Competitive TF2, Part One: Basics/Logistics

by clubtheseals on August 8th 2009

Hello all, and welcome to the first installment of Ubercharged.net’s competitive TF2 guide. This rather lengthy nine-part guide will attempt to collect the most important aspects of competitive TF2, much like GotFrag’s Competitive TF2 101, except in far greater detail.

I’d like to extend a huge thanks to Himmelstoss and The Light for co-authoring this guide; Loafaries for some kickass Garry’s Mod work, a couple and The Black Watch for a great piece on competitive heavy.

The Format

Team Fortress is supremely suited to competition. As the name of the game suggests, teamwork is almost everything. Therefore, an organized team in TF2 has immense destructive potential. Pit two organized teams against each other, and you get TF2 at its best.

Public servers are often lacking in the teamwork department, so players seeking a more teamplay oriented game experience created TF2 leagues and teams. These leagues and organized games started out much like what are now known as “pubs”, or casual games. Eventually, Valve added server CVARs that served to create a more skill and teamwork oriented experience, the first of these CVARs being a command to disable crits.

The removal of critical hits in competitive matches is something that seems strange, even illogical to many casual players,with the typical line of questioning being, “Crits are fun, why wouldn’t you want to play with them?” or “Valve put it in the game, why wouldn’t you just play with it?” The answer to these questions is simple: balance. By removing crits, competitive players remove a large element of chance from fights. As you should realize, the removal of chance increases the focus on individual skills such as movement, aim, map knowledge, etc. Crits certainly are equal-opportunity discriminators, but they are discriminators nevertheless. In the fast-paced world of competitive TF2, the loss of even one player could turn the tide of the game. And when that player is lost due to uncontrollable circumstances, a problem arises – the outcome of battles then rests upon the equivalent of a roll of the dice. With crits, skill ceases to be the only part of the equation, and a battle can go either way. This is good in casual games, where giving a less skilled player a chance to kill a more skilled player encourages newer players to keep playing the game. However, in competitive circles, especially in leagues where money and prizes are involved, this can be utterly unfair. A common misconception among casual players is that all crits are disabled in competitive games. In competitive TF2, only random crits are disabled. Situational crits and minicrits, such as those from the Axtinguisher, Kritzkrieg, Ambassador, Backburner, KGB, and Jarate, are not disabled, as they do not occur randomly. To wrap this discussion up, though, let us just say that removing crits does not make the game any less fun, it only ensures that nothing is left to chance.

The majority of competitive matches are played in the 6v6 format. Each team has six players, and they are bound to a maximum two of each class, except one demoman and one medic. Other formats, such as 5v5, 7v7, 8v8, and 9v9 are also played, but they are far rarer. The 6v6 format is what most of the serious leagues use, and most competitive teams play 6v6 exclusively; the other formats will not be discussed in detail in this guide.

guidepic3

In general, 6v6 teams consist of a demoman, a medic, two scout/utility players, and two soldiers. While you are by no means limited to this class breakdown, it is the most common class distribution used, because it delivers an excellent compromise between high damage output and great mobility. The utility players usually play scout, but if need be, they can switch to other classes if they are more suited to their team’s current strategy, or if they are more apt to counter the strategy of the other team.

Competitive matches are usually played on 5-CP linear push maps, such as Badlands and Granary; however, some of the more balanced attack/defend and CTF maps, such as Gravelpit and Turbine, are sometimes used as well (Turbine is especially common in European leagues, but it rarely is played in America).

guidepic1

When playing 5CP maps, your team will either be “pushing” or “holding.” When your team has the upper hand, it’s probably in your best interests to advance, or “push”. For instance, if you manage to take down their demoman, scout, and medic and you still have six players up, you should move forward and try to capture the next point. However, it’s a better idea to retreat and “hold” an area if your rush goes badly. Holding is more than just defense. The idea of holding an area is to secure a chokepoint until the enemy pushes in. In essence, you are forcing the enemy team to attack you on your terms. With luck, you can destroy the enemy team’s offensive rush and “counterpush” into their territory – the TF2 equivalent of the fencing riposte.

guidepic2

As an individual player, your job is to stay alive and to help your team stay alive (individual class roles will be discussed in future installments of this guide). A working microphone is absolutely essential, and voice communication software such as Ventrilo is highly recommended. You should call out the locations and statuses of enemy players whenever you see them. In addition, voice communication is indispensable for figuring out strategy on the fly, without missing a beat in the game. So that you can talk to your team while respawning, most teams buy a Ventrilo or Mumble server (or go cheap and set up a Skype con-call). Some servers use SourceMod to allow you to talk to your team while dead using in-game voice com, but this is rare. Typically, the medic on your team is going to be the one calling the shots, but anyone can do this. If you get on a team and have a knack for strategy, and as long as your team doesn’t mind, try running calls for a few games.

If you’re looking for strategic advice, it may also help for you to check out the Friendly Fire podcast, in which some seasoned competitive gamers discuss strategies. Highly recommended.

Logistics

At this point, I hope I have piqued your interest, and you might be wondering how to get into competitive matches. First of all, you could try a Pick-Up Game, or PUG. PUGs are competitive matches where the teams aren’t pre-organized. Pick-up games are generally open to anyone. The TF2 Gather IRC channel (#tf2.gather.us on irc.gamesurge.net) is a good place to start, as are the Control Point PUGs Steam group and the A¢£³ PUG group. It also helps to make friends! Having an inside connection can help you get into pickups which aren’t normally open to the public.

If you have found a team (or if you have started your own team), the #tf2scrim IRC channel on irc.gamesurge.net is another great place to find other teams to play. In addition, you could sign up for one of several TF2 leagues, such as CEVO (one of the top American league), ETF2L (the top European league), TWL, ESEA, and UGC. The skill level of leagues can range from above average to extremely skilled – if you’re looking for a challenge, try jumping straight into CEVO or ESEA; UGC is generally a lower-skill league, and the TWL ladder is also a good bet for beginning teams (but it’s 7v7).

Keep in mind that if you’re joining a league or a ladder, you’ll definitely want to grab a small private server for practices and matches.

Team Fortress 2 is one of the best multiplayer games out there right now, and competitive play makes the most of it. I hope I haven’t scared you with this article; logistics is the really boring part. Over the next few days, we’ll be discussing the individual class roles, microstrategy, and macrostrategy.

61 Comments »

clubtheseals on August 8th 2009 in team fortress 2

Stumble it!

61 Responses to “Competitive TF2, Part One: Basics/Logistics”

  1. Zorgulon responded on 08 Aug 2009 at 11:48 pm #

    Good stuff, but a thought occurs- where’s the second Soldier in the first picture?

  2. www.TF2Forum.com responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 12:33 am #

    Personally I don’t really see Team Fortress 2 as a serious competitive shooter, games like CounterStrike, Call of Duty and whatnot are imo much better for competitive play. TF2 on the other is more designed for pub fun and chaos ;-) .

  3. Matt responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 12:35 am #

    good article. Shame about the lack of class variety though…

  4. Kraftwerk responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 12:39 am #

    Sehr Gut!

  5. orta responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 12:51 am #

    I’ve played quite a lot of good fun competitive matches. Definitely worth a try if you’ve not had the chance yet.

  6. Aldershot responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 2:35 am #

    this is neat, i enjoyed.

  7. Zaphid responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 3:10 am #

    A lot of people have trouble adjusting their mindsets while playing 6v6, it really is a lot different game. Good pub player usually isn’t good competitive player but good competitive player usually sits at the top of the scoreboard on pubs.

  8. Corodan responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 3:23 am #

    Huh. Didn’t expect this coming.

    Is good work.

  9. eldrake responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 3:34 am #

    Sweet article. The closest thing I’ve tried to a competitive game is a PuG.

    But I have always been interested in the competitive side of TF2, considering that it’s a class-based game that’s actually quite balanced (Arguably) and serves well for that exact purpose for competitive gaming.

    It was quite different in other games, where competitive players that exploits glitches just makes me frown. In TF2, I hasn’t ever seen them exploit glitches, and actually plays like one would expect them to, which pleases me.

    If I ever get the chance, I’d like to try it out, though I would need a internet connection that won’t screw up, and I would have to get slightly better aswell.

    The only competitive players I dislike are those who thinks fun is bad, and etc. Otherwise, I think I admire them.

    Looking forward to the next part.

  10. Kataron responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 3:47 am #

    Very well written article. I particularly liked the fencing reference.

    And I’ve always wondered about the world of competitive TF2, although I’m hardly skilled enough to join. Perhaps one day. :)

  11. Azul responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 3:53 am #

    I’m not a super star at Call of Duty but I never really found the skill level of that game… it always seems you are killed by forces beyond your control. I love the leveling up part of the game… it’s super fun. But the maps always seem small and cramped so you’re endlessly getting killed by someone popping around a corner behind you. The most common thing seems to be a player does this: Gets one or two kills, camps behind a spawn point… picks up 3 or 4 more kills… people start complaining. There’s a no camping rule on the server but it’s never enforced. The guy doesn’t care, he just camps for as long as he wants, then calls his dogs. He then dies… his dogs get a few kills, he gets a kill… he shoots artillery fire at a common spawn location… he calls his dogs… he camps a spawn… ad nauseum.

  12. supremesonic responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 5:45 am #

    So my interest should be piqued because half the content is excluded, and I get to think about every tiny move in a headache-inducing manner, whilst the fun of random moments fades away into the ether?

    Yeeeah, I think I’ll pass. I’ve never understood the appeal of competitive gaming.

    Oh, and Azul, if your team can’t flush out a camper in Call of Duty, you’re doing it wrong.

  13. Comissar Cain responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 7:07 am #

    The appeal of competitive gaming is stiff competition with like minded peers. Seriously, that’s it. To use another example: There are people who enjoy Street Fighter, right? They’ll play it when they see it at the arcade, goof off a little. Maybe when a port comes out they play it a lot, and there are people who rrrrrreeaally like Street Fighter, that enjoy startegizing about it, learn the intricacies of the game, and eventually reach a level beyond that of your average player–in this learning priority frames and recovery frames and hitboxes and whatever, clearly a different skillset from TF2 but you get the idea. These serious–enthusasistic would be the better term, are usually extremely competitive, so they form leagues, and things kinda go from there.

    There’s nothing wrong with competitive gaming in and of itself, just different strokes for different folks, that said, I agree that I can’t get into competitive TF2 either. I really do think it was designed for larger group play–12 v 12, and so six vs six just feels more boring (it would interest me to see 12 v 12 competitive games though, maybe because they gravitate towards stalemates more?), but you’re right: The fact that you only see Soldiers, Demos, Scouts and Medics is pretty sad. While it’s really awesome to see a highly skilled Scout get more out of the class I could ever hope to or people who have *mastered* the airshot in a way I can’t, I never can get excited about the game, because it’s barely TF at that point. As a point of curiousity, what are some ‘alternate’ team setups?

  14. clubtheseals responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 7:26 am #

    In a future article, actually, #4, I’m going to cover alternate setups. But there are more classes used than scouts, soldiers, demos, and medics. In fact, depending on team preference, scouts are sometimes substituted for pyros, snipers, engis (although rare), and spies. There seems to be a common misconception that very few classes are used or that the games are boring with less players. The main reason that there are less players per team is primarily to prevent stalemates, but consider this, it’s not that easy to get 6 people to show up to things regularly. Can you imagine voice comms with 12 people, or trying to get 12 people to show up to practice? It’s just too tough logistically and management wise. Team setups are by no means fixed, it’s just that the 2 scout, 2 soldier, demo+medic setup works well in all situations. With only 6 players, matches are faster and much more intense. Every life counts.

  15. n00bie51 responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 8:11 am #

    Where to begin…

    “Team Fortress is supremely suited to competition”? I disagree. It’s suited for team work, but it was not built to be a competitive shooter. The game was built with Critical Hits and damage spread, and these random chance occurrences are quite detrimental to skill-based, competitive play. Some classes are rarely used or outright excluded, with many maps popular in pubs also excluded from play. 6v6 doesn’t even allow a team to have all the nine classes playing on one side. The fact that the game has to be changed so much in order to accommodate the competitive standard that we see in clan matches for TF2 today show that the game is impartial towards competitive gameplay. I agree somewhat with the second comment made in regards to CS and COD and what TF2 was intended to be like (although those games in the COD series are also quite an issue when you see the difference between pub and competitive play).

    Having said that, I strongly agree that “competitive play makes the most out of [TF2].” Stomping on a bunch of noobs in a pub isn’t as exciting as a challenge as winning against a skilled, organized team. I agree with what Comissar Cain said. I’m glad players like him can appreciate competitive gaming, and I understand the issues they have with it like the exclusion of classes.

    All the content that’s excluded from the game in competitive play is removed to accommodate a more balanced, skill-based competitive multiplayer, and for the competitive players, whatever is altered or removed for the sake of making the game like this is done in order to make the game more fun, because to them, skill-based competitive play IS fun. I’m tired of hearing people say, “Competitive play isn’t for me – I play for fun.” What else is competitive play for besides fun and excitement to those who engage in it?

    By the way, although I liked this story, periodic installments are starting to annoy me. Enough with the article titles ending with “Part 1.” :P

  16. This is No Zaku! responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 11:05 am #

    o_O I never realized that competitive play leaves little room for snipers, spies, engineers, heavies, and pyros. While I understand how pyros and perhaps some of the other classes aren’t versatile enough to be universally useful, I don’t see why a competant sniper would be excluded from competitive play, especially considering that A) There’s no skill roof which is an absolute must, and B) You can knock a much more skilled player out of the game with relative ease.

    I can imagine plugging a bullet into a medic’s head the moment they appear with a quickscope would VERY quickly turn the tide of a battle. Is it really worth replacing that with another soldier?

    And though you say, “It’s supremely suited for competition”, I can’t imagine tf2 really rising to the point of Street Fighter or Starcraft in its competitive possibilities simply because teamwork is TOO essential, and any piece of bad luck or aim in any situation damages the entire team’s chances. If a scout gets knocked out because of a loose rocket or sticky or something, it’s too much of a hit for the team to handle. Even in the absence of crits, accidents happen in tf2.

    Actually, for that matter, it’s the same reason that Counterstrike, DoD, or CoD don’t reach the same level as Starcraft or Street Fighter. Accidents don’t happen in Starcraft, Street Fighter, or Chess for that matter.

    If you lose your queen in chess, it’s usually for a VERY good reason. If you lose your essential expo in Starcraft, it’s usually a strategic slip up over a period of time and could be avoided. If you lose your scout in tf2, it could’ve been a piece of bad luck or a slip up, for example, if 2 soldiers fired their rockets and missed a scout only to hit a medic that just came around the corner. There’s no teamwork that would say “HEY MEDIC DONT GO AROUND THAT CORNER 2 ROCKETS ARE INBOUND”, people just aren’t psychic enough.

    But maybe i’m going too far, and maybe if tf2 is considered as competitive as cs, that’s enough for you.

    and @Comissar Cain: “and there are people who rrrrrreeaally like Street Fighter, that enjoy startegizing about it, learn the intricacies of the game, and eventually reach a level beyond that of your average player–in this learning priority frames and recovery frames and hitboxes and whatever”

    That’s me :)

    And for the record, Himmelstoss SUCKS at Starcraft.

  17. clubtheseals responded on 09 Aug 2009 at 11:33 am #

    Again, every single TF2 class sees play competitively. I know teams who always run a sniper. Likewise, I know teams who always run a heavy. It all depends on the team.

  18. Mr. Noobinator responded on 10 Aug 2009 at 12:50 am #

    competitive TF2….isn’t it basically a pub game with some rules, higher skills in play and no crits?

    that aside, if the competition consists of 2 teams with everybody in SAME class, eg. all scouts, all soldiers, etc, then i can understand on how people can put TF2 in competitive enviroment, because everybody’s on equal ground of weapon and character, but different level of skills. but competitive play that relies on teamwork of different classes? i honestly don’t see how ’skills’ come into play here as a team (not individually). i can see the aim of competitive play is to win, but for the little details in the team, it’s kinda hard for me to comprehend =(

    i may stated the obvious, but then again, i’m still having a hard time understanding the competitive play of TF2, but i don’t hate it =p

  19. gelugon2105 responded on 10 Aug 2009 at 3:21 pm #

    I like the tidiness of strictly competitive play, but they lack the charm of playing on public matches, where random crits can really result in hilarious tantrums and guffs. Of course, one has to contend with frequently joining teams that often get steam-rolled and lots of team-switching traitors.

    Leagues? I am not in any, but I get the impression that they are painfully elitist in behavior, and that the most vehement of whiners are league players, like Chro, formerly a CEVO administrator.

  20. n00bie51 responded on 10 Aug 2009 at 4:52 pm #

    This is No Zaku!, although standard setup is two Scouts, two Soldiers, one Medic and one Demo Man, that doesn’t mean that the Sniper is ignored as much as the Pyro or Engineer; clubtheseals only focused on these classes for this article. You’re quite right about the Sniper being useful in CP play. I agree somewhat about TF2 not reaching the same competitive level as StarCraft, but I don’t know about shooters in general.

    clubtheseals, although I have no doubt there are competitive teams that use classes other than Scout, Soldier, Demo, and Medic, there comes a point in the level of skill and competition when having a Pyro, Engineer, or Spy on your team is a significant disadvantage. Until I see Pandemic win a tournament with someone playing Spy, it’s still seen as obsolete or inferior for competitive play.

    gelugon2105, can you give some reason to criticize Chro besides that he’s one of “the most vehement of whiners”? Like, how exactly is he so? What has given you “the impression that they are painfully elitist in behavior,” and even if they are, how are competitive leagues made any less viable when it comes to gameplay?

  21. Secret Agent Clank! responded on 11 Aug 2009 at 12:06 pm #

    c0mp3titiev pLy r cr@p f0r idi0+s y tehy not liek cr1t5 n ply so sml match3s l0l0l0l0l a150 h0w u roket jump

  22. Neal Kenneth responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 6:16 am #

    This looks like the beginning of an excellent series.

    I was just wondering why mics aren’t disabled when dead on the PC. On the 360 version, this is accepted as a penalty for dying that effects teamwork, even in competitive games.

  23. Anonymous responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 9:12 am #

    Competitive play has never made any game better

  24. Zorgulon responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 10:39 am #

    @Neal Kenneth

    I’m just surmising here, but I’d guess they consider the lack of a player penalty enough. Seeing as competitive teams use Ventrilo to communicate, there may well be no way of preventing deadtalk.

    In Tournament mode, spectating while dead is limited to first person view of your team mates, so there can be no ghosting or free spectating to gain an advantage.

  25. Anonymous Coward responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 11:24 am #

    Good start for the series.
    Competitive TF2 is a completely different game from pub TF2, can’t comprehend if you haven’t tried tbh.

    The point of having different classes making it less valid is bogus, comp. TF2 is 70% teamwork, 15% experience, 15% individual skill if you will.

  26. Competitive player responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 11:30 am #

    Thanks for this, it’s nice to see sites like this reach out outside their readerbase. It’s always sad to see public players outright dismiss the possibility of TF2 being a good competitive game, while having no experience or knowledge of what competitive TF2 actually encompasses. This article will change nothing as public players will always play public games in every game they play and competitive gamers will always play competitive in every game they play, but at least it’s something.

    It seems as though while casual gamers seem to think competitive gamers are all elitist nerds, the fact that they are so quick to dismiss the possibility of enjoying a game on another level says that the situation is quite the opposite.

  27. Newbie responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 2:27 pm #

    Hi, I was wondering why the Spy is used infrequently (if at all) in competitive play. Doesn’t the addition of the Cloak & Dagger make him very useful in that he can remain hidden in a prime spot that lets him call out enemy positions without being discovered? Moreover, he can flank and backstab enemies that are engaged in combat with the rest of your team. Please enlighten me.

  28. Competitive play - voogru.com - Online Gaming Community responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 3:53 pm #

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  29. Locked in War responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 4:55 pm #

    Sigh, proof of TF2 imbalance. Despite what the casual community thinks the competitive ones realize that Pyro and Spy both need rebalancing (Flat out buffs, really) to be more useful.

  30. Locked in War responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 5:05 pm #

    To answer your question Newbie, the downside to waiting around with the CaD means you’re not actually present in body to help combat anything your team is dealing with. The ridiculously loud decloak sound instantly gives you away, and if you are not spotted by that there is no way to guarantee you’ll be able to sneak up on the opposing team as the general rule of thumb in ANY FPS is to be looking around 24/7, Spys or not the bread and butter of an FPS is to make sure you know what’s going on ALL around you.

    Having to close to melee range coupled with nearly no life while only being able to battle in a situational capacity (Backstabs being your brute force) means you’re at a severe disadvantage.

    Remember, it only takes ONE of their team to spot you for you to be foiled. And in competitive play, there is ALWAYS at least one person watching your backs. Especially if they don’t know where the entire opposing team is.

    Sad truth is Spy just can’t compete at all in competitive play.

  31. Fler hattar i The Classless Update : Team Fortress 2 (TF2) på Onlinegamer.se responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 6:37 pm #

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  32. Eternal responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 6:38 pm #

    You forgot to mention “flareguns” in the list of ‘crits and minicrits’ also it seems that it would have been a good idea to include in this article WHY you are limited to 1 demo and 1 medic, but I suppose that will be saved for later.

  33. [Official] OCN TF2 Team - Page 27 - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net responded on 12 Aug 2009 at 9:55 pm #

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  34. hey guysE responded on 13 Aug 2009 at 12:19 am #

    two scouts two soldiers a demo and a medic is the DEFAULT setup

    Most of the other classes are played part time

    Sniper gets a lot of use, and heavies/pyros get a lot of use on the final point, some teams run a full time heavy

    engineer is also used on gpit and the final point

    even spy is used sometimes

  35. RKR responded on 13 Aug 2009 at 1:38 am #

    Wow. This all seems so…not fun.

  36. NAOG » Blog Archive » This one’s ours now! responded on 13 Aug 2009 at 2:07 am #

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  37. Anonymous responded on 13 Aug 2009 at 7:20 am #

    I don’t know if it is just me, or if there are others that feel this way but…I am tired of these bullshit guides written by noobs that think they are “pro” because they have played a few CEVO games or IRC games. I know and have played with all 3 of the guys that are writting this shit and, I would never classify them under the “pro” category. I am also tired of all this bullshit being on the tf2 blog because UC is widely known and has a huge community. If you ask me, this guide also looks alot like the gotfrag guide and waar’s guide. I am tired of all these noobs that think they are “pros” trying to write guides for newbs(if you don’t know the difference between noobs and newbs and you are on the internet, kill yourself) so that these newbs can grow up to be mediocre, wanna be “pro” noobs. Once again I don’t know if it is just me or what, but I would love to read a guide that is written by a real pro, someone from teams that are actually known and good, complexity or EG for example. I really don’t understand why everyone who has ever played a PUG thinks that they know enough about competitive tf2 play to write a guide, their are qualifications needed to write guides, if not, you are just throwing stupid shit into poor little newb tf2 competitive players that are never gunna get why they are losing cause they are doing everything that they say in this guide.

    To sum everything that I just said up: I don’t wanna read guides from wanna be competitive players with no real experience or credentials, I wanna read guides from players who have been there and done that, players that actually know the competitive scene inside and out. Once again…maybe its just me…whatever…

  38. This one’s ours now! : eNabava.net responded on 13 Aug 2009 at 8:04 am #

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  39. anonymous responded on 13 Aug 2009 at 1:58 pm #

    the second soldier is holding the camera

  40. TF2 Strategy: The Next TF2 Update: No Class responded on 13 Aug 2009 at 7:20 pm #

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  41. Mantari responded on 14 Aug 2009 at 1:38 am #

    I found the comment interesting that the Pyro needs rebalancing (in the form of more buffs). Valve just got through doing a STEALTH DEBUFF on the Pyro with the Sniper/Spy update. In non-competitive play, I use the Pyro to generate fear (of health while on fire) and GTFO (also by fire or more directly by compression blast or death). It used to be they could run to water, health, or maybe a medic. Now they can run to 1/3 of the classes to undo my flame damage. It makes the Pyro that much more sucky. :(

  42. n00bie51 responded on 15 Aug 2009 at 4:18 pm #

    Last time I checked, a “pro” is someone who earns money from being skilled enough to play well. Obviously, none of the authors claim to be so and I also know and have played with them and strongly doubt they are arrogant enough to imply that they are. They’re earnest, not bragging about their CP-savvy.

    While I’m in agreement that I would like to see guides from top competitive players and can respect such players’ authority on this matter, these stories on the front page just share basic information for the average pubber. Nobody here is claiming to be some elite competitive expert; these articles were probably just written for the most part to introduce and familiarize ÜberCharged’s large community of casual players to competitive play. Don’t be so harsh, man.

    Again, I would also like to read more guides from players with more authority on the subject. Unfortunately, this is ÜberCharged, and until clubtheseals and Himmelstoss are good enough to match Pandemic (not happening for a while (:), you and I will have to look elsewhere. :/

  43. Fookin Blogs » This one’s ours now! responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 12:39 am #

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  44. Technocat responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 4:42 am #

    Yeah my league(british) they only play turbine!

  45. Octofish responded on 26 Aug 2009 at 5:13 am #

    “I don’t know if it is just me, or if there are others that feel this way but…I am tired of these bullshit guides written by noobs that think they are “pro” because they have played a few CEVO games or IRC games. I know and have played with all 3 of the guys that are writting this shit and, I would never classify them under the “pro” category. I am also tired of all this bullshit being on the tf2 blog because UC is widely known and has a huge community. If you ask me, this guide also looks alot like the gotfrag guide and waar’s guide. I am tired of all these noobs that think they are “pros” trying to write guides for newbs(if you don’t know the difference between noobs and newbs and you are on the internet, kill yourself) so that these newbs can grow up to be mediocre, wanna be “pro” noobs. Once again I don’t know if it is just me or what, but I would love to read a guide that is written by a real pro, someone from teams that are actually known and good, complexity or EG for example. I really don’t understand why everyone who has ever played a PUG thinks that they know enough about competitive tf2 play to write a guide, their are qualifications needed to write guides, if not, you are just throwing stupid shit into poor little newb tf2 competitive players that are never gunna get why they are losing cause they are doing everything that they say in this guide.

    To sum everything that I just said up: I don’t wanna read guides from wanna be competitive players with no real experience or credentials, I wanna read guides from players who have been there and done that, players that actually know the competitive scene inside and out. Once again…maybe its just me…whatever…”

    Calm down.

  46. clubtheseals responded on 26 Aug 2009 at 6:27 am #

    @Anonymous (the dickwad one).
    For starters, I don’t know who you’re calling a noob. If you’re a troll, I’m sure my response is going to give you a big stiffy, but calm down, because the best is yet to come. I wrote this article for people who aren’t familiar with competitive games. Oh my god, heaven forbid that guides about the same subject be similar. Did you ever stop to think that maybe most TF2 players don’t visit GotFrag? Or that not everyone goes on the forums because of arrogant, worthless shitbags such as yourself? Did you ever stop to think that none of the big names in competitive gaming write about this stuff? You supposedly know everyone working on this guide, yet you leave no name for anyone to respond with. No one writing this has claimed to be a pro. As for your later remarks, I do know comp games inside and out. I’ve played in league games, I’ve played in PUGs, and I’ve played with some of the biggest names in TF2. From your choice of words and evident rage, I detect jealousy, coming from someone with either some sort of superiority complex, or a severe mental disorder. Before you even think about coming to this site again, I suggest that you seek professional psychiatric help. It’s just a guide, and if you can’t handle that, you truly are lost.

  47. ubercharged.net – Competitive TF2, Part Seven: Utilities responded on 02 Sep 2009 at 11:31 am #

    [...] Also, if you haven’t seen them yet, ubercharged.net is currently up to part three in a nine-part series covering how each TF2 class is used in competitive matches. It’s a fantastic read if you want [...]

  48. OmfgNinja responded on 18 Sep 2009 at 10:05 pm #

    so if the cirt is off that means that spies dont kill in one back stab?

  49. Old TF2 Veteran responded on 19 Sep 2009 at 2:02 am #

    You need a section on how prevalent cheating is in competitive TF2, and how it’s quietly accepted as a requirement for at least one team member from each team to have a wall hack enabled for enemy position reporting.

  50. Marshy responded on 19 Sep 2009 at 12:43 pm #

    “Zorgulon responded on 08 Aug 2009 at 11:48 pm #

    Good stuff, but a thought occurs- where’s the second Soldier in the first picture?
    ”

    He’s taking the picture….obviously!

    Nice guide, interesting read :)

  51. Grimm responded on 21 Sep 2009 at 2:15 pm #

    I think Anonymous got his ass ripped off and handed to him, by both clubtheseals and Article #9

  52. Dragon responded on 22 Sep 2009 at 8:32 am #

    Whoa nice guide. look like you put a lot of time into it and it came out great! Just one thing. Can you tell me how to join what of those competitive leagues? i really enjoy TF2 and I’m pretty good so….

  53. Grimm responded on 24 Sep 2009 at 2:24 pm #

    Dragon: First you need a team of 6. TWL Season 5 is taking team signups, and thats probably your best bet. http://www.teamwarfare.com/

  54. Unimpressed responded on 24 Sep 2009 at 11:18 pm #

    tf2 competitive is for people who could not make it in the cs:s / 1.6 scenes.

  55. gasparmx responded on 26 Sep 2009 at 8:10 am #

    I will translate to spanish this article, i leave credits of you and everything, love your guide, here is our mexican community of TF2. http://foros.mexfrag.net/index.php?showtopic=2054&st=0#entry17819

  56. Grimm responded on 26 Sep 2009 at 2:37 pm #

    @Unimpressed

    Many people enjoy competive TF2 because, although it is competitive and is SRSBSNS, as a GAME it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Furthermore, it lacks any weapon which is game changing in its power (*cough*.) And lastly, it is a class-based game, unlike CS.

    In the end, competitive gaming is playing games competitively. Just because someone is better at one game than another does not make them less competitive. Try telling the best chess players that they play it because they’re bad at CS.

  57. Un TF2 mas competitivo – Parte 1 lo basico/logistica « Clan Telmex TF2 Blog responded on 28 Sep 2009 at 4:49 pm #

    [...] Ubercharged.net para los que les da flojera leer ingles o no sepan. El articulo original esta aquí Competitive TF2, Part One: Basics/Logistics todos los créditos originales van para – http://www.ubercharged.net/author/clubtheseals/, [...]

  58. Un tf2 mas competitivo – parte 1 lo basico/logistica « Clan Telmex TF2 Blog responded on 28 Sep 2009 at 4:54 pm #

    [...] Ubercharged.net para los que les da flojera leer ingles o no sepan. El articulo original esta aquí Competitive TF2, Part One: Basics/Logistics todos los créditos originales van para – http://www.ubercharged.net/author/clubtheseals/, esta [...]

  59. CSlicksdonkeycrotch responded on 06 Oct 2009 at 1:27 pm #

    Pfft cs lol. Rocketlauncher or gtfo.

  60. ??? ?? ?????? Competitive TF2, ???? ?????: ??????? ??????????/??????? « Fortress Strategizer responded on 10 Jan 2010 at 6:35 am #

    [...] ?????????? ?????? [...]

  61. ??? ?? ?????? Competitive TF2, ???? ?????: ??????? ??????????/??????? « Fortress Strategizer responded on 10 Jan 2010 at 6:43 am #

    [...] ?????????? ?????? [...]

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