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Team Fortress 2 update now available on Steam

by: Dan -
More On: Team Fortress 2
More good news from the folks at Valve, as those that have Team Fortress 2 through Steam will have a update next time they fire up the client. The auto update will fix a host of issues and add several new features on both the client and server side. There is way to much to list, so check out all the updates after the jump:
Team Fortress 2 Update Released
FEBRUARY 2, 2009, 5:28 PM - JASON RUYMEN - PRODUCT UPDATE
Updates to Team Fortress 2 have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The specific changes include:

New client features
 Added Viewmodel FOV slider to advanced multiplayer options
 Added a hide viewmodel option to advanced multiplayer options
 Added custom crosshair support
 Added crosshair image, scale, and color settings to the Options->Multiplayer settings tab
 Moved HUD minimal mode & Disable Spray options into the Advanced Multiplayer settings
 Added "open_charinfo_direct" command that opens the loadout directly to the class you're currently playing
 Replaced the "Open Loadout" entry in the options->keys dialog with this new command. Rebind / reset your config to defaults to use it

New server features
 Added "tf_damage_disablespread" convar to disable the 25% damage spread on all damage
 Added class limit support to tournament mode
 Set the "tf_tournament_classlimit_X" convars to the max number of class X allowed
 Added "tf_tournament_hide_domination_icons" convar, that allows a tournament mode server to force clients not to display domination icons over their nemeses

Gameplay changes
 Modified critical hit calculation. Overall, critical hit chance is now much more recent-performance based:
 Base chance is now 2% (was 5%).
 Bonus range based on damage done changed from 0%-15% to 0%-10
 Damage range required for bonus changed from 0-1600 to 0-800
 Reduced random damage spread applied to all player damage from +-25% to +-10%
 Slight reduction (improvement) of the minigun's spread
 Increased flare direct hit damage from 20 to 30
 Rewrote Natascha's slowdown code to be more consistent
 Sniper rifle now supports Crit Boost state like all other weapons (i.e. Kritzkrieg makes all shots critical hits)
 Stealthed spies are no longer able to pickup the intelligence. They must uncloak first
 Increased soldier primary ammo count from 16 to 20

Bugfixes
 Fixed crash when running in tools mode
 Added UTIL_IsCommandIssuedByServerAdmin() checks to several "physics_" CON_COMMAND scripts to prevent clients issuing the commands
 Fixed bug in teleporter logic that allowed engineers to build teleporters with HUGE health values
 Fixed matching teleporter not getting a health buff when the pair is upgraded (only the tele you were hitting got the health buff)
 Fixed Medic UberCharge percentage in minimal-HUD mode