So, I don't get TF2..

[DeusIgnis]

I have dabbled with TF2 ever since its release but it has never grabbed me....

At some points I did really enjoy it, this was a couple of years ago

A couple of times now in the last 12 months or so I have tried it again and It just feels like a game for pros.

95% of the time I just get **** up in about 2 seconds flat. The combo of all these perks and whatnot and people who play it as their main game... I just feel like a complete sped every time I join a server. It different from the retardation you feel in a CS or BF server when you are new, It feels really pointless? In CS you know that everyone is on the same footing, and it is just your skill that is shithouse. In BF you know that if you are a sneaky cheeky prick or you jump in a tank it does not matter what unlocks the other dude has. In TF2 I just feel useless, like everyone else has the upgrades and skills over me...

Is there a place for the noobs?

or is it a case of shape up or **** off?

Is there a newbs guide to TF2 that I am missing? As far as I can tell, you run around madly and kill **** and occasionally try to grab intelligence and push a bomb. It is the running around killing **** that I have issues with.

[skitzor]

it's not a game for pros at all.

the dev team have done a decent job at balancing all the weapons/items such that the original is typically good in its (EDIT: HAPPY JEZ?) own way. unlocked weapons are not straight upgrades, they just have different advantages and disadvantages.

you mention battlefield which is funny because BF3 is exactly that case. all the people who have played have unlocks and perks that are plain better than what you get originally. and CS has a higher skill barrier.

I would say TF2 is one of the most forgiving games, and it's weird you have the opposite perception.

[Jez]

I think possibly you're playing on the wrong servers, a lot of people play TF2 as something to bash for twenty minutes (like on those awful instaspawn servers) and don't really care about winning or losing, which is fine. But if you're more of a traditional or oldschool gamer and want to feel like you're contributing I suggest you try playing on some of GON's full rotation servers as they tend to attract these kinds of players.

I would also suggest that the feeling of running around madly should go away with time, as TF2 can actually be quite co-ordinated with the right players.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Skitzor is right. The new weapons are balanced well to ensure none is overpowered. You can still play well with this game even if you only used the original weapons.

The fact that TF2 never grabbed you at release pretty much says it all.

[Matty]

You also have to remember that many of these players have years and years of experience. Stick it out a bit and learn what each class does, it's great fun once you break that barrier.

It's odd to see the opposite side of the argument, once you become experienced the complaint usually is that the game hinders skilled players. I remember there was a time on the TF2 forums where nearly every thread was about "how to raise the skill ceiling".

[Disco LT]

The only classes I ever doing any well at are Engineer and Pyro.. but then, I don't really get the game either, I'll play it for twenty minutes, then never play it again and wonder why I reinstalled it.

[Remy Lebeau]

What's not to get? It's a war themed hat simulator...

[diamondd]

yeah, TF2 players are weird. Not worth forcing yourself to try and like it

[Capt.no0b]

I get where you're going bro. I tried it as well and didn't really enjoy it either. I think that if a game doesn't grab you then you're likely not going to be that great at it because you can't actually give a s***.

[Ashigaru]

I loved it for a long time (before all this hat nonsense) but only because I was always playing with a fun bunch of people over vent. Otherwise it's just really not that enjoyable. The only game I feel I don't need to have people on vent with me is CS, and that's because I've been playing it for so damn long. Everything else just doesn't seem enjoyable enough without having a mate or 2 to get in there with you and shake **** up

[Burnouts]

Skitzor is right. The new weapons are balanced well to ensure none is overpowered. You can still play well with this game even if you only used the original weapons.

oh those default demo weps

[Mythor]

Thread needs MOAR PYRO.

Pick something other than Scout/Sniper/Spy and stick with it for a few rounds. Assuming you can aim a bit you'll get some kills.
When you inevitably die, try shifting spectator camera to someone else on your team (left click swaps between players, spacebar swaps point of view) and observe their play. Particularly if they're good. See what they're doing that you're not.
Once you start learning the ins and outs of one class you'll also have started learning what some of the other classes can do as you fight them.

It's not a game where you'll have instant success, you do need to learn the classes. Finding a friendly server where people will answer an occasional question can help. GON's #13 usually has some helpful people, if you want to try to learn things again.

If you're just giving up, okay!

[Agent_Dark]

Best Sniper weapon = stock sniper rifle. Jarate and Huntsman are pretty good, other unlocks are pretty much just flavour.
Best Demo weapon = stock sticky launcher. The various demo melee weapons are pretty good, other unlocks pretty much just flavour.
Best Medi-gun = stock med-gun. Other unlocks pretty much just flavour.
Best Scout gun = stock scattergun. Other unlocks pretty much just flavour.
Best Minigun = stock minigun. Other unlocks pretty much just flavour.

The Soldier main weapon unlocks are very good alternatives, but the stock rocket launcher is still the best all-round soldier weapon. The Escape Plan is pretty much a straight upgrade over the stock shovel though.
Engineer is fine with stock, however having the gunslinger or wrangler makes for nice changeups especially if you want to be a more offensive engy.
The Pyro stock flamethrower is probably slightly worse than the Degreaser or Backburner, but it's not like its completely useless. The Fireaxe is pretty much a straight upgrade from the stock axe though.
The Spy gets some really good unlocks, possibly better than the stock in alot of situations. It's not really a beginner class anyway, so by the time you're getting the hang of the game you'll hopefully have some stuff like the Ambassador, Cloak and Dagger or Eternal Reward.


So aside from probably a Spy or maybe a Pyro, the stock weapons are more then enough. Besides every TF2 player should know that Hats are more important than weapon unlocks.

[GoToadGo]

It's not a game where you'll have instant success, you do need to learn the classes. Finding a friendly server where people will answer an occasional question can help. GON's #13 usually has some helpful people, if you want to try to learn things again.

Helpful and experienced server, but that also means you'll get stomped a fair bit on there until you have your bearings
You also couldn't be any more wrong about the weapons and being behind in that sense. I hardly use the extra weapons at all and do just fine(I'm sure someone will chime in with how terrible I am but anyway >.>). They add flavour and a new way to play each class but they don't give you any REAL advantage over a new player.
Anyway, it's like any online game. You just can't expect to jump on and have instant success as there are people like Myth/Frank/Sooth/Ralph/Myself etc that have been playing for years and know how our main classes work and the nuances of each map. It simply doesn't work that way and never has.

[goosmurf]

Try and stick to the Payload (pl_) maps if you can. In the general case the other game modes tend to suck in public games because multiple objectives is too much for the public to handle I am only half joking.

I started by playing medic and I'd still recommend that today (5 years on). It's easy to start by healing someone (the easy option is the top scorer on your team who is a heavy/soldier/demo/pyro) and all you really have to do is try to stay alive and when your uber bar gets to 100%, right click when you think you or your heal target are in danger as it gives you both invincibility for 8 seconds. Following others around in this way gives you time to observe how experienced players play whilst still contributing to the team.

If you prefer to shoot people playing Heavy on a pl_ map is a surefire way to MVP. The cart gives you health AND ammo so you can just follow it and pew pew everything in your way.

The biggest tip I can give you to have more fun is to STAY ALIVE, especially when you are defending. The game really is about team work. I'm not talking about fancy pants strategies but simple stuff like if you are caught in a 1v2 or 1v3 situation (where you are the 1), get the hell out of there; one of the key differentiators between experienced players and newbies is that pros RETREAT. TF2 isn't like CS in that you can't get a headshot and kill one guy before you die. In TF2 even if you are a Heavy or a Soldier and it's 1v2 you don't get to kill one guy -- they'll smash you with their higher combined DPS and you'll barely take 50% off one of them. So the game is about playing position & numbers, solo charging will almost always result in you dying a lot.

This applies to the Heavy cart poosh I mentioned above too -- ideally you want to be on the cart as your team is nearby to support you.

ETA: use a mic if you can. Most folks will help you out in game if you speak up.