Med school

[Adabiviak]

So last night was the first time I ever played (and really, the only multiplayer game I've played for longer than a minute or two other than AVP2). I like it. It's super hard to get people in public servers to use teamwork (even pair/squad based teamwork, much less organizing the entire side). Because of this, I wound up playing the medic, hoping to give the Quake players an edge during their uncoordinated assault. I don't know how the scoring works (or what the skulls mean), but here's a couple of shots from matches last night:


edit - tremor11 is me.

Are these good scores? Here's some things I learned while playing (and would like to propose if we ever wind up in the line of fire together). Note: total rookie here, so bear with me.

Voice chat is always sketchy and it's hard to chat while you're in a pitched fight. If I have uber power, how 'bout using a jump as a signal to turn it on? There weren't a lot of bunny hoppers, especially heavies, and this'd be a quick, easy signal to let me know when you need it.

If we're on uber power and you step up to a fortified turret to try to take it out, we'll die fairly instantly if you aren't successful. Unless there's a backup plan or if you have a better idea, I'm gonna jump ship as soon as the uber runs out. If you're attacking a bunch of enemies, I'll go down with ya. Do you have the same uber timer that I do? (As in, will you know how long you have before we're on our own?) We should come up with a signal for this if not.

Scouts, if you need a medic, don't run away (unless you're under fire). I can't keep up and will assume that you're happy with whatever health I gave you if you take off.

When I die (and I die often), and you're calling for a medic, I'll keep you updated with text chat of my status (usually something like "dead now, brb") so you know that it'll be a few before I get there.

If you need me in a strategic place, use the medic call regardless of your health - it's a convenient way for me to find you because of the directional icon. If I'm on a different floor or too far away, I'll let you know.

Can you hear calls for a medic if you're not a medic yourself?

Spies are the one character that cause the most problems for me, usually because they're after me if I'm healing a heavy or something. If I spot one, you'll see me run in front of you facing backwards. You may feel a sharp pain in your neck before you turn around, but if you see me running into a firefight in front of you, watch your six.

Make it a habit of running into me so I can tell if you're a spy or not. I'll run through my team every chance I get, and if I bump, well, I'm not healing that guy. That little syringe gun is sketchy, but I did drop a couple of heavies with it.

I'm still not familiar with the gravel pit map or the one with the trains. I got lost a lot, so if you hear me ask if anyone needs a medic, call even if you don't so I can figure out where you are.

I got hit by a train once too. Are there any other course hazards that I should be aware of?

Can I pick up the enemy intelligence if it's dropped? How do I do that? If so, I suppose I'd rather give it to someone else if they happened by, say a scout. I'd drop it and let him have it? Is it worth the risk that he'd be a spy or the time delay?

Can I use the teleporters? How does that work?

On some levels, before going into battle, everyone would rocket jump around and cry for medic before the gates opened. Their health was actually down a bit going into battle - is there a reason for that?

If there is more than one medic about, is it worth having both of us on the same person, or is it better to have the medic heal the other medic healing the heavy? If it was a coordinated attack, maybe, but when this came up in gameplay last night, I took off and looked for other players on my team.

If I see an enemy scout heading into our intel room and I'm flying solo, should I try to take him? Nobody responded to my notification and I couldn't drop him by the time he ran away.

 

[Mahalis]

Good observations and good questions. Glad to see a new player who's actually thinking about strategy.

Can you hear calls for a medic if you're not a medic yourself?

Yes - you just don't see the icon.

I got hit by a train once too. Are there any other course hazards that I should be aware of?

No, none. That map (Well) is the only one that has the trains; just listen for the bells, watch for the flashing lights on the gates, and move out the way.

Can I pick up the enemy intelligence if it's dropped? How do I do that? If so, I suppose I'd rather give it to someone else if they happened by, say a scout. I'd drop it and let him have it? Is it worth the risk that he'd be a spy or the time delay?

Yes; just run over it. It's generally only wise to drop the intel if you're a slow class, like a Heavy, and there's a faster one around; as a Medic, you've got a good balance of speed and health. Just cap it yourself.

Can I use the teleporters? How does that work?

Yes, just stand on them. There's a recharge time, though, so if you don't see swirly glowing stuff on top of the entrance platform, it'll probably be a while before you can use it. Generally if it's not ready when you get there, wait maybe a second, and if it still doesn't become active, just run up to the front.

On some levels, before going into battle, everyone would rocket jump around and cry for medic before the gates opened. Their health was actually down a bit going into battle - is there a reason for that?

Your ubercharge builds up faster when you're healing someone who's low on health. So if they keep hurting themselves - lowering their health - you can get ubercharge ready a good five or ten seconds before the round even starts.

If there is more than one medic about, is it worth having both of us on the same person, or is it better to have the medic heal the other medic healing the heavy? If it was a coordinated attack, maybe, but when this came up in gameplay last night, I took off and looked for other players on my team.

Depends how much that person is doing. If there's one Heavy who's laying some smackdown on an entrenched defense, it's good to have both medics on him. If more of your team is around and in the thick of things, though, you should be switching healing targets a lot. For one thing, that'll get you faster ubercharge, which you can then use on the Heavy/Soldier/Pyro/whatever.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Also your point with the spies. If you're looking to be a medic for a long time through your TF2 career, you'll be coming up against lots of spies, and they'll be your biggest problem. If you press 'z, x, c' you'll see the radio commands just like in Counter Strike. I believe X then 2 will be the call for 'SPY!' If you point your cursor over the player you suspect then press X,2. You will shout out "THAT PYRO IS A SPY", which should alert your team mates nearby to react. Running in front of the offensive unit you are healing isn't always a great idea as you'll be in the line of fire!

Also, the syringe gun the medic has is actually quite good if you aim just above an enemies head. I've managed to get a good deal of 'critical hits' doing with it!

 

[Laivasse]

Also, X and then 7 is the radio command to request an ubercharge. I use it but hardly anyone else seems to. You can use X then 8 to remind people that you have an uber charge if you suspect they'll be caught unawares by it. I often spam that when I have an uber in the hopes of getting my target to give me the go-ahead when they want me to fire it off.

 

[Raziaar]

Skulls mean that that player is currently dead and waiting to respawn.

 

[delusional]

I haven't tried this, but wouldn't two medics who are healing eachother have a better chance of escaping once they capture flags.

The medics bonesaw is really good as well and I wouldn't hesitate to use it, I often go offensive as medic, turning corners so they enemy sees me then I retreat, and once they turn the corner I bonesaw them. It's a lot of fun.

Always look behind you as medic when your healing to ward off spys. I usually take out my syringe gun to kill them.

 

[Sam]

In general, living players won't be able to hear you when you're dead. Mics help a lot in this game, especially with spies as you can simply hold v while moving and telling your "partner" (if you have one) that there's a spy.

As a medic, keep moving while staying in cover (moving makes it harder for spies to hit you), and a decent heavy / soldier should hopefully position himself so you're protected a bit more.

If you're confident and comfortable with your partner, usually by knowing them and both having mics, then you can sometimes turn around and run backwards to keep an eye out in the opposite direction.

With environmental hazards, the trains on Well are the main culprits, also watch out on Hydro as during one particularly match-up of points puts you in a position where you can fall down a hole which instantly kills you.

As a medic you are only slower than a scout, however not many people on public servers will cover you beyond when you pass them. You can drop the intel by pressing L, you can't pick it up right away though, it takes a couple of seconds.

If you see a scout going past you, it's worth shooting at him, but I would tell the team what's going on. The medic's needle gun can be quite deadly if you can hit, but it can be tricky to aim.

With enemy spies - the easiest disguises to spot are medics (they don't have the ubercharge reading below the name), scouts (who run slower) and sometimes spies (who aren't disguised and who just have the revolver out, not always the case but can be worth checking). Catching spies while they are cloaked or disguised makes it easier to kill them, you have the edge and you also do more damage while they are hidden. Spies never shoot, only use the main weapon and, depending on how good they are, will act dodgy (hesitating so they stay at the back of the group). You cannot pass through spies even when they cloak, so if you bump into something you can't see, either shoot around or get others to also.

When ubercharging, points cannot be captured or blocked from capture, and I don't think you can carry the intel (not sure on that though).

 

[Mahalis]

When ubercharging, points cannot be captured or blocked from capture, and I don't think you can carry the intel (not sure on that though).

Ubercharge will not affect the person carrying the intel. I'm not sure what happens if an uber'd medic tries to pick it up; I think it might just not work.

 

[Raziaar]

An ubered person cannot pick up the flag. I learned that the hard way by running into a room as a scout. Medic ubered me, I ran in, 3 SG's in there bouncing me around... wasn't able to pick up the intel.

 

[Adabiviak]

Wow, thanks everyone, that explains a lot. How do you change your online name? I see some heads here use a [hl2.net] prefix. I didn't see an option to change my online name.

edit - if I'm close to uber and someone comes running out of the enemies headquarters with the intel and I start healing them, will they drop the intel if I turn uber on?

I may start my own local map to get used to where things are and how to use the stock messages.

 

[Mahalis]

if I'm close to uber and someone comes running out of the enemies headquarters with the intel and I start healing them, will they drop the intel if I turn uber on?

No - they'll keep it, they just won't become invulnerable. You'll be healing them as normal.

 

[Raziaar]

Wow, thanks everyone, that explains a lot. How do you change your online name? I see some heads here use a [hl2.net] prefix. I didn't see an option to change my online name.

You change your name in Steam, and it'll reflect your name in game.

 

[Jintor]

I wish there was an option to pick up the intel. I've picked it up accidentally as a spy, shed my disguise, and was killed in literally half a second. :/

 

[Surrogate]

Voice chat is always sketchy and it's hard to chat while you're in a pitched fight. If I have uber power, how 'bout using a jump as a signal to turn it on? There weren't a lot of bunny hoppers, especially heavies, and this'd be a quick, easy signal to let me know when you need it.

I'm mentally damaged from the old days, so i bunny hop in any game i play. So with me, I'd do a hell of a lot of wrong signals (I know you can't bunny hop, but that doesn't stop my left thumb from continuing trying)

Spies are the one character that cause the most problems for me, usually because they're after me if I'm healing a heavy or something. If I spot one, you'll see me run in front of you facing backwards. You may feel a sharp pain in your neck before you turn around, but if you see me running into a firefight in front of you, watch your six.

Very good idea. I'll take up that tactic myself if i play medic in the near future

On some levels, before going into battle, everyone would rocket jump around and cry for medic before the gates opened. Their health was actually down a bit going into battle - is there a reason for that?

You can get ?berpower before rounds starts if you heal a soldier or a demoman hurting themselves. This is the way: Let them damage themselves to around 30% health, then heal. When full health stop healing, and let them damage themselves to 30% health again. Rinse and repeat until full ?bercharge. (You get energy twice as fast if you're healing someone hurt)

If there is more than one medic about, is it worth having both of us on the same person, or is it better to have the medic heal the other medic healing the heavy? If it was a coordinated attack, maybe, but when this came up in gameplay last night, I took off and looked for other players on my team.

Probably better to heal two different targets, and jump in on the heavy in hard offenses. But stick around the other medic, since medics needs healing once in a while too. Two medics keeping each other up can make the offense last a lot longer i think.
(Of course if two fronts one medic on each, but in case of one front both could go together)

 

[SionST]

I've played medic and gained 60+ points, simply by playing with a guy from 100 meters down my street who has a headset. Get one, they save a lot of problems. Heavy or soldier? I ask myself a lot too, heal which one? Heavy in corridors and pushing forwards, say on hydro or granary, and soldier for firing long range splash damage shots, say 2fort or well.

The bonesaw isn't a favorite of mine, but the syringe gun will put a spy in his place, and it isn't hard to reveal them. Jump round like mad, strafe and jump, but the spy will miss his 1 shot at insta-stab, and you can kick him home again.

Find a HL2.net'er who uses soldier/heavy often, I know there is some good ones, Cyberpitz comes to mind, and play the games he does. You'll get to know his style, and you'll often be the one along with your heavy keeping your team alive. :thumbs:

Edit- Here is one of my medic points. Found it weird how I topped the team. I was mainly healing ColdZero as a heavy.

Also, the guy who lives up my street who I sometimes medic while he plays heavy-

Thats him sniping me, since I backstabbed him in my last life

 

[Adabiviak]

Man, I played a lot recently. When we're first charging out the gate on, say 2fort, I'll give the scouts a charge as long as I can first because they'll be out of range before long and I can then focus on buffing up the other players, finishing on the heavy, with whom I'll stay into the fray. I'll also keep up with pyros/soldiers that take the lead if the heavy will be behind by a few seconds, because they'll be taking the worst beating at the front - hopefully, they'll put a dent in whatever offense the enemies set up so when the heavy gets there, he's in good shape for a further push deeper into their building.

If you're a spy and want to be healed, you'll have to ask - too many of them don't want the extra health (apparently it makes them glow and gives away their camoflage?)
Here's a couple screenies from the last time I played. The first one is just a shot of three heavies coming out the chute (I'm quite dead, but the look on the foremost heavy is funny). The other one is my best score (I think).


I've got to cut back on playing a bit, but the next time you guys set up a server, I'll try to be there (except for next week - out of town on a business trip). Does anyone think it's not a coincidence that he's a dead ringer for Dr. Egon from Ghostbusters? Similar 'do, round glasses, stream weapon, shiny gloves... Nobody gets the joke when by chance three medics are all healing the same guy and I quip "don't cross the streams!" :dork:

 

[Sam]

Spies don't like healing because, if the enemy sees it, they're discovered. It also buffs their health up, and it can be a giveaway if there aren't any medics on the other team nearby.

 

[[Matt]]

Does anyone think it's not a coincidence that he's a dead ringer for Dr. Egon from Ghostbusters? Similar 'do, round glasses, stream weapon, shiny gloves... Nobody gets the joke when by chance three medics are all healing the same guy and I quip "don't cross the streams!" :dork:

Sadly most people who ive encountered playing this game would be too young to remember this film.

 

[Que-Ever]

My brother plays medic a lot, and he's pretty good- http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b301/queever/medic.jpg?t=1194375644

Me and him created a list of tips and such for people who like to play medic. We were gonna do it for other classes too, but... we got bored.

There should always be at least one medic on a team. Larger teams should have two or more, depending on the number of heavies. Three is probably the max you want, though.

You don't have to answer every medic call. Your healing should be based on who you see has low health, and if nobody is getting hurt where you are, you should get moving.

Some people who need healing, don't call, and some people who call, don't need it.Heavies might call for a medic if they want to push forward.

If you'd do more good killing an enemy than healing a friendly, do it. (somebody is meleeing your patient, the attacker is reloading, patient isn't facing the attacker)

It's harder to kill a fully-healed enemy spy. be sure of who you're healing, but don't waste time testing every patient you come across.
Also, you're gonna be in back a lot, so you're gonna be the one who spots the spies (or getting backstabbed if you're in a medic-heavy relationship)

Try to be in places where you're not in teh direct line of fire, but still can heal youre patient. Around corners is good.

Know where health packs are- nobody's gonna heal you.

Other medics are lower priority, higher priority is attaking classes with low health.

Having a medic following a person can make them cocky, and so they'll be a bit more careless. Don't abandon a patient unless you're about to die- it takes less time to find a health pack than it does to respawn.

Build up healing points by 150%-ing everybody you see, then cycling thorugh rather than sticking to one person. (this isn't recommended for heat-of-battle type stuff)

Don't focus on just one person. Also don't focus on just heavies or a heavy unless there's another medic to pick up the slack.

Heal people on fire first, it'll put it out.

Don't heal disguised spies (on either team) unless you're absolutely sure it won't blow his cover.

Nobody likes to die. Heal who you can enough so that they don't die (in combat) and finish up those left standing afterwards.

Medics are pretty fast, so try not to pass up your patient if attacking.

If soemone is spamming the medic button, they either really need it or are really stupid. Usually both. Heal 'em to shut 'em up. But don't let personal feeling decide who you heal... and who you don't.

Really, try to avoid dying.

Medics should not heal each other. Maybe one heals the other while he's healing someone else, but no medic-on-medic action.

Bone saw is pretty awesome at close range. Fun to use on spies.

You can build up your score fairly quickly with assists, so it's good for you and your patient, if your patient is on the front line.

If another medic is healing somebody, they probably don't need your help, unless it's a lone heavy taking lots of fire.

Know when to fall back.

In set up, soldiers and demomen should be mutilating themselves. They are doing this to help you, to help fill up on poins and uber.

If you have a chance to take out a heavy or turret, do it. (Usually you'll be behind it and it can't see you).

Needlers have an arc (or at least I'm pretty sure they do.)

Don't try to get kills. Just focus on medicing. (Unless of course, it's a heavy or a turret and it will benefit your team.)

If it's appropriate, stick around heavily defended areas, like with one or more heavy turret. It will attract more fire, and so more healing for you to do. Also, where there's turrets, there's dispensers, so you've got your own health covered. Keep an eye on the engies, and bone saw any spies you see. Dustbowl stage three is great for this kind of play.

And now, some bits about ubering-

Of course, the uber bar fills faster when healing hurt players.

You should only uber good offensive classes- heavies, pyros, soldiers, demomen.

Around turrets, uber soldiers or pyros.

You can keep healing while ubering, so don't uber a guy with full health.

You can stop an uber in the middle by switching weapons, and then come back to it later. You can uber different people in one uber, and uber just yourself.

Use mic/voice commands to let people know you're going to uber them, and that they need to rush.

Never uber a spy, sniper, or engie. Scouts are up to you.

Do NOT uber morons/people hanging back or hiding/no ammo/afk/medics.

If you are being ubered (these next two are nto for medics, but for patients) PAY ATTENTION to the uber percentage. Otherwise you will be thoroughly owned once it wears off.

If you are being ubered, GO and take out any sentries, heavies, medics, or pyros. Stupid pyros.

 

[Adabiviak]

Thanks Que - I didn't know the dispensers gave out health, I thought it was just ammo, so I never went near them. I also didn't know you could 'save' uber power by switching weapons - that'll come in quite handy.

If I'm on the same server for a while, I'll get to know who knows how to use the extra medic boost right and who doesn't and will stick with them more.

If there's teamwork going on, there'll invariably be a heavy ready and waiting for the uber-charged medic for the push. Otherwise, anyone willing to step into the fray may get it. I've had engineers doing offense pushes with their shotguns (where the rest of the team are spies or scouts, for example). Those are interesting matches.

Where are the 'critical points' that I hear about? I needled a spy who I spotted coming up on my six and a bunch of green 'crit?' text came up out of him. He died quick - are those headshots or something else?

 

[Shakermaker]

I also didn't know you could 'save' uber power by switching weapons - that'll come in quite handy.

Same. Good tip.

 

[Sam]

You get plain critical hits at random times that do lots more damage. You get more if you're doing well, too.

 

[Adabiviak]

Really? What a weird way to dish out critical hits. Is there a known way to get them? Say, be over a certain level of points or at a certain rank on the server?

 

[Sam]

Don't think so. Criticals just seem to come more often when you're on a roll.

You also do more damage from shooting them in the head I think

 

[Que-Ever]

Also, you recharge three points of health at a time when you're healing somebody. (rather than one point)

 

[Nitre]

Nice tips Que-Ever.

 

[delusional]

You have the same hp you had before and after an uber, so when the uber wears out and your low on hp it would be wise to hide. I die so many times like that.

 

[Sam]

You get points for healing, 1 every 650 or so.

Medics run slightly faster than pyros, spies, engineers and snipers.