Note: I know that there is already a thread about the TF2 Free Weekend but I thought I would share my funny experience, in rambling story form!

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It should be noted that our hero was not a naive man, nor was he in anyway computer illiterate, but on this particular weekend he was duped, duped by the clever marketing ninja's that Valve so cleverly employ.

Our tale begins, as these tales often do, on a sunny, but cool Saturday afternoon in Melbourne, Australia. Our hero had just spent a fruitful afternoon at the local shopping centre, purchasing all manner of warm winter garments, and a pair of nice new shoes. The significance behind the shoes will not become apparent at all in this story.

On returning home and showing his victorious purchases to the family, he became discontent with the quality of entertainment on the Idiot Box (TV, slang). Fortunately, our hero was a prudent fellow who often felt this way, so he had cleverly acquired a Monolith of PC Gaming! Less charitable readers might instantly suspect some form of foul play in this acquisition, but I would hasten to assure them of its complete legality. Fresh with purpose, he set off to the Lair of this electronic behemoth. No dragons were harmed in the completion of this task.

Once the requisite pagan ritual had been completed and Windows XP had successfully booted, our hero decided, on a whim, to see what friends were cruising on Steam. It should be noted that this is not a usual task, so maybe the Gods were smiling on Valve.

Vacantly his eyes roamed the Games page in the interface, not expecting anything of note. His eyes almost dropped out of his head on spying the words Team Fortress 2, under the ‘Not Installed’ section. He had not purchased this game before, preferring the realism so inherent in Call of Duty 4. How had this come to pass? What devil magic’s were in play?

It was the gift column that caught his eye. A countdown! To what, he thought? Judgment day? The day of reckoning? A Google search revealed no answers, though in his defence it’s hard to work out what one should search for in cases like this. No matter, a FREE game is a FREE game and thus should be downloaded and played.

So, struggling with a LoTRO addiction and a pathetic 512kbs connection, our hero waited and waited. These moments were only saved and made bearable by the company of his hope-bringing girl. She made it all possible through the darkest hours. Finally, our hero valiantly completed the download and installed the game. Oh Joy! Oh Salvation! Our hero was overcome with joy at playing his FREE game! So he immediately leapt into the game and tried his hand.

Such a reaming he endured, he wondered whether it was all worth it. No sprint, no scopes, it was like he had gone 3 years back to the UT and Quake days. And then the penny dropped, for an anonymous player on the server, “I no y there is sh*tting players on… its the free weekend”. ‘Free Weekend’, what was this? This time, Google provided more valuable information and the full extent of Valve duplicity was revealed.

Our hero was admonished, but also felt elated, like Eve he had tried the fruit and enjoy its succulent taste. The $19.99 cheap price was also too much to ask and a purchase was made forthwith.

On reflection our hero was duped, so it is only fitting he says:

Well Played Valve.
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Hope that was half decent

Now all I have to do is get good at the damn game