Pub scene dying??

Anyone notice that the pub scene seems to be a bit flat in the last month or so? I've seen a drop in activity lately. A lot of pubs seem empty lately.

Possible theories:
1.New game out? Assassins Creed, Crysis, DOD4 or ?
2. School spring sports starting
3. School projects/papers coming due?
4. Pub scene doa?
5. ??

Also does anyone just like to play for fun any more or is it basically just about competition and scrims now? How about playing some different maps once in a while besides the same old 6 or 10 that are so way overplayed they get stale? Example: 6 pple were on my server playin LV_two. The map changed to Babylon_sanctuary which hasn't been played in months, 3 ppl left before it downloaded. Its a really fun map to play, especially with the melee pit, but sadly its apparently rejected as not being L33T enough. Sorry but I just can't play LD, LV, Zeta, Bio lostarena, and Caverns (as much as I like that map) over and over but that's all anyone wants to play these days besides a very few "select maps". Need a break once in a while, don't you? Or maybe that's that's just what this game has become now and those of us that like variety should find something else to play?

I quti because of the constant glitches and crashes. Tired of the choke and lag problems on a server where I get 35 ping. I've tried everything with rates and nothing helps. I'll check out HL2DM when orange box version comes out. Until then I'm done except for clan get togethers and a few matches that I have yet to schedule.

I played TF2 one night for over 4 hours and no crashes or glitches at all. I rebooted my computer and went into one of our servers where several clan members were playing and I crashed within 30 seconds.

It's just gotten old and stale to me.

As far as maps go, I can play the same ones over and over and over and over ....

But then again, us older folks are all about the routines, no?

Not sure how old you are Keeper but I am in my later 30s. The variety of maps is what has kept me in the game for so long. I enjoy exploring new maps and seeing new things. I believe that variety is the spice of life. Each map has its own strategy and forces you to think differently. I enjoy the challenge of a new/different map because its something new to learn.

I dunno Para, maybe its cyclic. The weather is getting warmer, more people doing outdoor activities? That's already happening with me. But I have noticed that a few pubs are putting "noob friendly" or "advanced" or "pro" in their server names. That may be a good thing. Of course, that relies on people exercising a little self control and not bombarding a "noob friendly" server.

As for variety, I completely agree with you. My clans snipe server is soooooooooo boring to me. I began pubbing other servers and ran across a RATZ (or RATS) server that cycled a huge variety of maps. I loved it. Then it disappeared. Your server Para is just like the RATZ one loved so much. When I'm on your server for any amount of time, I can count on at least 2 maps that I've never played before. I get pwned, but its a nice change of scenery!

It's not the map that brings me to a server, it's the people playing there. I will avoid certain maps however.

Pub scene dying? No more than usual I think. Not really sure what can be done to address it.

Paradox wrote:Anyone notice that the pub scene seems to be a bit flat in the last month or so? I've seen a drop in activity lately. A lot of pubs seem empty lately.

Possible theories:
1.New game out? Assassins Creed, Crysis, DOD4 or ?
2. School spring sports starting
3. School projects/papers coming due?
4. Pub scene doa?
5. ??

Also does anyone just like to play for fun any more or is it basically just about competition and scrims now? How about playing some different maps once in a while besides the same old 6 or 10 that are so way overplayed they get stale? Example: 6 pple were on my server playin LV_two. The map changed to Babylon_sanctuary which hasn't been played in months, 3 ppl left before it downloaded. Its a really fun map to play, especially with the melee pit, but sadly its apparently rejected as not being L33T enough. Sorry but I just can't play LD, LV, Zeta, Bio lostarena, and Caverns (as much as I like that map) over and over but that's all anyone wants to play these days besides a very few "select maps". Need a break once in a while, don't you? Or maybe that's that's just what this game has become now and those of us that like variety should find something else to play?

Currently HL2DM is suffering from lossofenoughplayers-syndrome, hopefully it will recover fast from this, or it may develop into something more severe. WT should be able to elaborate on this.

Possible theories for me :

1. Work
2. Holiday

Ill be gone for a few months, hopefully I will be able to find a decent Internet connection is euro. Anyhow, good luck HL2DM.

snipeIT wrote:

Paradox wrote:Anyone notice that the pub scene seems to be a bit flat in the last month or so? I've seen a drop in activity lately. A lot of pubs seem empty lately.

Possible theories:
1.New game out? Assassins Creed, Crysis, DOD4 or ?
2. School spring sports starting
3. School projects/papers coming due?
4. Pub scene doa?
5. ??

Also does anyone just like to play for fun any more or is it basically just about competition and scrims now? How about playing some different maps once in a while besides the same old 6 or 10 that are so way overplayed they get stale? Example: 6 pple were on my server playin LV_two. The map changed to Babylon_sanctuary which hasn't been played in months, 3 ppl left before it downloaded. Its a really fun map to play, especially with the melee pit, but sadly its apparently rejected as not being L33T enough. Sorry but I just can't play LD, LV, Zeta, Bio lostarena, and Caverns (as much as I like that map) over and over but that's all anyone wants to play these days besides a very few "select maps". Need a break once in a while, don't you? Or maybe that's that's just what this game has become now and those of us that like variety should find something else to play?

Currently HL2DM is suffering from lossofenoughplayers-syndrome, hopefully it will recover fast from this, or it may develop into something more severe. WT should be able to elaborate on this.

Possible theories for me :

1. Work
2. Holiday

Ill be gone for a few months, hopefully I will be able to find a decent Internet connection is euro. Anyhow, good luck HL2DM.

solution: pull an al gore and start a huge advertisement campaign for hl2dm using your own funds

we've been getting 3-4 different teams to scrim a night, so i could give a shit less about pubs.

I think CellarDweller is right. I think it's a combo of the weather and schools getting closer to letting out. I know some people that are having to lay low to get big projects done.

I usually predict that a huge influx of kids will come in during the summer, but with so many new titles out there I really doubt it.

I think it is what it is... slowly dying.

does anyone just like to play for fun any more or is it basically just about competition and scrims now?

Actually, I'm moving more apart from the competitive part and just play for fun lately. I have a lot less time to play now, so I don't expect to spend that few time to play on scrims and stuff like that, I'd rather have fun on some pubs here and there

I haven't noticed to much of a change in the last year really (it was dead before that), seems its just kinda maintaining to me. You may notice it more Paradox being that you run a pretty active pub.

My general method (since day one) of finding a server to play on has always been to ignore all TDM servers and all killbox servers (except KBH) and I look for a DM server that either has a map I like or players I know. I tend to be one of the people who stick to the same set of worn out maps out of habit but I do enjoy playing new maps that are good.

Now I go more to my friends list more than I used to and and see whos playing where. I have a pretty huge friends list and there is at any given time about 20 people in game so I usually find something quick. I also have found myself joining TDM servers more if its with people I know.

I have gotten a lot of fun out of participating in PUGS and the many things nino has been doing lately.
I feel that if it comes down to it, the die hard players will always be there and I'll just be satisfied with playing those people and doing what ever PUGS I can find or start.

Repeat after me: "HL2DM is not dead until I leave."

If I = me, then it's dead.

If I = you then it still lives

Another reason that this game is dying is due to the fact that almost all sorts of advance techniques are a bitch to learn and master.

I recently had a friend watch me play the game and he was shocked as to how much it takes to do skills such as bhopping. Usually players think its all just about aim and strategy, but movement plays a major role in this game, which many gamers out there are underestimating. Although the single player was immensely popular, many of the current techniques don't apply to it, therefore new players to HL2DM simply quti the game.

But the few that stay, stay for good.

But the few that stay, stay for good.

that's true

we've been getting 3-4 different teams to scrim a night, so i could give a shit less about pubs.

Thats great if you dont give a shit about getting more people into this game, but its not going to keep lasting if you dont. I would like to see more people learn how to play so you can have 5-6 scrims a night. If there are no quality pubs out there to introduce new players to the game and point them to this site; if all there is out there are pubs with the mentality where those of us with any skill get banned after making a headshot, the game as we know it will be gone.

but the few that stay stay for good

Thats not entirely true, many of the old players have left or are not playing as much. If UT3 hadnt tanked the way it did, there would be a lot less around.

Another reason that this game is dying is due to the fact that almost all sorts of advance techniques are a bitch to learn and master.

Anyone here that knows two of my newer members: Mliquid and Rachkir have seen them both get radically better in a short time. Both have been playing less than 6 months and both are getting good at advanced movement. They knew next to nothing when I recruited them which I did because I saw players that were determined and didnt give up easily. It can be done, if you have an open mind, are young enough to learn fast and work at it.

In any case I too am beginning to lose hope for this game. Hopefully the OB engine breathes some new life into it (I am skeptical) if Valve ever gets around to releasing it. I think that anything short of a HL3DM wont revitalize this game and that doesnt seem likely.

Paradox wrote:In any case I too am beginning to lose hope for this game. Hopefully the OB engine breathes some new life into it (I am skeptical) if Valve ever gets around to releasing it. I think that anything short of a HL3DM wont revitalize this game and that doesnt seem likely.

We can all move to CS, there are plenty of players there! :roll:

Don't lose hope, this community has actually come a long way in the last year. This site was started when dm was (I believe) at it's lowest in terms of community morale. Stats say only 1000 or so people play this game, but we already have 500 people in our community group and we have only just scratched the surface of available players IMO. How many other games still have 1000 servers up 3 years, going on 4 years after release? Many get used, they are just not all being used all the time.

Part of growing this game is having a good solid community that people want to be part of, the other part is showing people just how much depth this game has and how much potential to get good there is. If 70000 people still enjoy playing CS (Spawn -> buy -> "lets rush B doodz" -> kill/die) then surely dm can keep attracting players and growing from here on out.

Paradox wrote:

we've been getting 3-4 different teams to scrim a night, so i could give a shit less about pubs.

Thats great if you dont give a shit about getting more people into this game, but its not going to keep lasting if you dont.

we bring in a variety of players, and even show the not so skilled ones around after scrimming, and are always willing to help. so if not having a pub, or not caring about pub play means i could careless about the community, k.

how about you try running a good pub, and get back to me.

Didnt say you dont care about the community or that you dont contribute. I dont expect all clans/teams to have a pub, nor should they, but a newbie to the game cant get into a locked server if they dont know someone in it to give them the password. The only way they can start is in a pub and having pubs (like mine and a few others) that have default weapons settings and dont ban advanced movement and people that can actually do a headshot is the only way to get them and keep them interested.

Well I suppose your defininition of a "good" pub would be one that has no spawn protection and runs only LV, LD, Joyride, Caverns, Bio, Lostarena, Octagon, and maybe 2 other maps. Ill be honest I dont like some of the maps I have on my own pub, but one or more of my clan members likes the map so I keep it :roll: . I just dont play those when they come up. And BTW a lot of people have commented regarding the quality of the Khaos pub so you seem to be in the minority, but you are entitled to your opinion.

I just feel there is more to this game than 10 maps and new players get bored and frustrated playing the same 10 maps, getting their ass handed to them by an RPG, spawn killed more times than not and getting 0 kills to 50 every night for weeks. Alot of people absolutely HATE lockdown, but it is probably THE most played map in this game. I enjoy doing scrims too, but sometimes its nice to relax and play just for fun, nothing on the line. You need both in the game, or you see people getting burnt out on it (as we have seen happen to many players). I get worried when I see pubs dummy themselves down (and alot have done it recently) to make the SMG stronger and the mag and shotty weaker and add hit sounds so that newbies can get kills instead of letting them learn the default strengths of the weapons. They learn to think the game is supposed to be and when they get into a server where its default settings they are like "WTF HAX!"

Anyway I have had these concerns before, maybe its just temporary. I will wait and see.

all the cool kids play tf2 these days

pretty much the best pubs are euro killbox servers, i find they are the most consistent in terms of always having a game going with good players, too bad i was banned from the tsgk servers

finding a good lockdown server is awfully hard though

tlc wrote:all the cool kids play tf2 these days

Playing a game that takes considerably less skill than dm, is anything but cool in my book.

Think about it, if it's already to a point which requires a topic like this, then it's safe enough to say that it is dying. The only way to get popularity back on this game to an immense level is by either:

1. Valve selling the game to a group interested in dedicating time to improve the game(ie.HL2DM-U)
2. Valve dedicates time on the game.

Now some may say why valve is ignoring DM, well think about it, this game has max 10k active users, and only about 5-10% of that group is seriously dedicated for change, which really does not encourage them to spend time and money, compared to all their other hot games.

BTW,

How much would a game like this be worth ?

considering they have given it away for free, not much. At this point I think everyone just needs to hang tight and see if and when valve switches it over to OB engine and what that does to the game.

L2k wrote:considering they have given it away for free, not much. At this point I think everyone just needs to hang tight and see if and when valve switches it over to OB engine and what that does to the game.

So like 5 grand ?

0nti wrote:

does anyone just like to play for fun any more or is it basically just about competition and scrims now?

Actually, I'm moving more apart from the competitive part and just play for fun lately. I have a lot less time to play now, so I don't expect to spend that few time to play on scrims and stuff like that, I'd rather have fun on some pubs here and there

Yet if you put your pub server on a map like lockdown or bio, 8 million people come in aliasing.

yea i don't think the pub scene or the game is dying just yet. i know i have been slippin in school so i can't play really at all, but when i am on i just play, laugh at all the lucky ass kills i get, and have fun. if i am ever on hit me up, ill play(but just wait two weeks till school is over lol). hl2dm is not dead....nope

stretch

both my 22 servers are packed mostly there not dm but ctf and run-off which is noob and advanced player friendly in short we have a good mix of players ablity. we use hlstats and what we do is do seasons championship and every season the person with the most points is proclaimed the champion keeps people interest. some my not agree that its good for the game to play for points but it been helping getting more newbess into hl2dm even tho its not dm strickly. this i how i started off.

im thinking on focusing on getting the raw 100tick server more busy thro a better map cycle not sure what else i could do to it to make it better to get most people playing.

most servers put me off by there poor server setup or with not enuff good players playing or too many people playing on a small map.

anyway i got exams in three weeks so there is not much pubing for me

The pubs don't have the huge number of first timers and noobs around to populate lots of servers.
The average skill level is a little higher across the board but less total numbers of newer people.
There is probably the same number of skilled players around as ever.

Some say that the advanced techniques are too hard to learn. I think they keep the game going.
I can't imagine still playing if there wasn't that next step (and the next). Walking around firing nades? not.
I am psyched just to hang in there with the better players. And I've met some great folks.
The gameplay in Dm is far better than anything i have tried. It is phenomenal.
The recent spat of crashes i have experienced is discouraging but if there is a good game going and some good folks, i will be around.

Meh I don't think this game will recieve a boost in its near future, OB will be nice for the old players that know the bugs, but it won't bring new interest with it. The only way DM will be revived imo is if Valve puts out HL3 and actually markets hl3dm as a kickass competative geared online fps that is for the fps enthusiasts out there that aren't afraid of the finer things like bhop and advanced wep techniques. Valave needs to helps us out with the next installment and actually let people know this game kicks some serious ass, esspecially when compared to css. *begins to wretch* All we can do is pray that HL3 lies ahead.

How bout if we open a study server. Each time you get a kill it tells you something you need to graduate school. That way all the kids in school can play and do their homework at the same time.

L2k wrote:

tlc wrote:all the cool kids play tf2 these days

Playing a game that takes considerably less skill than dm, is anything but cool in my book.

if it takes so little "skill" try getting some airshots on reptile, heck i made it to the fios top 8 and some of these soldiers can do crazier things in this game than i could in hl2dm. stop playing in pubs with noobs and crits on and it's not so easy. but i can understand why hl2dm players may think the game is easy just by looking at the movement and stuff

however hl2dm requires ZERO teamwork compared to tf2; you cannot ignore teamwork when talking about "skill". like i said, any idiot can go to a crit pub with a bunch of noobs and unload crit stickies or rockets, but good luck running in by yourself in a real match with crits off. one mistake by 1 player can fuck up an entire round. rushing in with 2 grenades and then unloading smg like a fool once will likely not completely screw up an hl2dm match

i play on good teams in both games, tf2 requires a lot more "skill" than you might think

tlc try playing a 4v4 AGAINST your clan or VDuS in DM with a team that does not employ teamwork and strategy then tell me there is no teamwork. I have seen teams that work together and communicate dominate a match over a team that does not. It is very true that TF2 does require teamwork and it does have some advanced things such as rocket and nade jumping, but I have to agree with others that it does not have the depth that DM does. The 800 grav and the limited slow movement of most of the classes aggravate me to no end when all I want to do is strafe jump out of the way of an enemy's rocket and bhop across the map.

ill second fake naming, you go into all sorts of pubs and a steamid check shows its the same old guys.
Another thing is now that the ULTRA TRIPLE SUPER SHOTTY exploit has been exposed pubbing is less fun when even regular DM is like instagib. You can't get stocked up or anything cause people can grab one of the many shotguns in every map and just destroy you with 1 shot even if you are 100/100. Anyhow I didn't know about it and now that I do suddenly alot of shotgun work that was crushing me is all explainable now and I find I get a ton more kills. But the strategy is going out the door since hardly any maps have limited shotguns.

TLC and I could start a TF2 argument here if you'd like, but I think hijacking would only leave this topic to get locked and us getting warned. But when the stakes are a whole round compared to four - few more deaths in a scoreboard, there's a big difference in making a big mistake in TF2 and a big mistake in HL2DM. Just tell tlc, I'm sure he hates when I have to play Soldier. Heck, you can ask several $W and VDuS members about the skill required in TF2. [VDu$W] (as I'd like to dub it) got steamrolled by some better players, not purely due to luck but also with superior teamwork, tactics, and better individual skill. Consider the Soldier as a class with only a crossbow and shotgun. Despite his lack of "advanced movement", he still requires incredible aim, quick thinking, and a good sense of playing as a defender. Scout duels can sometimes require even more individual skill than HL2DM. With the lack of sprint and ability to move quickly without having to bhop in a left-right pattern, your movement can become ultimately less predictable and battles end quickly or slowly with the Shotgun being able to kill in just two shots. Not only that, but while in HL2DM orbs and RPGs can break a "stalemate", the only such thing in TF2 would be the Medic's uber, which requires a 40 second MINIMUM charge and requires the Medic not to die while traveling to his destination. Not only that, but charging between the right teammates at the right time is incredibly hard on your hands. The recent uber nerf also gives medics yet another tactical problem when thinking about multi-ubers. The game is not "balanced" as some critics may say, some classes overall being more useful than others, but I can assure you that every class except the Pyro is used to at least some extent by any good team. HL2DM teamwork encourages more of a "cover choke points, report things, cover each other, control resources, and attack coordinatedly". However, in TF2, you have to worry about so much more which can only be acquired through teamwork. These many important "subtleties" are very hard to notice until you start playing in the same skill league as other good teams. Heck, to any average gamer, HL2DM at the first few, uncompetitive glance would seem like a "random, frantic, skill-less game". With so many ways to one-shot an enemy and the supposed ease of the spam weapons, HL2DM can seem like a real easy game once you get bunny hopping down, but of course you know it's not so. TF2 is the same, it just puts more emphasis on team skills (what we can do for six people) than individualistic (what I can do for three others) skills.

I don't pub much, but the "scene" seems to be staying at the same level. For every clan that's left, there's usually been a new one that comes in. IWU, that one clan $W is training, etc.

I don't have a big clue on the older Team Fortress's competitive scenes, but I'm guessing that it's much more balanced on the balance between the importance of individual and team skill compared to HL2DM or TF2. For example, in TFC, there were numerous advanced movements for pretty much every class except the Heavy. The speed and pacing was fast (but not as incredibly quick as the older TFs). Individual skill was of course important due to such factors. But the team aspect was there too, what with coming in by 2s, creating a good defense together, etc.

Fearsome* wrote: now that the ULTRA TRIPLE SUPER SHOTTY exploit has been exposed

What ! HUH! No way! its all in my head! its a placebo or so I keep getting told!

As for the TF2 thing. TF2 is less skilled thats all endo but that is how it is designed on purpose.

I have been around the block a million times in games and it is very rare you get a really skilled team game. Tribes was the exception. Most games count on taking out skills to make it "better" for team play. Hence games like TF2, CS, DOD, BF and so on. The question is overall are the players more or less skilled? Well a guy who grows up on CS just wont stand a chance in DM when he starts, many have tried like ksharp had a bout of HLDM. A guy who grows up in DM will have a better chance, the early days of CS were heavily dominated by HLDM/Quake clans that moved over. The thing is though team play as in TF2 takes different skills because there is less personal skill the difference between team A and B is in team work and fractions of a percent of aim difference. Because of this guys who play team games tend to build better technical aim meaning they can hit like 90% of the time in a set up situation, they must because this is the only thing that differentiates one player from the next in this games since the other skills do not exist.

TF2 is like over watch. When you take out lots of skills then people have to focus more on the only skills that are left. TLC has actually become a better player since he started TF2 in my opinion simply because his technical skills have increased but he doesn't lose the basic map knowledge, he never was much for bunny hopping so that didn't matter if he lost that, but now is aim is just much better. What I am saying is if you only had a crossbow to play with you would probably be midairing everyone as well since you would specialize so heavily in that weapon same with soldiers in TF2 they can practice all day on the couple of weapons they have since they are given them to start and they cant have anything else.

As for HL2DM it has never been a highly competitive game IE we don't see the big pro DM players coming over here much so the numbers of players are much smaller and as such there is not as much work that needs to be done to stay on top. At the start of TF2 it was the opposite all the big COD, BF and many CS teams jumped in. The world of team games is broken into 2 parts. CS and whatever game is the flavor of the month. For a short while TF2 was the flavor of the month and so you had some of the top players in team based games competing and no surprise a small non competitive game like HL2DM could throw many of its best players together and still get crushed.

The fallacy though is that DM does not require team work. If the game had more players and teams then people would start to max out their human potential IE we would have 30 or so LukeGT421s and several teams would be completely stocked with 5 such players. Then at that point teamwork would have a better return on time invested. As it is though Team work is still useful. During this season I would say individually alot of teams are far better then I am at aiming and basic skills. But my clan keeps moving up the ladder mostly due to solid strategy for dealing with the maps. It also depends on the maps some maps like Zeta are heavy on team play since it is advantageous to coordinate attacks in order to take over the inside. In the past in DM most of the maps were not like this.

L2k wrote:

Fearsome* wrote: now that the ULTRA TRIPLE SUPER SHOTTY exploit has been exposed

What ! HUH! No way! its all in my head! its a placebo or so I keep getting told!

Well I guess its all in my head too but I have never been any good with the shotgun and now that I have done that I am getting tons of those BS 1 shot kills. press altfire a split second before primary and people just drop dead. And this is with me recently rearranging my config so I screw up alot.

Very good points Fearsome. Many top CS/other team game clans have reached a similar level in coordination, strategy, and tactics. At that point, the only thing that differentiates them is, as you said, the most minor of individual aim and other factors such as switching up tactics and strategies better, etc. Truth to be told, I don't think $W has an incredibly diverse competition to fight against, only mainly because of having such a small community. Just imagine if HL2DM @ USA had even a quarter of the size of CS's US competitive fanbase. Getting to the top of CAL would be significantly harder. The bar would be raised to the point where most of the teams we consider good would turn into "your average nub team."

I remember that back around mid-2005 (the BMC days), the only weapon I'd use was the Magnum (or Sniper Rifle in CTF Mod). I had significantly better aim back then compared to today. As I adjusted to playing in Central servers and with the whole arsenal of weapons, my Magnum play gradually got worse, but I became a better 1v1er overall. I don't headshot people at 1000 velocity, but why would I attempt to do that anyway when I got SMG nades and orbs? Point is, focusing on one aspect of the game can make you significantly better at that, but may or may not end up in having you suffer in other parts. Because I was a CTF player though, weapon control simply did NOT exist. This allowed me to grab the Magnum whenever I conveniently wanted to without using any skills whatsoever to acquire it.

Placebo works. You guys are saying it does, so it must work. Kinda like ********s, no? (I'm not allowed to discuss certain topics over the internet because it always ends up in stupid arguments). *** will make everything right, so ** must exist.

Fearsome* wrote:

L2k wrote:

Fearsome* wrote: now that the ULTRA TRIPLE SUPER SHOTTY exploit has been exposed

What ! HUH! No way! its all in my head! its a placebo or so I keep getting told!

Well I guess its all in my head too but I have never been any good with the shotgun and now that I have done that I am getting tons of those BS 1 shot kills. press altfire a split second before primary and people just drop dead. And this is with me recently rearranging my config so I screw up alot.

The question I have is for people trying this is, how much more often are you using double barrels now? If you tell me you used doubles on every shot before, then maybe there is something to this. If not, maybe more than one variable is being changed here, frequency of secondary.

i used double barrel exclusively, never killed with the shotty at all, now i do this and i get tons of kills

Double shotgun mostly never registers there has beeen plenty of times where I let 1 go at point blank and nothing happens even with hit sounds on bu twhen i use both buttons they mostly go down in 1 shot.
Pub scene is not dead
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtXl_TyM6aI

Fearsome* wrote:ill second fake naming, you go into all sorts of pubs and a steamid check shows its the same old guys.
Another thing is now that the ULTRA TRIPLE SUPER SHOTTY exploit has been exposed pubbing is less fun when even regular DM is like instagib. You can't get stocked up or anything cause people can grab one of the many shotguns in every map and just destroy you with 1 shot even if you are 100/100. Anyhow I didn't know about it and now that I do suddenly alot of shotgun work that was crushing me is all explainable now and I find I get a ton more kills. But the strategy is going out the door since hardly any maps have limited shotguns.

this shotgun exploit is simply killing this game. if its not one thing, its another.
shame. but whatever, i enjoy playing #hl2dm more and more these days.

DEFme wrote:

Fearsome* wrote:ill second fake naming, you go into all sorts of pubs and a steamid check shows its the same old guys.
Another thing is now that the ULTRA TRIPLE SUPER SHOTTY exploit has been exposed pubbing is less fun when even regular DM is like instagib. You can't get stocked up or anything cause people can grab one of the many shotguns in every map and just destroy you with 1 shot even if you are 100/100. Anyhow I didn't know about it and now that I do suddenly alot of shotgun work that was crushing me is all explainable now and I find I get a ton more kills. But the strategy is going out the door since hardly any maps have limited shotguns.

this shotgun exploit is simply killing this game. if its not one thing, its another.
shame. but whatever, i enjoy playing #hl2dm more and more these days.

Define : exploit

This topic is going to end up getting heated.

No point in debating on something which can never be fixed. Obviously people who know how to perform advance tricks are not willing to say it's a exploit, and more or less likely people who can't do them will call it an exploit.

For the shotgun thingi, its a thing everyone can learn to do, just like all the other things, does it take the fun out of the game ? Yes and no. (no, when your playing against someone who does not know how to do it, and yes when they do, or both)

Might as well stick to one hypothesis and wait to see what happens to all these 'skills' once the OB engine is released (if ever). That should be the final answer on all this. If you want these things to say, the only way (or the best), is to support this small community we have, and hopefully in good time our voices will be heard.

Judging by the small time that the U has been online, it has attracted a decent amount of players. Hopefully Valve or anything who has the authority will see that there is great potential to improve this game.

i guess i used the wrong term.
hl2dm shotgun is broken, that better?

lets keep to the topic. don't won't to go down a endless path.

The likely hood of valve coming to the rescue or even interested in hl2dm is so small. we all know how good this game is and thats because it fast paced game that has elements that challenge every skill. I never stayed long in tf2 it used to be great game when i was playing with my m8s and running around setting everyone alight and using the piro taunt that allways put a smile on my face. But i grew tired of the game i felt this is it this all it has to offer i did not feel there was another level i could get to and that its slow pace (to some my be fast but to me) was far to slow. May be its just your end but i have not seen a decline on my servers the opposite actually i seen more new names every time im on of mine server and i see players ping with 155+ on my server which i find odd because pretty most people in Europe get a good connection to mine telling some of them are not from europe.

Its up to us to make quality servers that people just want to join and have fun on. Not sure actually how but using a map cycle that is good but not to long that offer a similar playing experience. Also a server that is regulated well can go a long way but theres not desive formula for filling up a server. most people that join first time to a new game they go to the most filled servers at the top of there server list search and they are usually killbox and puzzle map so they are missing on the good stuff in dm. May be a list of servers with ip which hl2dmu recommends would help i remember spending along time searching thro servers to find a suitable one to play on that i would like.

Half-life 2 as we all know is a great game and many people have bought this as well as the episodes there is clearly allot of people that can get interested in the game it just up to us server admins to make sure that we offer them varity and better servers. But the lack of valve support has not helped.

But this game is not dieing check these figures. http://www.onlinegamingzeitgeist.com/games/
check where tf2 is valve got to relies how good potential of a product half -life game has as a online game they hardly put allot of effort in marketing hl2dm and if they make and release a hl3dm and market it as much as tf2 well it could easily beat most online games.

Things may be different in Europe. I don't know for sure, I just have noticed that there seems to be a lot less people and a lot more empty servers on the list.