Newsletter March Newsletter

[wewo]

So I'm thinking of a number. I won't make you guess -- it's 32. No, I am not thinking about the freezing point of the ice and snow I shoveled this morning. I'm thinking about the number of servers I counted that EdgeGamers runs for us. We started with one and look where we are today. That doesn't even count the games we support where we don't own the servers.

Here at the newsletter it is our hope that we can give you a snapshot of some of these opportunities. For they are opportunities for fun, for mayhem, for making friends.

So have a look, and when you see our reporters, artists, and editors on those servers, be sure to say hello.

Quaffer​

The Newsletter Team would like to thank Ric for his dedication to the Newsletter Team as he graciously steps down so he can concentrate on leading the CS:S Division. Ric wrote his last article for the Team this month, he will be missed. We must also congratulate Megs A Tagger for her promotion to eGO Council, representing the DoD Division. wewo



[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562096"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562096"]Make room windows, there is a new OS coming to town.[/link]



[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562098"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562098"]Jay-Jay schools us on the history of the PSC.[/link]



[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562101"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562101"]Blaze chats with two CS:S VIPs.[/link]



[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562103"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562103"]Jay-Jay, our war correspondent, updates us on the realism struggle between the Axis and Allies.[/link]


[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562104"]

[/link]


[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562104"]Let your voice be heard; vote for eGO’s Minecraft server.[/link]



[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562105"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562105"]Hide your beer and nail down your furniture, the tipsy are invading.[/link]



[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562109"]

[/link]

[link="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543#post2562109"]Insomnia Princess will keep you alert with news from the TF2 Division.[/link]




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

Our artist this month was Ichor.

The Newsletter Team is looking for editors. If you silently correct others' grammar, send a pm to Quaffer or wewo and we will send you an application.

 

[wewo]

by Tomain

Steam! Steam everywhere!

Greetings, minions. Now that I have you all assembled here, the time has come to discuss Valve’s newest, most nefarious method of stealing all of our free time by making gaming more accessible. Valve has been working to create a new operating system which will be friendlier for the living room. Big Picture mode is already integrated into Steam but it would seem Valve is intent on giving us something else to drool over: the SteamOS. As flamelauncher11's article in last month’s newsletter put forth, Valve is encouraging manufacturers and users alike to build Steam Machines specifically for the purpose of running their new operating system. This exciting new venture seems to have been thought up with the idea of creating a bridge between consoles and typical PCs. The SteamOS beta is currently available for download and install but before going and trying it out, be sure to read all of the warnings and make sure your computer meets the system requirements. Also, keep in mind that since this is a beta version, it likely still contains bugs and may be unstable. Oh, and one other small detail: if you attempt to install SteamOS on your machine, it will wipe everything you have on your computer. This is not a polished product yet and is not recommended for anyone without technical expertise.

Not every detail has been completely ironed out with SteamOS but they have given us a lot of food for thought. It is not compatible with Windows, as it is based on Debian GNU/Linux. Microsoft games and applications will not run on SteamOS, but it does have a desktop mode which can run Linux applications. Many of the features it will have -- such as the ability to stream music, TV, and movies from within Steam, the ability to share your game library with friends and family, and Big Picture mode -- are either already embedded in your current Steam interface or soon will be; however, the idea of having a new, free operating system available is pretty exciting.

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543"]return to front page[/LINK]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Links to sources:
SteamOS: http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/
Build a Steam Box: http://store.steampowered.com/steamos/
SteamOS FAQ: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/steamuniverse/discussions/1/648814395741989999/
PC Gamer's thoughts: http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/09/24/steamos-the-pros-and-cons/

 

[wewo]

by Jay_Jay

Greetings all.

It’s back to school for the lot of you for a little history lesson on the Personnel Service Center. The PSC processes enough applications for the community to take notice of them, and if we have one thing in common, it's that we have all passed through that division before joining our own. We should all know what they do today, but how did it all get started? Why the need to create this special branch within our community? Open your history books to page one, spit out that gum, and let’s get started.

In 2010, a team called The Recruiters was formed with the task of focusing on bringing new members into eGO in a more consistent way than was done before. This idea was met with much push-back from the divisions, who were happy recruiting in their own ways. So much disharmony was sprouted by the creation of this new team that is was necessary to rethink the project.

So, Community Manager Artimus devised an idea to revamp the group into what is now known as the Personnel Service Center, or PSC. eGO was growing at a fast rate and the PSC's goal would be to welcome new members and show them what eGO has to offer. This new branch was also to process applications of new members wishing to join eGO.

With those goals in mind, a leader was needed. Enter Council Member Sloppie. Sloppie was tasked with molding this project into something that could hold its own -- no easy task when the number of applicants was as high as 4,000 per year. The first system which was used by the PSC to process applications was Microsoft-based. It worked and suited the needs of the Division but eventually became obsolete.

Today, the PSC uses a system known as Dedicated Application Processing System, or DAPS for short. This system was created by eGO, for eGO. It revolutionized the way we operated in terms of administration. A 30 minute process was cut down to about five minutes. This was praised by many members of the PSC. Speaking from personal experience from my stint in the PSC, I was extremely pleased with the new system. It did what it promised. The new system cut down on the paperwork and let us focus on the new applicant and get them enlisted promptly.

Today, the PSC is comprised of two Division Leaders, 4 Advisors, and 51 regular members. All dedicated to offering new recruits a professional welcome into our community. Just to give you an idea of how hard these guys and gals work, here are last year’s statistics:

A total of 3,723 new members were recruited into eGO in 2013. All these people were first managed by the PSC. Of the 3,723 new recruits, 374 went to BF, 313 to CoD, an astonishing 977 to CS, 383 to DoD, 261 to Minecraft, 619 to Op:X, and 779 to TF2, leaving 17 unaffiliated with a division. On top of that, as of February 6, 2013, a total of 67,992 people had signed up to our community forum. The vast majority of those have signed up to a division and had contact with a member of the dedicated team we know today as the PSC.

The next time you see a new recruit in a server, think of the hard-working team in the PSC that helped get that recruit suited up with our prestigious tag. Maybe you would like to be involved in the process. If so, get in contact with a member of PSC leadership, and earn the right to be an ambassador for your community. Well, school's out folks. Be sure to review today's lesson; there may be a test.

Special thanks to Community Manager Artimus and PSC Division Leader Dead Tom, who contributed their knowledge to make this article possible.

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[wewo]

by Blaze

We've had two big promotions within the CS Division recently: Ric was promoted to Division Leader and RogueOps filled in the newly-vacant Advisor position. With two major changes in the leadership for the division, I decided to sit down with them both and pick their brains a bit.


Ric,
our newest Division Leader for the Counter-Strike Division, joined eGO in 2010. Later that year, he became an Admin Trainer. In October 2012, he was promoted to Advisor, and then to Division Leader in January of this year. He also joined the Newsletter Team on March 18, 2013.

Ric has degrees in both Network Engineering and Cyber Security, loves metal music, and hails from Kissimmee in sunny Florida. I sat down with Ric to talk to him over Steam chat and get his thoughts on eGO as a whole and the CS division in particular:

(Blaze) What were your expectations of EdgeGamers when you joined?

(Ric) Excellent servers, awesome admins, and an amazing gaming community.

Were you surprised by the culture or community after you joined?

To be honest, yes. This section of the Internet is extremely friendly, welcoming, and mature. Every other server I played on before eGO's servers were filled with people ... being extremely rude to others, and things of that nature. To experience eGO's servers for the first time was like breathing in fresh air after being in the trenches for years.

What or who do you credit for that refreshing behavior and culture?

The values instilled by eGO as a community over the years.

Now that you are a Division Leader, what direction do you want to take the CS Division?

I personally want to see more events in our division. I want to see us become successful in our current projects like CS:Bros and the Server Filling Team. I want to see the CS division lead again in terms of recruiting and retention. I want to let it be known that the CS division is one of the strongest divisions in eGO.

Do you have any short-term plans to improve the CS Division?

Yes. We currently have contests under way to help us in multiple aspects of our division, especially recruiting.

You are truly a veteran of EdgeGamers Organization. Do you have any words of wisdom for your fellow eGO members?

Just keep pushing the limits when it comes to great things for our marvelous community. Conquer all in everything that you do and things will work themselves out. There's been a lot of changes over the four years I've been here so far, but my head is still on my shoulders. If I can make it, anyone else can.


RogueOps,
the CS Division's newest Advisor, officially joined the EdgeGamers community in March of 2012. He earned the title of Admin Trainer in June of 2013 and followed that up with a well-deserved promotion to Advisor in January of 2014.

RogueOps hangs his shingle near San Francisco, in the Golden State. He currently enjoys playing Counter-Strike: Source, among other things. You might be surprised to learn that not only has he played paintball, but he also was a break dancer. We got together on Steam chat and I asked him for his thoughts from his new perspective as a leadership member:

(Blaze) When you joined EdgeGamers, what were you expecting?

(RogueOps) To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. All I knew was that all the rules that were in place in the servers were to my liking. ... To put it simply, I expected a less popular community, but I welcomed it either way.

What kind of changes and/or growth have you noticed since you joined back in 2012?

We've added a mini-games server since then. It was taken away for a while due to low population, but brought back again recently. We've added a few new events since I've been here and ... we've brought in quite a few good recruits.

What role do you see for yourself as Advisor in the CS Division? What direction do you want to take the division in the future?

Well, my official role is leading the Admin Trainer team and server filling. Personally, I want to do whatever I can to keep members and pubbers interested in our servers and community as a whole. In the future, I want to see the CS division thriving. I want the servers populated, I want regular recruiting, and for everyone to get to know each other.

Do you have any words of wisdom for your fellow eGO members?

Don't ever think you're unimportant. Whether you're an e, eG, or eGO, remember the reason you joined. Remember the feeling you had. There are plenty of jobs and opportunities we offer for our members in the community, so don't be afraid to reach out and get involved. ... Of course I couldn't have done it without my team. ... [G]et yourself out there and don't be afraid to talk to anyone!


Special thanks to Ric and RogueOps for taking time out of their schedules to meet with me and give interviews.

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[wewo]

by Jay_Jay

TEN-HUT! Achtung!

At ease, soldiers. The 10th DoD Realism Campaign is now in full swing, with the 3rd Infantry and 2nd SS locked in ferocious battle. The campaign briefing is as follows:

3rd Infantry Division

Commander-In-Chief MiniNayNay
General Dr. Compton
Brigadier General Grail Arbor

2nd SS Panzer Division

Commander-In-Chief Dodgy
Generaloberst BeeF
Generalmajor Beret

Week one saw the Allied forces attack France from the Netherlands, forcing the Axis to hold a defensive on Aubercy. The SS troops were well-prepared for the assault that followed and were able to draw first blood in the 10th DoD Realism Campaign.

On the Mediterranean Front, the Axis forces staged an attack on North Africa from Italy. The Allied forces based in Baum had to hold the line against the Axis jackboots. Ready for revenge, the 3rd Infantry drove a bayonet right in the heart of the Axis forces, winning the round and restoring pride to the Division.

Week two had the Axis forces strike Norway via Denmark. The Allies were forced to dig in at Campazzo and defend the area. With the previous defeat still in the minds of the Axis, it was imperative to turn the tide. The 3rd Infantry was, however, prepared to face the enemy. The SS were trounced and forced to withdraw.

Allied forces then mounted an offensive on Italy which caught Axis forces by surprise. The result was a bloody battle in the streets of Napoli. Wanting blood, the SS enlisted the help of their finest sharpshooters to aid in the battle. The Allies were not expecting much of a fight, given the result of the previous battles. This assumption lead to their downfall, as the SS marksmen quickly dropped their targets. The Iron Cross flew proudly above the streets once the gun smoke had cleared.

Week three proved to be an interesting show, with both sides now well accustomed to what lay in store. The Axis forces were now fighting a little too close for comfort near the Fatherland. The 3rd Infantry had broken the line into Poland via Denmark. SS troops had a strong defense in the area and were determined to hold their ground at Edelweiss. The approaching 3rd Infantry were met with fierce resistance. The 2nd SS Panzer Division was well-equipped and ready for battle. After a struggle for superiority, the SS were able to wipe out the Allied forces, leaving the 3rd Infantry with no choice but to surrender.
With the Allies in full retreat, the chase was on as the 2nd SS Panzer Division mounted up and headed into Finland. The 3rd Infantry was forced to make a stand at Anemia, in hopes of crushing the advancing SS troops. Unfortunately for the Allies, the SS were ready to mount an offensive. With the Allies' morale already wavering, the SS were able to secure victory with little difficulty.

Things were getting a little too dangerous at this point for your humble war correspondent to continue following the battle; however, further news headlines will be broadcast by the official Allied “Stars and Stripes” and SS “Das Schwarze Korps” publications. This is your reporter in the field, Jay_Jay, signing off. Good luck to both armies in the upcoming battles.

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[wewo]

by Ric

Let your voice be heard. Visit Ill Legend's thread here to learn how to vote for EdgeGamers' Minecraft Server. In the honorable words of Mr. Legend himself:

"Support our eGO Minecraft server by voting... [see the link above]. Each vote will help us rank up, which will, in turn, give us more exposure to players. Even if you do not play on our server, as long as you have a Minecraft account, you can still vote for us. In return for voting, you will receive 100 in-game credits to spend in our server economy. Credits can be used to purchase various items at player shops. Make sure you are logged into our server when you cast your vote to ensure that you receive your credits."

Minecraft Leadership is proud to welcome back Russo. He will be in charge of the recruiting force behind Minecraft. Welcome back, Russo!

Psst! I heard that Minecraft had its first ever road trip to Hypixel. Did you participate? Let us know how much fun you had by replying in the comments section.

"Will you teach me how to play Factions?" is a question I hear all the time while hanging out in the Minecraft rooms. Participate in the Factions relaunch today. If you still have questions, send them to MC Leadership and they will answer them for you.

We also have an economy forum. You can find all the information you need about buying, selling, etc. in the appropriate forum here. Make the Minecraft economy boom with us today.

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[wewo]

by CCCPofAmerica

It's been quite a busy and productive month for the Operation: X Division.

DigitalDJ has returned to his position as Division Leader, to manage the research and development section of the Division. Hopefully, he will be able to stay and contribute for years to come. Everyone make sure to congratulate him and welcome him back!

This past month OP:X has hosted several events. One of the most successful event, PlanetSide 2's “Open Ops”, meets every week on Friday, so make sure you check it out sometime.

Did you know OP:X frequently visits other divisions? It's true. Every month there is an “OP:X Invasion.” They are commonly seen filling other divisions' servers and meeting new people during these events. OP:X invites members of Legal drinking age to bring alcoholic beverages to the events and enjoy them in a responsible manner. Keep in mind that eGO conduct and rules still apply to TeamSpeak 3 and division servers. Come join them and see how much fun other divisions can be.

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[wewo]

by Insomnia Princess

The Team Fortress 2 Division has started 2014 strongly; with many new recruits, newly promoted admins, exciting events and great programs designed to encourage an atmosphere of fun and togetherness throughout the entire division.


Quickplay is Not a Concern for eGO TF2 Servers

February 6th, Valve released another update to the Quickplay system which was more liberating than the January update. Many TF2 players felt the previous update had a negative impact on the servers. Valve now tolerates more things that they did not allow before, such as no crits and instant respawn. After eGO server rankings took a brief dip, many were worried that Quickplay changes were to blame.

I talked to Division Leader Caelestis about this, who confirmed that we have nothing to worry about when it comes to Quickplay. According to Caelestis, “Leadership has not felt the need to change much about the servers despite these changes from Valve and we’ve also studied a number of analytical factors on the servers.”

He explains that the stats show that only 19% of the players who visit eGO servers do so via Quickplay. Nearly a third (33%) connect because eGO servers are in their Favorites list. And with the most recent Valve update to the Quickplay system, there is little impact on the servers.


TF2 Recruiting and Recruitment Drives

RH StormChaser tells us how to properly welcome a new recruit, “Well first, don’t just 'drag and drop' as I like to call it. (It's where you recruit a member and then forget about them.) Once you have recruited a member, add them on the forums. You could even make a thread in the Divisional Discussion forum titled "Hey, welcome 'John Doe'". You can also invite them to the servers to play with you, invite them to events for everyone to meet, as well as get them into TeamSpeak to say hi.”


TF2 Events

Events are a staple in the TF2 Division. They lighten the mood, allow you to meet players from other servers, and let you have a good time with leadership and your fellow division members. The best way to receive event notifications is to join the official TF2 Steam Group. All members of the group get a notification when the events start. You can also check the site calendar. The forum even has an option for you to request reminders for upcoming events that are scheduled via the site calendar.

The Event Coordinators (ECs) work very hard to create new and interesting events on a regular basis. For example, February included Zombie Fortress, Mario Cart Maps and the Sniper Event. Try them all. Pick your favorites.

DL Caelestis recommends Prop Hunt, Black Mesa Sundays or Dog Tag Scrims, if you are new to events. On Prop Hunt, one team disguises as various background props in the game and the other team, composed of all Pyros, has to find them. It’s the ultimate game of TF2 hide-and-seek.

Dog Tag Scrims are a divisional favorite. These events pit members of different ranks against one another. It might be all =e=s against the =eG=s and =eGO=s or any variation of this. Look for some upcoming Dog Tag Scrims in March and come out and kill your favorite leadership members.

Black Mesa was created specifically for eGO. It used to be a 24/7 server. Now it is run as a weekly event. This event fills routinely at 8PM Central Time on Sunday nights. This is a map you won’t find in any other community so it’s a great way to break the monotony of your usual play. Caelestis tells us it is “always full and there are always a lot of laughs to be found.”


Anyone Can Make a Difference

It’s important to note that anyone can make a difference in the TF2 community. You don’t have to have your =eG= or =eGO= to contribute ideas, volunteer your services, or participate in events.

DL Kazoo tells us, “To make a difference, you need to find a cause you are passionate about and put your soul to it. This can be anything from filling your favorite server, to sharing your artistic talent by providing amazing graphics, to helping new recruits feel at home.”

DL Caelestis adds, “We encourage everyone to try and get involved. We have five major programs and they are all deeply interconnected.”

He goes on to explain that you can help people join the community, you can join the competitive Highlander team, you can fill servers with the Fast Fill Task Force, you can attend events, and more.

Think about how YOU can make a difference!

Thank you to Caelestis, Kazoo, StormChaser and UnderCoverSpy16 for helping with this article.

[LINK="http://www.edge-gamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260543"]return to front page[/LINK]

 

[Drew]

Awwwwwww yeah! Great read.

 

[Venomkilled]

Pretty awesome! Keep up the good work newsletter team!

 

[UnderCoverSpy16]

Go newsletter team
Great job

 

[Insomnia Princess]

Thank you very much for reading. We appreciate you!

 

[Rawburt]

That Favorites list statistic really makes me happy.

 

[Terror]

Cool! Didn't realize the March Newsletter had come out! Keep up the great work and awesome stories!

 

[C7R35]

I'm still nervous about writing April's newsletter >.>

 

[Quaffer]

Relax flame. That's why we have editors.

 

[Insomnia Princess]

That Favorites list statistic really makes me happy.

Me as well.

 

[Darth]

Great newsletter once again, well done to the team.

However for the PSC section, we had an "admin recruiters" team way before I joined led by sixxgunn that did the recruiting and managing of the applications which set the basis for the PSC as we know it today.

 

[Blaze]

I'm still nervous about writing April's newsletter >.>

Don't worry about it. That's what we are here for. Just do your best and make sure you check your facts. The editors can handle the polishing and shining for you.

 

[Jack]

First time seeing that we had a newsletter, And glad i did