Interview With Robin Walker On Upcoming TF2 Changes

[ad_hominem]

Speculation was fairly high after the recent TF2 update that presented us all with a mysterious 'Loadout' screen. As a result, Shacknews have sat down with Valve's Robin Walker in an attempt to set some things straight.

Shack: Some users are concerned that you can permanently delete hard-won items from your backpack. Should they be? How is that system intended to work?

Robin Walker: Not really. We put in some strong wording in the update to discourage them from doing it for now, but as soon as the next update ships they'll be able to find any item, including ones they've deleted in the past. The reason we shipped it in the last update, even though there was no real reason at all to use it, was to get some real world testing. So thanks to the 270 people who went ahead and deleted items! In addition, it gave our support team some warmup practice in handling the inevitable customer issues resulting from this kind of system.

You can read the rest of the interview over at Shacknews.

[srredfire]

While this whole thing they're doing is innovative, new, and interesting, I don't know if I fully support it. It feels like they're taking the game really away from what it used to be.

Back in '07 when you had the game it was classic the way it was, steady, fair, even and fun. Then the whole achievement fad came on, and I suppose they said, "Well hey let's add stuff you can actually get from those!" So they did.

Then they started doing more and more of these, and adding gibberish like "+7 Attack" and what not to weapons.

Then we went back to good 'ol updates with new classic gamemodes which were welcomed warmly, then we went back to more adding shit, now here we are at things like, stats, cosmetics, levels of things, trading, what?

Where the hell is this game going? I honestly think this is getting where TF2 and this new bulk of stuff should be seperate games. TF2 and TF2MMORPG or some shit. I don't know. Something I miss the good 'ol first version of TF2 without all this shit. Sometimes you get on, realizing you don't have all this fancy shit others do because you didn't spend a day grinding to get the new guns and what nots. Now will the addition of this, it sounds like if I were to join the game a year from now as if I had never played the game before, I'd be completely confused and shocked if I hadn't played since '07, saying, "WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS!?"

I totally support Valve in their artistic outreachings and trying to up the bar on this sort of stuff and being as innovative and creative as they can, but they're treating this game like a 5 year old with a lego set. You keep piling shit and saying "Well we can keep building this this this this and this" and eventually that structure is going to collapse.

You know what they say, too much of anything is a bad thing.

Who knows, maybe a year from now Valve says, "We're making TF2 a hybrid adventure exploration RPG/FPS while keeping what we had before."

Can you imagine? Say, ctf_2fort, you have to travel across a desert and a river, sneak into the base, take the intel, and work your way back. Using items and such along the way. This could go anywhere.

Fuck me it's 2:30 am and I've got mono and I've no idea where I'm going with all this.

[Psy]

lol srredfire. Is the person in that avatar you angrily typing by any chance?

The untieing of achievements from weapon unlocks is the best news I've heard in a while. I'm really interested to see how the weapons will be unlocked from now on and how the new methods will affect the sudden increase in the numbers of an updated class.

I'm hoping that these changes will combat the usual 2 weeks of boring, "Quick! Everybody go *updated class* and completely forget that other people on our team want to have a fun round of TF2 without getting their asses handed to them."

Now I can see why people think it's heading down the path of an RPG but I don't think Valve will strive to modify the game so much that it steps away from it's core; a first-person shooter.

And, anyway, they can always roll back certain features. Anybody remember the CSS dynamic pricing system?

[Habboi]

So they removed the dynamic pricing in CSS? I thought it was optional. Makes me understand why there's loads of TF2 RPG pictures on Kotaku.

[Mr-Jigsaw]

That whole level 10 item thing means nothing, it's just there to show that the item is superior in some ways to the standard. Oh, and last time I checked, TF2 was Valve's game, I'm fine with them doing what they want with it. I don't get this, people complain because a company doesn't update their games after release, but Valve does, but now people complain about that. It's an unpleasable fan-base.

[Megadude]

There's a big difference between updating like removing bugs or improving gameplay, and updating like changing the dynamics or strategy of a game.

[Mr-Jigsaw]

Nevertheless, it's their game and I support what they're doing. Valve has proven to be one of the most reliable, if untimely, supporters of their own published games(deathmatch aside) and each new update gives the game some more life. And I doubt these changes will make TF2 less enjoyable, not too much is being changed here.

And you say too much of a good thing is a bad thing, but who will decide when we've reached too much?

[CorporalAris]

To be honest, the game has real depth now that they are adding stats. You get trade offs to using some weapons, and downsides to using them. Hey, this weapon does much more damage (Crits), but loses an ability. (Aka the Backburner) It is a lot more fun.

[YokaI]

Oh, and last time I checked, TF2 was Valve's game, I'm fine with them doing what they want with it. I don't get this, people complain because a company doesn't update their games after release, but Valve does, but now people complain about that. It's an unpleasable fan-base.

Who care's if it's their game or not if nobody is going to like the new system. Sometimes, simple things are the best things. (I.E. Starcraft.)

[Rasky_26]

Who care's if it's their game or not if nobody is going to like the new system. Sometimes, simple things are the best things. (I.E. Starcraft.)

Umm, I think StarCraft had too many factors to be considered simple. There were so many different strategies and if the opponent didn't do any of the X plays you were expecting, them you have to completely reformulate your plan. Or even when and how you attack, with what types of creatures, and how many. Top-level StarCraft is way way way more complicated than top-level TF2 play will ever be.


The good news about all this updating with Valve is:

1.) They are keeping a game fresh and continually drawing in more players with this (compared to DeathMatch where they released it and left it alone).

2.) Maybe the most important. Valve listens to their community. If they release this and it ABSOLUTELY flops, they WILL change it. They want people to like their game and will make sure their player-base is happy.


I remember when they first released the medic update with his unlocks. The forums were flooded with how bad and stupid this was. How crappy the kritzkrieg was, how overpowered the ubersaw and blautsager was (okay, I do admit the needlegun could use a buff, especially with no crit servers available).

As much as change can be scary, I trust Valve with their extensive testing to find a balance. At this point, I'm not going to worry about it until it happens.

[YokaI]

Umm, I think StarCraft had too many factors to be considered simple. There were so many different strategies and if the opponent didn't do any of the X plays you were expecting, them you have to completely reformulate your plan. Or even when and how you attack, with what types of creatures, and how many. Top-level StarCraft is way way way more complicated than top-level TF2 play will ever be.

That's sort of what I meant, not exactly what you thought I meant. competitive games are what lasts. The thing about starcraft, and even fighting games such as street fighter, is that the controls and ideas "basic" but because of this simplicity it adds a whole new layer of depth over it. When you compare Starcraft to a game like Sup-Com (Nobody plays that anymore, like I knew was going to happen), it is "simple" but because of it's simplicity it creates a great competitive environment.

I don't know, this TF2 update can be alright, but the game would have been much more of a competitive game if they just left it the way it was.