[RANT (well kinda)] Team Fortress 2 Teamwork!

[Deathhunter]

Okay, this is a little rant thread based on Teamwork and Teamplay.

Why am I making such a thread?
Well it is because I think that such tips and thread is useful in the future. I want to try improve our teamwork in eGO EVEN THOUGH it is a casual night's gaming, we still need to build up some sense and we need to think about what to do catch, push, or take the flag.

So I'll start off with examples...
Today, I was on eGO Black Mesa. Black Mesa is my favourite server. Why? Because I like the style and I like how we can capture bases, it's from Half Life, a game I like. I would really like to thank the player who spent time to make Black Mesa. Anyways, I had a fun day playing on Mesa, but did I also have abit of an angry time, some parts were really regretting. I got on the red team, I like red, and I started off as a sniper and then other classes. Since the round was long, I only managed to play half a round and another full round. The first round I played was a good round. But in the second, it worried me and made me make this thread to really point out on Teamwork. Below, there are examples, and I have written what needs improving.

Example #1

I was on my sniper that time, and at the beginning, the RED, our team, started off really well. We nearly managed to grab B in 8 minutes past the start of the round. But then, we lost our chance... and why did he loose it?

Well it is because the blue team were ready, nearly all of us headed to B. Other people in Blue were spreading out. The one's who managed to escape positioned themselves in the next checkpoints, like L and A. But us? Most of us headed continuously to B. We lost, we never expected it, but there was a chance it could happen. To get the bases, we need to focus on our movements, if we all just go to B, but no one else goes to any other base, it is a 50% chance we can loose, there are always people who will spawn near B, basically, it is an invincible area for the BLU. Some can change into the heavy or Pyro and clear out the area. So my point here is, don't think even though we have 1 base to capture, everyone should get there.

Example #2

If some of you would remember, I typed in team chat that we need some people to be in bases like L. Well yes, we had to conquer it. But then, it was soon properly. But we lost, why?

No one really listened, most people thought going to C or any other base would do. Yes, we need to spread out. Like my saying in Example 1, it is good to spread. That time at L, we were having a massive attack, with demomen and soldiers. I asked a few people to come. Remember, if we have up to L, we can take abit of risk and step away from K or C. We should work on L abit. It is ok if one or two defending classes are left in K or C. Just to make sure... But here what do we need to work on? We need to think about trying to get that other base. Maybe leave out K or C. Take the important bases.

Example #3

Us reds, today, nabbed and denfended L most of the time. But then, sadly, we had an engineer from the BLU who had 5 engineers. The build them near B so that the RED team could never catch the last base. When was a heavy, I saw many medics, and lots of ubercharges. Ubercharges on Demomen killed most of the level 3 sentries and spies were also a handful of help.

During my time in RED, we really lacked medics. Our engineers were kind of stupid too. In BLU, they had at least 3 medics around, one medic sticking in each aggressive or defensive or supporting class. We need medics! Medics are an important class as you know. But everyone just thought "no" in the RED team. Less deaths helped by the medic means an inch to victory guys! Medics are used to heal and ubercharge. Remember, ubercharges are "invincible", meaning, no matter how much a turret shoots rockets at you, you don't die. THIS IS USEFUL! UBER'D DEMOMEN CAN MANAGE TO TAKE OUT LOTS OF SENTRIES! Seriously, engineers were dumb... in our team, engineers never took the risk to go out to where most of the battle could be done. Especially one time, an engineer built a sentry near spawn, I was like what? Why was I annoyed? I was annoyed because barely anyone goes to spawn. Maybe one or two, but by looking at the condition we were in, it was simple that we could have won by simply putting a sentry near L. Dispensers would also have helped as they would have reduced the amount of deaths when there are no medics! Final thing, REMEMBER, SUPPORT CLASS DOES NOT SUCK! SUPPORT MAY MAKE A REALLY GOOD GAME!

Example #4
Ok, well this will just be a little rant/point out. A is an important base. Why is it important? A is the middle and core of them all. If we loose A, we could get L or C open and unlocked! THAT IS WHY A IS IMPORTANT.


Eventually, my team, the RED, lost the game. With BLU's strong support and teamwork, they managed to THRASH US in less than 3 minutes.


Thank you for reading, since this is only Mesa I have written about, other people can go ahead and write/add on to this thread.

 

[Medichunter]

While i agree with most of this, alot of teamwork depends on who is playing at what time.
But i think the major problem with mesa as map is that no many people try and hold A, they just go off on their own accord camping vents / spawn camping. (admittedly i do this quite alot).

 

[Spitfire'd]

regardless of specific tactics and specific maps, I will say one thing.

Teamwork is maximized through communication. The team that communicates will win.

Report enemy positions. Call spy-whatever he's disguised as, say where the sentries are. Tell people where you are putting your sentries, dispenser and teleporter. Tell the player when you are about to deploy an uber.

The team that works together will win. The team that doesn't won't. It sounds like a "Madden comment" but it's true.

Also, not to call you out, but when you needed more medics on your team did you start playing as one? Lead by example. I wasn't there so obviously I don't know. Maybe you did and you can disregard this statement.

Above all, respect and positive reinforcement are the most important. No one wants to be on a team where one guy is barking out orders and saying things like "come on, you guys are so stupid, listen to me!" I am not saying you did that by any means, but remember that the tone in which you speak and the way you treat your team can have an impact on their willingness to work with you.

 

[CallMeGod]

I agree with SPitfir'd, the only way teamwork will work on these things is through communictaion, through typing your message in or saying it.

 

[trykael]

I'm going to say this preemptively - keep this thread civil. If I see a bunch of flaming going on it'll get trashed in a heartbeat and the people involved will not be thrilled. Discussion is fine, but let's make sure we remember this is a game and we're here to have fun, so keep it at that.

 

[GulfXray]

DeathHunter, I appreciate your comments and will keep them in mind when next I play on Mesa - being very new to TF2, I need all the help I can get! Some of us, or maybe it is just me, take a bit longer to grasp the strengths/weaknesses of the classes and when they are needed. Further, Mesa makes my head hurt ? that?s a good thing! ? I still get turned around sometimes and end up out of position?

Spitfire?d, I couldn?t agree more with your Madden-ism.

For the rest of you who have patiently endured my bumbling attempts on Mesa the past few days, I thank you for your encouragement and patience. Believe it or not, I am learning from you ? albeit slowly? In addition, some of the side conversations are a real hoot!

 

[mrcool]

I think most people know that teamwork/communication = win. I mean, that's pretty much common sense.

So... reasons for not communicating:

1. It takes forever to type.
2. You don't have a mic.
3. You just want to goof off a bit. IE, you're in "fun mode," not "win mode."

I think 1 and 2 are a huge percentage. If you take all three, that's probably around 99% of the reason people don't communicate. It's not because

1. They're not team players or
2. They want to lose.

I just played Egypt all night. We lost most of the time. I still had fun. It wasn't thrilling, but it's ok. I've never ragequit because of losing.

I ordered my headset today. When it gets here, I'll be talking a lot. Until then, whenever I stop to type, I get killed. That doesn't help the team much either.

 

[zombie allah]

i can appreciate you wanting to win your games. i really can. i don't care if my team wins or not. i'm there to bonk, run around like an idiot and have fun.

you will drive yourself nuts trying to get people to work together as a team if they don't want to.

 

[Deathhunter]

I am not flaming anyone.
I do know it is a fun game, but sometimes Mesa games like these are teeth gritting and heart beating. I just want to let the people know the way to win rounds. Oh yes, and I type useful information and stuff and how we need to do things, but sometimes, it doesn't work out. I think I should have a mike sor something but most people don't listen to people talking.
I really agree with Spitfire'd. I hope that the people reading this keep something, a useful thing, and play.

 

[Spitfire'd]

I think most people know that teamwork/communication = win. I mean, that's pretty much common sense.

So... reasons for not communicating:

1. It takes forever to type.
2. You don't have a mic.
3. You just want to goof off a bit. IE, you're in "fun mode," not "win mode."

Hey Mrcool thanks for bringing that up. I'll be honest, I am the first one to forget that not everyone has a mic and that even bringing up the "class chat" commands in z, x and c can take a lot of work.

I've been playing this week on the new awesome map pipeline and I tell you what that map flies so fast paced sometimes its hard to get anything resembling teamwork going. Quite often you've lost 2 or 3 rounds before people even realizing what's going on, myself included!

Also, thank you ileikcheeze for bringing up the a great point: HAVE FUN!

We have great servers, a great community, and a great environment. Even in bad rounds we can still have some good fun that's for sure. I'm not going to lie, if I run into a room and there's a pub and an eGO member in there I usually gun for the fellow clan member....and die. The clan keeps it fun in that way.

That's all I got, and sorry for almost unintentionally turning the thread afire. That was not my intent. I'm very Socratic and I like to make people think about what they say. I will work to do it in a less provocative way.

 

[Stevontoast]

Depends on the players in the server
A more clan based server will have players who work together
Publics will never have teamwork UNLESS you force it to happen by getting some people in the server to help you
I made loads of friends doing this.
Me and two other engies all worked together to build an impossible defence...
It was great!
You see most idiots choose the class they want to
Not what the team needs
Unlike that I always play a support role(spy/medic/spy checker)

 

[D-Tektive]

one thing i truly grit my teeth at is the poor choice of a partner that medics choose.

i am not saying that classes like pyro and heavies will be ineffective, but there is always the enemy pyro that will blow them back.

Demomen on the other hand, DO NOT NEED TO BE SO CLOSE TO THE SENTRIES

pop 3 stickies, beep beep, and BOOM SHAKALAKA, sentry down!

Also, on PL maps, i cannot stress enough that NORMAL UBERS are usually the pathcarvers of every PL Map.

For instance, take pipeline.

plenty of spies, snipers, and demomen just waiting to kill u in 1 second.
the solution? ubers.

although an ubered heavy wont be able to kill the whole team and win the game, he can at least make the attention be centered on him, allowing his teammates to move up and setup closer, gaining more "territory".
HOWEVER, medics usually get kritzkreigs, not noticing that a well place headshot or arrow would be enough to end the killing spree.

thats my struggle on teamwork on PL maps
=====================================
However, CP maps take a whole new approach.
Lets use Gravelpit...each round begins on two options: to go and capture A or B

What people FAIL to notice is that both A and B have the same difficulty to destroy.
However, C is usually loaded with sentries.

Here is my teamwork note to all those medics: YOU ARE THE KEY TO VICTORY

5 pyros is no match for 3 lvl 3 sentries.

the combined fire of 4 soldiers vs a engy with a lvl 3 sentry/dispenser will NEVER be taken down.

also, it is rare that a demoman would be able to plant 3 stickies successfully without dying or his stickies to not be destroyed as he prepares his health to be restored.

COMPLETE different story with UBERS!!!!!

ubered demos walk in. destroy sentries. teammates go in and fight mano e mano against the opposing team without those sentries.

 

[Cut Chem!st]

Communication is key to winning tf2.