So, I don't get TF2..

[Mythor]

Retreat is for tiny baby men.

Yes, stick with your team where you can. Running into numerically superior enemies usually won't end well, not until you start getting comfortable with a class.
Remember it's a team game and any extra damage you can pile on someone helps your team a lot!

[Jez]

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've been trying to remember if it was always this way, or if it's just become this since the F2P floodgates were opened. Since IIRC it was quite a while after TF2's initial release that payload was actually introduced.

[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've been trying to remember if it was always this way, or if it's just become this since the F2P floodgates were opened. Since IIRC it was quite a while after TF2's initial release that payload was actually introduced.

Goldrush came out end of April 2008 so Payload has been around almost as long as the game (Sept 2007). Can't blame this one on F2P

Sort http://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Maps by release date.

Of the release maps I'd say only Dustbowl and Gravelpit are decent in pub play. Hydro although it has dual objectives is bearable only because it's the only tc_ map which gives it a novelty factor.

Even on single objective maps you often find that if you take a flanking route you can have a disproportionately high impact on the game -- the problem is that defending multiple routes requires some semblance of coordination and most pub games are low coordination. That's why multiple objective almost always results in **** games -- now you have multiple objectives AND multiple routes to A/D. It's also why some minimal calling e.g. "solly spamming us from top right" or "pyro incoming left tunnel" helps so much -- just a little bit of coordination helps your team a lot as the default for most players is to A/D the main/obvious route.

For the OP ^^^ is why I'd stick to Payload to start off with. Dustbowl is also good to learn on.

On other maps it will be more or less a free for all deathmatch. BTW you might be tempted to try some Instaspawn servers ... just be aware that on the face of it all that's different is that you instantly respawn but it actually makes the game entirely different. The spawn waves in normal TF2 were designed to make the game teamly and winnable. Picture a footy game where every time you've managed to get past a defender they magically teleport to their back line and come running at you again. That's Instaspawn.

[flabcab]

Personally I learnt to play on the doublecross and 24/7 2fort servers, those servers tend to have a lower skill level in them and is a great way to learn the classes etc.

Also I use stock weapons on most classes the majority of the time so just hit up soldier, pyro or heavy imo.

[opposik]

I learnt to play from spectating other players mostly, like not just spectating when I'm dead but joining a game and just spectating a player for a good 20-30 minutes just to get an idea of things such as the routes to take, strategies during team fights, location of medkits/ammo piles and such.

Personally though I think payload isn't a great map to learn the ropes of the game, as you tend to die a little too frequently and its difficult to kill people on those maps especially if they're hugging the cart. I've always liked cp maps but like others have pointed out, it gets a bit disorganized at times and people tend to get lost in those maps.