A Brief History
Team Fortress 2 was released in October of 2007 as a part of Half-Life 2: Orange Box package. A successor to the popular Team Fortress Classic, the game was under development for almost 9 years, switching both development teams and the platform for which it was built on several times during this period. Robin Walker, one of two key designers, admitted the team had gone through "probably three to four different games" before settling on their final design. Finally the team did settle on a final design, one based on the Source SDK platform.
Valve released very little news on the development progress, causing many fans to question whether the game was even being developed. However during the 2006 Electronic Arts press conference, Valve officially revealed Team Fortress 2 and that it would ship as part of Half-Life 2: Episode 2, renamed The Orange Box. Following this announcement, the initial beta was released in September 2007 for all users who pre-ordered Orange Box via the Steam console.
The Game Team Fortress 2
While Team Fortress 2 is based on its predessor, Team Fortress Classic, it is clearly a completely different game. The most obvious difference, and striking aspect for that matter, is the graphics. If you have seen any screenshots or videos, then you immediately notice the “Looney-Toons” look that all the models and maps share. However, although the look is simple and animated, it hardly takes away from the power of the Source Engine. The maps are also major factor as to why Team Fortress 2 is so much fun. Relatively small and simple, the maps keep people compacted in small areas causing for massive battles.
The classes found in Team Fortress 2 are very similar to those found in the older Team Fortress, both in functionality and in purpose. There are a total of 9 classes, Heavy Weapon Guy, Pyro, Engineer, Demoman, sniper, soldier, spy, medic, and scout. The 9 classes are divided into 3 main categories: offense, defense, and support. While many of the arsenals of these classics are the same, the engineer being able to assemble turrets, medics being able to heal, snipers with rifles, etc, much of the weapons found in the game have changed. Obviously, the appearance has changed with the new graphics engine, but so has the functionality of weapons.
Team Fortress 2 Classes
The official player classes for Team Fortress 2:
Scout
Weapons: Scattergun, pistol, baseball bat
Key Features: Extremely fast on his feet, good for capturing control points. Also can jump twice as high as other characters, allowing him to switch direction in mid-air.
Soldier
Weapons: Rocket launcher, shotgun, shovel
Key Features: Slow moving, but have a high tolerance for damage as well as the ability to attack both long and short range. A key class for capturing control points.
Pyro
Weapons: Scattergun, pistol, baseball bat
Key Features: Extremely fast on his feet, good for capturing control points. Also can jump twice as high as other characters, allowing him to switch direction in mid-air.
Demoman
Weapons: Grenade launcher, sticky bomb launcher, bottle
Key Features: Average damage with grenades, but gives you the ability to clear opponents out of those hard to reach places. Also sticky bombs are good for defending points.
Heavy
Weapons: Chaingun, shotgun, fists
Key Features: Very tough and can take a lot of damage. His weapon is inaccurate, however with the help of a medic, he can become an unstoppable firing force
Engineer
Weapons: Shotgun, pistol, wrench
Key Features: On top of his basic weapons, Engineers can also build dispenseries, teleporters, and sentry guns. They are key to moving, supplying, and supporting team mates in the heat of battle.
Medic
Weapons: Healing gun, syringe launcher, bone saw
Key Features: Important for resupplying health to the players on the battlefield. While his weapons are weak, the medic can defend himself when he needs to.
Sniper
Weapons: Sniper rifle, submachine gun, and machete
Key Features: Perfect for those long range attacks and offering cover for your teammates. Find yourself a nice hiding spot, and wait for your enemies to find themselves in your sights.
Spy
Weapons: Revolver, butterfly knife, sapper, cloaking device
Key Features: The undisputed king of disguise, can take the appearance of enemy players to get deep into enemy lines. His sapper can also destroy enemy buildings.
Will The Ability To Buy Team Fortress 2 Individually Make You More Likely To Pick Up A Copy?
