How to be a Team Fortress 2 Team Player

With the recent release of Freem Fortress 2, an influx of new players have been not capturing points and not looking over their shoulders. Alas, proper conduct in Team Fortress 2 is a learning process. But some lessons are best taught rather than learned under penalty of respawn timers. Team-work, cooperation, and coordination are your most important weapons on the fields of dustbowl. 

Don't Get Distracted

Fairly often, especially on maps like Egypt 1, Blu Scouts, Pyros, and Spies will come to your spawn door not to kill you, but to distract your team from advancing towards their true objective: defending the point. Do not become distracted by these fools! They are there to waste your time and that of your allies. Push past them, alert your team to the danger, and then alert your team to the distraction. I promise you, the Scout will not follow you. He will stay back and distract your teammates, especially with them coming up behind you. He's not going to sandvich himself between you. Push past him, and backpedal towards the first point while firing away. If you don't, you will lose your first point.

Don't Rush Latter Points

This is particularly prevelant on Gravel Pit, Dustbowl 3, Egypt 1, and Egypt 3. Let's discuss Gravel Pit. You think Point C is difficult to capture. So you figure you'll do your team a solid and sit on C, as a Scout, Pyro, Spy, whatever, because certainly your team will soon capture the much easier Point B. Except you're totally wrong, and you bring shame to the house of Blu. Why you're wasting your life away on Point C, going as far as to hold down the crouch button to avoid being sighted, your team is struggling to capture the significantly more difficult Point B, and failing. Why? Partially beacuse you're not their to help. Cross the Point when you reach it, not before.

P.S. As I discussed in "Don't Get Distracted", don't hunt down the C-Sitters because you're afraid of a stealth cap. Not only is Blu not benefitting from that player,but also your not helping Red to defend B. Trust me, the C-Sitter will be taken care of when your team is pushed out of B, but before it is capped.

Fill the Gap

To win at TF2, you must assume the mantle most needed. Identify the enemy's weakness, and carpe it. If your team already has three Pyros, chances are you shouldn't play Pyro too. Rather, your team may need a Direct Hit to take down a Sentry (behind the second Point on Egypt 1, for example), or a Spy to help with the invasion of Heavies. And Medics are always needed. Knowing what class to paly at any given moment is a skill earned with experience. But you can start learning now. I understand that you want to have fun; you want to do what you want to do. But that's why it's important to diversify your interestes. If all you've ever played is Sniper or Demo, try a different class out for a change. There are nine of them for cripe's sake. You might enjoy them more than you imagine, especially as you improve with them.

Don't Steal Metal

Be mindful of Engineers. Remember that your Engineers are often the only reason a point hasn't yet been captured. Don't steal their metal. They need it to upgrade. Particularly at Round Setup, be sure to not shoot off some random rounds for kicks and then walk right into a 200-Metal pick-up, the one your Engineer was waiting on re-spawning. This literally may cost the first point. 

Upgrade Your Ally Engineers' Teleporters

Teleporters are critical to defense. Offense as well, but not immediately. Round Setup time is sixty seconds. Except for Engineers and Medics, you have sixty whole seconds to do absolutely nothing while you wait for the game to begin. Except you do. Rather than rush off to Blu's spawn as soon as Setup time begins, stay behind for 40 seconds as an Engineer and upgrade your ally Engineers' teleporters. This way, they won't have to. Because they literally don't have the time before the round begins. And a fully upgraded tele may save the entire game for your team.

Place Teleporters First

If you play Engineer, as either Blu or Red, as SOON as you walk out the spawn door, place a teleporter at the entrance. Then keep on moving, or turn back to the locker for more metal. Don't worry about upgrading it, your team will do that for you. I don't care if you're playing Egypt 1, place a teleporter at the spawn door. That saves ten seconds of travel time, minimum, for your allies. Which makes a HUGE difference. It's not hard. Place a teleporter as soon as you leave the spawn. You can find more metal on your way to the point.