before|After
0|6730|5149
1|-|3170
2|-|1665
3|-|763

These are all weapon LODs added this update. (That I could find)

 

[Rexy]

So far these are great!

But the direct hit...

This kind of texture foul is fine with LODs, it's unavoidable, but you really have to make the LODs terminate at further distances than 16...I would go with 45-50 LOD metric...that way the difference in texture and appearance is negligible. I'll update if I find other examples like this.

Ravidge is totally right - he also reminds me that this is a c_model with no real view model (it uses the same model for first person instead of an optimized view model) so those players who are playing with low detail settings will unfortunately see things like this, for the direct hit, and every other new item that uses a c_model instead of a view model:

I'm just glad my computer doesn't suck!

I have to digress though, it's a start...and for that I am extremely thankful. Thank you!

And for those who don't understand what this all means, here's what a typical view model looks like and how it's optimized:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1293763/rocketlauncher_v_model_example.jpg

 

[Pocket]

Finally.
And the LODs are alright, Good job Valve.

Ambassador polycount:

LOD#|Before|After
0|9439|5331
1|-|3259
2|-|958
3|-|205

There's still a lot to be done though. Most (?) models are still non-lodded.

Am I to take the difference at distance 0 to mean they have separate models for first- and third-person, or that they just reduced the maximum polycount on the whole thing?

 

[Ravidge]

Am I to take the difference at distance 0 to mean they have separate models for first- and third-person, or that they just reduced the maximum polycount on the whole thing?

Difference at lod0 means they changed the base model, yes.

 

[honorum646]

players who are playing with low detail settings will unfortunately see things like this, for the direct hit, and every other new item that uses a c_model instead of a view model

I'm loving the hole in that scope.

 

[Randdalf]

They added the old 5gorge with the middle cp on the ground and no cubemaps lol.

Nar they didn't, you've probably got a version overriding it in your game files.

 

[honeymustard]

nar they didn't, you've probably got a version overriding it in your game files.

whoops.

still, it misses menu photos and observer camera points, so I'll complain about that instead.

 

[Prestige]

new yukon bridge > old pipe
mid change sounds good as well i guess

5gorge's mid is actually pretty nice. still don't like the map at all.

ALSO
i think my fps got a lot worse this update hurm :/

 

[Wilson]

Updated the community map CP_Yukon.
Central CP moved up to bridge.

 

[HellJumper]

Ghastlier Gibus:
3 LODs
3096 tris to 406

Halo:
3 LODs
714 tris to 96

Tyrant's Helm:
2 LODs
2972 tris to 574

Prancer's Pride:
NO LODs

Gonzilla:
2 LODs
3140 tris to 264

 

[Psy]

I still don't understand why they went down the route of having a single model for both the world and player's view when the other method was perfectly fine.

Still, it's a start...I guess.

 

[Loc_n_lol]

I still don't understand why they went down the route of having a single model for both the world and player's view when the other method was perfectly fine.
Still, it's a start...I guess.

Simplification/lazyness, I'm sure. One hands model for the class (that already exists anyway), attach a world model that you have to do anyway and boom, done. No "need" for specific v_model optimizations.

 

[Mariner]

One would think that they could just take the v_model and stuff it into a LOD number that is only used for first person.

I mean, isn't that kind of the point of having LODs anyway?

 

[Mariner]

new yukon bridge > old pipe
mid change sounds good as well i guess

5gorge's mid is actually pretty nice. still don't like the map at all.

ALSO
i think my fps got a lot worse this update hurm :/

I just wish they could actually USE THE FUCKING SIDE SPAWN DOORS on the central cap building.

5Gorge sounded like a much better idea on paper than in practice.

 

[Mariner]

I'm loving the hole in that scope.

Such quality.

Anyone else get the impression they used the auto-reduction command in Max/LW for the LODs? :cursing:

I've actually been modeling for games for quite a while, and that's inexcusable, especially given how close the camera is actually going to be when it kicks in.