Why Does TF2 Have Random Crits?

rare high moments™
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songs used:
Mighty Switch Force! OST - Jive Bot

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero OST - Tassel Town

Shantae and the Seven Sirens OST - Sunken Shipyard
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interviews referenced:
Games For Windows Magazine interview with Robin Walker (2007)

IGN interview with Robin Walker + Charlie Brown (2007)

RockPaperShotgun interview with Robin Walker + Charlie Brown (2007)

[dunslax]

The killcam isn't just a "relationship" feature. If a sentry or sniper kills me, I will know their location. It's very useful.

[grfrjiglstan]

I'm glad to see a creator add something to this decade-old discussion besides "are bad, pls remove." It's always more interesting to delve into the rationale behind decisions.

[pikazilla]

It amazes me that tf2’s maps were so absolutely terrible and chokey and defence oriented that valve thought giving the attackers a 15% chance to triple their damage after making any amount of progress was justified

[sungineer]

I've seen a head canon of random crits where Mann co are horrendous at making weapons and the random crit is when the weapon actually works properly

[TARINunit]

10:35
I think there's another puzzle piece worth trying: dropping your crit chance back to zero after getting a crit. This would give one team momentum without turning it into an unreversable curbstomp

[maskofthedragon]

It's insanely silly how the only actual explanation of random crits was unironically "It allows pubstompers to stomp pubs harder"

[DEWILL]

This was quite an interesting shift of view. It nearly persuaded me, until I experience everyday random crit tomfoolery again in casual.

[Endiiii]

Seeing the editing, audio and scripts get better and better each video has been a sight to see. Well done to you and everyone who worked on the video, seeing someone improve so fast makes me appreciate this really rare high moment.

[NewArmies]

Random crits are fair and balanced but only when I get them

[AddNameLater]

Great video. For anyone who’s interested in the random crits topic, I highly suggest watching Lister’s other video “Why Can’t Certain Weapons Random Crit?”. Surprisingly, it’s not just a meme attribute that valve uses to slap on random weapons

[casharbers]

As long as they exist in the game i will audibly wheeze whenever I tank trough one with the batalions backup

[bluvius]

Very interesting video, it’s nice to look at the intention valve had when designing the mechanic, and how their words were misconstrued by the community

[windywriter]

I remember, when first playing Team Fortress 2, random crits were something I was incredibly confused by random crits because I would never get them. It was only after months of playing that I realized I was only using weapons that couldn't get them - Sniper rifles, swords, knives, and, especially, the Caber. But by that point, I had such a negative relationship with crits that I just wanted them gone entirely so I didn't have to deal with them.

[wildrahi]

Another amazing video—seriously, they just keep getting better and better! I can’t think of anyone else who could make such a well-researched video that corrects popular misconceptions on such a controversial subject, and so clearly and concisely. Not just one of the best TF2bers, but one of the best gaming youtubers period!

[elireed]

i love random grits like the highs of dishing them and the lows of receiving them are something that you don’t really feel much in video games and is unique to tf2

[RockAndRoll]

This was a fantastic video, I never thought of it this way before. Applying this logic would also explain why CTF gives crits when you capture the flag.

[bandyinkeplayz]

Dude that demo flying throw your screen at 12:21 scared the hell out of me 😂

[gurlight]

This comment section is too civil and polite - lets change that :

Random Crits keeps the tryhards in check. It keeps the fun & casual nature of TF2 maintained, knowing that all their skill and practice will help them 90% of the match. Just not that 10%.

It affects the overall mood of the server. Look at uncletopia and nocrit "casual" servers - the moment there's a single tryhard demo and medic gf you're FORCED to tryhard yourself, just to survive. Then the meta loadouts comes, nofun scouts, and it just becomes comp-lite.

"But random crits benefit tryhards the most because they do most damage"

And they get mad the most when killed by a crocket. Pablo.Gonzales.2007 isn't crying at the crocket, he was getting stomped anyways. But Pablo was not killing anyone on his own, maybe assists. When he gets the crocket kill (especially a revenge kill), he gets the high moment he's missing in the game. Tryhard pubstomper gets no additional enjoyment. He's just rewarded more multikills if enemies are grouped together (opposing team's fault).

Random crits raises the high moments for lower skilled(or effort) players, and in turn lowers the already high ego of a high skilled (or effort) player. The best thing a tryhard can do when killed by random crit is realize this game is meant to be taken lightly, have fun, and realize their "skills" are good for 90% of the game time, just let others remaining have fun.

I just want random crits to remain the way it is in most of the servers, and nocrits to remain in other dedicated servers for those who want it. When i want to tryhard, i just play other multiplayer game in the market. I want TF2 to remain "that fun game". That's the reason even after 15 years, this game is noob friendly, and not completely dominated by high level players.

[JackNick]

Clearly the solution to this is to give players random ubers to compensate. For every damage taken, you have a small chance of being invulnerable for 2 seconds

[Fluxuation]

Honestly, the pacing thing is why i kinda love the last holdout on almost every payload maps. Usually blu team is absolutely at a disadvantage, but not having victory be guarunteed just makes achieving it that much sweeter.