Back into TF2

[PorkPi]

So I now have a PC to play on and I loved playing TF2 up until I was no longer able, a while after the heavy update but before the scout update. What I want to know is whether or not the game has been taken over by hat trading and achievement whoring. Will I be able to find a game where I can just join in and enjoy the gameplay without getting ganked by a bunch of hat-wearing wannabes. Of course I'll try it out anyway but I want to know what's happened since I last played.

 

[Adabiviak]

Much has changed - you'll definitely notice the hats, but they're just a little frosting. The most significant changes in my opinion are for the Spy; the new watches not only change how you play the Spy, but most definitely the way you need to react to them. I haven't fully digested the latest costume sets (which, when worn together, give you extra abilities, and again, the Spy's is perhaps the most significant).

If you got ganked before in this game, you'll probably get ganked again, and yes, they'll probably be wearing hats.

 

[Acepilotf14]

Yes. But people don't care about achievements. They just want hats.

 

[Stigmata]

Join a server that isn't one of the following:

24/7 2fort
FreeFrag.com
LotusClan
running an achievement_* map

and you'll be fine. People largely don't give a crap about achievements thanks to random drops and recent downgrades in certain achievement difficulties.

 

[PorkPi]

Much has changed - you'll definitely notice the hats, but they're just a little frosting. The most significant changes in my opinion are for the Spy; the new watches not only change how you play the Spy, but most definitely the way you need to react to them. I haven't fully digested the latest costume sets (which, when worn together, give you extra abilities, and again, the Spy's is perhaps the most significant).

If you got ganked before in this game, you'll probably get ganked again, and yes, they'll probably be wearing hats.

So I'm not going to stumble upon hat trading severs or anything? That's good. And I'm just hoping the new stuff doesn't give everyone else an edge. I was actually good when I left off. I'm curious about the scout since he was my main class. Did the scout update make any huge changes I should worry about?
Edit: I've actually made a sort of personal vow not to use any hats if I find them.

 

[Stigmata]

Edit: I've actually made a sort of personal vow not to use any hats if I find them.

You will. Resisting only detracts from the quality of your life.

 

[Druckles]

You'll undoubtedly run across people trying to trade stuff, screaming across chat "WTT EPIC MOUNT". Just call an admin.

The game's still under there, beneath the hats and trading system, but the new weapons have changed it quite a bit. There are some weapons which you'd barely notice a difference playing against, like the degreaser or ubersaw. Some change it for you, like the sandvich and dead ringer. Then there are the some which will just make the whole experience annoying. I.e. Natascha.

 

[Paulaner]

Will I be able to find a game where I can just join in and enjoy the gameplay without getting ganked by a bunch of hat-wearing wannabes. Of course I'll try it out anyway but I want to know what's happened since I last played.

Yes, much has changed. I re-installed TF2 after a long time and I found a totally new experience. I didn't recognize the game I knew. At the beginning, playing vanilla TF2 was a naive and fresh experience; now it's all bloated and complicated by things that don't add anything to the core gaming experience.
In my personal opinion, TF2 got worse.

 

[ríomhaire]

Seeing as trading is only just out there are a lot of people spamming stuff but from what I've seen it's generally one one person from in each server just trying to trade instead of actually playing. If you find a server where everyone is just trading, blacklist it and join a new one.

There's also a glossary of all the item now in the game (Mann Co. Catalogue) so you can get familiar with the new stuff pretty quickly.

 

[PorkPi]

Ok. I've been following the major updates too, and I'm familiar with the basic functions of most of the new weapons plus I was able to play with 3 of the packs, so I feel pretty well prepared. Seems like I just need to find the right servers.

 

[Stigmata]

Join a reddit server. They have one of the lowest bullshit quotients of all TF2 servers. No gameplay mods, no reserved slots, no unfair advantages, no shitty maps. I play on them about 50% of the time.

 

[MorganFreeman911]

I want Valve to make a TF2 gamemode that's vanilla (no backpack items enabled).

 

[ríomhaire]

I want Valve to make a TF2 gamemode that's vanilla (no backpack items enabled).

I think there are servers that stop you using backpack weapons. I agree though, an sv_standardweapons setting with a tag to go with it would be good idea.

 

[PorkPi]

So I've started playing and I was immediatly overtaken by info about collectible items in the startup menu, then the first thing I heard when I joined a game was someone asking for an item trade :|. I eventually found a good server where noone even mentioned hats or trading but I was a little overwhelmed by all the weird stuff I was getting killed by. So far, it seems I haven't lost it too bad and I just need to get used to all the new stuff. Overall it's ok.

Edit: I'm curious, do we have a HL2.net server?