A bugreport is here too: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Source-1-Games/issues/7032

Launching tf.exe or tf.exe -game tf alone now is not enough. They get force-switched to x64.
As far as I know, this is the only way, targeting -game with something besides tf but with the same intent:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH4scK3uB_s

If anyone knows a different way please comment.

https://ar.mevl2.duckdns.org/tf/maps/
Submit it!!

This recently broke if you already had set it up before the halloween update, but can be fixed. Just re-copy the entire scripts folder of your main install to your custom install.

This is happening to me and my friend in Turkey too. We normally have him go on a VPN so we don't get Frankfurt servers, but now we can't play together at all. Its sad and its clear we aren't the only ones with this issue, it seems like something valve did.

Sure. just rename the team fortress 2 folder to "TF2 beta 07 25" or something and use the same bat file. Steam won't do anything like try to target them for updates since it only seeks the "Team Fortress 2" folder.

Also, this video isnt really for betas but I became interested in seperate install's abilities to have their own configs and found a way to make a install which reads off the original game files instead of having its own, except for configs and mods, thus saving a shit ton of space and giving me a seperate configuration instance of tf2 to play with. And, it's just a single text file edit to make it. You may find it useful too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH4scK3uB_s

You have to make a bat file to launch it

start hl2 -game tf 

Also it's gonna crash unless you go offline mode (not friendslist-offline) on steam
if you need the steam services still running (objectors wont work without it), instead of going offline mode install this addon in tf/addons, and add -insecure to the batch file.
https://github.com/ficool2/custom_items_games

I didnt know you could add custom site links in huds, can you link some huds or a tutorial that does this?

https://rapidgrab.net/u/9zQt1RkN.png

https://rapidgrab.net/u/9zQhy7Ae.png

https://github.com/ficool2/custom_items_games#beta-branches
This is the best way because it will keep custom decal items still intact.

You can also go offline mode on steam (true offline mode in the main client window, not friends list offline) to get it to not crash.

Since everyone is sad lawena is gone I'll post this as I think it will help some.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH4scK3uB_s

HLAE still doesn't work right now though.

I hope some PREC functions like map names in demo names can be added to demosupport

go heavy go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH4scK3uB_s

Made this guide because lawena won't stop crashing for me no matter what and I pretty much only used it as an HLAE launcher anyway.

Note that now to record on anything except pre_ji_demos you have to use offline mode on steam or disable internet or the game crashes on boot. Theres this addon that ficool2 made you can add so you don't have to do that though I don't know if that would bias testing in some way.
https://github.com/ficool2/custom_items_games

Theres a new easy way! Ficool is a beast!
https://github.com/ficool2/custom_items_games
Also the previous solution is as easy as using offline mode in steam (true offline, not the one in the friends list) so it shouldn't be too nasty. Valve should fix this though.