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In competitive gaming, your fragging proficiency and ability to work with a team represent the two most important skills you can have. At the same time, configuring your game for competition can give you an edge in tight situations. Welcome to part eight of the competitive TF2 guide.

Game Settings

There’s a number of simple game settings that will improve your gaming experience.

Use a custom crosshair. Under Options->Multiplayer, you can find a dialog for changing your crosshair. The exact crosshair you use is really up to you (I personally use the + shaped one), but it’s worth changing it from the default for consistency’s sake. You can change the color of the crosshair there, too. I’d recommend using a green crosshair, because green contrasts strongly against the red- and blue-dominated color schemes so prevalent in the game. As you can see in the above screenshot, blue does not work well as a crosshair. Go green.

Turn on autoreload, under Options->Multiplayer->Advanced. Even the best of us forget to reload our weapons sometimes. Auto-reload, as the name implies, automatically reloads your weapons. For one, it’s a definite upgrade; there are absolutely no disadvantages to using it since you can interrupt the reload animation of any weapon to immediately fire it. It’s great stuff, and since it renders the reload key redundant, it frees the key you previously had bound to “+reload” for other useful binds (I’ll get to that in a moment).

Turn off the auto-rescope function. This one’s optional and is also located under Options->Multiplayer->Advanced. Scoping in takes time, and when you’re  a competitive sniper, you need to choose your shots very precisely. Turning off the auto-rescope simply means that if you miss a shot, you have a split-second more to react. It may save your skin.

Optimize your game. This one is a biggie. When you’re being hunted by two scouts, you need fast, accurate, lag-free aiming. If you experience an FPS drop in the middle of a battle and die as a result, you will rage. I would know – this happens to me a lot. Avoid my predicament and dial down the video settings (if possible ) until you get playable FPS in all situations. Amazing graphics really don’t matter in competition, especially if it’s slowing your framerate down a lot.

Open up the Task Manager. Before you launch the game, open up the Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Delete), go to Processes, and start ending processes that you know aren’t necessary. In particular, SearchIndexer.exe (on Vista) can cause huge framerate drops (I often drop to about 3 fps periodically if SearchIndexer is running). Other processes, such as updaters, can start downloading files in the middle of your match, sending your ping sky-high.If you’re really paranoid about framerate, kill your security software as well (I have yet to hear about a virus that delivers itself using TF2).

Adjust your sensitivity. This is an extremely important setting to adjust, and this takes the most time to perfect. It is key that you find a sensitivity that allows you to look around quickly (especially if you play heavy or soldier) but still be precise. Your eyes will need time to adjust to your new sensitivity, so you’ll just have to slowly try things until you find a setting that works for you.

Turn on fast weapon switch. This one’s highly recommended – find the option under Options->Keyboard->Advanced. This removes the useless pictorial weapon select menu from the side of your screen and allows you to equip the weapon immediately.

Binds

Binds allow you to attach any command to any key. To bind a key, tap ~ to open up the developer’s console (if you haven’t enabled it yet, do so at Options->Keyboard->Advanced->Enable console), and type in something like this:
bind <key> "<command>"

For me, one of the most useful commands is “say_team”; say_team is the equivalent of typing something out in team chat. say_team binds allow my team to receive important information even if they didn’t register it over voice com. For instance, here’s a possible bind:

bind v "say_team *** UBERCHARGE READY ***"

Thus, if you press V, they will know that you have your Ubercharge ready.

Other useful messages you could bind include “I need someone to heal!”, “I’m lit!”, “Using Ubercharge”, or “Enemy medic down!”

There’s nothing limiting you to say_team, either. You can bind any console command, so use and abuse as you see fit.

Configs/Scripts

Open up your /steamapps//team fortress 2/tf/cfg directory. You’ll find a number of files, such as “demoman.cfg.” What this means is, whenever you swap class to Demoman, any console commands you list in that file will be executed. What can you do with this? Lots. You could try putting class-specific say_team binds in there (for instance, an “UBERCHARGE DEPLOYED” bind for Medic) and other cool stuff like that.

Here’s a really neat piece of work for you. Rythyrix came up with a great script that allows you execute any custom command when you take out any weapon (check it out on the forums). Copy/paste the following into any of the .cfg files I was mentioning.

alias wep1 "slot1; wep1com; alias mouseup wep-3; alias mousedown wep2; alias quickswap wep-3; alias lastwep wep1; keybind1"
alias wep2 "slot2; wep2com; alias mouseup wep-1; alias mousedown wep3; alias quickswap wep-1; alias lastwep wep2; keybind2"
alias wep3 "slot3; wep3com; alias mouseup wep-2; alias mousedown wep1; alias quickswap wep-2; alias lastwep wep3; keybind3"
alias wep-1 "slot1; wep1com; alias mouseup wep-3; alias mousedown wep2; alias quickswap wep2; alias lastwep wep-1; keybind-1"
alias wep-2 "slot2; wep2com; alias mouseup wep-1; alias mousedown wep3; alias quickswap wep3; alias lastwep wep-2; keybind-2"
alias wep-3 "slot3; wep3com; alias mouseup wep-2; alias mousedown wep1; alias quickswap wep1; alias lastwep wep-3; keybind-3"
alias keybind1 "alias key1 wep1; alias key2 mousedown; alias key3 mouseup"
alias keybind2 "alias key1 mouseup; alias key2 wep2; alias key3 mousedown"
alias keybind3 "alias key1 mousedown; alias key2 mouseup; alias key3 wep3"
alias keybind-1 "alias key1 wep-1; alias key2 mousedown; alias key3 mouseup"
alias keybind-2 "alias key1 mouseup; alias key2 wep-2; alias key3 mousedown"
alias keybind-3 "alias key1 mousedown; alias key2 mouseup; alias key3 wep-3"
alias mouseup "wep-3"
alias mousedown "wep2"
alias quickswap "lastwep"
alias lastwep "wep2"
alias key1 "wep1"
alias key2 "mousedown"
alias key3 "mouseup"
alias key4 "slot4; extrakey"
alias key5 "slot5; extrakey"
alias extrakey "alias mouseup wep-3; alias mousedown wep1; alias quickswap lastwep; alias lastwep wep3"
// DO NOT MESS WITH THE ABOVE STUFF
// EDIT THE FOLLOWING ALIASES, SEE DESCRIPTION BELOW
alias wep1com ""
alias wep2com ""
alias wep3com ""
//BACKUP
bind MWHEELUP mouseup
bind MWHEELDOWN mousedown
bind Q quickswap
bind 1 key1
bind 2 key2
bind 3 key3
bind 4 key4
bind 5 key5

Now, put all the commands you want executed in after the wep1com, wep2com, or wep3com aliases. Check out TF2Wiki for a full list of commands you can have the script execute on weapon switch (but note that some of the commands are cheat commands and will thus not work in multiplayer games; others, such as “wait”, are disabled by some servers). Rythyrix uses the script to change his crosshair size and shape upon switching weapons, but there’s plenty of stuff you can do (change your field of view, for instance, or hide the weapon model). Note that dying without your primary weapon out or running out of ammo on any weapon will break the script temporarily – you will need to press the weapon select button twice in order for it to work again.

Scripts can be useful, as they allow you to execute a number of commands in order. However, I’d strongly discourage the use of rocket jumping scripts, sticky spam scripts, and the like. They’ll make you worse at the game – I guarantee it. Plus, heavy script users are almost always looked down upon by the community. Personally, I don’t use any scripts at all, but they do help some people – it’s a matter of preference.

If you’re interested in scripting, look at the Scripting article on TF2wiki.

Custom HUDs

Many users don’t realize that they have a choice when it comes to Heads-Up Displays, or HUDs. Most users play with the default HUD; others use the minimal HUD also included in the game. I use neither.

That’s mine. It’s a mildly modified version of essobie’s competitive HUD, and it is absolutely glorious. Oh, and ignore the vanilla crosshair – I don’t use it any more.

As you might figure, modifying your HUD allows you to put whatever you like wherever you like. It’s daunting at first, but it’s really not too bad; a number of fine tutorials for doing so exist out there. Essobie’s HUD is a great start if you’re looking to make your own HUD. Be aware, though, that you may need to update your HUD when large updates roll around.

In the end, though, configurations aren’t going to help you very much if you aren’t willing to work with your team. Still, they’re worth looking into.

Let me tell you a story.

Once upon a time there was a game company called VALVe. They made a game mechanic. This was a nice system, but there were a few people that complained. Then they made a new mechanic, which made even more people complain. Then people found a way of exploiting the mechanic. Then VALVe punished them for it. RAEG levels reached apocalyptic.

Now, can anyone guess what I’m talking about here?

That’s right! Everything that VALVe has ever done! But in this case, the halo!

Now, the anti-halo people have got some good arguments if you dig through the millions of layers of “V4LV3 R FCK1NG F4G075 I W1L L1K3 N3V3R H33L 4NN3ONE W1T H4L0 1N F4CT 1 4M 70741Y B0YC07ING UR G43MS 4EVA I’M G01NG BAK 2 C0UN73R-S7R1K3″. The best one that I’ve read was one saying that the halos were a bad solution to a minor problem (idling) instead of a good solution to a terrible problem (random hat drops).

Now, these arguments do sway me. They really do. But, you see, there’s one thing that they ignore. One thing which makes me throw all my support behind VALVe.

I have a hat.

Disclaimer; this is not actually me

Never mind that it looks terrible, or that its glowy effect is severely broken.

Never mind that 95.5% of the rest of the TF2 community have this hat already (and I do believe this figure, since 90% of these people are inconsequentials like myself).

Never mind that I only play TF2 once every couple of months, when I can get to a decent computer.

Never mind that I would have idled if I actually had the game.

I have a hat.

And it is glorious.

In conclusion;

VALVe are awesome, the halo is awesome, random drops are awesome, the FaN, Sandman, Ambassador and Huntsman are all awesome, and I want to have Gabe Newell’s man babies.

But I still think that my unlock system was a better idea.

Hint hint.

INTERVIEWER’S NOTE: Most of this interview is highly classified, I was only able to obtain it by capturing the both intelligences myself and hiding them in a secure location, and I am only able to post it on the Internet due to an insane amount of sucking up to the Valve bigwigs. Have I mentioned that Gabe Newell is awesome?

Also, please that this is part one of the interview, which has been split for the Internet and formatted to fit this screen.

[UC]Sheepshifter!: Thank you for agreeing to this interview, Mister or Ms. Pyro.

Pyro (Translated from Pyro): Thank you yourself, Mr. Sheepshifter, I don’t get asked to be interviewed very often.

[UC]Sheepshifter!: Gee, I wonder why.

Pyro: I think it might have something to do with my pro-random drops stance.

[UC]Sheepshifter!: My first question is something that I know has been on everyone’s mind for a long time. Which team came first, RED or BLU?

Pyro: The Spectators.

[UC]Sheepshifter!:  Son of a father!

Pyro: It’s true. At the start of TF2’s development, Valve hired eight of the biggest racial stereotypes to serve as personality models for the updated classes.

[UC]Sheepshifter!: Hold on, eight? Aren’t there nine classes?

Pyro: *Laughs* Funny story, there. They couldn’t find a good personality for the Spy, but then we  just walked in one day to find the man you all know as Spy hanging out in the lounge. When he wouldn’t leave or explain why he was there for a week, Gabe decided to use him. I think his class has never been nerfed because, since Valve doesn’t actually pay Spy, he can kill them all.

[UC]Sheepshifter!: So, what do all nine of you do?

Pyro: We’re like consultants. When Valve comes up with a new map or game mode, we look over it and think about how our class would work effectively in it, and change the mode if our classes can’t. We also look over the unlockable weapons, to see if it’s good enough (if it’s our unlockable) and if it’s balanced (if it isn’t.) When there’s nothing to look over, we play a lot of our class in order to get a feel for how it plays these days.

[UC]Sheepshifter!: What do you all do when you’re not working?

Pyro: Well, because of our contracts, we can’t leave Valve’s secret underwater base. We live down there. Most of us are big anime fans, except for Soldier, he hates everything non-American. Engineer isn’t much of a fan either, but he loves Giant Robot Anime. Scout is a complete japanamaniac, though.

[UC]Sheepshifter!: Scout? Really?

Pyro: Yep, we all say that if baseball wasn’t American, Scout would be Japanese. He loves everything about the country. It’s actually kind of scary.

[UC]Sheepshifter!: Speaking of Scout, what’s the deal with him and the Spy?

Pyro: Ah, that. A lot of the things you see in Meet the Team, along with the domination lines and other in-game quips, come from stuff that happens in the office. For instance, the interview from Meet the Demoman came from the time the actual Demoman got drunk and started telling us his life story. Meet the Soldier was inspired by the time Soldier lectured the kitchen appliances on patriotism. Scout and Spy have been fighting since Day 1, so Valve had them record lines like that because it’s what they were doing anyway.

[UC]Sheepshifter!: So, how do you feel about the job in general?

Pyro: My only real complaint is that I can’t leave the underwater base. On the other hand, I’m working with hilarious co-orkers, playing fun games, with room and board paid for by my employers and unlimited computer access, I’ve also been beta-testing all the new Valve games, and, as the cherry on top, Valve has really good cheese.

Stay tuned for part two of the interview, where we learn everything there is to know about the Pyro, and more about the awesomeness that is Gabe Newell! Next time on Unforgotte- Um, I mean Ubercharged.net!

So clubtheseals and himmelstoss have been writing a guide series on competitive play. Unfortunately, the one on the Demoman has sparked the usual can of crap from every Tom, Dick, and Harry who couldn’t pay enough attention to not walk on the stickies.

Now, I could just post a pic or two about the whole issue. Quote the stats. Or easily prove how wrong the people who are STILL whining about it are. In fact, I’ll do some of that!

Props to Nerfnow for this first image. Good comic. Go read it.

And of course, the one I like to quote often.

And of course, the official stats indicate that if any class is overpowered, it’s the Heavy. Most points and kills per hour but least time played?

But that put aside, it seems a whole bunch of people hate a different class, or two, or three. Whatever class it is. And while some of us take it like a man, many feel the need to complain. And, I suppose, with SOME reasoning too.

Scout

Most pubbers won’t complain. They go down easy most of the time, and to use effectively takes a lot of twitch aiming, positioning, flanking, and movement skills. Not to mention sentries completely negate all but the best in many areas. But, given the right player, it is probably “the most borderline overpowered class in the game” (quote by Chro – check it out sometime).

If you hate this class, you hate them because of their speed. With 133% speed, Scouts choose the battles they fight. Coupled with their hitboxes, they’re the hardest class to hit, and to take down a good one takes a measure of skill. The only hard counter to Scouts, of course, is the sentry, and the problem lies with its immobility.

Awesome Scout by PropMedic over at Deviantart.

Soldier

If you’re frustrated with this class, it’s again because you’re fighting a good one (or alternatively, because of crits). The Soldier is essentially the everyman class in Team Fortress; no particular strengths, but as a result, no particular weaknesses either, so you can’t just, say, switch to Pyro and flame every corner until you find him.

Pyro

If you know me, you know that I give this class a lot of flak; the reasoning being that if doing so could get the Demoman super-nerfed, it could work for this too.

I don’t actually think this class is overpowered. Not really. It takes a good amount of skill to play it well. Still, doesn’t change the fact that it’s easy mode. Touch person with fire, person loses 60 health. You’d better have a medic on your team, and that’s no longer a popular job.

Also doesn’t mean I won’t stop trolling them though. DURR LOOK AN ENEMY MUST CHARGE.

…All right, I’ll redeem myself. Here. (Or look at Competitive TF2, Part 7 for some competitive Pyro).

Demoman

And here we are again. What, you gonna cry now?

Two “annoying” features:

Sticky traps. You don’t see them until you’re dead if the Demoman you’re playing against has any sense. To be honest, even if Valve did something stupid like make stickies take 3 or 5 seconds to detonate, people would still complain about this as far as I see.

Indirect fire. The Demoman is certainly capable of confrontations given the right situation, but is also the only class that can kill you without you flicking your mouse and being able to see him.

And of course, sticky throwing, which people claim is easy, but really, grenades are for noobs. Only really good Demomen are sticky exclusive. [Editor's note: ubercharged.net takes no responsibility for impending flame war. Comment nuke is ready and armed for those of you without a sense of humour -himmelstoss].

Heavy

Plain and simple, although I don’t know why more people don’t complain; he takes a ton of damage and dishes out a lot. Good heavies are good at positioning to compensate for their lack of speed, and can kick the crap out of any class. Hell, I personally know several beastly Heavies. They won’t retreat, yet they never go down.

Engineer

Less complaints nowadays, since the class is getting harder to play. Still, the main reason would be the cause of stalemates on push maps and territory control, due to people “defending the point” and claiming to be credit to team. Yes, I’m blaming you guys for Hydro’s lack of popularity.

It’s also the reason why a lot of pubs don’t favor push maps over payload or A/D. Stalemates. In the latter, you either push out or lose. Shame on you.

Medic

I’m probably the first person to complain about medics here (apart from Gold Rush fever). You won’t find many who say Medics are bad or OP, so I’ll play devil’s advocate: MEDICS ARE OP. ZOMG I GOT KILLED BECAUES MEDIC KEPT HEELING MY ENEMY.

Well, partially true. If I face two opponents –at the same time– of lesser skill, I can play attrition and slowly knock one out, then deal with the other, especially given my tendency towards medkits (here’s that article that a younger, more foolish Clank wrote). But if one’s a medic, I HAVE to kill the medic first. Hard, cus he’s fast and can focus on dodging.

Snipers

Yeah, a lot of us here at UC don’t like Snipers, with various reasons (though not me personally). Mainly because he can kill you with the rifle, where he’s out of range of anything you can do (or alternatively with the Huntsman, for those of us who can’t aim) That’s about it, really. Simple as that. I think it’s less justified than other complaints because of the skill it takes (unless you’re using the Huntsman), and those are already questionable.

Also, the taunt. The smug, smug taunt!

Spies

One hit kill from behind. Yeah. Takes a lot of skill and experience, along with luck, but you die in one shot unless you’re checking your back occasionally (and then, the good ones will wait till you’re not paying attention).

* * *

So what have we learned, if anything, from all this?

Frankly, I want to see less complaints. Much less. There are advantages each class has that can be overcome, and if you’re having trouble with one in particular, you need to brush up on his (or her) weaknesses. Not to mention if you find a class that has an advantage over you “overpowered,” you might want to consider Counter Strike. *
Even then, I think it gives more character to a person to have troubles with a class. I get killed by Heavies frequently because of bad decisions.

Hell, if anything, I’m the one who should have uber-rage, having made the stupid decision of maining two classes that are weak against the exact same two classes.

More importantly though, I want little to no complaints unless you are good or have experience with the class. Even better, try it out for a while. If it’s really so overpowered, then you should have no problems playing  and dominating people with it. You know who you are. Quod erat freakin’ demonstrandum.

And no matter what you do, try to enjoy TF2. Cut the rage where possible. If you just can’t, take a break for a while. Try something different, preferably. Buy World of Goo or Mr Robot, or download Research and Development or Afraid of Monsters. Something.

~Clank out

*No, I don’t actually have anything against CS. I think it’s great that it sorta pioneered the team-based shooter; it’s just out of date.

Maxim (aka Ctrl-C) and the gang over at team-fortress.ru have been hard at work translating our world famous TF2 competitive guides into the beautiful native tongue of the Heavy Weapons Guy (that’s Russian, for everyone living under a rock for the last two years).

Before all, I want to say “Thank You!” to authors of Competitive TF2 guides on your site.
Some of people on our russian site and me translating each of this guide to russian language.

First: http://www.team-fortress.ru/data/articles/cw-tf2-part-one
Second: http://www.team-fortress.ru/data/articles/cw-tf2-part-two
Third: http://www.team-fortress.ru/data/articles/cw-tf2-part-three
Fourth: http://www.team-fortress.ru/data/articles/cw-tf2-part-four
Fifth (published yesterday): http://www.team-fortress.ru/data/articles/cw-tf2-part-five
Sixth will be published today/tomorrow

DO SVIDANIYA!

Update!

Here’s the sixth one as well: http://www.team-fortress.ru/data/articles/cw-tf2-part-sixth

Sure, sure. Two Scouts, two Soldiers, a Demoman, and a Medic. If you’ve read the competitive TF2 guide thus far, you know that.

But who said you’re stuck with those same classes? Mixing the utility classes up can really catch your enemy by surprise, and it’ll add a lot of fun to your game too.

Props to Hain for his awesome Garry’s Moddery. You rock!

Pyro

The pyro is a challenge to use competitively. While blessed with good speed, burn damage, and a versatile compression blast, the short range of the pyro limits its usefulness. But, in the right situations, or in the right hands, a Pyro can be absolutely devatasting.

Pyros are excellent for defending the final capture point of any map. If your team is pushed back to the last point, you might consider swapping a Scout for a Pyro to help prevent easy captures, especially in enclosed areas, such as the base in Badlands (on some other, exposed 5CP’s, such as Granary, this is considerably more risky).

On Gravelpit C, a defending Pyro hanging around on the top of the tower can flame and airblast explosive-jumping attackers off the point, leaving them to grapple with enormous fall and burn damage (assuming, of course, that the defending team manages to get a Pyro up there without having him/her being slaughtered by enemy players).

Unlocks-wise, the Axtinguisher is an absolute necessity, and the normal Flamethrower is heavily preferred, for several reasons. The Pyro’s most devastating close-range technique involves airblasting an enemy into a wall, closing the distance while pulling out the Axtinguisher, and finishing the deed with a well-aimed melee strike. In addition, the airblast can blast airborne players off-course (useful for defending elevated CP’s such as Badlands Spire or Gravelpit C). Finally, the ability to break up übercharges with well-aimed airblasts can destroy a team’s offensive push – excellent for defending the last point of a map.

Reflecting rockets can be effective, but in the long run, you are still vulnerable to soldiers. They can fire faster than you, and even if you’re good with the airblast, you’re still vulnerable to juggling. You’ll have to fight enemy soldiers on their terms, most of the time. As for scouts, they can tear you to pieces at all kinds of ranges. Beware of them. You still have the upper hand on them indoors, though. If you blast them into a wall, they’ll be helpless.

If your team chooses to run a Pyro offensively, be absolutely sure that the Pyro is safe from roaming enemies. Having a Scout partner with the Pyro can help keep the Pyro alive, but be aware that in doing so, the Scout is unable to put his excellent flanking talents to use elsewhere.

The primary purpose of the offensive Pyro is to flank. A good deal of burn damage on the enemy Medic can turn the tide of a game, but at the same time, lacking the dodging skills of a Scout, a Pyro is much more vulnerable to attack. Seeing as the Scout and the Pyro largely fulfill the same offensive roles, it’s usually better to just stick with a Scout. In enclosed spaces, a Pyro can certainly work wonders, but a team must be exceptionally well-organized to support one.

BUT WAIT! I never said that it couldn’t be done!

B||oodsire (one of the snipers in the insane Auto-Aim video in the previous article on the Sniper) uploaded a beautiful 10-minute frag video of him playing competitive Pyro. It’s quite eye-popping, and it proves that the Pyro really isn’t a “noob” class. In the right hands, and in the right situations, the Pyro is a flaming powerhouse. Hudda hudda huh!

Heavy

Immense thanks to The Black Watch for writing this segment on the Heavy. He is credit to team! -himmelstoss

The Heavy is easily the most underrated and underutilized class in competitive TF2, particularly on the American circuit. Combining high health with exceptional damage capacity, they are not to be written off as useless.

Heavies generally take two roles in a competitive match: as a replacement for the pocket (short-leash) Soldier, or as a defensive emplacement on a point, particularly on ones with short capture times (such as the final points of most 5CP maps). Defensive heavies prevent back caps as the rest of the team captures the next point. If a team decides to run a Heavy, they usually swap out a Scout for one, in line with the “utility” role of the competitive Scout player.

As a pocket Heavy, your main job, as with all short-leash players, is to protect the Medic. However, it is rare for a team to start off running a heavy, because of the slow speed. There are two major exceptions, Well and Turbine. The start up timer on Well allows the medic to build up an ubercharge, and the gates at the central building ensure that the Heavy’s slow speed does not adversely affect his time to get to the centre point. On Turbine as well, the larger open areas and long sightlines provide a suitable environment for the Heavy. The main thing is to stay aware of the battle, and use your long range damage to force people into cover or to draw their attention to you and away from any of the other classes on your team, particularly the more fragile ones. With the exception of Demomen, all opponents need to have a clear line of vision to hit you. Essentially, if they can hit you, you can hit them. In addition, there is no travel time on bullets, giving you a slight advantage on Soldiers — you can damage enemy Soldiers while attempting to avoid any rockets that head your way. This will either force them to run for cover, allowing you to move up and capture the objective, or to come out and face you. In the latter case, your higher rate of damage should allow you to finish the job. Should you lose your medic, you change your tactics to “holding” instead of “pushing” and act as if you would be defending a point. Don’t be afraid to take a tactical retreat if the need arises!

As a defending Heavy, your slow speed is less of a hindrance, as you generally don’t stray far from the point. When defending, you can exploit some of the more useful attributes of the Heavy. For example, when defending second and fourth points of Badlands or Gravelpit C, you can use your minigun’s significant knockback effect to push airborne enemies away from the point. Knockback is strong – it’s quite possible to keep people airborne, although this rarely happens in actual play. You should also remember that, like the scout, you should avoid firing early to alert enemies to your presence. If you surprise any class at short range, you should be able to kill them without them having time to react. A good ambush can take several enemies before they react. Even if the enemies know you’re there, feel free to fire away if there is an ammo spawn nearby; there is no travel time on bullets, and the fact that they are under fire may convince them to retreat. This works well with Scouts, where their lower health comes off as a significant disadvantage.

Unlocks are generally a straightforward business. Melee generally isn’t something that comes into play, but it does it helps more to gain those situational crits from the KGB then to swing faster with regular fists. Pocket Heavies need something that they can use while moving, so the Sandvich rarely sees play in competitive leagues as the Shotgun is useful in more scenarios than the highly situational Sandvich. As for the two miniguns, if you’re going to be playing as a Heavy in competitive matches, you should be able to aim well enough to hit enemies without them slowing down. The normal Minigun is therefore recommended.

You’re very vulnerable to enemy snipers and spies still (perhaps even more vulnerable, since competitive snipers tend to be quite good), so the usual rules about having not spinning up in the open and checking your back apply. Also, be aware that you should be proficient in Scout play, too, as the Heavy’s speed limits his usefulness on many maps.

Enemies will focus-fire you, so unless you have a Medic, you’re going to go down fast. The Heavy combo isn’t superman, either. Heavies, lacking mobility, can often lack in Medic protection, particularly against Soldiers, who can simply hop in and out of cover and let splash damage take care of the rest. Heavy-Medic combos, like Demoman combos, must be protected well if they are to be effective.

In summary, then – your roles as a heavy are area denial and damage tank. Spamming bullets will send your enemies running for cover, and your capacity to soak up damage is great for pushing into indoor areas – provided you have a medic on your back. While the Heavy in competitive play is definitely situational, judicious use of one can truly turn the tide of a game.

Spy

Spying in competitive games is quite a lot harder than doing the same on a public server. The Spy capitalizes on his enemy’s mistakes to be effective. However, a well-organized competitive team makes few mistakes, so Spy makes for a very, very difficult playing experience.

For one, you absolutely have to be good with your revolver. Standard competitive classes move quite quickly, and so they can be tricky to stab. At the same time, two or three well-aimed revolver shots can significantly reduce an enemy’s health, allowing the rest of your team to pick them off (or, if they’re at low health, crediting you with the kill). Good aim is critical.

Disguise-wise, you don’t have many choices. Demoman’s a good bet, as is Medic (acting like a Medic but refusing to “heal” enemies is a great way to get them to start shouting over voice com). Change disguises frequently and make sure your choice of disguise fits the situation. Check your scoreboard a lot – if you know which enemy players are playing which classes, you can see if they’re dead or alive and choose your disguise accordingly.

When disguised, you can see enemy players’ health. If an enemy player’s health is low (particularly the Medic), call it out to your team, and if you’re feeling adventurous, try to take him/her down with a well-placed revolver blast. And check your scoreboard! Try to take out high-scoring players if you can. While the Scouts are nearly impossible to hit with the knife (unless you’re incredibly good), Soldiers and Demomen can be fine targets. As with a public server, they usually make easy pickings if they’re distracted by your team. Careful, though, because they’ll call your position to their team immediately. Solitary players (such as the enemy long-leash Soldier) are usually safer to kill than the combo. If an enemy is protected by Scouts, it’s generally best to back off and try again another time.

Nevertheless, the Spy is incredibly hard to pull off in a competitive setting, especially as a match progresses. I hate to say it, but in ninety-nine percent of cases, you’ll be better off as a Scout.

Engineer

Offensive Engineering is almost impossible in competitive games. Offensive Engineering relies entirely on surprise and lack of communication–unfortunately, your enemies will be organized. Also, the conspicuous beeping sound that sentries make is often warning enough to an enemy team. They’ll bring their explosives in, and your sentry will go down with nary a kill. Unless your enemies are extremely disorganized, or unless you’re playing a highlander match (9v9, one of each class), avoid offensive Engineering entirely.

Defensive Engineering isn’t easy, either. For one, sentries have large blind spots, and enemies know this. Expect to see explosives coming at you. Badly placed sentries can almost always be taken down without an ubercharge.

In addition, Engineers are entirely unable to push forward with a team, thanks to their immobile sentries. For that reason, avoid Engineering entirely on 5CP maps if possible.You’ll be more of a hindrance to your team than an asset.

On attack/defense maps, particularly Gravelpit, defensive Engineering is quite common (even in professional leagues), particularly for defending control point, especially here:

Since your team can focus its energy entirely on defending, it’s acceptable to run defensive classes at all times during the round. An Engineer with a well-placed sentry can really limit the movement capacity of the attacking team by providing effective area denial. The same guidelines for sentry placement on public servers apply on A/D maps. Make sure that your sentry’s blind spots are guarded by your team, though.

Other than that, think twice before trying an Engineer.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Huey Lewis, Balistic, and Ska-Meister for sharing their thoughts on the pyro, spy, and spy, respectively!

Bonus stuff!

Based on the original plan, this would have been the seventh and final article of the series. But this guide was a lot more successful than clubtheseals and I had thought it would be, because we apparently made it to the Team Fortress Blog page. And here’s what they wrote:

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 to get some insight into the strategies of TF2’s most skilled players.

Wait, nine parts? We were a bit surprised at first, too. BUT – we aren’t ones to let Valve down, so we have planned for you not one, but two additional bonus articles! Stay tuned!

Well, part six of the competitive TF2 guide is here at last, and I can assure you that it is a heavy hitter. I’m going to be talking about my class of choice, the sniper.

Now, you may be saying to yourself, “But you never mentioned sniper in the list of commonly played competitive classes!” And you are certainly right, I didn’t. But the sniper is one of, if not the most commonly played utilities in competitive TF2.

The sniper is very straightforward at first glance, you shoot the heads of the other team, and they die. Simple, right? Not always. You have to keep in mind that in a competitive match, gameplay is incredibly dynamic. When half of the other team is flying around the map, as opposed to standing on the cart, the sniper’s job becomes exponentially tougher.

But this is what makes competitive snipers so interesting. They’ve adapted to hitting rapidly moving targets, even when they’re at close ranges. The greatest example of this that comes to mind is the TFC sniper guild Auto-Aim. They’ve since moved into TF2, and they are just as absurdly skilled.

When playing as a competitive sniper, one of your most important roles is to attempt to kill the enemy medic. With the medic down, you not only eliminate a source of health for the other team, but you also open up opportunities for your own team to push.

Remember, in order of importance, you should kill:

1. Other snipers
2. Medics
3. Scouts
4. Demomen
5. Soldiers
6. Other utilities

A good sniper can also effectively stop captures, as well as open up a point that is being guarded to capture. On the subject of opening points, the sniper’s SMG and sniper rifle are perfect for destroying stickies. Do not hesitate to destroy stickies if it will protect your team. It doesn’t matter if you waste a charged shot, a living medic is more valuable than a dead enemy.

On the subject of techniques, sniper is 90% aim, but there are some techniques which can make you more effective. The first technique, scanning, can greatly increase the speed with which you are able to land shots. Scanning consists of roughly aiming at head height while unscoped, so that when you do scope in, you have less fine aiming to do.

Though this is really personal preference, I tend to scope in for a full charge. Yes, this decreases the speed with which I shoot, but it also means that even if I barely hit the enemy medic or one of their scouts, that player is dead. Keep in mind that when it’s 6v6, every player counts. I’ve yet to meet a competitive player who has complained to me about a bodyshot, so blast away.

Again, personal preference, but it’s typically better if you turn off auto rescope. You should be planning shots wisely, and when you get pulled back into the scope, you put yourself at risk, by lowering your field of view. Now, while being able to rescope if you miss can be useful, it’s generally best if you just do it manually.

In regards to your field of vision, you should always set FOV to it’s maximum. This enables you to see more of the battle, and can even mean the difference between an enemy sniper seeing you, or you seeing him.

When on maps with long sightlines, such as Badlands or Gravelpit, use the openness of the area to your advantage. Use the space between you and your enemy as a trap. Because regardless of his skill, you’re more precise at long range. Lure him into an open space by retreating (it’s not important whether you fake this or not) and headshot him. You can also lure him into the rest of your team; either way he’s dead.

While having loads of empty space between your enemy and yourself may seem to make you a sitting duck, it also gives you an unobstructed view of him. In addition, also keep in mind that while the sniper is certainly very effective at long range, he is just as effective at medium range. When at a mid distance from your enemy, their heads are much easier to hit, give their relatively large size when scoped in.

Since sniper is all about aim, there isn’t much more that I haven’t covered in the way of techniques. But easy ways to improve your aim include downloading training maps like tr_walkway, or just playing the class. Playing competitive maps and sniping from near the front lines is far better for your sniping ability than being a WCS on 2fort. Practicing sniping on 5CP maps will give you a feel for the ebb and flow of action, and allow you to get used to the environment.

Aim is something that you have to work at gradually, and you shpuld adjust your mouse settings to whatever works for you. Some snipers play with a lower sensitivity. Personally, I play with my mouse set to 3600 DPI, with in-game sensitivity set to 5.

That should about cover it. You’re an assassin – precision elimination of key targets is your role. Taking down key enemy targets, specifically the medic will hugely help your team and justify your reason for existence.

Oh, and one last note – when you’re practicing sniper, keep a jar handy. Could save you from the terror of a bathroom break.

What’s this? An article in the competitive TF2 series not done by himmelstoss or clubtheseals? Yep, since I was credited way back in the first installment I figured it was time to get off my lazy bottom (or rather, sit on it some more), and give you the low-down on a class near and dear to our hearts, the Medic!

Let’s face it, no one in their right mind wants to play Medic on the average public game. Your teammates are generally uncommunicative, dull, unskilled or simply don’t care about you. Buff up that Soldier? Guarantee he’ll jump away and leave you to die via buckshot as he gets shot by a Sniper. Stick with your pal the Heavy? The lumbering oaf will get stabbed before you can even mash X+2 (not like he’d pay attention anyway). All this assuming on the off-chance that your team isn’t entirely composed of scouts, snipers, pyros and spies.

Well, wipe your fears away and step into the boots of the competitive medic! As a medic, you’re still underappreciated to an extent, but you become the center-piece of the team-its quarterback, so to speak. You alone control the flow of the game, and getting sacked may just cost your team the game. American Football analogies aside, you become the player that drives the team, which I’ll get into later.

The Medic Mentality

Anyone can play medic, right? Just mash M1 and dodge incoming fire, right? Yes and no. As a friend put it to me once, “Playing medic is easy, but playing medic well, now that’s hard.” Just like any other class, you can pick it up and play, just not well. Unlike the other classes, however, who focus on super 1337 aim and movement skills, the medic instead focuses on thinking, planning, and having ironclad faith in your men. I don’t know about you, but the average player is usually severely lacking in the former two.

The proper mentality to take is that of a sissy puny baby. Your team cannot push without you, you have a measly 150 HP, an unreliably slow health regeneration, and, as an added bonus, you have a big 10-metre “Shoot Me, Please!” sign hanging over your head. Everyone’s gunning for you and you’ve gotta know when to move and to where.

Your Meatshield and You

The easy answer to the question of “Where” would be with your pocket. As covered in the Soldier article, there are (generally) two Soldiers on your team. One (the pocket) focuses on protecting you, and the other (roaming) focuses more on flanking but is still your number 2 man. You want to stick with the guy who offers you the best protection at any given moment, and the Soldier generally takes the cake being the most balanced in terms of mobility, firepower, and direct combat capabilities.

In the event that your Soldiers bite the dust, it goes to the Demoman and then the Scouts if the threat isn’t too large. On the occasion that you have a Heavy you’ll generally stick with him but it’ll vary depending on the team.

Learning to work with your team is something that will come with simply playing with them. A big mistake that a newbie team will make is not playing with each other outside of practice and matches. As the Medic you rely heavily on your team to keep you alive, and as such you must be able to predict their every move and vice versa. Get to know your team, their tendencies, and their relative skill so you know if they’re in way over their head or if it’s safe to press onward.

Properly abusing your meatshields is all about distance management. If he’s getting shelled from afar and you want to avoid the rockets and grenades, you abuse the heck out of the medibeam’s distance and bending ability. If a Scout or other class just made his way to your flank (usually due to your Scouts going down) you have about a split second to dash behind your pocket and alert him. Getting in close is refered to “hugging” and really the only semi-reliable counter to a Scout flank. Your teammate takes the heat while you dash in and out of him and heal so that (in theory) you never take damage. Knowing when to do either eventually comes with practice but in most cases (because rockets explode) distancing yourself is the name of the game. Especially if you’re in the open, keep moving to keep alive. Moving erratically can help if there are enemy snipers, but don’t count on it.

That means NO BATTLE MEDICING. If you need to whip out your blutsauger because you’re alone and being hunted, that’s fine – you won’t survive either way. But if there’s any other friendly nearby, heal him first. He may be able to save you.

Out Of The Gate

So you’ve made it into your first match. Whether you’re the designated Medic for your team or you just went it so that the PUG can start, there are a few basic things to know before you trudge off into combat. The first is that your team is much faster than you (as they’ll all be jumping) and that you need them to get to mid with as much of overheal as possible. The instant you spawn, you start healing. In this order you want to hit the Demoman, the roaming Soldier and then your pocket. The Demo needs the intial buff because not only does he have less health but his jumps are much faster and take him farther. The less health packs he has to pick up along the way to mid, the more you have to fall back on. Generally, after the first jump he’s way ahead of you with the Scouts, so you then switch your attention to the Soldiers. The Soldier’s jumps are generally slower and consume less health so you can almost keep pace with them. By the time you get to mid the Scouts and Demo will have undoubtedly taken some damage from the other team’s Scouts and Demo so don’t be afraid to pass on the love. At this point it’s about finding a safe spot and passing out the heals to whomever needs it. A general heal order for this point and the rest of the match is:

• Players lit (in red health) and taking damage
• Players lit
• Everyone else

During the brief lull in action while holding an area, it’s important to take stock of how much health each class has and how long it’s been since they’ve been injured. Scouts generally get hurt a large amount but get back to you a while after being injured. And so, thanks to heal rate ramp-ups based on how long they’ve been hurt, Scouts will only take a split second to heal and buff. And believe me when I say they really appreciate the buff to their extremely limited health. Soldiers, however, are on the opposite end of the spectrum. They have much more health and are taking damage almost constantly, so it takes forever to heal them up entirely. At this point I usually follow this:

• Get the Demo and Soldiers up to full health
• Buff/heal the Scouts
• Buff the Demo
• Buff your pocket

At this point I feel it’s a good time to mention situational awareness. Being the only person on your team without a gun to aim, it affords you a much clearer picture of things going on outside of the main focus. The Medic effectively becomes an extra pair of eyes to survey and analyze the situation. For example, while your pal the pocket Soldier may see that big ole’ Russian fellow raining down hell directly in front of him, he more than likely won’t catch that Scout dashing in from a side path right toward your soft squishy side. You must quickly become accustomed to swinging around and checking for enemies out of your team’s main field of vision. Communication is key for a Medic player and, as such, one needs to learn how to communicate effectively. While it is possible to play Medic without a microphone/headset it is incredibly difficult. I know from personal experience after breaking a mic that, while keybinds do work to an extent, a microphone is still faster and more precise. There is a lot of information to sort through and relay to your team, and keeping it short and sweet is the name of the game. I wont bore you with the details since you’ll more than likely learn it in your first match but here’s a short list of things you need to relay if someone else hasn’t.

• When you die
• When you are about to respawn/have respawned
• When you get close to a full charge (70%-ish)
• When you use your Ubercharge
• When the enemy uses their Ubercharge
• When you are alone
• Who you are with and where if your team is separated
• Enemy positions outside of the normal focus area (enemies flanking, snipers, demos up high, sticky trap locations)

Other things like when an enemy goes down or when an area is clear are also important but you have to take into account that your teammates will likely see that before you. Your focus should be on things that your allies cannot see easily and fight at the same time. In time you’ll learn better what to say and when but sticking to that list will get you by for quite some time.

Sock It To ‘Em

So you’ve worked up that hard earned Ubercharge/Kritz and you’re ready to lay the smackdown on the other team. Well hold yer horses and listen up, this may just save your neck. Remember way back at the start of the article how I said that you alone control the flow of the battle? Well, I was talking about this, Uber Timing. It’s a slippery subject on its own and it’s incredibly difficult to teach. All I can do is give you a general idea and you’ll have to learn it on your own.

Competitive gaming is all about strategy and advantages. If your team has Uber, you have an advantage. However, if the other team has Uber too, you’re dead even. In lower level games it doesn’t matter as much but when you get into really tough games, forcing you to pop your Uber early is what Scouts are notoriously good at. It’s a game of cat and mouse really, you want the other guy to use his Uber before you so that you have more of an opening to dish out damage with your own. Such a use of Uber is known as a counter-Uber since it blocks the use of their Uber to cause lasting damage and it causes lots of damage to them. While being forced to pop early so that you don’t die is annoying and may cost you the point, it’s better that you stay alive and continue healing rather than waiting to respawn. Time spent alive is time spent charging and you at the very least want to reach full charge at the same time as or just after the enemy Medic. Double and even triple Ubers (where you Uber multiple players at once) are the center-piece of an effective push against a team that doesn’t have Uber, and so waiting for the right moment to strike is of great importance. Just don’t hold on to it to your death.

Public server rules about selecting a Medigun apply in competitive play, too. If you want to Uber frequently, select the Kritzkrieg. However, if the enemy is running a regular Medigun, be aware that in Uber vs Uber battles (which happen surprisingly often), you will almost always lose, especially if the enemy Medic is good enough to Uber multiple players. For this reason, Kritzkrieg your pocket if the enemy Medic is vulnerable to a nice crocket. Removing their Uber eliminates a huge advantage they have over you. Exploit it.

To wrap up: Medic is a deceptively difficult but incredibly rewarding class. As a medic, you are the single most important player on your team. You call the shots. You turn the tide of a game. You…

You are the Ubermensch.

If you’re looking for the other installments of the guide, we have set up a Table of Contents page for you. If you need to link the guide to anyone, send ‘em over there as well. Enjoy, and keep your eyes peeled for the next article -himmelstoss

Okay, I know it’s not wise to open up old wounds, but bear with me here.

As you might’ve guessed, the Sandman was probably the only unlock which was, more or less, universally slammed – flames hotter than a sheep-shearer’s armpit rising. You could practically feel your computer toasting away by just reading the steam forums from the amount of raw, testosterone fuelled, pre-teen rage. But the recent(ish) update to TF2 has brought on some much needed changes to the weapon, which I hope can let everyone relax a little and maybe even try out the weapon.

Why the Sandman is probably the best it can be

Okay, I’m not going to patronise with you by making a list of all the changes made; nor am I going to try to force you to think that the Sandman has become the best unlock concieved. The basic idea of the Sandman is that it can stun – if you remove that, then it’s not the Sandman. So, under the circumstances, I do think the weapon is probably as balanced as it can be made without removing it altogther. Why not remove it? Well, why not remove the Demoman? How about the Pyro, while we’re at it? Despite the weapon’s largely negative reception, people still use the Sandman and once something has been released, it’s just not right to remove it altogther.

Death

The weapon is now made so that one direct hit from a rocket, a grenade, a sticky, a half charged sniper shot or an arrow can kill you instantly. This means Scouts will die even more often than they did before. This makes the Sandman a somewhat more skilled weapon than previously – Scouts will need to dodge more and not be as careless. Getting up close to a Soldier for a point blank shot can be even more risky. Even if you stun an enemy, but don’t finish them off in time… If you’re standing still, chances are you’ll get a rocket in your face and you’ll be dead! Heavies can recover much more easily with their minigun still spinning away. A Heavy can stack up 540 damage in a single second. If you don’t act fast, you’ll be dead!

The Sandman no longer rewards those who do not bother with aiming or dodging (two pretty major attributes Scouts should have) to such a great extent. Against a Sandman Scout, you can kill them much more easily before they may even get a chance to use the stun on you.

Using it as a Strategic Weapon

I think it’s become sort of drilled into people’s minds that the Sandman will get you killed, guaranteed. This doesn’t have to be the case – the Sandman can be pretty ineffective in groups, where Medics and other teammates make it harder for the Scout to get to his target. Even in a 1v1 situation, as stated above, it’s easier to recover or remove the threat before the stun. The Sandman can be used to stop Engineers from tanking. It can be used to stop a Demoman from planting stickings, or Medics from healing a seemingly unstoppable Heavy. In some ways, the Sandman has made it so that you don’t have to kill someone who’s threatening your team. Perhaps stunning that Demoman planting stickies on the CP will give you an opportunity to capture the point and win the game! Perhaps stopping that Engineer from tanking can help get rid of a sentry nest?

Lastly, just have fun!

Let’s face it. Why play TF2 if all it does is get you angry? Just enjoy your time playing. So what if you die from a stunball? Just shrug it off, get back in there on the respawn and… wait a minute.

…Have fun!

I’m so psyched while writing this up. It started as an innocent thread about an innocent command. However, my research eventually blossomed into an amazing discovery that led to having bots battling it out whilst I scrolled through the server list. Trust me, this WILL impress you.

Some Pics

First let me show you what you’re getting into:

How To Do It

1. Go to the RCBot Website and download the latest version of RCBots (As of this article, the latest version is version 0.51).
2. Follow the readme instructions included with the download.
3. Now that you have installed RCBots exactly as the readme said to, open your “Steam\steamapps\<YOUR USERNAME>\team fortress 2\tf\cfg” folder and open autoexec.cfg in notepad. IF THERE IS NO AUTOEXEC.CFG, make one in notepad.
4. In your autoexec.cfg file, paste the following:
   //FOR AWESOME BACKGROUND FIGHTING
plugin_load ../bin/HPB_Bot2
sv_cheats 1
map_background ctf_turbine
alias "redbot" "rcbot addbot 3 2"
alias "blubot" "rcbot addbot 3 3"
alias "botloadscript" "wait 1000; redbot; wait 10; blubot; wait 10; redbot; wait 10; blubot; wait 10; redbot; wait 10; blubot; wait 10; redbot; wait 10; blubot; wait 10; redbot; wait 10; blubot; wait 10; redbot; wait 10; blubot; wait 10; redbot; wait 10; blubot; wait 10; redbot; wait 10; blubot; wait 10; redbot; wait 10; blubot; wait 10; redbot; wait 10; blubot"
botloadscript
5. Run TF2 and wait a while, depending on the speed of your computer, the bots may take longer to load.

Explanation

Basically, I’m loading the plugin for RCBots with {plugin_load ../bin/HPB_Bot2}, running a map in the background of your main menu, and then adding bots. The way that I’m adding bots, is through the use of a script which is defined and run within the autoexec file. I named this script {botloadscript} and run it immediately after defining it.

Why don’t I simply paste a bunch of {rcbot addbot} after loading my server you ask? The autoexec runs through all the commands almost instantaneously. This means that the console doesn’t wait for the map to load before adding bots. So, while the map is still initializing, the console would attempt to add bots and fail. However, if I use a script, the script will only run once in a map, allowing bots to be added once the map is initialized.

How To Customize

If you want to change the map used, simply replace the {ctf_turbine} in {map_background ctf_turbine} to another map. However, be aware that not all the maps are waypointed, and so on some maps, the bots will only stand still.

If you want to change which class a team is made of, change the first X in {alias “[team]bot” “rcbot addbot X [team number]“} to a number 1-9 corresponding to the classes as defined in the RCBots readme. If you want to have different classes on a single team, read the readme and replace  the {redbot} and {blubot} in the main script to various other bot loading commands. I only call upon {redbot} and {blubot} because it was easier for me to switch around classes by changing an entire team to that class.

Other Notes

Having bots battle in your menu will cause the game to load slower upon initial startup. However, some of this time is made up when you join a server, because it will actually load slightly faster due to most of your resources already being initialized. That’s just something to think about if you plan on using this for a longterm period of time.

You can also remove the flag indicator and other HUD elements that appear on your screen by adding {cl_drawhud 0} to your autoexec.cfg.

You may need to adjust the length of the first wait command in order to get your bots to load at a decent rate. I’ve found that 1000 is perfect for my computer, but others my get different results.

My Thanks

I would like to thank putnamehere3145 for starting the original thread on the Steam Forums, also my friend for first mentioning bots and sparking this whole quest, and finally the RCBots team for making fantastic bots, even if they do still need a lot of work.

Please comment with any questions, comments, problems, or suggestions. I had a blast testing this, and I hope that you can enjoy the fruits of my labor!