Team Fortress 2/Unused Assets/Unused Models

This is a sub-page of Team Fortress 2/Unused Assets.

Team Fortress 2 contains many unused models in the game files. From unused weapon models to models made for use in maps, you can read about them all here.

Weapons

Unused Blutsauger Dart

When the Blutsauger was first added in the Gold Rush update, Valve was originally going to use this model for the projectile. In-game they use the stock Syringe Gun's darts.

Blutsauger Dart (RED)
Blutsauger Dart (BLU)

Higher Poly Ambassador Model

The following files for a higher poly count Ambassador weapon model were found in the game files, in an oddly-named parts folder within the actual c_ambassador.mdl's model folder until the June 8th, 2009 Patch when they were removed from the game:

 models/weapons/c_models/c_ambassador/parts/c_ambassador_opt.dx80.vtx
 models/weapons/c_models/c_ambassador/parts/c_ambassador_opt.dx90.vtx
 models/weapons/c_models/c_ambassador/parts/c_ambassador_opt.mdl
 models/weapons/c_models/c_ambassador/parts/c_ambassador_opt.sw.vtx
 models/weapons/c_models/c_ambassador/parts/c_ambassador_opt.vvd

c_ambassador_opt.mdl (wireframe).
c_ambassador.mdl (wireframe for comparison.
c_ambassador_opt.mdl - Poly count details.
c_ambassador.mdl - Poly count details for comparison.

v_models

The v_models for all of the respective classes' weapons (other than Spy's watches) go unused, when Valve switched to a c_model system.

Maps/Game Modes

DeGroot Keep Models

Included as part of the 2010 Australian Christmas update. Their intended uses are unknown, though they're in the tf\models\props_medieval directory.

Unused scroll pickup model.
Unused Ticket Booth model.

Mercenary Park "Island" Models

In tf\models\props_island, there are unused models related to the map "Mercenary Park". These models include:

island_silo.mdl, a large white colored silo with an orange stripe.

island_speedboat.mdl, a speedboat that rocks back and forth and has a large chunk taken out of its side. Has "Sax Machine" written on the back.

guard_tower01.mdl, a guard tower with the Yeti Park logo and part of the unused Spawn Room Turret gun model mounted to it. Also has barbed wire along its edges.

Close-up of the Spawn Room Turret.

sign_yetiisland_s01.mdl, _l01.mdl, _n01.mdl, and _d01.mdl, giant sign letters "S, L, N, and D". Given the props' prefixes, it's most likely from an early version of the Yeti Park sign above BLU team's first spawn that was meant to read "YETI ISLAND".

yeti_cell01.mdl, a large somewhat untextured cell with an open cage door at its front.

Flags

These unused flag models are in the same folder as the briefcase used for the flag in the final game. They're based off the flags in Team Fortress Classic.

Those faces, by the way, are those of Robin Walker and John Cook, the creators of The Team Fortress series.

Red Flag.
Blue Flag.
Neutral Flag.

Neutral Briefcase

This version of the Intel briefcase is fully functional, but is not used in any official levels. It was provided solely for designers of custom levels to use. It looks and behaves a lot like the team-colored Intel briefcases, except that it's grey and both teams can pick it up. The Objective HUD supports One-Flag CTF using this item.

Neutral Intel Briefcase.
Neutral Intel Briefcase (Captured).

Unused Train Models

Within the game's files, in the tf\models\props_vehicles directory, are 2 untextured models of unused train models. Whether these were intended to be Payload carts or not is unknown.

proto_train001.mdl
proto_train002.mdl

Early Spytech Payload Cart

An untextured version of a "spytech"-themed Payload cart first seen in some early concept art can be found in the tf\models\props_spytech directory.

cart_bomb.mdl
cart_bomb.mdl concept art

Passtime Duffel Bags

Found in tf\models\passtime\duffel_bags, are several duffel bag models. These duffel bags appear in a single cornered off room on the RED Team side of the Passtime Warehouse map. With the lighting disabled, the only duffel bag shown on the map is, in fact, the opened up Grey duffel bag. BLU does not have the equivalent "secret room", meaning the RED duffel bags & Camo duffel bags go unused.

tf\models\passtime\duffel_bags\duffel_camo_closed.mdl  // Unused
tf\models\passtime\duffel_bags\duffel_camo_empty.mdl   // Unused
tf\models\passtime\duffel_bags\duffel_camo_open.mdl    // Unused
tf\models\passtime\duffel_bags\duffel_camo_stuffed.mdl // Unused
tf\models\passtime\duffel_bags\duffel_grey_closed.mdl  // Unused
tf\models\passtime\duffel_bags\duffel_grey_open.mdl    // Used ingame
tf\models\passtime\duffel_bags\duffel_red_closed.mdl   // Unused
tf\models\passtime\duffel_bags\duffel_red_open.mdl     // Unused

Camo Duffel Bag (Closed).
Camo Duffel Bag (Empty).
Camo Duffel Bag (Open).
Camo Duffel Bag (Stuffed).
Grey Duffel Bag (Closed).
Grey Duffel Bag (Open, used ingame).
Red Duffel Bag (Closed).
Red Duffel Bag (Open).

Characters

Decapitation Model

Released alongside the Eyelander in the 2009 WAR! Update, there is a scrapped model that would have been placed at the player's neck when decapitated by the Eyelander instead of simply having their head shrink so small you can't see it anymore. Only the Soldier's model was included in the VPK, but it is assumed all classes would have had their own model, in a similar fashion to several multi-class hats.

Soldier's Decapitated Neck.

Taunt Prop Models

In the files for the new models for the taunts added in the Love and War update, three models exist that are left unused. These include:

A 3D version of the taunt bundle icon with no textures. There is also an unused backpack icon for the bundle.
An alternate mug model for the fresh brewed victory taunt, colored red with writing on it that says "V for victory".
A serving dish with a skull on it. Underneath the main model there is a towel with missing textures, meaning the model may be unfinished. A version of this model is now used in the Headcase taunt for the Pyro.

bundle_of_taunts.mdl
Bundle of Taunts backpack icon.
victory_mug.mdl
Victory mug's texture.
serving_platter.mdl

General Test Models

Test Fence

There's one fence model which is unlike any others in models\props_gameplay that uses the Half-Life 2 Lambda symbol for the "wiring".

testfence.mdl

Halloween Jiggle Test

In models\props_halloween, there's a file named hwn_jiggle_test.mdl which, fittingly enough, serves as a jigglebone test. It's a thin square.

It's like Jell-O!

Test Tank Track

In models\bots\boss_bot, a file named test_track_r.mdl contains a tank track. Possibly used to test how the tank functions.

Barricade Test

In models\props_medieval, there is a test model that was used to test the barricade in Rottenburg.

barricade_test.mdl
The break for the mentioned model. There is also an idle sequence, but it is just this animation played at 1 fps.

Misc. Models

Camera

A lightly rebranded Arriflex (or an ARR! here) 435ES movie camera with a highly detailed model. Also exists in Half-Life 2, apparently.

When asked about its planned purpose, Robin Walker said "I can’t quite remember. Might have been something for SFM. Or perhaps we built it when we were tinkering with a prototype of a spectator class who made movies of the match in realtime."

Unused Camera model.
Unused Camera model (front).
Unused Camera model (back).
Unused Camera model (facing left).
Unused Camera model (facing right).

Alternate Deathcam UI

Alternate version of the deathcam function. Would have depicted the F5'd deathcam picture landing on top of a pile of other pictures, all of which appear to have been taken from beta versions of the game. There are also 4 variants of the photo dropping down onto the pile underneath it. The pictures underneath each sequence are in a different order as well.

Deathcam UI model.
Deathcam UI model side-view, showing off the 3D-but-also-2D nature of this model.
Deathcam UI model texture, showing off the additional pictures underneath the main picture which would have shown your deathcam.
One of the four included sequences, has it drop down with no rotation.
This one has the image rotate clockwise upon dropping.
This one also rotates clockwise, just more so.
The last one, rotates counterclockwise instead.

"Urban" Models

In models\props_urban, there are some untextured temporary models such as some buildings for the background of the map, a crane, and a tower-like building. It's unknown what these may have been used for and where they would've been.

It was later discovered that the missing AO bake texture for temp_crane01.mdl was located within the January 2023 TF2 repo leak files.

temp_bo02.mdl
temp_bo02.mdl
temp_crane01.mdl
Crane AO bake texture.
temp_tower02.mdl

Trainyard Track Ramp Model

The following files for a dev textured ramped train track model were found in the game files until they were removed entirely in the April 29th, 2008 Patch (Gold Rush Update):

 materials/models/props_trainyard/track_ramp.vmt
 materials/models/props_trainyard/track_ramp.vtf
 models/props_trainyard/track_ramp.dx80.vtx
 models/props_trainyard/track_ramp.dx90.vtx
 models/props_trainyard/track_ramp.mdl
 models/props_trainyard/track_ramp.sw.vtx
 models/props_trainyard/track_ramp.vvd

track_ramp.mdl.
track_ramp.mdl (wireframe).

Cosmetics

Unused Pyromancer's Mask Horns

This needs some investigation.
Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page.
Specifically: Does paint affect the horns? When loaded in HLMV++ which does check the Proxies section of the VMT, the horns show up as red as per the image below. When loaded in normal HLMV which doesn't check the Proxies section of the horns' VMT file, they load in grey which combined with the existence of the paint-related variables in the VMT, seems to indicate that the horns are meant to be affected by paint. I just haven't tested this yet.

The Pyromancer's Mask has an unused bodygroup, which gives it different horns. These horns are straight and are colored red by default, though they may also be affected by paint.

The alternate horns.
The regular Pyromancer's Mask (for comparison).

All-Class Nanobalaclava

To do:
Images, probably could just be swiped from the TF2 Wiki to save time.

At one point, the Nanobalaclava (a Deus Ex promo item) was going to be all-class. In-game it's used only by Spy.