Team Fortress 2 Beta

Team Fortress 2 Beta is a separate Template:W version of the game and open to all premium players. Released on December 2, 2010, this is the second period of public beta testing – the first one occurring before the official release of the game. The current beta is used for purposes including, but not limited to:

• Testing and tuning various class, item, and weapon changes.
• Testing map changes and variants.
• Running higher level, game-wide experiments (like doubling player health).
• Testing new technologies without the risk of breaking the game.

Players receive all achievement-related items, any weapons that are currently under testing, certain promotional items that their Steam account is entitled to, and other items that may be given out for testing occasionally. Random drops, Crafting, and Trading are currently enabled. The Mann Co. Store is not available. The current Team Fortress 2 Beta differs from the first beta that was released to any user who pre-ordered the game back in 2007, and is more similar to the closed beta from 2009.

Changes currently undergoing testing

New weapons

Class		Ammo loaded	Ammo carried	Damage range	Notes/Special abilities
Medic	Beta Quick-Fix†	N/A	N/A	N/A	ÜberCharge increases healing by 300% and grants immunity to movement-impairing effects  +40% heal rate  +40% UberCharge rate  Can't overheal.  Move at the speed of any faster heal target.
†This weapon was added to TF2 as the Quick-Fix in the Über Update. This beta variation still exists as a separate weapon with its pre-release stats.

Changed weapons

Class	Item	Old	New
Soldier	Equalizer	Blocks healing while in use Move speed increases as the user becomes injured No damage penalty Base damage: 33-113	No longer blocks healing  Move speed no longer increases as the user becomes injured  Slight high-end damage penalty Base damage: 33–107
Pyro	Flame Thrower	~ Base damage: 6.2/particle	+10% damage bonus Base damage: 6.82/particle
	Backburner	+10% damage bonus Base damage: 6.82/particle	No damage bonus Base damage: 6.82/particle
	Degreaser	No damage penalty Base damage: 6.2/particle	-10% damage penalty Base damage: 6.14/particle
Heavy	Tomislav	~	-50 max health on wearer

Other changes

• The public IP is now displayed in the console when creating a local server, and the output for the exec command has been altered.

Bugs

• Crit-a-Cola incorrectly uses the texture of Bonk! Atomic Punch.
• The Cow Mangler 5000 is incorrectly listed as being paintable in the backpack due to the Mangler using paint textures to apply the team colours seen on the Mangler.
  • Paint cans are not consumed when used on it and the paint is not applied.
  • The Mann. Co catalogue does not list the Mangler as being paintable
• tf_allow_taunt_switch currently does not work correctly.
  • The weapon switch can occur only through the use of invprev and invnext, which are bound to the mousewheel by default, and not the number keys regardless of the value of hud_fastswitch.
  • If enabled, the effects of Bonk! Atomic Punch or Crit-a-Cola are not applied to the player as the game automatically switches the player's weapons during the drinking animation instead of after the animation has completed. The drink however is 'consumed' and the player must wait for it to recharge before using it again.
• The welcome string for connecting to a server on a full moon is not present, so the string token #TF_Welcome_fullmoon is shown instead.
• The Equalizer still suppresses Medic calls when held, despite the fact that Soldiers carrying it can now be healed.

Previous changes

Class	Item	Old	New	Status
Scout	Shortstop	~	20% slower reload speed	Not Active (9/23/2011)
		20% slower reload speed	50% slower reload speed	Add to game (10/13/2011)
	Mad Milk	Players heal 75% of the damage done to an enemy covered with milk	Players heal 60% of the damage done to an enemy covered with milk	Added to game (4/14/2011)
	Sun-on-a-Stick	Minicrits against burning players -15% damage done Base damage: 30 Crit: 90	Full crits against burning players  -25% damage done Base damage: 26 Crit: 79	Added to game (4/14/2011)
	Fan O'War	Marked for death status lasts 10 seconds	Marked for death status lasts 15 seconds	Added to game (4/14/2011)
Soldier	Beta Pocket Rocket Launcher	New weapon	When the medic healing you is killed you gain crit boost for 8 seconds  On Hit: -10 health	Not active (4/28/2011)
		When the medic healing you is killed you gain crit boost for 8 seconds	When the medic healing you is killed you gain mini-crit boost for 6 seconds	Not active (11/9/2011)
	Beta Pocket Rocket Launcher 2	When the medic healing you is killed you gain crit boost for 8 seconds	+15% ÜberCharge rate for the medic healing you.	Not active (11/9/2011)
	Beta Pocket Rocket Launcher 3	When the medic healing you is killed you gain crit boost for 8 seconds	50% faster reload time while being healed	Not active (11/9/2011)
	Battalion's Backup	Takes 175 damage to fully charge	Takes 350 damage to fully charge	Added to game (4/14/2011)
	Concheror	20% of damage done by teammates is returned as health during buff	35% of damage done by teammates is returned as health during buff	Added to game (4/14/2011)
	Beta Pocket Shotgun	New weapon	While a medic is healing you, this weapon's damage is increased by 25%  While not being healed by a medic, your weapon switch time is 25% longer	Not active (4/28/2011)
		While a medic is healing you, this weapon's damage is increased by 25% While not being healed by a medic, your weapon switch time is 25% longer	While a medic is healing you, this weapon's damage is increased by 20%  While not being healed by a medic, your weapon switch time is 30% longer	Not active (11/9/2011)
	Equalizer	~	Damage formula tweaked, no longer possible to one-hit-kill certain classes when at low health  Automatic and manual Medic calls are suppressed	Added to game (4/14/2011)
	Beta Split Equalizer 1	New weapon	Move speed increases as the user becomes injured  Blocks healing while in use	Not active (11/9/2011)
	Beta Split Equalizer 2	New weapon	Damage increases as the user becomes injured  Blocks healing while in use	Not active (11/9/2011)
Pyro	Backburner	No compression blast +15% damage done Base damage: 7.13 / particle Crit: 13-21 / particle	Added compression blast, 50 ammo per blast  +10% damage done Base damage: 6.82 / particle Crit:12-21 / particle	Added to game (4/14/2011)
	Degreaser	-25% burn damage penalty No damage penalty Base damage: 6.2/particle Afterburn: 2.25/tick	No burn damage penalty  -10% damage penalty Base damage: 6.14/particle Afterburn: 3/tick	Not active (11/9/2011)
	Flare Gun	Mini-crits against burning players at close range, full crits against burning players at long range	Full crits against burning players regardless of range	Added to game (4/14/2011)
	Detonator	New weapon	On hit, ignites enemy.  Alt-fire detonates flare in flight. It creates a small explosion which ignites nearby players, but does less damage than a normal hit. Knockback can be used to flare jump.  Guarantees critical damage on burning targets (direct flare hits only)  +20% explosion vulnerability on wearer.	Not active (6/17/2011)
		Flares do not detonate on impact with the world Guarantees critical damage on burning targets (direct flare hits only) +20% explosion vulnerability on wearer Flare jump height varies considerably based on client latency	Flares detonate on impact with the world with a greatly reduced explosion radius  Guarantees mini-crit damage on burning targets (direct flare hits only)  +20% damage to self  Flare jump height is consistent regardless of client latency	Not active (7/12/2011)3
	Reserve Shooter	~	Can be equipped by the Pyro	Added to game (10/13/2011)
	Powerjack	+25% damage No random critical hits Normal damage from melee sources while active	No damage bonus  Random critical hits enabled  +20% damage from melee sources while active	Added to game (4/14/2011)
Demoman	Loch-n-Load	+10% damage done Base damage: 92-135 Crit: 315-360	+20% damage done Base damage: 103-147 Crit: 342-388	Added to game (4/14/2011)
	Eyelander	No random critical hits No damage penalty Base damage: 65 Crit: 195	Random critical hits enabled  -25% damage done Base damage: 49 Crit: 146	Not Active1 (4/26/2011)
	Horseless Headless Horsemann's Headtaker	No random critical hits No damage penalty Base damage: 65 Crit: 195	Random critical hits  -25% damage done Base damage: 49 Crit: 146	Not Active1 (4/26/2011)
		No taunt	Now uses the Decapitation taunt	Added to game (6/3/2011)
	Claidheamh Mòr	No random critical hits No damage penalty Base damage: 65 Crit: 195	Random critical hits enabled  -25% damage done Base damage: 49 Crit: 146	Not Active1 (4/26/2011)
		No taunt	Now uses the Decapitation taunt	Added to game (6/3/2011)
	Ullapool Caber	No random critical hits No damage penalty Base damage: 35 (149 explosion) Crit: 149 (300 explosion)	Random critical hits enabled  -25% damage done Base damage: 26 (149 explosion) Crit: 79 (300 explosion)	Not Active1 (4/26/2011)
Heavy	Natascha	Slowdown-on-hit effect does not fall off over distance Normal spin-up time	Slowdown-on-hit effect falls off over distance  30% slower spin-up time	Added to game (12/17/2010)
	Natascha Variant 1	Slowdown-on-hit effect does not fall off over distance -25% damage done Base damage: 340 / sec. Crit: 720 / sec.	Slowdown-on-hit effect falls off over distance  -35% damage done Base damage: 312 / sec. Crit: 648 / sec.	Not Active (1/06/2011)
	Natascha Variant 2	Slowdown-on-hit effect does not fall off over distance No health penalty	Slowdown-on-hit effect falls off over distance  -20% max health on wearer	Not Active (1/06/2011)
	Dalokohs Bar	25.7 second cooldown	No cooldown	Added to game (4/14/2011)
	Fists of Steel	60% less damage from ranged sources while active Normal weapon switch	40% less damage from ranged sources while active  20% slower weapon switch	Added to game (4/14/2011)
Engineer	Widowmaker	Per Shot: -60 ammo	Per Shot: -30 ammo	Added to game (10/13/2011)
	Gunslinger	No random critical hits No damage penalty Base damage: 65 Crit: 195	Random critical hits enabled  -25% damage done Base damage: 49 Crit: 146	Not Active1 (4/26/2011)
	Southern Hospitality	No random critical hits No damage penalty Base damage: 65 Crit: 195	Random critical hits enabled  -25% damage done Base damage: 49 Crit: 146	Not Active1 (4/26/2011)
Medic	Overdose Beta Syringe Gun	New weapon	Applies Mad Milk to target for one second  50% slower firing rate  90% damage done Base damage: 1 Crit : 3 [5 syringes / sec.]	Not Active (4/28/2011)
		Applies Mad Milk to target for one second 50% slower firing rate -90% damage done Base damage: 1 Crit : 3 [5 syringes / sec.]	Applies Mad Milk to target for two seconds  50% slower firing rate  -50% damage done Base damage: 5 Crit : 15 [5 syringes / sec.]	Not Active (6/17/2011)
		Applies Mad Milk to target for two seconds 50% slower firing rate -50% damage done Übercharge percentage does not increase speed Base damage: 5 Crit : 15 [5 syringes / sec.]	Does not apply Mad Milk to target  100% firing rate  -10% damage done  Übercharge percentage increases movement speed by up to 10% Base damage: 9 Crit : 27 [10 syringes / sec.]	Added to game (6/23/2011)
	Medi Gun	~	Players being healed are immune to movement-impairing effects generated by hitscan weapons	Not Active (1/06/2011)
	Kritzkrieg	~	Players being healed are immune to movement-impairing effects generated by hitscan weapons	Not Active (1/06/2011)
	Quick-Fix	New weapon	ÜberCharge increases healing by 300% and grants immunity to movement-impairing effects  +50% heal rate  +50% ÜberCharge rate  Can't overheal  Move at the speed of any faster heal target.	Not Active (6/17/2011)
	Vita-Saw	~	Allows player to see the enemy's health	Not Active2 (4/26/2011)
	Solemn Vow Beta Bonesaw	New weapon	Allows you to see enemy health.	Added to game (6/23/2011)
Sniper	Sydney Sleeper	Normal charge rate	25% faster charge rate	Added to game (4/14/2011)
	Beta Sniper Rifle 1	New weapon	On Hit: Rifle charge rate increased by 35%  On Miss: Rifle charge rate decreased by 65%	Not Active (4/28/2011)
		On Hit: Rifle charge rate increased by 35%   On Miss: Rifle charge rate decreased by 65%	On Scoped Bodyshot: Rifle charge rate increased by 25%  On Scoped Headshot: Rifle charge rate increased by 45%  On Scoped Miss: Rifle charge rate decreased by -65%	Not active4 (11/9/2011)
	Beta Sniper Club 1	New weapon	25% increase in damage when health <50% of max  -25% decrease in damage when health >50% of max	Not active4 (11/9/2011)
All Classes	Health	~	All classes have double Health	Not Active (1/13/2011)
		~	All classes have 25% extra Health	Not Active (2/11/2011)
	Buildings	~	Damage against buildings reduced 50%.	Not Active (1/13/2011)
	Responses	~	All classes possess new response and voice command rules	Added to game (6/3/2011)
1These weapon changes went live in the Hatless Update but were reverted by an item schema update before the April 15, 2011 Patch. 2This Vita-Saw change was originally included in the Hatless Update patch notes, but never went live, and was later removed from the notes. 3The Detonator went live as a part of the Über Update, but had its self-damage increased to +25% and its maximum flare jump height reduced. 4These weapons were added as the Bazaar Bargain and Shahanshah in the Über Update. These beta variations continued to exist as separate weapons with their pre-release stats until the November 9, 2011 beta update.

Patches

Main article: Patches (Beta)

See also

• Team Fortress 2 Closed Beta

External Links

• Official TF2 Blog - Prepare for your examination!
• TF2 Beta forum on Steam Users' Forums
• TF2 Beta Update History on Steam Users' Forums