I know, I know...some of you are thinking, "Here goes Saint with another Team Fortress 2 blog." Well, you're right. I am. And I make no apologies for it. It's Sunday...the weekend is nearly over and I have to go back to work tomorrow. I was finishing up some other projects tonight and needed something quick and easy - so I'm shooting from the hip with this one.

Some of my fellow Team Fortress 2 players might've heard about the latest update to Valve's nearly five year old game that was released about two weeks ago - Meet The Pyro. Game Informer covered the story as reported here.

Well, Meet the Pyro...was interesting. And different.

But I'll leave it at that.

What I do want to talk about that didn't seem to get much attention is the new map and mode that was introduced with the Pyromania update.

MODE: Special Delivery

The official TF2 Wiki describes it as,

A Game mode added in the Pyromania update. The objective for both teams is to take a neutral briefcase to a specified area of the map, while preventing the other team from doing so. It is essentially a combination of Capture The Flag and Payload. The intelligence of Capture The Flag is replaced with an Australium Payload that either team can take 45 seconds after the start of a round. But once taken, the Australium becomes property of that team: if the carrier is killed, it is dropped and can only be picked up by the same team. If the case is defended for its return duration of 45 seconds, however, it will return to its original location and become neutral again, allowing either team to take it.

In place of the Payload Cart is a loading platform or other slow-moving object. Only the team with the Australium can make the platform operate. The loading platform does not increase or decrease speed depending on the number of teammates on the platform. Only the teammate with the Australium can move the platform. If the Australium is dropped or the Australium leaves the platform, however, the platform retreats. Once the platform reaches the top of the rocket, a compartment on the nose of the rocket will open. The team that places the Australium in this compartment will launch the rocket, winning the game. Note that once the Australium compartment is open, the platform no longer needs to be raised in order to launch the rocket. As long as a player is able to make contact with the compartment, the rocket will launch.

Summary: You grab the flag and get it to an elevating platform. If you hold the position long enough for the platform to get to the top, the rocket blasts off and you win the round. If the enemy shoots you while you're holding the flag and on the platform, it lowers until someone else on your team picks it up.

"Gentlemen, find that Australium and today we make history!" -The Administrator

MAP: Doomsday

Doomsday is a Special Delivery map in which both teams attempt to deliver a package of Australium to Poopy Joe to use as fuel so he can rocket into space. Both teams compete to deliver the Australium to the launch pad and stay there until they can insert the Australium into the rocket's tip. Once a team has stood on the platform long enough, while in control of the Australium, the Rocket will launch.

The map features a suitcase nuke, disguised as Australium, which is the primary objective of the map. It will be locked for approximately 45 seconds before becoming available for capture by both teams. Once the Australium has been acquired, the player carrying the precious metal must battle their way towards the cargo lift at the base of the rocket. Should the player holding the Australium be killed, a member of their team must reclaim it, as the enemy team cannot. If no one picks it up within 30 seconds, then the Australium will be returned to its starting position. The team holding the Australium must then survive long enough for the lift to reach the top of the rocket and for the top of the rocket to open, revealing a cargo container. The player holding the Australium must approach it to install it onto the rocket, and upon successful delivery, the team to whom the player belongs wins the current round.

Following this, the rocket will launch upwards, encounter a staggering failure in the engines after a short time in the air, and crash land upon the enemy's base, destroying a laser relay. (Facing the rocket from the platform, the BLU base is to the right, and the RED base is to the left.)

Summary: It's a map with a big rocket and an elevator pad next to it. If the elevator gets to the top, the nose cone of the rocket tilts back and you place the flag (also known as the Australium) inside it to get it to launch.

Too easy.

Only it's not that easy.

It's frustrating.

It's frustrating beyond belief.

I suppose that's good though, right?

Yeah, so I told you all the above to tell you the past two nights I've been playing Team Fortress 2's new Doomsday - Special Delivery map and mode, and let's just say...I'm sure the neighbors have heard me yelling at my computer.

Imagine if you will, you're on the platform...it rises to the top, alarms blaring. The lift stops, the nose cone of the rocket starts to unspin and open...you're standing there surrounded by your teammates who are guarding you...and just about the time you move to place the Australium into the nose cone of the rocket...

*BLAM*

A sniper on the opposing team gets a lucky headshot and down you go. The power of the shot sends your corpse flying off the platform and the Australium tumbling to the ground...which causes the platform to lower back to the ground and the rocket to spin back down.

Victory in sight only to be snatched away by a sniper.

You might think this is a once and a life time misfortune (or achievement, if you're the sniper).

Let me tell ya something...it has happened, and happened and happened.

I can't tell you how many times it has happened. And when I say happened, I mean to me. I can't tell you how many times it's happened to others, but I know personally, it's happened a lot. Literally...several times a round it happens, with each instance of it more frustrating than the last; and each eliciting a cry of rage from yours truly.

ALERT: Valve Fanboy Gushing About To Commence

It's really a testament to Valve's creativity. It's not the first time they've taken the traditional game play modes like Capture the Flag, King of the Hill and Control Point and customized them for their own use. I was a big fan of the Payload mode, but this...this Special Delivery is brilliant. I don't know that I've ever (and if I have it's been a while) experienced such tense round after round white knuckle action.

Having considered the number of times this has happened, I thought about it. Analyzed it. And what I've determined is Valve crafted a near perfectly balanced map and gameplay mode. You see, the snipers are afforded several different positions to cover the platform while the other classes are provided a means to get on the lift at different elevations. So, whether you're attacking or defending, there doesn't seem to be any unfair balancing issues.

The result is competitive (and fun...if yelling at your game can be considered fun) gameplay where round after round the outcome varies and each team always has a shot at winning (or losing).

Doomsday? Hah, yeah right...more like pay day. Valve does it again.