Wednesday, 21 June 2000 2200Z
The end of an era... -Totentanz

Fair Warning. This is not going to be pretty. I have written and rewritten this post, after giving myself what I hoped was adequate time to cool down, so I don't get myself into too much trouble. We'll see if I'm successful or not. Ok, here I go. deep breath.....ok, hit it.

GSI killed off Phat Dragon. And Bundy has left in protest of the way the entire issue was handled. Tot is NOT a happy Warrior right now, trust me.

Ok, some background is in order here, I guess. Any of the oldsters that readers know the deal behind Phatty, but some of the newbloods might need some background. Nobody, with the exception of a select few people, know who the the Fat Dragon was, or if he was truly real or not. I would find it difficult to believe that anyone could actually act the way he did in all the stories - Hell, it's hard enough work typing like he speaks, never mind acting like he does. What I do know is that it's some of the funniest damned TF-related stuff I have EVER read in my life. PhD is completely politically incorrect, but the first thing you need to realize is that it is SATIRE. Once you get past the surface, and read it again, you realize there's a lot more to PhD's antics than meets the eye, quite often. I myself take great offense at things like homophobia, and other forms of utter stupidity - but when you read PhD, you knew the deal behind all that. Brilliant work, actually - hidden behind the veneer of what looks like the misadventures of a complete idiot. My favourite story is one of how PhD gets on a server, autoteams (he always autoteams) and gets assigned Red. Teams are then red has 3, and 8 on blue. A person on red says "someone switch please", and PhD say "OK", and goes Blue - making it 9 to 2.Nobody else on blue switches. The rest of the story details the price blue pays for not evening up the teams - having PhD on their team. LOL, it's great stuff.

However, getting to the point - it's true that PhD wasn't exactly what you'd call PC - far from it. But anyone who read it, who took the time to think bout it - who was in tune with the gaming community as a whole - they would realize that it was merely satire, and take it at that. However, in this day and age it seems that people are unwilling to bother to TRY to think in the least, and instead look for things to cut down and rail against. It only took ONE email - one barely more literate than one of PhD's posts - to get GSI to bring the hammer down on what they considered as "unsuitable material". Never mind that the page had been there for as long as PlanetFortress had been around as an entity. Never mind that it had gotten lots of positive fanmail from people who actually knew the deal behind it. I would add other comments in here, but I'm trying to be more neutral, and not go into a complete rant here.

Ok, fine - it's not like Phatty had much to say as of late, anyhow - Bundy said he was going to talk with him about taking it down anyways, cause it had sat dormant for so long. However, the GSI management decided to say to get it off the server, NOW - without giving Bundy the courtesy of contacting him over the issue and personally expressing their concerns to him. For those of you that don't know, Bundy has a LOT of history in the TF community, even before PlanetFortress came into existance. He was one of the founding members of the Doomsday Newswire - a TF community webpage popular back in the day. The staff of that page became THE people that brought us PlanetFortress - Bundy, The Hal, Spaceman Spiff, DieHard and others whose names I sadly cannot recall at this point. They set THE standard for TF community pages, and Bundy has been in the trenches with the rest all of that time. To get treated like that - with no consideration whatsoever - is a slap in the face. Let's face it - yes, GSI provides the hardware and the bandwidth for the Planet sites - but who provides the content, that makes people come there in the first place, so they can see the banner ads that are there. Yes, it's the "little people", like Bundy - unpaid volunteers that crank out material that make people come and read the pages. They are the ones that generate all the hits. But I should have expected the change in mentality from when it went from a fan community centric idea, to big business. You cease being a person, and just become an entry in a debit/credit column when that happens.

So, in light of the treatment Bundy got in this issue, he has severed ALL ties with GSI-related matters. He's told me he's tossed his PF and PQ email accounts, asked to be removed from the PF Admin list, etc. And you know, I don't blame him ONE bit - I know the inside story as to what happened, and I'm not amused either. Since he's not going to have access to his old PF email account anymore - if anyone wishes to send him email about comments on this issue, feedback on his contributions here, etc - you can send it to me, and I'll forward it to him. Presently he's out of town on urgent personal business, but when he returns, I'll forward any correspondance to him. People that already know him and are friends with him have his personal email address already, so you can contact him that way. I've contacted some of the people he might not have been able to before he had to leave, and will continue to do so.

Finally, he sadly asked to be completely disassociated with anything here on PF as well - to include the name of the page. So at present myself and Teatime are trying to come up with a new name for the page. If we cannot come up with any strokes of genius, we can always just call it "The Fort". If anyone has any good ideas, email us with them, and you might be the one to gain infamy for renaming this place - as much as it hurts me to have to do so.

Monday, 19 June 2000 2000Z
Pokemon... -Teatime

/Pokemon? Wow, looks like Teatime has lost it.

Bleh, right. This has nothing to do with TFC. This rant is completely off topic.

Yet I have to get this off my chest and in some way it fits in here just fine.

So either bear with me or skip this rant.

As some of you may know I work in a comicshop. Besides comics we also sell merchandise and trading cards. As you can imagine we were not spared from the recent Poke-Mania.

One thing extremely popular is the Pokemon CCG (Collectable Card Game).

As you might know one important selling factor is the different frequencies of certain cards (the so-called “rares”). So you have to buy 2 or 3 packs to get one of those rares. And you will need a lot of luck to find one of the popular rares (or a lot of money to buy enough packs).

Of course the rares are more valuable than the commons, and values go up to $50 and more for certain cards.

Now you can imagine that this primarily attracts younger children, starting at 5, 6 years going up to 14, 15 (but it is not unusual to see even older children to buy and collect these cards), many of them spending a lot of money to their new hobby (often leaving us with the question where the kids get all this money from).

But as you might imagine as well, there are a lot of nasty things going on.

These kids trade cards which each other, or sell them. With prices that high and interest that huge the kids get greedy and unscrupulous.

You will find kids stealing cards from others, harassing them to give away or trade cards, betraying them by trading (especially disgusting to see more experienced collectors trading valuable cards against common stuff from kids starting to collect). There were even reports from single incidents of violence (unsurprisingly, considering what I described before). I would not be surprised to learn that kids threaded others to give away cards.

Keep in mind that we are talking of kids mainly between 8 and 14 here.

I see the same group of kids every day in front of our store sitting there like vultures waiting for their prey. And there’s little I can do. And soon I will see them swarming around the kid who just bought his packs harassing him, seeking to fool him, betray him or to steal from him.

Things like this are almost making me puke!!!

And if there’s any relation from my rant to TFC than that a lot of these kids – if they’d play TFC – would be those who’d cheat and pulling any lame stunt in the book to have their personal fun at other people’s cost. This is LAMER BREED of the worst kind!

Okay, rant finished.

Go on discussing if TFC can be successfully played with only 2 type1-grens …

Tuesday, 13 June 2000 2300Z
Reality Check... -Teatime

TFC is dead, TF1.5 is a completely new game!

… or so they say.

Yes, the changes are there and it’s no use denying they influence the game to some extent.

But let’s give it a closer look.

The gameplay relevant changes are:

-         Netcode

-         Changed behaviour of C-Jumping (basically removal of the handheld jump)

-         HWG runs faster while firing AC

-         General limited of type1 grens to 2

All other alleged changes are unconfirmed and would have to been proven first before being taken into account. In fact Robin Walker denied the rumour that the Scout would have been slowed down (read it here).

Let’s get even more closer:

Netcode:

It was impatiently awaited by almost everybody. And I think most people are quite satisfied with it. It has some effects we have to get used to (like being killed by a HPB sniper after retreating behind a corner) and it influenced almost every class in a varying degree.

The class most profiting from the netcode is the sniper, followed closely by the HWG.

I suspect that some of the  reports about slower rockets or pipebombs could actually be more netcode related than to changes in the game physics. But I’m no rocket scientist, so take this just as a guess.

All in all I’d say the netcode is the least controversial change in TFC.

C-Jumps: 

The more I play the more I ask myself why Valve bothered to remove the handheld jump in the first place. I’d bet my soul (if I’d had any to begin with :-)) that in one month most people will c-jump as easy as before. Sure, it looks like a few jumps are not doable any more, or require double c-jumps. But basically it will be much like nothing had changed.

Yes, I’m sure the difference will be more visible in clan matches, but I guess it won’t change general gameplay after adaptation.

HWG: 

Faster and more deadly now. A “running and thinking sentry gun”.

Yes, I can see the impact that will have. The HWG have become a greater threat to light classes as before, yet here we have a class to counter the all-too-powerful soldier. Quite devastating in higher numbers.

But the question is if the increased power of the HWG lies more in the new netcode (faster spin-on, easier to lead) or the fact that he moves faster.

No personal opinion on my side yet! Just allow me the remark that conc-grenades should work well against HWG’s.

Gren Limit: 

In my unworthy opinion this is the change with highest impact on gameplay (given that those darn snipers let you get close enough to use your grens).

Some people claim Valve did that to reduce spam (also a very popular opinion when they limited the mirvs in 1.0.1.6). But on the other hand these people who supposedly limit grens to reduce spam give you a map which single content is spam? (for those who would not have guessed: dustbowl). Does that make sense?

Let me give you my theory: Less type1 grens force you to use them more sparely and therefore smarter. If Defense is good even the most efficient use of those few grens won’t suffice. Ergo you will need assistance on O. You will need a teammate to make up for the damage you no longer can hand out.

It has been stated several times that the sum of the changes favour D to O. Though I’m not completely comfortable with this statement I think it’s safe to say that Offense will have to be better organized and working closer together than before to get through enemy D.

I’m sure I will be immediately corrected by clan people stating that in clan matches teamwork is already excellent with few room for improvement.

But allow me to say that with D being easier you will have more people you can use on O (something which has been pointed out before by other people as well).

When clan matches previously featured 5D to 3O clans now might work with 4D/4O or even 3D/5O.

To sum it up: I think the gren reduction was a measure to encourage (or maybe even enforce) teamwork. This makes definitely more sense for pub games than clan matches, yet I think the “superior” teamwork (yes, that was sarcasm) should compensate the loss.

In a post on the PF forum I mentioned compromises clans would have to endure in favour of pub games. This IMO is one such compromise.

I expect to be flamed for that :-)

So, is TF1.5 a new game? I don’t think so.

Does it feel different? Yes. But one reason for that is the netcode with its multiple small side effects. Together with all other changes it is a bit overwhelming. Each change alone would not have been that “alienating” (annoying probably, but not alienating), yet all together gives the game a more unfamiliar face than it actually should have.

Please note that even with all said above I’m still working on my opinion about the patch.

Right now I feel people overreacting to the changes without really evaluating how the changes will work out in the end.

They played in very good clans and were barely able to cap against other good clans. Now they have less grens to start with so the chances to cap drop, easy equation, right? I think these people should step back for a moment and try to give the game a fresh, unbiased look. The new netcode alone should force you to give the different classes a fresh approach and consequently you should re-evaluate all your tactics and O/D-layouts.

I don’t think TFC is dead. Yet I think it has to be redefined.

The rules have changed a bit. Not that much as people claim. Yet enough that some old procedures no longer apply. The sooner some people realize that the sooner they might discover that the game can still be played efficiently after all, maybe even on a competitive level.

Sunday, 11 June 2000 2100Z
Hi People... -Teatime

Totentanz already mentioned another honourable Warrior to join Fort Bundy.

I really hope this Warrior comes soon, as this community needs a mighty kick in the butt to regain some perspective on the issues at hand.  <grin>

In the meantime you will have to put up with me as a substitute to do some butt-kicking of my own – in best tradition of the Fort of course – and maybe I can spawn a few good discussions and offer some useful thoughts about the game and the community.

A few facts about me for those who don’t know me yet, so you’ll have an idea who you’re dealing with:

I’m playing TFC since it was released in April ’99. I have not played TF before.

I’m not playing in a clan, nor have I ever been in one.

Maybe some people will think this disqualifies me to make statements about the game. I couldn’t care less.

I’m a pub player by choice. Granted, I’m just a very mediocre player not only by clan standards :-). Yet I know the game for a long time and I know how the game is played. I’m not familiar with every tactic and I have no mad l33t skillz, but I know what teamwork and communication is and how to use it. And I have a pretty good idea of the concept behind TeamFortress (and likely we will have some major disagreement in the future about my understanding of TF :-)).

Unlike a lot of people I understand TFC as a game which main purpose is not winning or displaying personal skills, but people coming together to have a good time. Playing with people who know the game is of course more satisfying than playing with newbies. But my main indicator for the quality of the game I just left is not my personal score (screw that) and not even the teamscore, but if I leave the game with a smile on my face. And that can happen as well when playing with some newbies who make up their lack of skill with good attitude as when losing a game badly just because the opponent were better.

I think this game would have a lot less problems when more people would share this point of view instead of ignoring uneven teams, bashing newbies, disregarding teamwork for personal glory or playing the game as a deathmatch-variant.

But enough of this lengthy introduction, let’s head straight into my first editorial ...

The Patch... -Teatime

Hmm … yes, I think coming generations will likely refer to the recent HL-patch as “The Patch”. The one that changed everything. The one that destroyed TFC. Or evolved. Whatever.

Let’s make one thing clear from the start: The patch happened. No whining or bitching or begging or reasoning will make it disappear and magically restore 1.0.1.6. That is history. Deal with it.

What options does that offer us?

A number of people are already displaying their strong dislike on the patch based on the gameplay changes. Those intelligent enough are even making some very valid points how the changes effect the playability and the feeling of the game.

As it is unlikely that TFC will ever be what it was before the patch I encourage those people to look for “more truthful” versions of TF. Q3F is already known as a very truthful remake of QWTF. TeamAssault as another TF-Mod for Quake3 is still under development, as well as the TF-Mod for UT. So there *are* alternatives to TFC.

The rest of us will have to adept. Period.

Whatever reasons Valve had to implement those changes to the game, don’t expect them to change their mind now. Valve knew that these changes would cause a major outcry on the community, so no petition will make them change their minds.

I will not start to speculate about Valve’s reasons for these changes. I have my own ideas, but that’s not the point of this editorial.

However, it’s obvious that Valve tries to give gameplay a new direction. If for better or worse has yet to be seen. But TFS (the original creators of TF, now working at Valve) had a long history for making changes on the game. Maybe one of my fellow warriors Bundy or Totentanz will offer a better insight in the ever-changing face of TF during its time as QWTF. Or ask your friendly TF-veteran next door. But for the moment let me quote PainkilleR by one of his excellent posts on the PF forum: “This is a game that once had teleporters, flares, and flash grens. There was a time when some of the classes that people consider their favorites didn't even exist in this game. There were times when scouts were faster, when snipers could jump and shoot at the same time, and when hwguys could not move while they shot their asscan.”

So whatever the new gameplay turns out to be, it’s not necessarily final. I’m confident that after some time of adapting TF1.5 will show that some of the changes (beyond the technological advancements) were useful and enhanced the gameplay while others didn’t work out. Hopefully Valve then will keep the good aspects and correct those which didn’t work out by further tweaking or restoring. One could call this some kind of evolution.

The question remains if there were any need to change the game in the first place. Don’t look at me, look at Valve. I would be just as curious as you to learn about the motivation of Valve on these changes.

I guess now you’d like to know my take on the patch itself?

Well, let’s say I have no take so far :-).

I’m convinced noone can make any valid predictions about the way TF1.5 will turn out until having played it a few days. The new gameplay will require different teamwork and different tactics, as well as a completely different approach towards certain classes. Before the patch snipers were just an annoyance. Now they are a deadly force. HWG’s were fastfood for skilled soldiers and pyros, but now it’s not so easy anymore (In fact now the HWG is more than a match for the former uber-soldier). Medics were the flying kings on many maps. Maybe they will be it again, but only time will tell.

Let me get this straight: I don’t like every aspect of the patch. I think Valve made a few mistakes here. On the other hand some other aspects are looking very promising. I will watch how all these things turn out, what works for the game and what doesn’t.

So don’t expect any premature judgement on the patch from my side. IMNSHO there are already enough people out there making rash (and therefore unqualified) statements. And it doesn’t matter if people are praising the patch or condemning it. It’s way to early for both of it.

On a closing note allow me to link to an excellent post written by NatBone on the PF-forum about the poor behaviour displayed by many people during these last days. I liked it very much.

Friday, 09 June 2000 1400Z
More fun with the patch... -Totentanz

Well, the moment many of us have waited for - and no few of us dreaded - has arrived. "The patch" for TFC from Valve has hit the community, and to read the PF Forums, it's creating quite the ruckus - to say the least. To put it mildly, Tot is rather disgusted with the reactions from entirely too many members of the community. Actually, disgusted might be too mild of a word to use, to be honest. By looking at the timestamps on the forums from some of the posts bitching about it - it seems that all too many people played for an hour, perhaps 2 - that then ran pell-mell to whine, moan, bitch and complain that it sucks, etc. Well, lemme tell you something - if you haven't put in a good, SOLID 4-6 hours of playing with the patch, on different servers, in differing conditions - you don't know the REAL deal with it. Now, I'm not saying it's perfect - far from it, cause I've alredy encountered some annoying "issues" with it, that I'm told were NOT present in the playtester versions. Anyhow, you know what this means, don't you?

Yes, the TFC Reform Project comes out of hibernation again. Here is Tot's battle plan with this thing:
1) I will be making a "laundry list" of all the issues from the previous version. What I'm looking for, is people that are willing to help us all out, by going thru the list, and testing to see if each of them has been addressed. Once that is completed, I'll update the list of issues, because of....
2) with the introduction of TF1.5, a few brand-new issues have been introduced. I will be making a completely seperate section for TF1.5. Hopefully, we can get cracking on this, and strike while the iron is still hot, and Valve is still in the mood to deal with problems with the mod.

What does this mean? It means I'm looking for bug submissions for stuff you have found in TF1.5. If you wish to support this effort, drop me an email detailing the issues you have found, and please title it "TF1.5 bugs". I don't want to hear your whining, bitching, moaning or complaining in these submissions - I'm anticipating a veritable flood of email on this matter. If you want to send your usual flames, comments abuse, use another subject line. People who fail to follow directions may be subject to public ridicule on the Fort, for all the world to see that you cannot pay attention to detail.

The next few days should see quite a few more posts here on the Fort, and TF1.5 fever takes hold, with it's attendant insanity. And with luck, soon another honourable Warrior will join the ranks here at Fort Bundy. I won't say anything else, as I prefer to let them do their own introduction once they do come onboard - but I WILL say that I'm pumped about having this Warrior join the cause here.