Hey, how y'all doin'? Circuitous here. I know, right? Very exciting.

Okay, so, we've been a little quieter than necessary. I apologize for that.

As has been mentioned on the forums, the main reason things haven't been updated outside of the forums is that, well, no one had any access to it. While this sadly remains true for the ModDB page, it's no longer the case for the website - squeek and I are now wielding proper control, and have already brought about much-needed edits to its cobweb-infested, yet standards-compliant, DIVs.

That said, even more work has been going on behind the scenes - many of the cornerstones of the 2.1 update are being completed. Squeek's been rocking socks on the training front, DrEvil continues to pound away at the bot code, and 2fort once more is seeing the light of day.

So, what's the timeline? Despite our best efforts, that remains to be seen. It's an unfortunate fact that many prominent devs from the 2.0 patch and prior have now parted ways with Fortress Forever, or simply become less active, and what devs remain have a lot on their plates.

Suffice it to say, we could use some new people.

If you happen to be skilled in any of the following fields, or know someone who is, get in contact with the team - either through the forums, or by e-mail. Our job openings page has the goods.

• Model Animator
  
• Level Designer
  
• Texture Artist
  
• Prop Artist
  
• Programmer
  
• Level Optimization and Clean Up
  
• Lua Scripter

We want to get as many people on board as we can - recruitment behind the scenes has already been moving steadily along. You probably already know them, but I'll introduce them here anyway.

Welcome to:

Programmer

• DT
  
• Professional

Mappers

• Sh4x
  
• BlisTer
  
• redux
  
• Nezumi

Map Optimization

• Elmo-

Modeling/Animating

• -pF-

Props

• Crazycarl

and hopefully more on the way.

People, we can do this. And with a few more folks on hand, it'll be that much quicker. All we need is the support and understanding of the community, and this patch will be out sooner than you think, and with a lot more to expect on the horizon.

Patch time: (See post below for SERVER installs)

CLIENT Patch (1.11 to 2.0)
AE 83689's Hosting (AKA Zip)
AE 5316's Hosting
FileFront
Multiplay UK - UK only
Multiplay UK - worldwide
Wireplay UK

Professional's Download Mirror
Clan Goodfella's FTP

We also have 3 official EU servers up (hosted by wireplay)
#1: 194.154.191.30:27015 Funmaps + spam (epicenter/waterpolo/push/hunted/well)
#2: 194.154.191.30:27017 Clanstyle CTF (openfire/sd2/monkey/aardvark/dropdown)
#3: 194.154.191.30:27019 3rd server, undecided what this is yet :-)

So if you want to come chat to me i'll probably be hanging out there!

CHANGELOG:

GENERIC / Misc stuff:

• Walls no longer apply friction to grenades, concmaps should be possible now!
  
• Small auto-conc for HH concs when you dont jump
  
• Frag grenade damage up to 145 (patch 1.0 was 180, patch 1.11 was 126). Radius the same.
  
• Throwing the flag is now upwards slightly rather than skidding along the floor
  
• Re-added recoil for some weapons (e.g. IC)
  
• Suiciding no longer causes you to lose 100 fortress points
  
• bhop now 1.20 up from 1.10
  
• Better intermission scoreboard/player handling
  
• Made the currently held grenade timer bar more visible than the dropped ones
  
• pyro scream time only triggers once every 1.7 seconds now
  
• Added cl_reducedexplosions to help fps problems
  
• Added a cvar for ragdoll lifetime
  
• NEW!! assault cannon fire sound

Visuals:

• Grenades now have trails and halo's around them
  
• Blue and yellow pipes now have trails
  
• Player models have been tweaked to increase visibility
  
• Grenade models have been tweaked to increase visibility
  
• SG models have been tweaked to increase visibility
  
• SG now throws out sparks when it's below 50% health
  
• Flags now GLOW
  
• Single Shotgun reload animation (thanks a084)
  
• New IC model!
  
• No more ugly background for build timers
  
• New HUD security icons for shutdown style maps
  
• Shotgun muzzle flash more visible
  
• Many visuals now line up correctly in widescreen modes (damage indicators, Context menus etc)
  
• New EMP effect
  
• HUD health / armor no longer flashes red when you are hit. It'll only flash red when you are < 25% health to prevent confusion. (instead it flashes white when hit)
  
• Grenade 2 timer up a bit so it's not so far down
  
• New explosion scorch decal which doesnt make your whole base black.
  
• 'on fire' hud HUD redness reduced a lot
  
• Cvars for turning off targets + gren trails (also in options menu)
  
• Teamcolour hud can now go back to normal again
  

Bug fixes:

• Grenade target timing bug (
  
• Medkit fix. Should be much easier to heal people with medkit and spanner now, as friendlies are lag predicted now.
  
• Dispenser / SG health now displays properly on the HUD even if you are far away.
  
• CL_CopyExistingEntity crash fixed at last (!!)
  
• SG now tracks properly when built on a slope
  
• Death by burning is no longer a suicide
  
• Fixed LUA error causing security icons to disappear when players connected
  
• Fix for spies being able to sabotage when they're dead
  
• Demoman grenades hopefully dont bounce of people any more
  
• Readded interpolation for projectiles
  
• Put in a fix for grenade timers not showing up

Class-specific changes:
Scout:

• Caltrops and radar have been removed. Instead they have a buildable jump pad on +attack2. Jumppad is invincible - det it by double right-tapping. You can only carry one, similar to a detpack. They last 60 seconds before auto-detting. Any team can use them.
  
• Players can only use a jump pad once every second, so they dont get multiple triggers.
  
• Max conc speed after using the jumppad
  
• Reduced conc time for Scout down to Medic level
  
• Scouts now don't take fall damage.
  

Sniper:

• Sniper rifle base damage has been reduced from 42 to 35
  
• Radiotag duration reduced from 60 to 15 seconds.
  
• AR damage down from 7 to 5.5
  

Soldier:

• RPG damage radius increased slightly (from 108 to 125).
  
• RPG reload time decreased from 1.0 to 0.9 seconds.
  
• Nail grens tweaked a lot.
  
• Soldier special now quickswitches between shotgun and RPG.
  

Demoman:

• Blue pipe fuse timer dramatically decreased (from 2.5 to 1.1 seconds). Pipetrap explosion radius increased from 125 to 150.
  

Medic:

• Right click now discards medpacks for teammates to use (thanks mirv). These take 10 cells to use and the medic slowly recharges cells over time. Medpacks last 5 seconds before disappearing so the person you are throwing to has to pick them up soon (you can't leave a supply for your defenders for example)

HWGuy:

• New HW AC System! : Overheat removed (!), rof changed from 0.06-0.12 to 0.05-0.15. cof changed from 0.10-0.15 to 0.05-0.30.
  
• New AC clamp system - hold right mouse to clamp, let go to unclamp. Also fires when you are clamping so you can hold right mouse to clamp + fire (you dont have to hold mouse1 and mouse2)

Pyro:

• IC base damage has come down (from 60 to 50).
  
• Flamethrower damage increased to 16 from 13
  
• Flamethrower pushforce cap increased to 850 from 550.
  
• Pyro special now quickswitches between flamethrower and IC.
  
• Pyro vs Pyro now takes 100% damage up from 50%
  
• Flamethrower uppush up to 110 from 50.
  

Spy:

• Spy now has a 'last disguise' option on the menu
  
• knife damage up to 50 from 32.
  
• Disguise time halved.

Engineer:

• SG health has come down to 113% from 120% of TFC level(ish).
  
• SG bulletpush now works on the ground (thanks jiggs!).
  
• SG air bulletpush reduced to 15 from 24

ALL CLASSES (except medic):

• Melee weapons now do more damage. Crowbar + spanner up to 30 from 18. Knife up to 50 from 32.
  

New functionality:

• New splash screen to tell you about any updates to FF if you are playing an old version.
  
• New options screen with a load more stuff on it.
  

Map changes

Epicenter:

• New scoring system, capping flag results in that teams flag being reset back to cage, other team unaffected and can continue capturing. First to 3 captures wins and everyone resets.
  
• Extended balcony area around cap point for additional SG position
  
• Epicenter ammo bags now give a slight amount of health/armor (thanks gingerlord)
  
• Epicenter 3-cap LUA system added, some various tweaks
  
• Epicenter tweaks
  

Crossover

• VIS fixed, massive performance increase
  
• Test middle area structure for additional route
  
• Misc brush fixes
  
• Crossover2: More obvious Capture Point, lasers in air lift.(thanks gingerlord)
  
• Various crossover tweaks including a revamped midmap
  
• Crossover tweaks
  

Openfire

• Revamped version of ff_openfire_b2, with better lighting, clipped lights, decent water, better flag-security system, custom teamcoloured security buttons and stuff
  

Monkey

• monkey is now Red vs Blue
  
• monkey FPS vastly improved

Well

• Well front door buttons removed, walk up to it = it opens

Dustbowl

• Dustbowl now compiles properly, various visual fixes (gaps in ceilings etc)

Dropdown

• New, polished, bug-fixed version of the community map. Thanks Yann "Sh4x" Richer

Waterpolo

• New revamped version
  
  I know i've missed a shedload of stuff out... Everythings changed, enjoy the game! :-)

EDIT: Here's the server install files:


Current list of mirrors: (will update)

• AE 5316's Hosting
  
• Multiplay UK - worldwide
  
• Multiplay UK - UK only
  
• Filefront
  
• KubeDawg's Hosting
  
• AE 82694's Hosting (AKA Zip)
  
• Wireplay UK
  
• Clan Goodfella's FTP
  
• Professional's FTP
  

-----------------

Copy the files straight on top of any 1.11 install you have. Please put 2.0 in your server title so people know which server to join!

------------------

We're finally finished with the 2.0 patch!

Currently we're distributing the server package to all the mirrors we can find - if you can mirror, let us know! The server update package is only 115 MB.

Currently we are only hosting the server update package from 1.11 -> 2.0 patch. (we are not hosting the full 600 meg 2.0 server install right now)

This is because
a) 99% of people interested in running an FF server already have 1.11 running
b) If you don't have 1.11 running, you can download 1.11 full whilst you wait for us to get patch mirrors up, which gives you a headstart.
c) It gives the current server owners a little nod. (thanks for sticking with us!)

When the client installs are up, we will be hosting a 2.0 full patch (600+ meg), 1.11 -> 2.0 update patch (90 meg) and 1.0 -> 2.0 update patch (160 meg).

This means, if you don't have 1.11 installed and you want to give 2.0 a go, save some time by downloading 1.11 now!

Hi Guys,

Progress update on the next patch:

We are now in BETA! Which means most of the changes have been finalised and are undergoing balance testing. We had an extremely successful beta test last weekend, and I can safely say that you will LOVE the next patch :-)

I won't paste the entire beta changelog because (a) it's far too long and (b) some stuff is still being tweaked. But the major changes:

GAMEPLAY

• Scout: Caltrops and radar have been removed. Instead they have a buildable jump pad on +attack2.
  
• Sniper: AR and Sniper rifle base damage has been reduced. (AR much moreso than SR)
  
• Soldier: RPG damage radius increased to more TFC-like. RPG reload time decreased slightly. Nail gren code has been rewritten: they now own SGs again, and use much less server resources to use.
  
• Demoman: Blue pipe fuse timer dramatically decreased (from 2.5 to 1.1 seconds). Pipetrap + blue pipe explosion radius increased (pipetrap moreso than blues).
  
• Medic: Medic's special ability now throws medpacks for teammates to use (still undergoing tweaking)
  
• HWGuy: New overheat system. You no longer overheat and there is no need for tapping (yay!) (still undergoing tw
  
• Pyro: IC base damage has come down. Pyro vs Pyro flame damage increased from 50% to 100% of base (affects IC and flamethrower), but Pyro's still can't be lit on fire.
  
• Spy: knife damage up to 50 from 32. Disguise time halved.
  
• Engineer: SG health has come down to 113% from 120% (ish). Bullet push reduced.
  
• ALL CLASSES (except medic): Melee weapons now do more damage. Crowbar + spanner up to 30 from 18. Knife up to 50 from 32. Frag gren dmg increased slightly (they were decreased 30% in the 1.11 patch - they are now about halfway). Bhop cap increased to 1.15 from 1.10 (when i mentioned 1.08% it was my error - we never tested that value on beta and the correct value is 1.15)

Also if you are on the ground when hand-held concing (and you don't jump), then you will perform a small conc jump rather than nothing happening. This will make it much easier for new players to understand what's going on, and less frustrating to switch between floor concs and HH concs.

VISUALS

• Grenades now have trails and halo's around them (thanks mirv)
  
• Blue and yellow pipes now have trails (thanks mirv / jiggles)
  
• Nails now have a slight glow behind them to increase visibility
  
• Player models have been tweaked to increase visibility (thanks 5316)
  
• Grenade models have been tweaked to increase visibility (thanks 5316)
  
• SG models have been tweaked to increase visibility (thanks 5316)
  
• SG now throws out sparks when it's below 50% health (thanks jiggles)
  
• New IC model! (well, a retextured RPG with some parts cut off, thanks omen + 5316 + decs)
  
• No more ugly background for build timers (thanks mirv)
  
• New HUD security icons for shutdown style maps (thanks 5316)
  
• New FOV change on speed effect. Work in progress. Can turn this off/on from the fortress options menu item. (thanks mirv)
  
• Shotgun muzzle flash more visible (thanks mirv)
  
• Many visuals now line up correctly in widescreen modes (damage indicators, Context menu (thanks mirv)
  
• Acceleration blur has changed, try it see what you think (thanks mirv)
  
• AC firing blur has changed, try it see what you think (thanks mirv)
  
• Fixed a conc/EMP effect issue (thanks mirv)
  
• HUD health / armor no longer flashes red when you are hit. It'll only flash red when you are < 25% health to prevent confusion. (instead it flashes white when hit)
  
• Grenade 2 timer up a bit so it's not so far down (thanks mirv)
  

BUGS / FIXES:
- Medkit fix. Should be much easier to heal people with medkit and spanner now, as friendlies are lag predicted now. (thanks jiggles)
- Suiciding no longer causes you to lose 100 fortress points

New functionality

• New splash screen to tell you about any updates to FF if you are playing an old version.
  
• New options screen with a load more stuff on it.

Wow, i guess i ended up pasting most of the beta changelog, haha. Basically the soldier is awesome to play now. Can pop people up in the air much easier than before, airshot more etc. He's really fun to play. Demoman is awesome now that blues are actually usable. He can DM like a beast now (but obv still has pretty low health, and no super shotgun) - so you dont just hide in a corner waiting to det a trap any more, you have more of an active role. HW should be much less annoying, personally I think the new charge system is awesome, but hey i would say that, i wrote it, lol. The jump pad is awesome but the physics are still undergoing tweaks. Basically means that the scout enables heavier offense classes and has a much more usable special (caltrops and radar were both pretty lame). The visuals are awesome.. everything is better! I'd better stop writing!

Anyway, the good news is, we're almost finished. Unfortunately this means stats probably won't make this patch but we decided to focus on fixing gameplay first, as if there's nobody playing the game, then there won't be any stats anyway :-) Stats hopefully next patch!

All that's left to do is tweak the jump pad values and the overheat system and a few other bits and bobs.

We're aiming to get everything locked down this weekend then a patch a week later, so hopefully first week in february-ish!

Hi Guys,

Just a small update as to where we are, and the progress over the last few weeks.

Firstly, we have a team working on improving the wiki (thanks to Ihmhi for heading this up!). Lots of content has been added, templates up and running, screenshots and tutorials are under way.

We have hired a new texture artist - welcome to [AE]5316. He's been improving the visability of player models, Sentry Guns, grenades, projectiles - you name it. The distinction between certain player models is a lot easier to see now and will continue to get better - watch this space. He's also knocked up some proper security icons (for the hud) which will be in next patch.

Schtop is now well into construction as is 2fort.

Recent code changes:

• We now have a working 'explosion radius' piece of code (thanks DrEvil!). Previously, explosion radius was done simply on the damage of the explosion. This means we can raise the impact distance of rockets (so it's easier to push people around with them), whilst maintaining the same damage.
• The HUD animations for taking damage has been altered, so it is much easier to tell when you are low on health, whilst in the middle of a firefight.
• Nail grenade has been tweaked so it doesnt destroy server CPU any more. This should decrease lag and increase FPS.
• The speedometer is now visible in its entirety (thanks Zatoichi!)
• SG's and dispensers now spark when they are low on health. We're playing with different effects to see whats the coolest.
• Bunny hop cap has been raised slightly

A lot of other code changes are under way but are more complex (e.g. coding a custom vertex shader to make models glow) and are taking a while to implement/test, so i'll let you guys know when they are done.

In the community, it seems activity has picked up and we are seeing an increased playerbase across the board. I don't know if this is because everyone upgraded their PCs at christmas, or some people are giving 1.11 a go after giving up at version 1.0. Either way, we are certainly excited to see the numbers start rising again, and hope that the next patch will further increase player numbers.