Team Fortress 2 released an update two days ago that has fans optimistic about the bot issues experienced in the game. While the fixes make it easier to kick bots, these minor fixes haven’t worked successfully in the past. But does Valve have something else up their sleeves alongside these minor fixes?
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While most players know that the fixes released in this patch aren’t a fix-all to the bot problem plaguing the game, many are hopeful that it’s a step in the right direction and an indication of more solutions.
The update contained mostly fixes to bugs that aren’t caused by botting. One such fix is the issue with animations on enemies that only appear during Halloween events. Another year-long issue that’s been addressed is the bug that shows a placeholder name on kill cams and stat screens.
However, aside from these fixes of annoying bugs that have been around for years, Valve also changed the voting system. In the past, Team Fortress 2 only allowed one vote to kick a player at a time. This made kicking multiple bots from a game tedious and long-winded. Part of the issue was kicking one bot, only for it to be replaced by many more. The update now allows both teams to vote simultaneously, with a global vote being available on top of that.
Valve has also removed the option to change names during a matchmaking game. Bots heavily exploited this feature and would change their name to match another player. This way, if they’re voted to be kicked, it would be the real player getting the boot instead of the bot.
For the first time, Valve has announced that they are aware of the issues with bots on Team Fortress 2 and are working on the problem. At the moment, many fans are split on whether this is a real attempt to fix the issue or merely a bandaid? With many gaming companies coming down on those who misuse their software, such as the legal battle between Bungie and a cheat manufacturer, could Valve have something more up their sleeves?
