I'm kind of a big deal in Redmond - New update!

Source Engine Changes (TF2, DoD:S, HL2:DM)

• Dramatically improved the dynamic model loading system's memory usage, performance, and stability
• Reduced memory usage on systems running Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7
• Improved alt-tab handling under Windows Vista and Windows 7 

Admin: this will be welcome news to most windows users (99% of TF2 community).

PSA: don't give me your uncraftables

Just a word of warning to all those traders out in TF2 land: mouse-over all items in your trade window.  Many trades in our experience have people putting up "uncraftable" (ie. dirty) items on unsuspecting victims.  It's very common and easy to stop.  You just have to pay attention.  That is all.  Carry on.

Risers and fallers

The stock market has daily risers and fallers. It's an actual metric that is used to gauge the overall up or down direction of the market.  In TF2, it's not exactly the same but there are certainly items that rise and fall.  Newer items tend to start out strong and fall with time.  However that isn't always the case, as we see currently with Essential Accessories which are a continually popular item and have risen in price recently.

Other items of note are the Salvaged Crate #30 items.  There is a real sense of scarcity to the more popular of these strange items (Machina, Kritzkrieg) that even carries over to the Gunslinger.  Mackerel and Caber have a little bump, but there are still plenty of sellers at their respectively lower prices.  Crate #30 continues to be kept in short supply.

Keys are slowly becoming more available this weekend.  Many traders who bought at 2 refined and 2 reclaimed will not be thrilled to know that the high prices they paid will likely soon bring the price back to equilibrium.  Keys are starting (slowly) to sell again for 2.44 and 2.33 refined...although this is not the official price yet as the influx of keys could be temporary.

Newer genuine items from the Saints Row promo are now tradeable and sell as a set (mostly) for around Bills Hat in price.  This is considered a lower price for a set of new genuines so the game must have sold well or was considered cheap by buyers.  Football Manager items have a strong price range around buds for the set.   Trine 2 and Assassin's Creed items are not yet tradeable.  The heavy hat for Trine 2 is a love/hate item apparently.  Assasin's Creed items look to be popular, although they are only for the spy which will be interesting to see if they trade for high value.

The Halloween items have quieted considerably as it would be expected.  The prices for them will likely fall (if not already) and we will adjust as we see how they sell.  They are not a typical item being they are usable only 3 days about per month and on Halloween events.  Buy them on the cheap only is our suggestion.  ("scrap -" means a scrap maximum per item).

Happy Turkey Day!

To our US traders, happy Thanksgiving and don't forget to make some time for TF2 in between meals!  Everyone else in the world wondering what the heck Thanksgiving is, don't worry about it.  Carry on.

More patches, more items to keep you happy

Team Fortress 2

• Added new promo items^[1]
• Fixed some visual conflicts with the Dr. Whoa bowtie and other items
• Updated the Cold War Luchador, the Mark of the Saint, and the Apoco-Fists so they can be crafted and traded
• Updated the localization files

Undocumented Changes

• Made the Cold War Luchador, the Mark of the Saint, and the Apoco-Fists giftable

Notes

1. ↑ Dashin' Hashshashin, Sharp Dresser, Top Notch

Get your Level 7 Max Heads here (cheap!)

Hat duping?  Impossible you say!  Well, apparently not...link here.  Looks like the problem is already under control but just in case hold off on buying a Burning Tossel.

New update. Get your bowtie now.

Team Fortress 2

• Added the Dr. Whoa bowtie
• Added a new taunt for the Heavy when he's wearing the FrankenHeavy set
• WebAPI changes:
  • Fixed contained_item not always displaying in the web api results
  • Added a new API (IEconAssets_440/GetAssetPrices/v0001) for getting item prices
• Fixed set bonuses activating outside of the proper holiday for holiday restricted items
• Fixed the Loch-n-Load death notice icon not being displayed correctly

Quick tidbit on integrity

'Allo fellow TF2'ers.  Every once in a while we like to address things going on in the TF2 community.  Today is a busy one, as you can already read about the Genuine Purity Fist & Clean 2011 Skull post here.  However, it is also important to talk about some hearsay about our little spreadsheet and "price fixing".

While we have already discussed our methodology, we never thought our actual integrity was being questioned until some other competing websites started popping up looking curiously similar to ours.  Their creators were claiming that TF2 Spreadsheet (that's us) is corrupt!  With no evidence of course they go on to accuse us of price-fixing for our own gain, therefore their new price website is the white knight in shining armor coming to save the day!

Let us just say this: we would not have lasted as long nor be as often used a resource if people thought our prices were fixed.  All of our editors are active traders who submit their price reports and I, your humble Admin, compile them to one price for each item.  I personally do not trade for profit anymore.  My gains were made trading unusuals (we don't even offer prices on them) and regular items way back in the early months of 2011.  However, I am on trade servers and forums for several hours a day.  Yes I am probably watching you right now.

So when someone says something insane like we're fixing prices, and when they can't offer proof tell them to go and play Naughty Bear instead.

Genuine Purity Fist & Clean Spine-Chilling Skull 2011

Ok, traders there is some genuine controversy going around on a couple of items.  Let's address them one by one.

Genuine Purity Fist:  Apparently there are several (at least) hoarders of this item.  They have many of them in their respective backpacks.  Facepunch has the story here.  There were several SPUF threads however most have been deleted (not closed, per usual) by moderators.  Strange but conspiracy theorists we are not.  There remains a semi-informative SPUF thread here.  The bottom line: don't buy a genuine purity fist right now.  If you do, buy it on the cheap only.

Clean Spine-Chilling Skull 2011: As with Spine-Chilling Skull 2010, there is another "glitch" that made some of the 2011 versions craftable (note: the 2010 glitch made some of that year's version tradeable).  This is verified in the official wiki here.  The bottom line: this does appear to be a rarer item and a price-clarification is coming on both clean/dirty versions.  However, there appear to be many for sale right now at values all-over-the-map.  Until the market sorts out, we will watch and see.

Halloween Poll results

It looks like the pyro marketing scheme is working since you fell all over backwards for his (or her?) new hats.  Last Breath takes the pole position with an easy lap win over the rest.  Apparition's Aspect in second.  Idiot Box, Spine Chilling Skull 2011, and Holy Hunter take a close 3rd place.  The sarcastic poll stackers must have taken this week off since the Gibus and Monoculeus didn't even have a chance.  Here's to less sarcasm!

Apparition's Aspect	124 (12%)
Hair of the Dog	15 (1%)
Spine-Chilling Skull 2011	94 (9%)
Seal Mask	47 (4%)
Ghastlierest Gibus	37 (3%)
Infernal Impaler	50 (4%)
Under Cover	47 (4%)
Holy Hunter	93 (9%)
Einstein	27 (2%)
Buzz Killer	27 (2%)
Can Opener	4 (0%)
Spine-Twisting Skull	17 (1%)
Scottish Snarl	6 (0%)
Last Breath	199 (19%)
Blazing Bull	71 (6%)
Spine-Cooling Skull	6 (0%)
Wrap Battler	5 (0%)
Idiot Box	106 (10%)
Monoculus	31 (3%)
Spine-Tingling Skull	21 (2%)

Votes so far: 1027
Poll closed

New poll: tell us your favorite Halloween hat

Consider all the items Valve gave us this year for Halloween and tell us which hat is your favorite.  They really went all out as we predicted and you have to give a round of applause to Valve as they keep adding more and more content to this classic game.

For the poll regarding the costume sets, assume the hats are Haunted if that makes any difference.  Be as sarcastic (Monoculus) or snarky (Ghastlierest) as you like!