OCR TF2: New Server forthcoming - new server IPs and other stuff

[Brushfire]

Well I am back from Tokyo and am feeling great. I got to see and do a whole bunch of stuff. First off I have goodies!! There were 8 folks who asked me to pick them up a small souvinier and those folks are Zephyr, Garian, Powerlord, Bonzai, Rambo, Martian, Bleck, and Bahamut. They will be getting this:

Two lucky folks will also receive a super secret mystery prize that will be added to their package when I mail it. These two folks will be drawn from a hat at random by my wife, so I won't be playing favorites.

So lemme tell bout my trip.

Getting there was a chore, what with it being a 12 hour bus ride through two climate zones to get to Tokyo from Misawa, but it was definetly worth the trouble.

Day 1 was the culture tour, where we went by bus from various points of interest all over the city. First place we hit was Tokyo Tower as seen below.

The small blue speck is a person walking with an umbrella.

We then moved on to the Imperial Palace, where we were able to see the gardens, moats, and anything that wasn't actually the Imperial Palace. I can under stand that the Emperor likes his privacy though.

After that we had lunch at a place and then went for a boat ride through Tokyo's harbor. I got a glimpse of the Asahi (a beer company) building that looked like it had gilded ghost poop on it seen below.

[Brushfire]

Continuing on:

After the tour had concluded, my wife and I both went to Akihabara (nerd Mecca) where i was able to score a couple of anime and video game related statues, including a 15" Mai Shiranui statue for just barely 50 bucks. I then caught up with long time friend to children, Mazinger Z, whom shortly after this photo was taken, destroyed me with his rocket fists.

During a brief stop over at an Apple Store, I caught up with famed hero of the popular interactive movie Metal Gear Solid 4: Same Ole, Same Ole, Old Snake. I asked how did he feel about his upcoming Ipod game to which he replied: "Metal Gear..."

He is a lot smaller in person.

After a day lazing about at the world famous Roppongi district, we completed our trip with a stop in Harajuku. It was then I met a man. A man that redefined rad for our generation. The Mentos Man!

So next time you get a chance to visit Tokyo, make sure you stop by it's many historic landmarks and whatnot. Seen below.

Definetly check out Cram School.

[Bleck]

I then caught up with long time friend to children, Mazinger Z, whom shortly after this photo was taken, destroyed me with his rocket fists.

hahahahaahaha

[EdgeCrusher]

Brush: im still waiting on my package

[Powerlord]

Well I am back from Tokyo and am feeling great. I got to see and do a whole bunch of stuff. First off I have goodies!! There were 8 folks who asked me to pick them up a small souvinier and those folks are Zephyr, Garian, Powerlord, Bonzai, Rambo, Martian, Bleck, and Bahamut.

OK, thanks.

Also, TF2 update was released a bit ago. I'm having the server update now.

It's being kindof slow about it, but don't under any circumstances reboot the server while it's upgrading. Last time that happened, I had to reinstall everything.

Edit: Server's back up now.

[Zephyr]

Haha, the mentos man is awesome! Wow, I didn't actually ask for anything, but I also didn't know you were taking requests either, so that's awesome thanks! Also, Sweet! 1 in 4 odds of a secret prize!? That's even better that the odds for the lottery!

[Brushfire]

Brush: im still waiting on my package

Yours will be sent out with the lot of them on the 31st. It is sealed and sitting on top of my Xbox.

Haha, the mentos man is awesome! Wow, I didn't actually ask for anything, but I also didn't know you were taking requests either, so that's awesome thanks! Also, Sweet! 1 in 4 odds of a secret prize!? That's even better that the odds for the lottery!

Yes!! Also PM your addresses or no prize!

[Bahamut]

So I'm testing out an alteration to the config_arena.cfg file so that potentially no one will have to wait during arena (or at worst two people will). When the server switches to an arena map or if someone manually switches it, report back what happens.

Edit: I decided to try yet a different solution - I installed an extension to accomplish this feat for us. Now we should be able to get 12v12 in arena.

[Garian]

I was wanting a bit of clarification on the "No sticky camping opaque doors" rule... I was under the impression at first that it referred to doors that were the only way out of spawns (such as the badwater shortcut), and that other doors were fair game (such as the doorways at the base of the stairs in turbine). Recently, though, Bahamut was saying (to other guys) that sticky camping the doors on turbine was bannable, so I just wanted to make sure I wasn't breaking the rules!

[Bleck]

if the doors are opaque

do not sticky camp them

[Bahamut]

I was wanting a bit of clarification on the "No sticky camping opaque doors" rule... I was under the impression at first that it referred to doors that were the only way out of spawns (such as the badwater shortcut), and that other doors were fair game (such as the doorways at the base of the stairs in turbine). Recently, though, Bahamut was saying (to other guys) that sticky camping the doors on turbine was bannable, so I just wanted to make sure I wasn't breaking the rules!

Yeah, those doors are included - people have complained about doing that too. I generally only act on it if people aren't able to clear out the demo via other means though.

[Brushfire]

We need to get all of the admins together and revise the rules. Any suggestions on when or where?

[Bahamut]

We need to get all of the admins together and revise the rules. Any suggestions on when or where?

A good number of us go into the IRC channel...but discussing the rules here is fine too.

[Dhsu]

No sticky-camping one-way doors.

[Rambo]

No sticky-camping one-way doors.

Seconded. I don't think the opaque doors at turbine are a problem. It's not at all gamebreaking like camping spawn doors. Sentries are alot harder to clear out past those doors than stickies are, and thats deemed perfectly fair. And I don't think that the competence of the opposing team in dismantling the situation should have any impact whatsoever in whether someone gets banned or not. Rules are rules. Ambiguities are bad.

[EdgeCrusher]

Seconded. I don't think the opaque doors at turbine are a problem. It's not at all gamebreaking like camping spawn doors. Sentries are alot harder to clear out past those doors than stickies are, and thats deemed perfectly fair. And I don't think that the competence of the opposing team in dismantling the situation should have any impact whatsoever in whether someone gets banned or not. Rules are rules. Ambiguities are bad.

I agree with this, and I'm huge on the anti sticky camping side. I mean, if we follow that set of rules, wouldn't it be just as right to say "well, now you can't put stickies around corners in the ducts in turbine either cause that forces the same situations". I mean, yeah, the one way spawn doors, definitely enforce that, but other than that, I don't see a problem.

[Powerlord]

Seconded. I don't think the opaque doors at turbine are a problem. It's not at all gamebreaking like camping spawn doors. Sentries are alot harder to clear out past those doors than stickies are, and thats deemed perfectly fair. And I don't think that the competence of the opposing team in dismantling the situation should have any impact whatsoever in whether someone gets banned or not. Rules are rules. Ambiguities are bad.

While I get annoyed by sentries, sentries are too stupid to shoot at a door just because it goes up (i.e. when a Cloaked Spy comes out), unlike a demo, who will blow the stickies as soon as the door moves.

That and a Spy can sap a sentry, disabling it while the other team members kill it.

Edit: Granted, this strategy requires teamwork.

Note: I'm referring to taking out sentries behind opaque doors in general, not just the ones in Turbine. Badwater's second blue spawn is one that comes to mind.

[DarkeSword]

I don't have a problem with sticky camping those doors in Turbine. There are so many other ways you can go around that door, plus it's two-way. If someone is whining about sticky-camping that door, they need to learn to play TF2 a little better. There are two other ways to get out there.

[Bleck]

oh okay well the that door is being sticky camped guess I'll go through the other door

oh wait that other door is being guarded by a very good sniper guess I'll go upstairs

oh cool upstairs is covered by two sentries that are almost impossible to kill

I must be bad at tf2!

[DarkeSword]

Yeah, you are. Why are you letting that kind of thing happen? Talk to your team and actually run some tactics to get out there and mess stuff up. XD

[Powerlord]

Yeah, you are. Why are you letting that kind of thing happen? Talk to your team and actually run some tactics to get out there and mess stuff up. XD

Alltalk makes that harder, unfortunately... and we keep alltalk always on.

Edit: Oh, before I forget, if you want to see any other specific messages in the messages that show up every 3 minutes, tell me.

Or tell Baha, but I don't know if he's read the advertisements plugin's docs.

[Bleck]

Talk to your team and actually run some tactics to get out there and mess stuff up. XD

but my team is made of doofs D:

[Powerlord]

but my team is made of doofs D:

You need more spies and medics, then, and maybe your own sniper.

Don't underestimate the use of the support classes.

[Rambo]

While I get annoyed by sentries, sentries are too stupid to shoot at a door just because it goes up (i.e. when a Cloaked Spy comes out), unlike a demo, who will blow the stickies as soon as the door moves.

That and a Spy can sap a sentry, disabling it while the other team members kill it.

Edit: Granted, this strategy requires teamwork.

Note: I'm referring to taking out sentries behind opaque doors in general, not just the ones in Turbine. Badwater's second blue spawn is one that comes to mind.

I was thinking a sentry on top of the crate immediately outside. That thing, even for a spy, is hard to get near if its built right. And with the doors opening upward, it has a chance to start shooting at your feet before you have a chance to start shooting at it. I only ever see it get taken out with an uber through the doors, or stickies from above. No less effort than taking out a camping demoman, and demomen can screw up, sentries don't miss or reload.

Never experienced that sentry placement on badwater. So I haven't a clue.

oh okay well the that door is being sticky camped guess I'll go through the other door

oh wait that other door is being guarded by a very good sniper guess I'll go upstairs

oh cool upstairs is covered by two sentries that are almost impossible to kill

I must be bad at tf2!

If you have enough demomen or engineers, or proficient enough people at any class, you can camp an entire mapside. The rules would have to change ALOT to prevent the situation you presented. I don't know if you're kidding or not. I do know what you mean, but if you really can't leave your side of half, thats more an issue with team balance than anything else.

Something that noone has mentioned yet is that while even if all 3 exits to the center room are being sticky camped by 12 demomen, you are no less capable of defending your own intelligence. While this may not be FUN... if the spawn doors were camped you wouldn't be able to do a thing. At least you might not LOSE if you can't generate offense.

[Powerlord]

I was thinking a sentry on top of the crate immediately outside. That thing, even for a spy, is hard to get near if its built right. And with the doors opening upward, it has a chance to start shooting at your feet before you have a chance to start shooting at it. I only ever see it get taken out with an uber through the doors, or stickies from above. No less effort than taking out a camping demoman, and demomen can screw up, sentries don't miss or reload.

Yes, on top of the crates is annoying, as you have to have a near pixel-perfect crouch-jump from one of the upper areas to land on it as a Spy. I think the crates may be *just* low enough to slap sappers on sentries that aren't in the exact center, though.

There are other ways of getting around this now. The Scout's Bonk Energy Drink is particularly useful, as sentries tend to follow their current target. A Scout distracts it, and a Soldier/Heavy/Demo destroys it. As I recall, Garian (as Scout) and myself (as Soldier) have used this trick to kill a sentry on Steel near point A before.

If it wasn't Garian, I apologize to whomever it was, as I've forgotten.

Never experienced that sentry placement on badwater. So I haven't a clue.

Because of the way Badwater is designed, it's possible for a RED Engineer to sneak past BLU pushing the cart from point B to point C, particularly if they already have a teleporter hidden in the area behind point B. They can then put a sentry up top of the building by B, so that when point C is taken, and the BLU spawn moves to the door by point B, it kills anyone who comes out the spawn door.

If you have enough demomen or engineers, or proficient enough people at any class, you can camp an entire mapside. The rules would have to change ALOT to prevent the situation you presented. I don't know if you're kidding or not. I do know what you mean, but if you really can't leave your side of half, thats more an issue with team balance than anything else.

Sadly, I've seen a certain clan do this on Turbine as Engineers before. Not to name any names, but the clan tag started with the last letter of the alphabet and the players in question were regulars.

Something that noone has mentioned yet is that while even if all 3 exits to the center room are being sticky camped by 12 demomen, you are no less capable of defending your own intelligence. While this may not be FUN... if the spawn doors were camped you wouldn't be able to do a thing. At least you might not LOSE if you can't generate offense.

If there's 12 demomen, start kicking people.

Actually, I've considered installing a class limiter before, but I didn't think that'd go over too well, so I declined to do it.