), and we're planning on entering the AGASA league, here are a few suggestions for how we can improve our competitiveness for the coming league. Please all read these and add anything that I may have missed. We are going to need to learn the games mechanics and strategise in order to compete in a very tough league, and we can only do that if we try and play as a team on the public servers:1. When you decide to have a little COD fun on the public servers, please join the [grrr] TeamSpeak channel first. This enables anyone who's keen on a game to jump on the TS, and see if anyone is already playing. In-game VoIP has it's limitations, and by using TS we can chat only amongst ourselves. A thought on this one: If we are registered for the COD league, are we not entitled to get an additional SGS TS channel for COD? I'm happy to look into this, but I don't know who I should contact. We will kinda need a TS channel specifically for COD, especially if the BF2 and COD players want to use it at the same time
A note on TS: Although we want to use it to discuss tactics, it's rather poor form to use TS to spot for teammates when you are dead. COD does not have first person camera locked as yet, so it's very easy for us to cheat when playing, particularly when playing Search & Destroy mode. Please try and refrain from helping out live teammates. It's against the ROE on SGS to help teammates using TS. However, it's not against the RoE to use TS, as long as you're not helping other players.
2. Check your friends list before joining a server. Sometimes there will be [grrr] players playing that haven't joined TS and don't have XFire running. in the COD server browser, you can filter servers by friends. This will only show servers where you have friends playing. Join them if you can. Obviously, if the server is full then you can't. Of course if the player is on TS, you can then suggest that they leave their current server so that you can both join another server that has more slots available.
3. Try and avoid the Hardcore servers. I know that a lot of us enjoy playing Hardcore mode, but the upcoming league will be based on the vanilla game mechanics (if it's anything like COD4) and it makes sense for us to get used to those.
4. Avoid the TDM server. I know that it's a great way to quickly earn a load of points, but this mode is very random, and won't be played competitively. Obviously it's not a bad idea to play a little TDM from time to time to get those reactions working properly, but there are TDM servers on the normal Maxi server rotation on SGS.
5. Join the Axis team if possible. That means the Wehrmacht or the Imperial Army.
6. Try some alternate servers. Unfortunately, the SGS Maxi servers have a very poor map/mode rotation, and are even missing one of the maps (Asylum) and one of the game modes (headquarters). I have heard that iGame have some great servers running, with more game mode options (including a 'War' only server across a variety of maps). Unfortunately I don't have IP's for these servers, I'd appreciate it if anyone can add these IP's if you can find them (I can't find an igame website and game-monitor doesn't seem to show any COD servers). Let's try out these servers and add them to our favourites. EDIT: Got an email from one of the iGame admins. They have two public servers currently, running all game types. The first is 'Able' (IP 196.2.97.217:28960), and the second is 'Easy' (IP 196.2.97.217:28963). Easy runs Hardcore Mode. iGames also have two clan servers, so we can use them for praccies at a later stage when we're ready.
7. Try and be tactical. Let's try and play the game in a tactical manner, looking to achieve the team objectives rather than just getting loads of kills. Obviously if you're the only [grrr] on the server this doesn't apply, but as soon as there are at least two of us, we should be working together to achieve objectives.
8. Squad up! For anyone who doesn't know it yet, COD has a built-in squad function. It can be accessed by pressing escape while still alive (you can't create/join squads when dead - much like BF2), and creating a suqad. You can also then invite all of your friends to join the squad. Squads don't have dedicated VoIP channels unfortunately, but they do enable you to see other squadmates easily (they show up in blue rather than green on the minimap, and you will also typically spawn nearby a squadmate when you die.
9. Practice different roles. Much like BF2, there are a number of different roles that one can play in COD. Try and play a few different ones, so that you can be more versatile in clannie selection. At the same time, learn what role you're best at, and try and learn all of teh nuances of that loadout. For me, I'm particularly enjoying the bolt action rifles at present, so I'm spending time learning where the best sniping spots are, and what areas are line of site from other areas.
10. Please add SloDaz to your friends list. He's going to be playing with us in the league, let's at least make him feel like one of the family!!!
I think that's about it for now. Please feel free to disagree with anything that I've suggested, and also to add any suggestions that you may have.
To re-iterate my first point, please join the [grrr] TS server before loading up COD. We will never be able to strategise if we can't communicate with one another.
Thanks!!
EDIT: Added point 10
