So, first thing I do after that trade is go into a server, get a 19/4 score ( last 10 kills in the same life ) and dominate 4 people on a 12v12 server. They didn't seem to be f2pers.

Well, I'll add you t o my friendslist, and check for you whenever I get online in the future. We'll make this trade hapen.

Not nessecarily the "Top player" bit, though.
 

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/i/20...ro-d45x3ua.jpg

Has this ever happened to you guys? It's certainly happened to me.

That is so annoying when it happens.

Worst thing ever.

I been on servers where I was auto-balanced in the middle of capturing the last point.
While I was still alive.
While writing my victory speech to the rest of my team.
AND THEY TAKE MY SANDVICH.

It's happened to me so many times where I break a Heavy/Medic combo, or destroy an engie nest, and basically guarantee that my team will push forward a good distance, only to be auto-balanced to the other team. It's also annoying when there's about 30 seconds left in payload and you push the cart to the next checkpoint (or within easy winning distance) only to be team-switched.

And yet other times when I'm on the team full of F2P players, where the second best score is 10 (compared to the other team's 10th score of 40-50) and it auto-balances to give us yet another F2P player with a score of 4 (and of course he's either playing spy or sniper).

The only thing I like about the auto-balance is being able to see how much of a force of change I am. On 2fort you can usually have one team controlling the bridge, and often if I'm switched from the controlling team then I just go ahead and push as demoknight to see what I can do.

And f2p players can be a pain in the ass. I was on 2fort one time, managed to get the intel all the way to that first doorway past the bridge on my side, then I die and the next person to grab it goes into the sewers where he gets killed while a heavy and scout guard the intel until it goes back.

The thing I've noticed about auto-balance is that it never tends to actually, y'know, balance. Like if one team's losing because it has a half-dozen snipers on it, auto-balance rarely seems to do anything to split them up, meaning you're either on the team with Bodyshot Bill and the Razorback Revue or you're on the winning team.

One time, I was a Scout on Well, and I managed to snag the intel twice before they got a proper Sentry nest (hooray Bonk! + Atomizer). We were playing to 3, so of course I die when the score is 2-1 and get put on the team that I had crippled. We lost, and I raged.

Another time, I was on Turbine (I think? The CTF map that's entirely indoors, with the enormous ventilation ducts). I managed to blitz their Intel room and capture the intel before they set up. I think I may have done it twice.

Then I died once, and got autobalanced to the team I'd capped from.

For bonus points? The team I'd been on was polite and efficient. The team I got balanced to had a dude slurping into his microphone, and at least two people defending him when I told him to stop. I didn't even stay long enough for us to lose.

Casual and hardcore are already big enough slices of Bullshit Pie, thanks
 

tap-dancing zombie Gary Gigax, Can this please NOT become a fucking -thing-

There's a reason I took a break from TF2...

What defines an F2P player?

Because I paid for Team Fortress 2. HEY THAT'S ME! =D

But seriously, how does scoring work anyway?
Often times whenever I score points, for whatever arcane and incomprehensible act I performed, I get this messages saying I'm basically not getting the full amount of points until I reach X amount of points.

And yeah, I suck at this game, but what?
It's like a football league: The team's in last, and suddenly they win their match... except they don't get the three points they'd normally get for winning a match, but only get one point because they're in last. ENSURING THEY REMAIN LAST.

Like, seriously... what.

Urgh

It's the new way to say "noob"

... was that an "Urgh, Melfice you're an idiot for not knowing that!" or an "Urgh, stop with the F2P bullshit already!" EDIT: For clarification, I can totally get it if you'd call me an idiot. Knowing how scoring is handled seems like it'd be explained, but I never actually read the bleedin' manual.

EDIT: @Jagos: Yeah, I figured as much. Just checking and all.

The thing saying "You scored <x> points" is, as far as I know, a server mod/option available, that keeps track of your score indefinitely. You gain points when you do something good, lose points when you die.

The -REAL- score is what you see when you hit tab, and the scores pop up. It's how many points you've scored (Kills, assists, captures, destructions, et cetera).

Okay... fair enough.

Majority of the team didn't have profile pictures, and were using the default weapons. Seemed like a bunch of F2P players to me, or at least players who were drawn to the game by the F2P announcement.

Also @Melfice:

You get points for pretty much anything that is helpful

Melfice, I cannot spare any amount of Urghs for you because they are all tied up being pretty sick of superiority-complex labeling BS


edit: The whole package bothers me, not just this specific usage, but that people have taken to making it a new label is part of the whole problem. There isn't anything at all wrong with people who have come after F2P then there was with any of you the first time you decided to start playing.

I don't have a problem with the individual players being there. I have a problem with the F2P model attracting so many new players that they manage to fill up an entire team on multiple servers. It makes finding a fun server with close games much harder to find.

It doesn't help that there are groups of players that seek out the landslide servers just to crush the teams of new players (at least that's what it feels like).

Edit-- What I mean is that we were all new players at one point, so I find it hard to fault a player for being new to the game. It's the landslide games (caused by the swarm of new players) that I hate, not the new players themselves.

Edit2-- Although I do hate the deaf/mute newbies. You know, the ones that are so horribly incompetent yet when you try to give them advice (and I do mean advice, not yelling at them that they are horrible and doing it wrong) they don't talk back or acknowledge your existence. This goes for any game, not just TF2.

I have a problem when I have to save a guy from a spy decloaking behind him and he stays completely put, ignoring the decloak noise.

I have a problem when a medic keeps healing the same overhealed soldier while I'm a Heavy with 25 HP standing besides him shouting for a medic.

This is the kind of person I'm talking about. I am aware not every F2Per is a noob nor that every noob is a F2Per, but they intersect a lot.

Hey hey guys. New blog post. They're doing an open beta for trading through the Steam client itself.

We can trade to people on our friendslist or in group chats, so no need for both parties to be running TF2.

Of course, it's not just TF2 items. You can trade those, but you can also trade Steam games which have been bought as gifts.

So, for example, you could trade someone a copy of Portal 2 for a pile of hats and weapons.

On that note, I'm wondering if BabyBahamut is willing to complete our trade using that client? Seems that it'd be easier for us to get in contact that way.

Know what the best part about steam trade is?
~If someone doesn't have the game for steam night we can trade him one for a short time!~

But you can only trade games that you'd otherwise be able to gift to someone. I.E., games that have yet to be played.

No trade-backs.

I've opted into it. Seems we can trade without having to actually be in TF2 itself which makes it a lot easier. My steam backpack is here http://steamcommunity.com/id/babybahamut/inventory/ and pretty much contains what my TF2Items one does. :D

So I figured I might as well post the items I need in order to complete my goal of having one of everything. Trading seems like it might accelerate the process instead of waiting for drops and crafting.

ScoutAtomizer, Sun Stick
SoldierLiberty Launcher, Disciplinary Action
PyroVolcano Fragment
DemoAli Baba's Booties, Persian Persuader
HeavyEviction Notice, Tomislav
SniperShahanshah

My backpack/inventory is here. I'm willing to trade any duplicates I have, as well as metal (so long as it's reasonable).

So, a while back I got a Natascha from opening a crate, and then later got another one from achievements. I crafted the latter one into a Brass Beast, which I found pretty awesome for payload maps.

But the Tomislav called to me, and last night I crafted it. And now I realize exactly what it feels like to be the guy actually using that minigun for a change.

Straight up duel against a Heavy using Sasha? Even with both of us revved up from the start, I ended up killing him and having plenty of health left to make a go for the intel. A pair of Brass Beast Heavies on 2Fort? Gunned one down before he knew what hit him, then the other while he rounded the corner and started to rev up himself. I haven't seen one using Natascha, but I've been on the other end of that fight and know that I never stood a chance.

Hell, in the round with the duel against that Heavy? I ended up having 35 points by the end of it and only three or four deaths, and I know I'm not that good.

So what is it with this gun? I mean, seriously. The only way I see myself switching back to Natascha is if I have to deal with multiple Pyros or a Demoknight.

I have a spare of both. Would you accept a trade for one of your postal pummellers plus a scrap?

You have yourself a deal.

BabyBahamut!

Perfect timing!

I'm on TF2 right now. Can you log in so that we can make that hat trade?

I couldn't tell you. It's entirely plausible that all the people you killed just happened to suck, plus the fact that every other minigun is basically a straight upgrade to Natascha. So perhaps all that time you spent practicing with it resulted in you being that much better when using a good weapon.

Personally, I don't particularly care for the Tomislav compared to Sasha. I tried it out once, got owned, went back to Sasha and entire enemy team was babies again.

Aw yeah. Proud owner of a Safe 'N' Sound. I will now proceed to have my Engie wear earbuds under his ear protection.

Thanks to you both :D I was knee-deep in a laptop repair at the time of trading so sorry if I was a bit inattentive. I like the candy cane since it gives a passive benefit- the extra health pack drops even if you use another weapon to land the kill. A small health pack doesn't do much for a scout but if there's a heavy nearby it's certainly useful. The increased explosion damage doesn't matter too much either since a point black rocket or grenade will kill a scout outright anyway if he's taken even a small amount of damage.

EDIT: Candy cane + mad milk kinda makes the scout a combat-based mobile mini-dispenser. Might be a valid tactic to have such a scout constantly flying around a heavy or a soldier providing backup and a distraction to the enemy. Splash with milk and get right up in their face and run circles around them, allow the soldier/heavy to soak some damage and recover their health, scout finishes them off, grabs the health pack.

Okay, so here's my advice on how to be an awesome soldier that all the medics love forever:

Step 1: Go to your backpack.
Step 2: Select "Equalizer."
Step 3: Press "Delete."

Congratulations! You are now credit to team!

My current Soldier loadout is Direct Hit/Liberty Launcher, Shotgun, Disciplinary Action.

I don't play Soldier much.

I rather like the Disciplinary Action, myself. Granted, it's not the best for killing, but as far as getting yourself and another team member to the front a lot quicker, it's pretty great. I've had some pretty good results with the Reserve Shooter, too. As for my primary, I tend to go back and forth between the stock rocket launcher and the Black Box, depending on what mood I'm in.

Mostly I'm just getting frustrated that so many soldiers break out that stupid pick whenever I'm trying to heal them. Like, not even at times when it would do anything. We're just running along, I'm trying to overheal him and build up my uber, and he starts with the fucking Equalizer. And don't even get me started on the times I've ubered these idiots!

Like, just now. Charging in to cap the final point, had just a demoman and a gunslinger engie between us and victory, I uber the soldier, he breaks out the Equalizer and immediately gets killed by the demo, and I gotta run back to the previous point to find someone who won't suck. If this were a rare occurrence, I wouldn't mind. But as it is now, I think Valve needs to do a PSA for people about what the Equalizer actually does because I think we have a lot of soldiers who are seriously confused here.

They should have a warning flash across your screen when you whip out the equalizer, telling you that you're blocking medics from healing you. And not a small warning either. Neon letters taking up the lower third of your screen.

Also I think I use the Black Box too much as a Soldier. At times when I switch to the regular launcher or Direct Hit, I'll fire three rockets before hitting reload, and only after remember that I had a fourth rocket.

And I always forget that I have the Reserve Shooter equipped, and never get off any air crits because of that :S

Soldier loadout: Black Box, The Concheror/Buff Banner and Equalizer. I Sometimes use the reserve shooter, but not a whole lot. I'd use the Disciplinary Action, if I had one... The thing is, however, that I go play Soldier and medics don't heal me at all. I only use the Equalizer to run away and the moment I see a medic close that's not doing anything important I switch weapons so he can heal me...And he doesn't. So yeah.

You should let me be your Medic. I don't scrimp on the heals. And with the quick fix, suddenly I "practice medicine" a lot better than I do with the Ubers and Kritz.

See, that's a shame, because I rather enjoy healing soldiers. Sure, the heavy/medic combo is a safe bet, but I find soldiers and demos to be a fair bit more effective overall, so long as they can hit worth a damn. The only major downside is when either of them decide to go melee for any reason, though I can deal with it so long as the soldier doesn't whip out the equalizer or the demo doesn't just charge off out of my range.

Man, nothing makes me go from happy to sadface as fast as being healed by a quick fix.

Maybe, but I've been damn near invincible with that. A lot better than even ubers once I get my running down.

Got hold of a disciplinary action. Good stuff if you have a pocket medic and they know to run just slightly ahead of you- you can get back to the frontlines a lot quicker. It's also good if you babysit a heavy with it.

One interesting thing I found is that, while under the effects of it, if you rocket jump before it wears off you seem to keep the momentum you had through the jump. Worthwhile if you're not yet masterful enough a rocketjumper to use it to get speed boosts.

I once ubered a demoman who was shooting at a sentry gun. He switched to frying pan and started meleeing. :( I think one of the training modules should include "how to be ubered". Even if you're not The Worlds Best Player an uber used well can turn the tide of a battle and too many people don't seem to know what to do when the uber hits.

When the uber hits, shoot stuff while standing in their line of fire, just like most people fight normally.

:(

Quickfix isn't that bad, especially if the medic knows what he's doing. It's better at group-heals than the other mediguns, and it's less risky than an Amputator taunt.

Plus, in a pinch, you can use a scout to rubberband you to the frontlines faster after you die.

(I guess the sadface is from the knowledge that you don't get overheals?)

EDIT: Oh man they should definitely do like, "Meet the Equalizer." I don't care if it would be stupid, it would get millions of views on name-power alone and that would give you a legitimate excuse to be pissed at the soldiers who mash E, staring at you, while holding the equalizer.

The uber, actually, but the lack of overhealing is also disappointing. The Kritzkrieg and Quick-Fix can be very useful, definitely, but if we've got a sentry nest to clear out or some other big push to undergo, I'd much rather at least have someone on my team charging in with some good old fashioned invulnerability. Preferably me, but so long as they get the job done with it, I don't care

I have no qualms about other medics on my team using the Kritz or Quick-Fix when I'm a medic myself, though. They work great in tandem with the stock medigun.

YES. I am so tired of the boxing gloves.

Nice catch.

New sniper rifle looks AWESOME. New spy revolver looks... okay, I suppose. New shotgun looks kinda crappy, I don't think you can do more than 60 damage with a shotgun and that makes its mechanic a little useless.

The arm thing intrigues me, though. It says it "damages projectiles and players"... does that mean you can actually shoot rockets out of the air with it? That sounds really awesome.

Actually, a meatshot (read: point-blank) with the Shotgun can do between 80 and 90 damage, which would mean it pays for itself unless you're fighting them long-range.

About the Short Circuit: not to mention that it has no need to reload, meaning that, if you stand on top of a level 3 Dispenser, you could probably service your Sentry with a crocket-killing electric field for as long as you damn well please.

Oh crap... They just upgraded back to regular TF2...

So, how does one get these wonderful new toys?

Yeah, okay, I just tried the new Engie items and they are BOSS.

New shotgun is kind of godly if you're accurate with it. You're right, Locke, it DOES pay for itself, and damn well at that. I went into an offline game with Widowmaker, Short Circuit and Gunslinger (to see how Short Circuit and Gunslinger affected each other.... they don't). I threw down a minisentry, walked over to a Pyro, shot him in the face, and immediately had 200 metal. Plus.... oh man, that sound effect. Remember when the Brass Beast came out, and people were all impressed by that CHNK-CHNK-CHNK sound it made when it fired? The Widowmaker is more impressive. It feels like it kills people with the sound effect alone, and the bullets are just insult to injury.

Short Circuit I haven't really had a chance to try yet because my favorite server hasn't updated yet, and bots aren't reliable for testing. But I can say that it does dick all in the way of damage to players, so if you're using it, you'd better use it primarily as a countermeasure. I wasn't quick enough to hit any grenades or rockets with it, so I can't vouch for that either.

I also crafted The Machina for some reason (new sniper rifle) and I can say that it is definitely a sniper rifle, ie. I am bad at it. The tracer looks cool though, despite being a drawback, and I can see the weapon being great in payload maps. Plus... well, it's better than the Bazaar Bargain, at least.

EDIT:

Drops, crafting (surprisingly low metal req's), purchasing (they're a dollar or two each), or get 'em all by pre-ordering Deus Ex 3 on Steam.

I would honestly have pre-ordered the game on the spot just for these, except that I already plan to get it on Xbox instead. My computer probably can't run it that well.

The most assured way is to pre-purchase Deus Ex: Human Revolution on Steam. That gets you all 8 items.

Alternatively, trade/drop/craft. I'm confident specific recipies will show up eventually.

Speaking of such things, the Original now has a recipe. 2 Scrap + 1 Reclaimed is what I hear.

edit: so, what's the range and spread on a Short Circuit shot?

Pre-order Deus Ex: Human Revolution on Steam. Or craft them somehow. Or get them in a drop.

Anyway this is just fantastic (sarcasm). I finally decide today that I'm gonna get Deus Ex for PS3, and then this happens. Oh well back to being indecisive.

EDIT-- oh man double ninja

Ah.

... well crap, guess I'll just wait until I can craft them, I guess.

Well, Roland... I guess you'll have to wait untill...

RIGHT NOW!

Original = 2 Scrap + Reclaimed

Diamondback = Reclaimed + Frontier Justice + Dead Ringer
Machina = Reclaimed + Righteous Bison + Sydney Sleeper
Widowmaker = 2 Reclaimed + L'Etranger
Short Circuit = Reclaimed + Scrap + Gunslinger

Bleh screw it. Pre-ordered the game. It's cheaper than it would be on consoles anyway, plus I looked around and I like the way the PC HUD and controls look.

Thanks Locke, but that was less "I don't know if the recipes exist yet" and more of a "I don't have enough items to scrap for this yet".

I blame my attempt at crafting a melee Sniper weapon. Eight items went into making what turned out to be a Shiv, which I already had. =/

...I guess now would be a bad time to mention that I have just enough scrappable stuff to make the Short Circuit, huh?

Anyone have a detonator for trade?

I was leaning toward preording Deus Ex, then Valve made the decision even better.

HATS *froths at the mouth*

Or a L'Etranger, for that matter?

Pretty sure I have a L'etranger.

I can't be sure, since TF2 refuses to patch.

Well, I have a L'Etranger, but it's my only one.

...what do you have? depending on what you've got, you might tempt me into giving it away.

Not a WHOLE lot that I'd be willing to give away.

Perhaps I could interest you in an amputator? Or one of my lovely vintage blutsaugers? They're vintage, which makes them better somehow!

Sorry, already have an Amputator and Vintage Blutsauger.

...Looks like among the things you have, I'd only be really interested in the Family Business or Cow Mangler. I'd ask for the Degreaser, but I remember someone here was willing to just give me one, he had so many.

Which one of those was you, by the way? I still want me a Degreaser again.

Anyway, those are the only items in there that I don't have and want. And let's be honest, I'd feel like I was ripping you off if I traded a L'Etranger for either one (plus, I'm loath to not have a copy of any given weapon, unless the trade is really good). So unless you actually want to get rid of the cow Mangler/Family Business, I think we may need to table this deal. Sorry.

I have an extra L'Etranger...

Any weapons or hats?

Nah, not giving up my degreaser, but the family business is yours!

Sounds good, but how about you make Jagos an offer, too. I need to think about whether I really want to give up my only L'Etranger, and Jagos has an extra one.

But if Jagos doesn't want what you've got, then I will gladly trade for the Family Business.

Well, Jagos has like 3 of nearly everything I have except....

Hey Jagos, want a Cow Mangler?

If he doesn't, I'm on TF2 now and can trade.

He's not on now, so his loss is your gain!

Right. Give me a moment to get a trade request ready.

Are you on TF2? Or should I send you a Steam Trade?

Hey guys...I got some extra L'Etrangers

http://steamcommunity.com/id/akasm/inventory/

Oh yes...
Gimme one second to get Steam (reformatted computer since my laptop crashed this weekend. >_<)

Well, I already got the L'Etranger from Locke, but what about the Cow Mangler for one of those Homewreckers instead?

Yep. That works for me as soon as Steam upgrades...

Oh my god I love the short circuit. No longer will soldiers destroy my sentry. Grenades are a little trickier for me though, and you need to have a direct line of sight it seems, 'cause i couldn't destroy the stickies in front of my sentry unless I moved to the side/front.

The widowmaker is great, so long as you don't miss.

I actually really like the Diamondback. It's handy if there's multiple engies on the other team, so you can take out one engie's nest, then use the crits to two-shot the other engie from outside of his turret's range, then move in to sap and get more crits. Also effective for taking out razorback snipers.

As for the Machina I absolutely love it. I'm not the best at nailing consistent headshots, but the full charge bonus damage makes body shots hurt pretty badly. I haven't had the chance to get a good penetrating shot yet though.

EDIT-- Also while I'm here I'll re-post the stuff I'm looking for to complete my collection. My backpack is here, and I'm willing to trade any doubles or metal I have

SoldierDisciplinary Action, The Original
PyroVolcano Fragment
DemomanAli Baba's Booties, Perian Persuader
HeavyEviction Notice, Tomislav