The Magnum Opus / Martyr larp with this video is laughable. Many people here have already given it healthy critique so I'll try not to tread the same ground. I'm not really convinced that this wasn't emotionally made for some vindication rather than in good faith. Your responses to this thread shine a light on that.

Basic facts were made incorrectly or misrepresented (ESEA shutting down in 2015? And somebody already mentioned but I never recall Broking being on Froyotech either). It is common knowledge that RGL only used that ban message previously to protect themselves from a lawsuit. Despite that, they still changed protocol and have used a more descriptive one for at least the last two years.

Also the use of the word "ring" in the title and a lack of any proper timeline frames all the individuals in the video as being part of one together and the course of events as happening around a similar time frame -- which is not true. And based on the current information available, nor are you an insider in any capacity beyond being a casual participant of the larger scene. The most generous interpretation I can give is that you are trying to give yourself more credibility which is evidently; undeserved.

No-one has yet mentioned the burner email at the end of the video for people to write to if they were inspired to speak out. "I have nothing to lose" etc. Was this to fuel your own ego? Genuinely bizarre. Combined with the use of music, storytelling and voice acting -- it feels exploitative. #truecrime right guys? Did you even get consent or perspective from any of the victims or people in general?

Anybody who makes a video that is serious about making the world a better or safer place would inevitably reach out to experts or professionals who at a base level will have done research on the topic. The video has a severe lack of this but doesn't fail to call RGL a "pedo league" and makes an implicit statement that the head admin of RGL is someone who has committed acts like that -- and by extension is biased towards protecting people who do that. Citation very much needed.

When I saw the video in my sub box, I was looking forward to watching it but I am left extremely disappointed. I expected better. If you want to genuinely prove your integrity, you'd take down the video and re-make it with more care. If I were a pessimist, I'd predict you would hope for at least one positive response in your burner's inbox so you could parade it around as validation. The people that endured what you talk about in the video merited more. They are not props. Do better.

https://x.com/4G_b4nny/status/2090294174721437854]

When I was a lowly newcomer player (arguably still am at heart), I remember bearing witness to what would have ordinarily been another tally under the Froyo champion belt -- be snatched away by the hands of newly crowned challengers. The beginnings of the budding G6 in the aftermath spawning the next in line to defeat Froyotech. And now, here we are; with an amalgamation project I never thought I'd see. It has been an interesting watch as a voyeur seeing the progression of mixing and matching of players from both teams. It almost feels like this was inevitable in a way.

I mourn a little that we won't see two titans clashing a-la FROYO VS G6 or deepening Loafe's story this season but I feel that I am not alone in my curiosity of what the team's chemistry will look like with B4nny being secondary to another caller this time around.

Thoughts?

I agree. I don't know if this is just me but I don't think you're entitled to winning or "deserve" to win just because you were winning the season. A map advantage with an already smaller grands I feel was unnecessary. Although even outside of the mini-season it has cheapened the playing and or viewing experience.

Like Siyo said, at least map picks provide a meaningful advantage without taking away gameplay. If grands tend to be too long in general, why not shorten the format? Why does it have to be 5 maps?

Seeing Witness crack the Froyo dynasty for the first time was an exhilarating experience and that energy had been carried over to other regions. Even now with Wg Xiao. What Witness doesn't tell you is that on-top of all of this, he's responsible for helping some community projects grow (like an HL coaching server that used to exist) and has spent more than his fair share mentoring lord knows how many players at this point.

I hope the doc matches the fervor we've seen from Witness Gaming and whatever comes next treats you well.

Today I would probably say Habib (Demoman) and Week_Wacker (Medic). Historically I feel it would be a disservice to not say Blaze (Soldier) who was extremely deadly alongside Clockwork and probably has one of the highest champion titles to his name.

EDIT: Apparently Zilly and Branslam were also Canadian! I'd append the list then with Habib > Blaze > Branslam >Zilly

I don't know how anyone can say this outside of pure ignorance. White Lotus, a weaker total roster who have significantly less time playing on a team together on the same team had many opportunities to close out Witness (Logan getting nuked before a big ad uber push was a genuine tragedy). I think it's very likely that Mandem would have still won against White Lotus but not without a good amount of blood loss. I still loved and cheered watching White Lotus play!

FROYO's current roster is much more well equipped now than when they went into Denver. While B4nny's overconfidence was comical, what happened was not at all implausible. Right now we have: B4nny, Gungon who is a strong but in my opinion more importantly very flexible scout (something I think Branslam struggled with is how much stronger explosives are at Lan due to his playstyle of face checking soldiers as much as he can), Soapymeister and Speedy who are absolutely top tier soldiers, Habib (#2 demo NA at a minimum), and Lolguy (#1 Medic NA).

I thoroughly enjoy the burger rhetoric and I find the back and forth really funny but let's not pretend that FROYO would not have had a more than fair chance of winning the lan. Now that match up would've been intensely entertaining to watch.

I won't spend too many words on this since you already agree but I want to address what was said in that paragraph.

Ping fatigue is not that big of a deal, RGL does not ping very often already. Especially considering that most pings are opt in (which you could also do for this). You could also simply just post without pinging in your community channel, which you guys already do for other interests in RGL's radar.

Secondly, TFTV is a website, not a monolith of people. And it's evident from this very thread that HL players do indeed have accounts! Even if the current demographic is relatively uncaring, at worst that just means the 6's players will stay out of the HL threads, which I imagine you would arguably want anyways. So long as you post the thread its self somewhere HL players currently use frequently (as you mentioned Discord is currently popular) then they can still use the thread to respond. Over time as HL players become more accustomed to using the site, then you could start saving effort by not needing to post in Discord at all.

I think RGL should start utilizing their own Discord and TFTV more if that's the case. While a stream is better professionally, it's not necessary for the size of our community for mass engagement. Answer questions publicly and then they spread.

During the Newbie Cup, we would host seminars and classes using Discord's stage channel type. It let's you have speakers, share screens, people can raise hands and be brought up to the digital stage to ask questions or speak their mind. There is a chat attached to the channel as well that you can control. Hardly any production required, at worst someone just recording a VOD should be more than enough.

You can either in place of or additionally use TFTV threads. RGL admins only post to advertise but it can easily be used for feedback fishing expeditions. In-fact I find threads to be a significantly better reading experience for more in-depth discussions rather than the brainrot found in league discussions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFreQmAMqnw

Directly sure but competitive participants are more likely to be older and whale on the game. Not to mention like you said, attracting new players in another layer of the game breeds a healthy engagement leading more people to spend. While we're focused on our territory, what about charity medals? Are they seriously going to shoot every organization and event in the foot from this point on?

There could be a sizable loss, especially in more niche communities like MvM testing and events etc. I honestly figured this was a result of some technical issue with the item schema instead. I hope they are willing to at least work something out because we all know what happens when a feature is tabled by Valve for something better soon(tm).

Prevention at our level is difficult because the issue goes beyond the borders of TF2. A lot of these exchanges also tend to be secretive--which means that by the time they are caught it's deep in the rabbit hole. I think that makes a lot of community members feel that the bulk of this interaction is reactive so when the response is lack-luster, it makes it all the more obtuse.

TF2CC sees a lot of new and often young players through our step in the pipeline into the competitive community, especially with the Newbie Cup. We try to host classes when we have the resources to on topics relevant to their journey, including one on mental health. Would players be interested in an online safety guide for both adults and minors? Maybe it would help create a standardized language and model specific to our realm for discussing a concern like this.

In that vein I'd also like to show my appreciation for the shared experiences in this thread despite the weight you all might be carrying from it. If something like the above was made I think it should definitely have persons impacted as consultants.

To set expectations though, it would not be completed for a long while. I especially would not want to create the bulk of this project without better education and certification(s) as the ones I have under my belt are not relevant the subject matter.

I would also love for our community to be more disciplined with the engagement of players who negatively impact this environment. From those who maintain their association with disgusting players and or share harmful media along with rhetoric. Your compass should not just be defined by who has red text on their league profile. Many people will admit privately that they will play on a team, especially a good one so long as the team members are not banned.

Wouldn't this just shift the meta to the demoman periodically wacking himself while holding doors?

I think the most meaningful impact is one that is not listed, that momentum would get a big buff. If the medic and scout are the only survivors on disad or even after an exchange then there's very little recourse for them to soften the blow by building (not even while running away because you are deleting stationary building from scout). I think it's less about making it so that there's one less explosive on a doorway and more like trading in some even holds for disad ones.

https://youtu.be/urhUawD7NKg

The OP is in reference to the bug where both are absent which seems to stem from a different issue. It's not fixed by just inspecting a teammate as far as I am aware. This works when only your ammo is missing.

Hi, I've noticed that when some but not all of a player's HUD elements such as health and ammo disappear; the prevailing advice given is that you need to die and respawn for it to fix its-self.

This is partially true, dying and respawning does fix it but it's not necessary. You can alternatively just refresh via demo recording.

If you are using an auto-recorder of some kind you will need to input the following in your developer console*:

- stop
- record test

If you are not using an auto-recorder for demos, you should follow the same instructions but in reverse*:

- record test
- stop

* the recording can be named anything, you don't have to use "test'. It's more convenient for me to illustrate.

Of course this means that you will have to stop somewhere safely to do this and if the admins request your demo it will be a little more annoying but it sure beats throwing away your life with uncertainty during a match.