Newsletter April Newsletter

[Quaffer]

April, a month of renewal, is upon us. As we look forward to spring break, and getting the grill ready for the season, it is time to reflect on the return of things long dormant and the changes that time brings.
You will all be happy to know that the Media Team is gearing up for a comeback. Read more about it in a featured article.
The newsletter staff would like to express it's gratitude to LadyFace and vudu for all of their contributions. We wish them well as they go on to other endeavors. They will be missed.
We would also like to mention that the Dedicated Supporter program is getting a shot in the arm with new perks and powers in Source games. Read this months Day of Defeat article for more info.
April, a month of renewal, and my Dedicated Supporter has lapsed. The check is in the mail, really it is.

Quaffer​

In April Meet the Leadership shines its spotlight on the radiant UmaTora. Have a look see and learn what's cooking.

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The Thread of the Month for March honors March Madness. Watch as XavierB makes his point, with the editing assistance of Covert.


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They've dusted off the sound board and polished their microphones. Read on to find out what is on the program.

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The PSC wants you. Get the details on how to join.


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Did you know that Battlefield now sports Votemap and Adaptive Server Size? Learn about these add-ons and Battlefield monthly tournaments in our April installment.

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Call of Duty 4 maintains its strong following. MW3, what's that?

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Who is the mysterious benefactor that is giving CSS recruiting a shot in the arm? Read on and find out.

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The source games now have Dedicated Supporter perks and DoD leads the way. Also DoD is offering a chance at a huge prize to the players with the most time on Donner in the month of April.

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Beware the dreaded Warp Scrambler. Find out the best way to learn more about this dreadful device and other tips as you prepare to launch your ship into the far reaches of space.

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A new game on the horizon and an opportunity to join a fire team. Read all about it in the article.

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MineCraft resets and the World of Tanks is advancing on the Dark Continent. Find out why.

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Learn about the standings of the TF2 Competitive Team and the future of BlackMesa.

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This months newsletter was edited by lins , Spartacus_Legolas, and wewo. Please thank them for their efforts.

We here at EdgeGamers Organization would like to thank the kind people at MaxFrag.net for providing us with our #1 ranked, 400 slot Ventrilo server. For everyone interested in finding out more about them, visit their site at this link: http://tinyurl.com/4yqoyq8


If you wish not to receive future mailings from EdgeGamers.org please log into your account, select "My Account" , "Edit Options" and deselect "Receive Email from Administrators". Here's a link: http://tinyurl.com/3cooosw

 

[Quaffer]

Meet the Leadership

By Dayman

UmaTora is known throughout the community for her loving attitude and her kind spirit. Although she has only been with eGO for a short while, she has already made a lasting impact. UmaTora is a fun, caring, and smart individual whom I had the great pleasure of being healed by. Here is a short interview that hopefully will give you a glimpse of her awesomeness.

1 ) When you are not processing apps for PSC; what do you do?
Processing apps? Pffft, what is this? Mostly playing TF2, or more recently, World of Tanks. Also being a mother to my 3 year old daughter which, of course, is a full time job in and of itself.

2) What do you enjoy most about being an Advisor?
I love my leadership team. Not only my fellow PSC leadership, but leaders from the other divisions as well. I get to see them in a new light now. I have more responsibilities yes, but the fun that we have at the same time helps make up for it all.

3) Who recruited you into eGO?
Mr. IceStyle himself. I think he found me rather intoxicated on the 2Fort server. Or, at least, that is how the story goes now.

4 ) What is the first video game you enjoyed playing?
Oh geez. I have been playing games for as long as I can remember. I played the original Castle Wolfenstein, Doom, and Duke Nukem, as well as games on the Sega Genesis like Sonic the Hedgehog and Echo the Dolphin.

5) What games do you enjoy playing the most?
I enjoy a lot of different games. I love the Halo series, Modern Warfare, Team Fortress 2, of course, and RPGs such as Elder Scrolls and Fallout, Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda, Pokemon, Star Ocean, Shin Megami Tensei, Battlefield 3 ... I could go on and on honestly.

6) Are there any up-coming games you are looking forward to?
Diablo 3 would have to be my big "up-coming" game atm.

7) How much do you enjoy baking?
I love to bake. I actually became friends with this really cool guy named Dayman through sharing difference recipes.

8) Would you be interested in doing a live eGO cooking show where you walk us through how to make microwave brownies??
Only if Dayman will co-host with me. Then we can make white chocolate rainbow brownies as well.

9) What is your favorite flavor of microwaved brownies?
I am a fan of the chocolate caramel or the double chocolate chip brownie :3

10) Other than microwaved brownies what is your favorite food?
SUSHI!!!!! I could eat sushi for every meal and be a happy happy Uma.

11 ) What is your favorite TV show?
I really don't have one. I like too many to choose one that I would call my "favorite". And If I start to list the ones I watch, we will be here forever.

12) What is your favorite band/music?
I will listen to anything except for rap and country. I am not really picky when it comes to music, but I prefer rock.

13) How much am I bothering you right now?
Enough that I am about to go and make more brownies.

14) Anything you would like to add or say or mention about anything?
Hat Division forever ... *exploding fist bump*

Congratulations UmaTora for being promoted to leadership and thank you for sharing with us.

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[Quaffer]

Thread of the Month

By Quaffer

Every month we will accept proposals for the Thread of the Month from you. The only restriction is that the thread must be found on a public forum. Proposed threads will be rated by the Newsletter staff and appraised based on clan-wide interest, entertainment value, and value provided to the eGO community. The winner will receive the TOTeM award.


For the month of March we are proud to present the TOTeM award to both XavierB and Covert for XavierB's shot and Covert's editing of

XavierB - Basketball Shot.

Nominated by neon

Send your own proposals for the March Thread of the Month as links in a PM to Quaffer, Attention TOTeM.

Nominations will be accepted until April 20.

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[Quaffer]

Media Team

By Quaffer

The Media Team has been missing of late. Yet, like a hibernating bear, it has sensed the spring, and it is hungry. There are new projects to feed upon, and the smell of fresh blood is in the air.


Under the guidance of Kevimaster, Dead Tom, and joshcash, with Shiznoe, Legit Waffle, Blindy, and Quaffer offering their assistance, the Media Team will shake off its slumber and shake the gaming community with it's mighty roar. In April look for:

• Meet the Leadership, rumors of a roasted black sheep have been circulating.
• Fully supported Livestreaming. You may very well be the star of our next video.
• The return of regular Podcasts. A new format is in the offing; conversations instead of scripts.

Would you like to participate? PM Kevimaster, Dead Tom, and joshcash with your experience and availability.

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[Quaffer]

Personnel Service Center

By Zimmy

The Personnel Service Center, commonly referred to as the PSC, represents the face of the eGO community. All future members begin by completing an application, which is processed by PSC members and then PSC leadership. Their work is an essential piece of the organization that helps keep eGO populated by punk-free members.


Any eG or eGO can apply to become a PSC member and help keep things running as efficiently as possible. In an interview with Blindy, a PSC Advisor, the following information was released: "The PSC has been getting a fair amount of applications lately but we're always accepting new PSC applications. If you're interested, feel free to message a PSC Advisor for further details."

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[Quaffer]

Battlefield

By PBJ

Since the launch of Battlefield 3 in October, eGO’s BF division has seen mixed success. Following Christmas break, our servers began to lose popularity, and server activity hit rock bottom. However, as our community has done time and again, the division has pulled itself back into a major contender for success with a few server modifications, dedicated personnel, and sweat.


Two add-ons to our servers have helped drive the recent success of our servers: Votemap and Adaptive Server Size. Votemap does as you’d expect: choosing from a list of predetermined, admin-approved selections, the script offers four options to players on the servers and allows our regulars, pubs, and members alike to have a sense of importance, freedom, and happiness of choice. Adaptive Server Size takes advantage of the Battlelog interface by adjusting the total player count based on the number of connected users. Thus, a 64-person server could begin at 16 players to lure in those using the automatic server finder. Through these add-ons and more, the division has begun to recover from earlier lack of popularity and attain higher server rankings.


Add-ons alone do not populate servers. As a whole, those in our division know we generally treat each other like family. This continually expanding family has played an equivalent or, more likely, larger role in our success. By upholding eGO’s values and assisting in every way possible, these members saw to it that the beloved division would remain a stronghold for members and regulars everywhere.


With server filling accomplished, leadership is hard at work producing a larger, more effective recruiting force. Led by ThundrRok, one of our newest Advisors, recruiting contests and meetups are becoming a common occurrence. Keep your eyes peeled for further notices about upcoming events.


Speaking of events, monthly tournaments have resumed, as have weekly events. Each month has a different, themed tournament in which eGO members of all divisions join together in a contest to rule them all. Friendly, yet brutal insults are exchanged, guns are involved, and everything explodes into mass mayhem. Recently, after the success of the Arma II Zombies, The Battlefield Division ran a similar event with much success.


Last, but definitely not least, comes our competitive teams: Lately they’ve been actively involved in multiple ladders sponsored by Alienware, PCGN, and others. All eGO members are accepted into the group, regardless of skill, and practices are held twice weekly. If you’d like to learn more about the game in general, check out the Battlefield Competitive usergroup.


When asked for a comment on these recent buildups, Division Leader LilShortstuf had only one comment: “Balloon animals. Balloon animals everywhere. EVERYWHERE!” Whether this is an inside joke, a late-night intoxicated outburst, or a sneak peek into the future…the world may never know.

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[Quaffer]

Call of Duty

By PBJ

March has been a relatively quiet month for the Call of Duty division. Weekly events for the division continue, so be sure to check them out for an opportunity to play with your clanmates.


Overall, the division - at least those who play Call of Duty 4 - stick by the same mindset: Call of Duty 4 > Modern Warfare 3. Because MW3 does not support dedicated servers, it can be difficult to play with your eGO cohorts. However, the CoD4 servers have maintained their high rankings and popularity, which the division hopes will continue for some time.

We sadly announce that our Council representative, Rocko, has stepped down. He was a true leader and will be missed by all.

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[Quaffer]

Counter Strike

By Martyr

Much is going on within the Counter-Strike Source division recently. Baneling kindly donated many games to be handed out as prizes for those who get the most recruits. This has lead to an increased amount of recruiting. For those interested in getting more involved in recruiting, and potentially learning how to recruit effectively and efficiently, there is a recruiting drive held every Tuesday night at 8 P.M. EST in eGO Ventrilo. Be sure to check that out.


As always, be sure to look at the calender for Counter-Strike Source's April events. Events are held almost daily, and they are loads of fun. Speaking of events, Soul of a Sinner is stepping down as a Counter-Strike Source event coordinator. Make sure to thank him for the service he has done for the clan.


Server rankings have been on the rise after minor issues during the month of March. Counter-Strike Division leadership is constantly working on the servers to make sure they are operating as close to perfection as possible. In fact,there are rumors of the release of new plugins in the coming months that will make eGO servers even more fun. So stay tuned.

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[Quaffer]

Day of Defeat

By: Commando Vlaskiyov

We hope everyone is having an interesting spring, because we have some interesting news for the month of April.


As announced on the front page, Source games now have in-game control for Dedicated Supporters. This of course includes Day of Defeat: Source. If you are a Dedicated Supporter, when in the server, simply type “!donator” into the in-game chat and a menu will appear allowing you to turn off in-game ad’s and enable a player reputation system. The player rep system allows you to give reputation points to (or take away from) other players. Regular players already have an allowance of 3 points to use per hour, whereas Dedicated Supporters have 5 points per hour.


Another exciting feature allows you to set a customized tag which will show upon entering the server. Simply type !settag” in chat. If you are not already a Dedicated Supporter, but wish to be, please follow this link.


An exciting giveaway is in store for April, the prize is... wait for it... an iPad 3! How can you win the iPad? join our DoD:S Donner server and rack up play time between April 1 and April 28. Your chances of winning increase as you spend more time in the server. Three other players will win any game of their choosing (up to $60).


In other news, the events coordinator, Megs A Tagger, is trying to bring back monthly contests, such as the bounty list. Meanwhile, the weekly events are still on a roll, and she would be happy to take any suggestions for new events. You can find more info in the DoD:S Divisional forums.


And finally, Meg has a message for all of you Axis and Allies out there:
“Hop on Vent more guys, and I’ll be sure to give out cookies and kitty pictures!”

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[Quaffer]

E v e

By Quaffer

I found SavestheWorld on the Virtual Ether Nebula Transmission system. Did you know they have an EVE channel dedicated to helping newcomers learn the ship systems? He was there giving advice to Stalker. Stalker is in his first week of EVE and he has about eight hours logged at his command station so far. They were very kind and allowed me to butt in on their conversation about which frigate was a good starting vessel.


SavetheWorld's favorite is the Drake, which is a missile boat. It turns out you need not limit yourself to one ship. SavetheWorld has around ten vessels and he selects which one to use according to the mission he's planning.


He recommended that Stalker try a couple of level one and two solo missions to get used to EVE. Stalker quickly realized that there was a lot to learn.


So, I asked SavestheWorld for a simple mission to start with. He mentioned mining.

So how does one go about that?

It turns out you get on the forums and check out where the high resources star systems are, but, he cautions, bring a friend.

Ok, why is that?

Well, there are unscrupulous types that will lurk about and wait until you've got a full load and then, BAM, hit you with a warp scrambler. There you are, unable to warp to safety and easy pickings. Bring a friend who's outfitted for defense, that being a strong offense I suppose, and split your take with him.

Bring a friend. Excellent advice for any endeavor. eGO is just the place to meet them.

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[Quaffer]

Operation: X

By Quaffer

Slazenger gave me an earful the other night. So here is the gist of it:


There is a lot of excitement in Operation: X about the upcoming release of Tribes: Ascend. Tribes: Ascend is the grandchild of Starsiege Tribes which I can recall from the early days of first person shooters. It was the first game I can recall that required you to log into that newfangled internet thing to play. It was cool because you had guns and vehicles and lots of players. Very rad (yes I'm that old). If Tribes: Ascend makes half the impression that Starsiege Tribes did you are in for a real treat.


StarWars the Old Republic has a consistent following of fifty or sixty players and you can find some of them in Vent most every night. They would be happy to tell you what SW:TOR is all about and help you get started.


But what I really want to talk about is ARMA2. If there is one word you should take away from this discussion of ARMA2 it is, "Teamwork". While ARMA2 has a steep learning curve, it's not about selecting your weapon or compensating for recoil. It's about learning to support the other members of your fire team and accomplish your mission. The Operation: X troops actually get together and practice holding formation and different maneuvers. It is also one of the few games where eGO members are making maps. They have their own resident mapper (Zeak) and scripter (albertfish), who both have a flair for creating mission objectives and terrain. It's a lot more challenging than move and shoot, or camp and snipe. You can get the basic game (ArmA 2: Operation Arrowhead) for $20 or pick up the complete game (Combined Operations) for $30. So if you want to see what it's like to be on a squad where your buds watch your back and expect you to do the same you should check it out.

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[Quaffer]

Strategy

By Muffinz

The Strategy division has seen great improvements in the past month. Whether it is because of the higher recruiting numbers, or the reset of the Minecraft server, everything is running like a well-oiled machine.


Just recently the Minecraft server has been reset, bringing a lot more people into the server; revitalizing it from ten people to thirty plus. We highly recommended that you attend a Strat event, put together by our amazing Event Coordinator team. There is a regular event list on the forums, and, if you find an EC on, they will gladly run a pick-up event at your request.


World of Tanks has been doing very well also. Currently there are twenty to thirty people attending the Clan Wars events daily, but there is always room for more members. eGO WoT is currently heading down to Africa to help out their allies. If you wish to join the cause, talk to a Division Leader or an Advisor for help in getting set up with WoT.


Star Trek Online is a newer addition to the Strat division. The MMO is free to play, so damn the photon torpedoes. Full impulse ahead.


League of Legends is also free to play and eGO Strat members are always available to help you get started.

World of WarCraft has been doing a lot of raids, and the recruits keep coming in.


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[Quaffer]

By Superglue


Competitive Team
The Team Fortress 2 6 v 6 competitive team began its second season in the United Gaming Clan's League with a resounding 3-0 record. eGO’s TF2 team in the UGC League are currently tied for first place. In the other conference of the UGC League, our TF2 Division’s Highlander Team also started the new season in excellent form. With a 4-2 record, they are in a tie for ninth place out of 105 teams.

The Team Fortress 2 6v6 competitive team will also be participating in the highly skilled ESEA League with almost 100 hundred other competitive groups. This league will be begin in March so be sure to wish all members of our Team Fortress 2 competitive team the best of luck.

A thread discussing both Team Fortress 2 competitive teams can be found here. The thread also contains volume one of their Frag Videos series on You Tube.


Server Rankings
At the end of February Razor1, Division Leader for Team Fortress 2, posted the server rankings for all of the TF2 Division servers. Their specific rankings can be found here along with a discussion about server filling priorities. Razor1 stresses that filling servers 2fort and foundry must receive the most priority.

Filling Valve Maps has also received significant attention this past month with its rank increasing from 1040 on February 30th to 678 as of March 19th. A thread posted by TF2 member Kazoo illustrating tips, strategies, and ideas for filling the server can be found at this link.


Potential Server Cuts
The Blackmesa server is no longer on the chopping block. This hinges on the ability of the TF2 Division on keeping its servers full. Get out there and help fill our servers! A thread by Razor1 announcing this can be found here.

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