The complete guide to Team Fortress 2

Posted at: Tuesday 9th October 2007 by Josh Blodwell

Team Fortress 2 is Valve's latest FPS and it's set to be just as fiercly competetive as Counter Strike. Don't go into the game unarmed - check out our full guide to TF2's gameplay and character classes, courtesy of Josh Blodwell

Intelligence Briefcase

The intelligence briefcase serves as a ‘flag’ in the game’s Capture The Flag (CTF) mode. At the moment, the only CTF map is ctf_2fort. In this level, both teams must fight their way through their enemy’s base, access the control room, grab the intelligence briefcase and return it to their own control room.

The player who carries the briefcase leaves a trail of paper, which remains visible for a few seconds after they pass. If the carrier is killed or enters his team’s resupply room, the briefcase is dropped to the floor. Although a team can’t recapture their own briefcase, it will return to their control room if it’s allowed to stay on the floor for 60 seconds.

If your team’s briefcase is dropped, it’s a good idea to take an assault team, supported by a medic, to guard it until the 60 seconds is up. To make the intelligence easy to find it has a large timer roundel, which will remain above it until it’s returned or picked up.

The position of the briefcase is always shown in your Heads Up Display (HUD). A compass shows the direction of the case, and an icon displays its current status: a house for when it’s safe, an exclamation mark when it’s being carried, and an inverted arrow when it’s lying on the floor.

Payload

In payload games, the attacking team has to move a cart from one end of the map to the other. All the team needs to do to manage this is to stand close to the cart, and it will begin moving steadily. It also heals players near it, although it has a very small area of effect. The more players near the cart, the faster it moves. The cart itself also provides good cover from enemy fire, and a crouched player’s head will be well hidden from enemy fire. As you move up with the cart you need to be wary of spies and snipers, the slow moving cart makes sneaking up easy. If the cart’s escort is killed it will slowly move back down the track to the last checkpoint or the start of the track.

Arena

Arena games are similar to a sudden death round: if you die you have to wait the round out. There are no resupply cabinets in the levels, and supplies are limited. This means that players have to choose their classes strategically. Each team’s likely to require a medic or engineer to keep their team healed and stocked up with ammo.

Resupply rooms

Most maps in TF2 contains at least one resupply room per team. These rooms are inaccessible to the opposing team, and if no medics are available or you’ve run out of metal to upgrade a turret, then a trip to the nearest resupply room can save your life. Inside each of these safe havens is a cabinet, which instantly refills your health, ammo, and metal supplies. You can also use resupply rooms to change class without needing to commit suicide. These perks are restricted when the game enters the sudden death round...