Oh yeah, new video on the main channel. Here's the intro I made for it, a parody of the music video for "What Do You Mean?!"
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Learning blender for this was a pain, thankfully @JauntywebAU worked the Miku parts. Enjoy!
youtu.be/call8jVmxEo
youtu.be/call8jVmxEo
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Update on this- it seems like these pseudo-DDOS attacks, as some are labeling this, have been occurring in waves. It's quieted down for now. We don't know if the vulnerability has been addressed, if the bad actors ran out of resources for the moment, or if/when this will start again.
For those wondering why you can't play TF2 right now: there's a new "bot" wave.
Currently, there seems to be an exploit where one can "speak" to TF2's game coordinator without a TF2 client running, or running via text-mode or "headless." Bot hosters can effectively lie, and tell er" wanting to join a server, and it will reserve a slot for them as if though they were a real player. Since they aren't real, they'll reserve that slot until they time out, preventing other players from joining, delay games from beginning, and increase queue times.
Rinse and repeat with thousands of "accounts," and you can't play the game. Since they aren't running the game client, each "bot" requires far less memory to operate, meaning the scale of these bot waves can be far larger than that of the cheating bots we saw years prior.
Here's a screenshot from a website that tracks the number of queuing players. All gamemodes are being affected. This is really bad. Unlike cheating bots, you can't kick these out. They clog the server indefinitely.
Lord knows how long it will take for valve to address this. Hopefully not years like last time.
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For those wondering why you can't play TF2 right now: there's a new "bot" wave.
Currently, there seems to be an exploit where one can "speak" to TF2's game coordinator without a TF2 client running, or running via text-mode or "headless." Bot hosters can effectively lie, and tell er" wanting to join a server, and it will reserve a slot for them as if though they were a real player. Since they aren't real, they'll reserve that slot until they time out, preventing other players from joining, delay games from beginning, and increase queue times.
Rinse and repeat with thousands of "accounts," and you can't play the game. Since they aren't running the game client, each "bot" requires far less memory to operate, meaning the scale of these bot waves can be far larger than that of the cheating bots we saw years prior.
Here's a screenshot from a website that tracks the number of queuing players. All gamemodes are being affected. This is really bad. Unlike cheating bots, you can't kick these out. They clog the server indefinitely.
Lord knows how long it will take for valve to address this. Hopefully not years like last time.
Currently, there seems to be an exploit where one can "speak" to TF2's game coordinator without a TF2 client running, or running via text-mode or "headless." Bot hosters can effectively lie, and tell er" wanting to join a server, and it will reserve a slot for them as if though they were a real player. Since they aren't real, they'll reserve that slot until they time out, preventing other players from joining, delay games from beginning, and increase queue times.
Rinse and repeat with thousands of "accounts," and you can't play the game. Since they aren't running the game client, each "bot" requires far less memory to operate, meaning the scale of these bot waves can be far larger than that of the cheating bots we saw years prior.
Here's a screenshot from a website that tracks the number of queuing players. All gamemodes are being affected. This is really bad. Unlike cheating bots, you can't kick these out. They clog the server indefinitely.
Lord knows how long it will take for valve to address this. Hopefully not years like last time.
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The people ripping into emp because he didn't include payload are missing the point entirely. Primarily choosing 5CP/CTF/AD makes sense, given that these have the highest chance of producing longer than average play sessions when compared to all other gamemodes.
KOTH is ruined by the best of 3 limit making most games last under 7 minutes (yes, it's that bad), and PL is ruined because the matchmaker sets up one-sided stomps that never lose momentum. Also, it seems like bots are currently clogging PL servers with accounts that never fully connect, how wonderful.
Other gamemodes are negatively impacted by the matchmaker as well. There's a lot more to be said about how matchmaking kills the TF2 experience, alongside map bloat, but escaping to CTF makes the MOST sense when you can get into a game that lasts 50+ minutes, and you can play uninterrupted.
The fact valve hasn't reverted meet your match yet just leads me to believe they're bitter and stubborn, as the game only stands to benefit from the removal of skill based matchmaking.
KOTH is ruined by the best of 3 limit making most games last under 7 minutes (yes, it's that bad), and PL is ruined because the matchmaker sets up one-sided stomps that never lose momentum. Also, it seems like bots are currently clogging PL servers with accounts that never fully connect, how wonderful.
Other gamemodes are negatively impacted by the matchmaker as well. There's a lot more to be said about how matchmaking kills the TF2 experience, alongside map bloat, but escaping to CTF makes the MOST sense when you can get into a game that lasts 50+ minutes, and you can play uninterrupted.
The fact valve hasn't reverted meet your match yet just leads me to believe they're bitter and stubborn, as the game only stands to benefit from the removal of skill based matchmaking.
If you want a consistently enjoyable experience in TF2 casual mode, these are the only maps worth selecting.
There are possibly a few others, but nothing beyond that.
Payload and KOTH completely excluded because the matchmaker makes them unplayable 95% of the time.
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Yes, I made a video. Link showing raw data in the reply
@Zesty_Jesus At this point, im wondering if tf2 actually earns tens of millions , is that something researchable?
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For people curious why TF2 fans are embittered about Deadlock, this thread covers one big reason. It's insane how TF2's bot crisis was memory holed so quickly. If any other company neglected an actively monetized and profitable game to that extent, so openly, so blatantly, they would have been crucified.
TF2 has faced horrible neglect for years. The game is superficially "updated," but only with cosmetics no one buys, maps that no one plays once their novelty wears off, and inconsequential bug fixes that don't improve the game state Valve ruined with competitive matchmaking back in 2016 (lol). And, mind you, all of the work being done comes from the community. Not valve. All copy-paste from the community workshop and github.
If valve truly wants us to treat TF2 like it's dead, they're certainly not treating it like it's dead. They clearly still want us to spend money on it, even when it's unplayable.
TF2 has faced horrible neglect for years. The game is superficially "updated," but only with cosmetics no one buys, maps that no one plays once their novelty wears off, and inconsequential bug fixes that don't improve the game state Valve ruined with competitive matchmaking back in 2016 (lol). And, mind you, all of the work being done comes from the community. Not valve. All copy-paste from the community workshop and github.
If valve truly wants us to treat TF2 like it's dead, they're certainly not treating it like it's dead. They clearly still want us to spend money on it, even when it's unplayable.
never forget that the game was totally unplayable for 8 of these 19 years, yet Valve continued to mindlessly rake in millions all while pretending the game didn't even exist.
it took a contractor - not even a mainstay employee - to finally do what Valve had refused for years.
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We're not entitled to the same level of treatment as deadlock, again, no one is asking for this. But valve should treat this game like any other that earns tens of millions a year, and at the VERY least, fix the long standing issues with the matchmaking system, various bugs, and leave the game in a playable, enjoyable state before truly abandoning it.
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What's funny is that I have 3 videos using 3 independent methods showing that TF2 is massively botted, especially during updates, and averages maybe 25k-30k concurrent players daily. That peak playercount of 250k isn't real.
So passing TF2's true peak playercount (whatever that actually was) is a low bar. But a game in closed alpha that's already hitting these numbers? It's going to make Valve so much money once they start monetizing it.
So passing TF2's true peak playercount (whatever that actually was) is a low bar. But a game in closed alpha that's already hitting these numbers? It's going to make Valve so much money once they start monetizing it.
zesty jesus on suicide watch
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Zesty Jesus retweeted
if you want me to give up tf2 then you need to make a game better then tf2 otherwise I'm still gonna complain that the billion dollar company isn't touching it as it continues making them money
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Seriously? This strawman again? Practically no one is demanding for TF2 to receive the same level of attention as Deadlock. What we are demanding is that it receive the same level of attention as any other game that generates tens of millions of dollars in revenue each year. the (rightfully) embittered fans of TF2 and CS as demanding equal treatment, when we just want SOMETHING meaningful beyond more money makers.
As for TF2, a game that earns this much money should not be neglected to the extent it has been. I don't think need to remind everyone of the bullshit this game has been through and continues to go through. Cheaters, mediocre to outright broken content selections, broken matchmaking, a hilariously bloated map pool with practically zero quality control, a laundry list of long-standing bugs that for whatever reason never get addressed, should I keep going? Yet despite all of this, Valve keeps earning from TF2 an amount of money ANY developer would be begging to make annually from a live service title.
It's funny how the "game old, move on" argument only applies to Valve, and practically no other company with old, profitable titles that are 10+ years old. The lengths some go to shield Valve from rightfully deserved criticism never ceases to amaze me. It's like saying Coca Cola could just ignore if Sprite Cherry Lime started tasting like rancid meat because that product earns a fraction of what normal Coca Cola does, and complaining about this would somehow make you the unreasonable one.
As for TF2, a game that earns this much money should not be neglected to the extent it has been. I don't think need to remind everyone of the bullshit this game has been through and continues to go through. Cheaters, mediocre to outright broken content selections, broken matchmaking, a hilariously bloated map pool with practically zero quality control, a laundry list of long-standing bugs that for whatever reason never get addressed, should I keep going? Yet despite all of this, Valve keeps earning from TF2 an amount of money ANY developer would be begging to make annually from a live service title.
It's funny how the "game old, move on" argument only applies to Valve, and practically no other company with old, profitable titles that are 10+ years old. The lengths some go to shield Valve from rightfully deserved criticism never ceases to amaze me. It's like saying Coca Cola could just ignore if Sprite Cherry Lime started tasting like rancid meat because that product earns a fraction of what normal Coca Cola does, and complaining about this would somehow make you the unreasonable one.
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Scream Fortress XVIII is here...
I won't belabor my usual thoughts on cosmetics...but I will say the highlight is Scaredy Cat. This would have made for a charming centerpiece for an old school update. The map plays well, aesthetically it hits that that comfy Halloween TF2 feel, and the pumpkin gimmick is actually pretty funny/fun and not super obnoxious. I'm aware of the heavy exploit, hopefully that's fixed fast.
But trainsawlaser? What the fuck were they thinking? The constant 20 FPS makes it unplayable.
I won't belabor my usual thoughts on cosmetics...but I will say the highlight is Scaredy Cat. This would have made for a charming centerpiece for an old school update. The map plays well, aesthetically it hits that that comfy Halloween TF2 feel, and the pumpkin gimmick is actually pretty funny/fun and not super obnoxious. I'm aware of the heavy exploit, hopefully that's fixed fast.
But trainsawlaser? What the fuck were they thinking? The constant 20 FPS makes it unplayable.
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I hate revisionism from newgen players that weren't around to experience TF2 prior to 2016. I can pinpoint the golden age perfectly: before valve implemented a fundamentally flawed matchmaking system that does not work, and has never worked, since day 1. Back when queueing for a server wasn't a gamble with your free time. Back when I could play with (or against!) as many of my friends whenever I wanted to, and wasn't subject to an awful party system. Back when I could directly join my friends server via adhoc instead of using said party system. Back when we had thriving community servers, of all kinds, that weren't killed off by the matchmaking system. Back when updates were actually exciting, meaningful, instead of Valve dumping piles of lame cosmetics into the game and taking our money, all while ignoring waves of cheating bots for 8 fucking years and muting free to plays, requiring not 1 but 2 massive community outcries to get them to squirt out ONE tweet, and allow a single contractor to deal with the bots 2 years later.
Valve killed off player agency, countless communities and their servers, the flow of gameplay, and lost the trust of their players, all for their failed matchmaking experiment to shove TF2 into the esports hole to compete with overwatch. It's failed for 10 years. Leaving the game in indefinite maintenance mode as they milk what's left for tens of millions a year.
Yeah, we had a golden era, you missed it. I wish you hadn't so you wouldn't say stupid shit like this. It wasn't perfect, but in comparison to where the game is today? It might as well have been.
Valve killed off player agency, countless communities and their servers, the flow of gameplay, and lost the trust of their players, all for their failed matchmaking experiment to shove TF2 into the esports hole to compete with overwatch. It's failed for 10 years. Leaving the game in indefinite maintenance mode as they milk what's left for tens of millions a year.
Yeah, we had a golden era, you missed it. I wish you hadn't so you wouldn't say stupid shit like this. It wasn't perfect, but in comparison to where the game is today? It might as well have been.
call me crazy but maybe old tf2 wasn't a complete amazing perfect golden age where nothing bad happened and maybe you're just nostalgic for when you were 13 and it was fresh in your mind
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Former Valve writer Chet Faliszek, who worked at Valve from 2004 to 2017, explained why Team Fortress 2 and Counter-Strike could get surprisingly small updates.
Even the developers sometimes couldn’t believe how well players reacted. “Even at Valve, we’d be like, ‘I can’t h this’,”
Some Valve teams had huge numbers of devs working on tons of features, while Counter-Strike and TF2 could add a few skins and still excite players.
Valve could say, “here’s five skins,” and the response would be “cool.”
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