Team Fortress 2 artwork revealed

by Ross Miller { Jul 14th 2006 at 7:55PM }

Yesterday we reported that Half-Life 2 was coming to PS3 and Xbox 360 with some added content, including a revamped Team Fortress 2. Today we got the first glimpse of the new, cartoony style of the long-in-development squad-based shooter.

Click on the image to view the full size banner. What do you think of the new style?

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Zacky V @ Jul 14th 2006 7:59PM

i hate the damn cartoon crap

bv @ Jul 14th 2006 8:00PM

Sweet, it's like a violent version of The Incredibles. I really like the change in the artwork, but I'm wondering if this will be taken seriously by diehard TF fans. I can see a big uproar in the community over how "kiddie" these graphics are. Personally, i think it looks really nice.

dork @ Jul 14th 2006 8:00PM

old TF2 looked so much better, thats still cool though

Nill @ Jul 14th 2006 8:12PM

I like it.

It gives the game enough character to stand out from all the other online shooters and draw in new players.

If you're a hard-core TF fan and don't think it looks "serious" enough then stop complaining and just use custom models like you were going to do anyway.

Rask @ Jul 14th 2006 8:14PM

Love the style of the art.

buddyduck @ Jul 14th 2006 8:16PM

I've never been into TF personally, but this new look will definitely force me to take an, um....New Look.

Maybe thats what the developers are going for - a game that'll (yikes!) broaden the audience and take the game to the masses.

If it works, at least the die hards'll have more easy targets in multi-player...

Airan @ Jul 14th 2006 8:22PM

That actually looks really good. At least they've finally settled on the art direction. Let's hope it doesn't get delayed again.

Latin Hobbit @ Jul 14th 2006 8:28PM

That actually looks pretty good. When I first heard about the new art style I was worrying a bit, but that pic looks awesome and the different classes are WAY more distinctive that in other class-based shooters.

BklynKid @ Jul 14th 2006 8:39PM

You know, whether you love or hate the art style. This game is gonna be a great value for any gamer. Assuming it'll be $59.99, you get HL2 (worth the price of admission alone IMO) plus Ep. 1 & 2... PLUS an all-new multiplayer component as well as "Portal" (whatever that will be).

I played HL2 already on the PC, but I'll still buy this when it comes out (also partly because I no longer own a PC powerful enough to play it).

Indiana Jones @ Jul 14th 2006 8:48PM

spit on your fans who have been waiting for this game forever + ??? = Profit

boylie @ Jul 14th 2006 9:27PM

i really like it. very slick, very stylish. too bad that there are gonna be all kinds of people that think that not photorealistic graphics = bad game.

#9 is a good example of that. how is valve spitting on fans by trying a new style? if it's still a fun game why should we care?

heavyness @ Jul 14th 2006 9:32PM

that is some of the best art design i've seen in a long time. the style will make this game more accessible but the gameplay will really sell itself. it's a great game and looks to be getting better.

can't wait to play!

Alex @ Jul 14th 2006 9:33PM

I really disagree with #9 (Indiana Jones). I don't see how this is spitting on fans. If anything, it shows that Valve really cares about making a great game; setting TF2 apart from the dozens of other team-based shooters out there is brilliant, as it gets people (like me) who have grown tired with the genre something new and fresh to look forward to.

I'm really loving the new artstyle, and can't wait to see the game in action :)

bearattack79 @ Jul 14th 2006 9:35PM

As long as there is cool death animation and physics, count me in.

Lets melt some cartoon face!!!!!!!!

BennoWii @ Jul 14th 2006 9:38PM

Indiana Jones, also known as poster number nine, was born with a small defect in his brain that interprets good news as 'spitting on your fans,' a phenomenon for which he is still studied closely to this day.

James K @ Jul 14th 2006 9:42PM

I really like it.

It's good to see a game with some style and artistic merit, instead of the usual attempt at photo-realism.

I think it takes some cajones to try and do something different. To try and make a videogame that looks like a videogame (of all things).

I'm also happy to see anything from this game.

Tequilla @ Jul 14th 2006 9:44PM

Booo...Hissss.... This is not the sequal to TFC! This is the FPS version of Cell Damage! Bring back the gritty artwork and leave the cartoony crap to Disney! /thumbs down/

AJ @ Jul 14th 2006 9:46PM

Two Words... Village People!

MetallicDragon @ Jul 14th 2006 9:58PM

I like it, it makes it look somewhat polygonal and therefore retro.

Matt @ Jul 14th 2006 10:00PM

So what you are saying is that you care more about the series of TFC's artwork than it's gameplay. Last I recall, TFC1 was 8 years old... shit, anything looks better than it, so why don't you go play that than whine about "omgkiddygraphics". We don't want you in our games anyway. Thanks!

robotplague @ Jul 14th 2006 10:01PM

I was completely addicted to the first Team Fortress. This is going to be great, I can't wait. I'm glad they decided to change the art style, there are already a billion and one realistic looking games out there. Give me some style.

Danno @ Jul 14th 2006 10:04PM

Gritty? Uhhh... exqueeze me?

Do you NOT see the eye-patch the demo guy has? Are you missing the eye-patch somehow?

Crilix @ Jul 14th 2006 10:05PM

I think it looks GREAT. Anyone who played the origional knows how rediculous and incredibly absurd the origional was. This visual style not only compliments that, but it sets it apart from almost every single game out there. Go Valve, I'm now stoked for TF2.
-Cril

Matt @ Jul 14th 2006 10:07PM

Hey, if you don't like it there's always Fortress Forever.

Anononomous @ Jul 14th 2006 10:10PM

Looks like Evil Genius and Armed and Dangerous.

Will @ Jul 14th 2006 10:18PM

I love it, but I can completely understand why some would hate it. Not everyone wants their team combat games to look like a Pixar flick.

Etheo @ Jul 14th 2006 10:36PM

this is a joke right? I hope this is a joke. While the new direction looks slick and cool, I prefer a more realistic oriented TF2. But hey, I'm just a lone gamer on the internet, who cares about what I have to say?

I swear Cellshade is gonna take over the world.

Jonn @ Jul 14th 2006 11:03PM

It's not like the characters were already half-caricatured archtypes already.

Oh, wait.

Really, I like the new style, at least statically. Do we have any information on the physics and animation yet?

Andrew Yoon @ Jul 14th 2006 11:35PM

I think TF2 looks absolutely awesome with that toon look. It shows how talented Valve is as a developer, to go and try something new for once. I don't know about the rest of y'all, but this will help differentiate the game from the bazillions of other HL2 multiplayer shooters.

Spoon @ Jul 14th 2006 11:46PM

Crilix has a good point. I mean, jumping onto your own grenades is a commonly used tactic in this game. Keep the realistic look for CS.

But yeah, I really like how the spy and the sniper look. Overall it's got a very cool, Killer 7-ish type feel to it. YOUR WINNER

copa @ Jul 14th 2006 11:47PM

This is PERFECT for TF2. Team Fortress has always been a hilarious game with its over-the-top classes, and cartoon physics that send bodies flying 30 feet in the air. I'm really glad that they've embraced the spirit of the game, emphasizing fun over realism.

People who need hyperrealistic, gritty, gun porn can get back on the CounterStrike servers. Since that genre tends to attract a bunch of racist 14-year-olds, you can count me out.

Mentok the Mindtaker @ Jul 14th 2006 11:54PM

Definitely a welcome change and very well done. I like it.

Like any time there is change, there will be people that complain. Just like when nothing changes, there are people that complain. Options and anuses - everybody's got one.

I, for one, am glad Valve is trying something different. The next question is... what's the gameplay going to be like? I'm hoping it's not like CS:S and DOD:S which are just Source-enhanced versions of the originals (Mind you DOD:S at least has a new mission type now which is a step in the right direction). Otherwise, it will just be boring.

darryl @ Jul 14th 2006 11:55PM

Very nice work, great style and design. I'd like to see some real-time video.

poetfox @ Jul 15th 2006 12:43AM

I think that's totally awesome. I've never played the original, though, and I can understand why someone would be saddened by a change in art style... but if the gameplay is there, the complainers will keep complaining as they drop their money on it and play just like everyone else. You can't please everyone, especially those who are going to play it no matter what. And I mean, isn't there a fan Source update of TFC called Fortress Forever or something? If one dislikes it, couldn't they just play that?
In general, though, I'm all about stylishness in games. There comes a point where making things realistic takes so much time and effort and money and you still often end up with a substandard look to alot of it. Making something stylized makes it easier, I would think, to make a game look kickass. Note this is the opinion of a girl whose never programmed anything in her life, but, you know. It seems like that would be the case.

The ZeroCorpse @ Jul 15th 2006 1:16AM

I think it looks great, just as long as the game play remains much the same as it was before. What made TF more interesting than CS was the over-the-top feel of it. I spent many, many hours on those maps, and the game play was perfect.

My only complaint would be that some characters seem to be MUCH bigger targets now! Snipers will have a field day picking off heavy gunners.

I can't wait to grab this for my Xbox 360.

fhqwhgads @ Jul 15th 2006 1:39AM

that's all well and good, but my money's on Fortress Forever (http://www.fortress-forever.com). still, I'm interested to see how this one pans out. I kind of miss the look of the old TF2 though.

Peter Davis @ Jul 15th 2006 2:09AM

omg that is so freaken cool. im almost if not more excited to play that than i am episode 2

GSI @ Jul 15th 2006 2:14AM

Ahh looks like the real babies are the ones bitching about the art style b/c it doesn't look like an uber violent and bloody overly generic graphics style.

Seriously people...stop your bitching about the art style. If you are worried about people thinking you are "less cool" b/c you're not playing a game with uber realistic games then you just need to quit playing games altogether.

Rulother @ Jul 15th 2006 3:17AM

As I have been a huge TF/TFC fan since it first came out, and was over joyed to see the first screenshots of TF2 then the newer ones and so on and so on, and then now to see this, is a spit on our faces. It looks nothing like what we have been expecting all these YEARS , nothing. It looks good yes, but not the style I wanted.

cringer8 @ Jul 15th 2006 3:18AM

ALL video games should be done with cell shading. The game looks cleaner; moves faster; and allows deeper game immersion (by eliminating the Uncanny Valley affect).

The only genre that would be better off WITHOUT cell shading would be the racing genre. Even sports titles would be more fun.

I loved the game XIII and I thought Windwaker was the best looking Zelda to date. You don't have to sacrifice beauty when cell shading. Imagine how fast screen redraws would be on the next-gen systems with a cell shaded FPS.

For those of you gore junkies that need to see realistic violence, go sign up for the military. You're exactly the kind of person they're looking for.

Fods @ Jul 15th 2006 4:49AM

Excellent, just Excellent! i've been a die hard TF fan for a long time and TF2 was one i was looking forward to (even tho it was written of as vaporware :P) all these comments about how people would like the old version back? An army based multiplayer with army soliders coped in teams with vechicles.. not very orignal anymore! it would of worked then... valve you get a thumbs up from me.

if you want something similar to the orignal, i have compiled a list for you:

Battlefield series
Amercians Army
Warrock
Counterstrike
Dealth force series
Call of duity series
Day of Defeat
Alien Vs Predator series
Brothers in arms
Wolfenstien

Feel free to add more..

Colon D @ Jul 15th 2006 5:46AM

Very, very cool.

Couldn't get enough of XIII, and was very impressed with the DoD poster artwork (http://store.valvesoftware.com/img/productpage/getthegear/Zoom_DOD-S.Poster.jpg), so it's nice to see something between the two actually be featured in a game.

Only problem remaining is that I didn't the TFC gameplay, well, you can't win them all.

Colon D

Colon D @ Jul 15th 2006 5:49AM

*didn't enjoy

Bah, need edit function.

Jay @ Jul 15th 2006 7:16AM

I love the art direction there. As it's already said - it adds character. I'm all for it. Give me the pseudo-realism of HL2 and the silliness of this. so long as the gameplay is up to speed I.dont.give.a.crap :)

neale @ Jul 15th 2006 1:20PM

toy soldiers? be cool if it was big battles in the kitchen and shit, like micro machines but soldiers

anyone seen that film coming out with keanu reeves on the marketplace? looks sweet. cartoony stuff rocks

joe @ Jul 15th 2006 4:42PM

#9...

more importantly you get all that on a standard DVD9 disc.

no need for Blue Ray...

*throws comment onto "reason why the PS3 will fail" pile.

Ramza24 @ Jul 15th 2006 6:55PM

Uhh, if they really wanted to spit in our faces they would have funked with the actual gameplay formula. But yeah I guess Wind Waker got this same kind of flak.

ill trooper @ Jul 15th 2006 7:32PM

I like the 'Lupin the 3rd' feel

FSK405K @ Jul 16th 2006 1:48AM

Can I have my graphics card turn it cell shaded, like Zelda: Wind Waker?

Devin @ Jul 16th 2006 2:55PM

I could be wrong but I dont think Indiana Jones is referencing the 'artwork' as spitting on the diehards faces. If anyone here is a true diehard...(yes...taking up TFC does NOT qualify you as a diehard TF'er...TF is quite different from TFC) then they are quite well aware of the continual lies from Valve (previously TeamFortress Software).

I still remember rushing out to buy Quake2 just to play TF2 back 9-10 years ago (after playing qtf and then qwtf for nearly 2 years) only to find out that it was infact no longer the planned engine.

Anyone remember when TF2 was still supposed to be for HL1 and valve decided not to tell anyone that it was then changed to TFC till the day AFTER it was supposed to be released as a large patch/update?

It may be a good fun game...but I wont be buying it this time...I have wasted enough money on TFS/Valve Software's antics.

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