Team Fortress Classic is a 1999 first-person shooter game developed by Valve and published by Sierra Studios. It was originally released in April 1999 for Windows, and is based on Team Fortress, a mod for the 1996 game Quake. The game puts two teams against each other in online multiplayer matches; each member plays as one of nine classes, each with different skills. The scenarios include capture the flag, territorial control, and escorting a "VIP" player.
Valve hired the developers of the Team Fortress mod to develop Team Fortress Classic using its GoldSrc engine (used in their 1998 game Half-Life) to promote the Half-Life software development kit. It received generally positive reviews, although the graphics were a point for criticism. In 2000, Valve released a standalone version, Team Fortress 1.5, with new character models, maps and other features. Team Fortress 2 was released in 2007.
Gameplay
thumb|In the [[Capture the flag#Software and games|capture the flag map "2fort", short for "2 Fortresses", a group of blue players attack the red base.|left]]
Matches in Team Fortress Classic typically feature two teams, one red and one blue, and nine playable character classes. Each character class has a set of weapons and abilities unique to that specific class. This differentiation between classes makes for rock-paper-scissors-esque gameplay that requires teammates to work together in order to effectively achieve the objective. The class-system also encourages players to vary their selection of classes and utilize certain classes in conjunction with one another to gain the advantage.
In Team Fortress Classic, a server can hold up to 32 players simultaneously, and matches can be played in a number of game modes, each featuring different objectives.
Classes
In Team Fortress Classic, the player can choose to play as one of nine classes: the Scout, Sniper, Soldier, Demoman, Medic, Heavy Weapons Guy, Pyro, Spy, or Engineer. Each class comes equipped with at least one weapon unique to that class, and often a secondary weapon which may be common across multiple classes (typically a shotgun or nailgun). Additionally, each class gets a melee weapon (all classes, with the exception of the Medic, Spy, and Engineer, wield a crowbar, an homage to Valve's game Half-Life). Finally, each player carries grenades; the effects of grenades vary, depending on the player's class.
In Escort game modes, a player may also choose to play as the Civilian class, which is armed only with an umbrella, no armor, and very little health. Civilians are typically escorted and protected by the rest of the team.
- The Scout is the fastest class in the game, but is unable to deal much damage in return. The Scout is armed with a nailgun and shotgun as well as being able to use caltrops and concussion grenades to slow down and confuse opponents. He can also disarm the Demoman's detonation pack, reveal enemy Spies by running close by fellow players as well as instantly locate the flags on any capture-the-flag map.
- The Sniper class is armed with a high-powered sniper rifle, and can be used to attack enemies from distant positions.
- The Soldier class is significantly slower than Snipers and Scouts, but possesses better armor and is armed with a rocket launcher that allows him to rocket jump, along with combat shotguns as sidearms for backup. Rocket jumping, while effective for moving about the battlefield, also significantly damages the soldier. Soldiers can also make use of nail bombs to cause more damage within close quarters.
- The Demoman class is armed with a grenade launcher for indirect fire onto enemy positions, and a Pipe Bomb launcher for booby-trapping places as well as being equipped with a demolition pack capable of opening or closing certain routes on some levels.
The original [[3D modeling|models for the nine player classes|thumb|right]]
- The Medic class is equipped with a super nail gun, concussion grenades and a medical kit that can be used either to heal teammates or expose opponents to a contagious infection that drains health.
- The Heavy Weapons class is armed with a powerful minigun, and can sustain more damage than any other class. However, the Heavy is significantly slower than the other classes.
- The Spy class differs significantly in style from other classes, as he can disguise himself to look like any other class on either side. The Spy is equipped with a knife to kill enemy players in one hit by stabbing them in the back, a tranquilizer gun to slow down opponents and a hallucination grenade which spouts gas to confuse them. Spies also possess the ability to feign death, allowing them to use their backstab ability more effectively.
- The Engineer class builds structures to support their team, such as sentry guns to defend key points, ammunition dispensers and teleporters. Engineers have the ability to replenish a teammate's armor by tapping them with their wrench. In addition, the Engineer is armed with EMP grenades that detonates any explosive ammunition within its range, as well as a shotgun for backup.
Development
thumb|left|The original Team Fortress [[Quake (video game)|Quake mod]]
Team Fortress was originally a mod for Quake (1996), developed by TF Software Pty. Ltd. The developers were working on a standalone sequel when they were hired by Valve to create a port of Team Fortress as a mod for Valve's 1998 game Half-Life. After several delays, Team Fortress Classic was released on April 7, 1999.
On June 9, 2000, Valve released Team Fortress 1.5 as a part of Half-Life 1.1 update. The update added "new sounds and weapons, enhanced graphics, new models for classes and weapons, new maps from popular mapmakers, an updated user interface that makes finding and joining games easy and intuitive, and a new in-game Command Menu Interface". It also included a new in-game interface and the networking code for Valve's upcoming Team Fortress 2. There were three new maps with the update: Dustbowl, Warpath, and Epicenter. The new Command Menu Interface allowed players to execute commands to change teams, call for a medic and change classes while in a match.