The "Ask a professional gamer" Thread

[Puddsy]

I really don't want to do this, but **** it, It'll be informative and useful for you guys. I was kinda weighing whether or not I wanted to do it, and figure nothing too terrible could happen.

I played TF2 at ESEA platinum level for 3 seasons of ESEA, and played in a few other tournaments up until a few months ago, to spend more time on school. Anyone who plays TF2 at that level currently most likely does not know who I am. I made many friends who play other games, mainly CS:GO players and DotA 2 players, and a few LoL players mixed in. I will not name these players.

I will try my best to answer your questions. My answers are based off my experience, which is not "textbook".

Ask away.

[ideus]

Please elaborate on your experience on switches.

[osi]

I was heavy into CS back in the early 2000's, played since beta ~5 and still get my fair share of TF2 on. Did more than a few CAL seasons too.

What was your greatest moment in a tourney? That clutch 5 kill and bomb defuse?? Let's hear it!

[Puddsy]

Please elaborate on your experience on switches.

What kind of switches? Like switching games? It feels strange, honestly. You've been playing with the same team for a long time, then suddenly you're in another game with another team. Switching games is something you do because you don't like the game you're in, not because you like the 2nd game better. The 2 big reasons I stopped are school and the ESEA bitcoin scandal. I'll be moving to DotA in a year or so, when I get good enough.

I could've totally missed the point of your question, sorry.

I was heavy into CS back in the early 2000's, played since beta ~5 and still get my fair share of TF2 on. Did more than a few CAL seasons too.

What was your greatest moment in a tourney? That clutch 5 kill and bomb defuse?? Let's hear it!

Rocket surf into 2 ubersaw kills to save the point.

That was a good day.

[boost]

use to play CSS a lot and got many accounts banned

[osi]

Please elaborate on your experience on switches.

What kind of switches? Like switching games? It feels strange, honestly. You've been playing with the same team for a long time, then suddenly you're in another game with another team. Switching games is something you do because you don't like the game you're in, not because you like the 2nd game better. The 2 big reasons I stopped are school and the ESEA bitcoin scandal. I'll be moving to DotA in a year or so, when I get good enough.

I could've totally missed the point of your question, sorry.

I was heavy into CS back in the early 2000's, played since beta ~5 and still get my fair share of TF2 on. Did more than a few CAL seasons too.

What was your greatest moment in a tourney? That clutch 5 kill and bomb defuse?? Let's hear it!

Rocket surf into 2 ubersaw kills to save the point.

That was a good day.

Very nice -- the adrenaline pumping!!

[ideus]

Please elaborate on your experience on switches.

What kind of switches? Like switching games? It feels strange, honestly. You've been playing with the same team for a long time, then suddenly you're in another game with another team. Switching games is something you do because you don't like the game you're in, not because you like the 2nd game better. The 2 big reasons I stopped are school and the ESEA bitcoin scandal. I'll be moving to DotA in a year or so, when I get good enough.

I could've totally missed the point of your question, sorry.

I was heavy into CS back in the early 2000's, played since beta ~5 and still get my fair share of TF2 on. Did more than a few CAL seasons too.

What was your greatest moment in a tourney? That clutch 5 kill and bomb defuse?? Let's hear it!

Rocket surf into 2 ubersaw kills to save the point.

That was a good day.

Well, probably your thread was intended for gamers and game only related stuff. I was asking about your experience with different keyboard's switches, but just forget it sorry.

[Puddsy]

That's what I thought you meant at first, but that would be too easy, what with this being a keyboard forum and all.

MX blacks were what I used for most of my time in TF2, mostly because it was all I had. They're probably my favorite gaming switch just because I used them so much.

MX reds are pretty good too, but there's not enough twitch required to warrant them.

Green ALPS are super nice, but I'd prefer it if they were a little lighter.

MX blues are meh for TF2, but I can't complain, since blues are my favorite overall MX switch.

MX browns are like reds but more lame.

MX greens are too stiff for my liking, so I'm modding mine to 45g springs.

Topre is probably your worst choice for any FPS. Not being able to float a switch really hurts in a close situation.

[BGD]

How do you plan on breaking into the Dota 2 scene? Many up and coming NA teams don't seem to be doing really well in tournaments. Do you plan on being picked up through IXDL or something like that?

[baldgye]

What's the competitive tf2 scene like?

Sc2 looks like it's dying yet it's still super popular compared (or at least how it appears) to tf2 and CS... I used to play a lot of CSS back in the day but only on pub servers because I didn't even know it was played competitively but moved away from it as the pub server scene is total **** and the steam game browser is garbage... Now the only thing I play to any level is sc2...

[Puddsy]

What's the competitive tf2 scene like?

Sc2 looks like it's dying yet it's still super popular compared (or at least how it appears) to tf2 and CS... I used to play a lot of CSS back in the day but only on pub servers because I didn't even know it was played competitively but moved away from it as the pub server scene is total **** and the steam game browser is garbage... Now the only thing I play to any level is sc2...

Comp TF2 is larglely a "VoD game." Basically, most of the views come from VoDs, and they're mostly just other teams looking to beat you. I think the highest number of viewers I've seen on any tf2 stream is 1500, for the TFTV finals. (compare to any LoL player, or any tournament final for SC2). I knew from outset that TF2 would never get the recognition that any of the 4 pillars and get (SC, DotA, Quake, CS). The reason this happens is the sheer amount of people required to run a team efficiently is absolutely immense. My team had 6 starters, 6 standins, a manager, a community manager, and 2 admins. A highlander team generally has 25+ people involved. Compare that to a CS team, which is usually no more than 8-9 people per organization, and SC2 which is usually just a player and his/her manager. Because each team is such a massive ordeal, it's too easy to get into the comp scene, which means that anyone who wants to play can. I guess that's not a bad thing, but the reason these other games are so popular is that the sheer skill required is immense, while in TF2, you can suck and still be recognized. The skill level of players in leagues is below what it was a year ago, that's a fact, but yet the scene continues to grow.

SC2 has been a dead game since MLG dropped it. The Koreans are just too good for anyone else to compete with them.

How do you plan on breaking into the Dota 2 scene? Many up and coming NA teams don't seem to be doing really well in tournaments. Do you plan on being picked up through IXDL or something like that?

Even though I'm not a pro DotA player yet, I'm good friends with a few of them. I'll probably just stand in for teams for a while until I see an opening I can fill. Probably join a B-Tier team then make it S-tier with large amounts of practice.

Probably not going to go as planned, but a boy can dream.

[SpAmRaY]

how many hours a day do you game?

[ideus]

That's what I thought you meant at first, but that would be too easy, what with this being a keyboard forum and all.

MX blacks were what I used for most of my time in TF2, mostly because it was all I had. They're probably my favorite gaming switch just because I used them so much.

MX reds are pretty good too, but there's not enough twitch required to warrant them.

Green ALPS are super nice, but I'd prefer it if they were a little lighter.

MX blues are meh for TF2, but I can't complain, since blues are my favorite overall MX switch.

MX browns are like reds but more lame.

MX greens are too stiff for my liking, so I'm modding mine to 45g springs.

Topre is probably your worst choice for any FPS. Not being able to float a switch really hurts in a close situation.

Have not tried clears?

[PointyFox]

How does Topre hurt FPS gaming?  I have no problem with it.  Besides, you can "float" it just as well as any of the MX switches, perhaps better since it has a tactile point and it's near the top.

[HoffmanMyster]

Why would you care if people know who you are?

[noisyturtle]

If professional gamers could have direct input during the development of a game not specifically designed for competitive play, do you think their play pattern and mechanics outlook would help or harm the design of such a game?

[Puddsy]

Why would you care if people know who you are?

It would be a bit of scandal. I played as someone that I wasn't. I guess it was fakenicking, but I don't like to call it that. Just look at the SC2 fakenick scandals.

How does Topre hurt FPS gaming?  I have no problem with it.  Besides, you can "float" it just as well as any of the MX switches, perhaps better since it has a tactile point and it's near the top.

I think that a lot of it is the fact that I used an HHKB. A realforce might be a little better, but probably not by much. The solidness of MX switches is also pretty nice. It's all personal preference. Some people do like Topre, but not any in the FPS world. Also, consider the aspiring player, and then the price of a topre keyboard vs an MX red keyboard. Most low level tournaments have a prize no bigger than $200, for every member of the team to split among themselves.

how many hours a day do you game?

During a school day, 3-4. Weekends/breaks 8+. I've been known to go 14 hours in my chair if there's nothing better to do.

<snip>

Have not tried clears?

No sir. Not yet. Soon.

If professional gamers could have direct input during the development of a game not specifically designed for competitive play, do you think their play pattern and mechanics outlook would help or harm the design of such a game?

Depends on the game. In a strategy game, I can see it doing pretty well. DotA is actually balanced at the pub level as much as it is a competitive one. I've had a (albeit short) conversation with icefrog about the way he balances, at a lot of it revolves around pro players giving input about the problem heroes in pubs. I think that to properly balance a game, input from people who play that game at a high level is very useful, and certainly not a thing to be wasted. In an FPS, I don't see it being as useful, but any dev should have access to every tool they can have access too, and professionals are a very useful tool, and oft overlooked.

[baldgye]

What's the competitive tf2 scene like?

Sc2 looks like it's dying yet it's still super popular compared (or at least how it appears) to tf2 and CS... I used to play a lot of CSS back in the day but only on pub servers because I didn't even know it was played competitively but moved away from it as the pub server scene is total **** and the steam game browser is garbage... Now the only thing I play to any level is sc2...

Comp TF2 is larglely a "VoD game." Basically, most of the views come from VoDs, and they're mostly just other teams looking to beat you. I think the highest number of viewers I've seen on any tf2 stream is 1500, for the TFTV finals. (compare to any LoL player, or any tournament final for SC2). I knew from outset that TF2 would never get the recognition that any of the 4 pillars and get (SC, DotA, Quake, CS). The reason this happens is the sheer amount of people required to run a team efficiently is absolutely immense. My team had 6 starters, 6 standins, a manager, a community manager, and 2 admins. A highlander team generally has 25+ people involved. Compare that to a CS team, which is usually no more than 8-9 people per organization, and SC2 which is usually just a player and his/her manager. Because each team is such a massive ordeal, it's too easy to get into the comp scene, which means that anyone who wants to play can. I guess that's not a bad thing, but the reason these other games are so popular is that the sheer skill required is immense, while in TF2, you can suck and still be recognized. The skill level of players in leagues is below what it was a year ago, that's a fact, but yet the scene continues to grow.

SC2 has been a dead game since MLG dropped it. The Koreans are just too good for anyone else to compete with them.

How do you plan on breaking into the Dota 2 scene? Many up and coming NA teams don't seem to be doing really well in tournaments. Do you plan on being picked up through IXDL or something like that?

Even though I'm not a pro DotA player yet, I'm good friends with a few of them. I'll probably just stand in for teams for a while until I see an opening I can fill. Probably join a B-Tier team then make it S-tier with large amounts of practice.

Probably not going to go as planned, but a boy can dream.

Fair enough, though the Sc2 is far from dead and MLG has had little to do with it's falling stream numbers. More Blizz totally ****ing up time and time again in game design, UI, updates and the running and managing of the scene, in 2013 they almost managed to totally kill the NA scene... Europe is still ok though

[JPG]

Have you ever seen a pro player using a model F (or M but less likely since 2kro)?

Would be so fun to see one coming with his F122 style keyboard (smacking other players with it, literally haha!)

[Puddsy]

Have you ever seen a pro player using a model F (or M but less likely since 2kro)?

Would be so fun to see one coming with his F122 style keyboard (smacking other players with it, literally haha!)

Most of them probably don't know what a model F is. I asked a few people.

A DotA player said "Is that a kind of car?"

lol

[HoffmanMyster]

Have you ever seen a pro player using a model F (or M but less likely since 2kro)?

Would be so fun to see one coming with his F122 style keyboard (smacking other players with it, literally haha!)

Most of them probably don't know what a model F is. I asked a few people.

A DotA player said "Is that a kind of car?"

lol

At least he's not wrong.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Model_F

[fourzeropooh]

are u invite

can u sign my wep

can i add u on steam

[Beca]

Do you still play any games for leisure, if not competitively?

[fourzeropooh]

how come tlr plays dota now

[tbc]

Do you think that trying to play professionally because you happen to be very good while playing for fun is a good idea?

more simply, is it worth it turning a game into a job/career?  Are there commitment-related factors in professional gaming that require dedication and a good work ethic rather than just a desire to make money (like winning money playing pool in a bar)?

[Puddsy]

Do you think that trying to play professionally because you happen to be very good while playing for fun is a good idea?

more simply, is it worth it turning a game into a job/career?  Are there commitment-related factors in professional gaming that require dedication and a good work ethic rather than just a desire to make money (like winning money playing pool in a bar)?

Into a job? Absolutely not. Roughly 1% of players are good enough to play a game professionaly (in any game), and very few of those people actually do. It requires a massive amount of practice to remain competitive. To my knowledge, the best teams in any game scrim against any other team at least 5-7 times in a week. Some even more. Playing games at a LAN event is also massively taxing on you. I can barely make it through a best of 3 (in TF2 maps). I hate it when the fans ask why every tournament doesn't have Bo5 for every round above quarterfinals.

So no, it's only worth it if you're in A-tier or S-tier. Most people actually do it as a side thing to make some extra cash. A large number of players are in university.

how come tlr plays dota now

It's fun.

are u invite

can u sign my wep

can i add u on steam

Yeah, 3 seasons of ESEA invite. I said plat because people want me on their UGC team. My bad.

Nobody would know who I am, so no.

http://steamcommunity.com/id/C_Pudds/

Do you still play any games for leisure, if not competitively?

All the time. You should never play a game you don't like. If you don't take comp super seriously, it just feels like you're playing with a group of your buddies.

[RESPRiT]

How do you feel about how Valve has been treating the competitive scene? I have a few friends who play UGC and I went to school with b4nny, so TF2's always been up my alley. Although I can pubstomp, I'm far from competitive play (just MGE and some lobbies), but I've always felt like the game is actually pretty poorly balanced for higher level play. I think TF2 is great, but I think Valve kind of leaves competitive play in the dark.

[Puddsy]

How do you feel about how Valve has been treating the competitive scene? I have a few friends who play UGC and I went to school with b4nny, so TF2's always been up my alley. Although I can pubstomp, I'm far from competitive play (just MGE and some lobbies), but I've always felt like the game is actually pretty poorly balanced for higher level play. I think TF2 is great, but I think Valve kind of leaves competitive play in the dark.

TF2 is a game that's balanced around pub play. It's really just that simple. If the game were balanced to comp, it wouldn't be as much fun as it is. The game was never meant to have competitive play.

Valve has great respect for the comp scene in DotA and CS:GO (not so much 1.6 anymore, it's obvious they want everyone to move to GO). They certainly know how to host a tournament, too (see: TI3).

[RESPRiT]

How do you feel about how Valve has been treating the competitive scene? I have a few friends who play UGC and I went to school with b4nny, so TF2's always been up my alley. Although I can pubstomp, I'm far from competitive play (just MGE and some lobbies), but I've always felt like the game is actually pretty poorly balanced for higher level play. I think TF2 is great, but I think Valve kind of leaves competitive play in the dark.

TF2 is a game that's balanced around pub play. It's really just that simple. If the game were balanced to comp, it wouldn't be as much fun as it is. The game was never meant to have competitive play.

Valve has great respect for the comp scene in DotA and CS:GO (not so much 1.6 anymore, it's obvious they want everyone to move to GO). They certainly know how to host a tournament, too (see: TI3).

Guess I gotta agree with you on that. How about controversial changes like the recent Short Circuit or the Phlog in the past that seemed to wreck pubs? Haha I guess I still feel like Valve has some problems with balancing, but I can't argue with DotA and CS:GO.

[Puddsy]

How do you feel about how Valve has been treating the competitive scene? I have a few friends who play UGC and I went to school with b4nny, so TF2's always been up my alley. Although I can pubstomp, I'm far from competitive play (just MGE and some lobbies), but I've always felt like the game is actually pretty poorly balanced for higher level play. I think TF2 is great, but I think Valve kind of leaves competitive play in the dark.

TF2 is a game that's balanced around pub play. It's really just that simple. If the game were balanced to comp, it wouldn't be as much fun as it is. The game was never meant to have competitive play.

Valve has great respect for the comp scene in DotA and CS:GO (not so much 1.6 anymore, it's obvious they want everyone to move to GO). They certainly know how to host a tournament, too (see: TI3).

Guess I gotta agree with you on that. How about controversial changes like the recent Short Circuit or the Phlog in the past that seemed to wreck pubs? Haha I guess I still feel like Valve has some problems with balancing, but I can't argue with DotA and CS:GO.

I think that was the point of the changes. If you ever read into it, TF2 should never have even existed. It's an experiment by Valve.

TF2 has always been first in anything, microtransactions, cosmetic items. Think about it.

[RESPRiT]

How do you feel about how Valve has been treating the competitive scene? I have a few friends who play UGC and I went to school with b4nny, so TF2's always been up my alley. Although I can pubstomp, I'm far from competitive play (just MGE and some lobbies), but I've always felt like the game is actually pretty poorly balanced for higher level play. I think TF2 is great, but I think Valve kind of leaves competitive play in the dark.

TF2 is a game that's balanced around pub play. It's really just that simple. If the game were balanced to comp, it wouldn't be as much fun as it is. The game was never meant to have competitive play.

Valve has great respect for the comp scene in DotA and CS:GO (not so much 1.6 anymore, it's obvious they want everyone to move to GO). They certainly know how to host a tournament, too (see: TI3).

Guess I gotta agree with you on that. How about controversial changes like the recent Short Circuit or the Phlog in the past that seemed to wreck pubs? Haha I guess I still feel like Valve has some problems with balancing, but I can't argue with DotA and CS:GO.

I think that was the point of the changes. If you ever read into it, TF2 should never have even existed. It's an experiment by Valve.

TF2 has always been first in anything, microtransactions, cosmetic items. Think about it.

Man, Valve is an interesting company. Did you ever take up trading? I got knees deep for a while but called quits since I'm just not a fan of having to deal with traders. Brought in a nice chunk of revenue though, and I still have some unusuals leftover.

[bazemk1979]

TacticalStache I think I saw you play on 2FJg server in RO2 correct?

[Beca]

Did you start out really ****ty and just practiced/played a lot, or were you pretty good right off the bat?

I've played a bit of TF2 (about 10 hours or so total) and I'm extremely bad. I wonder if it's because I have below average reflexes to begin with?

[Puddsy]

TacticalStache I think I saw you play on 2FJg server in RO2 correct?

Nope.

Did you start out really ****ty and just practiced/played a lot, or were you pretty good right off the bat?

I've played a bit of TF2 (about 10 hours or so total) and I'm extremely bad. I wonder if it's because I have below average reflexes to begin with?

I picked up the comp aspect pretty quickly. I had about 500 or so hours when I started playing in invite, which is very low when compare to everyone else.

[Pacifist]

I picked up the comp aspect pretty quickly. I had about 500 or so hours when I started playing in invite, which is very low when compare to everyone else.

but med is just point and click )

kritz or uber?

[Puddsy]

I picked up the comp aspect pretty quickly. I had about 500 or so hours when I started playing in invite, which is very low when compare to everyone else.

but med is just point and click )

kritz or uber?

Uber is always better.

[naokira]

Please do tell us when you break in dota 2 scene. Or atleast pm me on steam

[Danule]

What class do you play?  What class do most pro's play in TF2?  Are there any classes that dont get played at all or very seldom?

Thanks!

[RESPRiT]

What class do you play?  What class do most pro's play in TF2?  Are there any classes that dont get played at all or very seldom?

Thanks!

Not OP, but in the league he played in, ESEA, the most common competitive format is 6v6, which has a very static meta. Team consist of 2 soldiers, 2 scouts, 1 demoman, and 1 scout. Scouts and soldiers will occasionally "offclass" as other classes based on certain situations. For example, you can offclass as a pyro to counter an uber charge push since the pyro can run in and airblast the medic around. Another example would be playing engineer if you need to defend your last point.

[Puddsy]

2 sollys, 2 scouts, 1 demo, and a medic. Not 3 scouts haha.

There's also highlander league, which is one of every class. I find it too close to pubs to think that it's worth actually playing it competitively, but I'm a purist, so blah.

[RESPRiT]

2 sollys, 2 scouts, 1 demo, and a medic. Not 3 scouts haha.

There's also highlander league, which is one of every class. I find it too close to pubs to think that it's worth actually playing it competitively, but I'm a purist, so blah.

Did you ever play Quake?

[Puddsy]

nope

[Danule]

how come no sniper? T_T

[Puddsy]

how come no sniper? T_T

In 6s? Sometimes it gets run on viaduct/granary last. Snipers don't get to mid quickly, and they get massacred by sollys, so you just get your medic pick and switch back to scout.

[RESPRiT]

how come no sniper? T_T

In 6s? Sometimes it gets run on viaduct/granary last. Snipers don't get to mid quickly, and they get massacred by sollys, so you just get your medic pick and switch back to scout.

How do you decide between sniper and spy offclass for med picks?

[Puddsy]

spy is trash tier in 6s, I don't think I ever ran it. I've only seen it a few times.

Demo/solly bombs and scout flanks are still just as good.

[RESPRiT]

spy is trash tier in 6s, I don't think I ever ran it. I've only seen it a few times.

Demo/solly bombs and scout flanks are still just as good.

I know it's less popular for picks, but when it is picked, do you know why?

[Puddsy]

Usually to exploit poor communication/overaggressiveness. I never really understood it.

[Pacifist]

How good are you at hearing decloaks?

[Puddsy]

How good are you at hearing decloaks?

Not very, unfortunately.