TF2 Interview

While it's true that TF2 has been in development for while now, it's situation is nothing like Daikatana's was. The original Team Fortress was a Q1 mod designed by and for the personal use of a bunch of Australian college kids. They decided to release it over the internet, and it eventually became the first mod to overtake it's original game in popularity.

John Cook and Robin Walker (the head honchos behind TF) realized they had a hit on their hands, so they decided to create a sequel designed for Q2. "TF2" would be released as a retail expansion pack designed specifically for multiplay; the first of its kind. TF2 was nearly completed when John and Robin got word from id that they could not sell the mod unless they licensed the $500,000 Q2 engine. For two guys fresh out of college, this was not an option

It was at this time that Valve software was close to releasing Half-Life. Valve was interested in the ideas the aussies had for TF2, so they soon hired them. They thought that all they had to do was convert all the Q2 data they made to Half-Life's engine and release it as an expansion for H-L. But instead, everyone at Valve had a "couple of ideas" they would like to add, each idea becoming bigger than the one before. It was then that they realized that this game could be more than just a cut-and-paste expansion pack, but become the TF2 that we see in preview after preview.

I've been a part of the TF community for over 3 years, seeing its Golden Age come and go. I've been waiting for TF2 longer than 99% of the gamers that are excited by it today, but I'm not annoyed. These delays are for the better. I don't consider TF2 to have begun development until after Valve began work on it after Half-Life. Had it been released as a Q2 pack as originally planned, it would have been little more than a glorified TFC. The TF2 we see today is going to set the standard for team-based gaming.

How bout some "werd" sTeve?

I think q3f is way closer to the original TF.. Alot closer than TFC is anyways..

I mean, reloading at _any_ time, regardless? Oof, that's a BIG change.

-PS TFC is to TF as pacman for n64 is to pacman arcade game

Interesting things are still being done with TFC. I don't think it will be a smart thing for Valve to take a bite out of their own game like that until it has a foot firmly in the grave. It's likely that when TF2 does come out, TFC will still have a major following. To whatever extent they can reasonably avoid competition with their own product, that is probably the wisest approach.

When the original game has all but died off, then it will be time to start overlapping with the original game elements and basing a new game around that style of play. In the meantime, personally what I hope they will do is offer a genuine TeamFortress Classic to please those who are picky about the original rules & physics, and also for the benefit of those who missed out on the early days of the game.

Also, at some point I hope to see officially endorsed packs of player-authored maps distributed, perhaps on a regular basis, so that the average less-informed HL'er sees a bit more variety and the rest of us get a chance to play on these maps, many of which are excellent and have never seen much acton.

einexile

dammit i want to know the system requirements and i want to know them NOW!

fatbeaner

when the FOOK is TF2 coming out? -- Sir William Wallace

fuck -- it didn't work

TF2 is gonna rock, and I think we all know that.

*testing new sig*

Half the reason Im getting impatient with TF2 is because the longer TF2 takes, the longer it is before I get Half-Life 2 (ofg course the other half is because I want TF2 so badly I could scream...).

there's nothing in this interview that hasn't been said 100 times. SHUT UP and make the game Valve, or at least give us something new if you're gonna interview.

Seriously.

I remember hearing about TF2 for the Quake2 engine when Half-life was announced during the summer a while ago.

This thing might take longer than Daikatana.


Dopeman

TF2 Better come out!

Dopeman

TF2 better come out this year!