dont forget about valves management system where you can work on almost any project, you aren't tied down to one game.

not only that but i'd imagine they'd increase in numbers for future features/updates (like this)

I usually get invisible players when my Wi-Fi decides to give me 500 ping for 8-15 seconds.

Well in this case that just doesn't work. TF2's current state is unstable and at some points plain broken. Updates trying to fix bugs just create more which shows how poorly the game's maintained, which is now completely understandable seeing how few people actually work on it. I also still don't understand why Valve isn't porting this game to Source 2. Hideous lag compensation model: gone. Crappy performance on powerful machines that have no issues with more modern titles: dealt with. Up-to-date toolset for content creators: check. DX11/DX12/Vulcan support for reduced driver overhead and more performance out of the mid-range computer systems: yes please. Thousands of little bugs that are there just because it's Source: gone. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks by a factor of about, lets say, 10 billion.

What do they do instead? Add a game mode that deviates so much from the main game it could be it's own separate game, make weapon balance changes only 5 year olds can think of (and then refusing to fix them like 4 months down the line (looking at you, Tide Turner)). And now this matchmaking system comes along which is already starting to look crappier and crappier the more information about it becomes available. Why even bother with it? Make a stable game first, then add content.

As for the invisible players: it happens because of a desync with the server, where the server sends a packet containing player information that never arrives or arrives corruptly. TF2's client never asks for a new one however, resulting in invisible players. Typing record s; stop in the console fixes this, as the record command first demands a complete up-to-date server state before recording a demo which results in the data packets being sent again.

nobody says it does work, their management system seems to suite a small company which valve isn't anymore. same type of problems apply to dota2 & csgo (ghost walking, tek9, smokes, hit reg, server issues, pathing, half finished features).

i agree that they should really prioritise performance, bug fixes, balancing etc. with source 2, especially as Overwatch is trying to gun for TF2 (which might be the renewed interest in matchmaking), you can't really expect such inconsistent performance on a game this old.

Matchmaking can work, however, I don't know if Valve realise how much work it's going to take to make a working 6v6 system. CSGO and Dota2 public to competitive is pretty much identically bar a few excluded heros and round timers, TF2 has a completely different ruleset, unlocks, class restrictions, maps etc. which they need to address first.

how are you so handsome

A little idea I came up with that valve could also implement during big LAN/events (insomnia for example) is to add a cosmetic with team logos on it, something similar to team stickers in csgo during majors. http://i.imgur.com/vXV6mOm.jpg this is what I came up with, an armband with the team's logo on it. Its poorly done, but hopefully you can still see my idea.

As long as they balance the items and allow everything, it should be okay.

I wish i played TF2 in 2007 to see competitive dustbowl/goldrush D: