What's missing from Team Fortress 2?

I’ve heard TF2 being described as one of the best multiplayer experiences ever conceived so far.

I whole-heartedly agree!

This game is just fantastic and if I had the time I’d probably play it quite a bit more, but why is it so great? The different classes of character mean that whatever is standing in your way you can always counter it. If an engineer is in your way you should re-spawn as a demo-man. If there’s a bunch of scouts running around you should re-spawn as an engineer. This provides people with options they’ve not had in previous multiplayer fps games (well, not since the first TeamFortress!)

The simplistic stylisation used in Team Fortress 2 is good for various reasons. It makes it easy to see what’s happening and where you’re going. It brings the actual game-play into focus rather than the arena. Personally I prefer this simplicity, realism is far overrated in my opinion. But this style also really helps with the comic book like humour used in the game.

The humour is probably what makes the game so popular. In contrast to something like Counter Strike I actually don’t mind getting fragged half as much. Each time it happens it’s different and always in a funny way. The Character voice-overs that filter through are quite often event specific and since they don’t happen very often they have a good impact. New situations are always being created too with the event of un-lockable items! These items have already caused a fair bit of controversy but I don’t think anyone can argue against the fact they’ve kept the game interesting. One of the major complaints is that when an unlockable pack comes out everyone will play as the class involved until they’ve got all the new weapons. Personally I think this is great because it allows me to play as the strongest opposing class to that and get loads of satisfying points. There are some unlockables I’m not looking forward to, such as the engineer and solider ones since they are quite versatile classes already it could upset the balance for some time. Then again Valve have been pretty good at setting up the new weapons so they offer advantages in some situations but disadvantages in others.

All of these areas have really helped bring a community together. I have even been part of a clan and used to play every single night of the week. This is unusual for me having escaped the WOW and other similar game-traps. This is due to every match in Team Fortress 2 being different. Probably because there are hundreds of team combinations possible.

However, even with all of these great points I still feel there are potentially wonderful things missing from Team Fortress 2. Here are my “top 5”!

One Vs Many game-play!

How has this not even come up? Is it really as daft as it at first might appear?

Lets examine a scenario – you are a lone spy tasked with infiltrating an enemy strong hold. There are turrets around, soliders on the fortifications, pyros occaisionally checking the air vents. All you have to do is reach the super computer. All they have to do is stop you. Obviously there are plenty of paths and they can’t guard them all – you’ll have to disguise and cloak and sap your way through them.

Perhaps there are switches you can get to that will close certain doors and prevent them from following you further. Perhaps the guarding players cannot enter the final room so they cannot camp there. Perhaps when the new spy unlockables come out this can be expanded further!

Another idea would be the same but for the scout where the opposing side can only have soldiers and snipers perhaps?

Personally I can see so many possibilities there and it doesn’t appear (on the surface of things) to be a whole lot of work. But lets look at what else could be added

Artificial Intellegence?

Ok, I know this is a huge area for the developers to consider. With this many classes and making sure people can’t let bots play for them this could turn nasty quite quickly. I’m not sure what effect it had on CounterStrike:Source when they brought that out but I didn’t hear of many issues.

I can see the point in slightly less intelligent AI than you might get in counter-strike. Something like a “guard” AI that would just try to defend certain areas, or run a predefined patrol route until they encountered an enemy.

I’m talking stupid here.

There’s a good argument for having it because it could open the door to a few new map types such as this next one:

Co-Op Campaign

Why oh why is this not in there? It would have added a lot to the game. I understand they wanted to save this for Left4dead, but now that’s out can we not consider the possibilities here?

Again let me paint a scenario! You and a few friends want to play as a team but because of team balance can never all get on the same side. A co-op map would allow a whole team of players to go up against an AI team. Maybe they would have to defend a fort against an AI attack or visa-versa. Perhaps it would be good just to be able to add AI players on a map for practice.

This probably would not help improve anyone’s skill, since AI is invariably god-like or inept. However it would definitely help co-ordinate teamwork when playing against a less than capable AI. And while we’re talking about clan orientated game-play what about this important, missing feature:

Added Clan Community facilities

I know there is the clan page with the organiser and such but it just feels so impersonal. There’s no offline message support and the facility for match reports and even organised competitions on steam would be a huge advantage.

The main thing I would want though is some way of searching for clans in need of members! When I was searching for a clan I had to visit a multitude of servers before finding one that I thought would suit me. I’m really not into the clans that have hundreds of members just so they can afford the server fees (on the basis that only 40% of the members pay up!) Some kind of advanced search facility on the Groups page would be great.

A general-chat message board and overall team-play stats would be good too. These things are surely not more than Steam can handle? The current community features are good – they just need a bit more to make them awesome.

And talking of team play here is my top request!

The Green Team!

Quite often I’ve thought that it would be great to have smaller, tighter teams after the same objective. And with player servers of up to 30 people, that means teams of up to 10 players.

The downside I suppose would be if two teams ganged up on the other, however you could design the maps so that would be very tricky. Not that I think it’s really a problem, after all everyone’s treacherous nature would soon sort that out!

Of course this is very unlikely as it would probably require fundamental changes to the base code and GUI elements and all sorts of things. Maybe for “Team Fortress 3” then? If we’re going that far how about some more classes? Then again, we’ve not met all of the current ones yet:

Meet the Team Videos would be a bonus!

Ah, we all love these. Or at least we all should love these.

Really playing on the humour aspect of the game, these videos have just gotten better as they’ve come along. Personally the sniper one is my favourite even though it’s my least favourite class to play! In fact I’ve noticed a drop in sniper players of late, perhaps that could be the next update?

It’s been said that the team behind these videos are going to be working on Left4dead comics? Or some kind of comic anyway. I just hope they finish this current series and perhaps a new “meet the whole team” video at the end.

So There we have it

Team Fortress 2 is a great game, it really is. I think it’s got a few years of playability left in it for me. I keep saying it but if you’ve not played it I implore you (that’s right, I implore you) to try it out!

Now if you'll excuse me, it's time for a bit of "DustBowl"...