An explosion is imminent
in the world of AGR
A world that is frequented
By TF’ers near and far
A grimy world, an angry world
A world of friend and foe
Where people heal or kill you
and auras they bestow
The explosion will be felt
by players the world over
I can almost hear it now..
that explosion called Rock2ober
Yes, those special people on the AGR Mailing List have already begun staking their claim on the 32 prized spots in the greatest TF spectacle of the year – Rock2ober 2011. I have a FAQ, and last years promo vid, so I guess it’s up to everyone to spread the word, and see if we can do it for yet another year. I simply CAN’T imagine that any TFer cannot be there, even those who aren’t fans of AGR, just for the sheer spectacle. Anyway, I’m nervous and excited, and no matter what happens, I know that Rock2ober 2011 will be a historic event. In the meanwhile, it’s the last Sunday of the month, so get ready for Spamadellic action, at that Reformatory of Retaliation we all know as the:
What: Weekly AGR Session
Where: tastyspleen.net:26666
When: Sunday 22:00 GMT. Convert this to your timezone here.
Who: TF fans of all denominations.
Why: Because OMC loves you (generally speaking, conditions apply)
MAP SCHEDULE
[SPAMADELLICA: TEAM DAMAGE=off MIRRIR DAMAGE=off]
1. fcast [Toughmap mode] (50 minutes*)
Tough map mode means Red will struggle.
2. dune1[Toughmap mode]/2fort5r [DREAM TEAM](60 minutes*)
If we get 3-4 Dream team members on ventrillo, we do 2fort5 part 4, otherwise we do dune1 in toughmap mode!
3. sewer1p [toughmap mode](60 minutes*)
This should be brilliant, though there will be an 8 minute intermission before this, to make sure all are ready!
4. z7(60 minutes)
Intensity personified, and Spamadellica means that final corridor will be particularly deadly. I’m going Red!
* times may vary depending on player numbers, vibe, and quality of teamplay.
—————
AGR VENTRILLO SERVER
78.129.193.9, port 4298, AGR (Red+Blue) channels.
DEMOS
Thanks to Sapphired, this Session (and previous ones) will be available for download here.
=================================
OMC’s tip: Rock2ober will be on Saturday, so if you can’t make regular Weekly AGR Sessions, you WILL be there!!
DREAM TEAM
These matches are potentially brilliant, but they NEED 5 blues on ventrillo!! Please go to the forum and state your availability! Also during the match, please (1) join Red, and (2) enter the game, ie pick a class and enter the game fully, so that the admin can THEN switch you to the Dream Team
PLAYER NAME RESTRICTIONS (part 2)
Rock2ober 2011 will use the new player ‘register’, so if you’re getting a ‘you are not registered’ message during this weeks game, make sure you are using your correct playername. Remember, the special character issue has been fixed, but you need to have 1 version of your name
See you all Sunday!
OneManClan
wasn’t teamxlink part of the dream team? he’s been playing tf2 every sunday for a while now. he needs to come be a part of the d team, cause i enjoy playing those. for obvious reasons. 😀
Hi,
OMC, any restrictons suck, speaking about touch-gay-mode. It was proofed many games. If you want to restrict something about red fask capping, reduce fulldef time (flag living time when touched) + something else
“OMC, any restrictions suck” never thought i would ever be agreeing with sapphired, but i agree with you on that one.
If you guys believe you can defend dune1 (or sewer1p) in non-toughmap mode, I’ll be happy to turn it off.
It depends only on player mood, like we have a lot of gg games on those map normal mode. Just not be such docheads) not playing good or relying on teammates or alone-engies. Be a team, wtf)
Orly, why to restrict or limit a player if we can limit the game rules and game stuff preventing fast capping etc. I hate touch game mode even been on defence side.
Also OMC, didtn answered me about giving (not full) access to AGR site templates and css to fix frontend issues (gor ex. this text input field white txt and white bg) and other things (link to download, logo, google analytics)
Hey Sapph, thanks for the offer, and YES, I’d love your help in fixing up this site! Let’s talk more tomorrow.
this CSS is a mess indeed, can hardly read half the text.
Hi OMC can’t wait for rock2o, i am getting my nails done just for the occassion.
OMC. Please have the insight to let go of an idea when it turns out not to be so great in practice, before you drive even more people away.
I think these maps you’re so worried about depend on the specific session, there can be great games on dune/sewer in normal mode. Depends who’s playing basically. I don’t think you can forcefully shape the game the way you want by hobbling one team. It turns the game into something else that frustrates people, on both sides too.
If you truly have the statistics to back up your feelings about those maps that are consistently one sided chain-capping , then i think a lot of people would rather see those maps skipped completely than put into toughmode from the start. Or at bare minimum start the map in normal mode, and if necessary restart in toughmode.
Even though i’m always red, I fully agree that a chain-capping game is just as bad as a completely shutout game – I like a balanced game just like anyone else. If you do decide to keep toughmode, I think other changes should be made to replace “SLOWFLAG” and “NO FLAG TOUCHING TWICE IN A ROW”.
For one, its apparent that zero respawn-delay alone can give blue a decent enough advantage to make a difference. A faster flag return (if nobody touches it) could be another option that doesn’t brutally hobble red, and at the same time gives blue the edge. Another idea off the top of my head could be to decrease build times for blue engineers. Or why not give red a respawn delay (as much as that makes me shudder). I’m sure you can think of more too.
In these ways the gameplay feels essentially the same, and yet almost seamlessly gives blue the advantage. I think those are qualities that you should look for in new changes to toughmode.
<< OMC. Please have the insight to let go of an idea when it turns out not to be so great in practice, before you drive even more people away. >>
ToughMode assumes Red are working together as a team. It assumes they want a challenge. The interviewer from AGR Mania Magazine, said it should have been called ‘Gurus on Red’ mode, and I agree. I can understand that if certain people prefer solo capfests, then they won’t enjoy TM mode. It was a fluke that today we had 2 TM games in a row ( the second game was meant to be part 4 of the D team 2fort5r) from now on I’ll keep it to 1 TM game a week.
<< I think these maps you’re so worried about depend on the specific session, there can be great games on dune/sewer in normal mode. Depends who’s playing basically. >>
I agree.
<< I don’t think you can forcefully shape the game the way you want by hobbling one team. It turns the game into something else that frustrates people, on both sides too. >>
TM was created because it was more frustrating being forced to go Blue every game, and watching Blue struggle to keep things together, and unfortunately, some players refused to switch sides to help.
<< If you truly have the statistics to back up your feelings about those maps that are consistently one sided chain-capping , then i think a lot of people would rather see those maps skipped completely than put into toughmode from the start. Or at bare minimum start the map in normal mode, and if necessary restart in toughmode. >>
I agree, I think this is the way to go. People get 1 shot to D in non-TM mode, and if the game is restarted, it is restarted in TM mode.
<< Even though i’m always red, I fully agree that a chain-capping game is just as bad as a completely shutout game – I like a balanced game just like anyone else. If you do decide to keep toughmode, I think other changes should be made to replace “SLOWFLAG” and “NO FLAG TOUCHING TWICE IN A ROW”. >>
Yea, SLOWFLAG was painful today (in sewer1p) because Blue weren’t defending outside; In a properly played game, SLOWFLAG would have allowed Blue to potentially save the flag even after it left their base, something impossible in non-TM mode. Re: ‘NO FLAG TOUCHING TWICE IN A ROW’, it still feels weird, but so far, IMHO it’s only been a prob when there are less 3 attackers, the map is big, and there are multiple exits, eg sewer1p – it means Red must communicate, and if more players used vent, this would be a non-issue.
<< For one, its apparent that zero respawn-delay alone can give blue a decent enough advantage to make a difference. >>
Respawn delay for Blue is a fair compromise considering the distance Red has to travel every time. Maps where Blue respawn near choke points are a little demoralising, as Red you travel all the way to Blues base, suffer damage whilst killing a Blue, only to have them reappear (undamaged) in the same spot 3 seconds later! Ugh!
<< A faster flag return (if nobody touches it) could be another option that doesn’t brutally hobble red, and at the same time gives blue the edge. >>
The longer flag return is Reds compensation, and a way to force Blues to defend in different parts of the map, and thus makes for more interesting games.
<< Another idea off the top of my head could be to decrease build times for blue engineers. >>
Following the team based philosophy of AGR, if Blue can organise some bodyguards for their defenders, they get rewarded with easier builds. No communication/teamwork means that Blue Engies don’t have lasting builds.
<< Or why not give red a respawn delay (as much as that makes me shudder). I’m sure you can think of more too. >>
Shudder indeed, their long walk to the enemy base is punishment enough. 🙂
<< In these ways the gameplay feels essentially the same, and yet almost seamlessly gives blue the advantage. I think those are qualities that you should look for in new changes to toughmode. >>
The thing is, TM mode is meant to give Blue the advantage, so Red is bound to feel some ‘pain’, via their more frequent deaths, or more failures to cap. From the start, a core ‘mission’ of AGR was to be a testing ground for experienced, dedicated, versatile players. The guy who always plays the same class, doesnt talk to teammates and doesnt really care about the score is bound to get frustrated, and possibly quit. That’s regretable, but AGR is meant to be ‘different’. I personally want to feel overwhelmed and frustrated. I want a deep game which is a battle of wits. I want to feel exhausted and exhillirated. Ideally, caps should be a spectacular, rare event, which only happen when Blue makes some error. Hence the ‘rush’.
However, I do agree with much of what you’ve said. As you can understand, TM mode is still experimental, and Red players need time to adjust to it’s brutal demands; as Red gets used to the challenge, and as more players like myself play Red for a change (and study the demos), we’ll all get an idea of how things work in practice, and the situation will become clearer.
Thanks for the feedback!