TF2 class updates

[Flying-Emu]

Despite what people say, it actually is pretty balanced. The arrows move quite slowly compared to bullets, and have a much shorter range. They have less ammo than the sniper, and a slightly longer reload. You exchange that for higher damage and a 1-second charge time.

Actually, the arrows STILL move far faster than rockets, and it's hard dodging a ROCKET when you're riding right up to the Sniper. Add to that the fact that the Huntsman can one-shot Scouts, Snipers, and Spies without a headshot, and that you don't lose any peripheral vision (like you do with the rifle), and the thing is VERY much overpowered. To the point of breaking snipers.

Now, to be a sniper, you don't have to be good. You just have to master the fairly short learning curve of aiming, compensating the easily-discerned arc of the arrow, and firing. Insta-kill on three out of nine classes at FULL HEALTH.

At least the Sniper Rifle had a charge time before you could body-shot one-hit a Scout.

The only thing that balances the Huntsman is that you can't one-hit-kill an overhealed Heavy. But since you can fire so fast and don't have to worry about aiming for the head again, it doesn't matter.

A couple of things:
1: Scouts are the masters of dodging, any scout hit by an arrow should hit itself (except for the occasional lucky shot, it's a strange universe sometimes).
2: Spies aren't supposed to be out in the open to even be hit by an arrow.
3: Snipers are far away, snipers hunting eachother are even further away and because of the slow travel time of the arrow, an arrow is easily dodged by the enemy sniper at that distance. A simple sidestep, or simply ducking suffices. I laugh at other snipers using the huntsman in 2-fort, silly buggers, dead in a flash.
4: The bow's lack of zoom and slower travel time limits it's range compared to the rifle. For the sniper, the range between him and his enemy is one of his biggest defences. The most effective use of the Huntsman requires the sniper to come closer, thus weakening said defence.
5: Yes the arrows travel slower than rockets, but rockets have one important thing that arrows don't: splash damage. Plus, don't forget that the Soldier has a lot more health than the sniper and doesn't need range for his defence. This is obviously related to the dodging issue, while an arrow can be dodged with a tap on the right/left/crouch key, a rocket cannot since it does KABOOM.
6: The sniper rifle is also a 1-kill weapon on a lot of classes, just aim for the head, something every sniper should learn.

Now I'm not saying that the Huntsman is worthless, but I think that it has plenty of downsides to make it a balanced weapon.

You see, your first point doesn't take into account that people DO master the arc and inaccuracy of the Huntsman and can compensate for the speed and mobility of an advancing Scout. It's not that difficult; when I used the Huntsman, I was getting 7 K/D and nothing was able to get close to me.

The Huntsman arrow may not have splash damage, but the arrow has two MAJOR flaws right now. First off, it is MASSIVE. If a Sniper happens to fire an arrow NEAR you as a Spy, chances are not slim that it will hit and insta-kill you. The arrow also has an absolutely abyssal headshot radius; You can watch replays where the Huntsman quite obviously crosses beside the head, then is registered as a headshot.

I'm not complaining so much about the Huntsman V. Sniper, since I concede that an intelligent sniper wouldn't be within range. I just included that as one of the three that IS one shot by the Huntsman.

It's a lot harder to headshot someone with the sniper rifle than it is to bodyshot them with the Huntsman.

 

[Cowabungaa]

You see, your first point doesn't take into account that people DO master the arc and inaccuracy of the Huntsman and can compensate for the speed and mobility of an advancing Scout. It's not that difficult; when I used the Huntsman, I was getting 7 K/D and nothing was able to get close to me.

I was directing that more to the skill of the scout than to the skill of the sniper. A good sniper can indeed compensate for it, just like a good soldier can compensate for the rocket's travel time. A good scout however, should be able to dodge it, that's his specialty. They don't have that double jump for nothing. Heck a normal jump would do, because of the lack of splash damage.
I prefer headshotting them anyway *giggles*

The Huntsman arrow may not have splash damage, but the arrow has two MAJOR flaws right now. First off, it is MASSIVE. If a Sniper happens to fire an arrow NEAR you as a Spy, chances are not slim that it will hit and insta-kill you. The arrow also has an absolutely abyssal headshot radius; You can watch replays where the Huntsman quite obviously crosses beside the head, then is registered as a headshot.

The arrow should be smaller, yes that's a good point, the hit detection is quite dodgy but I guess that that's a problem that's a bit deeper in the game than just the Huntsman. It just becomes more obvious because of it.

I'm not complaining so much about the Huntsman V. Sniper, since I concede that an intelligent sniper wouldn't be within range. I just included that as one of the three that IS one shot by the Huntsman.

It's a lot harder to headshot someone with the sniper rifle than it is to bodyshot them with the Huntsman.

Hmmmm I beg to differ, I make headshots with ease really, but maybe that's just me. I love shooting scouts out of the sky on 2-fort, it's like shooting clay pigeons. Poof and there it goes, poof and there falls another one. Good stuff.

Anyway, I was forgetting one more thing about the Huntsman that balances it; you can't hold the charge infinitly (like with the rifle). When you hold it for too long, your arm starts trembling and if you fire your bow will go "twoing" and the arrow will fly in a (relative) random direction. That means that you can't just charge a shot and wait, it takes a buttload more timing than the rifle (although most of the time, I don't really bother charging the rifle, I go for the head anyway), heck and luck. It also requires you to be more in the open than with the rifle, a very vurnerable spot for a sniper.
The Huntsman requires you to do a lot of things that are pretty unnatural and dangerous for a sniper. I guess it's most usefull in pretty close range maps, I barely bother playing a sniper in those anyway. Gets me killed too quickly.

 

[Anarchemitis]

I think it's high-time for the Engie update.

 

[Fat Hippo]

Why would you update the TF2 classes? This is one of the most balanced 'class' based games ever.

If you want an update to something that doesn't need changed you either fail at the game, or you are bored with it, and if so... just go play a different FPS.
Because that could be the only CONCEIVABLE reason to want to change TF2 classes. Each class serves a purpose, each class has a counter. No class is "overpowered".

Have you been living under a rock? The TF2 classes are being updated, while not regularly, at a fair pace by Valve already. And they do add some fun to the game.
I'd like an update for the solider next. I like playing the soldier, but shooting rockets at your feet gets old eventually.
Maybe heat-seeking rockets, though that would probably be either over-powered or boring as hell to play. A new mechanic for the rocket jump could be fun too.

Edit: The Huntsman IS overpowered. Or at the very least, it takes a lot of getting used to by the other players. You've really gotta learn how to best dodge the annoying buggers.