Valve has issued a second Team Fortress 2 update for Scream Fortress XVIII, one day after the Halloween event arrived. The follow-up is narrower than the launch patch: it fixes a movement exploit, repairs several cosmetic and audio issues, and changes how two Halloween maps handle objectives.
Wildcat closes an aiming loophole
The most consequential competitive fix is on cp_wildcat_event. Heavy and Sniper could move at full speed while aiming; Valve’s October 2 notes say that exploit has been closed. The same map update stops Jack-o’-Potion appearance and break sounds from playing globally, so those effects should no longer reach everyone in a match regardless of position.
Valve also fixed a Pain Train interaction that allowed players to capture points while using the weapon as a pumpkin. The studio credits community contributor Skull for that correction. A related Halloween contract objective now asks players to kill with a pumpkin bomb instead of collecting a Halloween Pumpkin.
Medi-Evil gets longer rounds and a different challenge
The patch increases the ctf_medi_evil timer from eight minutes to 10 and removes overtime. Its contract requirement has changed as well: instead of scoring a pumpkin-bomb kill, players must get five kills in one life. That is a different kind of test, rewarding survival and sustained combat rather than waiting for a map hazard to line up.
These adjustments apply to the event that began October 1. Valve’s original Scream Fortress XVIII notes say the event runs through November 7, with Medi-Evil among its five new community maps. The follow-up does not change that end date.
Cosmetics and taunt audio receive repairs
Smaller fixes cover missing localization strings and absent voice lines for the One-Eyed Punt! taunt. Scout Crazy Legs now uses the intended lightwarp, with Valve crediting Chickenman456 for the community fix. Skeleton Crew receives a previously omitted second style, while the Autumn Breeze Unusual effect has been adjusted because of visibility problems.
The update installs automatically when Team Fortress 2 restarts. Valve’s notes do not announce balance changes beyond the listed map, objective, cosmetic and exploit fixes, so players should not infer a wider class or weapon rebalance from this patch.
Sources
- Reporting source: GamerHeadlines
- Primary source: Valve’s Team Fortress 2 update notes
- Official media source: Team Fortress 2 on Steam
