Realitycrash said:
I read that there are unlockable/craftable weapons. I am always skeptic toward such things; Is it only cosmetic, or do they provide gameplay advantages?
If they provide gameplay advantages, then there's a whole mess of meta-game issues to deal with. I fucking loath having to deal with that, not to menttion more experienced players will have better weapons.
Jesus, you weren't kidding when you said you were new.
Honestly, probably the best thing you can do to get into it is get into it. Download the game (it's free if you don't mind paying for it) and just click "Play Online." It's as simple as that: the game will match you to a server with some open slots, you'll pick a class and get going. Not gonna lie, it takes a lot of time to actually be good at the game - I, for one, was terrible when I picked it up - but it's almost always fun to play, even if you lose.
That said, there are some general tips you should know. Without going into "THIS IS HOW YOU PLAY IT NOOB" territory:
(Quick question: are you familiar with server-based games? Counter-Strike, Tribes, that sort of thing. It doesn't make a huge difference, but it will help you with some finer points of the TF2 experience.)
- If you use can, avoid servers with custom content. There are a few with good, fun modifications, but most are full of donate-to-win bullshit like infinite ammo, invulnerability, and access to normally unreachable areas. Where they can then build auto-tracking turrets with rockets and gatling guns. Pretty much, if you see the loading bar start over and display something like "downloading ______.mp3" or something like that, click cancel and try matchmaking again or just find a server yourself, if you're proficient with server browsers.
- Dick around in the options menu. There are a number of options that most players toggle on or off, simply because the game plays better that way. Showing damage numbers, sniper rifles not automatically re-zooming ater firing a shot, playing a sound every time you hit someone, that sort of thing. The aforementioned three are important, but there's also a button that lets you make the medic's healing beam a toggle instead of a hold-to-heal, and a button that shows a marker over your current heal target. Much more enjoyable than the default.
And for the love of god, set the field of view to 90. A 75 FOV is no way to play, no matter who you ask.
- Learn the voice commands. The default voice menu keys are Z, X, and C, and each has a list of eight commands that goes with it. There are a few (Spy! Incoming! Go go go! Thank you!) that you should learn soon, but do your best to become familiar with them, as they facilitate communication even without a mic.
- Try out each class, but stick with one you like if you find enjoyment in it. Scout is a good place to start, since he'll let you traverse the unfamiliar maps more quickly, as is Soldier, since he's the basic combat class. Aside from that, medic is a pretty easy class to play, and people will love you if you consistently play medic. Again, though, do what's most fun for you, since you're just starting out.
- Have a look around the wiki (wiki.teamfortress.com) and read up about the weapons and/or classes. Actually playing is the best way to discover their subtleties, but knowledge is power, right? There are also weapon demonstration videos which will help give you an idea of how each weapon works. Also, read up about game mechanics (damage falloff and crits, for example) so that you aren't left wondering why that glowing rocket did 270 damage instead of 40.
- Try and make friends. If you have a great time playing with someone (conversing, specifically, either through text or headsets) then ask if they would mind being Steam friends. If they wouldn't, throw them an invite and try to join more games with them in the future. This is by far the least crucial tip I have to give, and it's more for the point when you're confident enough in your skills that you want to work on other things.
Now, since you asked about items . . .
TF2 and its interactions with items are . . . unique.
First and foremost, don't feel offput because you don't have all the fancy new items. The stock weapons (the default three that each class starts with) are among the best in the game, and you'll do perfectly well with those. They'll also help you understand the role your class plays. Unlike most shooters, there is no level-up system: you simply find items by playing the game. The more you play, the more you find. You can also trade and craft items, but that's a whole economy in and of itself. Avoid it while you're learning.
Basically, cosmetic items and hats are precisely that: cosmetic. They function as status symbols, but they don't mechanically help you play the game. Weapons are all functionally sidegrades, and though there are a handful of straight upgrades, they don't really matter in the grand scheme of things. If you get a new weapon, try it out and see if you like it. If you like it, use it, simple as that. There are optimal loadouts and combinations, but nobody will expect a novice to know these.
In short, play to have fun.
(There are some extraordinarily cheap weapons that you shouldn't use as a point of human decency, like the Degreaser, or the Soda Popper, but by and large any item is fair game.)
