I agree with both of these. What's even more unfortunate is that with ETF2L announcing that they want to add a new map to the pool next season and making a poll for it, this would have been the perfect space in which to run a map test cup to trial the maps. This would let people vote in a more informed way, and give some last minute feedback to the mappers in case issues are spotted in the cup (so the fix can happen before the season). Aside from entropy and subbase (which had non-ETF2L run cups in 2023), it feels like nowadays almost all 6s map cups are in NA.

https://logs.tf/3490593

I don't think this group stage game from i71 will ever be beaten. It was Witness Gaming vs Reddit Nation, the latter being a team of non comp players that formed about an hour before the tournament and dropped immediately after this game. It is technically an official match played in a main bracket of a LAN though. Map 1 of the grand final of the same LAN is also probably up there as one of the fastest LAN final matches ever (I vividly remember Turbo rushing back to the stage to get ready for the next couch segment as the score ticked over to 4-0 on gullywash).

poLANd.tf 2026 final would have finished in a very unsatisfying 2-0 for MANDEM in around an hour had there been a map advantage.

I am very against map advantage in grand final. Bracket resets etc work in games where the match time is shorter (fighting games, Rocket League etc). Even if there are only 5 maps in the miniseason, I don't see the issue with just letting the upper bracket team have 2 bans and then playing the other 3.

When I see 11/12 in the mix queue whilst I am on the train home from work I join the queue channel on my phone to make them think they have their 12th gamer. But I just say "sorry I am just here to announce that I can't mix" and then I leave/get kicked.

cu@

spiral...

Honestly I'm so glad logs is down right now, saved me from an appearance in the 98dpm thread lmao

Mike vs Froyo i58 LBF

cu@

Agree 100% on resup binds. Honestly would be in favour of removing them entirely, but I know that this isn't entirely feasible (since class swap binds would have almost the same effect beyond losing uber as medic or buildings as engie). The suggestion of the granary tape is good and imo all current rotation 5cp maps should add it.

One other rogue idea for a config that prevents unlimited-length games is as follows:
- Map time limit starts at 25 mins, win limit 5
- After the 15 minute mark, any time a round is scored the map timer increases by 2.5 mins
- If scores tied when timer hits zero, play golden cap and golden mid if needed

Open to suggestions for the exact time amounts used, but this way you keep some of the benefits of CO (no garbage time and teams who are behind have a chance to come back) without having the possibility for arbitarily-long games. Ofc doesn't fix everything with the ETF2L ruleset, namely that teams can still stalemate to win, or that not every game ends on a round win, but I believe removing those issues will require us to allow unlimited-length games and that brings about many new problems.

Inb4 a team of ants in their prime gets LAN MVP

Seems like there are trains from Toronto to Windsor, but it takes around 4 hours. Shame there is a border in the way on the Detroit side :( .

cu@

5 kills and almost 2k damage is huge

Honestly, I just want to shout out the entire NA TF2 scene in general.

I attended this LAN knowing practically nobody, and feel like I was welcomed with open arms. I had a fantastic time meeting and hanging out with everyone, from spectators and players to Fireside staff themselves.

LAN blues already kicking in as more and more people start their trips home, and I realise that in a few hours I will fly across the Atlantic far away in both distance and time zone from my new friends. Incredibly keen to come over again should a similar event run in the future. Missing everyone so much already.

ps: would love to have some intercontinental representation in Poland next year