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[Volcynika]

Oh, here's a video I uploaded awhile ago of a backstab I got on a cloaked spy. Pure luck, but utterly hilarious. Luckily, I was recording a demo that night. Sorry for the poor quality, and it's kind of hard to catch. (You can also see some bad lag at the start there.) Somebody also made a slow-mo verison for me here.

At the time, I didn't really know what happened. I had just noticed that I'd gotten a backstab on somebody, but didn't remember seeing anybody. I figured I'd just missed them in the heat of battle. Out of curiosity, I watched the demo later and saw that. Fun stuff.

:lol Now that's funny!

 

[Oldschoolgamer]

Volcynika what did you leave me and Nob to. ;_; We got rolled on twice. We had FIVE engineers and only like four of us was doing anything on one of those maps. I had a medic uber me, and right when I ran into a wall of blue on the way to clear out a base they had set up, he left me there with no protection. ;_;

Then we were attacking on goldrush 1. My god. We had like 5 spies who were doing nothing and medics that did diddly. I took out the first two level 3 sentries on my own with nothing but rockets. The last sentry, dispenser, and a fuckload of people crowded around the level 3 sentry I destroyed. Fucking ran on some quake shit, while nob was owning with the heavy, and the other guy in the lead was owning it up. Took them out, and there was NOBODY there after. We still lost because nobody went to the cart. I'm sure the snipers, demoman, medics, and pyros all got achievements that round. :lol :lol :lol This was the first point by the way. The cart was 75% there. lol

 

[Volcynika]

Volcynika what did you leave me and Nob to. ;_; We got rolled on twice. We had FIVE engineers and only like four of us was doing anything on one of those maps. I had a medic uber me, and right when I ran into a wall of blue on the way to clear out a base they had set up, he left me there with no protection. ;_;

Then we were attacking on goldrush 1. My god. We had like 5 spies who were doing nothing and medics that did diddly. I took out the first two level 3 sentries on my own with nothing but rockets. The last sentry, dispenser, and a fuckload of people crowded around the level 3 sentry I destroyed. Fucking ran on some quake shit, while nob was owning with the heavy, and the other guy in the lead was owning it up. Took them out, and there was NOBODY there after. We still lost because nobody went to the cart. I'm sure the snipers, demoman, medics, and pyros all got achievements that round. :lol :lol :lol This was the first point by the way. The cart was 75% there. lol

Oh, my connection was having problems and OUR TEAM SUCKED. Lack of paying attention (I watched a scout stand there and get stabbed like 10 seconds after I said a spy was right near him), lazy teammates (a spy just running around doing nothing at all), and the lag just frustrated me a bit. D:

 

[Volcynika]

I still wonder why all my Pyro weapons were gone

 

[Oldschoolgamer]

I still wonder why all my Pyro weapons were gone

They came back for me a bit later.

 

[Teknopathetic]

New patch today:

Team Fortress 2


Fixed team switches on Attack/Defense maps spamming the console

Fixed the Kritzkrieg not working on servers with crits turned off

Fixed some clipped localized strings in various in-game dialogs

Fixed several cases where files were synchronously loaded while the game was running

Fixed a shutdown crash in the material system

Cached rendering of item model panels to improve performance, in particular while weapon selection was visible

Added a gear symbol behind the health bar for Engineer buildings, in both target IDs and freeze panels

Players killing themselves will now give a kill credit to the last enemy who damaged them

Fixed grenades, rockets, and flamethrower being able to fire through grates at round starts

Fixed players being killed and creating ragdolls during team switches

Fixed various exploits and performance problems in CP_Badlands, CP_Well, and CP_Fastlane

Removed health bonus from the Backburner



Hahaha.

 

[Confidence Man]

Removed health bonus from the Backburner

Yesssssssss.

 

[Slo]

Can't.....update......servers...... .....too slow....

 

[firex]

I wonder if Valve realizes they just made the backburner worthless now. the detection for hitting someone in the back with it is worthless since they'll just turn around when you start critting them.

 

[Dolphin]

Removed health bonus from the Backburner

That's kind of stupid, that renders the backburner pretty much completely worthless since the airblast is infinitely better than crits. Looks like the Pyro's getting nerfed into a useless character again--while the soldiers and demos remain completely overpowered (I play with them whenever I want to rack up tons of easy kills).

I wonder if Valve realizes they just made the backburner worthless now. the detection for hitting someone in the back with it is worthless since they'll just turn around when you start critting them.

Pretty much. I guess all the demo and soldier players can get whatever they want if they bitch enough (the majority of players on most servers.)

The self killing thing is really nice, I would guess 30-50% of my kills used to get nullified from a demo or soldier suiciding.

 

[Won]

I knew something was up!

Some important fixes in there. Both the door expolit and the self killing thing needed a fix since months......

Not sure yet about the Backburner nerf. The buff was over the top, but just removing it without anything new? Well at least Pyros are back to Earth.

 

[Cheeto]

Removed health bonus from the Backburner

BONER!

 

[firex]

I'm still surprised at no demoman nerf. Valve even said they feel stickies are overpowered.

 

[Laurentius]

I'm still surprised at no demoman nerf. Valve even said they feel stickies are overpowered.

...

No demoman nerf in this update doesn't mean no demoman nerf period. They're just working on what they think the best solution will be.

 

[Won]

Yeah, I just don't see how they can nerf the demoman without breaking the class even more.

 

[firex]

...

No demoman nerf in this update doesn't mean no demoman nerf period. They're just working on what they think the best solution will be.

duh, but demo has been needing a nerf for like 5 months now and it still hasn't gotten one.

 

[Twig]

Demoman is not that overpowered.

 

[Laurentius]

Demoman is not that overpowered.

Yeah, he really isn't. There are certain instances where he has too high of an advantage, but it's never game breaking.

Honestly, people just like rag about the game being unbalanced. A few months ago nobody would have complained about the demo being overpowered, it was all about soldier then. And engineer had his time before that (now it's almost the opposite, though), heavy-medic got some screams when the game came out, lately it's been the backburner. Oh, and crits are a constant. I think people just like to complain about the game more than play it, or something....

 

[Doytch]

Fucking stupid. Just because Pyro got unlocks before other classes, the whiners get a good bonus taken out. Backburner is useless now.

And they took away mah sploitz too. Worst patch ever.

 

[aznpxdd]

Demoman is not that overpowered.

Yeah, they really aren't. I can think of instances where the way a map is set up (ie. the infamous Dustbowl 3 corner) make them overpowered. But in general, the classes are pretty balanced.

 

[Twig]

I mean, I completely agree with the sentiment that stickies need to be tweaked (mostly the splash range... it's far too big), but it's not like they're overbearingly at an advantage 24/7.

Also disappointed with the backburner nerf, but I disagree with the idea that it's now useless.

Stop playing the pyro like a soldier and you won't need that extra health.

 

[firex]

I mean, I completely agree with the sentiment that stickies need to be tweaked (mostly the splash range... it's far too big), but it's not like they're overbearingly at an advantage 24/7.

Also disappointed with the backburner nerf, but I disagree with the idea that it's now useless.

Stop playing the pyro like a soldier and you won't need that extra health.

It's useless, period. It never changed how I played pyro any, but the idea was lose a defensive advantage for an offensive one (and extra health to make up for being so easily dealt with at range). They already nerfed the detection for the backburner (while I still get backstabbed in the face every now and then) so you lose a defensive advantage for... nothing. Seriously, it's just not worth it at all anymore.

Stickies are basically broken because they 1) deal too much individual damage and 2) have too big of an explosion.

Oh well, pyro is back to being an average class at best that's situational and good on defense. thanks, whiners.

 

[Doytch]

I mean, I completely agree with the sentiment that stickies need to be tweaked (mostly the splash range... it's far too big), but it's not like they're overbearingly at an advantage 24/7.

Also disappointed with the backburner nerf, but I disagree with the idea that it's now useless.

Stop playing the pyro like a soldier and you won't need that extra health.

Gimme a break. I've never played the pyro as a soldier. I played it as an ambush class before unlocks, with unlocks and I'll continue to play it the same way. The problem now is that once again, it's become a lot harder to deal with extra people. The pyro never really had problems with 1v1 if he got the drop, it's when people don't run around by themselves that you're ambushes usually end with you dying. Especially if you have to run half way around the map to set it up well and get hit on the way there(Dustbowl).

 

[Twig]

Gimme a break. I've never played the pyro as a soldier. I played it as an ambush class before unlocks, with unlocks and I'll continue to play it the same way. The problem now is that once again, it's become a lot harder to deal with extra people. The pyro never really had problems with 1v1 if he got the drop, it's when people don't run around by themselves that you're ambushes usually end with you dying. Especially if you have to run half way around the map to set it up well and get hit on the way there(Dustbowl).

I wasn't accusing you! I was just making a joke. ):

I think the nerf is dumb, too! I just don't think it's a big deal. Back crits help a lot more than you seem to think!

 

[firex]

I don't know. I think the detection range on the back crits is too crappy. It was broken before when it would crit multiple people due to one guy, but now it's broken to where the range on it pretty much requires being directly behind them.

 

[Doytch]

I wasn't accusing you! I was just making a joke. ):

I think the nerf is dumb, too! I just don't think it's a big deal. Back crits help a lot more than you seem to think!

They're nice, but cb is way more useful now. And it just seems like they've shifted the pyro's role away from ambush/denial/disorientation and back to defense. Yes it's helpful to protect an engie's sg from demo/soldier, but it's really not that fun (not to mention you get no points for it).

 

[Davidion]

Good news, opponents still just as fleshy, flammable.

Nerf non-issue

 

[fallengorn]

Damn it, I was gonna hop on tonight (just finished MGS4) but my connection conked out. Now that it's back I'm sitting here waiting for the update to finish downloading.

Ha! Suck it you suiciding soldiers.

Hey, all my suicides aren't intentional.

 

[fallout]

Fixed team switches on Attack/Defense maps spamming the console

This always bugged me. Never really thought it would get fixed.

Players killing themselves will now give a kill credit to the last enemy who damaged them

Ha! Suck it you suiciding soldiers.

Removed health bonus from the Backburner

100% crit rate while attacking from behind vs. the air blast ability. Is that not a decent trade-off? I mean, if people were primarily using the backburner for the extra health, then why not just boost the health of the Pyro overall.

 

[Davidion]

I, for one, would like to see some mobility options. Quite frankly, other than a near non-existent speed advantage over other classes, the pyro doesn't have any mobility options. Can't sneak, can't cloak, can't explosion jump anywhere. It all makes ambushing a little more than difficult.

Hell, it's easier to ambush using a soldier or demo than the pyro.

 

[Teknopathetic]

"I, for one, would like to see some mobility options. Quite frankly, other than a near non-existent speed advantage over other classes, the pyro doesn't have any mobility options. Can't sneak, can't cloak, can't explosion jump anywhere. It all makes ambushing a little more than difficult.

Hell, it's easier to ambush using a soldier or demo than the pyro."


I'd say let the CB work like a rocket jump, but they'd have to buff the backburner somehow. Speed boost, maybe? I mean, the pyro's supposed to be second fastest, but yeah, hardly.

 

[Davidion]

I'd say let the CB work like a rocket jump, but they'd have to buff the backburner somehow. Speed boost, maybe? I mean, the pyro's supposed to be second fastest, but yeah, hardly.

That in my opinion would be the ideal solution. Though honestly I'd like to see the BB get the air blast as well at the cost of something else. I am a bit envious of the air blast, but the BB really does amply reward blindsiding an opponent and is imo not only a buff but an affirmation of what the Pyro is supposed to do. The health, while nice, really didn't exemplify the class' core gameplay in any way.

Shit, I'd almost welcome having my health docked if it meant I could have both upgrades. :lol

 

[firex]

I think the backburner and the extra hp basically made up for how crappy the sneaking areas are designed in most of Valve's maps. of course, I think having the sneaking areas be primarily used by spies and pyros tends to make spies have a tougher time too.

I mean there's huge value to sneaking, but it's pretty hard to use any context clues to know where people are. The only thing that makes a really significant noise over your own footsteps is a sentry.

 

[Capndrake]

The problem with the Backburner was that, while the hind crits were supposed to be the main draw, everybody picked it for the health instead. Even the crappiest players could just do a suicide run running at a group of people (From the front) and probably end up killing one or two, or leaving them with like 20 health left.

Thank god it's nerfed.

 

[Twig]

"I, for one, would like to see some mobility options. Quite frankly, other than a near non-existent speed advantage over other classes, the pyro doesn't have any mobility options. Can't sneak, can't cloak, can't explosion jump anywhere. It all makes ambushing a little more than difficult.

Hell, it's easier to ambush using a soldier or demo than the pyro."


I'd say let the CB work like a rocket jump, but they'd have to buff the backburner somehow. Speed boost, maybe? I mean, the pyro's supposed to be second fastest, but yeah, hardly.

I've been thinking about that for a while now.

I'd also considered maybe letting pyros give boosts to TEAMMATES with the CB. Wouldn't solve the pyro's mobility problem, but it'd be a neat addition. Might be more trouble than it's worth, though. What with bad players and all.

 

[PillowKnight]

All you "Use CB to jump guys" are getting a bit ahead of yourselves. Both Soldier/demo are put in a weakened position whenever they jump. It's also important to look at the difference between a pyro ambush and a soldier/demo ambush. The pyro's lack of reload makes his ambush all the more deadly-- a soldier won't take down half a team with an ambush; but a pyro sure will. Demos on the other hand possibly could, but their lack of melee ability makes them easy targets on the front lines.

It is true that the pyro has a harder time ambushing people. But when you consider the strength of ambushes, making ambushes accessible to the pyro would break the game.

 

[Giganticus]

Backburner is still able to do the "totally rape everyone near the cart" thing, and can still do the classic ambushes. The only thing this nerf removes is their ability to run STRAIGHT AT ENEMIES.

Oooh, what's this? Why it's a heavy/medic, a soldier and a demoman. I could kill them all with an ambush and crit the shit out of them, but because of my delicious health bonus I'll instead run straight at them with no skill or tactical thought required whatsoever and survive long enough to kill the medic and maybe the soldier or demoman too.

Now, you either flank them and totally rape, or get out the airburst. You can still run straight at them of course, but you'll need to use skill to reflect their attacks.

And yeah, pyros don't need a movement ability. They are silent and move at normal speed, able to catch up to/close down everyone except medics and scouts. They can get themselves into ambush positions easily enough. Hell, if I can flank and ambush other teams as a solo heavy with my slow run speed, then a pyro definitely can.

 

[KittenMaster]

Backburner is still able to do the "totally rape everyone near the cart" thing, and can still do the classic ambushes. The only thing this nerf removes is their ability to run STRAIGHT AT ENEMIES.

Oooh, what's this? Why it's a heavy/medic, a soldier and a demoman. I could kill them all with an ambush and crit the shit out of them, but because of my delicious health bonus I'll instead run straight at them with no skill or tactical thought required whatsoever and survive long enough to kill the medic and maybe the soldier or demoman too.

Now, you either flank them and totally rape, or get out the airburst. You can still run straight at them of course, but you'll need to use skill to reflect their attacks.

And yeah, pyros don't need a movement ability. They are silent and move at normal speed, able to catch up to/close down everyone except medics and scouts. They can get themselves into ambush positions easily enough. Hell, if I can flank and ambush other teams as a solo heavy with my slow run speed, then a pyro definitely can.

Listen to this man.

 

[firex]

You guys must play against shitty teams that don't turn around when someone burns them and then blasts the pyro. Plus there are tons of points as a pyro where you can't sneak up on the other team because of no real sneaking lanes (granary point 4 on defense, goldrush stage 1 point 1 on offense come to immediate mind). That's where the backburner's bonus health was good since it let you escape with a little health left as a tradeoff for the blast, which is great at extending your life (not so much anything else though). Now? Now you just get a worse crit range than spies have for backstabs. Yes, it can totally rape those 125-150 health classes if you catch them from behind, but anyone else and they can turn around and nail you, and the regular flamethrower fucks them up maybe .01 second slower than the backburner in that case. At least I use the axtinguisher more now against heavies.

I mean if they're going to nerf stuff that rewards "bad" play, why haven't they nerfed stickies since you can put them pretty lazily and still blow up a big area due to their obscene blast radius and damage?

And the compression blast is not that great anyway as an offensive tool. It's a good defensive one but against a soldier, your compression blast will basically push it where they were standing half a second ago, so they won't take serious damage from their rocket, and against a demo it's basically never going to reflect it back into their face.

 

[Won]

What? Did you just complain about the Backburner crits AND the compression blast? Come on now.....maybe you are doing something wrong?

 

[KittenMaster]

And the compression blast is not that great anyway as an offensive tool. It's a good defensive one but against a soldier, your compression blast will basically push it where they were standing half a second ago, so they won't take serious damage from their rocket, and against a demo it's basically never going to reflect it back into their face.

The Compression Blast is a support tool, not a weapon. Deflecting a rocket means that's a rocket that didn't hit you or a teammate, on top of the other things you can do with it.

 

[Doytch]

The Compression Blast is a support tool, not a weapon. Deflecting a rocket means that's a rocket that didn't hit you or a teammate, on top of the other things you can do with it.

Too bad it's not fun to use. I didn't want a support class.

 

[Won]

Too bad it's not fun to use. I didn't want a support class.

Ahh come on now......it still helps you, if you attack frontal.

Thrower for frontal attacks. Burner for maps, where you can ambush. Sounds fine to me.

Also the blast is one of the more fun things introduced into this game.......do you hate fun? (answer is probably yes, you are a pyro player after all)

Only thing I still would complain is switching between old and new stuff. They need to give us a faster way, without menu diving.

 

[fallengorn]

Only thing I still would complain is switching between old and new stuff. They need to give us a faster way, without menu diving.

Yeah, they need to hot-key it or something.

 

[Doytch]

Ahh come on now......it still helps you, if you attack frontal.

So now I'm supposed to attack from the front? =P

Also the blast is one of the more fun things introduced into this game.......do you hate fun? (answer is probably yes, you are a pyro player after all)

It's nice to use every now and then, but when it relegates your class to being a janitor to engies, it's not fun at all.

Only thing I still would complain is switching between old and new stuff. They need to give us a faster way, without menu diving.

There's at least a hotkey to open the weapon select screen.

 

[Won]

So now I'm supposed to attack from the front? =P

I'm saying that you can do BOTH! It is there for things like the long tunnel at Dustbowl 2-2. Pyros wanted something to help in such scenarios and they got something.

 

[Capndrake]

Yeah, they need to hot-key it or something.

Actually, you can set a hotkey to quickly open the Loadout screen.

EDIT: Damn you Doytch, I had to check

 

[Davidion]

Also the blast is one of the more fun things introduced into this game.......do you hate fun? (answer is probably yes, you are a pyro player after all)

One nerf and the spy starts getting uppity. *squints eyes*

 

[VaLiancY]

Never liked the BB due to its lack of front crits.

I front crit'd a group three scouts, it felt good.

 

[Vlad]

Yeah, they need to hot-key it or something.

Pyro loadout weapon switching script
Medic loadout weapon switching script

Much easier than menu diving.