Halloween paints are still working.
There is a program called TFMV which lets you preview loadouts and paints on TF2 classes by scanning the VMT files for each item and making an easy interface for editing them (then loading them in HLMV), but it (somewhat understandably) doesn't include any of the Halloween paints.
I read this wiki page about previewing paints by editing the color values in the VMT files for each item, but it doesn't mention how the Halloween paints animation worked or what their color values were.
If anyone knows what the values are that need to be edited in an item's VMT file to see a Halloween paint, or any other way I could preview this effect, please help
P.S. I want to view the effect on a specific item, so the preview on youtube of the paints on a gibus is not helpful
Best Answer
That is an interesting question, and I found an answer to it.
http://loadout.tf/
This website allows you to customize loadouts on a model of any of the 9 mercenaries. While it does take a while to load some times, it allows you to select weapons, cosmetics, and poses for the loadout, so you can see how your items of choice look with eachother. It will even warn you when two items clip and can not work with eachother.
To select a class, click on one of the portraits at the top of the screen, and select add item. This will bring up a menu with all items the class you chose can equip. Select the items you want to add, and they will appear on the mercenary in the background. Click outside of the add items box to close it.
To select a paint, first the item must be paintable (duh). Once you add the item to your loadout, select the paint bucket item in the upper left hand corner of the box that has the item you selected. At the bottom of the paint list that appears will be the Halloween spells, and will even show them changing colors, much like in the game.
If you already added and item, and want to add paint to it, go back to that items box, click on its paint bucket icon, and select the paint you want.