[Steam]Survivors Vs. Blu Team Vs. Gordon Freeman Vs. Little Babies Vs. GLaDOS

[Faulty]

With Steam on Mac, can you use ALL Steam games or just Valve ones?

[Jibar]

You can use whichever games are already Mac viable.
All this business really is is giving you the Steam system on Mac, and eventually all Valve games working on Macs. It's up to the other publishers to make them Mac viable as well.
The Store will tell which games will and will not work.

[tyckspoon]

Kay, so only having 88% damage of what it was is so totally worth it for the flare gun buff.

FWIW, the Backburner is now doing slightly more than 100% of original damage. Assuming I have my math right- it's at a hair over 101.

[Volatar]

Yeah, backburner damage is like 101.5% now

[Cogwheel]

So, made some Black Plague progress at long last after figuring out that the solution to a particular encounter is running really fast (there was nowhere to hide and horrific monsters give up the chase with surprising ease).

And then, well...

"Take a joke, monkey."

I have no words. No words.

[Dogmantra]

Okay, I need someone to captain ChHa Yellow and make a Steam group for them. I am going to sign up ChHa Green for the Highlander tournament once I've made the steam group and everyone has joined. If someone would make one for ChHa yellow and sign them up here that'd be great.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Okay, I need someone to captain ChHa Yellow and make a Steam group for them. I am going to sign up ChHa Green for the Highlander tournament once I've made the steam group and everyone has joined. If someone would make one for ChHa yellow and sign them up here that'd be great.

Awesome. Also bear in mind that I'm available to fill any role but Sniper and Pyro in case of an absent player or someone who wants to mix things up a bit.

[Dogmantra]

It would have been nice if they had updated that old FAQ just to mention that signups had started. We might be too late. I don't think we are, but we might.

[Dread Cthulhu]

I can't see anywhere to sign up.

[Dogmantra]

Awright, now could I get desired usernames, Steam IDs and email addresses of all ChHa Green players?

PM or comment on the steam group. (Preferably comment, but if I didn't invite you 'cause you're not on my friends list, please send a PM)

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Awright, now could I get desired usernames, Steam IDs and email addresses of all ChHa Green players?

PM or comment on the steam group.

PM sent.

[Dogmantra]

Oh, just a note: when I say Steam ID, I mean the one you get from the console.

For those who don't know how to get it:
Open TF2 > Create Server > Open Console > Type "status" > Copypaste the number/colon sequence after STEAM_

Also we need avatars for ChHa Green and ChHa Yellow: if you want to make one, please feel free!

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Also we need avatars for ChHa Green and ChHa Yellow: if you want to make one, please feel free!

OH HELL YES. THIS IS MINE (ChHa Green, at least).

Thoughts on what it could/should be?

[Dread Cthulhu]

Alright, I'm doing the same for Yellow.

All usernames, Steam IDs and emails in a PM or posted on the ChHa Yellow Steam group.

A good few of you I haven't found.

ChHa: Yellow
Scout: Scorp
Soldier: Imposter
Pyro: Dread
Demoman: Introbulus
Heavy: Worira
Engineer: CoT
Medic: Griever
Sniper: Fawkes
Spy: Zach
Reserve1: Potato
Reserve2: Azimer
Reserve3: Winthur
Reserve4: Byrnbot08

[Blind Venetian]

Luckily I found a Highlander just yesterday so I'd like to get in on this. How do I sign up?

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Luckily I found a Highlander just yesterday so I'd like to get in on this. How do I sign up?

Sadly, the Eyelander has nothing to do with this. Highlander is a 9v9 game of TF2, with 1 representative of each class on a team. We're submitting these teams into an official Highlander tournament, and it's probably (not definitely, but probably) to late to squeeze another player into the already large reserve slots.

[Blind Venetian]

Ah, I see. That's alright. I misunderstood what this tournament was about and I haven't yet really played with any of you guys yet. Still, good luck with the tournament, whenever it is.

[Dogmantra]

OH HELL YES. THIS IS MINE (ChHa Green, at least).

Thoughts on what it could/should be?

Well... uh... we're green team. And I've been organising it mostly... and... well... um... someone else is green maybe?

[Etcetera]

Well... uh... we're green team. And I've been organising it mostly... and... well... um... someone else is green maybe?

Now who could he be talking about?

I would suggest a lizardman.

[tarbrush]

In other update news, I must own the Crocleather Slouch. Now

Edit: actually, what the hell I am looking at? Aww, buttocks it's a mod :(

Tabrush is sad panda.

[watsyurname529]

Wow, I didn't realize the Highlander teams were for an actual tournament. I thought it was just for our own fun.

[Inhuman Bot]

So, simple question.

Does anyone have advice for playing a pyro, despite having barely played TF2 before?

[Volatar]

Yeah.

Learn to airblast. Seriously. Its a good skill.

Also, just play a bunch. Learn to feel the range of your flame.

[Etcetera]

Yeah.

Learn to airblast. Seriously. Its a good skill.

Also, just play a bunch. Learn to feel the range of your flame.

And when you've learned to feel the range of your flame, rage as you realise that the range varies massively depending on ping and other factors unrelated to actual skill.

[watsyurname529]

So, simple question.

Does anyone have advice for playing a pyro, despite having barely played TF2 before?

Learn that there is more than just your flamethrower. Your shotgun is just as powerful as your flamethrower. Flame them, and when they start to run, shotgun to the back.

[Arbitrarity]

Having not played much pyro myself, I'm not the best to comment. However, I've played some decent pyros, so let's try this.

First: Pyro has never been an awesome class. Your primary, the flamethrower, does relatively poor DPS compared to almost every weapon in the game. However, it has a significant benefit, and that's that it is easy to aim. One relatively easy task is to practice tracking your targets, as if you're hitting your opponent, and he's panicking and can't hit you, you win.
However, simply rushing a target with the flamethrower is ineffective, even at mid-close range. Anyone who's aware of you can simply retreat and pelt you with attacks out of range, while you chase them and die. Slower classes have stronger attacks, so even if you do catch them, they'll probably kill you.

Enter tactics, and airblast. Since you can't survive a head-on fight by rushing your opponent, you need to defend yourself, and/or start close to your opponent. For the latter, ambush tactics are prefered. Note that the flamethrower model sticks out a great deal, potentially revealing you if you're around a corner. However, flanking, jumping from above, and rounding corners are all effective ways to end up in close quarters. However, you can still lose at close quarters, which kind of sucks. Such is the life of the pyro. Note that the flamethrower does more damage, the closer you are to your opponent.

Airblast is a more interesting tool. It allows you to deflect projectiles, extinguish teammates, and knock opponents around. Extinguishing teammates isn't really relevant to combat, but it's helpful, and appreciated. Deflecting projectiles is useful, but difficult. Practice is required at anticipating and countering shots. Note that reflected projectiles travel almost exactly where you aimed, especially rockets. Reflected projectiles deal 35% additional damage, without falloff, so a rocket reflected at long range will deal 121 damage on a direct hit, and 60 or more splash. At point blank, this can increase to 145, which brutalizes soldiers. Knocking opponents around has obvious applications, like knocking them off cliffs, off of high ground, and juggling them in midair. The less obvious is the infamous "puff-n-sting", wherein a pyro lights the target, airblasts them into a wall, and finishes with the axtinguisher. With guarenteed 200+ damage, this will instantly kill any class but a heavy. However, if your opponent can hit you while you're attempting this, it is possible that they can knock you away or otherwise disrupt you. It's a fancy tactic, but in practice tends to be ineffective unless you're quite used to the axtinguisher.

On that note, unlocks. You should probably be using flamethrower and either Axtinguisher or Homewrecker, and either shotgun or flaregun.
Flamethrower is because of the enormous utility of the airblast. If you constantly ambush, the backburner may be useful, but in pitched fights, the flamethrower proves much more useful. Axtinguisher is great against flaming targets, while Homewrecker is utility to support engineers by removing spy sappers, which it destroys in one hit. Flaregun and shotgun are a bit harder. As a new player, I recommend the shotgun, as its hitscan, relatively quick fire rate, and decent damage are all quite useful. However, the Flaregun's new criticals on burning targets, and minicrits at close range, make it quite a dangerous weapon at a distance, and excellent for harassment. The slow fire rate and difficulty in aiming, however, limit its use to those who practice with it a lot.

Use the airblast to counter people rushing you with their melee, which may occasionally happen. Possibly light them and try for the axtinguisher, but I say just burn them down.

Against good scouts, you'll probably die, as they outrange you, and are hard to hit with shotgun or flares. The flamethrower is next to useless, as they dodge in and out of range. Bad scouts (common), however, may just run into your flames, or get trapped in corners. Roast them. All I can say for good scouts is practice with shotgun.
Against soldiers, counter their rockets with airblast, and move unpredictably when they pull the shotgun. Be prepared for them to suddenly swap between rockets and shotgun, and try to get them within flamethrower range as soon as possible. If you can't airblast, just try to ambush and harass.
Against pyros, run backwards with the flamethrower, which extends its range. If they chase, which reduces their range, you'll deal more damage, and win. If they don't chase, it becomes a shotgun duel.
Demomen are annoying, but if you counter their grenades with AB, and get close, you can kill them.
Heavies own you. Look out, stay away, and harass. With the new flaregun, you can engage at long range and deal significant damage. Try attacking while the heavy is distracted, as that slows their reactions. In fact, attacking while the target is distracted is useful against all classes.
Engineers are weak and squishy, unless they have sentries up. If they're good, watch for the shotgun, as it can pack a punch. Your flamethrower is a decent choice for taking a sentry down around a corner, effective for circle strafing, and good for downing both the engineer and his sentry with an uber.
Medics are weak on their own, but don't run in a straight line towards them, or their needles can kill you easily. Make medics a priority target, as they easily extinguish your afterburn, and are generally extremely useful. If a medic uses an uber, spam airblast at the ubered character to prevent them from progressing.
Snipers lose at close range, win at long. Not much else to say. If you choose flaregun, it's a great harassment tool against their slow movement in scope, and throws off their aim.
Spies generally lose to you. Watch your back, listen closely, and burn anyone you might think is a spy. If you bump into something invisible, check the area.

And... yeah.

[NeoVid]

The first post of the thread still needs the server IP and banner updated.

WOJO.

[AlterForm]

So...how long do we have to sign up for the Highlander tourney? Since I'm off to college in the fall I have a new Steam account that I'd prefer to get the medal on, but it might take me a bit of time to line up the money to put TF2 on said account.

[shadow_archmagi]

Snipers lose at close range, win at long. Not much else to say. If you choose flaregun, it's a great harassment tool against their slow movement in scope, and throws off their aim.

In my experience, 9/10 snipers will, after the first flare hit, grab a nearby medkit, and then proceed to shoot you repeatedly.

If they're really skilled, they'll no-charge headshot you a few times, dealing what, 100 damage each? If not, they'll settle for whittling you down pretty quickly. You fire the flare, the sniper moves, aims, fires, and is ready to dodge again before you're ready to fire again.

[Emlyn]

In my experience, 9/10 snipers will, after the first flare hit, grab a nearby medkit, and then proceed to shoot you repeatedly.

If they're really skilled, they'll no-charge headshot you a few times, dealing what, 100 damage each? If not, they'll settle for whittling you down pretty quickly. You fire the flare, the sniper moves, aims, fires, and is ready to dodge again before you're ready to fire again.

You can't get headshots while not zoomed in.