Coming from a regular tf2mixer, I see pug.na as a "one up" from mix. For the past year, pug.na was frequented by invite and main players so it's only logical that they would get picked first; that's why I - and many others - wouldn't bother adding up.

It's almost as if the level was set on pug.na so anybody that used tf2mix had no incentive to play there, let alone someone just starting to pug. Basically, the sub IM player-base was never in question to begin with.

For whatever reason, the invite/main community stopped using the channel and I think that's where your problem is.

It would be neat if TF2Center added a PUG system. It would probably be very messy at the start though.

Yeah, imagine if there was something like a TFqueue ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°).

*

The thing with those problems is that pugna has been that way since it started. That's a good part of why tf2mix was created a few or so years back. I can't really say that it's the reason why it's been as inactive as it has been lately.

I wouldn't say it's a popularity contest, it's just that unlike inhouse pugs, not everyone knows you. Eventually you'll either get picked because there isn't anyone left on a needed class or someone who does know you is captaining. Once people actually know your ability, you'll be picked based on it. While I agree that it's difficult to get picked if you're new to playing pugna, you have to realize that the captains have probably never seen you outside of forums.

Hooli I agree with you that the most dedicated will play and find a way. At the same time, the server split is perhaps a significant enough barrier to demotivate those who are on the fence from adding up to pug.na / moving up from mix. An obstacle.

I completely agree with you on the promotion front. Could be well used.

Never understood why it moved servers. Decided to just not join pug.na on the other channel unless I was invited by someone.

Wish they had the rotation of captain/auto pick thing so that you can keep pugs going for the people who didn't get picked. Just saying.. that will help out pug.na a lot. Like a few people said, they don't want to add up because they will never get a chance to play anyways. But then again, I guess they could just add captain...

That was tried with #tf2pug and we changed the bot in tf2.pug.na (we used the same bot that TF2Mix has now), and that died out really quickly

the only remedy to that is that have enough people for 2 pugs; a good pug and a fatkid pug. that way the 2 pugs are constantly recycling players allowing (mostly) everyone to play. since pugna has had a lower player count lately we just get a single pug going on at once and the same people get picked and the fatkids never get to play.

so yeah, the pugna system is most efficient when there are 24+ players added. just need a little promotion to get those numbers up.

ps
death to tf2mix
the whole alternating captain/fatkid pug system is dumb because scrambled teams end up imbalanced like 90% of the time.
kill tf2mix
promote pugna
lower captain requirement
get 24+ players
everyone is happy :D

scrambled teams aren't so bad just don't make it mandatory, it really kills the flow and quality of games. instead have a vote that triggers the fatkid gamemode so you get consistently more captain(better) games.

ALL HAIL HOOLI

its ez to say kill tf2mix if you get picked in pugna :)

If it wasn't for the fatkid pugs I'd have given up trying to get picked. It lets people who aren't well known get games in so they are know and eventually get picked in captain mode.

hey fuck you buddy

two people can add up as captain even in the normal/fatkid picking game.

It's not that hard to get picked in pug.na. It really isn't. This community just has a set of irrational fears that it needs to get over - and "I can't play in pug.na" is just one of those.

With that said, I think tf2mix does have value to players that are learning a new class or are new to the game. Anybody with a season of ESEA should be able to handle pug.na just fine.

Is the only reason the other pug channels are on GeeksIRC instead of QuakeNet that the bots would need to be rewritten? Or does it also not hide IP addresses?