Newsletter February Newsletter

[Quaffer]

2013 is now a memory, and 2014 is well on its way; a new season of American Idol has started and the Super Bowl (and its commercials) have been played. I find it odd that every year we cannot believe that another year has passed. Do we not learn from the past? Eventually, we catch on and move forward. In eGO, we have moved on to many new things, new games, new leaders, new promotions, and new awards. Rather than singling out individuals, the Newsletter Team salutes all the promotees and those who promoted them, as well as all those who have graciously stepped down from leadership or have left eGO for their own real-life promotions. Congratulations to all the Members of the Year for 2013. Of course, we cannot forget the selfless reporters and editors of the Newsletter Team, both present and past. As Hereclitus said, “The only thing that is constant is change." Cheers to the start of a new, new year.

wewo​

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547863"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547863"]Let Jay_Jay fill you in on who's holding down the fort.[/link]


[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547865"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547865"]flamelauncher11 shows us what's under the hood.[/link]


[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547866"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547866"]Quaffer lays down the rules.[/link]


[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547867"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547867"]Speaking of rules, wewo is going to break a few.[/link]


[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547868"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547868"]Jay_Jay takes you on a tour of the EdgeGamers R&D department.[/link]


[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547869"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547869"]Ric wants you to take a look at the new server. It's bring your own bat.[/link]


[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547870"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868#post2547870"]Blaze introduces the inaugural version of the EdgeGamers Game Guide. Please let us know how you enjoy it[/link]


Looking to get involved? Send a pm to Quaffer or wewo. We're looking for reporters. We can set you up with an interview.


This months newsletter was edited by Blaze, RogueOps, and wewo. Give them a hand.

Our artist this month was Ichor. Take a bow Ichor.


We all know the newsletter is a blast, but if you want to know what's happening right now, check out Team Speak.

 

[Quaffer]

By Jay_Jay

With all the changes in Leadership lately, I thought it would be appropriate to interview one of our newest Advisors in Teamspeak and get to know them a little better. Taking a look at TF2 member jhnsn, you can tell there’s a love for anime and a passion for TF2. Let's dive right in and take a closer look to see what jhnsn has in store for us.

Thanks for accepting the invitation for the interview.

Not a problem.

How long have you been in eGO?

A while. I’d say at least two years. Maybe two and half.

What made you join?

Well, I’d never played TF2 before. But I began playing on TF2 servers with some friends who were eGO members. After playing as a pub for two months I decided I would join. It just appealed to me.

How long have you been a member of the TF2 Division?

I’ve never changed Divisions so it’s been about 2 years.

What personal qualities do you think you can bring to the TF2 leadership?

Hmm, let me think about this. I like to think of myself us a calm, understanding person. I try to be someone who can think rationally, as well as someone who is approachable and fun to be around.

Do you have any ideas on how to better the division?

I want to see if we can revitalize our EC program. It’s hard to get people excited when they’re busy. But we have the program available so you can relax after school or work. I’d also like to see attendance increase. And perhaps see about expanding the program with new events, and running them more often.

Do you think the EC program could be used as a recruitment tool?

It could be. A lot of e’s don’t join until they start getting involved in events. If I hadn’t done events I don’t think I’d have gotten this far.

Well, you’ve certainly come a long way. How did it feel to be accepted into Leadership?

It's a little nerve-racking. I’m still getting used to what I have to do. But it’s something I can dedicate myself to though. And failing at that, just do the best job I can do.

Did you ever aspire to being in Leadership?

I hoped to. But at the same time I figured if it was something right for me it would be offered. If you want something you need to work hard for it.

You were awarded the Divisional Member of the Year Award. That must have been quite an achievement for you.

I was overwhelmed. It was an honor and that day my inbox was swarmed with congratulatory messages. I couldn't do anything because I was responding to them all. It moved me; It was nice to see my work being noticed. And see that I was contributing to something that I was being recognized for it.

You’ve certainly earned it. Any advice for those members aspiring to get to where you are today?

Find something that needs doing, and volunteer as much as you possibly can without stressing yourself. Be friendly, join Teamspeak, and come to events. Don't be afraid to get to know the leadership members. If you see a bunch sitting in a room, feel free to jump in. If they want privacy, they would be in a locked room. If something needs doing, do it. Overall, just be a friendly, helpful person, and try to be the kind of person that you would want to be around.

Well said. Thanks for your time, and good luck in your new position.

Thank you.

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[Quaffer]

By flamelauncher11

Tired of paying upwards of $1,000 to even $2,000 for a computer that can play any game, on any setting, flawlessly? Doesn't it get annoying when your buddy calls you up, asking for you to bring your 100 pound PC to his place for a few hours of gaming? Luckily for you Valve has an answer: 2014’s lineup of Steam Machines. These compact-yet-powerful computers pack the latest technology while maintaining a very reasonable price range, some models starting as low as $500. Sandwiched inside the sleek, compact casings a user may find either an AMD or Intel processor, depending on the model. Stuff TV reports that the least powerful graphics card currently found inside a Steam Machine is the popular NVidia GeForce GTX 660, putting graphics quality on par with next-gen consoles. In an effort to capture their share of the market, popular gaming PC companies, such as Alienware and iBuyPower have already begun designing their own prototype gaming machines.


Unfortunately, Steam Machines will not be available until mid-late 2014, but don’t worry; back in October of 2013 Valve hosted a beta testing program where Steam users could sign up to become one of the 300 lucky members to receive a free testing unit before the official release. Anybody who participated in the Steam Beta Testers program earned a badge on their profile, and anyone who has that badge is eligible for the drawing.
[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[Quaffer]

By Quaffer

Server & Forum Rules

1. No foul, degrading, or racist remarks.
2. No inappropriate or disrespectful sprays or names.
3. All sprays and avatar icons used on eGO servers should be PG-13 rated. No nudity is allowed. Final decisions on what is acceptable are left up to the admins in the server.
4. No cheating, cheat scripts, barrier jumping, map exploits or hacks of any kind.
5. No griefing.
6. No F10 or Alt-F4 jokes.
7. No advertising in servers.
8. No names or sprays that advocate or oppose a political figure, political stance, religion or nation.
9. No website URLs in names, sprays or avatars.
10. No impersonating admins.
11. No arguing with admins.
12. Do not disrupt the server in any way.
13. Do not pester admins.
14. Admins have final say in server.
15. No Drug References

The first time most people encounter these rules is in the Message of the Day (MOTD) when joining one of our servers. If they have a good time on the servers they may visit our website. If they press the "Click here to join eGO" button they will be introduced to our Personnel Server Center, or PSC. The PSC will do a stellar job of walking them through the application process and making the new member feel welcome.


Make no mistake -- it's all about comfort. EdgeGamers started because the founders wanted someplace they could play and feel at home. If you aren't comfortable, then why are you still here? Clean your screen, adjust your chair, and select an EdgeGamers server to meet your friends in. When you see a PSC member in game, thank them for helping you find the way.

PSC Leadership would like you to give a special welcome to their newest Advisors: Oey192 and XxDoomxX.
[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[Quaffer]

By wewo

Did that pub just swear in the server? Time to warn/kick/ban. Wait a minute. I'm on a Battlefield server.


In the not-so-distant past, all eGO servers were "family friendly", meaning no-swearing rules were strictly enforced. Despite complaints by members and pubs from time to time, this was a hard and fast rule, and all admins came up with ways to explain this to recalcitrant pubs. This is no longer quite the case. BF Advisor Music explained this to me as follows: “the developers of Battlefield (DICE) coded the game so that every kill/action is followed by an explicit word. As you can imagine, the questioning of that rule happens on a daily basis if not every couple of rounds; something like "Well, if the game can curse, why can't I since I bought it?".


As a result of swearing by the computer in-game, Council decided that it did not make sense to completely prohibit swearing on Battlefield servers. Effective as of November 5, 2013, swearing is permitted in all eGO Battlefield servers. Before you get your potty-mouth in gear, make sure you note the following two stipulations. Disrespect will not be tolerated on eGO servers, so no one may direct an expletive at another. So, while a pub may say “sh*t, I crashed my helicopter into a fu#$in wall” he/she may not say “Fu#$ you, wewo, you’re an a#$hole”. As Music reminded me, admins must still use common sense and prevent verbal abuse. Even excessive swearing may be punished as spamming or perhaps even griefing.


Next, if you are an eGO member you are still prohibited from swearing on all eGO (and non-eGO) servers. Although there may have been some initial confusion about this, Music and jtipton have assured me that it has been the rule all along. The current, limited, swearing-permitted rule is stated succinctly in a post by Battlefield DL ThundrRok here (available to eG and up).


I asked some non-leadership members their thoughts on the new rule. A seasoned admin, wizekraker, was fully aware of the rule and understood its nuances, having this to say: “I like the new change to rule because now we can focus more time on game and less time warning the pubs about their language. As it stands now pubs are allowed to swear only if it is not directed to another person. But as eGO members we don't have that freedom. In my opinion this rule is a bit unfair, but this shouldn't be an issue for us since originally the rules was that no one could swear at all. ...”. An anonymous e member commented, “I wasn't aware eGO members weren't permitted to swear on the servers. Either way though I think it's perfectly fair, for the reason that eGO doesn't permit foul language overall as an organization, which creates a more professional appearance. So if the rule is pubs can swear and members can't then I agree with it, since, we all filled out the same application and read the same rules. As far as the server members, if referring to pubs, then I think they enjoy being able to vent in the chat, unless they're directing it towards another player, which is a different animal in and of itself. As far as eGO members playing on the server, they don't seem to mind, as I don't see them swearing in the chat as it is.”


At this time, all other divisions maintain a strict no-swearing rule in their servers. Music has indicated that, for now, the new policy has not adversely affected the servers (perhaps even making them more “relaxed and orderly”) and there are no present discussions about changing this rule. Feel free to make your opinion on this rule known by commenting in this thread or submitting a message to the Dropbox or your leadership. Thanks to Music and jtipton for their valuable information, and to Megs A Tagger for pointing me in the right direction. Also, wizekraker and the anonymous e member must be commended for graciously sharing their opinions with me and the community.

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[Quaffer]

By Jay_Jay

I have some exciting news to report for this month’s article. Most important among these updates is that OP:X has seen a change in leadership. Division Leader Vertago has stepped down to focus on his academic studies, and XxMegatr0nxX will take over as the OP:X Division Leader. Additionally, thelordofruins was promoted to take the vacant position of Advisor. Most notably during Vertago’s tenure in Leadership, he was awarded the “Division Leader Commendation Medal” in April 2012, for his efforts in event coordination for Battlefield. On behalf of myself and the OP:X Division, I salute Vertago for his efforts and sense of leadership during his time as Division Leader, and wish him all the best during his studies. Along with those new faces, an old one has graced us with his return. The Yeti has reclaimed his previous post as Council member for OP:X. Many are happy to see his return to the position and look forward to his future endeavors in the division.


I’d like to take some time now to congratulate the 2013 OP:X Member of the Year: mdgrim. This prestigious title and award was given to mdgrim in light of his consistent forum participation and helpful nature in many games supported by OP:X. Once again, on behalf of the entire division, we salute you for your efforts. Continue to strive for greatness.


In other division news, did you know that OP:X has a Research & Development Section? Neither did I, until recently. Allow me to explain.


OP:X is at the forefront of research in regards to how games are supported by the division. This project, with Advisor Dutchoper72 at the helm, is aimed at meticulously researching titles which may one day become their own division in eGO. The strict process is set in four stages: research, testing, integration, and deployment. To date no title has made it to the deployment stage, but my sources say there have been some close candidates. The Research section receives a few new recommendations from the community each month. All are assessed on a case-by-case basis and are subject to the following requirements:

- Dedicated servers
- Admin support
- Mod community
- MOBA titles
- MMOs

If these criteria are satisfied, a title is given the green light to proceed to the Research Phase. There is no way of knowing how long a title can spend in each of the three phases before deployment -- it depends on compatibility within the division and community as a whole. Many titles such as World of Tanks, Guild Wars 2, and Starcraft 2 have been dropped as their chances of success as fully functional divisions in eGO were very low. Despite its limitations, the Research & Development section is dedicated to bringing you successful titles that we hope can one day survive as an independent division. We can only look to the future in anticipation of what titles will one day grace our community.

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[Quaffer]

By Ric

"Watch out behind you. That Pyro is a spy!" Does that sound familiar to you? If it does, then you probably play TF2 or are in eGO's TF2 division. You're the type that blows up spies, burns spies, and reads newsletter articles.

---

Our buddy Caelestis has this to say about a new eGO TF2 server:

"We do have a new server. It's a 24/7 instagib server. Basically, everyone is able to frag everyone in one hit with tracer rounds. We have also enabled b-hopping to increase acceleration beyond the normal limits in TF2.

The new server has brought in a number of high-profile competitive TF2 players."

The IP address is 174.36.38.41:27015. Grab a friend and a bat, and join today.

---

TF2 now has a Player of The Week honor. Thankfully, Caelestis has time to explain it for this newsletter.

"Every so often (about once a week) there comes a member of the Division whose devotion, energy, and esprit de corps serves as a model for all members, new and veteran, leader and non-leader alike. These are the unsung heroes of the Division, the men and women who work behind the scenes to make this dabes [sic] division. For generations innumerable, theirs was the lot of being the crew that made the gears of the system turn with barely a nod or acknowledgment.

Going forth, that tradition shall be broken. We wish to honor publicly those people who give that little bit more, who do right by their peers, who remain calm in the face of adversity, who demonstrate their skill on the field. Every week, a new Player of the Week will be selected for his or her exceptional performance throughout the week and will be showcased as such both here (in the EdgeGamers forums) and on our Steam group, that all the world may come and see that here was a Player of the Week; when comes such another?"

The Player of the Week for 1/19/2014 is Honorbound.

---

Let us know how how many Leadership members you embarrassed in the Royal Rumble on January 25 in the comment section of this month's newsletter. Until next time, please be safe and well in everything you do. Thank you for reading our newsletter. You're amazing.

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[Quaffer]

By Blaze

BOOM! Headshot! Is that how your role in the round usually ends? Are you fed up with it? You're in luck, because we are going to help you get better.


Some of the best tips I can give you are also the simplest. Pay attention to your surroundings, your radar, the scoreboard, and the upper-right side where the kills are displayed. Whenever your teammates spot an enemy player, that player shows up on your radar. Using this information, you can often spot where a sniper killed your comrades or where the enemy team is trying to rush or push up into your territory. If you press your Scoreboard button and see only one or two enemy players are still alive (and then spot them on the radar at some point), then you know where they are and can prepare accordingly.


Sound is another crucial factor in Counter-Strike. The best sound setup, in my opinion, is a 3D sound card and a gaming headset with adjustable microphone. This will enable you to pinpoint the exact location of any sounds you hear. Again, keep checking your radar. When you hear a sound (such as a suppressed M4 Carbine, or someone reloading a weapon) and you don't have a friendly player in that area, you have found the enemy. You can then ambush the enemy and report the enemy location over your microphone to help your teammates prepare the proper defense and/or assault.


Let's have some fun with flashbangs! I'm going to assume you know that using flashbangs right before an assault is a good way to counter an enemy's defenses. Flashbangs are useful in other ways, as well. If you are at an impasse and you aren't sure if there are enemies in the area you want to go through, bounce a flashbang around the corner or over the wall. Usually, when players get blinded like that, they begin spraying their weapon to kill whoever threw it. You can find out if there are enemies (sometimes how many even) and make them waste ammunition or have to reload.


Smoking isn't recommended in real life, but in Counter-Strike, it can mean the difference between staying alive and dying. Smoke grenades are good for covering an area you want to travel through from enemy fire and snipers, but another strategy is to toss one down one route at a fork with at least two options. The smoke (if seen by your adversaries) can be an effective distraction, thinning out their forces and allowing your team to penetrate their defenses and flank them at another part of the map. Be warned, however, that a somewhat effective counter to that is a single player firing occasional shots and small bursts into the smoke to act as suppressive fire and help prevent enemy rushes through the smoke.


That's all I have room for today. Look for more game tips and strategies in future issues of EdgeGamers Newsletter. Try them out and see where they take you. I'm going to send you off with this quote from Poolhall Junkies: "May your hands be steady, and your aim be true."

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258868"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[C7R35]

There I am there I am there I am!!!

 

[Terror]

Awesome newsletter this month! First time I've thoroughly read the newsletter and I'm ashamed of that fact. Can't wait for next month's newsletter!

 

[Insomnia Princess]

Good work team. Great newsletter!

 

[wewo]

Awesome newsletter this month! First time I've thoroughly read the newsletter and I'm ashamed of that fact. Can't wait for next month's newsletter!

Thanks Terror, glad you liked it

 

[Blaze]

Thanks, Terror.

 

[Emoney]

Awesome newsletter this month! First time I've thoroughly read the newsletter and I'm ashamed of that fact. Can't wait for next month's newsletter!

Same here, although I think this is also the first news letter I have seen as well. Still a great read and very interesting content. Far from bland and closer to BLAM!!!!