Always a difficult time when a respected member is lost in the community, condolences to his family, his friends and the TF2 community.

The thing to take from this is, if you are ever down or feeling isolated especially in these troubled times, then just talk to someone.

Cheers

Byte

Fantastic production once again, emotional outro, and I still miss you guys. Will schedule one night a week to do some casting if you guys don't mind.

Congrats to Crowns despite the controversy in discussion, great spectacle for the audience.

and still <3 Dashner and when I saw bones on webcam my heart squeezed <3

Cheers

Byte

hey guys

Was rummaging through my storage at home and found my TF2 gear from like 2+ years ago. I found the goodbye card, from fellow gamers who were present at i52. Quite awesome, thought I'd share it just as a blast from the past thing, not many games where the community is as friendly, good times.

http://imgur.com/a/xV8xn

Also on a side note I have a few sticky bomb plushies to sell/giveaway. The following:

To giveaway: (all plushies were signed by the players at i52) - am open to suggestions as how these get given away, either they can be sold in auction (like ToTH) with proceeds going to a charity or some tournament which rewards players with these, again open to suggestions.

- Blue plushy signed by WARHURYEAH
- Red plushy signed by duwatna
- Blue plushy signed by kaidus
- Red plushy signed by termo-
- A load of TF2 posters, some signed by the dev team and some just the poster, will to give it all away, there are about 20+ posters.
- A load of TF2 cards, most of maps but some of class items, e.g. sentry gun card etc.

If no one from the community would like these I will most likely be given them away irl to charity.

To sell:

- 2 Blue stickybomb plushies - I know they don't sell em anymore in the valve store, and on amazon they go for approx $22, not too fussed if I sell them lower like £10 plus delivery cost etc..
- Inflatable balloonicorn - $30 in the valve store, can sell again for £10 plus delivery cost.
- TT crono's headset - £25 plus delivery cost, it is brand new and never been unboxed.
- TT Ladon mousemats - Ideally I just want to get rid of these, brand new and never been unboxed, willing to sell both of them as a bundle for £5 plus delivery cost

If none of these items sell, will again be giving all of these items to charity except the headphones which I'll just give to a friend for free!

If you're interested either send me a pm in tf.tv or add me on steam. If you're interested in organizing the items for the giveaway and want to take ownership of them again contact me in tf.tv slack or steam.

Cheers

Byte

Best of luck Sir, sorry gaming has taken you away from real-life and long-term lasting happiness. Finding a right balance between gaming and rl is difficult, agreed but not impossible. Hope once you're back on your feet you come back to the scene, whether it's this game or another and find that balance.

Several figures along the scene have come and gone and will be considered a pivotal milestone for the community, and you will always be considered as one of those and part of the community and welcomed back for sure.

Cheers

Byte

As with anything there are pro's and con's with gaming especially if you're going 'pro'. I've realized after playing games for quite a considerable amount of time, the turnover isn't worth it. At least for me it wasn't. Met some great people and still hang out with my friends online because I met them via TF2, but if you put this in respect to reality and life, only 1-2% of all professional gamers have made a reasonable profit and sustainable income and for those that tried, in return for their life (so far) some properties such as appearance/health/hygiene/studies/job/career would of been negatively affected, in most cases at least 2 out of the 6 mentioned there.

With regards to TF2 career, it's been great, no direct profit really made, money here and there, alot of free peripherals here and there, met alot of people, gave me a taste of what being well known is like back in the early/mid years of TF2. if anything it strengthened my confidence and ability to talk infront of more than 1k ppl. Managing a casting org also helped my rl career and it's one of the very few positives that was worth spending time on in comparison to what I was having to do for it.

Did TF2 change me? yeah only slightly, made me stronger as a leader for rl, and stronger in confidence because what I was doing for the scene just cemented what I thought I was good at. I do feel sorry for those just joining the scene though (in the last couple of years or so) because the community is not what it was, and the ethos of it is definitely not what it was. Players clutching at straws to find positives within a community and the introduction of 'cj'ing' within this community never existed until 2013 for TF2. I'd love for ETF2L to do a comparison of match comments/topics made and replies made back in 2007-11 against 2012-present, would be interesting to see what we'd see.

Would I do this 'professional' gaming career all over again? Hell no, isn't worth it, affects too many properties in my life which matter to me (those mentioned above), only thing I'd do again on the side is managing a casting org =)

Cheers

Byte

I also genuinely feel sorry for Zebbo, because if he's given the freedom to jus dm and focus on himself he'd be so strong, but he's having to call + coordinate + play his own class which at that level vs froyo isn't possible! <3 zebbo!

Cheers

Byte

When you're back let me know, I'll come back as medic with my dusty crossbow and brain to help <3 (and I mean that :P)

Cheers

Byte

Genuinely feel sorry for kaidus, with the pace he's having to play at with what's around him, overall picture if he gets 1 or 2 players out of this team to that 'next' level community should give him a pat on the back :P

Was a gg by 5 of the players from danger dogs 2night, but some poor individual plays from 2/3 individuals in reason, really poor. I think what summed it up for me was when I heard (tf.tv comms) kaidus trying to guide his team into a particular scenario and no one listened or computed as to why and ended up doing something else, stuff like that will frustrate anyone :D

anyway top lel / rumour / fake gossip / legit gossip etc...

Cheers

Byte

Can completely understand your feelings Lange, and it's happened and will happen to all of us at some stage in their TF2 career. I knew this about yourself when I met you for the first time @ lan, and then at i52 that's when I saw you were above what TF2 could offer you back. Especially as you are mightily talented.

It's a shame for this community, as you are a huge element of it, people come and go and hopefully others will step up in your shoes and fill that gap. I don't think anyone here think's TF2 is going to be huge or isn't dying. Yes it is dying and yes it's getting worse and worse in terms of skill factor.

But the main thing in all of this is, that it's still going and there are still enough people out there wanting to carry the torch and play this game in it's glory. Human's desires by default will always want the fame, the recognition. While there are people in the pool you'll still have TF2 going.

While I made a decision to leave the scene of TF2 this year, I burnt out ages ago (2012) but still held on for 2/3 years and figured I'd give something back and bring new players in/while managing VTV/events. My main reason was rl, and for others who are in control of the scene it will be similarly the same either rl will take over priorities or you'll burn out.

No TF2 isn't dead, Yes Valve couldn't give a flying fuck about a 7yr old game (in business terms you're all lucky they've spent 7 years on it thus so far), and yes you are losing a valuable member - Lange.

There are lots of things that people in the community are doing to keep it running and hopefully it'll continue to run. With newer services/leagues/PR's doing the work to get thing's running and give a chance to those who still love the game and want to be the 'best'. This community is in charge of it's own destiny in terms of it dying or not. If people keep stepping up it'll keep running.

Cheers

Byte

So glad we have these two in this community, their quality is beyond words. The sync’ing of audio with what;’s being shown, the content was amazing and just the amount of detail at ANY stage was fitting and premium.

While it does make you want to play TF2 and prove a point and be the best, it also add’s the love of the community worldwide. This is so hard to portray via a video and they’ve really managed to do it.

Excellent job Pete and Andy. Hope Valve surprise you with a nice treat because you thoroughly deserve one.

Also bones can you message me on slack the music used :P coz I loved it :D

Cheers

Byte

I know bud, just letting you know so other's don't go awol and MP end up with 2342424 emails about it with info void etc :P no offence meant <3

Cheers

Byte

Can we please not contact MP in the masses about the TF2 Grand Final if you're info is not valid. Kaneco you've clearly misinterpreted what's happening and now you've sent them something which isn't valid. What would be better was if a petition was made and everyone signed up to it maybe?

There is a grand final for TF2, and there is a big ass stage for us too, and the whole standard setup we have every year, the difference is, is that it's at 10am British time, which is donkey aids for US viewers.

I am currently doing my best to get in touch with The Gods of MP to see if it can be switched.

Cheers

Byte

As for the assets, I am totally fine with streaming the entire weekend on TF.TV's stream.

Main reasons:

- It's way more active
- It's 'internationalized' so everyone knows about the org on a global scale.

So it would be smart to stick with the tf.tv stream, however I/we want and AFAIK it has been agreed with Enigma that we'd used VTV assets/resources in all cases.

TF.TV still gets even more exposure by being on their stream, money from all the viewers and so on, is more than they could hope for considering we have the pitch :P

Either way bottom line is that it makes way more sense to be on TF.TV's stream as VanillaTV is shutting down after i52, which will be mentioned @ grand final.

Hope this concludes all conceptions of HUD's/splashes any other asset related visual aspect!

Cheers

Byte

What Arie said, although I can do a good presentation job if I didn't have to manage alot on my plate... done it many a times on grand final stage :P

But yes if we have a dedicated presenter we'd gladly welcome him/her if they can help out. VanillaTV will be closing down unless a suitable figure can continue on the legacy and manage such a volunteer org. If not then the TF2 scene 'should' be in safe hands with TF.TV =)

We have a line up as Arie mentioned for casters/techies and so on, so just stringing that all together with Multiplay, by hopefully end of play July.

I'll update you all in this thread at the end of the month.

Cheers

Byte

I suggest you don't watch or listen while I cast then, feeling's mutual to your presence on the chat. Abuse ain't needed show some appreciation towards this i52 setup muppet.

Cheers

Byte