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Match comms / Mumble guide
Introduction
So you want to play Competitive TF2. What defines lower division players from pub players
is their ability to communicate in Mumble or Teamspeak. One of the defining characteristics
of a player that goes on to higher level is if they can be "pro" in comms. It's not just
about damage per second, hats and L33t frags.
I have been working for the past year with some newer teams that have players with zero comp experience. Even though they are steel level right now, they comm like high gold or plat. Anyone with any level of skills can comm like a pro. I personally have "hired" players trying out that are less skillful based on their comms, and I have also cut players or not given them the position after a tryout because of poor comm skills. Keep in mind that even the worst player that can give the comm on where the combo is and can be responsible for the great sniper on that team to have superhuman awareness. The point is, practice and become pro at comms!
Mumble tips:
1. Don't use voice activation. Use push to talk (PTT)
2. Bind PTT to a mouse button on the side or in a place that you can use while you play.
3. If you wait to enter mumble until the match starts, it will give you a prefix (e.g. "SNIPER:")
and switch you to the right channel.
4. Listen to your voice in mumble setup. Make sure it is clear and loud enough / not fuzzy-loud.
5. Invest in a headset. Otherwise echos of voices can be very distracting.
6. Consider investing in a GOOD headset. Cheap ones break, and in the end cost more to replace.
7. Learn your medic's voice before the game starts. Key in on that.
8. If there happens to be a rare female in mumble, do not feel like you need to point out her physical attributes or mention genitalia. Just treat her like another player, which she is.
Comm tips:
0. Know the locations, know the map. Your team will appreciate clear locational comms. "They used uber ON HILL."
1. When it comes to match time, only say match comms. Talk about hats and music at warm-up or halftime.
2. In many cases, people don't recognize your voice. Speak about yourself in 3rd person.
For example, "Med, Heavy needs heals."
3. Fight the urge to voice your disappointment at dying. If your death is important
(maybe if you are a medic) try saying "I'm medic and I'm down" in a lobby or "I'm down"
if your team knows your voice. No need to die cursing like you died IRL. This is not Theater.
4. If you comm like a pro, don't think that people will pick on your pre-teen squeaky voice.
People appreciate players for what they say and when they say it, not how old they sound.
5. Fight the urge to hold the PTT down. (clack clack clack keyboard)
6. Don't call players down for other players (e.g. your sniper) unless he is not in mumble.
Calling player down is a bit of a treat for the fragger, let them say it. Don't clutter.
7. Don't call players down before they are. Sometimes even good players feel like they can
will a player to die. They can't.
8. More on clutter. Certain classes need to talk more (spys) , certain classes
(e.g. heavies) live and die based on comms (like where the sniper is sighted.) You laughing
in mumble may have just killed your med.
9. Obnoxious fans in the background? live under a train? Think about not talking much.
10. Learn the location names in a map. There are websites with this, or you can just learn by
playing. The most annoying comm "error" that I hear are people saying "sniper." and then I
need to say, "where". If he shot you, you know. Help your team avenge you.
11. Make it a goal to talk quickly and not use air-time. For example, even the "med down" vs.
"medic down lol!" can help other calls get through.
12. Don't know location names? Instead of calling "Sniper in Books" maybe call "Sniper top right".
13. Sometimes, don't feel bad stating "match comms" at the beginning of a match to remind your
teammates that this is not a frat party. Serious business.
14. Spys: If you are a good spy you are giving a good stream of intel. Make it a point to NEVER MISS A MEDIGUN CHANGE. It is my opinion that the most important comm you will ever hear out of a spy's mouth is "they are now running kritz."
15. All players, keep an eye on the scoreboard especially if you have a few seconds of downtime as you respawn. Your team should always know if the other team is down a significant amount of players or otherwise. Also during downtime, watch for if the other team got spawns.
Good Calling Form:
Someone, likely your medic, will be doing most of the talking. This is "calling." Calling is
an art and probably no guide can do it justice.
Don't clutter, but also don't be afraid to say important things like "our sentry is down"
or "teleporter not safe", that sniper is destroying us please focus, etc.
Everyone on the team may be responsible for the following calls:
* (class) down. "Med down." - Most good medics measure the other medic's uber off of this call.
"Spy down." - Pyros in Highlander will often roam for a while on this call.
* Med dropped - Medic had uber/kritz and died with it. A very good thing and an advantage.
* (class) lit. (Avoid this, call out damage numbers if possible)
(class) hurt. (Avoid this, call out damage numbers if possible)
(class) destroyed. (Avoid this, call out damage numbers if possible)
(class) headshot.
(class) 10 health.
(class) took (damage) "medic took 60"
(class) 173 off. - this lets your teammates finish off damaged opponents. Prioritizing fire is deadly.
remember that an opponent with 1 health shoots the same rockets. Finish them.
* (class) <location>. e.g. "Demo at our spawn."
* Medic called. - this means medic said "I am ready!" and is probably ready to uber. Your team may
choose to play more passively or strive to get a pick now.
* Jarate on cart.
* Uber at <location>
kritz at <location>
They used at <location>
"Uber on point" - lets your teammates clear and measure the time before re-engaging
* Focus <class> - lets you and hopefully a few teammates focus fire on a key player getting them down fast.
* Heavy, sandvitch.
* Sniper <location> - allows your sniper or flanks to counter. Allows other classes to roll-out differently
based on sightlines - what the sniper can see from there.
* Spy <location> - obvious
* Medic where are you? - All medics want more players around him = more protection.
* Medic, where are heals? - same as above
* Demo where are you? - From the medic. Medic is ready to uber and/or kritz. come get frags!
* Heals at <location> - From the medic. Find the medic, protect, get ubers, etc.
* They wiped.
* We wiped.
* They are only 4 up.
* We are only 4 up, don't bleed.
* They just got spawns
One Final Note
Your tone is also important. Try to keep the volume down, excitement out of it. The best teams have suprisingly low-key comms during important matches. You may be suprised to hear very little comms, very calm and low-key voices, etc. As you advance in your comm skills, try to focus on what you don't say and trying not to clutter the comms for your teammates.
More reading: http://ozfortress.co...ead.php?t=37274
