[NOTE: This is general information about the yearly Rock2ober events. For specific information about Rock2ober 2010, go here. Or if you can go back to the AGR home page]
1. What is Rock2ober?
Rock2ober is an attempt, once a year, to get a FULL 32 player 16 vs 16 Quakeworld TF game, to create the most intense, action packed gaming experience possible.
2. What version of Team Fortress is this?
It's 'AGR' (Attackers Go Red) , an offshoot of Quake 1 CustomTeamFortress, which is designed to improve gameplay, and enforce teamwork. If you haven't played AGR before, you really should read the AGR FAQ, though 2010 has seen many new features and additions to the mod. If you havent got Quake1, or CustomTF installed, there are installation instructions on the Rock2ober 2010 page. You can also try this beta web plugin for firefox.
3. How is this different from the Weekly AGR Session?
The Weekly AGR Sessions give TF players a fixed time and place they can meet up every week, and play a BIG, quality, organised, action packed Session. Players are free to pop in whenever they have the time. Rock2ober is different, in that players are asked to make a COMMITMENT to play at a certain time and place, and thus ensure a 32 player game. Players on the AGR Mailing List are given a list of timeslot options, and advise me of their availability. The timeslot that gets to 32 players first becomes THE timeslot. Also the Rock2ober Sesion focusses on one map - rock2.
4. Why do I have to email you to play?
So that I can get your commitment that you WILL play, and get your playername, and be able to email you the password just before the game begins. Also, I need a way to contact everyone if there's any last minute issues or changes in server location.
5. Why rock2?
Because it's my favourite map. And it truly ROCKS with 32 players! Here's an interview with its creator.
6. Will 32 people show up?
Well firstly, you can't just 'show up', you have to make a commitment to play when you say you can. We regularly get 20+ players at the Weekly AGR Session, and in Rock2ober 2009 we achieved 'full house' - 32/32. It can be done again.
7. How do I install CustomTF on my computer?
After you a quakeworld client such as ZelTF, the safest thing is to just connect to the AGR Server (tastyspleen.net:26666) during the week and let the files download. It will take a while, but you only have to do it once, and its the only way to be sure you have all the files. [EDIT: You can also try this torrent, though I haven't tested it]
8. I've never played CustomTF before, is there an FAQ?
Yes, and here it is. It predates AGR, but is very comprehensive. Most of the weapons and abilities still apply to AGR but it would be best to play at least one Weekly AGR Session just to adjust to the radically different gameplay.
9. CustomTF seems really complex, is it?
Well yes, there is a learning curve, as there are more options than 'vanilla' TF, but if you read the CustomTF FAQ it will all make sense. In any case, you can pick the standard classes and start have fun immediately.
10. I'm in Europe, wont the ping make this unplayable?
Not at all! The server is based in the USA, and I play from Australia. Not only are there plenty of sneaky classes and skills you can use which don't depend on ping, but the server uses a unique "Dynamic Damage Equalisation" code, which modifies damage received to take into account ping differences.
11. Why is this website so ugly, can't you fix it up, and make it look more 'modern'? It's not 1998 you know..
Maybe I will. I'm happy conveying information as quickly, and clearly as possible - that is a 'beautiful' thing in itself. Besides, I save my energy for coding, gameplay, and promotions. In any case, 1998 was a 'golden era' for gaming, and I'm happy for the 'style' (or lack thereof) here to be evocative of that era.
12. Ok, but can't I just turn up on the day? Surely you won't get 32 players *again* ?
You're welcome to try, but do you want to guarantee your spot in this 32 player extravaganza, or are you happy for your memory of Rock2ober to be this?:
13. I'm really new to all this, you keep referring to AGR, CustomTF, Quakeworld, TF - what's this game called?
Ok, here's a brutally short summary: first there was Quake (if you've never heard of Quake I'm surprised you;re still reading this FAQ ) , then there was Quakeworld (which was a version for internet gameplay), then there was ''Capture the Flag', which introduced teams and a flag to capture, then there was 'Team Fortress' ('TF') which introduced different classes of players with different skills and weapons, then there was 'CustomTF' which allowed you to customise your own class, and included a bunch of new weapons and abilities, and finally we have 'Attackers Go Red' ('AGR'), which introduced restrictions on bunnyhopping, removed the Red Flag, seperates Attackers and Defenders into two teams, and rewards Blue for Defending. I used to refer to the game as 'AGR CustomTF', but too many players who rejected CustomTF didn't know that AGR gameplay is radically different, in fact many CustomTFers have dismissed AGR as some kind of twisted abomination, so these days I just refer to it as 'AGR'.
14. Why does anyone bother playng such an ancient game?
The same reason people still do such an ancient thing as the missionary position. Besides, it's not old, there were a bunch of new changes in May 2010, you can read about them here.