==A guide to TF2 Pick Up Games (PUG’s)==
Pick up games are 6v6 scrims that you can play whenever you want with random members of the public.
They rely on using external software to organise the match and having set rules for team mix and behaviour.
==Advantages==
Gives you experience of match play on a match server. Allows you to watch matches as a spectator. Can be used to refine tactics or enable you to play well in a scrim situation. Teaches you how to pwn on public servers especially if you join with other PUG players. They can be great fun.
==Disadvantages==
No skills levelling you can get completely whitewashed or may whitewash your openents. You cant pick your team the bot’s decide. You may have to play a class you are not comfortable with. You need a relatively high skill level before you play this is not a place for beginners. Playing certain classes can be a thankless task (Medic and Demo)
===Software===
An iRC client such as mIRC
Voice chat software such as
‘Mumble
‘Ventrillo
‘Teamspeak
Team Fortress 2 running in windowed mode
Have the Team Fortress console enabled
Have match view configured in your TF2 set up.
I will not detail how to set up TF2 for the above as a player advanced enough to participate if PUG’s will know how to et up the above.
===List of PUG providers===
‘UK and Europe’
‘USA’
===Before the Game Rules===
This is a list of rules you can expect to come acorss with a PUG channel. This is not complete and you must read the channel rules to ascertain any differences or extra requirements otherwise a ban could result.
• Be able to understand and write the laguage used on the server (usually english).
• Know all classes (which weapons they have and how to use them).
• Know all official maps.
• A rule of thumb is to have at least 20 played hours (not idled)
• Have the latest version of all the software installed (especially the Voice chat software).
• Know the IP of the server you are joining.
• Know and understand the format of the PUG you are joining (usually 6 vs 6).
• Have downloaded an installed any required custom maps.
===During the Game Rules===
• Class and weapon limits.
• Class switching in game.
PUG’s play mediclimit 1, demolimit 1, classlimit 2 (i.e. max 2 of each class, and max 1 medic & demo)
* Most of the times each team has: 1 medic, 1 soldier, 1 demo, 2 scouts, and 1 soldier/heavy
Scouts are also usually restricted to one Force A Nature, sandman is not used due to the health penalty
* Don't change class in the middle of a match (unless it benefits your team, i.e. ask your team if you may change class)
* Ventrilo is required, so remember to join the right ventrilo channel. Speak english!
* Use a similar name in-game and on ventrilo as you use on our IRC channel
* Don't leave before the match is over! If you have to leave, find a sub!
Enable highlighting in your IRC client (mIRC) should be by default.
You join an irc channel and add yourself to the next game and join the server to play.
You only play 1 map and so it usually only takes 30mins.
Its a good way for the competitive to get some proper training time and to also work out the kinks in our game.. you know.. tactics etc...
Before you start
* Enable highlighting in your IRC client (mIRC) should be by default)
• On #mpuktf2.pickup
Make sure you have cp_pro_granary (extract the files into Steam\SteamApps\your@account\team fortress 2\tf\maps)
* You need to be authed in Q (check this guide)
* Type !add to add to the pickup
* Type !medic if you want to be medic all the time during the pickup
* As soon as you know you can't play, type !del
* Type !map mapname to vote for a map to be played
* When 12 players are added the pickup starts. You will get a private message with server details
* Make sure to join both ventrilo and the TF2 server within 5 minutes
* If the pickup has started and you're in it, if you can't play you'll have to find someone to replace you - this is called a sub. In the channel write "NEED SUB" a couple of times and there will probably be someone that responds. Give that person the ventrilo/server/team info.
During game
*
Failing to follow the rules may result in a temporary ban (lasting from 1 day to 1 week depending on the circumstances).
The most common reasons for bans are:
* Not showing up for a pickup you have signed up for, or showing up too late (i.e. after more than 5 minutes).
* Leaving before the pickup has finished.
* Changing to useless classes in-game, breaking class limits and generally working against your team.
* Not being on ventrilo.
* Speaking non-english during the game.
* Wanting to learn the game from scratch through pickups.
* Not having a similar name in-game as you have on our IRC channel.
* Trying to avoid a ban might give you a permanent ban.
* If you in any way express racism you might get a permanent ban.
Above all: Be friendly!
Notes on classes
If you play Demo you must know the demo jump routes to the various areas, a good demoman will always be the first to the CP.
Soldiers must be able to rocket jump.
Medic’s must know the Demo routes so he can be buffed before he is out of range.
Medic’s are usually in charge of team tactics.
Teams will use the “E” key to indicate their location.
It can be tricky to sort out so here is a *quick* guide.
You will need the following software
1. Download and Install an IRC client.
2. Download and install Ventrilo.
http://www.ventrilo.com/download.php.
3 Team Fortress 2 in windowed mode. Make sure it is running and the console is enabled and open. Alt tab back to the mIRC and Vent screen.
I use mIRC (
http://www.mirc.com/install.html) although you can also use Xchat or any other IRC client.
For the pruposes of this guide I will assume you are using mIRC.
mIRC has a nag screen that you can either choose to ignore or go down th register route.
2. Connect to a IRC server
Once you have clicked continue, a window will popup called mIRC options. If it does not not click 'tools' and then 'options'. Under the connect category;
* Enter a name (this is not shown and does not need to be accurate) and email address.
* Enter a nickname and alternative. These are how you will be identified but have to be unique. You have to put characters in front or after your name. It is a good idea to include your Steam name in this nickname as this helps later on
Next click the sub-category 'Servers' under 'Connect'.
Scroll down the list until you get to QuakeNet.
Double click the file
Click to highlight 'Random UK server'.
On the right click 'Select'.
Return to the original form, your server option should now show 'QuakNet: Random UK server'.
Click connect.
3. Request an authorisation email
You should now be connected to the UK QuakNet server. If a favorites channel window pops up, untick 'Pop up favourites on connect' at the bottom and then close it.
In the main window type,
/msg Q hello EMAIL EMAIL
(replace each EMAIL with your full email address, ie "
abc@xyz.com")
If you have done this correctly you will recieve an email. Otherwise a message will come up explaining what you have done wrong.
4. Authorise your account
Your email will contains a link to a page with your username and a randomly generated password. It will explain how to authorise your account, but the easiest way is to copy and paste the line of code it provides you with, which looks like this:
/msg
Q@CServe.quakenet.org AUTH [your_name] [your pass]
It also provides you with instructions with how to change the password to your own, by entering the command:
/MSG
Q@CServe.quakenet.org NEWPASS [old password] [new password] [new password]
(do not include the square brackets)
If done correctly you will get a success message and an email will be sent notifying you of the change to your password.
5. Connect to the mIRC pickup channel.
To connect to the pickup channel, simply type:
/join #mpuktf2.pickup
in the message box.
6. Start ventrillo. Note Ventrillo is compulsory for this channel.
If you don't, you WILL get banned from the games.
When you open Ventrilo, click the arrow to the right of User Name and enter a nickname. I left the rest blank. NB. Your Ventrilo username must be similar to your registered name on QuakNet.
Next click the arrow to the right of Server, add a ID name for the server for your own purposes, then add the following:
IP: 85.236.100.69
port: 28960
password: tf2pickupVent
Then click connect.
Make sure you are in the correct server, BEFORE step 7.
7. Add yourself to a game.
Back in mIRC now, and once you have completed steps 1-6, type; !add
to add yourself to a gather. You can see available gathers and how many people are waiting to play in them. Once a gather has 12 players, the "TF2PickupBot" will message you and give you info about the ventrilo channel to join and TF2 Server details.
If you have joined a gather and then CANT play, type: !del
Make sure you do this BEFORE there are 12 players.
If you add yourself to a gather and don't show up you get a 24/48h ban, do it multiple times and it will be permanent.
If you want to play medic, type !med
To vote for a specific map type !map [mapname]
!v Gran for granary
!v badlands for badlands
!v freight for freight
The mIRC bot will tell you when to start and lists the players and the correct teams. You will now need to
go into ventrillo
find your assigned server
right click
hover you mouse over miscelaneous
select copy comment
alt tab into TF2 (make sure its in windowed mode)
press ` to bring up the console
CTRL and V in the command line and press enter.
Select the right colour team and wait to start your match Good luck.
8. Quick connect
To save time after you have gone through the process the first time, you can provide mIRC with a list of commands you want it to enter, which will mean that once you open mIRC it will log you in to your channel straight away.
To do this go to 'Tools' then 'Options'. Under the category 'Connect', click the subcategory 'Options', then click 'Perform...'
Tick the box 'Enable perform on connect'. In the 'Perform commands:' section type:
/MSG
Q@CSERVE.QUAKENET.ORG AUTH [yourusername] [yourpassword]
/join #mpuktf2.pickup
Then click okay. Now when you click connect you will go straight to the correct channels.
9. The Rules!
You can find the official rules here:
http://forums.multiplay.co.uk/showthread.php?t=60108Additional information for clans
To get mixes,
/join #tf.wars
on the line after /join #mpuktf2.pickup and you should get a second window with the TFwars IRC once you disconnect and reconnect.
You will see which teams are advertising.
You can do one of two things to get a mix.
1. You can advertise by typing something along the lines of
6v6 Low-- Server on
Where 6v6 denotes what type of match you're looking for, Low-- denotes skill level, server on/off denotes whether you want to play on their server or yours, "on" being yours "off" being theirs.
Someone may/may not get back to you. Make sure you have the server connect details to hand. So for a match server say
connect 123.45.67.890:12345; password iwanttoplay
or
2. Reply to someone who has already advertised by clicking on the name of the advertiser which will then highlight their name in the right hand channel. Double click on that name and then you can PM them.
I usually start by asking if they still need a match followed by what division they are. They will then give you their IP and you can organise the match.
Be patient guys. At weekends, there are plenty of Low-/ Low-- teams out there, but fewer during the week. 8pm till 10pm most nights is prime time.
As a rough guide
Low-- Developing team
Low- Division 6 ETF2L
Low Division 5 ETF2L
Mid -/ Mid / Mid+ Division 3-4 ETF2L
You can use this to get all sorts of matchesfrom 3v3 Scout only arena to Highlander games.
Total Members: 312
