With all of the hopium-fueled hubbub about Half-Life 3 not too long ago, it is price remembering the place nearly all of that hype has stemmed from – new Supply 2 code being datamined from updates to the likes of CS2 and Impasse. With Valve notoriously hush about upcoming initiatives, just about every part we have heard about ‘HLX’, because it’s referenced, has come from datamines. However it’s not the one thriller undertaking that is been noticed this yr, as a brand new department for one thing titled ‘TF’ has emerged too, seemingly in reference to Workforce Fortress. Now, some new TF-related code has been highlighted by notable Valve sleuth Tyler McVicker, which he says is “successfully direct affirmation” that Workforce Fortress 2 is being ported into Supply 2.
All these years later, Workforce Fortress 2 nonetheless goes toe-to-toe with among the finest multiplayer video games on Steam, and Valve continues to roll out updates each large and small. It is not precisely in determined want of rejuvenation, then, however you may argue that CS:GO wasn’t both when it was upgraded to Counter-Strike 2. The point out of this new TF undertaking inside Supply 2 has had Valve aficionados and sequence followers stroking their metaphorical beards (and possibly actual ones in some circumstances too) about what it truly pertains to. Theories vary from an all-new sport primarily based on Workforce Fortress 2, to a CS2-style enhanced port, to some form of TF2-themed demo for Valve’s upcoming {hardware} slate.
Even with the brand new data in McVicker’s newest video, we’re nonetheless none the wiser on what this TF undertaking is precisely, however it does shed extra mild on what the devs are as much as.
A brand new datamine reveals that on October 14 of this yr, some new strains of code have been added to Supply 1 import strings, that are in fact used for shifting issues from Valve’s older engine over to its newer one. It reveals a mechanic particularly present in Workforce Fortress 2 was being ported into Supply 2, which is displayed within the datamine as ‘func_respawnroomvisualizer.’ Whereas previous finds resembling this merely instructed that undertaking TF was associated to Workforce Fortress 2, McVicker feels much more assured now.
“This seemingly confirms that TF is referring to Workforce Fortress, and it is also revealing that they’re porting Workforce Fortress 2 maps into Supply 2,” he says. “With most multiplayer-related entities which can be unique to Workforce Fortress 2 now being taken benefit of, that is successfully direct affirmation that sure, there is a workforce at Valve that’s for some purpose engaged on porting Workforce Fortress 2 into Supply 2.”
As I alluded to earlier, although, this does not affirm what Valve intends to do with these ported TF2 parts. “Are they making an attempt to do a CS2 factor, the place they nearly remaster Workforce Fortress 2, or is that this a sequel?” McVicker ponders. With Impasse nonetheless being constructed alongside its neighborhood, this mysterious HLX undertaking seemingly within the works, and naturally its assist for Workforce Fortress 2, CS2, and Dota 2, I really feel like a full-blown sequel could also be optimistic. Given the primary point out of this TF undertaking solely appeared this yr, perhaps it truly is TF3, however simply the very early foundations of it – a sport we would not see for a few years to return, most definitely. But when it’s a CS2-style improve, that is one thing we may be taking part in rather a lot sooner.
After all, as with something that Valve hasn’t formally introduced, all of this might be placed on the shelf and by no means see the sunshine of day, and compared to HLX, not a lot work in any respect seems to have gone into this mysterious Workforce Fortress undertaking but. That does not cease it being a really fascinating one to keep watch over, although.
