In case you missed it, Valve has now supplied details for all of the Scout’s 35 achievements.
They also tell us a bit about the as-yet unrevealed Scattergun alternate, called the Force-A-Nature, and give us a little more insight into the Sandman. Both new weapons do some knockback, so we’ll see the Scout starting bashing and blasting other players around the map next week.
In a lot of ways, it feels like the Scout Pack is following the blueprints for the Pyro’s Update. I imagine the Sandman operates much like the Pyro’s Flaregun: single shot projectile, travels with a slight arc, effect lasts a few seconds, and gives him the ability to inflict some long-range harrassment on enemies. It might even be the same mechanic, just redressed.
When using the Force-A-Nature or batting a stunned opponent, the Scout can knock enemies back, off ledges or walls, much like the Pyro’s compression blast, which will be especially useful against ubers. The Scout can also bat an enemy Scout’s baseballs back at him (see the Beanball achievement), not unlike the way the Pyro can blast back other projectiles.
The Caught Napping achievement rewards the Scout for killing enemies from behind with the Force-A-Nature, which might (and this is just speculation) indicate some sort of extra damage or crit bonus when using it on an enemy’s back, which would be similar to how the Backburner operates.
So, the Pyro and Scout unlocks feel like they tread a common path in a lot of ways, which is probably a good thing: I think the Pyro’s Pack was the best they’ve released: it made the class more fun to play and most importantly, made the class more popular overall — ever since the Pyro got his new gear he’s been near the top of the Most Played charts. The Scout has been languishing near the bottom for ages, and this might not just briefly move him up the list (as it did with the Heavy, who has since dropped back near the bottom) but help him stay up there.
35 Comments
February 20, 2009
Wait, what’s the Force-A-Nature?
February 20, 2009
The new Scattergun.
February 20, 2009
I actually think it’s a killing taunt.
February 20, 2009
I think the Force-A-Nature is going to add something akin to the scout’s lost double jump ability with his new bat, since the description for the new CP_Egypt says,
“Classes with the ability to ascend rapidly (Soldiers, Demomen, and [b]Scouts using the new scattergun unlockable[/b] )”
:)
February 20, 2009
Actually, nevermind. It doesn’t make sense that there are so many achievements based on that.
I still consider it a weird name for a weapon, though.
February 20, 2009
No bolding…crap…oh well, you get the idea :)
February 20, 2009
Well, the initials are FAN so it’s not a long name or anything, “martinJ”…
February 20, 2009
In the brand-new CP_Egypt release on the update page, it says this:
“…and features some really interesting uses of vertical space. Classes with the ability to ascend rapidly (Soldiers, Demomen, and Scouts using the new scattergun unlockable)…”
Looks like the new scattergun’s also going to have rocket/sticky-jump capabilities.
February 20, 2009
I’m kinda starting to dislike the new Scout update… It all looks so ‘rushed.’ The Scout’s good things are taken away, and are mixed with the other classes’ abilities. Scouts rocketjumping around? Flares with a little change? Force-A-Nature copying the Backburner?
Even the choice of maps is a little… disappointing. There’s two different articles for custom maps going official only.
I can already imagine the people watching this comment go “What the hell is he on,” but it’s just my opinion. At least I hope the video’s going to be good. If there is any.
February 20, 2009
Ev: At least wait until it’s out and you’ve tried the weapons before being disappointed. Geez.
February 20, 2009
There’s no reason why they couldn’t leave out the video this time. Although i’ll be pissed.
Next update - Force a Nature.
Last update - New Game Mode.
Also, the name force a nature comes from the meet the scout.
February 20, 2009
Dan: By the looks of how it is now, I just can’t be excited about it yet. Maybe it’ll change after the update, and maybe I’ll go whine on the Steam forums like every other kid that dislikes something.
Nah, I’m just talking crap now. I’ll wait and see. I hope my expectations are wrong.
February 20, 2009
Quick Hook: Kill a player in Well before the round starts.
More evidence to the Scattergun-rocket-pipe-bomb-launcher unlockable.
Double Payload..
More evidence Valve are running out of game mode ideas.
February 20, 2009
Not every class has to have a godammn killing taunt.
Also, I can see myself using all of these unlocks, we’ll have to wait and see the downsides of the force-a-nature.
February 20, 2009
I know this is off topic, but this Fallout 3 mod is amazing:
http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2761
February 20, 2009
Love the new Blog Chris, anyways, I’ve been spending so much time on the TF2 forums now (Over 500 posts in 13 days) which has been fun. There are 3 types of posts: Whines,Valve Love, and spy unlocks. so pretty easy to reply to
February 20, 2009
The scout can already get to the other side of Well without any updates cxeq. You just jump on window ledge, then to lamp, then up and over boxcar.
February 20, 2009
I predict that the force-a-nature will be a double-barreled scattergun that only holds two rounds but reloads quickly, and has an alt-fire that fires off both rounds at once.
When you use the alt-fire you get a big recoil that pushes the scout backwards. If you point the gun at the ground, you can use the kick to get yourself up higher, or you can use it to make yourself move even faster, as long as you’re traveling backwards.
February 20, 2009
Force A-Nature probably grants triple jump. Just gonna throw that out there =P
February 20, 2009
I’m a little concerned about the choice of the community map cp_Eygpt. I don’t think that it fits with the rest of the TF2 style at all, I just can’t see the classes running around in this environment. Also, the map, and this is going to sound really, really stupid at first, seem almost too custom mapish. When I was looking at the screen shots, I was thinking that this doesn’t look like something VALVe would make, considering that all the other community maps added in the map packs are all ones that look like they could have been made by VALVe. Now, I’m not saying that this map is bad, not fun, or not well made. It looks super awesome, and looks like a blast to play, but I just can’t see it becoming official.
February 20, 2009
Also, is anyone gettimg flashbacks to de_dust2 looking at the new Egypt map? My money is someone will have made a custom map within 2 days of the pack coming out ^^
February 20, 2009
Cp_Egypt looks like it contains Indiana Jones… or worse - “teh terrorists”. And it’s awful if there’s no official Alpine - styled CP/CTF/Payload maps.
February 20, 2009
I hope cp_egypt has some sort of back story like the other maps. I haven’t played it yet, so I don’t know.
February 20, 2009
@Kollega: Have a little patience. They’re introducing an entire new game mode. That’s worth at least one new map. And the new game mode seems to involve racing two bomb carts, so it’ll be payload-ish,
February 20, 2009
Yet another page for community maps. Makin’ me feel it might just actually be the Spy update. This update is fishy.
February 21, 2009
IMO first blood achievments. Think they are updateing arena mode? Will whoever gets the first kill from now on get an inherit crit bonus for the rest of the round?
I think it’s a good idea… Make teams concentrate fire.
February 21, 2009
This is going to be a good time to be pyro.
February 21, 2009
And Heavy until most people get bonk :p
February 21, 2009
Gonna have to get out Natasha for all those boston boys :P
February 21, 2009
It sounds like a good time to be an Engineer, too, to be honest. Although it appears Bonk! will make it tougher for Sentries.
February 21, 2009
OK, my new favorite achievement is A Year To Remember. Mostly because yeah I’m from Boston.
February 22, 2009
@Cptn.Average: There already is a TF2 version of de_dust2.
I can’t stand the steam forums. They’re like nuts. They think that Valve just wants to piss others off by making a fake Scout update and be like “Hurr it was a Spy update all along”
February 22, 2009
Wow, thanks for pointing that out. That double-jump achievement sounds ridiculously easy, but then, some of the other ones sound Medic-hard. A lot of “Do X, Y, and Z 50 times in one life”.
February 23, 2009
Sounds like a good update, not a massive fan of Scout, but I’m sure everyone will try out the class just to get some of these achievements.
February 23, 2009
The Force-a-Nature is finally here!
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