It took almost 20 years, but Team Fortress 2, the team-based FPS that changed a great many lives when it debuted in 2007, now has an SDK that Valve says will enable creators "to build completely new games based on TF2."
The Team Fortress 2 SDK is actually a "massive update" to the Source SDK that adds all of the client and server game code, which opens the doors to pretty much anything. "Unlike the Steam Workshop or local content mods, this SDK gives mod makers the ability to change, extend or rewrite TF2, making anything from small tweaks to complete conversions possible," Valve wrote.
A non-commercial license granted to users means mods made with the SDK can be published on Steam, but must be free, as must all content included in any mods. Acknowledging that the majority of inventory items in Team Fortress 2 are now made by the TF2 community, Valve also encouraged mod makers to avoid making mods "that have the purpose of trying to profit off Workshop contributors' efforts."
This is a big deal for TF2 fans, who can now do pretty much whatever they want with the game. I can't help wondering if the release of the SDK update was driven in part by persistent demand from those fans that Valve do something to "save TF2," which had become overrun by bots, rendering the game virtually unplayable. Valve has taken some action to right the ship, but it's possible that this SDK update is a way of telling players that it's time to start taking care of their own business. Then again, it took Valve eight years to come across with a new Team Fortress 2 comic, so maybe this is just how it goes—Valve Time, and all that.
If you're not interested in making mods and just want to play the game, there's good news for you in today's announcement too: Valve said it's "also doing a big update to all our multiplayer back-catalogue Source engine titles (TF2, DoD:S, HL2:DM, CS:S, and HLDM:S), adding 64-bit binary support, a scalable HUD/UI, prediction fixes, and a lot of other improvements!" Team Fortress 2 also got a beefy new update today—the full patch notes on that are below.
- Added missing files for Taunt: The Travel Agent
- Added No Hat styles for the Cozy Cover-Up
- Added VScript support for HIDEHUD_MATCH_STATUS flag to hide the Match Status panel
- Added a borderless window option to video settings
- Added bicubic lightmaps (from Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Update)
- Added radial fog (from Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Update)
- Added support for Steam Networking
- Made the default server name for listen servers include the player's name
- Made the game launch in native resolution by default instead of 640x480
- Client-side prediction fixes (these fix 'jank'/rollback in certain situations)
- Fixed a prediction bug where if the player was moved on the client, their input-based movement for that tick was not taken into account in non-player actions
- Improved prediction for walking on props and other entities
- Made certain client-side entities only trigger local prediction errors
- e.g. If the viewmodel experiences a prediction error, the player will not experience a prediction error
- Fixed prediction of viewmodel sway
- Fixed a prediction error regarding weapon idle animations
- Fixed a prediction bug where if the player was moved on the client, their input-based movement for that tick was not taken into account in non-player actions
- Fixed certain breakable props not gibbing correctly
- Fixed an issue where certain variables like position would not be updated correctly to match the server in certain situations
- Fixed the player's base velocity (eg. conveyors, moving items etc.) getting subtly out of sync from client/server
- Fixed players being able to spam duel cancellation messages for a duel that doesn't exist
- Fixed not being able to join community servers via Steam invites or game info
- Fixed lighting position discrepancies for cosmetic items, weapons, and viewmodels (community fix from ficool2)
- Fixed Equipped label overlapping attribute icons in the loadout menu (community fix from Lindon)
- Fixed an issue with props and team colors when taunting with Australium weapons
- Fixed the Voices from Below effect not working when taunting with the Highland Hound set equipped
- Fixed player voice commands being abruptly ended when the player enters shallow water
- Fixed incorrect number on the Geneva Contravention achievement icon
- Fixed the Military Style for The Surgeon General to stay properly semi-visible at all angles
- Fixed some classes missing the BLU team material for That '70s Chapeau
- Fixed the Spanish-Latin America option being displayed as English in the Settings menu
- Fixed the MOTD dialog not working for Spanish-Latin America
- Updated attribute descriptions for The Scottish Resistance and the Stickybomb Jumper to use 'stickybomb' instead of 'pipebomb'
- Updated equip_region settings for The Little Bear, The Heavy-Weight Champ, The Grand Duchess Tutu, and the Combat Slacks to fix unnecessary conflicts
- Updated the Spooky Night and Ominous Night Unusual taunt effects to fix a visual bug (Thanks Kiffy!)
- Updated koth_overcast_final to improve optimization
- Updated ctf_applejack
- Added block bullets to some stores
- Unblocked a window at mid, allowing Snipers to shot across the middle hut
- Removed the missing texture in BLU spawn
- Gave a chicken a friend, because friendship is magic
- Added block bullets to some stores
- Updated cp_fortezza
- New radio model for spawn rooms
- Changed sentry shack ammo pack on last to a medium
- Adjusted health pickups throughout the map
- Changed kill volume on cap A double doors to be more consistent with visuals
- Improved bot support (Thanks Star Bright)
- Detail pass
- New radio model for spawn rooms
- Updated pl_patagonia
- [Stage 1]
- Fixed some RED bots stuck forever trying to make an impossible jump on the stairs outside spawn
- Fixed the cart not capping the first point on extremely rare occasions
- Fixed some RED bots stuck forever trying to make an impossible jump on the stairs outside spawn
- [Stage 2]
- Improved optimization
- Fixed a nodraw floor near the first BLU spawn train bridge waterfall
- Fixed 3D skybox looking pitch black for players using mat_hdr_level 2
- Improved optimization
- [Stage 3]
- Improved optimization
- Fixed wrap assassin baubles colliding with a solid func_brush bounding box outside BLU spawn
- Removed the platform above the open choke of the last point
- Added an additional path to the window overlooking the open choke of the last point
- Fixed RED bots getting stuck on a solid fence outside the RED spawn
- Fixed 3D skybox looking pitch black for players using mat_hdr_level 2
- Improved optimization
- [Stage 1]
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