Jason
10-28-2011, 05:35 AM
Well folks, we decided it was high time we reached out to folks and got our own server running. To that end, I've rented a Team Fortress 2 server from the good folks at Multiplay, and am in the process of getting it all set up.
To that end, I'd like to invite ALL of you to join us. Even those of you who have never played it before. In fact, *particularly* those of you who have never played it before.
The reasons I picked Team Fortress 2 over the legions of other games available are twofold: 1) It's free-to-play, so you don't need to shell out any money to try it, and 2) It's actually pretty undemanding, so unless your computer is pre-millenium old (and even then you might have a shot), you've got a decent chance of being able to run it.
"What the hell is Team Fortress 2?"
For those of you who aren't familiar with the game, it's a team-based first-person shooter. However, it's one with a very distinct twist (not to mention a wicked sense of humour).
As the name suggests, the emphasis is on teamwork to succeed - there are nine 'classes' to choose from, each with their own strengths and weaknesses - from the minigun-toting heavy weapons guy, a slow-moving behemoth with masses of health but vulnerable to small, fast-moving classes right down to the medic, whose offensive capabilities are severely limited against all but the very lightest of classes, but his ability to heal teammates and provide short bursts of invulnerability mean he can easily be the difference between winning and losing (and I'm not just saying that because I play medic! :p).
The point is, Team Fortress is a game where every player can make a difference, and working together effectively is a bigger factor in your team's chances of success than individual skill. So it's perfect for MGers. :)
"I don't really like FPS games/I don't really play FPS games on PC"
Team Fortress 2 is different. It really is. A good game of Team Fortress 2 with like-minded players is an experience like no other. Until you've publicly sworn vengeance on the entire family of that bastard Spy player who keeps backstabbing you every time you get close to the capture point, you've not lived.
"I'm still not sure about the classes - which one will fit my playstyle?"
There's one for pretty much everyone:
Soldier: The closest thing TF2 has to a 'vanilla' class, the soldier is fairly slow-moving but can pack a hefty punch with his rocket launcher at medium to long range, and his shotgun can tidy up at closer ranges. Veteran Quake players will likely find themselves right at home here, as rocket-jumping is a key Soldier skill.
Scout: The fastest class in the game, Scouts are excellent for harassing lone enemies and quickly capturing control points. Their scattergun can really do some damage if they can get close enough to use it.
Pyro: Often favoured by beginners and undoubtedly one of the more entertaining classes to use, the Pyro is actually one of the harder classes to play effectively - relying on ambushes and flanking to get the enemy in range of their flamethrower. However, a loose Pyro in enemy ranks can be a maelstrom of burning chaos, and their ability to reflect projectiles such as rockets and grenades with their airblast make a good Pyro player a nightmare to play against.
Demoman: The Demoman is a versatile class, using his grenade launcher for direct combat and attacking and his stickybomb launcher for defence and laying traps. A fairly well-rounded class with middle-of-the-road health, speed and attack power, a good demoman is a vital member of a successful team.
Heavy: The Heavy is the biggest, slowest, and most lethal of the classes. Armed with a minigun and the most health of any of the classes, a skilled Heavy will do a lot of damage if not dealt with, but when isolated from team-mates, they can be vulnerable to scouts, snipers and spies.
Engineer: The Engineer is the backbone of a successful team, particularly on the larger maps. Poorly equipped for direct combat, the Engineer's strength lies in his ability to construct and upgrade things - a sentry gun for defending a given area, dispensers, which provide health and ammo for the whole team, and teleporters, which can be used by any member of the Engineer's team. If your aim is rubbish with a mouse, but you're good at thinking logistically, the Engineer is the class for you.
Sniper: Snipers are pretty much what it says on the tin - deadly from a distance, with a fully charged headshot being an instant kill to all classes, but at close range they're going to come off second-best to just about everyone bar the medic.
Spy: One of the most unique aspects of TF2, the Spy class is tricky to get the hang of, but can be devastating when played well. Able to disguise as any member of the opposing team and/or cloak himself at will, the Spy can place sappers on the Engineer's buildings to disable and destroy them, as well as being able to backstab enemy players for an instant kill. Poorly-equipped for a straight fight, a good Spy player relies on his/her ability to blend in to stay alive.
Medic: Possibly the weakest class in the game offensively, the Medic's main role is to support his team via the use of his medigun, which can heal players over a short period of time. The real game-changer for the medic is his ubercharge, which when full allows the medic to give both himself and a team-mate of his choosing 8 precious seconds of complete invulnerability, which can easily be used to break through an entrenched defensive line or to buy a few precious seconds for help to arrive when defending a point. It's widely believed that a good medic can be the difference between victory and defeat.
"That sounds confusing... there's a lot to learn."
Yes, there is, but there's always going to be someone around who'll be happy to help you with the finer points of your selected class. That's part of the reason we're creating the server. :)
"Right, you can stop twisting my arm now - when is it?"
At the moment, I'm just tweaking the server to get it set up correctly. I'm hoping that'll be done by the start of next week, so I'll be looking to get a game or two going as soon as I can after that. Don't worry, you'll know when the games are coming. ;)
To that end, I'd like to invite ALL of you to join us. Even those of you who have never played it before. In fact, *particularly* those of you who have never played it before.
The reasons I picked Team Fortress 2 over the legions of other games available are twofold: 1) It's free-to-play, so you don't need to shell out any money to try it, and 2) It's actually pretty undemanding, so unless your computer is pre-millenium old (and even then you might have a shot), you've got a decent chance of being able to run it.
"What the hell is Team Fortress 2?"
For those of you who aren't familiar with the game, it's a team-based first-person shooter. However, it's one with a very distinct twist (not to mention a wicked sense of humour).
As the name suggests, the emphasis is on teamwork to succeed - there are nine 'classes' to choose from, each with their own strengths and weaknesses - from the minigun-toting heavy weapons guy, a slow-moving behemoth with masses of health but vulnerable to small, fast-moving classes right down to the medic, whose offensive capabilities are severely limited against all but the very lightest of classes, but his ability to heal teammates and provide short bursts of invulnerability mean he can easily be the difference between winning and losing (and I'm not just saying that because I play medic! :p).
The point is, Team Fortress is a game where every player can make a difference, and working together effectively is a bigger factor in your team's chances of success than individual skill. So it's perfect for MGers. :)
"I don't really like FPS games/I don't really play FPS games on PC"
Team Fortress 2 is different. It really is. A good game of Team Fortress 2 with like-minded players is an experience like no other. Until you've publicly sworn vengeance on the entire family of that bastard Spy player who keeps backstabbing you every time you get close to the capture point, you've not lived.
"I'm still not sure about the classes - which one will fit my playstyle?"
There's one for pretty much everyone:
Soldier: The closest thing TF2 has to a 'vanilla' class, the soldier is fairly slow-moving but can pack a hefty punch with his rocket launcher at medium to long range, and his shotgun can tidy up at closer ranges. Veteran Quake players will likely find themselves right at home here, as rocket-jumping is a key Soldier skill.
Scout: The fastest class in the game, Scouts are excellent for harassing lone enemies and quickly capturing control points. Their scattergun can really do some damage if they can get close enough to use it.
Pyro: Often favoured by beginners and undoubtedly one of the more entertaining classes to use, the Pyro is actually one of the harder classes to play effectively - relying on ambushes and flanking to get the enemy in range of their flamethrower. However, a loose Pyro in enemy ranks can be a maelstrom of burning chaos, and their ability to reflect projectiles such as rockets and grenades with their airblast make a good Pyro player a nightmare to play against.
Demoman: The Demoman is a versatile class, using his grenade launcher for direct combat and attacking and his stickybomb launcher for defence and laying traps. A fairly well-rounded class with middle-of-the-road health, speed and attack power, a good demoman is a vital member of a successful team.
Heavy: The Heavy is the biggest, slowest, and most lethal of the classes. Armed with a minigun and the most health of any of the classes, a skilled Heavy will do a lot of damage if not dealt with, but when isolated from team-mates, they can be vulnerable to scouts, snipers and spies.
Engineer: The Engineer is the backbone of a successful team, particularly on the larger maps. Poorly equipped for direct combat, the Engineer's strength lies in his ability to construct and upgrade things - a sentry gun for defending a given area, dispensers, which provide health and ammo for the whole team, and teleporters, which can be used by any member of the Engineer's team. If your aim is rubbish with a mouse, but you're good at thinking logistically, the Engineer is the class for you.
Sniper: Snipers are pretty much what it says on the tin - deadly from a distance, with a fully charged headshot being an instant kill to all classes, but at close range they're going to come off second-best to just about everyone bar the medic.
Spy: One of the most unique aspects of TF2, the Spy class is tricky to get the hang of, but can be devastating when played well. Able to disguise as any member of the opposing team and/or cloak himself at will, the Spy can place sappers on the Engineer's buildings to disable and destroy them, as well as being able to backstab enemy players for an instant kill. Poorly-equipped for a straight fight, a good Spy player relies on his/her ability to blend in to stay alive.
Medic: Possibly the weakest class in the game offensively, the Medic's main role is to support his team via the use of his medigun, which can heal players over a short period of time. The real game-changer for the medic is his ubercharge, which when full allows the medic to give both himself and a team-mate of his choosing 8 precious seconds of complete invulnerability, which can easily be used to break through an entrenched defensive line or to buy a few precious seconds for help to arrive when defending a point. It's widely believed that a good medic can be the difference between victory and defeat.
"That sounds confusing... there's a lot to learn."
Yes, there is, but there's always going to be someone around who'll be happy to help you with the finer points of your selected class. That's part of the reason we're creating the server. :)
"Right, you can stop twisting my arm now - when is it?"
At the moment, I'm just tweaking the server to get it set up correctly. I'm hoping that'll be done by the start of next week, so I'll be looking to get a game or two going as soon as I can after that. Don't worry, you'll know when the games are coming. ;)