HL2.net server recommendations

Crispy

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Disclaimer: These are the views of various members of the Half-Life2.net community and do not necessarily represent an 'official' HL2.net endorement.

The problem
Lots of Team Fortress 2 servers are giving false player numbers and there are increasingly less servers where a player can find a 'vanilla' game (i.e. the full, default mapcycle with no drastically game-changing rules such as 'instaspawn', and little or no custom sounds and models). Simply put, if you want to play the TF2 that you downloaded with no major alterations, there aren't many servers that do this.

The idea
We are a community; if we put our heads together we can actually create a list of 'good' servers to play on, and we will have more fun playing TF2 and perhaps even bump into some community members on said servers.

Some rules
Yeah, yeah, rules are boring, blah blah. Maybe you're a rebel and you don't play by the rules. Maybe you don't play by the book. Maybe the book's just a collection of legendary fables passed down the generations by oral tradition, acquiring embellishment and discarding non-essential facts over the ages until finally being transcribed into a 'definitive' version. If that's your outlook (you rogue, you) just think of these as the Rule's more mild-mannered younger brother. Think of them as guidelines.

We want to know a bit about this server before we try out your recommendation; we need to know the following:

Server name
Throw us a fricken' bone here!

Website?
Maybe they got one, maybe they don't.

Location
Let me introduce you to two friends of mine. This is Bawb. Bawb is a through-and-through [Ed - 'thru-and-thru' !] Yankee from the southern belt. Bawb likes TF2, but he don' lihk it wen dey speek in dem foren tungs an' he don' git a wird dey be sayin'. Now meet Jens. Jens is a crazy Swede who mostly plays Sniper, Soldier and Scout. His idols are Reptile FrozenShift and he's tweaked just about everything on his PC and most of the game settings to get the best experience he can. He doesn't play on US or Aussie servers because "WTFreg" and "laggySOBs".

IP Address
VERY IMPORTANT! If we don't have this we can't join without digging out the ol' divining sticks or tarot cards.

Maximum player slots
Maybe I like large servers full of mayhem, maybe I prefer playing with less players so individual performances are more important and teamwork is easier, maybe I have a pompous view that the Golden playercount is 24 - no fewer no less, maybe I'm a contradictory sociopath who likes playing multiplayer games on my own... you get the message.

Custom settings?
Any deviations from the norm, we need to know about it. Some players may actually prefer a 'nocrits' or a 'meleeSD' server, or one with good custom maps or a mapvote system; others may swoon while mimicking the sign of a cross whenever their dear TF2 is sullied with the likes of 'instaspawn' or '24/7' mapcycles.

Description Tell us briefly why you like it, whether it's players using their mics and displaying strong teamwork, a good selection of custom maps or perhaps they just have a solid mapvote system.



Over to you
If you have a recommendation, copy+paste the following into the 'Reply box'...

...and take us to your newfound TF2 haven where party hats are taboo, Dustbowl is an unexpected and altogether pleasant surprise and when you kill that annoying Spy that keeps crawling up your ass, they're out for the count, they're not getting resurrected by the divine powers of Christ only to be slapping your cheeks with their butterknife 10 seconds later.

Code:
[LIST]
[*][B]Server name[/B]
[*][B]Website?[/B]
[*][B]Location[/B]
[*][B]IP Address[/B]
[*][B]Maximum player slots[/B]
[*][B]Custom settings?[/B]
[*][B]Description[/B]
[/list]
 
Here are my offerings:

  • Server name Doomy's
  • Website? www.doomsters.net
  • Location Europe, UK
  • IP Address 83.245.62.2:27015
  • Maximum player slots 24
  • Custom settings? Just vanilla TF2.
  • Description Friendly players who know what they're doing and a default mapcycle. Good ping to UK players and regularly populated during local evening times.

  • Server name PC Gamer - Cappin and Stabbin
  • Website? www.pcgamer.co.uk
  • Location Europe, UK
  • IP Address 85.236.100.18:27115
  • Maximum player slots 24
  • Custom settings? Just vanilla TF2.
  • Description The UK server for fans of the magazine.
 
Since no one has added anything yet I'll just say: thanks for this, it's a good idea, and I'll post something once I have a good recommendation. For the time being I just looked through my favourites and realised that none of them are good vanilla servers, which is probably why I still spend so much time bouncing around trying to find a good game.
 
I also found out RockPaperShotgun has a regularly adminned server:

  • Server name Rock, Paper, Shotgun
  • Website? http://www.rockpapershotgun.com
  • Location Europe, UK
  • IP Address 85.236.101.56:27115
  • Maximum player slots 20
  • Custom settings? Just vanilla TF2.
  • Description They say they'll give rcon rights to trustworthy regulars and even admin powers, so it is probably well-run although I haven't tried it out much yet.

Correction: on the Doomy's server they do have one custom map in their map rotation (pl_dustbowl_beta4 or something).
 
  • Server name SpecialAttack.net :: All maps #1
  • Website? http://www.specialattack.net/
  • Location Europe, Netherlands
  • IP Address 85.17.60.96:27025
  • Maximum player slots 26
  • Custom settings? SpA points plug-in, check their website for more info. Otherwise it's just vanilla TF2.
  • Description Usually populated for most of the day. Good team work and quite a few skilled players.

  • Server name SpecialAttack.net :: All maps #2
  • Website? http://www.specialattack.net/
  • Location Europe, Netherlands
  • IP Address 85.17.60.96:27035
  • Maximum player slots 26
  • Custom settings? Same as above.
  • Description Same as above.

  • Server name SpecialAttack.net :: All maps #3
  • Website? http://www.specialattack.net/
  • Location Europe, UK
  • IP Address 85.234.146.58:27015
  • Maximum player slots 30
  • Custom settings? Same as above.
  • Description Same as above.

There's a few others but they seem to be down at the moment.
 
Seems like a good idea, but couldnt HL2.net just ask Valve for an official server, we are hosted by them in the first place...
 
# Server name 24/7 =(eGO)= VALVEMAPS RTV

# Website: Edgegamers.org

# Location: US West Coast

# IP Address: 72.232.197.27:27015

# Maximum player slots: 32

# Custom settings: Hlstats

# Description: Usually populated, I haven't really felt that people try to stay alive for their rank either.
 
Okay, I have a couple of corrections to make:

Both the Rock, Paper, Shotgun and PC Gamer servers are running reduced map rotations. PCG only runs Dustbowl and Payload maps and RPS only runs those plus Gravel Pit. PCG also runs Badwater twice in a row for extra boredom.

So even the journos aren't supporting the official map cycle... Sad really. I can just about understand leaving out 2Fort, Well CTF and Hydro because they are repetitive and Well CTF lends itself heavily to spawncamping. I can also understand it for Arena maps because they're so different in style. I can even understand leaving out the community-made maps because they have their weakpoints (nothing massive, but they exist).

But there's nothing wrong with Granary or Well or Badlands, in fact I'd go as far as to say they are the least samey maps in the whole list and perhaps the most rewarding because they can go end-to-end. That and Gravel Pit is one of the strongest maps Valve has made. The whole thing's just weird.
 
Code:
[LIST]
[*] Holy shit, this is awesome.  Seriously, good idea.
[*]Does this make me look like a whore
[/list]
 
check out simiancage.org @ 83.142.226.201:27045 & 83.142.226.201:27055 are often busy and friendly(32 player, meleeSD) wireplay.co.uk also still have one, hlstats 194.154.191.13:27017 (15ms #/20)sure the settings there are probably unchanged.

SpecialAttack.net, & the simiancage is where your most likely to find me on this type of map (dont use this handle though :p)
 
I too have another for the list:

  • Server name TheO.C. TF2 Cartoon Carnage
  • Website? none I know of
  • Location Europe, UK
  • IP Address 212.187.246.222:27015
  • Maximum player slots 25 (possibly 24 with an admin slot)
  • Custom settings? Mapvoting, HLSTATSX, a few carefully chosen custom maps such as Boulder
  • Description Friendly community, not a bad place to try out a few high-quality custom maps
 
  • Server name Uberium - UK Public Server - Vanilla TF2
  • Website? http://www.uberium.co.uk/forum/index.php AFAIK
  • Location UK
  • IP Address ub1.uberium.co.uk
  • Maximum player slots 24
  • Custom settings? HLStatsX, mapvoting, radio, minesweeper, Dynamic mapcycle which consists of all Valve maps (including Arena) plus Fastlane (details here, 4th post down for mapcycle info)
    EDIT: arena maps might have been removed from the rotation, not certain
  • Description Seems to have an active community who attach a lot of importance to balanced teams and sportsmanship, but in the short time I used the server it was full of anonymous noob pubbers who didn't use mic (not that I'm one to criticise...) and were ridiculously skillstacked. Think I saw one of the Hampshire Heavies guys playing there though. Worth adding to your lists of vanilla or nearasdammit-vanilla servers.
 
  • Server Name: KSO.lv
  • Website: Don't know if they have one, not bothering to check
  • Location: Riga, Latvia
  • IP Adress: 213.21.217.177:27015
  • Maximum Player Slots: 32
  • Description: Most of the time a very lively server, as in most of the time it's full or nearing full, so on maps like 2Fort it's very crowded. I beleive it uses to cycle the maps but now it leaves it up to a vote of 5 different maps, or extending the one in progress for another 10 minutes. While it does have Autobalance on, the teams are still occasionally split up as the pro's on one side, and noobs on the other, not purposely of course. The Kso.server bot is always there to handle any issues such as allowing a temporary noclip if a player gets stuck. As expected any cheaters or hackers are banned on the spot, the server is VAC secured, and there are some chat commands just in case. (Note that on some CP maps like Granary there is no settup phase)
 
I'll put down FreeBeer's server later. Great idea, even though I know most of these already due to the fact that I usually just join whoever's in my friends tab.
 
My flatmate and I play on Doomy's a lot, it is indeed pretty good most of the time.
 
  • Server Name: =RCD= Recondos TF2 Mixed Rotation
  • Server IP: 85.234.148.70:27115
  • Location: UK
  • Maximum Player Slots: 24
  • Description: Friendly people, none of that fast/instant respawn bollocks, goldrush/dustbowl/badwater mostly
 
The Uberium one looks pretty good, I'lll have to try it out :thumbs:
 
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