This thread was made specifically for this sort of question, might already be an answer somewhere within.

I can't speak for TF2, but from the perspective of someone who played tetris competitively for a span of years, I doubt it. The tetris community is dwarfed by the tf2 community, is supported even less by TTC than 6s tf2 is by Valve (so much so that the the best competitive games come from community made clients that TTC has rather relentlessly tried to have taken down). Yet, in the few years since I stopped playing the community has stuck it out, new players have come in and absolutely massacred my best speed record.

The game will go on as long as there are people who enjoy playing it, though it will benefit massively from the continued support of its community (all you fantastic people who make the insomnia tournaments, ToTh, etc etc work). I may be off my rocker here, but I've always thought the community mattered more than official support. I've stuck around and kept an interest because of the people who invest so much time to put out consistent and wonderful coverage. You guys are some pretty neat folks, and I'm pretty sure Lange is the human equivalent of a teddy bear.

As for i52, there were enough wild gesticulations coming from me to satisfy the needs of three Italian weddings. It was hands down the most mindblowing TF2 I've ever watched.

Have you tried using dx 8.1 or 9? From some quick googling it appears to be specific to 8.

There was some discussion of it in this thread.

I have no idea myself, probably going to pick one of these monitors up in a few months if I decide to build a PC, but until then...

Honestly one of the most wonderful movies I've ever seen, though I'm not much of a buff. Has that sort of yellowed-with-age charm (that characterizes just about every Wes Anderson movie) in spades.

I'd throw Cool Hand Luke into the mix, possibly my all-time favorite. It didn't click with me until the second time I watched it, but I've loved it ever since.

I've somehow gone this long without watching Dr. Strangelove, which sources tell me is another interesting one. I... I'll get around to it eventually.

These are a tier down from the ATH-M50S that I own, on the upper range of your budget but I have had very good experiences with the M50s. Mind you, they don't have a built in microphone to my knowledge, so you'd have to search elsewhere for gaming purposes.

A friend recently bought a pair of M40xes and is quite pleased with them, plus the reviews I've seen are almost entirely positive though I've not myself tried them.

Might be worth checking out.

Also the usual mention of Sennheiser as a solid brand at most, if not all pricepoints.

Jamaica Plain might suit your needs perfectly, I know a few people who live there and they're quite happy with it. There are some rougher areas, but it beats Dorchester (where I did live for a span of months... avoid it if you can).

Being something of a recluse I'm of little use when it comes to suggesting where to spend some time. In spite of that... The MFA is a nice way to kill an afternoon (just... don't give them your email), though I'd say this about any museum really, even the Museum of Bad Art that's scattered around Somerville.

Lange has Cambridge nailed, it's a really charming town. Also hosts two of my favorite eateries... Bartley's makes some interesting and tasty (though slightly pricier) burgers, and Izzy's is probably one of the only distinctly Puerto Rican places in the area (as far as I'm aware). It is a great place to amble about and get lost, or spend hours perusing the shelves of the Harvard bookstore (the prime example of what a bookstore should be)

Transportation wise I've always relied on the T, though I've always avoided the orange line like the plague since from all accounts it might as well be a war zone. Never made sense to drive about on the admittedly nonsensical streets and worry about paying asinine amounts for parking. They recently bumped the prices on the T a bit, but I'm probably the only person you'll encounter who is bitching and moaning about it.

For driving in general, be careful, assume everyone else on the road is about as intelligent as a rutabaga. If you crash, you're cooked.

You are in a huge hunk of metal flying down a road at upwards of 30 mph, look twice, check your mirrors, and give people space. People make mistakes, yourself included, remember give them enough space that nobody is going to get hurt when something goes awry. When someone pulls some bonehead move...I know I've cut people off and winced and cursed at myself 'Why the fuck did you do that?", don't get angry over it just keep on driving.

I honestly don't remember my driver's test, so I can't really comment on it specifically. Try not to stress over it, you'll be fine even if you have to retake it.

Personally, any interaction with music (playing is the most rewarding), a good book and better tea, and the knowledge that there's a lot more to it all. People come, people go and some will stay, that's just how it works. Find another outlet; music, painting, beekeeping, math, it doesn't matter what it is.

What makes the other denizens of tf.tv happy might not sway you in the slightest. With any luck something here will point you in the right direction, but I've found one of the most rewarding parts of life is discovering what makes it all worthwhile to you.

You inhabit an incredibly large and intricate world, there is always more out there for you if you keep an open mind (and that itself is, to me, a reassuring thought). Even if you live past a century, there's always more outside your door.

If all else fails, whistle along... I've never been able to remain down when doing so

Ever since I first played Goat Simulator I wake early each morning, glue two paper towel rolls to my head and run amok, ruining parties, destroying homes and livelihoods.

Well, maybe not but a guy can dream.

The computer I first played TF2 on had an integrated graphics system that I believe was Intel.

It was my first experience with a game that wasn't tetris (which I played until I hit this point), which is not very intense graphically... as a result I didn't think anything of the performance I was getting in TF2.

I later dug that PC up, hopped on a harvest server, and checked my fps. Highest I got was 20 (average was about 10), and coming from the computer I use now... it felt like I was running through quicksand with a broken leg and Rob Ford on my shoulders.

It also couldn't render water properly, the surface was an opaque white sheet. If I was under it, I couldn't see above it, if I was above it I couldn't see under it. For example

Would not recommend.

Posting (and playing) from a Y580. It's been a workhorse for me, runs tf2 smoothly (150-200fps for me, with chris' maxframes... which I haven't updated since the Carter administration), as well as just about everything else.

The battery life is on the low side (I can get 2-2.5 hours on a full charge), and it is ever so slightly large, but it has served me well for two years now and has shown no signs of slowing down.

I should mention the battery life has never really been a problem for me, but you might have more trouble if you require more mobile use than I put mine through.

Before I noticed there was an update I swear I saw a (blue) roller turn into one of the Seuss hats.

Figured valve was screwing with me...

Instead I just realized I'm a moron.

Had a 500 Internal server error about 15 minutes ago, and it was acting up (uh... staying down) the past couple days.

Extent of my technical knowledge right there, website working? I can figure that right out.

You're all fantastic, organizers, participants, casters, and community members. It's incredible (and heartwarming) to see a community rally around a cause like this. $105,000 is completely mindblowing, it makes me proud to be even the most minuscule and silent part of this community.

I can't even conceive a suitable way to thank the folk who put so much time into organizing this and pulled it off without a hitch.

Felt physically deflated when the stream went offline...

Unnecessary gif...