6v6 Team Fortress 2 has many different media outputs, from livestreams to forum posts to youtube discussion (subscribe btw). However, by far the most prolific and culturally impactful output of the competitive TF2 community is the frag video. Every player has watched a frag video, most players watched frag videos before even playing 6s, and many have created their own. I'd like to explore what makes this medium so substantial in the 6s community, what its conventions and standards are, and what is says about Team Fortress 2.
To start, what even is a frag video? Generally speaking, I would consider a frag video to be an edited compilation with the focus of showcasing authentic competitive gameplay. What do I mean by this? For example, ConeBone 69 in "Cone Bownage!" by Sleeplesslol is not a true frag video because the gameplay showcased is clearly inauthentic (more on authenticity later). Similarly, Competitive TF2 Can Be VERY Silly by Antoni is also not a frag video because gameplay is not the main focus but rather an accessory element, as is the case with many "clipdumps" or shadowplay compilations. Finally, sick pwnage frags by tf2worms is not a frag video because it is not a compilation, despite the fact that it indeed highlights gameplay through editing authentic gameplay; in this case ironically showcasing poor gameplay. Where this working definition fails, however, is in capturing the elements that make a traditional frag video. For example, [TF2] how to WALL HACK in INVITE 6s ON EVERY CLASS !! [working 2023] by gungon is indeed an edited compilation of authentic gameplay with the intent of highlighting said gameplay, but many wouldn't consider to to be a true frag video. While I disagree with that assertion we should talk about what makes a frag video feel traditional.
Perhaps the most important aspect in the editing of a frag video is music. Music selection is a multifaceted means of expression in a frag video which sets a mood and tempo for the gameplay, shares the tastes of the videos author, and provides a rhythmic framework to establish emotional weight to the footage featured, most often seen in a "beat drop" frag. For example, [1:40] in Team Fortress 2: Reptile Frag Vid by CyneroM14. A short, non frag video example of a less conventional beat drop being used is JUMPBUG by tomato tom which subverts standard practice of having the emotion punch come not with a kill, but simply an unlikely and skillful event (more on gameplay quality later). Even without a clear beat drop, music remains an essentially ubiquitous element of frag videos regardless of how much effort is put towards weaving the rhythm into the compilation in editing. A final such example being Advanced player Hone the Rat by Hone the Rat, in which the lack of rhythm and synchronization between the music and gameplay imbues this work with a stilted, unserious, almost mocking essence.
Music is only one element of artistic intentions expressed through video editing, and there is arguably an entire subgenre of frag video that uses heavy editing and custom assets to emphasize the footage, sometimes even in place of gameplay quality. A more traditional example of an edit-heavy frag video is refrigerator zeej pty ltd: in liquidation by cosmicvarietycash which blends 3rd-person smooths, filters, and overlays to create a punchy work almost embodying a ragtag group of underdogs with a clear aesthetic fingerprint.
One thing that I personally appreciate about this subgenre of frag video is that it can often achieve a dreamlike quality in which literal gameplay and mere setting are blended together, and nearly of mutual importance, uprooting what even defines a frag video. Environments [4K] by cyanic is a compilation featuring impressive and noteworthy plays at the highest level, and yet this work aims not to highlight such feats but rather lure the viewer into a kind of alternate reality wherein familiar events are taking place in completely foreign places. By introducing such traditionally-impressive frag clips among settings that are familiar and yet new, cyanic manages to tug at the very essence of TF2 competition rather than merely highlighting the specific events displayed.
These efforts can go even further. PLEASE STOP TYPING by nick_pvibes is perhaps not a frag video at all. This work is so assaulting to the senses that it is difficult to even discern if gameplay is occurring. And yet, a medic clasping his head through the view of a scope or an airborne soldier colliding with a pipe are such recognizable events that is still remains somewhat grounded. nick is clearly testing the limits of what is recognizable through distortion, and this video pushes the boundaries of what a frag video is, if not breaks them. Finally, it's interesting to note the gameplay quality used among these videos. The blend of gameplay with not often disarms the viewer and lowers the impact of gameplay quality on the overall product, so much so that sometimes videos in this genre use nearly mundane clips without detracting from the overall experience.
While these edit-heavy frag videos are very memorable, the bulk of frag video output is of a different kind entirely. A simple compilation with music is by far the most common form of frag video because of their ease of production as well as their gameplay-focused approach being deeply rooted in the frag video genre. Beat drop clips and some rhythmic weaving is common as are custom/pruned hud elements, and a rare smooth or intro might be included as well. With so little emphasis on creating emotional weight through editing, these works instead aim to do so though gameplay quality. Such an emphasis begs the question: what is quality gameplay?
There are many factors that contribute to the perceived quality of gameplay in a frag video. The most obvious one has roots to the very history of frag videos themselves: skill. At their core, frag videos existed to demonstrate that one is skilled at the game depicted. medick agane by weeb_whacker is a fantastic example. Medic is an extremely uncommon class for standalone frag videos due to being less flashy (which will be elaborated in a moment), and the editing is that of a basic, traditional frag video. However, despite standard editing and a less exciting class this work still stands out for no other reason than the skill displayed, in such a way that the untrained or inexperienced eye might not even consider the feats included to be particularly exciting.
Flashiness and skill are interrelated but certainly separate factors. Just as gameplay can be very skillful and not flashy, it can also be flashy without being too skillful. A demoman killing multiple players in a chokepoint is not particularly skillful since that is what the class already excels at, but it still gets included in frag videos for its flashiness, among other reasons we'll discuss. Whether a clip is flashy or not is of course a subjective and aesthetic disctinction, loosely associated with perceived impact. For some, this can be as simple as many explosions connecting at once for a demo, or a scout hitting heavy shots back to back to back, or a rocket connecting midair after a dramatically-appropriate amount of hang time. Cont...