From Valve:

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Team Fortress 2 Heavy Update Unveiling Now

August 12, 2008, 1:00 pm - Valve - Press Release

Valve, creators of award-winning games and leading technologies, today announced the unveiling of details for the largest update ever produced for Team Fortress 2, the multiplayer action game that recently topped PC Gamer UK's "Top 100" list.

Beginning today gamers may find details of "The Heavy" Update being disclosed via http://steamgames.com/tf2/heavy/. The site will reveal new information and screenshots each day, as well as a special installment to the "Meet the Team" series of video shorts.

"The Heavy" update is the largest update to Team Fortress 2 since it was first released as part of The Orange Box last October. In addition to offering new unlockable weapons, achievements, "The Heavy" update also includes a brand new gameplay mode and a number of new maps.
The rollout culminates next Tuesday, August 19 when the update will be made available to all owners of Team Fortress 2.

To give all gamers a chance to check out the new gameplay introduced in "The Heavy" update, Valve will be running a Team Fortress 2 Free Weekend via Steam, a leading online platform for the delivery and management of PC games. The Free Weekend is open to gamers the world over and scheduled to begin Friday, August 22 at 11 am PDT.
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actually its next weekend

Yep...Next Weekend

Last time was miserable, never again.

My apologies. Thanks for the catch. I've fixed the title.

Originally Posted by VioletArrows Last time was miserable, never again.

Why was it miserable?
Also, I've never used Steam - is the 'free weekend' just a download of a time-limited trial version?

Originally Posted by Multicron Why was it miserable? Also, I've never used Steam - is the 'free weekend' just a download of a time-limited trial version?

The problem with these "free weekends" is that for a few weeks immediately following an achievement patch, every server becomes bogged down with people looking to do nothing besides farm for their achievements. The game itself is the full version - everything's available. It's just finding a good server with people actually playing the game can be somewhat of a hardship.

Then take advantage of things and be the counter-class.

Heavies? Dear GOD, Spy and Sniper heaven.

Originally Posted by Nohbdy Then take advantage of things and be the counter-class. Heavies? Dear GOD, Spy and Sniper heaven.

EXACTLY!

I'll take part in the free weekend just to make sure if the game will run on my laptop. I've wanted to buy it, but not if it doesnt run.

Originally Posted by Multicron Why was it miserable? Also, I've never used Steam - is the 'free weekend' just a download of a time-limited trial version?

To answer your second question, - yes, that's exactly it. You can preload the software starting next week (it's several GB), and then starting around noon on friday, you can play without buying. On sunday, they turn off the "free" part. Don't wait until Friday to start pre-loading, as it takes a long time to download.

It's a great way to try out the game before buying it, or to see how well it runs on your specs.

You would need a Steam account, but that's no hurdle for CAG PC gamers, as Steam offers a very good weekend sale deal each weekend. I really like Steam, I get good games for $5 or $10 all the time.

Valve will release a link for pre-loading soon, probably next week. Just check on www.steampowered.com and also the link it the press-release I posted at the start of this thread.

If you've never played before, disregard the whining about people playing just for achievements. You will have a grand time if it's all new to you!

I hope they offer another discount on it.

I would buy if they made it $10-14

The post about Circuit City game sales for next week here has The Orange Box for $25 next week, if that's any more attractive than $19 for TF2.

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Originally Posted by gcorlett You will have a grand time if it's all new to you!

Yeah no. I hated it because I rarely got to do anything meanwhile not getting to step out of the spawn point for more than 5 seconds before dying. Every 'newb' room I tried was full of high level assholes taking advantage of everyone who wanted to try the free weekend. I remember at one point I was shooting directly at someone for a straight minute (someone else had him pinned in a corner). HE WOULDN'T DIE because he was a higher level and I had lvl 1 weapons. I gave up and uninstalled it.

Originally Posted by VioletArrows Yeah no. I hated it because I rarely got to do anything meanwhile not getting to step out of the spawn point for more than 5 seconds before dying. Every 'newb' room I tried was full of high level assholes taking advantage of everyone who wanted to try the free weekend. I remember at one point I was shooting directly at someone for a straight minute (someone else had him pinned in a corner). HE WOULDN'T DIE because he was a higher level and I had lvl 1 weapons. I gave up and uninstalled it.

Higher level? If you shoot at anybody for a whole minute on TF2, they should be dead no matter what weapon you use. Maybe you were too far and the weapon you used was not accurate at far range (I'm thinking along the lines of the scout scattergun).

People spawn camp to kill the other enemy, but all you have to do is let your teammates know and they'll come back to clear it out. Find a better server and you should have fun

Sounds cool. May have to try this...

Maybe the guy had a medic, w/ a weaker weapon, the guy would be next to invincible if that were the case.

TF2 is the greatest team-based PC game this generation. Can't wait for the heavy update!

Originally Posted by VioletArrows Yeah no. I hated it because I rarely got to do anything meanwhile not getting to step out of the spawn point for more than 5 seconds before dying. Every 'newb' room I tried was full of high level assholes taking advantage of everyone who wanted to try the free weekend. I remember at one point I was shooting directly at someone for a straight minute (someone else had him pinned in a corner). HE WOULDN'T DIE because he was a higher level and I had lvl 1 weapons. I gave up and uninstalled it.

The level notations are pretty much meaningless.
The only thing you need to know is which class counters which, and when to attack versus when to retreat.

Of course, they brought in the updates in the first place to mix that up a little.

I'm so tempted just to buy this game outright. I have a midrange laptop though and already own it on 360, is the game resource heavy?