Community Gaming Outlook - 1/20/2012 (Test Entry 3)
By trace 2 Comments
Welcome to the Community Gaming Outlook! As in previous weeks, if you have any comments, suggestions, or criticisms regarding the format, just let me know with a reply to this thread. I think this idea's just about ready for prime time, but I'd like to create a few header images to split up this wall of text first. I'll have those images ready for next week's outlook, hopefully!
ARMA II's a new addition this week, with ARMA II Free replacing Battlefield 3 in the PC Gaming Hub's Friday timeslot. Team Fortress 2 is also in the rotation this weekend, as Counter-Strike: Source takes its week off in this TF2/CS:S bi-weekly schedule swap. I make mention of it in the schedule, but tf2.giantbomb.com is working again, so you should really help make that wonderful TF2 server popular. Thank LtSquigs while you're at it. He fixes stuff for justice and all that is good. Finally, Thule's looking to host a StarCraft II tournament in February, so be ready to sign up for that in the near future. I'll copy any necessary details when they come about.
Reality provided a bit too much distraction for me this week, so if you started a new game night or multiplayer get-together and I don't have it listed here, let me know! I don't want to leave your awesome events in the dark, lonely and unattended. That's just cruel.
Also remember, if you take part in any of these community gaming events, I'd like to see your pictures of the action! If your screenshots are shared on something like Steam or My Forza, just post a link to your gallery in the replies and I'll have a look at them. Otherwise, feel free to post the images directly into the replies. Let me see how awesome you lot are being in the multiplayer worlds! Please?
Friday, January 20th
ARMA II Free2Play Game Night
ARMA II Free (PC), 12:30 PM PST
Details here – The Giant Bomb PC Gaming Hub community found ARMA II to be rather enjoyable, and there's a free version available on Steam. If you're looking for a highly realistic and (more importantly) insane diversion from Battlefield 3, you should join these duders.
Saturday, January 21st
Team Fortress 2 Game Night
Team Fortress 2 (PC), 8:00 PM GMT for Europe, 6:30 PM PST for North America
Details here – This event alternates with the Counter-Strike: Source game night on a weekly basis. Given that Tested mod LtSquigs did a tremendous job fixing the official Giant Bomb/Tested server, I must imagine that tf2.giantbomb.com will be the server of choice for these festivities. Also, TF2's hella fun, yo.
Sunday, January 22nd
Battlefield 3 Community War
Battlefield 3 (PC), 3:30 PM PST
Details here –This currently alternates between Saturdays and Sundays each week, and given that it was on Saturday last week, I'm assuming it's a Sunday shindig this week, even if I don't see it on a schedule. Here's where the European and North American Battlefield enthusiasts meet to clash heads against one another.
Monday, January 23rd
SSFIV: AE Game Night
Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition (PC), 8:00 PM GMT for Europe, 6:30 PM PST for North America
Details here – I'm still unsure how well this fight night is performing, but for the time being, I'm assuming it's still alive. If you want it to stay that way, then you should probably bring your skills (or lack thereof) to this fracas.
Tuesday, January 24th
Battlefield 3 Bombing Runs
Battlefield 3 (PC), 8:00 PM GMT for Europe, 6:30 PM PST for North America
Details here – With ARMA II taking over the PC Gaming Hub's Friday schedule, this is the only weekday remaining to get your Battlefield fix on. Battlefix? Of course, you could also participate in the weekend community wars, if that sort of mayhem suits you.
Wednesday, January 25th
Trackmania 2 Race Night
Trackmania 2: Canyon (PC), 6:00 PM PST
Details here, server details here – I didn't see Dolemite during last week's TNT, but otherwise this Trackmania server appears to be alive and kicking on any day of the week. Do try to check in on Wednesdays, though!
Thursday, January 26th
Red Orchestra 2 Game Night
Red Orchestra 2 (PC), 8:00 PM GMT for Europe, 6:30 PM PST for North America
Details here – This event currently isn't listed in the PC Gaming Hub's Steam schedule, but I'm assuming it's alive for now. They've had reasonable turnouts in the past, so I'll inquire and see if that's still the case.
Thursday Night Throwdown
??? (???), 4:00 PM PST
Live on Giant Bomb – I really wish I could tell you, but I don't see any clues as to the identity of the next TNT game. Just keep an eye on I Love Mondays and staff Twitter accounts, in case you need to bum rush the GBTNT accounts with friend requests.
Giant Bomb Forza Race Night
Forza Motorsport 4 (360), 7:30 PM PST
Details here – We experienced a slight downturn in attendance last week, although ten people is still pretty good given the limitations we had in Forza 3. Just remember – there's always room for more. Always.
Clubs, Groups & Guilds
These aren't quite gaming events, but they're groups of Giant Bomb users organized in games to be awesome together at any given time. If I overlook a group near and dear to your heart, just post a reply letting me know about it, and I'll list it next week. Please note that I'm trying to avoid simple gamertag exchange threads, so it's unlikely you'll see any of those listed here.
Also, since Star Trek Online's now free to play, if anyone has any information on a Space Neon Lobsters revival, I'd love to add details for that in here.
- Battlefield 3: Join the Battlefield 3 Steam group to keep up to date with the community!
- EVE Online: Sounds like they're up to something in the community hub over here!
- Forza Motorsport 4: The Giant Bomb Car Club is accepting requests to join! Warning: You will be spammed with lobby invites every Thursday night.
- Minecraft: Read the rules if you want to join the Giant Bomb server's whitelist.
- Star Wars: The Old Republic: Kessler Run (Imperial) and Good Luck Have Bothans (Republic) both welcome newcomers on the Mind Trick server.
- Super Monday Night Combat: It might be an invitational at the moment, but the GB SMNC Steam group welcomes all Giant Bomb fans with SMNC access for outings.
- Uncharted 3: The Uncharted 3 Hub's gathering people for game nights on a pretty frequent basis.
Did I miss any community events or groups in these listings? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!