OCR TF2 Team: Gametime 9 PM EST on OCR server MWF + some weekends

[atmuh]

ya its pretty satisfying let me tell ya

[Powerlord]

I'm happy to announce that reserved slots finally work, so the server can be full at 24/24. If the server is full and you have a reserved slot, all you have to do is try to join - it will automatically kick someone off for you.

The problem is that TF2 client won't try to connect if it thinks the server is full. However, if you have the developer console enabled (it's in the game's options somewhere), you can still issue a connect to the server through it, such as connect 8.9.9.102:27015 .

There is a way around this, but it's not recommended, namely because it reintroduces the same problem you already had, but with one more slot.

[Bahamut]

The problem is that TF2 client won't try to connect if it thinks the server is full. However, if you have the developer console enabled (it's in the game's options somewhere), you can still issue a connect to the server through it, such as connect 8.9.9.102:27015 .

There is a way around this, but it's not recommended, namely because it reintroduces the same problem you already had, but with one more slot.

Hm strange, I was able to connect at 24/24 last night...

Also, Valve admits that the Demo stickies are overpowered

Q. Some people are saying that the stickies for the demo are to strong. To the point where 3 stickies can remove a sentry, a dispenser and a full health Engie. Is this something that can/is being addressed or is it classed internally as “balanced”?

We agree that they’re a little too overpowered right now. In fact, internall[y], we refer to them as “winbombs”. We haven’t reached a decision on what we’ll change yet, though.

In addition, Valve says that there will be a new Payload map with the next class pack.

[The Mutericator]

http://teamfortressclassic.com/

Dunno if this was posted yet, but here they're posting the character trading cards and talking about how they're going to balance the Heavy's upgrades (he's next in line).

[Powerlord]

Hm strange, I was able to connect at 24/24 last night...

Hmm, it must be something they changed just recently, because that didn't used to be the case. In fact... in my experience, it wasn't even that way as recently as Monday this week.

Does this mean that Valve has ditched the Auto-Join system?

[zircon]

I don't think Demos are overpowered.

1. You only get one "shot" with stickies. If you blow them up and they miss, or don't do their job, you can't just shoot again easily. It takes time to launch another volley and detonate them.

2. The launcher has an incredibly slow reload time.

3. Demos take massive damage from their own stickies, making them hard to use in close quarters combat.

4. Demos lack powerful direct fire weapons. Against a good pyro or soldier you're basically boned.

[Bahamut]

Hmm, it must be something they changed just recently, because that didn't used to be the case. In fact... in my experience, it wasn't even that way as recently as Monday this week.

Does this mean that Valve has ditched the Auto-Join system?

I fixed the reserved slots using the built in SourceMod plugin

[Powerlord]

I fixed the reserved slots using the built in SourceMod plugin

I did some checking. The game definitely stops from connecting to a server when it's full. The exception is when the server had a slot free up since you saw it on the server list, because Steam / TF2 re-queries the server before opening a connection.

As for SourceMod, I saw an extension that hooked into the user connection thing and could kick people off to let reserved players on even on full servers.

[atmuh]

i dunno what the game thinks about it being 24/24 or whatever but it worked when i tried to join every time

[Triad Orion]

I agree with Zircon. Demos are not overpowered at all. Yes, they hit hard, but their primary weapon is difficult to hit with and takes forever to reload. The Sticky Bombs are useful for ambushes, but they're nigh impossible to use in a small fight as opposed to a big battle, plus add a terrible reload time. No direct attacks aside from the bottle means if you can get past the stickies and deal with the grenades they're feebly trying to launch at you, you've got that guy right where you want him at medium to short range barring a crit from either the grenades or the bottle.

For Demomen, you want to keep them at medium to short range and use a direct-fire weapon such as the Flamethrower, Scattergun or even the backup Shotgun to take them down. Dealing with the stickies is easy if they're in plain sight. Use a rocket or a shotgun to clear them away from your path, then move past. If the stickies are hidden, you have to try to goad the demoman into activating them at the wrong time, which is more difficult. At that point, it's better to pull back and if you're a class with a good ranged weapon use that instead.

They're really not that hard to deal with. It's just in the chaos of battle it's easy to lose track of enemy stickies or eat a grenade from your flank. Situational Awareness is key to fighting well against demomen in major frays, and considering with the Backburner now out there, watching your back is top priority anyway.

[Bahamut]

Personally, I'm with Valve here with the demos - I can't scratch a really good demo as a soldier. For example, if it's me vs. Sleazy, it's almost guaranteed I'll lose. If you're good enough as a demo, the other people should never be able to get close enough unless there are a swarm of them all coming after you.

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

So I started playing again since I have a TV for a weekend. I have one message:

Fuck Pyros.

That is all.

[EdgeCrusher]

Demoman is far from overpowered, especially against classes with close range combat.

But I can't wait for the heavy achievements. That'll be tons of fun.

[Vivi22]

I'd say demos are pretty well balanced as well. Yeah, their sticky bombs are powerful, but the regular pipe bombs aren't that bad, and it really only serves to make up for the fact that they are horrible for close combat.

[The Mutericator]

Demos can OHKO any of the lower-end classes without a crit, how is that balanced?

They need nerfed. As does Pyro, but we've covered that.

[zircon]

Demos don't need a nerf. Stickies do 90-140 damage if you get hit with the full force. That's not enough to oneshot anybody and not really more powerful than the Soldier's rocket. It's VERY rare that I kill anyone with a single sticky, and the issue with multiple stickies is that once you detonate them (which typically only kills one person unless the other team is stupid) it takes a bit to set up another kill. Additionally, there are now three classes that can easily counter stickies - Demo, Soldier, and Pyro. Just move them aside.

[Powerlord]

I'm not sure if it's a server setting or what, but tonight, when the Epic twins were playing a bunch of sounds over voice chat, TF2's Mute Players did absolutely nothing.

So, is this a client-side problem or a side effect of having alltalk on?

[atmuh]

I'm not sure if it's a server setting or what, but tonight, when the Epic twins were playing a bunch of sounds over voice chat, TF2's Mute Players did absolutely nothing.

So, is this a client-side problem or a side effect of having alltalk on?

i thought it was pretty rofl

[Bahamut]

I'm not sure if it's a server setting or what, but tonight, when the Epic twins were playing a bunch of sounds over voice chat, TF2's Mute Players did absolutely nothing.

So, is this a client-side problem or a side effect of having alltalk on?

Not sure. I think in the future, I might just impose silencing mic spamming instead of outright banning, although I dunno, those types of people might try to go on when an admin is not on and carry out the same crap.

And you were right btw, it doesn't autojoin when the server is full. I wonder if I should try to find a way around that, although it doesn't seem to be much of a problem for reserved slot holders, since they don't usually have to wait too long in order to get in.

Also, I probably won't be on tomorrow guys, since I have a birthday party to go to, so if you want particular maps in the rotation for tomorrow, list them now.

Lastly, thanks to Xerol for giving me the Hotshot achievement inadvertently

[Vivi22]

Demos don't need a nerf. Stickies do 90-140 damage if you get hit with the full force. That's not enough to oneshot anybody and not really more powerful than the Soldier's rocket. It's VERY rare that I kill anyone with a single sticky, and the issue with multiple stickies is that once you detonate them (which typically only kills one person unless the other team is stupid) it takes a bit to set up another kill. Additionally, there are now three classes that can easily counter stickies - Demo, Soldier, and Pyro. Just move them aside.

I agree completely with this. Even if a demo could one hit kill someone, the odds of doing it without setting up an ambush are slim, and even then, you're not going to get a lot of people. I have run into a battle firing stickies and got a few kills, but that's happened once since I started playing again, and really only because everyone on both teams clustered together in a tunnel. It's rare to see three or four guys fighting it out in a tight group like that. Not to mention difficult to even make a sticky land and blow up before they're out of the way again. With plenty of ways to get around them, and the fact that they're useless in any capacity other than fire support, I see no need to make them less effective in the one thing they're good at.

[Powerlord]

And you were right btw, it doesn't autojoin when the server is full. I wonder if I should try to find a way around that, although it doesn't seem to be much of a problem for reserved slot holders, since they don't usually have to wait too long in order to get in.

Well, like I said earlier, you can still issue a manual connect through the developer console... you can turn that on in... lets see...

Options, Controls tab, "Advanced..." button, Enable developer console checkbox.

Oh and while you're there, enabling Quick weapon toggle is really useful too, since each button only has one weapon unlike Half-Life games.

Then they can just press ` (or ~, but without the shift button) and type connect 8.9.9.102:27015

P.S. If you have a domain name for the server, they could use that in place of the IP... and I think it assumes port 27015 if none is given.

[SirChadlyOC]

I read the post from the Valve rep regarding the overpowered Demo. I don't think she's admitting that the Demo class is overpowered as a whole. She's saying that the Demo's ability to remove a sentry, dispenser and Engy with only three sticky bombs is overpowered. They even named the event the "Winbomb." Although she says they're not sure how they're going to fix the problem, my guess is that they'd have to work on the splash damage so that a single sticky can only do so much total damage. This way, a sticky only does 90-150 damage each instead of 90-150 damage to things within the area.

I'm on vacation right now, so I won't be on for a few more days. Rambo, promise me you'll take good care of my #1 ranking while I'm gone.

[The Mutericator]

Demos don't need a nerf. Stickies do 90-140 damage if you get hit with the full force. That's not enough to oneshot anybody and not really more powerful than the Soldier's rocket. It's VERY rare that I kill anyone with a single sticky, and the issue with multiple stickies is that once you detonate them (which typically only kills one person unless the other team is stupid) it takes a bit to set up another kill. Additionally, there are now three classes that can easily counter stickies - Demo, Soldier, and Pyro. Just move them aside.

It isn't just the stickies, it's the nades too. They don't take all that much skill to learn, and once you have you're already pretty ridiculous.

Though I'd settle for them buffing every other class, too.

[Vivi22]

Except the regular nades pretty much require your opponents to be severely weakened for the splash to really kill them, or get lucky and score a direct hit. They aren't that hard to avoid given that they're slow, they can only fire four and the reload time is pretty long. Even among good demos I don't see that many direct hits. They're pretty much just a support class and one that can easily be dealt with at close range by almost anyone, and at a distance by the likes of soldiers and HW's if they get caught in the open. I really don't think they're as overpowered as you think.

I'm also not sure I agree with Valve that a demo shouldn't be able to take out all that stuff with his sticky bombs. If the sentry is well placed, it should be difficult or even impossible for the demo to get a good angle to pull that off. Otherwise I like the idea of them being able to take out sentries since so few classes can without an Uber.

[EdgeCrusher]

Here's an idea. Suck less at fighting demos. Seriously, they are not overpowered. If you run into a cluster of stickies its your fault for not being more cautious, not valve's overpowering of the weapon. There's no difference in that and a sniper headshot, since its both a one shot kill if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.