For those of you interested in TF2 and sick of the bots, I spent literally 8 1/2 hours last night typing up this guide on how to fight back against them
Look, let's cut to the chase, there's no point in asking the question - the vast majority of TF2 players are sick of the bots, and the summe
FACEIT, TF2, and YOU: What it is, how to play, etc
So you’ve heard of the hit new thing coming to TF2 but you don’t know what the heck its all about? Or maybe you’re trying to figure out how to use FACEIT to play Team Fortress 2? This is the guide for you.
For those of you interested in signing up, consider using this link. For those of you looking to learn more, please read under the cut. I’ll be giving a detailed explanation of what FACEIT is, what it means for TF2, and how to queue.
Ok, so first thing’s first: what is FACEIT?
FACEIT is an Esports company founded in 2012. It has been hosting leagues and community matchmaking for games like CS:GO and Dota 2 for a while. But this isn’t really too important in the grand scheme. What you need to know is that FACEIT has taken an interest in creating a skill-based, cheat free, matchmaking platform for casual Team Fortress 2.
What this means is that after the closed beta for TF2 ends later this month (March), you will be able to queue into community maps hosted by FACEIT. These servers are heavily monitored with anti cheats so that they will not be infiltrated by hackers and bots which have currently been the plague of Casual Team Fortress 2.
Currently, FACEIT boasts zero bots, zero hackers, skill-based matchmaking, free prizes (australium weapons and rare cosmetics), no autobalance, no random crits, no random bullet spread, and more.
You can learn more about these things in plenty of youtube videos like these:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvfEmlJ_N48
But what does FACEIT mean for TF2? FACEIT poses a chance for TF2 players to experience a more serious casual setting without the current issues plaguing the game. It also means that TF2′s community could grow. Potentially, if FACEIT goes well, Valve could be inclined to improve the future of the game.
FACEIT currently is one of the best options for people who like playing TF2 seriously. It’s not technically competitive, but it is a more competitive way to play. Consider it like playing something like Competitive Overwatch casually. You should take the game seriously, not play as a friendly, and not abandon the game.
If you’re someone who wants more from your TF2 experience and want a challenge, this could be for you! That being said, I caution that it isn’t for everyone. It’s a very different way to play TF2 than a standard causal game is. Maybe give it a try and see if you like it!
-o-
So how all does it work from the technical side of things? How do you play?
Well, I’ve got the guide for you! (This will get long, I’m sorry).
Currently (3/14) the client only offers a closed beta. To get access you will need to be invited by FACEIT to the closed beta. However, you may be able to get access to this by inviting a friend (I’m not 100% sure).
If you have full access, or this is written after the closed beta has ended and the client opens to the general public: start here.
First thing’s first. When you download the client, it may require you to verify your email and phone number before you can queue. This is a component of the anti-cheat. Additionally, it may require that you download the anti-cheat software (this will require a PC restart). I suggest downloading it regardless of it is required. This is merely to help prevent the infiltration of hackers and bots.
The anti-cheat download can be found in the bottom left of your screen. Just download the software and make sure you log in afterwards via the same button once it has been successfully downloaded. NOTE: you cannot install the anti-cheat with TF2 or another game open.
Once this is setup, you should be able to queue with no issues.
From the play menu, you can queue for Solo or Team games of matchmaking 12v12 TF2. It will let you know how many players are currently queuing for the game mode if you hover (hence 21 in this screenshot).
There are currently 8 available maps. You can select your preferences here. However, much like in competitive game lobbies, you will have the option to vote for the map chosen for the match. I’ll come back to this in a moment. For now, you need to know how to make sure you make it into a match.
When a match is ready, there is a VERY short period of time to accept the match. Less than 30 seconds to hit accept. If you miss this window, you will have to requeue. If someone else misses this window, you will automatically requeue. The client will automatically play a loud trumpet flourish and you just hit the button to check in. This is to ensure no inactive players and afks.
This is what the window looks like when you’re accepted into a game and the maps are still being chosen. Team leaders (priority towards people with premium passes) will choose and select a map for the game to be played on. If you’re not a team leader, you can request that certain maps be played or not played.
After the map has been chosen, you will be provided an IP address to paste into your developer console in TF2. If you don’t know how to enable your developer console, please follow this guide.
You have less than 3 minutes to connect into the match. If you make it in during this time, you will be partaking in a few moments of warmup. It’s just like pre-game in Casual TF2 servers. From here, the game functions similar to competitive. One team attacks and sets a standard. The other only has to beat that standard time or amount of points capped etc. (I believe that KOTH maps are best out of 5).
If at any point your team is really getting beaten and you feel the need to forfeit. You can type “!gg” in the chat and a vote to forfeit will start.
If you leave the match early, you will be penalized. So you should really only queue up if you have an interest in completing the game. Even if it goes poorly, you should stick it out or use !gg.
Once the match ends, it will automatically close. Similar to an MvM lobby!
As you play, you’ll be able to work towards points to win prizes (they’re expensive but still possible to get!) as you play the game. Here’s an example of some of the prizes.
There are also missions to help you unlock points. Here are some examples of those:
You will also be able to rank up and unlock points that way. Newer players will have to work up through the ranks. The XP to earn these rank ups comes from playing the game. You can earn your way to the Face Melting rank just by playing the game.
An example of how the ranking system currently works is shown here from Big Joey’s youtube video.
As you can see, the higher ranks will be based on your skill as a player. There are also other things in FACEIT such as ladders and tournaments. These are more complicated and explorable on the actual site or platform itself. So I’ll let you guys check that out on your own.
Overall, there are a lot of fun things about FACEIT! Hopefully this guide helped you understand what it is, how to play, and what there is about it. Please let me know if you have any targeted questions about it in my inbox and I’ll be sure to help provide any info I can.
Have fun y’all and give it a try! This is a cool alternative to casual play.
TF2 definitely has a learning curve, so what are the best classes for new players to try first? Let's find out what the most difficult class is in Team Fortr...
A simple guide but a necessary one nonetheless! How to enable your TF2 Developer console. This is good for things like setting binds, exploding yourself, connecting via IP addresses, and more.
So what you want to be able to enable is this funky thing:
Usually enabled with the ~ key on your keyboard, this will help you access certain functions within the game. I’m not looking to teach you how to use it too much, a lot of google can be your friend. However, with the importance of Community Servers in this day and age, knowing how to connect via IP address is vital!
So here’s how to make sure your Developer Console is enabled in TF2 and how to access it.
Access your SETTINGS.
You can see here which key you have selected to open it. This key is the default `/~ key. First try this key. If it does not work, click on the ADVANCED button in the same window.
This will bring up this menu. Make sure you have the enable developer console button check marked. This will allow you to open and use the developer console.
This can be used for a handful of things like setting binds and connecting to servers. For example, you can connect using the “connect [IP address]” function as seen here. Just copy paste or type in an IP and you will go straight there.
Otherwise, that was a short guide to enabling your developer console. It’s not the most intense guide, but necessary!
A guide to who should be prioritized for teleportation, and why!
Have you ever considered that while playing TF2, there is a general order for who should take the teleporter first? Well! Get in line, I’m going to teleport you into knowing a little bit more about the who’s and why’s of teleportation.(I’m so sorry for this horrible pun).
First off, teleporters in TF2 are a useful means of transporting players from spawn to the frontline. They’re an important tool to keep people on the objective at all times. Much like the rest of Engineer’s kit (with the exception of a mini sentry), they come in three levels.
Every teleporter has a cool down time after each teleportation before it can send the next person to the front line. For level 1 and 2 teleporters, this time is significantly longer than a level 3. So with that, there comes the idea of “wasted time” or a “wasted teleport”.
If you’re a spy or a sniper, you should probably not be taking the Level 1 teleporter when there is a Engineer or a Medic nearby. And as Scout? You could probably run there quicker!
So here is a helpful infographic, courtesy of the r/tf2 reddit. Shown here, Engineer and Medic are first priority. This makes sense! Engineers have to teleport first so that they can protect their engineers nest and without them, you wouldn’t have a teleporter! Medics need to teleport first as well because they can keep the existing teammates at the frontline alive long enough for the teleporter to stay alive and for the objective to keep being contested.
The second priority classes are Heavy, Soldier, and Demo. Heavy is the slowest class in the game and one of the strongest, he should always be at the frontline. Soldier and Demo are much in the same.
You may argue “but Soldier and Demo can rocket/sticky jump!”. This isn’t always the case! Rocket Jumping and Sticky Jumping is not only a developed skill and not everyone knows how, but it also forces the Soldier and Demo to lose some of their health. This then requires they find a health pack as soon as or along the way to getting to the point. Or, it requires they have a Medic! Which, we all know, Medics are kind of rare sometimes.
Third priority goes to Pyros and Spies. I would argue that a Pybro (Pyro explicitly helping an Engineer keep his stuff safe from Spies) is higher priority than other Pyros, Spies, Snipers, and Scouts. In some situations I could even argue they are 2nd priority, but only Pybros! Then in the case of Spy, he is not as high priority but still a more important teleport than Sniper or Scout.
Fourth Priority goes to Snipers. Sniper is a backline character to begin with. You shouldn’t be at the frontline with Sniper and you could probably walk to where you need to be almost just as quick! That being said if no one is waiting to teleport, then you still can go through.
Zero priority goes to Scouts. Scout is a FAST character! He is at 133% normal speed and can get places before any other class. Just run there you doofus!
Lastly I want to talk about something cool that you can help your Engies with! If a teleporter at spawn is only level 1, swap to Engie real quick and give it a few hits! Then swap back!
Engineers will love you if you upgrade their stuff for them and swapping to Engie in spawn just to help only takes a minute if you’re quick. Just be careful that if it’s a live teleporter not to stand on it and crouch next to it while you’re upgrading it because you will get teleported on accident.
Anyway, that’s all and I hope everyone understands a little more about teleportation priority.
Airblast and why High-Tours hate it: an MVM guide about Pyro and airblasting! From someone who has an... unknown tourcount (I only play Bootcamp okay? I have the Silicon Slaughter achievement I promise I'm not a total beginner)
I'm way too autism about TF2 and MVM right now that I'm definitely gonna end up making more. Sorrgy (/reference)
How to Navigate the TF2 Server Search Browser/Find Servers
This guide will teach you how to search for the servers you’re trying to find with the use of the TF2 Server Search Browser. (Because honestly this thing is crazy confusing if you’re not used to it).
@oc-aaron-graves, @shaz-ga Here’s the guide you guys suggested! Thank you for the idea :)
Alright so there are many different aspects to the server search browser. I’ll teach you about some of the most commonly used applications including searching for specific types of servers, joining a friend’s game, and how to use an IP address to join a game (this involves the console being enabled in your advanced settings).
So first lets talk about the one personally that I think is often used the most.
JOINING A FRIEND’S GAME
So to join a Friend’s game, you can go to the Servers button on the main menu and you will be given this menu. When this menu pops up, go to the Friends tab that I have so graciously marked in violent red.
From there, you’ll end up with a small or large list of servers depending on the amount of people in game that are on your friend’s list. This list of servers will not automatically tell you who’s game is who’s. Therefore, you’ll need to right click on the server specifically and a menu like this will show up:
You’ll be given this beautiful menu. This is an example of who’s in game and where they are and how long they’ve been there. If you see your friend’s name and you want to join them you can.
There are some servers like Mann Up servers and Valve run MvM servers that you cannot join because they require you be added in through matchmaking. This happens with competitive beta maps as well.
SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR A SERVER
Okay so here’s a quick and not too amazing bit on how to search the internet for a server. Here on this menu you can look at things like specific maps you want, the latency, whether or not you want bots to fight against, password protected servers, etc.
There are a billion different qualities to servers. You’ll want to look at things like the tags on the servers for specific qualities like if you want AllTalk. That can be found in the tags. This will also tell you things like if there is bots, whether or not its a valve server or a third party server, etc. (Third Party meaning paid for and not run by Valve officially. Weirder things happen on these servers). In the above picture this is shown here:
There are some common tags you can add if you do not want to specifically search for one in particular. This can all be typed in here:
If you want to look for a specific map that you know you want to play on like koth_viaduct or cp_steel you can put this in here:
If you look at the larger picture above, adding just cp_ into the map search narrowed my search to only control point maps. This would be a good time to understand some of the common map names. This can work for joining mapes like Sniping servers or Jumping maps.
I tend to put key words like snipe or jump into either the tags list or the map list for this and it will help me find a fun, irregular map for that purpose.
Here’s a short list of some examples:
cp_ = control points map
koth_ = king of the hill
pl_ = payload
mvm_ = mann vs machine
JUST SEARCHING THE GOOD OL’ INTERNET FOR SOME FUN NEW SERVERS:
So you see this list above? Well, that’s the kind of stuff that automatically loads from the internet browser if you don’t touch anything. It’ll give you all the servers and is one of the best ways to find funky servers like Trade or Skial servers. It’ll also show you the way to crazy things like Scream Fortress servers or Achievement servers.
This is the most simple way to find a server and although it’s kind of menial and what not going through them all it is a consistent way and rather easy.
But you know whats easier?
FINDING A SERVER IF YOU ALREADY HAVE THE IP ADDRESS
Alright so each server comes with an IP address that is its defining place in the world of servers. You can find an IP address of a server listed in multiple places. I’ll just show you what they look like here:
This IP address will be incredibly useful for you if you’re looking specifically to join that server. More often than not I’ll find an IP address listed by someone and I’ll want to join them. (You can also use these if you google for servers. This is useful for finding things like Scream Fortress servers).
So what do you do when you’ve got an IP address and you have no real idea how to get there? Copy and paste the server IP address into your developer console! :D It’ll take you straight there.
BUT WAIT HOW DO I OPEN A CONSOLE?? WHAT’S A CONSOLE???
Okay so here’s a cool tidbit for Team Fortress 2 players that I think everyone should know how to do and have set up.
SO HERE WE GO, first step! Go to your main menu screen, or alternatively if you’re in game somehow you can hit escape to access the same menu. Then go to options.
From the options menu, you’ll need to go to the Advanced button and this window will show up. What you should do with this menu is set “enable developer console” and hit OK. Then you’ll be able to access your console with the touch of the ~ button (unless you’ve changed that key in your options as well but I doubt that at this point).
So from there you can hit the console button and this beauty will pop up on your screen:
From here you can paste the IP address and hit submit or enter. Then you’ll be zooming through space to that server and things will be peachy unless something weird happens. (In that case, I’m sorry idk what to tell you D:)
ALRIGHTY SO WHAT DO WE DO NOW?
Go play Team Fortress 2 and enjoy your new found server browser searching ability. From here you should be able to at least somewhat more adequately join the servers you’d like to. Everything else in the search browser is pretty self explanatory.
Otherwise,
If you spot anything wrong with this guide please let us know.
This is @r2mich2 signing out and remember to perforez l’espion!
