Powerlord

Applying updates to server now. Also, new comic which makes references to a lot of the Meet the Team videos. And it has everyone's favorite Administrator and her assistant Ms. Pauling in it.

Yes, you did. I knew you did, because you kept voting to turn them back on. However... did Bleck or Brushfire? (As an FYI).

I could go check the map configs, but I'm unaware of any map configs turning crits on. Interesting... cp_dustbowl config turns crits on. Will fix shortly and continue checking. pl_goldrush had the same problem. Also fixed.

Strangely, rockets aren't the only types of attacks that crit!!!!!11111 There are a number of weapons that aren't powerful enough to kill 125 HP classes in two hits, but they will in a single crit shot, because crit shots do triple damage and ignore distance damage falloff. Edit: My bad, it's only melee crits that do triple damage. Normal crits do double. And clearly it doesn't matter to you that much or you would have noticed that BLU has had random crits off for the last 4-5 weeks... well before the last major update where they removed the nocrit affect from a number of weapons. Which just goes to show what Necro said is true: If you just turn random crits off, no one will notice... other than the people who play Spy a lot, because the backstab animation doesn't play any more. And before you ask, random crits are still on on RED.

Mandatory update for all Orange Box 2009 engine games (TF2, CS:S, DOD:S, HL2:DM) coming later today. I'll update the server and post the patch notes when it actually hits.

All 3 versions of Portal 2 are currently Amazon's Deal of the Day on Amazon US. Specifically, they are: PC/Mac $29.99 Xbox 360 $34.99 PS3 $34.99

I've been exploring other options, but it looks like we're locked in a contract with our cable company until September. At that point, I'll likely switch to AT&T DSL 1.5Mbit/s (which is the highest they offer here) despite them adding caps just to get away from this crappy company (Broadstripe Cable). Honestly, it seems like I've had problems with them ever since our last subscription renewal.

Sorry, my ISP is practicing being extra crappy this weekend and I've had ~150ms ping times to any game server since Thursday night, even after resetting my cable modem, router, and all computers on my network.

TF2 Beta updated, changing some of the weapons being tested around and adding some new variations:

There are apparently two extra hats in the update that look suspiciously Plants vs. Zombies themed, too... Bucket o' Brains (Soldier hat) and Dead Cone (Pyro hat).

More promo items coming to TF2 for preordering Mount & Blade With Fire & Sword and for completing new levels in SpaceChem. The SpaceChem one is a crafting ingredient that allows you to craft SpaceChem related items. TF2 Blog Entry: Mounts and Blades and Hats and Fires and Hats and Swords Also: Server update required for this. Updating now. Update complete. You may frag when ready.

OCReMix TF2 Beta is back up and running, if you want to test stuff. 206.217.135.94:27015 (soon to be beta.ocrtf2.com:27015, but I must have deleted that subdomain and it has to be readded to the main DNS for ocrtf2.com). I have a feeling you'll see people on it even if you don't, though, as it's one of 19 TF2 Beta servers currently in the Master Server List.

Hmm... maybe we should set the beta server back up and test that to see if it works, or if it really does need to be a normal (non-environmental/suicide) kill. On another front, work has been progressing on the new version of Mapchooser Extended. When it's ready and all the obvious bugs are worked out, you'll likely see it show up on BLU and RED.

Even Polycount had a few items that introduced new features. Your Eternal Reward, for instance. Excellent. Here's hoping the fix includes the "I murdered your toys as well!" line for the Spy. Which it looks like it does.

I wouldn't assume they replace the standard weapons just because of their names.

All sorts of new stuff just went into the TF2 Beta. We'll see what makes it through to final. Anyway, new stuff in beta is:

The sequel is considerably longer. As I recall, the game is split into either 9 or 10 chapters, with a number of test chambers and other things in each one.

Really? The first time I played through Portal it took me about 4 hours.

The hotel room is a sort of stasis chamber. Hence why it tells you the number of days you were in suspended animation when you wake up... and the second time it wakes you up, it says something like 99999 days.

Well, that may help get it out.

Portal (1) has music at various parts of the game, but none with vocals until the end credits. The music tracks are named after where they first play in the game, with names like "Taste of Blood" and "Subject Name Here."

Thanks for not emailing the server admin lists about this required, clients can't connect until you update patch, Valve! BLU and RED are down for the moment while the update happens since no one can connect to them anyway. Edit: Servers should be up now.

Only two more single player achievements left to go. Unfortunately, haven't done any multiplayer yet... also time for me to leave for class.

Totally agree. On another subject, I haven't had a chance to try co-op yet. Then again, I also haven't been bugging people about it, in case they're playing through the single player campaign yet.

That's nice of them, except some of them are still missing... HL2:Ep2 and TF2 for example. Oh well, TF2 and Orange Box both had price drops a few weeks before Portal 2's release anyway.