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|| ( )_( ) /__\ ( ) ( ___)___( ) (_ _)( ___)( ___) ||
|| ) _ ( /(__)\ )(__ )__)(___))(__ _)(_ )__) )__) ||
|| (_) (_)(__)(__)(____)(__) (____)(____)(__) (____) ||
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|| A D V A N C E D ||
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|| M U L T I P L A Y E R ||
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|| G U I D E ||
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v.82 (6/22/00)
Updated for Half-Life v. 1.1.0.0 and Team Fortress Classic v. 1.5
Best viewed in Windows Wordpad (no word wrap required).
See bottom of this document for copyright information.
By: Josh R. (Email:
[email protected]) (ICQ #: 34384634)
Half-Life Alias: TFE|*Hostage* or *Hostage*
Found at:
http://www.gamefaqs.com
http://www.gameadvice.com
http://home.planetinternet.be/~twuyts/
http://DLH.Net/
http://www.timsvault.com/
(Disclaimer: The stuff in this guide is mostly my opinion spilled out
onto a text document...so if you don't like it, tuff. :P Also, I am NOT
the best Half-Life player, nor do I claim to be the best. I am simply a
guy who just wanted to share his experiences and views on the game.)
PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE!! I AM WILLING TO
HELP!! THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS SECTION NEEDS TO GROW!!
-----------------
Table O' Contents
-----------------
I. UPDATES
II. INTRO
III. GENERAL STUFF YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW
(III.1.1) Abbreviations
(III.1.1.1) Expression Abbreviations
(III.1.1.2) People Abbreviations
(III.1.1.3) Weapon/Item Abbreviations
(III.1.1.4) Other Abbreviations
IV. TWEAKS AND CONFIGURATIONS
(IV.1) Hardware
(IV.2) General Tweaks/Configs
V. DEATH MATCH
(V.1) Tau Cannon Tips
(V.1.1) Shooting Through The Wall With The Tau
(V.1.1) Tau Jumping
(V.2) Combos
(V.3) Bots
(V.4) Demos
(V.5) Other Playing Tips
(V.6) Map-Specific Strategies
(V.6.1) Boot_Camp
(V.6.2) Crossfire
VI. TEAM FORTRESS CLASSIC
(VI.1) Classes
(VI.1.1) Scout
(VI.1.2) Sniper
(VI.1.3) Soldier
(VI.1.4) Demolitions Man
(VI.1.5) Combat Medic
(VI.1.6) Heavy Weapons Guy
(VI.1.7) Pyro
(VI.1.8) Spy
(VI.1.9) Engineer
VII. STUFF YOU NEED TO LEARN
(VII.1) Things You Should Do First
(VII.2) Binding
(VII.2.1) Binding Sayings
(VII.2.2) Binding Weapons
(VII.2.3) Binding Cheats
VIII. MY STUFF AND HOW I LEARNED IT
(VIII.1) My Configs
(VIII.2) My Combos
(VIII.3) My Favorite Servers
(VIII.4) My Thoughts On The New Patch
IX. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
X. IMPORTANT LINKS
(X.1) General
(X.2) Models
(X.3) Maps
(X.4) Console Commands
(X.5) Logos
(X.6) Communication
(X.7) Sounds
(X.8) Speed Tweaking
(X.9) Bots
(X.10) Binding
(X.11) Ladders and Competitions
XI. OUTRO
XII. SPECIAL THANKS AND OTHER INFO
(XII.1) Special Thanks
(XII.2) Contributing
(XII.3) Copyright Info
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
=- (I.) U p D a T e S -=
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
v.82 (6/22/00)
- Added 2 questions to FAQ's.
- Modified "My Thoughts on the New patch" section.
- Added some more links in the "Important Links" section.
- Added a new section under "Important Links" called "Ladders and
Competitions", for competitions you can put your clan in.
- Edited the intro to the Death Match section a bit.
- Added an intro and a Classes section to the TFC section.
- Added some more abbreviations.
- Went through the guide updating everything to the current version of
Half-Life, 1.1.0.0.
- Edited "Thing You Should Do First" under "Stuff You Need To Learn".
- Updated "Binding" section under "Stuff You Need To Learn".
- Changed my clan tag to TFE|.
v.80 (6/12/00)
- Rearranged the whole guide to accomodate for the Team Fortress
Classic sections I will be adding.
- Added a new section entitled, My Thoughts On The New Patch, under My
Stuff And How I Learned It
- Updated my config.cfg and autoexec.cfg files.
- Added a a few new REALLY good links to Speed Tweaks under the Other
Links section.
- Added a new place where this guide can be found.
- Added some ASCII art to the top of this guide.
- Corrected a few common errors that human beings often make. :)
v.71 (4/7/00)
- Updated my config.cfg file and my autoexec.cfg file with some brand
new strategies of speeding up your gameplay.
- Added a new place where this guide will be found.
v.70 (4/6/00)
- Added a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section.
- Added some more links to the Other Links section.
- Added a My Favorite Server section to My Stuff and How I Learned It
- Added a tip in the Other Configs You Should Have section of Stuff You
Should Already Know.
- Added map tips and tricks for stalkyard.
- Added some more people to Special Thanks.
- Added a new place where this guide will be found.
- Corrected a few typos here and there, ya know.
v.60 (3/31/00)
- Removed a tip.
- Moved the Links To Websites About Binding down to the Other Links
section, and moved the Bot links to the Other Links section as well.
- Added a few new links to the Other Links section.
- Added map tips and tricks for crossfire.
- Edited map tips and tricks a bit for boot_camp.
- Added a new place where this guide will be found.
v.55 (3/28/00)
- Added Demos section under Stuff You Need To Learn.
- Added map tips and strats for boot_camp.
- Fixed some minor errors.
v.50 (3/25/00)
- First version of this guide.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
=- (II.) I n T r O -=
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Hey!! I decided to write this because I have seen a lot of guides
around the 'net dedicated to Half-Life, but almost none dedicated to
telling the players how to actually be considered good in multiplayer
(and, yes, I had to learn this on my own, and trust me, it wasn't fun.
lol). Hopefully, this will help you a bit in your quest to becoming
"good" at Half-Life and not be labeled a newbie your whole life, or I
should say your "half-life". :P
This guide assumes that you know how to play and are used to your own
controls. But, I give my controls if you want to tweak yours (although
mine probably aren't any different from any of yours). Also, it assumes
you know which weapon is which and what primary and secondary fire on
each weapon does. If you need to experiment, go ahead and do so before
reading ahead.
One more thing before I start the rest of this guide. What's the
definition of a good Half-Life player? Well, in my opinion, it comes
down to 3 factors: Aim, Memorization, and Evasion (AME). You've got to
know how to hit the guys, where things are in the map you're playing
on, and how to keep from getting hit by the enemy as much as you can.
That's what this guide is for ... to help you with these tasks and make
them more clear so that you can improve at Half-Life. Two words also
come to mind: practice and experience. Without these two things, you
are doomed to crappiness at Half-Life forever :).
What's the definition of a good TFC player? On offense, it all comes
down to trying to accomplish the goal of gaining points, whether it be
by capturing a flag, grabbing a key, taking over control points, etc.
If you are the Defense, this means not letting the enemy accomplish his
goal. But, you must learn how to aim well, use the different jumps to
your advantage, prime grenades, and many other techniques.
Well, read this guide and I hope you learn something. Just remember,
most of being good is your own experiences, so this is just to get you
started on that long road to becoming good.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
=- (III.) S t U f F y O u S h O u L d a L r E a D y K n O w -=
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This guide wasn't meant to be a total explanation of how to play Half-
Life, just to help you improve a bit and provide some info you might
not know. But, there are several of you out there that should probably
read through this part of the guide anyways, even if you THINK you know
it all.
You should be familiar with the interface of Half-Life Deathmatch (no,
Deathmatch is NOT Team Fortress) and with what all the weapons/items
do. You should also have a basic idea of what most of the maps that
came with Half-Life look like.
=========================
= (III.1) ABBREVIATIONS =
=========================
You should also know what some abbreviations mean that might be said
in-game. Read the list below and make sure you know what these
abbreviations mean so you won't have to ask during a game and be
considered a newbie.
(III.1.1) EXPRESSION ABBREVIATIONS
----------------------------------
lol Laughing Out Loud OR Laughing OnLine
rofl Rolling On the Floor Laughing
gg Good Game
g/g Gotta Go
brb Be Right Back
bbl Be Back Later
afk Away From Keyboard
plz Please
rdy Ready
omg Oh My God
shhhhh newbie A guy that thinks he is good telling a player that he
thinks sucks to stop whining (I used to get this alot)
fyi For Your Information
jk, j/k Just Kidding
thx Thanks
ty Thank You
gl Good Luck
np No Problem
nm Nevermind
o Oh
c See
r Are
u You
k OK
b4 Before
thru Through
ne1 Anyone
(III.1.2) PEOPLE ABBREVIATIONS
------------------------------
peeps People
lpb Low Ping Bastard (someone with low latency)
hpb High Ping Bastard (someone with high latency)
hpw High Ping Whiner (someone with high latency that
whines a lot about it); This can also mean High Ping
Warrior, in other words someone that is really good
for their ping.
newbie or newb Someone who is new to the game or just plain sucks at
it.
camper Someone that stays in a certain spot to get items and
kills and almost never moves.
tau jumper Someone who uses the Tau Cannon to jump around while
shooting and trying not to get hit, or who uses it to
run.
scrub Someone who really really sucks or deserves to have
Chinese nipple torture performed on them because of
how low they are.
(III.1.3) WEAPON/ITEM ABBREVIATIONS
-----------------------------------
Rocket Launcher rpg, rocket launcher
357 Magnum mag
Machine Gun mp5, machine gun, mg
MG Grenades grenades, nades, pills, mg grenades
Tau Cannon tau, the cheat gun (lol), wind-up gun, laser gun
Gluon Gun gluon, egon gun, gayon gun, lpb gun
Satchel Charges satchels, c4, explosives, detpacks
Trip Mines mines
Shotgun shotty
Crossbow xbow, bow
Hive Gun bug gun, bee gun (you deserve to be put in the
guillotine if you use this gun too often)
lj Long Jump module
conc Concussion Grenade
mirv MIRV Grenade (used by HWGuy/Demoman)
emp EMP Grenade (used by Engineer)
sg Sentry Gun (built by Engineer)
(III.1.4) OTHER ABBREVIATIONS
-----------------------------
dm Death Match
tfc Team Fortress Classic
cs Counter-Strike
mp MultiPlayer
latency A number showing the reaction time of an action
performed in an online game in milliseconds. Usually
shown by holding <TAB>.
ping Same as latency.
lag Slowdown in a game due to internet connection,
computer speed, or both.
spawn When you come back after getting killed.
skillz If someone has these, they are good.
frag Refers to a kill.
nuke spot A place where the Tau Cannon can hit and spread the
damage to anyone nearby.
sacked Refers to being killed by the Crossbow.
pimped Refers to being killed by the Crowbar.
bumnosed Refers to being hit at very close range with either a
rocket launcher shot or a MG grenade shot and kills
both people.
type killed Killed while you are typing something.
spawn killed Killed right when you respawn.
binding Refers to binding specific weapons to keys for quick
switching from weapon to weapon. You can also bind
things like a 1 button long jump, cheats (for when
they are enabled), and saying things. How to do this
will be covered later in this guide.
l33t Elite
comp Computer
bot A non-human player (Artificial Intelligence).
Those abbreviations are most of what you'll hear during games of Half-
Life. If you see any _appropriate_ abbreviations I missed (my brain's
only so big), email me (my email address is listed at the top of the
guide) and I'll add it.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
=- (IV.) T w E a K s A n D c O n F i G u R a T i O n S -=
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Even if you think Half-Life is running fast enough for your taste, it
can always be running faster. =D So, I have dedicated this section to
showing you a little about how it can be done. If you would like some
more in-depth articles about tweaking, check the Important Links
sectionof this guide.
===================
= (IV.1) HARDWARE =
===================
Hardware is one of the most important factors when it comes to game
playing (especially 3D shooters). The player with the faster and more
loaded computer will most of the time end up being better than someone
with an old crappy one.
On the other hand, the player with a crappy computer but with a good
internet connection may do better than someone with an awesome comp and
a bad connection.
What I recommend is at least a Pentium 233 or higher with at least 64
megs of RAM in order to make the game playable and enjoyable. Mine is a
Compaq K6-2 400 with 96 megs of RAM, a Voodoo 3 3000 graphics card, and
a Cambridge Soundworks 3-piece sound system. It's a nice computer for
game playing and anything else, but definitely not for hosting games
because of something weird with my LAN card :-(. If you want to host, I
suggest going with either a Celeron, Pentium II or higher, or AMD
Athlon. AMD K-6's are so-so, and the Intel brand is your best choice.
Some added bonus's you could have include a 3D sound card, 4-point
surround sound speakers, a graphics card, more RAM...the possibilities
are endless. A graphics card really helps when it comes to Half-Life,
and you can find a good Voodoo 2 card for under 50 bucks just about
anywhere. Any card will do as long as it has at least 12 megs of buffer
memory so it won't be too choppy.
Some more things to remember about hardware include:
-- The more RAM, the better.
-- Same goes for Hard Drive space...you can never have too much.
-- Some computers may be too fast to run Half-Life...you would then
have to use a slowdown program to make it playable, so watch your
speeds.
-- Make sure you can hear your opponent clearly and have a good idea
where he is. A cheap Soundblaster Live Value, XGamer, or MP3+ would
make a world of difference.
=================================
= (IV.2) GENERAL TWEAKS/CONFIGS =
=================================
-- Turn your mouse sensitivity up to where you can turn 180 degrees
easily. You can do this in the console by typing:
sensitivity xx <---xx is number amount of the mouse sensitivity
Mine usually stays around 15.
-- Probably the best thing to stop lag is this command here:
cl_download_ingame "0"
This will stop all decal downloading in a game and thus reduce your lag
significantly. It's a lag killer deluxe edition with a lifetime money-
back guarantee!
-- You might want to change your data exchange rate in the console.
Rate is how fast your modem is going in thousands. Say for example you
have a 56k connection, then you would want to set rate equal to about
4800 or so. To change it, in the console type:
rate xxxx
Here is a list of connections and rates you need if you have that
connection.
CONNECTION RATE NUMBER (to replace xxxx)
---------- -----------
28.8k 2600
33.6k 3360
56k 4800 - 5000 (depending on connection)
ISDN 128k or above 10000 or over (depending on connection)
Don't try to set it too high or too low...you won't like the effects,
trust me. :)
-- You could experiment with the command fps_modem and see if that
lowers your ping. This command sets your FPS (frames per second) at a
constant rate, and the lower the number, the lower your ping. So,
choose a number that is both playable and supported by your computer.
To check your current FPS, go to console and type:
r_speeds "1"
You will see a number telling you your FPS. To turn it off, type:
r_speeds "0"
Anyways, back to fps_modem. If you were to type it somewhere, this is
what it should look like:
fps_modem "xx"
xx = frames per second you want to have continually
A word of warning: do not set this too high, as it will shoot your ping
up to the stars.
-- Try disabling the fancy graphic crap, such as blood, decals, and
bullet marks. This should lower your ping quite a bit in most cases. To
disable all "decals" (or, fancy effects), go to console or your
config.cfg and type:
r_decals "0"
If you want some decals but not as much as default, try this:
r_decals "150"
This will only allow 150 decals to be in a game at a time. Change it to
suit your needs.
-- Check my autoexec.cfg file for tips on speeding up your gameplay.
-- Go to the bottom of this guide to the "Important Links" section to
find some more links to webpages about tweaking your connection and
game.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
=- (V.) D e A t H m A t C h -=
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Half-Life Death Match is defined as regular Half-Life, simply because
it was the original multiplayer that came with Half-Life. There are 2
modes of play: "Deathmatch" and "Teamplay". "Deathmatch" is basically a
free-for-all, where every player is against each other. In a
"Teamplay" game, there can be teams of players who compete against
other teams of players. Either way, the goal is to frag (or kill) as
many of the other players as you can.
=========================
= (V.1) TAU CANNON TIPS =
=========================
(V.1.1) SHOOTING THROUGH THE WALL WITH THE TAU
----------------------------------------------
Have you ever just been innocently walking inside a room, and then all
the sudden outta nowhere comes this sproingy sound and then you were
dead? Then you have probably experienced the old tau-thru-the-wall
trick. Now, most of you probably already know about this, but you can
wind up the tau by holding the secondary fire button and release it on
a wall where you think someone may be behind it. It will hit everyone
that is behind the wall for splash damage (or, damage that covers a
large radius). Most of the time, if you are wound-up almost all the
way, it will kill everyone behind the wall.
Now, there's something that I call a "double-layer wall", and it's a
wall that just simply cannot be shot through with the tau. You'll have
to find these out on your own.
You can also shoot people through corners of walls or ledges. If
someone is standing behind a corner of a wall (or under a ledge), then
try to aim at the corner and release and it should kill them or hurt
them badly. It's a technique I call "cornering", and it's rather
difficult to perfect. And, it does have it's downsides. You can very
easily kill yourself if you don't do it right. Sometimes it bounces
back straight at you, which isn't good at all =D.
Also, some places can reflect your tau shots and kill you instead. It's
very irritating, trust me. :)
*NEW* Since the new 1.1.0.0 patch, the effect of the tau has been cut
down significantly.
(V.1.2) TAU JUMPING
-------------------
Ooooooo, now HERE's a touchy subject. This little technique right here
has caused more arguments than you've ever had with your parents (and
trust me, that's a crapload).
If there are any of you Quakers reading this, then you probably know
what I mean when I say the words "rocket jumping". Well, tau jumping is
similar, except it's a lot easier to do than rocket jumping (if you
practice a little). You just point the tau cannon at the ground
somewhere in an open area, wind it up by holding the secondary fire
button, and releasing. See how it propels you into the air? Now, think
of ways you can stay in the air and jump to different places by winding
the tau up and shooting it.
================
= (V.2) COMBOS =
================
You may have never thought of it before, but there are several deadly
combos waiting to be perfected in Half-Life. Some are easy, some are
close to impossible. It all depends on how much you are willing to play
and tweak things to get it to where you can perform these. And when I
talk about combos, I don't mean take 5 seconds between each step...I
mean in very quick succession...because, remember, your enemy isn't
going to give you time to look at you keys and say "Now which one was
the tau cannon again?"
Here are some common combos seen and the difficulty level of each
(based on binding)(note: sometimes it just depends on how used to your
keys you are):
longjump - nades everywhere/shotgun/any weapon, hehe (easy)
nade - rpg (easy)
rpg - nade (easy)
nade - rpg - nade (medium-easy)
tau jump (medium-easy)
tau jump - rpg - nade (medium)
tau jump - nade - rpg - nade (medium-hard)
tau jump - tau (medium easy - medium-hard)
tau jump - nade - shotgun for the kill (hard)
tau jump - crossbow for the kill (incredibly hard)
Be it known that adding a few long jumps in any of those makes them
harder to perform, and also harder for your enemy to hit you.
==============
= (V.3) BOTS =
==============
There are various bots around the 'net that you can use to practice
mercilessly upon. Most of them come with their own instructions on how
to use them and how to configure their skill level. ALL of the bots are
in development - which means that none of them are near perfect...but
some are better than others. Check the Other Links section for links to
some bot websites.
===============
= (V.4) DEMOS =
===============
Demos are recordings of playing a game. In other words, you can record
what is happeneing on the screen during a game. To start recording a
demo, type this in the console:
record xxx
xxx = filename of the demo
The demo should now be stored under the Half-Life/valve directory,
under the filename you recorded it as.
To play back the demo, here are the instructions:
1.) First, make sure the demo is located in the Half-Life/valve
directory.
2.) At the Half-Life main menu, select Multiplayer.
3.) Then select LAN game.
4.) Then Create Game.
5.) It doesn't matter what map or any settings, just create one.
6.) Once you are inside the game, go to console and type:
playdemo xxx.dem
xxx = filename of demo
7.) The demo should be played back to you.
============================
= (V.5) OTHER PLAYING TIPS =
============================
-- AIM FOR THE HEAD!! Peoples...a head shot counts 3 times as much
damage as other shots. Other than head shots, you can have body, arm,
and leg shots...but they all count for normal damage. So, try to target
your cursor to the head of your opponent.
-- Try to get to where you can long jump around a lot to avoid being
hit by your enemy. I know it's hard, but just practice it and turn your
mouse sensitivity up a bit to help you out.
-- In close hallways and such, avoid using explosives such as MG
grenades and the RPG rocket launcher. Try practicing using the
shotgun...it WILL be your best friend in these types of levels.
-- In teamplay games, really try to keep communications going between
you and your teammates. If you play one map predominately over any
other, you can try binding sayings for things like landmarks on the
map.
Example: For boot_camp, I bound 4 main sayings (and various others):
"I'M AT -BRIDGE-"
"I'M AT -COURTYARD-"
"I'M AT -WATER TANKS-"
"LOCATION??"
I got this idea from several other guys. Try it out.
-- Accommodate your playing to the opposition. If the guys you are
playing suck, then you shouldn't play too seriously (unless you really
want to embarrass them, hehe). If you are playing someone as good or
better than you, then try to adjust to his skills and work him over
with them. If you can't beat your opponent, learn from your mistakes
and his style of play and try to incorporate them into your styles.
-- Try not to get too angry while playing. I know it's difficult, but
playing with a clear mind and making friends while your at it is the
best way to improve.
-- Watch the good peeps play. Ask if you can be an observer in a clan
match and watch the guys and how they move. You can learn a lot by
doing that.
-- When you are walking around and here a suspicious sound, always
stop for a moment and listen to where it is coming from. You can also
continue moving by means of crawling or walking (which makes no sound).
This also confuses your enemy, as they have probably already heard you
and now that your being silent, they think that you left.
=================================
= (V.6) MAP-SPECIFIC STRATEGIES =
=================================
Tired of getting plastered in boot_camp? Is crossfire leaving you kind
of, well, dead? Then this section is for you. Here, you can find tips
and strats dedicated to certain maps to help you "Know The Ledge" a
little better. :D
(V.6.1) BOOT_CAMP
-----------------
**MAP WALKTHROUGH DEMO**
(currently down)
Approximately 1.08 Mb
(For info on demos, see the Demos section under Stuff You Will Learn)
This map is a biggie, and contains lots of little nooks and crannies
that can be hard to get to sometimes. The good thing about boot_camp
(or bc) is that it has good balance between outside and inside areas.
The accessibility in this level is also great, as you can get to almost
any area in the game fairly easily - if you know where you're going.
Check the demo I have provided for you for some tips and key areas.
KEY AREAS
---------
BRIDGE - this is the area on and around the bridge. Weapons in this
area include the tau, rpg, crossbow, and mg. Collect as much ammo as
you can and use the tau and lj to jump from building to building as
quick as you can, because there are lots of nuke spots for the tau here
that can get you killed quicker than you can say "What's that noise?".
COURTYARD - this is the big area in the middle, and includes the
building with the gluon and the building with the upper balcony
containing the crossbow. This is where good fights occur, as it's a
fairly open space and allows for easy rpg firing.
WATER TANKS - the only 2 lj's in boot_camp can be found here. This is
the area with the 2 water tanks and also includes the walkway with the
lj and the area with the other lj and the rpg, along with the armor
room.
TIPS
----
-- This is a tuffy if you're in the popular all boot_camp servers.
Your best chance in this map is to use the tau and lj a _lot_ to move
around. Also, practice your aim, because you will need a lot of it
here. There is lots of cornering and pole shooting with the tau...so be
prepared.
-- When you respawn, immediately look for a mg or something useful,
and then go in search of an lj as quick as you can.
(V.6.2) CROSSFIRE
-----------------
**MAP WALKTHROUGH DEMO**
(currently down)
Approximately 1.5 Mb
(For info on demos, see the Demos section under Stuff You Will Learn)
This map is fairly small and great for fast and furious games. It's
very difficult to perform good tau jumping in this map because of it's
tight places and many buildings. Shooting through the wall will most
likely hand you a frag if there are more than 10 people in crossfire at
a time. Try it sometime!
KEY AREAS
---------
CENTRAL COURTYARD - This is the open place in the middle where the RPG
rocket launcher is at. A good place to find lots of people to shoot.
Plus, it has easy access to almost any area in the map...most notably
the HEV rooms with the armor panels and the long jump modules. But,
staying in this place too long will get you fragged, so try going out
every once and awhile to ammo up.
BUNKER - This area serves up tons of great sniping places, as well
as an added bonus - a nuke that can kill anyone in the map if they
aren't in the bunker or tau jumping waaaaaay high in the area outside
the bunker. The bunker also contains a crapload of ammo and is a
camper's paradise...so it can be assured that you can find one or two
players lurking around here.
TIPS
----
-- You can tau jump to many ledges to get you out of danger. Also,
staying around the area outside the bunker can help you practice your
tau jumping and killing people from the air.
-- There are several sniping places that you can try that can't be
seen easily...like on top of the metal thing near one of the HEV rooms,
and the bunker.
-- If you really want to irritate people, try using the two huge guns
at the top of the bunker and picking off people coming towards the
bunker...it doesn't get you any kills, and is sure to make a lot of
people mad! :)
MORE COMING SOON!!!!!!!!!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
=- (VI.) T e A m F o R t R e S s C l A s S i C -=
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Team Fortress Classic (TFC) is the first MOD(or, modification) released
by Valve for Half-Life. TFC has several modes of play, including:
"Capture the Flag/Key", "Elimination", "Capture Designated Areas", and
good old "Deathmatch".
==================
= (VI.1) CLASSES =
==================
There are 9 classes in TFC, each with their own unique strengths,
weaknesses, and abilities.
(VI.1.1) Scout
--------------
OVERVIEW:
The Scout is the fastest moving class in TFC. With that in mind, the
Scout makes a great addition to any offense. Although he is very weak,
the Scout can usually manage to slip past the slow guys and accomplish
whatever goal he has in mind.
STATS:
Max Health: 75
Max Armor: 50 Light Armor
Max Speed: Very Fast
WEAPONS:
Single-Barrel Shotgun (8 shells loaded, 50 max extra shells)
Nail Gun (200 max nails)
Crowbar
GRENADES:
Caltrop Canisters (3 max)
Concussion Grenades (3 max)
ABILITIES:
Can remove enemy Spy's disguise.
Can disarm Demoman's detpacks.
(VI.1.2) Sniper
---------------
OVERVIEW:
The new patch has made the Sniper one of the best defensive classes in
TFC. The Sniper is best in groups because one fully charged shot
usually won't kill a HWGuy, and sometimes it won't kill a Soldier.
STATS:
Max Health: 90
Max Armor: 50 Light Armor
Max Speed: Medium
WEAPONS:
Sniper rifle (with automatic fire) (75 max bullets)
Nailgun (100 max nails)
Crowbar
GRENADES:
Hand Grenades (4 max)
ABILITIES:
None.
(VI.1.3) Soldier
----------------
OVERVIEW:
The Soldier is both a great defensive unit and a helpful offensive
unit. He is probably the most rounded out unit in TFC. Need some help
defending the flag? Call for a Soldier. Need to break through some
enemy defenses? Call for a Soldier.
STATS:
Max Health: 100
Max Armor: 200 Heavy Armor
Max Speed: Slow
WEAPONS:
Rocket Launcher (4 rockets loaded, 50 max extra shells)
Single-Barrel Shotgun (8 shells loaded, 100 max extra shells)
Double-Barrel Shotgun (16 shells loaded, 100 max extra shells)
Crowbar
GRENADES:
Hand Grenades (4 max)
Nail Grenades (2 max)
ABILITIES:
None.
(VI.1.4) Demolitions Man (Demoman)
----------------------------------
OVERVIEW:
Like the Soldier, this unit is both a wonderful flag camper and a good
flag capper as well. Probably his best ability is laying pipebombs in
critical areas where enemies might come. And, if you are good enough,
he can be a great field unit as well.
STATS:
Max Health: 90
Max Armor: 120 Medium Armor
Max Speed: Medium
WEAPONS:
Grenade + Pipebomb Launcher (8 pipebombs loaded,50 max extra pipebombs)
Single-Barrel Shotgun (8 shells loaded, 75 max extra shells)
Crowbar
GRENADES:
Hand Grenades (4 max)
MIRV Grenades (2 max)
ABILITIES:
Can set large explosive devices.
(VI.1.5) Combat Medic
---------------------
OVERVIEW:
The Medic is mostly an offensive unit. He can run fast and infect
people at the same time - a very cool combination. :) On the flip side,
he could be a defensive unit who hangs around, gives his teammates
health, and cures them of any infections that may have been caused by
enemy Medics. Although the power of the Medic has been weakened a bit
by the new TFC 1.5 patch, he is still a great class to use.
STATS:
Max Health: 90
Max Armor: 100 Medium Armor
Max Speed: Fast
WEAPONS:
Medikit (gives allies health, infects enemies, and cures infection)
Large Nail Gun (150 max nails)
Single-Barrel Shotgun (8 shells loaded, 75 max extra shells)
Double-Barrel Shotgun (16 shells loaded, 75 max extra shells)
GRENADES:
Hand Grenades (4 max)
Concussion Grenades (3 max)
ABILITIES:
Can heal teammates with the Medikit.
Automatically regenerates health.
(VI.1.6) Heavy Weapons Guy (HWGuy)
----------------------------------
OVERVIEW:
Since the new patch, lots of former HWGuy-haters have now become one
themselves. Why, you say? Well, for one, the lower ping now makes it
possible to mow down any enemy within seconds. Also, the HWGuy now
walks faster. These improvements have made the HWGuy a very very very
good defensive unit.
STATS:
Max Health: 100
Max Armor: 300 Heavy Armor
Max Speed: Very Slow
WEAPONS:
Assault Cannon (200 max bullets)
Single-Barrel Shotgun (8 shells loaded, 200 max extra shells)
Double-Barrel Shotgun (16 shells loaded, 200 max extra shells)
Crowbar
GRENADES:
Hand Grenades (4 max)
MIRV Grenades (2 max)
Abilities:
Heavy, isn't pushed by explosions.
(VI.1.7) Pyro
-------------
OVERVIEW:
Viewed as a rather weak unit, the Pyro can be a VERY formidable
opponent if used properly. He has the ability to set fire to enemies
and send them running back to their resupply rooms, for one. Also, he
can send flaming hell rockets into the enemies faces. If you are good
at Pyro, then you should be quite feared by all.
STATS:
Max Health: 100
Max Armor: 150 Medium Armor
Max Speed: Medium
WEAPONS:
Flame-Thrower (200 max flames)
Incendiary Cannon (20 max rockets)
Single-Barrel Shotgun (8 shells loaded, 40 max extra shells)
GRENADES:
Hand Grenades (4 max)
Napalm Grenades (4 max)
ABILITIES:
Flame resistant.
(VI.1.8) Spy
------------
OVERVIEW:
This unit can be quite a tricky fellow if used well. He has the ability
to disguise himself as any class -- and as either an allie or enemy.
Although many enemies can tell if someone is a Spy or not, you can
still trick some of them if you use the right disguises at the right
times.
STATS:
Max Health: 90
Max Armor: 100 Light Armor
Max Speed: Medium
WEAPONS:
Tranquilizer Pistol (40 max bullets)
Double-Barrel Shotgun (16 shells loaded, 40 max extra shells)
Nail Gun (100 max nails)
Knife
GRENADES:
Hand Grenades (4 max)
Hallucination Grenades (4 max)
ABILITIES:
Can disguise to look like an enemy.
Can feign (fake) death.
Can remove an enemy Spy's disguise.
Can backstab for an instant kill.
(VI.1.9) Engineer
-----------------
OVERVIEW:
With the ability to build Sentry Guns and Ammo/Armor Dispencers, this
is THE necessary defensive unit. The Engy, if used in groups, can boast
some of the best defenses in existance.
STATS:
Max Health: 80
Max Armor: 50 Medium Armor
Max Speed: Medium
WEAPONS:
Railgun (50 max rails)
Double-Barrel Shotgun (16 shells loaded, 50 max extra shells)
Wrench
(also can hold 200 max metal, accessed by holding the wrench)
GRENADES:
Hand Grenades (4 max)
EMP Grenades (4 max)
MORE COMING SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
=- (VII.) S t U f F y O u N e E d T o L e A r N -=
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
There is much to learn young grasshopper. I will give you several
things to get you started...the rest is just what you learn on your
own.
======================================
= (VII.1) THINGS YOU SHOULD DO FIRST =
======================================
-- You should have the console enabled. To see if it is already
enabled, launch up Half-Life and see if "console" appears as one of the
choices on the menu. If it's not there, then you will have to enable it
yourself. Here's how:
1.) Make a shortcut to Half-Life on your desktop.
2.) Right click on it and choose Properties.
3.) After the file path, space once and type -console and press OK. If
the file path is in quotes, make sure to type -console inside the
quotes after the file path.
4.) Start Half-Life and there should be a menu choice that says
"Console". Now you have enabled the console.
-- You should know how to add servers to the server list by IP address
both in the built-in Half-Life game launcher and in GameSpy. Here's how
to do it:
IN HALF-LIFE
1.) At the server list, click on Add Server.
2.) You must know the IP of the server. An IP is how the server is
identified, and may look something like this: 207.255.10.255:27015. The
5 digit number after the colon is the port that the server is on. By
default, it is 27015, but sometimes it is different. If it isn't 27015,
then you must put the correct port number after the IP (oh, just so you
know, if it is 27015 then it isn't required that you put it in).
3.) Type in the IP address and click Ok.
4.) Now to find the server that you just typed in, click on Filter.
5.) Check the box next to "are in my 'favorites' list", and click Ok.
6.) Now the servers are narrowed down enough to find that server you
added. Servers that you add to your favorites and add by typing in the
IP have a yellow star way to the left of their name.
7.) One more thing: To add existing servers to your favorites list,
right click on the server and choose "Add to favorites". There are more
options than that when you right-click a server and they are pretty
self-explanatory, so look them over.
IN GAMESPY
1.) Click on the button on the toolbar that says "Add Server" when you
run your mouse over it.
2.) Choose HalfLife as the game and change the port number if it is
different from 27015.
3.) Type in the IP address in the box and click OK.
4.) Now, over in the area where it lists the server, click Address,
which sorts the servers by IP address. You can now find your server by
finding its IP.
===================
= (VII.2) BINDING =
===================
Probably one of the most awesome things ever put in Half-Life is this
little feature right here. The bind feature allows you to associate
almost anything in the game to any button. I will give you several
examples, although there are more that I will add as soon as I discover
them.
(VII.2.1) BINDING SAYINGS
-------------------------
Say for instance you wanted to be able to hit "p" on your keyboard and
it would say "Hey!". Then, in the console (or in your
config.cfg), you would type:
bind "p" "say Hey!"
That would then display "Hey! You suck!" to every player in the game.
If, however, you only want your teammates to hear it, you should type:
bind "p" "say_team Hey!"
Binding things that you say often not only saves you time, but will
keep you from getting killed when you have to stop and type it all. And
you KNOW how mad you get when that happens. So be prepared.
(VII.2.2) BINDING WEAPONS
-------------------------
I refer to this feature as "the only way to really cheat in Half-Life",
hehe. This gives you so much of an advantage if you know how to use it
and get used to it. Some people simply just hit the numbers
corresponding to the weapon. This will do, however it is difficult to
get to a weapon like the Crossbow in the middle of a fight. Well,
anyways, here is a model of how to bind weapons to keys (if you forgot
already, you need to type this in the console or in your config.cfg in
the valve directory):
bind "key" "weapon_xxx" (for Death Match)
bind "key" "tf_weapon_xxx" (For Team Fortress Classic)
(be sure to include quotes in the config.cfg file)
key = the key you want to bind the weapon to
xxx = the name of the weapon. Here are the lists:
DEATH MATCH
-----------
WEAPON NAME CONSOLE NAME (to replace xxx)
----------- ------------
Crowbar crowbar
9mm Pistol 9mmhandgun
357 Magnum 357
9mm Machine Gun 9mmAR
Shotgun shotgun
Crossbow crossbow
Rocket Launcher rpg
Tau Cannon gauss
Gluon Gun egon
Hornet Gun hornetgun
Hand Grenade handgrenade
Satchel Charges satchel
Trip Mine tripmine
Snarks snark
TEAM FORTRESS CLASSIC
---------------------
WEAPON NAME USED BY CONSOLE NAME (to replace xxx)
----------- ------- ------------
Assault Cannon HWGuy ac
Autorifle Sniper autorifle
Crowbar Sniper, Soldier, axe
Demoman, HWGuy, Pyro
Flamethrower Pyro flamethrower
Grenade Launcher Demoman gl
Incendiary Cannon Pyro ic
Knife Spy knife
Medikit Medic medikit
Nailgun Sniper, Scout ng
Pipe Launcher Demoman pl
Railgun Engineer railgun
Rocket Launcher Soldier rpg
Single-barrel Scout, Medic, HWGuy, shotgun
Shotgun Spy, Engineer
Sniper Rifle Sniper sniperrifle
Super Nailgun Medic superng
Double-barrel Soldier, Medic, HWGuy, supershotgun
Shotgun Spy, Engineer
Tranquilizer Gun Spy tranq
Wrench Engineer spanner
(VII.2.3) BINDING CHEATS (Death Match only)
-------------------------------------------
If cheats are enabled by the server administrator (by typing sv_cheats
1 in the console), it would be wise to have them bound somewhere on
your keyboard. Try to use keys that are out of the way, though. There
are three cheats that you will need (key = any key you want to bind it
to):
bind "key" "impulse 101" <---Gives you all weapons and armor
if you hit it several times
bind "key" "give item_healthkit" <---Gives you a health kit. Every
time you hit the key it drops one
on the ground.
bind "key" "give item_longjump" <---Gives you a long jump module.
Every time you hit the key it
drops one on the ground.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
=- (VIII.) M y S t U f F a N d H o W i L e A r N e D i T -=
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
So, how did I get to be a better Half-Life player? Well, to tell you
the truth, I got lucky. There used to be an all boot_camp server called
Domain-of-Pain.com that I happened to fall across one day. I had
already thought I was good at Half-Life...but I was so wrong :). I got
myself plastered (I think my score was like 2/20, hehe). Of course I
thought the people in the game were cheating because I thought that
nobody could be THAT good. But, they looked past my newbieness and told
me what I was and wasn't doing right (yes, there are a few nice peeps
out there). So, I created a LAN game of my own with some bots and just
practiced shooting and being quick at changing weapons. Binding really
really helps...if you are used to it. I used to just change weapons by
pressing the numbers for them and sometimes I still do.
But, I didn't just get better by practicing with stupid bots. Most of
the goodness comes from practicing in different servers. Boot_camp is a
great map to start...if you find the right servers, that is. Some
servers house dark, evil spirits called elite clan members that can and
will smite you with one mighty blow with any given weapon. Doesn't it
make you shudder just thinking about it? Then, please, follow my advice
and stick to practicing with people your own skill level.
=======================
= (VIII.1) MY CONFIGS =
=======================
Here is my key config as of 6/12/00 taken directly from my config.cfg
file in the Half-Life/valve directory:
unbindall
bind "TAB" "+showscores"
bind "ENTER" "+attack"
bind "ESCAPE" "cancelselect"
bind "SPACE" "+lj"
bind "'" "say_team lol"
bind "+" "sizeup"
bind "," "+moveleft"
bind "-" "say_team **STOCKING UP ON SUPPLIES**"
bind "." "+moveright"
bind "/" "+movedown"
bind "0" "say_team --SPAWNED/TYPED/BUMNOSED/KILLED BY A NEWBIE--"
bind "1" "slot1"
bind "2" "slot2"
bind "3" "slot3"
bind "4" "slot4"
bind "5" "slot5"
bind "6" "say_team LOCATION??"
bind "7" "say_team --RECHARGING--"
bind "8" "say_team --ROGER THAT--"
bind "9" "say_team --NEED BACKUP--"
bind ";" "+mlook"
bind "=" "sizeup"
bind "a" "+moveleft"
bind "c" "weapon_9mmAR"
bind "d" "+moveright"
bind "e" "+use"
bind "f" "weapon_rpg"
bind "g" "weapon_crossbow"
bind "i" "drop"
bind "j" "say_team ********CRITICAL CONDITION - UNDER 30 HEALTH********"
bind "k" "impulse 101"
bind "l" "say lol"
bind "m" "give item_longjump"
bind "n" "give item_healthkit"
bind "o" "say ok"
bind "p" "say_team I'M AT -BRIDGE-"
bind "q" "lastinv"
bind "r" "+reload"
bind "s" "+back"
bind "t" "impulse 201"
bind "u" "messagemode2"
bind "v" "+moveup"
bind "w" "+forward"
bind "x" "crouch"
bind "y" "messagemode"
bind "z" "+duck"
bind "[" "say_team I'M AT -COURTYARD-"
bind "]" "say_team I'M AT -WATER TANKS-"
bind "`" "toggleconsole"
bind "~" "toggleconsole"
bind "UPARROW" "+forward"
bind "DOWNARROW" "+back"
bind "RIGHTARROW" "+right"
bind "ALT" "+strafe"
bind "CTRL" "weapon_gauss"
bind "SHIFT" "weapon_shotgun"
bind "F6" "save quick"
bind "F7" "load quick"
bind "F10" "quit prompt"
bind "F12" "guno"
bind "INS" "impulse 102"
bind "DEL" "say Website:
http://clans.halflife.net/cfds/"
bind "PGDN" "say thx"</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
bind "PGUP" "say thanks"
bind "HOME" "name *Hostage*"
bind "END" "say ICQ: 34384634"
bind "MWHEELDOWN" "invnext"
bind "MWHEELUP" "invprev"
bind "MOUSE1" "+attack"
bind "MOUSE2" "+attack2"
bind "MOUSE3" "guno"
bind "PAUSE" "pause"
d_spriteskip "0.000000"
_windowed_mouse "0.000000"
setinfo friends "0"
pushlatency "-800"
hud_centerid "0"
hud_fastswitch "0"
hud_capturemouse "1"
hud_takesshots "0"
hud_classautokill "1"
joystick "0.000000"
sensitivity "9.000000"
m_filter "1.000000"
m_side "0.8"
m_forward "1"
m_yaw "0.022"
m_pitch "0.022000"
cl_vsmoothing "0.05"
cl_backspeed "400"
cl_forwardspeed "400"
lookspring "0.000000"
lookstrafe "0.000000"
cl_cmdrate "30"
cl_allowupload "0"
cl_allowdownload "1"
cl_download_ingame "0"
cl_cmdbackup "2"
cl_timeout "305"
cl_idealpitchscale "0.8"
cl_himodels "0.000000"
cl_dlmax "128"
tracker "0"
cl_lc "1"
cl_lw "1"
cl_updaterate "20"
rate "9999.000000"
bottomcolor "1"
topcolor "25"
model "gman"
name "(CF)-[DS]Hostage"
_snd_mixahead "0.1"
bgmvolume "1.000000"
hisound "1.000000"
suitvolume "0.250000"
volume "0.800000"
s_eax "1.000000"
s_a3d "0.000000"
s_verbwet "0.25"
s_bloat "2.0"
s_numpolys "200"
s_polysize "10000000"
s_polykeep "1000000000"
s_refdelay "4"
s_refgain "0.4"
s_leafnum "0"
s_max_distance "1000.0"
s_min_distance "8.0"
s_automax_distance "30.0"
s_automin_distance "2.0"
s_distance "60"
s_doppler "0.0"
s_rolloff "1.0"
gl_monolights "0"
gl_flipmatrix "0"
gl_overbright "1"
gl_polyoffset "4"
gl_dither "1"
mp_decals "300.000000"
r_bmodelhighfrac "5.0"
viewsize "120.000000"
sv_aim "0.000000"
net_graphsolid "1"
net_graphpos "1"
net_scale "5"
net_graphwidth "192"
net_graph "0"
con_color "255 155 50"
brightness "1.000000"
gamma "2.500000"
crosshair "1.000000"
console "1.000000"
+jlook
+mlook
As you can tell, I use the default move/shoot commands. Also, most of
the sayings that I have binded are customized for the boot_camp map,
mainly because that is the map I play the most. You can use this config
to modify your own. That's pretty much how I learned how to do it was
by rummaging through these babies.
Also, here is what's in my autoexec.cfg file since 6/12/00:
bind "f" "use weapon_rpg;+reload"
alias "+lj" "+duck;wait;+jump"
alias -lj "-duck;wait;-jump"
r_decals "0"
r_shadows "0"
fps_modem "28"
fps_lan "72"
gl_ztrick "1"
mp_decals "0"
r_dynamic "1"
r_mmx "1"
sv_maxspeed "270"
violence_ablood "0"
violence_agibs "0"
violence_hblood "0"
violence_hgibs "0"
cl_movespeedkey "0.300"
hud_fastswitch "1"
scr_conspeed "8000"
v_kickpitch "0"
v_kickroll "0"
v_kicktime "0"
cl_rollangle "0"
gl_flashblend "0"
cl_allowupload "0"
cl_download_ingame "0"
echo "AUTOEXEC BE WORKIN FOO!!!!!!"
cl_bob "0"
cl_bobup "0"
cl_bobcycle "0"
pushlatency "-2000000"
cl_nopred "0"
cl_predict_players "1"
cl_showfps "1"
cl_resend "1"
gl_clear "1"
gl_cull "1"
gl_keeptjunctions "0"
gl_playermip "1"
gl_round_down "0"
gl_texturemode "GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_NEAREST"
gl_wateramp "0"
r_fullbright "0"
s_occlude "0"
r_netgraph "1"
alias guno "r_drawviewmodel 0;wait;snapshot;wait;r_drawviewmodel 1"
You probably won't have one of these...but you can create a blank text
file, rename it to autoexec.cfg, put it in your Half-Life/valve
directory, and put various things in it. For more instructions, go to:
http://www.planethalflife.com/thebind/
Also, there are several really great things in this designed to reduce
lag for a cable modem or DSL. You might want to try putting some of
these settings into your autoexec.cfg.
================================
= (VIII.2) MY FAVORITE SERVERS =
================================
Here are a few of my favorite servers (WARNING: These servers will
contain lots of really good people...if you want to know which servers
to start in to get better, check out the Frequently Asked Questions
section).
12.25.142.162:27015 (crossfire 24/7)
=========================================
= (VIII.3) MY THOUGHTS ON THE NEW PATCH =
=========================================
Well, the new TFC 1.5 patch has finally arrived. And what are my first
impressions and such?
First off, I will touch on the new netcode that was presumed to improve
ping greatly for everyone. I have talked to a lot of people that have
56k modems, and some say it improved their pings significantly (100-
150), and some say their ping has basically stayed the same. I have a
cable modem, and I must say....the new patch only improved my ping by
about 5-10, depending on which server I am in at a given time. Also,
some of my favorite servers are starting to give me errors and boot
people at random for no reason, all due to the new netcode.
Also, as you might have thought, the netcode brought with it a slew of
new bugs. One very serious bug that is present in almost any TFC server
nowadays is the Sniper bug. This "cheat" allows a sniper to freeze a
person and kill him while he is frozen. This is how it works. The new
netcode performs almost every operation on the client's computer
instead of the hosting computer now. So, basically, all you have to do
is bind 2 keys....one is binded like so:
bind "key" "fakelag 500"
And the other is binded like this:
bind "key" "fakelag 0"
When the enemy is near your crosshairs, hit the "fakelag 500" button.
The sudden lag spike should freeze the game for you, and also freeze
the enemy. Then, simply aim and fire at him. When the game unfreezes,
the enemy will be dead...and all that is left for you to do now is hit
the "fakelag 0" button to return to your normal latency. Horrible,
isn't it?
Then comes the issue of material changes in TFC and Deathmatch. In
Deathmatch, the tau is a lot weaker than before, and doesn't go through
as many walls as it used to. That is the only change I have noted so
far in Deathmatch.
In TFC, the changes were much more significant (and, in my opinion,
TERRIBLE). First, the HWGuy is now much faster while walking. Valve
just gave us a hit below the belt with this. Think of this...you walk
into an enemy base, only to see 6 HWGuys, all walking as fast as
soldiers and all with low ping (due to the netcode). You can only
imagine how significant and stupid a change this was.
Also, Valve made the uneducated choice to lessen the power of
concussion grenades so that they only go about 75% as far as they used
to. What a shame...because they seem to be worthless to many people
now. This is probably the main reason that so many people have stopped
playing TFC. And it only gets worse. Not only did Valve lessen the
power of concs, they also reduced the maximum number of concs to 3.
What kind of crap is that??
Engineers are much more powerful now because they only have to hit
their Sentry Guns to upgrade them, repair them, and put ammo in them.
They still have to run back to the spawn room to get the ammo and such,
but maintaining a SG is much easier now than ever before.
OK, here are the last major changes -- the new VGUI system and the
scoreboard. I believe the scoreboard isn't that great...it's hard to
see the scores, and its obtrusive. I believe increasing the length of
the old one a bit so all of the person's name could be seen would have
sufficed instead of totally changing the thing.
Now, the VGUI. I personally like it. I just think it's easier to hit
the buttons and such than it was to go through the old menus.
One thing weird with the new patch: many people are now having problems
accessing the console. The only fix that I can think of is adding this
line to your target path (accessed by right clicking the Half-Life icon
and choosing Properties):
-console
This manually tells Half-Life to put the console in if it isn't already
there. If this still doesn't fix it, then I don't know what to tell
you. Sorry. :(
Another weird thing...the new netgraph introduced in this patch
(accessed by typing net_graph 1 in the console) seems to give really
bad frame rates when it is on. Try turning it off...I can guarantee you
will see a big difference in your frame rates.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS:
All in all, I think the patch did much more damage than it did good,
with all the new netcode bugs and bad changes. And I was expecting the
worst. Valve just gave themselves a good kick in the arse with this
one. They must have known that they were going to lose as many players
as they have lost, or they wouldn't have released this wretched excuse
for a patch. We can only hope that they will have to do a total recall
and release a patch similar to 1.0.1.6, with the VGUI still there.
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=- (IX.) F r E q U e N t L y A s K e D Q u E s T i O n S -=
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Q1: What are some good servers to start in?
A1: Well, you can try just updating the server list and choosing a
random game, and that would probably be the best thing to do. I
believe that games with 8 or less people in them are the best,
because of the availability of weapons and items, and you are
unlikely to get spawn killed every time you respawn.
Q2: What are some good servers to start practicing in?
A2: The best thing (in my opinion) is to update and find a random
server on the map you want to get good at with maybe 8 or less
people playing in it and if they are worse or equal to your skill
level, those are great people to practice against.
Q3: How can I play a bot-only game?
A3: Go to the Other Links section of this guide and there you can find
links to some of the best bots. You need to go download whichever
you want and then follow the instruction for that particular bot to
find out how to do that.
Q4: Why isn't my console working with the new version of Half-Life?
A4: For some reason, a LOT of people have been having problems with
this. The only fix that I can think of is adding this line to your
target path (accessed by right clicking the Half-Life icon and
choosing Properties):
-console
This manually tells Half-Life to put the console in if it isn't
already there. If this still doesn't fix it, then I don't know what
to tell you. Sorry. :(
Q5: Why am I getting kicked out of games I am in since the new patch?
A5: This problem has been present since the 1.1.0.0 patch. For some
unknown reason, some servers will randomly kick out people and give
them a "Parse Server" error message. There is nothing we can do
about it except hope that Valve will fix this along with many the
many other bugs introduced in the 1.1.0.0 patch.
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=- (X.) I m P o R t A n T l I n K s -=
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Here are a few links to various websites that I have compiled for you:
(X.1) GENERAL
-------------
-- -=Life Revived...=-
http://liferevived.cjb.net/
If you need help adjusting to the new patch, then this is the place
for you. I created the website layout myself and -*Link*- (a fellow
clanmate) helps me with the site and is the main guy to contact.
-- Planet Fortress
http://www.planetfortress.com/
Looking for ANYTHING having to do with Team Fortress? Then this is
the place to be. An absolute necessity in your favorites list. =D
-- Planet Half-Life
http://www.planethalflife.com/
The best Half-Life site out there...period. Contains anything and
everything dedicated to Half-Life.
-- GameSpy
http://www.gamespy.com/
The greatest game launcher of all time. You see lots of info about
any servers that are currently online. You really need to get this if
you don't have it already.
-- GameFAQs.com
http://www.gamefaqs.com/
Really great site that has several thousand walkthroughs, FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions), tips, and codes for almost any game made.
-- GameAdvice.com and GameWinners.com
http://www.gameadvice.com/
http://www.gamewinners.com/
The guy that owns this place was nice and asked to host my guide...of
course I agreed :). This place has TONs of cheats and walkthroughs for
any game you need.
(X.2) MODELS
------------
-- Cold Fusion
http://www.planethalflife.com/coldfusion/
Looking for new/old player models? Then this is the place to go.
(X.3) MAPS
----------
-- Radium
http://www.planethalflife.com/radium/
Great site containing a crap load of maps for Half-Life. If know a
map you don't have, than Radium most likely has it.
(X.4) CONSOLE COMMANDS
----------------------
-- Command Center - Unabridged List of Cmds & Cvars
http://www.planethalflife.com/commands/index.shtml
HUGE list of all of the commands typable in several places: the
server command line, console, config.cfg, autoexec.cfg, server.cfg,
binds, aliases, other user made scripts, etc. VERY useful resource.
(X.5) LOGOS
-----------
-- Logos R' Us
http://www.planethalflife.com/logos/
A site with a vast amount of logos (spraypaints).
(X.6) COMMUNICATION
-------------------
-- BattleCom
http://www.shadowfactor.com/
A wonderful program that allows you to talk in real time voice to
someone in a game while causing little or no lag at all! I believe it's
more clearer sounding than Roger Wilco, too.
-- Roger Wilco
http://www.resounding.com/
Another real time communications program. Although not as good as
BattleCom (in my opinion), it comes in at a close second.
(X.7) SOUNDS
------------
-- Half-Life Wav Pool
http://www.planethalflife.com/wavpool/
A frickin hilarious site that contains various wavs that are great
for a laugh. Check it out.
(X.8) SPEED TWEAKING
--------------------
-- 3D SPOTLIGHT - Half-Life tweak guide
http://www.3dspotlight.net/tweaks/half-life/index.shtml
An excellent guide for general tweak techniques for Half-Life
1.1.0.0. Highly recommended for any type of connection.
-- 3D SPOTLIGHT - 3dfx Voodoo3 tweak guide
http://www.3dspotlight.net/tweaks/voodoo3/
Great for people who would like to learn how to tweak, overclock, and
improve their Voodoo 3 card.
-- 3D SPOTLIGHT - NVIDIA GeForce/TNT tweak guide
http://www.3dspotlight.net/tweaks/tnt-geforce/
Great for people who would like to learn how to tweak, overclock, and
improve their NVIDIA chip-based card.
-- SpeedGuide.net
http://www.speedguide.net/
Great site for speeding up those cable modems.
-- 3 Fingers' Net Tweaking Page
http://www.voodooextreme.com/3Fingers/stuff/nettweak.htm
Gives links to good sites for tweaking your internet connection.
-- Tweak3D.net
http://www.tweak3d.net/tweak/modem/
Tells how to tweak your 3D and internet connections for optimal
performance. Very good and informative site.
-- Ask Mr. Modem
http://www.spy.net/%7Edustin/modem/
This site right here is really awesome for analog modem users (56k
and below). You can select your modem brand and type and it will give
you specific settings for each needed for better performance! Is that
not cool? :)
(X.9) BOTS
----------
-- JumBot
http://www.telefragged.com/thefatal/jumblow.shtml
Great bot - probably my favorite of them all. This guy who developed
it updates fairly often, too.
-- PhineasBot
http://www.planethalflife.com/phineas/
A really good bot, although some controls arent implemented that are
in the JumBot. Another con of this bot is that it isn't updated that
often at all.
-- RhoBot
http://www.gamershomepage.com/rhobot/
You really need to keep an eye on this one...it shows promise.
-- Bot Epidemic
http://www.botepidemic.com/bots/halflife.shtml
The best place to go to look for how the popular bots are doing.
-- Half Life Bot Central
http://www.captured.com/bot/hlbc2/
Another bot-development watching page.
-- botman's Half-Life bot development web page
http://www.planethalflife.com/botman/
If you are interested in building your own bot, then this place is
for you. Contains lots of interesting tidbits...and even includes a few
sample bots for you to mess around with.
(X.10) BINDING
--------------
-- The Half-Bind
http://www.planethalflife.com/thebind/
THE SITE to go to for info on binding and some examples of cool
tricks you can do with the autoexec.cfg file.
-- Clan -ssm- Website Files Section
http://clans.halflife.net/ssm/files.html
Has a little bit on binding, and -ssm-snipes's config.cfg and
autoexec.cfg.
(X.11) LADDERS AND COMPETITIONS
-------------------------------
-- The Online Gaming League
http://www.ogl.org/
A GREAT ladder site for clans which includes Half-Life, Team Fortress
Classic, Counterstrike, Quake 3 Arena, etc. The ladder system is good
and it's very organized, so check it out.
-- Stronger Than All
http://games.tca.net/sta-tfc/
A very good TFC ladder system.
-- The Top10 Tournament for Half-Life TFC
http://www.planetfortress.com/top10/top10.htm
A good Top 10 ladder for TFC.
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=- (XI.) O u T r O -=
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Well, I hope this guide at least helped you a little bit. If it didn't,
then it's YOUR fault. :) Haha, just kidding. Anyways, if this guide
wasn't enough for your taste, then there are a few other guides at
www.gamefaqs.com and www.gameadvice.com you can check out (although
they just mainly give tips and walkthroughs for single player and
technical stuff). You can also try searching the 'net with almost any
search engine for forums about Half-Life. Those are also great ways to
collaborate with people.
Thanks for reading this, and peace! =D
- (CF)-[DS]Hostage
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=- (XII.) S p E c I a L t H a N k S a N d O t H e R i N f O -=
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(XII.1) SPECIAL THANKS
----------------------
-- All my clan members.
-- Everyone who helped me become better.
-- Domain-of-Pain.com for hosting a great boot_camp server for awhile
(too bad it all turned to Counter Strike) :-(
-- Anyone who is currently hosting this guide.
-- All the guys in all the servers I have played in for putting up
with my constant griping...lol.
(XII.2) CONTRIBUTING
--------------------
If you would like to contribute something to this guide, please do so.
I will consider every submission and, most likely, post the majority of
them (if I believe they are good enough). To contribute, send in email
in this format:
To:
[email protected]
Subject: Half-Life Guide Contribution
Body of Email: Your name (so I can give you credit), your email
address, and what you want to submit. Please make it as detailed as you
can, as FAQ readers LOVE detailed explanations. :-)
(XII.3) COPYRIGHT INFO
----------------------
This document is Copyright 2000 Josh Rieken. You may NOT post it on
your website/faq/guide/magazine/etc. without my consent! You are also
prohibited to sell this document for money of any kind. And, if you
even think about changing the contents of this document, forget
it...you can't do that either! If you happen to run across this guide
anywhere other than where it should be found (listed at top of guide),
then contact me immediately and tell me exactly where you found it
using my email address listed at the top of this guide. Thank you, and
have a nice day.
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