Dishonourably Discharged!
Well, you did it. You managed to stay awake for the Classless Update. It costed you hours of precious time and/or sleep (Depending where you live), but you succeeded in being one of the first players to download the update. And it seems VALVe recognises your achievement, by giving you a rare, level 100 Medal to show your dedication…
Yes, bask in all of its glory. Show off to all your friends. Make all the deathcams with you in so much better. There is nothing this Medal can’t do. This Medal is better than Chuck Norris! Anyone who wears it becomes a God! Why settle for just walking on water when, with this Medal, you can call the water to you and get it to take you to your destination without you even having to lift a finger!
Why, with this Medal, you could finish I Wanna Be The Guy without dying! This Medal has the power to align the planets together, causing whatever disastrous ancient evil of your choice to be awoken. Heck, this Medal allows you to bend bullets to your will! If I was you, I would go get one of these Medals right away if you don’t have one! They are better than anything your girlfriend (Or boyfriend) can do!
Oh, wait…
For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, VALVe decided to give the first eleven thousand, one hundred and eleven people who played the Classless Update a Medal unlock for the Soldier. I presume you have seen the new “misc” category in the loadout menu. That is where the Medal goes. There is also this page, if you want some proof of its existence…
So, as you can expect, some people have been rather angry that they could not get a Medal. After all, VALVe only gave out so many (Some of which were deleted by their owners, so people could get their daily facepalm), and the update was released late in the evening in America, which meant the update was released at about 3am in Europe. That means that most Europeans were asleep at the time, so some of those haven’t been very happy to hear that these Medals were given out while they were resting.
I didn’t get a Medal. I was at a camp site at the time, thus I didn’t even know the Medals existed. I wish I did get one, but, to be honest, I would be happy with any non-weapon unlock. I’m one of those unlucky players who has played for a long time since the update, and is yet to earn my very own hat, while people around me have one or two (Or even three) hats, some without having to resort to idling.
So, what should I do? Do I rage to everyone I know, saying how unfair the situation is? Should I stop playing Team Fortress 2, since it clearly hates me? Well the answer is more simple than telling the difference between meerkats and cheap car insurance…
I play some more Team Fortress 2!
(Or spend several hours writing articles about why I should play TF2)
Yes, really.
Why would I stop playing a game I enjoy because I can’t get a rare item? That’s kinda like not going to a theme park because you’re not tall enough the ride a couple of rides; they are always the other rides. Sure, you might have rode them before, but that’s the brilliant part of TF2. There are nine classes, nine different ways of playing. And that’s not including the unlockables…
Some people forget what the hats were added for. They are not some kind of device to enhance your gaming skills, nor are they some kind of advantage in the mist of battle. They are just eye-candy, a way to give the characters more personality, or add more humour to the game.
As for the Medals, yes, you may have missed them, but what says they aren’t coming back, maybe as a random drop? These Medals will most likely come back, since VALVe cares for their customers (And has the ability and time to update their games). I mean, look at the new Sandman. I’ve always liked the Sandman, but not everyone did, so VALVe has done its best to balance it to allow any player, casual or competitive, hat collector or hatless, to accept and enjoy it.
So, before you have a giant rant about the game hating you, think. Ask yourselves if this is an issue that VALVe will pick up on and improve or not. After all, no feature in the game is safe from being changed for balance and/or enjoyment. Just chill, and enjoy the game you have…
HOWEVER!
There is nothing wrong with having a small moan. After all, we are human. We don’t accept everything as it is and say “Oh well,” and carry on. That’s how dictatorships are made. No, people should be allowed to say “Well, actually, I wished that would happen.” It’s only fair, right?
Well, there is a difference between a comment and a full-out rant, and it’s important that people can understand the difference. Some people instantly dismiss any comment about someone not having only of the Medals or Hats as a rant about it. Be honest, have you ever seen someone talk about something that is controversial in the game, and instantly dismiss it that it is the same as every other rant you have read?
No? Let’s just pretend you do…
The thing is, the Medal was an unexpected move, and excludes people from getting one at this current moment. Despite how rare hats are, it is possible that anyone can get one. Chance is a silly thing, because if you say “That’s extremely unlikely”, people can say “Well, what were the chances of you being born?” Statistically speaking, considering the chances of your parents meeting, and their parents meeting, and so fourth, the chances of you being born are extremely less then the chances of getting a hat…
Anyway, the chances of someone getting a hat are low, yet still possible. So, what’s the problem with making the Medals randomly drop like the hats? Some argue that, if VALVe does that, then the Medals lose their value. Well, if you are one of those people, here is a challenge for you. Choose one of the new hats, spend a entire day playing TF2, and count how many people you see with that hat. Come back and tell me how many you see.
The thing is, people are angry for different reasons, and people dislike those people for different reasons. I don’t really understand it entirely either. I’ve given my thoughts about it, but even then, people can argue about them. I don’t like arguments, to be honest. I took a look at the Steam Forums for Medal-related topics. Most of the posts there were pretty much at either end of the argument spectrum. Those who didn’t get one either wish VALVe should make more opportunities to get one, or that VALVe is flawed, greedy and/or stupid. On the other hand, people have attacked those people with sarcastic comments about VALVe’s “stupidity”.
To be honest, I’m not sure what side to support. I disagree with only a limited number of people getting the Medals, but I disagree with the attitude some people have taken towards VALVe and people with Medals. I suggested on the UC forums that players should be able to get one hat of their choice for free, and then unlock the rest normally. Of course, in retrospect, that would make the sight of someone without a hat rarer, since people will most likely pick a hat for their favourite class, and then play as said class. It’s hard to please everyone…
So, where do you stand? Was the way Medals were handed out good, bad, or alright and with room for improvement? May I ask that, when commenting, please don’t cause or contribute to a flame war? I don’t really want to see a repeat of what happened with articles containing the Sandman. KTHXBAI! 
Oh, and one last thing…
The person who thought a hatless, bald Engineer was a good idea was clearly wrong. And, thanks to Murphy’s Law, that will be my first hat (or hat removal)…
Paper Shadow on August 16th 2009 in community, rants, soldier, team fortress 2, valve
Stumble it!
Tesla Tank responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 10:40 am #
It was just after 2am in the UK they were released. 3 of my friends simultaneously sent me a link to it over steam chat and I got one.
I’d spent the past couple hours playing TF2 on the new maps, rather than sleeping. It paid off I guess.
Alexander responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 11:18 am #
Glad to say that I got one
But it wasn’t for downloading it first, it was for finding the hidden link on the update release page.
Jesse responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 11:34 am #
The medal makes me a better soldier.
Spindrift responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 11:49 am #
I didn’t even realize medals were available before now! My medal-less existence gave me no cause for unhappiness. But now that I know I don’t have one, I am dissatisfied.
Curse you!
oldmeme responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 11:52 am #
Well my motherboard fried up recently so I can’t say much on the Medals part as I haven’t played TF2 in the past two weeks, and I won’t go into Sadman details because I’ve become very tense about unlockables recently thanks to the Pug server I held for the summer.
I will however say that I would rather see some changes to the Hat system. At the minute, there are people who, like myself, have played huge amounts of TF2 since the Hats release and have yet to see one enter our backpack. I’d rather see a *guaranteed* hat drop happen for every player randomly every 2-3 weeks (not far from what Valve claimed the Hat drop rate should have been at through casual play). With this in mind however, I’d also like to see a special slot in the backpack for Hats, limited to 1,2 or perhaps 3 at a stretch.
Then when you get your guaranteed hat drop, you get to choose whether to keep your current hat(s?) or trade it for another random hat. I know this would unlikely work for players who play “just that one class” and nothing else, but for the rest of us, I think it’d add a and healthy mix of hats to the fray rather than this “once in a blue moon” situation for these items.
(Although even that poises the question as to whether Valve just simply didn’t want every player to have a hat, despite claiming the drop ratio was to originally be around every 2 weeks of “casual play” would get a hat.)
Campin Carl responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 11:55 am #
I actually mailed Valve and told them about it, but in a much shorter text. Still a good read 02:55 AM
GeneralGoose responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 12:03 pm #
I has a medal.
I am happy.
However, I still hate the Sandman.
Sarda responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 12:38 pm #
But the bald Engy is hilarious…
Theminipanda responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 12:43 pm #
Very well written (rant?) post. I could not get my medal because I was NOT WASTING MY LIFE ON THE STEAM FORUMS LIKE SOME TWAT!
(btw, has anyone else noticed how half the people who got medals are trolls who announce it to everyone and put it in their name?)
gencha responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 1:10 pm #
“VALVe cares for their customers”
Did I miss something or do our definitions of “care” largely differ?
Neuromante responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 2:06 pm #
Bravo!
Really nice rant in the “rare item” topic, hats and the medal thing. I was lucky enough to, living in Spain, being awake when all the medal stuff (I was -and, indeed, I am- studying for some -euh, college? univesity?- exams in september, and saw the topic in a Spanish HL forum (click my nick to see more, thx), so I was able to got it.
Every single thing Valve do will have people ranting about it. In our community we are going to make an appointment in our server to make a “family photo” with all the players who got their medals showing it to the camera. Just because a medal it’s a rare item, there was very few of us who could get it (It was over 4.00 AM here in Spain xD) and it’s “something to remember” in the “TF2 History”.
And it’s funny.
In my opinion, if hats and medals were designed to be a very rare item, its here how it has to stay. It’s a funny thing add this special-and-strange stuff into the game, it gives variety, and a topic to rant/make fun of it. In fact, it’s not the game, you will be still playing it.
And please, those who defend the “medals/hats should be as a reward for good players”, knock it off! Not everything in a game must be a reward to your pr0-sk1llz, thx.
And I don’t have a single hat.
And I too hate the sandman.
And I am very very sorry for my post-midnight-horrible-english.
Sum1 responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 2:28 pm #
Did I get a Medal?
Well I was gone for two weeks at my cottage, which lacks internet service. And I JUST got back 2 hours ago. And this is the very first I’ve heard of the update itself, let alone the Medal….
So… No I don’t think I got a Medal.
Dackstrus responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 2:33 pm #
I belive the medals should be a reward for play time on a certain class.
Like a (Haha) Badge of honor.
Hats should be linked to new, extremly difficult to get, but not impossible achivments.
Graven_Image responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 2:47 pm #
Random drop valve kthxbai
Koolkevk responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 4:10 pm #
I’m pissed at not getting a medal. However it’s not at valve, but at myself. I was on a 50/50 decision of whether or not to play the day they were giving them out (I was wasn’t aware of them.) and decided not to. I felt like kicking my own ass.
Spy Guy responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 5:51 pm #
Get 100% of the achievements = Medal?
Get X points as class= Medal?
Hand it out to 11 000 yanks? For being awake during the afternoon? Cheers matey, that’s quite an achievement.
Anyway it bugs me that they give them to such a limited amount of people, especially since people has a slight tendency towards elitism.
“Yeah, I have a medal, suck up to me.”
HOWEVER:
I’m not saying everyone is like that, but this behaviour is far from an anomaly among humans, especially those who play TF2, then join the SF to flame some poor bloke for having an opinion.
But, I can happily say that I was on vacation on launch day, so I didn’t have a snowballs chance in hell to get one. Which is a relief, because then at the very least it’s not my fault.
I can only remotely understand what you feel Koolkevk (say, are you from Scandinavia btw?) but it must be horrible. Please accept my condolences.
And with that, I shut up for the time being. Cheerio.
The Scoot responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 5:57 pm #
Now, one of my good friends didn’t get a medal, and he was stateside.
GIF MEADL TO HIEM NOE OR I STORP PALY TF@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I honesty say, it’s really hard to see. When the soldier has his Rocket Launcher out, or even shotgun, it’s not too bad. But, it’s something special, so I can see where the anger is coming from.
Secret Agent Clank! responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 6:04 pm #
It’s a blooming 2″X4″ sticker placed on the chest area of one classes outfit.
Stop. Whining.
Yes, a friend messaged me about it in time.
Yes, I have a medal.
Yes, I also have three hats.
Yes, I’m biased.
Yes, I just scored about 20-25 axe kills on a 24/7 Hydro pub which went towards my 90ish kills.
“Better luck next time.” See that? If you wanna feel special, you have more opportunities.
Now nerf the Sandman and fix the Huntsman some more so I can feel important.
Raizen responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 6:14 pm #
I got my medal.
and If you’re raging because you couldn’t get yours, here’s an advice:
Cry Some More :3
btw, the medal should never become a random drop, it would lose it´s value
saladful responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 6:26 pm #
Agreed, hatless Engineer, looks silly, but what should i say as a scout player? Batter helmet looks retarded (sorry to all those, who like it), the Bonk!-Hat looks retarded, too (again), and… what the heck is up with hatless scout? I mean, side parting? Seriously?
I sure hope I get this Baker Boy hat… But with my luck, I find another four Axtinguishers before I finally get my hands on… the hatless scout. ^^
The medal release should maybe have been linked to regional time, instead of U.S. time, this way the rest of the world would probably flame less. I, not being a frequent or good soldier player, don’t really care about those things, though.
Eldrake responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 6:29 pm #
All good ol’ Valve need to do is to make the medal a random drop, and all (Well, most) complains will cease to exist.
AlphaTM responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 7:37 pm #
IN THIS DISCUSSION: BUTTHURT BRITS DISCUSS TIMEZONES
is what I would say if I was mean.
But I’m not. I’m too nice for my own good. That isn’t stopping me from changing my name to “AlphaTM — Official Gentle Manne” for the time being, though. :3
Also; Bald Engie was here, Paper Shadow is a Yella’ Bellied coward.
Sion responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 11:30 pm #
I only got it thanks to Tesla. It wasn’t the first 11,111 people to play the new update btw, you had to press the button on that page you linked in your article.
AbruptDemise responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 11:35 pm #
Does anyone else think that bald engie looks like Francis?
“I hate spahs.”
Doom Bringer responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 1:18 am #
@ Raizen: I think that it’ll remain rare, until a point where Valve thinks it’s time to release it as an item drop (or hope they hand out more medals, in a system with no flaws, release the medal for, 24 hours, 11 hours 11 minutes 11 seconds etc. Most likely to happen after the long awaited Soldier Update). Either way, I can barely see them on Soldiers, as their arm is always in the way.
IllEatYourMommy responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 2:47 am #
I am still amazed how excited people, including me, get about role-play items in a first person shooter. Remember how it was ridiculed before it came into existence? I don’t really care I didn’t get a medal, though I wish I did. All it proofs is that you were online at a certain time.
Now what should be implemented is a function to pass the medal on to the player that dominates you three times in a row.
Greed responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 2:51 am #
The information in this article is completely wrong. It wasn’t the first people to play the update. There were several hidden pages and one of them had a secret link to a secret page in which the soldier congratulated you and told you that you deserved a medal. Then you got one. I was one of the first to get it. I don’t want it as an item drop, because it was a special event that made 11,111 people happy. If you didn’t get one, tough luck, you won’t get ONE appearance item. COME ON, there are 27 more you should be happy with. Grow up, whiners.
Greed responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 2:54 am #
And Koolkevk, it didn’t matter if you played or not, you wouldn’t get it. In fact, deciding not to play would get you a bigger chance of getting it, because it was on a webpage, not in-game.
What responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 3:41 am #
You’ve written so much yet said so little. Stop being butthurt and continue playing TF2 because you enjoy it. If you feel ripped off because you didn’t get a medal, too bad because everyone had an equal chance of getting it regardless of timezones (LOLVALVEHATESEUROPEANS). Valve didn’t choose a select few steam accounts and give it to them. Anyone who had a steam account and internet could have gotten it.
Chutney!! responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 5:04 am #
Was it possible to find the link or clues leading to the hidden pages on the TF2 blog?
AngryPotato responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 5:46 am #
I just wanted to agree with Greed. I read your article (very nice, though) and I’d like to correct you. As Greed said, it really didn’t matter if you were playing at the update time. I was playing that day (actually – night, I’m from Central Europe) and suddenly server disconnected and all other servers disappeared from the list – then I noticed it was the UPDATE release. I downloaded it ASAP, so propably I was one of the first players to play after update – and no medal for me! (BTW, I still have no hats although I play a lot for at least a year)
)
So, I totally agree with Greed – it was even better for you not to play then but to observe carefully the website! (of course if you wanted a medal
Colonel Capitalism responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 6:51 am #
I like the whole medal idea and the fact there were only 11 111 medals handed out. However I donl’t like the fact that it was released during such a unfavorable time for europeans.
My suggestion is that they give out more of them on a time thats good for europeans to balance it out.
but hey,thats me.
Mr. Shiny Object responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 7:09 am #
I wish it was as easy to get a medal as it was to get a hat. When I got a medal, I never really thought “Oh! this means someone else doesn’t get one!” I thought “Cool.”
I just wish that there was an opportunity to know you would get a hat. I wish that there was a seperate thing that would get the first 111,111 people a specific hat.
CrabGuy responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 7:53 am #
My medal distinguishes me from maggots, aside from the fact that I am breathing and they are in 27 DIFFERENT PIECES.
Sarda responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 9:52 am #
Yeah, let’s release more at a time favorable for europeans… then more at a time favorable for russians… then more at a time favorable for australians…
If you didn’t get one, live with it. Not like anyone will notice them anyways. Plus, OF COURSE the time it was released was favorable for THE TIMEZONE VALVE IS BASED IN.
Agoat responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 10:05 am #
If there’s more oppourtunities to earn stuff like this, I don’t see a problem.
Bob responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 11:25 am #
“costed”??? Are you a fucking idiot?
HelisPoe responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 11:27 am #
Valve needs to hit that sweet spot (I’m referring to hat drops) percentage where enough people get the hats yet it is also FAIRLY rare. Right now it’s EXTREMELY rare. See the capital letters I so kindly typed out in place of bold font?
I’ve played for a long time, yet no hats. So yeah of course some of us are pissed when Valve kicks us in the nuts and says, “HERE’S A MEDAL YOU DIDN’T GET BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T SPEND ALL OF YOUR FREAKING TIME REFRESHING A SINGE PAGE SO THAT YOU COULD GET AN EASTER EGG”.
Why not just include it in with hat drops? Instead of creating ANOTHER flamerageangrygamer topic, you would simply add it in; without creating another reason for TF2 gamers to start raging.
TF2 is starting to veer very much towards MMORPG-esque. The hat drops, eh okay. They at least aren’t full out going into RPG elements. And the hats are both fun to get (I still don’t have one) and fun to look at.
But this, MEDALS? For people who sign up for it on a WEBSITE?
No, just no. It’s reminiscent of the “Limited Edition” mounts and armor and such in MMORPGs. One of the many reasons I despise WoW and MMORPGs.
I want an FPS. Not a freaking MMOFPS that isn’t even done well. The elements of MMORPGs that is.
And yes, I just played the RPG card. So kill me.
HelisPoe responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 11:30 am #
And notice how most people deriding us hatless/medal-less ones are the ones with the medals or hats.
Yeah, your not in any position to argue.
Leave US to put salt in our wounds m’kay?
Potato responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 12:46 pm #
I just wanted to agree with Greed. I read your article (very nice, though) and I’d like to correct you. As Greed said, it really didn’t matter if you were playing at the update time. I was playing that day (actually – night, I’m from Central Europe) and suddenly server disconnected and all other servers disappeared from the list – then I noticed it was the UPDATE release. I downloaded it ASAP, so propably I was one of the first players to play after update – and no medal for me! (BTW, I still have no hats although I play a lot for at least a year)
)
So, I totally agree with Greed – it was even better for you not to play then but to observe carefully the website! (of course if you wanted a medal
n00bie51 responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 2:23 pm #
This is what I think:
Persistent rewards (i.e. unlockable content such as weapons and hats) shouldn’t even be in TF2 for multiple reasons that deserve a separate time for discussion. Although my disdain for them has certainly diminished since the Gold Rush Update, I still don’t approve. I’m a conservative purist like that. However, I have to be realistic and will address these issues:
In order to get this Medal, you had to meet a certain requirement. What was that requirement? You had to be online and be one of the first 11,111 people to access the hidden page that would give you one. Did you fail to meet this requirement? If so, you’re not rewarded; deal. Simple as that. Its value is proportionate to its rarity, and if everyone could get to it, its value would lessen, which leads me to my next point…
“Anyway, the chances of someone getting a hat are low, yet still possible. So, what’s the problem with making the Medals randomly drop like the hats? Some argue that, if VALVe does that, then the Medals lose their value. Well, if you are one of those people, here is a challenge for you. Choose one of the new hats, spend a entire day playing TF2, and count how many people you see with that hat. Come back and tell me how many you see.” – Paper Shadow
I would change the argument; if Valve allows players to randomly acquire the Medal like the hats, then the Medal’s value will lessen. Obviously, it’ll still be valuable, because it’s just as rare as the other cosmetic unlockables, but it won’t retain the same super high value that it did when it was only restricted to the first 11,111. For a rough analogy, imagine if the highly-prized Recon helmet in the Halo 3 multiplayer could be unlocked by all the players instead of just being given as a personal reward by Bungie, and its value is lessened.
Honestly, I have a strong feeling that Valve will eventually allow the rest of the players able to acquire the Medal (outside of trading, by their own means whether it be through random drops or otherwise). I’m just saying that it’s ironic that some people pulling out their hair over this and harshly criticizing Valve (not saying any of you guys are) don’t understand that if Valve were to appeal to their demands, the value of the Medal would decrease and it wouldn’t have the same appeal that made them upset they didn’t have it in the first place. I mean, it’ll still be a rare, cool item to possess anyway, but you get what I mean?
Hitmonlee responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 3:00 pm #
I’ll trade you my football helmet for your bald engineer. I really don’t like the grudine helmet, anyway, and I’ve always had a strange fondness for bald peole.
GanGGoRiLLa responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 4:12 pm #
I was probably one of the first 5,000 on (don’t hold me on that) and I still didn’t get a medal because I couldn’t join a server. I did join one eventually, but my hl2.exe wasn’t working so I got kicked off TF2. Do I care though, no because I didn’t even realized I could of gotten one. Until I read this article of course, but whatever… never really liked the soldier.
gelugon2105 responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 4:32 pm #
I went to the Hats page on tf2.wiki.net and I laughed my head off.
Sad about the medal though. The community does not seem to have any workaround for that one yet.
Cupcake, Darn It~! responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 7:50 pm #
so THAT’s what all the hub-bub about medals was. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I would have at least liked to know if there’s a chance for another medal :<
RJ-Pilot responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 9:02 pm #
I note – At the end of the page for the medals, it says “for those who didn’t get one – better luck next time”
WHAT DOES THAT SUGGEST TO YOU. STOP QQing.
And no, I don’t have the medal.
Secret Agent Clank! responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 9:04 pm #
Someone deleted my comment =(
It’s still a 2X4″ sticker on the front of one classes shirt to me. But, seeing as so many people crave it and I’m capitalist like that, I’m not just giving it away ;D
Just be thankful there wasn’t ONLY 1,111.
[cogs] wyrm responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 9:23 pm #
My objection as a “butthurt brit” is that the final page of the update came out, but the hidden link didn’t appear for 30minutes or so after – so even though I was up till 2 30am, I missed the hidden link because I got bored of the “hidden page” being routed to the hidden page for page 2. to explain what I mean: if you hammer refresh on the update page, one in every 10 loads the page loads an alternative one with a hidden link in it. So after 20minutes of hammering refresh on the new update page and no sign of a new hidden page I got fed up and went to bed.
20 minutes later the hidden link appears xD
It’s not so much
OMG I GET NO MEDAL FFS VALVE!!!
but
FFS valve, put the WHOLE update up at the same time you bastards!
Teatime responded on 17 Aug 2009 at 10:45 pm #
Very nicely written, Paper Shadow.
And actually well played, Valve!
Any future update on the TF2-blogs will be thoroughly examined in any way possible with the paranoid mindset of conspiracy theorists who are worried they might again miss a virtual, purely decorative item for an online game.
supremesonic responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 1:19 am #
“May I ask that, when commenting, please don’t cause or contribute to a flame war? I don’t really want to see a repeat of what happened with articles containing the Sandman.”
Ah, happy days they were…
*Smiles up at the sun with a medal glinting on his chest*
jrhather responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 2:28 am #
Valve should just Give everyone a medal. Why? Because it would be friggin hilarious.
n00bie51 responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 2:59 am #
Shift+6.
Monchberter responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 3:19 am #
Why get upset. My server runs a hat plug-in. You can get any hat and wear multiples if you want (there are 3 slots for hats). Camera Beard plus Demoman’s Bonnet on any character instantly looks awesome.
For the record, since the Sniper/Spy update i have not recieved a single hat.
bolivario responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 3:37 am #
People should be able to buy that crap(and other unlocks), as a cheap dlc , so who are really interested in that, will could buy the thing and be happy and Valve will gain some extra money.
n00bie51 responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 4:14 am #
No offense, but microtransactions for TF2 is an absolutely terrible idea. I mean, I seriously might just stop playing if it gets to that point; this isn’t Combat Arms, and the unlockable content loses the value it had by being so rare like that in the first place.
Alakazam responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 4:54 am #
The only hat I’ve gotten so far is the bald Engie ;-;
Sarda responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 6:17 am #
For those of you who think it’s only the ones who got the medal who are defending what Valve did, think about this: I have no medal, and no hats, even after weeks of constantly using the idler program. Would I like a hat? Of course. The medal? Sure. Would I have stayed up late into the night(yes, it was late even over here in Wisconsin when it happened) constantly refreshing a page if I had known it would get me a medal that is purely cosmetic and impossible to see unless you’re looking for it, even if I also knew I was the only one who had this knowledge? HELL NO. Now quit whining.
Wyatt responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 6:21 am #
You want to hear a sad story. The word went out. First 1 friend got the word, then he started telling his friends and then other friends and luckily I was somewhere in that list. So I logged in to get my medal. Now I don’t know about you but I have my Steam info saved so I rarely ever type my password. So like normal I have no idea what it is. I look it up, and type it in, still wrong. I reset my password, still wrong. What the…?!? After numerous attempts I finally realize the different portals have different accounts and I was apparently resetting my… I have no idea what I was resetting but it wasn’t the community login. Couple that with a bizarre interface that seems to give you a different screen everytime you click or a FAQ instead of the reset you asked for and lets just say I was quite confused.
Well I finally figured it out, logged in, went to claim my medal and you guessed it, I was too late! Bummer, bummer I say. Ah well, I’m still having fun but now my friends have a shiny thing, curses.
n00bie51 responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 6:36 am #
You wouldn’t have gotten it anyway. You were supposed to access a hidden page on the website, not be one of the first 11,111 players to download the update or play it or whatever.
HelisPoe responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 7:31 am #
My real and only concern that really deserves any merit (Because come on, I can’t help but be pissed at the medal and hats)
is that TF2 is going to MMORPG way. “Limited” edition or “unique” esque items should never be implemented into an FPS as excellent as TF2, despite it’s obvious short comings (*Cough* Sticky bombs).
Either give all of us an equal chance to get it, or simply don’t release at all. No doubt Valve knew the amount of anger it would cause with the medals.
So the question remains.
WTF Valve?
n00bie51 responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 8:58 am #
I don’t like to mention “RPG,” because it’s really more like COD4’s weapon kit system (although I suppose some would label COD4 as a pseudo-RPG).
What’s next, getting 1,000,000 kills unlocks a Hello Kitty skin for Sasha?
HelisPoe responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 9:22 am #
Believe or not there is a Hello Kitty skin for Sasha.
No doubt some of you are already using it.
/10shiftyeyes
Spindrift responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 3:37 pm #
Sure are a lot of people getting angry that other people are angry about medals.
Juzzy responded on 18 Aug 2009 at 8:52 pm #
11,111 yanks get a medal for being US citizens… Valve, there are TF2 players outside the states you know…
Many better ideas have already been expressed above, x points get medal, 100% achievements get medal.
Even if they released 11,111 medals for each country (based on ip or some such)…. Then I wouldn’t have to be up at 4 or 5am in the morning just to get a medal.
I say let the Americans have their medal and then give it out as a special unlockable for soldier later when you get 100% of solly achievements.
n00bie51 responded on 19 Aug 2009 at 1:47 am #
Yeah, I suspected there was a Hello Kitty skin for the minigun, but wait until Valve starts doing something stupid like making user created skins official. (:
Randomini responded on 19 Aug 2009 at 1:21 pm #
If I have more chance of getting a hat than I did of being born, since I WAS born, why don’t I get a hat?
Sheridyn responded on 19 Aug 2009 at 4:23 pm #
“The person who thought a hatless, bald Engineer was a good idea was clearly wrong. And, thanks to Murphy’s Law, that will be my first hat (or hat removal)…”
Incidentally this is what happened to me. Really depressing to get one of the new ‘hats’, only to have it be this one.
Sleeves responded on 20 Aug 2009 at 5:44 pm #
God, just go to the dollar store and buy a pack of party favor medals and shut up. Is it really that important?
Samoridon responded on 22 Aug 2009 at 3:36 am #
I Lol’d hard when i saw the last thing… note because that my fellow TF-ers is me, the texan chrome dome i now have but i will not act the same as the writer did, because true it was not what I wanted, or expected for that matter, it was SOMETHING, true I would like a scout boink hat, or any scout hat, I got something.
Notebooked responded on 22 Aug 2009 at 5:50 am #
I live in Sweden.
I was sound asleep when the medal unleashed its awesomeness ‘pon the world, and I didn’t find out about its existence until the next morning, when one of my friends over the internet linked me to the page.
At first, I thought “Awww.”
At second, I thought “A shame.”
At third, I thought “…Wait a second, I never even play Soldier aside from the few times I join empty servers to practice my lame rocketjumping there. Even if I got one, I’d never use it.”
So I’m fine with not getting one. I wager a lot of people are not, though, so I would say that it could be a bit more fair if there would be other opportunities to get this. That’s just my opinion, though.
Axe Murderer responded on 24 Nov 2009 at 2:06 pm #
yeah…. rage some, rage some more, then go play some non-soldier TF2 (I just ragequit that CLASS, beawtch!)
u responded on 25 Dec 2009 at 12:36 pm #
u mad
ubercharged.net – The No-Hat-Blues – Avatar Pack responded on 25 Jan 2010 at 2:04 pm #
[...] this wonderful idea: avatars for the hatless. And I’m not talking about hatless hats because, despite what I said before, the Hatless Engie reminds me of Cortez from Timesplitters, which is always a plus in my books. So, [...]