i've found that the people that don't think about it from a sociopathic perspective do fine

if they're asking themself "how do i win them back over?", they're asking the wrong question

plenty of folks with mild to severely bad rep are fine in the eyes of the community now because they stopped being idiots and started being at least a bit kinder ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

For the nerdier DIY folks, (and tony knows this so this is more for anyone else stumbling upon this thread), vultr is a great option if you want to minimize costs while getting great performance. You can set up a server for 3-6 cents an hour and only pay for the hours you need it by using a docker image and simple startup script.

Lots of locations too if you want something other than CHI/DAL and don't mind upsetting folks. Everyone other than vancouver-y folks ping great to ATL in my experience, tho chi folks will get mad ;)

Newbie mixes are expanding across the pond!

We've been running the NA newbie mixes for about a decade now. We're so proud of all the work we've done to support the lower level of the scene.

We're excited to bring our experience, methodology, servers, and best practices to hopefully create a very successful EU version of newbie mixes, powered by the TF2IsPwn Patreon.

https://i.ibb.co/rtbLHKm/Newbie-Mixes-Logo-Remake-EU-thin.png

Here's where you come in! In NA, "coaching lineages" go down many layers deep (coaches who've taught newbies who've become coaches who taught newbies etc etc). We don't have that in EU, so we need coaches to volunteer! We will show you what you need to do; it's all very easy.

We're looking to start EU mixes by late May/ Early June, each Friday at 20 CET. Coaching requirements are as follows:
- played at least mid
- no current bans on etf2l, etc
- capable of being kind, not saying "gamer words," etc.

Reach out to Samus#1445 and join our discord (discord.newbie.tf) if you're interested in coaching!

If you're interested in coaching an want to get an idea of what it'd be like, check out these resources:
- The basic framework we teach within.
- (Slightly old but still accurate) coaching guide
- Nerd shit for the curious (definitely not required viewing lol)

yeah, i figured there was a reason it wasn't mirrored somewhere. someone hmu if ya wanna make it, otherwise i'll do it in like late june / early july probs

If someone wants to make something like this as a collaboration with newbie.tf, it and TF2IsPwn are happy to host & provide any kind of assets (screenshots, icons, etc) you'd need

Seems like a fairly straightforward project. Just be able to drag shit around, make basic shapes and arrows, etc. With the availability of discord video sharing, I don't think anybody has the need for any kind of live connection unless you wanna go way over the top lol

I could make one this summer if no one does it by then.

edit, or if anyone knows how to get in contact with gentlemanjon we would happily just throw his project up with some new map pics if he's comfortable with that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

stop thinking about "damage" and think about "capitalizable damage"

keep track of ammo/clip of yourself and others

call everything and insist your team does the same

dont look back in teamfights unless absolutely necessary

yeah, i'd offer to run them, but i would realistically be out too frequently to do it consistently. if a few ppl with decent rep want to run these, lmk & i'll make sure there is a mumble home & get anything else needed set up

16:9 or wider is the "objectively" good one

but honestly, if you have something you're used to just stick with it.

let me know if you want a mumble server for this, i'll set one up in na.voice.tf

i'd be super down in the summer to play (and some days after 4:30 et generally)

my biggest issue isn't conflicts with scrims, cause i dont play anymore. it's that i'm tired from teaching all day by the time pug o'clock rolls around.

i have no idea what div/level you're at, so i'll keep this advisce broad

While it's important to look at top-level players, I actually advise newer players to look at folks that are only a div or two above them. Arekk and clockwork are making the right plays for them, with their accuracy% and team cohesion. It's a totally different ball game at the lower end.

Definitely watch the higher level POVs to know your end-goal, but watching a really smart main/high IM player is just as helpful, if not more helpful for new players.

edit: i misspelled advice lol

ANTI ZOOMER PUGS WHEN?

For minor situations, try to healthily channel frustration into improvement.

That said, if you find yourself being frustrated to the point of genuine anger/rage: ground yourself, take a few breaths, and tell yourself--like you said in your post--it's just "a dying 14 year old video game".

That game can be important to us, but it should only be important insofar as getting an enjoyable experience out of it. If you're not having fun, fuck it. Take some time away and do something else

https://i.ibb.co/nMm1Pdp/image.png

vis a vis squad, where you at?

i would not have been able to do any of the things shown in that clip without the cow mangler

- i sat at last and spammed rockets at doors constantly (without having to resup so i had great spam sightlines), helping stuff a push
- i pushed out of last immediately when it was called, not having to worry about ammo or resup, continuing to spam and chip rocket things as we left last
- i spammed down from spire and hit relatively decent directs/airshots that i almost definitely would not have gone for if ammo was a concern (because i suck rofl), causing no one to be able to contest me
- i jumped back to batts because there was a scout behind us, so i spammed doors he would be most threatening to my med if he came through
- i jumped forward again and emptied my clip (very poorly lol) onto the medic/demo

on the highlight, i shot 20 rockets rofl. before that i was spamming during a last hold and after that we pushed mid. i didn't pick up a single ammo pack.

yes, i hit good shots and made a solid play, but if i was doing a demo review of that play and i was running stock, i'd call myself a fucking idiot. that is incredibly powerful (and this is the important part:) in a way that's super, super unfun to play against, and that's before even factoring in the dumb burst damage you can do with a charge shot

i only came here to say the visuals of a cow mangler airshot are badass. i probably wont respond to this further lol

That's the point of my post. the aesthetics are cool imo (but i get why others disagree). But not having to track/worry about ammo is OP af. idk how you could read my post and take away that i think cowmangler is fine lol