Prerelease:Team Fortress 2/Texture Preload List
This is a sub-page of Prerelease:Team Fortress 2.
The texture preload list was a more recent way that some in-development content was accidentally revealed. Some VTF filenames within the tf\texture_preload_list.txt file that had been added to the game in the October 28, 2015 Patch were found to be for weapons and taunts that had not been released at that time. These appear to be remnants from when Valve first created the texture preload list file itself. Staging build content was most likely present in the build that was used in making the list, and the presence of the filenames for some things may have escaped notice by Valve.
The existence of all these filenames in the texture preload list was discovered thanks to console errors that would appear when the game was started up.
Note: All filenames listed below are meant to end with .vtf. The texture preload list file omits the file extension and the CTexture::LoadTextureBitsFromFile engine function that reads the file to preload textures re-adds it when looking up files.
Weapons
Several in-development weapons were revealed in the texture preload list.
Afterburner
The Afterburner is a primary weapon for the Pyro that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve. The filename for its texture was first discovered within the texture_preload_list.txt file which was added to the game in the October 28, 2015 Patch, and contained filenames for textures from Valve's own internal build.
models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_pilot_flamer/c_pilot_flamer
The backpack icon and texture for the Afterburner were later accidentally pushed into the game files in the October 20, 2017 Patch (Jungle Inferno Update).
Assault Cannon
The Assault Cannon is a primary weapon for the Heavy that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve.
models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_assault_minigun/c_assault_minigun
The backpack icon, model and textures for the Assault Cannon were later accidentally pushed into the game files in the October 20, 2017 Patch (Jungle Inferno Update).
Cardiac Arrest
The Cardiac Arrest is a melee weapon for the Medic that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve. Oddly enough, despite being teamcolored, only the red texture filename was found in the texture preload list. It was later uploaded to the Steam Workshop, as well as sites like GameBanana where it could be downloaded as a clientside replacement mod, but was never officially added to the game in any capacity.
models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_defib/c_defib_red
RED team skin
BLU team skin
First person view (RED)
First person view (BLU)
Conventional
The Conventional is a primary weapon for the Scout and a secondary weapon for the Engineer that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve. It was later uploaded to the Steam Workshop.
models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_silenced_pistol_instructor/c_silenced_pistol_instructor
Dart Gun
The Dart Gun is a primary weapon for the Spy that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve. More specifically, it is very possible that this "Dart Gun" model was intended for the 2nd iteration of the Tranquilizer Gun that Valve was testing [the DNA Gun] and not for an entirely separate "Dart Gun" weapon. The DNA Gun itself was initially discovered via code for it in the August 2017 source code leak. As of the January 2023 Source Developer Asset Repo leaks, it can be confirmed that the "Dart Gun" was actually the Informer from the Steam Workshop.
models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_dart_gun/c_dart_gun models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_dart_gun/c_dart_gun_dart
Handy Pardner
The Handy Pardner is a PDA replacement for the Engineer that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve. While the filenames found were not the filenames for the PDA itself, they were for the associated Mini Dispenser building.
models/workshop/buildables/mini_dispenser/mini_dispenser models/workshop/buildables/mini_dispenser/mini_dispenser_blue models/workshop/buildables/mini_dispenser/mini_dispenser_phongmask
The backpack icon, model and textures for the Handy Pardner were later accidentally pushed into the game files in the October 20, 2017 Patch (Jungle Inferno Update).
Mini-Dispenser (RED)
Mini-Dispenser (BLU)
Mini-Dispenser HUD icon seen in a screenshot from a video of a compiled staging build of the game, made by someone with access to Source Developer Repo content.
Inside Jab
The Inside Jab is a melee weapon for the Spy that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve.
models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_pistol_knife/c_pistol_knife
The backpack icon, model and textures for the Inside Jab were later accidentally pushed into the game files in the October 20, 2017 Patch (Jungle Inferno Update).
Mortar Launcher
The Mortar Launcher is a primary weapon for the Soldier that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve. It is unknown which Workshop model this weapon would have used, as there are numerous Mortar Launcher-style Workshop submissions.
models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_mortar_launcher/c_mortar_launcher
Revolver Sniper Rifle
The Revolver Sniper Rifle is a primary weapon for the Sniper that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve. The Revolver Sniper Rifle also made an appearance in the August 2017 source code leak, with code related to its functionality being discovered. Specifically, it appears that the Revolver Sniper Rifle would have fired an actual projectile entity bullet as opposed to using hitscan detection like all other sniper rifles in the game.
models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_revolver_sniperrifle/c_revolver_sniperrifle
Spitfire
The Spitfire is a secondary weapon for the Pyro that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve.
models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_pilot_flaregun/c_pilot_flare models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_pilot_flaregun/c_pilot_flaregun
The backpack icon, model and textures for the Spitfire were later accidentally pushed into the game files in the October 20, 2017 Patch (Jungle Inferno Update). In spite of the earlier inclusion of the texture filename for the custom flare projectile, the flare was not leaked alongside the weapon in this update.
Viewfinder
The Viewfinder is a primary weapon for the Sniper that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve.
models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_sniperrifle_tv/c_sniperrifle_tv_blue models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_sniperrifle_tv/c_sniperrifle_tv_red
The backpack icon, model and textures for the Viewfinder were later accidentally pushed into the game files in the October 20, 2017 Patch (Jungle Inferno Update).
Water Balloon
The Water Balloon is a weapon that not much is known about. Going by the filenames, it appears there was to be a gold (or perhaps Australium) version of the balloon, and it also appears that there was a grenade form of the balloon. It is assumed that these files are related to a supposedly planned Water Balloon weapon for an older summer update that was never released.
models/weapons/c_items/c_balloon models/weapons/c_items/c_balloon_gold models/weapons/c_items/c_balloon_grenade models/weapons/c_items/c_balloon_grenade_gold models/weapons/c_items/c_balloon_grenade_normal
There are also some unused killicons for a Water Balloon weapon in the game files.
Other Finds
Some other filenames for weapons were also listed in the texture preload list, but the files themselves do not appear in the game files;
First we have a texture filename that may have been for the original Panic Attack model. The final model's texture is c_trenchgun/c_trenchgun.vtf
materials/models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_trench_shotgun/c_trench_shotgun
Then there is a filename for a phongmask for the Detonator, which doesn't exist in the game files;
materials/models/workshop/weapons/c_models/c_detonator/c_detonator_phongmask
There is also a misplaced copy of the Sticky Jumper's texture, appearing listed in the incorrect c_items folder instead of the correct c_models;
materials/models/weapons/c_items/c_sticky_jumper
Finally, we have texture filenames for 3 varieties of cut bread; Bagged Bread, Robo-Bread and Shortbread.
materials/models/weapons/c_items/c_bread_bagged materials/models/weapons/c_items/c_bread_bagged_normal materials/models/weapons/c_items/c_bread_robo materials/models/weapons/c_items/c_bread_shortbread materials/models/weapons/c_items/c_bread_shortbread_normal
Taunts
Several taunts that were being tested internally had their material filenames show up in the texture preload list.
Au Revoir
Au Revoir is a taunt intended for the Spy that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve.
models/workshop/player/items/spy/taunt__au_revoir/taunt__au_revoir_color
The backpack icon for the taunt was later accidentally pushed into the game files in the October 20, 2017 Patch (Jungle Inferno Update).
Hoodoo Hex
Hoodoo Hex is a taunt intended for the Spy that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve.
models/workshop/player/items/spy/taunt_hoodoo_hex/taunt_hoodoo_hex_blue_color models/workshop/player/items/spy/taunt_hoodoo_hex/taunt_hoodoo_hex_color
The backpack icon for the taunt was later accidentally pushed into the game files in the October 20, 2017 Patch (Jungle Inferno Update).
Santé!
Santé! is a taunt intended for the Spy that may have been considered for official addition to the game by Valve.
models/workshop/player/items/spy/taunt_sant/taunt_sant_color models/workshop/player/items/spy/taunt_sant/taunt_sant_normal
The backpack icon for the taunt was later accidentally pushed into the game files in the October 20, 2017 Patch (Jungle Inferno Update).
Other Finds
Also found within the texture preload list were filenames for models related to taunts that had not been added at the time, but that were added officially in later patches. Those taunts, and the filenames that the texture preload list can be searched for, are:
Bad Pipes, which was added later in the year in the December 17, 2015 Patch (Tough Break Update);
models/workshop/player/items/demo/true_scotsmans_call/true_scotsmans_call_1_blue_color models/workshop/player/items/demo/true_scotsmans_call/true_scotsmans_call_1_color models/workshop/player/items/demo/true_scotsmans_call/true_scotsmans_call_1_normal models/workshop/player/items/demo/true_scotsmans_call/true_scotsmans_call_blue_color models/workshop/player/items/demo/true_scotsmans_call/true_scotsmans_call_color models/workshop/player/items/demo/true_scotsmans_call/true_scotsmans_call_normal
Bucking Bronco, which was added later in the year in the December 17, 2015 Patch (Tough Break Update);
models/workshop/player/items/engineer/bucking_bronco/bucking_bronco_blue_color models/workshop/player/items/engineer/bucking_bronco/bucking_bronco_color models/workshop/player/items/engineer/bucking_bronco/bucking_bronco_normal
Balloonibouncer, which was added a year later in the July 7, 2016 Patch (Meet Your Match Update);
models/workshop/player/items/pyro/taunt_spring_rider/taunt_spring_rider_blue_color models/workshop/player/items/pyro/taunt_spring_rider/taunt_spring_rider_color models/workshop/player/items/pyro/taunt_spring_rider/taunt_spring_rider_normal
Scooty Scoot, which was finally added 3 years later in the October 19, 2018 Patch (Scream Fortress 2018);
models/player/items/taunts/scooter/pauling_moped models/player/items/taunts/scooter/wheel
Finally, there was also a random taunt texture filename found listed in the texture preload list. Judging by the filename, it appears to be a texture for a Mann Co. Supply Crate. Perhaps this was meant to be used with that weird "show1" animation for the Soldier that was removed from the model entirely some time after May 2012? Or maybe it could have been meant for the "taunt_loot" animations that all classes (except Soldier and Heavy) had?
models/player/items/taunts/loot_crate/mannco_crate
