VanillaTF2

We are now entering the final few days of signups for this cup, with huge interest being shown from the start and the player limit being raised numerous times. If you are still not signed up and wish to participate then this is your last chance.

As of writing we only have 38 slots left out of 512.

You can still sign up by following this link until Monday at 18:45.

Good luck to all those involved and when you have time please leave your opinions/feedback of the map over at the ESL forums in this thread.

Seeding and fixtures will be released shortly after the signups close.

- WildCard

Kaiza presents us with his wonderful highlights movie — showcasing some great Scout/Sniper frags as well some utility work for shits ‘n giggles. All the frags are from OZFortress Winter League IV. The pleasant music and some great syncing make it worth your five minutes.

Hey guys.
If you’ve been idling #c0g over the past month or so, you would know that I’ve been putting together a video from this Winter League season featuring frags by me.
Basically, this video has been in the works since the start of OWL4 with several recordings taking place as the season progressed, and only about a month or two ago have I gotten around to putting it all together.

PLDX Stream

- a.

Damn, that’s a long name. Anyway, presenting Psycho’s latest Scout/Sniper frag video, featuring some sick frags and syncing. Definitely worth a lookie!

PLDX Stream

HD Download

- Abhorrence

hiho all!

Dear participants, please remember to play your 1st Round matches on this week. Saturday is the last day for this. But if we will see comments on match page that you definitely both agree and will do it on Sunday – admins won’t go against this. Otherwise there will be lots of def.wins on Saturday. Also if you have tried all ways to contact with your opponent – please leave a comment on match page that you did all possible. We will see your activity and you’ll get def.win.

If you still don’t know how to submit/confirm results – please read here. Also read about the score-system here.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask admins ( Galant, pala4, Kira). You can contact us via steam-group or via IRC on #tf2.ru and #esportsheaven.

- Galant

hiho all!

Russian TF2 community portal TF2World.ru launching another one Cup using ESH Tournament System – this time it is 1×1 Scout Cup on map Dm_Whiskas_rc4. Author of this map will be glad to award the winner with cash-prize – 3000 rubles (~95$, be sure you have PayPal account dear euro-guys!).

The notorious Fragga, best known for his colorful nature and the ability to get 10,000 airshots, has posted a comprehensive Soldier tutorial video. No doubt getting inspired by the recent efforts to expand the competitive TF2 scene. (MGE, pvh’s secrets etc.) Check out the video below, it goes in depth regarding alot of subjects for Soldiers and crikey, it is useful. The only downside is, there’s so much text, you’d wonder why this isn’t a PowerPoint presentation.

And for those wondering, povohat has a new edition of tips and tricks out, check it out here. The latest installment deals with duck jumping and the science behind it!

- By Abhorrence

“abhorrence” left us with this. Looks interesting, thanks for contribution.

For the past few days, Australian Scout and creator of PVHUD – povohat, has decided to let the cat out of the bag and share some delicious division 1 secrets and tips related to playing Scout. The secrets range from movement scripts to custom crosshairs to reducing eye candy to get that extra bit of fps in your tense firefights.

Before you frown and yell “Nub on a mission!“, go ahead and give the column a look see. There’s alot of good stuff mentioned that you won’t find anywhere else.

Hey guys. I made a promise that if I was awarded a ‘best scout’ title in the last OWL season, I would make public a bunch of ‘tricks’ I use that I have previously kept relatively quiet. Well I got 2nd again which is enough for me to have to cough up.

Part I - Null Movement Canceling Script
Part II - Customised Crosshair
Part III - Reducing Extraneous Visual Clutter

Even more updates are in the works, so don’t fret!

povohat plays for Kings. A Division 1 Australian team.

 Baerbel contributed with this guide for all you upcoming scouts out there. Many thanks.

I decided to write short random articles about the scouts play in 6on6. This article is directed at players new to the competitive scene. A lot of times I get asked the same questions from my “students” and I figured this is the lazy way of mentoring. Feel free to ask questions in the comments or tell me if you don’t agree with me  so I can learn from you. If you haven’t read noam awesome scout blog, please do!

Part 1: Flanking or Holding?

The ability to see if you are needed to cover your teams flank or if you are free to go and cause havoc is important for you as scout.
In general you can say that if you see two enemy scouts down you are free to go until they respawn. Keep in mind that if you pushed ahead you will have to deal with them – usually alone. So in the short time spawn you have you need to make your actions count by killing a key class, capping an important control point or get into a backcap/hiding position. If you go down in the process your scout partner will have a hard time against 2 scouts.
If for whatever reasons your scout partner is already dead and the enemy scout duo is still alive your most important job is to not let them flank your team. That means you need to have a look out for the enemy scouts and call them if they get behind your team. A short “2 scouts alive I’m not watching them” is enough in some situation where your heavies don’t have to deal with anything else. ( e.g. capping spire while opponent fell back). If however your heavies are engaged in a fight and you just go off and leave their scouts to free roam on your team they will all die a horrible death.

Example: Watching your team’s flank on badlands house with 2 enemy scouts pushing you is a tough job. Before you go and try to stop them you need to consider the following:
Can I hold or at least delay the push from house/valley?
This is possible if (either, or combination):

1. you are fully buffed
2. you still have the health pack
3. your aim is way better than theirs
4. you have help from a teammate

Your main job now is to stay alive and wait for your team mates help. Call for assistance from one of your heavy classes or wait for your scout partner to respawn. Don’t die achieving nothing ( you dying=your scout partner being alone, a vicious circle of doom) . If you are weak and there’s no health fall back and get health – either from your medic if he got the time or fall back to your house and call “scouts behind soon!”.
If there is no way of you getting out alive ask for help and try to damage them as much as possible and stay alive as long as possible by jumping/dodging like crazy. This usually fucks up your aim but gives your teammates more time to come and help you.

This is it for now. Next time I will cover the mysterious Russian sidestep and how to use it to kill babies.

A frag movie is in many ways similar to graffiti – a way to show off one’s skills within the game.  But often, lost in the grind of including everything the player found impressed himself: The main goal of a frag movie should be about entertaining the viewers. In this small showcase of frag movies, I decided to take a look at some under appreciated/forgotten hidden gems of frag movies.

First up, Our friend Baerbel set off to make a movie for himself. It might not impress many. And, it might show signs of “my first video editing thingi”. But in the midst of that, a highly charming, entertaining, and ultimately very intuitively paced insight into the a humble life of  German TF2 player. – released yesterday.

The last night of my culinary travels around the city of Valencia (Spain), I was dragged against my will into the worst restaurant I could imagine. Lit by flourecent ceiling lights, a wallpaper like the puke of an early 90′s MTV music video, and a cubic meter of rude hermaphroditic waitor (honestly) to take our orders. Who could have predicted the meal to be absolutely world class fine dining?

The following frag movie is similar. Forget about the Ray Charlesed colour correction, the 90′s overused extacy music – The frags, prediction, and pacing of this movie are worthy nothing less than those of world class fine dining. -Featuring the soldier Traxantic, edited by himself and Aron, released November 2009.

The next movie, featuring TF2′s answer to Maradonna: Chode. In 2008, The notorious superstar led the legendary Clan Fracture through epic games still talked about, only to ragequit the internet shortly after the team’s break into division 1. With a music choice only appealing to a small fraction of his viewers, the movie stands as a testament to one of TF2′s most stubborn renegades – and, just how far the game has progressed in the past 2 years. Due to the lack of good streams, a movie known by many, seen by few can finally receive the glory it doesn’t deserve. -Released sometime 2008

Do you know of any hidden gems that have been long forgotten, or just never broke through? Send us your tips. Stay tuned tomorrow, for a look at some of the non-frag movies that deserve a second look!

By Sivert “Torden” Bakkeng