Jump Pads

The BLU Engineer is having the time of his life.

Engineers can now switch out their Teleporters for two Jump Pads! Instead of being disassembled and reassembled on the atomic level, teammates can super-jump into battle, covering the same kind of height and distance you'd expect from a perfect rocket jump. One-way drops are now two-way opportunities, explosive jumpers' shortcuts are now valid flank routes, and "I can't focus on keeping my Teleporters up!" is now a piss-poor excuse not to play Engineer.

Jump Pad publicity blurb

Jump Pads are a type of building that can be constructed by the an Engineer using the PDA: Jump Pad, replacing his ability to build a Teleporter. The Engineer can construct two Jump Pads that work independently of each other, emitting wind particles, a team-colored glow, and a constant whirring noise while active. Each Jump Pad requires 70 metal to build, have 90 health each, and cannot be upgraded. Hitting a Jump Pad with the Wrench will repair damage and speed up construction as usual. They can be constructed in deep water, but will not function, showing a message saying they are flooded. If they are constructed in shallow water, they will function as normal.

When an ally presses the jump button while above a Jump Pad, that player's jump is given increased height and distance, similar to that of a rocket jump. The user's momentum depends on the momentum they had beforehand. A player can still walk or jump onto a Jump Pad without receiving the boost. Compared to the Teleporter, the cooldown on the Jump Pad is significantly shorter, so players are able to use it in short succession. The Jump Pad also works even during situations the user wouldn't be able to jump, such as while crouching, while the Heavy has his minigun revved up, or while in the middle of a jump. This also includes the losing team's Jump Pads during the end-of-round humiliation, where they will remain active much like Teleporters. The user can continually hold the jump button to constantly receive the Jump Pad boost. The user also does not take fall damage from the boost.

The Jump Pad itself is solid and players are slightly elevated while walking on top of it. Enemies can walk on top of the Jump Pad, but jumping on it only produces a standard jump. The Spy can use Jump Pads belonging to any team, regardless of whether he is disguised. When one Jump Pad is sapped, the other Jump Pad is unaffected. A counter on the HUD tells the builder how many players, including the builder, have used it to jump. In addition, users of the Jump Pad who are on fire will have their afterburn extinguished.

The utility of the Jump Pad depends on the map and the circumstances of the team. While Teleporters enable faster movement to the frontline, the Jump Pad allows the Engineer to play a more versatile role, turning routes that require explosive jumps into routes that all players can use. In addition, its ability to give increased horizontal velocity partially fulfills the role of the Teleporter in getting teammates to the front lines quicker.

Trivia

• The description for the Jump Pad included the phrase, "To air is human". This is a pun on the saying "To err is human; to forgive, divine", and is attributed to the English poet Alexander Pope.
• As shown in the Fight or Flight promotional image, a thrown Sandvich will be launched by the Jump Pad.
• The Fight or Flight promotional image shows a RED Engineer sitting on a Teleporter, with a second Teleporter right next to him. Logically, if both Teleporters belong to that Engineer, they should be active and teleporting him.
• The Engineer's voice lines related to the Jump Pad were provided by Gianni Matragrano. Despite this, he has not yet put Team Fortress 2 Classic in his portfolio.

Gallery

A teaser image from the 2.0.3 patch notes, before the Jump Pad was announced.