Team Fortress 2 Hatless Update Goes Live

Today Valve released the Hatless Update for Team Fortress 2. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't add any hats. However, it makes a number of other welcome changes to the game.

The update makes the game a bit friendlier to new players. Newbies can request a Coach that will provide tips while they play. Training modes for the Spy, Engineer, and Demo Man will help players be less fail at those classes.

Veterans have plenty to look forward to in this update as well. Valve has added voting, dynamic model loading for better performance, and various improvements for voice chat, bots, and paint. They've also thrown in a new version of the "Badlands" map for use with King of the Hill mode.

The update should download as soon as you sign into Steam. The full patch notes are below.

• Added new map Koth_Badlands
• Spawn room by second cap for each time is now a one-way door
• Added 3 new training courses for the Demoman, Engineer, and Spy
• Added the Ready for Duty achievement for completing all of the training courses
• Use the ConCommand "cl_gameserver_create_identity" in the Team Fortress 2 client console to create a server account using the currently logged in Steam account. This will generate values for "tf_server_identity_account_id" and "tf_server_identity_token"
• Put the values for "tf_server_identity_account_id" and "tf_server_identity_token" into your server.cfg
• Use the ConCommand "cl_gameserver_list" in the Team Fortress 2 client console to list all of the game server accounts owned by the currently logged in Steam account
• Added a new system for coaching players
• sv_allow_votes : Allow voting?
• sv_vote_failure_timer : A vote that fails cannot be voted on again during this period.
• sv_vote_allow_specators : Allow spectators to vote?
• sv_vote_issue_changelevel_allowed : Allow votes to change levels?
• sv_vote_issue_kick_allowed : Allow votes to kick players from the server?
• sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_allowed : Allow votes to set the next level?
• sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_allowextend : Allow votes to extend the current map?
• sv_vote_issue_restart_game_allowed : Allow votes to restart the game?
• sv_vote_issue_scramble_teams_allowed : Allow votes to scramble the teams?
• sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_choicesmode : Present players with a list of maps with the lowest playtimes to choose from?
• sv_vote_kick_ban_duration : How long should a kick vote ban someone from the server? (in minutes)
• dynamic model loading to improve performance
• Added a new convar "hud_combattext_healing" to display the amount of healing done per second
• Added bonus points to the items displayed using Combat Text
• Starting position of values is now affected by range to target, making it easier to see numbers when next to targets
• Servers can toggle between the old codec and the new codec with the convar "sv_use_steam_voice", which defaults to 1.
• Fixed not being able to see the correct colors for painted hats when running with DX8
• Fixed not being able to see the | character in custom names and descriptions
• Fixed a couple cases where custom sprays would not import correctly
• The duel dialog has been extended to include class-specific duels in addition to the default duels
• Duel badges now only show the number of wins a player has
• Added Payload maps to Offline Practice
• Fixed taunt kills made with a Katana not counting towards honorbound kills
• Fixed a bug where killing a Katana wielder with a Katana was incorrectly causing an increased crit chance
• Fixed infinite noisemakers exploit where noisemakers could continue to be used after their charges had run out
• Improved the Medic overheal effect so it's more noticeable
• Fixed func_build entities to respect the team value and prevent the associated team from building in the area
• Added new "Sort by Rarity" option for sorting backpack items
• Improved the backpack sorting algorithms
• Added "styles" for the Ghastlier Gibus, Scotsman's Stove Pipe, Treasure Hat, Hat of Undeniable Wealth And Respect, and the Googly Gazer
• Added paint preview to the preview section when shopping for hats
• Updated the Googly Gazer to be paintable
• Added new paint styles to the Pyromancer's Mask
• Items in the action slot won't be swapped until returning to a supply cabinet
• The Eyelander, The Gunslinger, The Southern Hospitality, The Powerjack (also added +20% melee vulnerability)
• The Horseless Headless Horseman's Headtaker, The Ullapool Caber, The Claidheamohmor
• Removed item cool down meter and ammo count when using the Dalokohs Bar
• Increase deploy times 20%
• Ranged damage reduced 40% (down from 60%)
• Damage increased by 10%
• Tuned high-end damage range so it's no longer possible to one-shot certain classes
• Suppress the medic call effect while active
• Reduced rage generation rate by 50%
• Damage-to-health conversion increased to 35% (from 20%)
• Heal 60% of damage done (down from 75%)
• Base damage lowered slightly but guarantees crits against burning players instead of mini-crits
• Marking someone for death now lasts 15 seconds (from 10 seconds)
• Flares always crit burning targets, regardless of range
• Removed the restriction on airblast
• Ammo cost increased 150% (4 blasts at full ammo)
• Damage bonus reduced to 10% (from 15%)
• Charge rate increased 25%
• Added Spy TFBots. Spy bots have basic cloaking, diguising, sapping, and backstabbing behaviors now, and are ready to join the fight
• TFBots understand the basics of the Payload scenario now, and will push the cart on offense, and try to stop the cart on defense
• Added navigation meshes for pl_goldrush, pl_badwater, pl_upward, pl_thundermountain, and pl_hoodoo_final
• Improved TFBot reactions to cloaked and/or disguised enemy Spies
• Improved Demoman bot behaviors for planting sticky bomb traps
• Demoman bots will now try to move to a safe spot and lob stickybombs onto enemy sentry nests to destroy them
• Soldier bots switch to their shotgun after emptying their rocket launcher at close/medium range
• TFBots will no longer hide from sapped or carried sentryguns
• Engineer bots are better at moving their sentry gun nest as the scenario changes
• Improved Sniper bot algorithm for finding good sniping spots for both Capture Point and Payload scenarios
• Sniper bots will take opportunistic shots at targets while they move to their desired sniping spot
• Fixed bug where Sniper bots would sometimes stand around in their spawn room doing nothing.
• Improved TFBot ability to find a safe vantage spot to attack enemy sentry guns
• TFBots will no longer try to use a teleporter entrance they can't actually reach
• Added tf_bot_melee_only cvar. If set to 1, all TFBots will be restricted to only using their melee weapon