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Ultiduo 18 is just hours away!

Sorry it took us so long to get this out, that one sits squarely on me being busy. Team Placements are below, along with any and all crucial info you will need for Ultiduo 18. Please take the time to read through, we've put a lot of work into (particularly) the Ultiduo Ruleset this time around. Many of the old questions/answers were moved to the Ultiduo Ruleset.

Team Placements

Please note that the placements below are not final. We are more than happy to accept feedback on these seedings, but we ask that you make a ticket using our bot via #admin-support or DMing @Alfred directly.

Division 1

1. Chunkopop Enthusiasts
2. GET LIQUIDATED!
3. Team 2
4. Eclipse
5. two men kissing
6. but how washed is tesla??
7. animetv
8. 2 chooks
9. Minji + Danielle
10. Stroketrine & Strokey

Division 2

1. smol cats
2. mhazakey
3. sun with face
4. rolled and smoked
5. Vi(e)t Gang
6. cheese sandwich #1
7. noob ultiduo
8. Ownage + Pure

Division 3

1. Charles and Eddie
2. cheese sandwich #2
3. HoT whEElZ
4. I aint gay but a kiss and a cuddle goes a long way
5. Poopy joe
6. 3 syllable word
7. Sigma nation
8. for every kill you get ill give you a

Division 4

1. MR PEABODY AND GERMAN
2. giant alien spiders are no joke!
3. AvoCado
4. aubdrey
5. Morb Fortress 2 - Morbheads
6. SEMI SLEEPERS
7. Margret Thatcher
8. big challenges
9. hi miku...
10. Peace And War

Weapon Unlocks / Whitelist for Ultiduo 18

As we noted in our previous posts, we ran some Discord Polls to see if players would like to see new unlocks added to the Ultiduo 18 whitelist to spice things up. The results are in, and the following weapons will be added:

• Disciplinary Action added.
• Solemn Vow added.

No other unlocks are being added for Ultiduo 18. You can view the updated whitelist here.

Maps & Poll Results

With the Discord Polls for Weapon Unlocks came polls for new maps. Ultiduo in ozfortress hasn't seen more than one map for what feels like a millenia, so we've added the ones you voted for.

• Baloo added.
• Swine added.
• Champions added.
  • Please note that Champions has Passtime style powerups. We ran a follow-up poll to ensure players were aware of this, and out of everyone who voted, nearly 60% (58%) wanted Champions, so it will remain.
• ozfortress' Ultiduo map will be remaining to bring us to a total of four maps in the pool.

Servers

For Ultiduo 18, teams will need to coordinate with their opponents and book the server themselves from serveme.tf. We have upped the available servers to 20 servers, two over the amount we need. We've left a buffer to allow for some servers that aren't Ultiduo games, but please be aware - if we need a server for an Ultiduo game, we will be unbooking your non-Ultiduo server. However, we will prioritize unbooking empty Ultiduo servers first. If you cannot get a server, please let us know via #ultiduo18-support.

In addition to teams needing to book/reserve their own server, they will also be responsible for changing the map and setting the config. To find these commands, please see our Ultiduo 18 Resources page. It contains the map aliases, configs and everything else you'll need.

If you notice any server stability issues, please do not hesitate to poke is in #ultiduo18-support immediately. Whilst in theory server stability should be fine, we are running a higher amount of servers (although with far less players) than we have before.

Expectations

You've likely heard the first expectation before, but we'll put our expectations (and a few notices) in list form so you know what we need from you.

• Do not delay the match for your opponents.
  • Please start each game as soon as possible as there is a tight schedule, and delaying will delay the entire cup. If the other team has not shown up five minutes after the server has been booked, message an administrator to claim your forfeit win. Please DO NOT delay for the other team as a courtesy.
• The Team Captains Discord will not be used for Ultiduo 18.
  • Instead, there will be an #ultiduo18-feed channel in our main Discord where we will be pinging all participants. If you are not in the ozfortress Discord, please join. We will need at minimum one player from each duo to be present in the ozfortress Discord for the duration of the event.
• A quick reminder, we have an Ultiduo 18 Ruleset now! Please peruse it prior to the event.
• All support should be directed to #ultiduo18-support.
• KritzKast may cover playoffs, it entirely depends on how busy we are.

Most importantly, have fun!

We're hoping the map and weapon changes will put a new spin on Ultiduo for Ultiduo 18. As always, we'll be running a follow-up survey.

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Resources

Below are some quick aliases for setting up for au.serveme.tf server. To book a server, please head over to serveme.tf.

Server Config

• rcon ozf-ud-ultiduo

Maps

• rcon changelevel ultiduo_ozf_r
• rcon changelevel ultiduo_baloo_v2
• rcon changelevel ultiduo_swine_b06
• rcon changelevel ultiduo_champions_b1

Map Downloads

Map downloads are available on the Ultiduo 18 cup page.

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serveme.tf Servers Updated!

We want to thank Arie for sorting the servers so quickly. Any player using 64bit or 32bit TF2 clients should be able to play on au.serveme.tf servers without issue. The servers will remain on 32bit for a while until updates and solutions are found/made. To reiterate, 64bit clients can play on 32bit servers.

The majority of the plugins needed for competitive games are functioning as expected, but please report any issues you find immediately to the serveme.tf Discord. We've also updated our #book-a-server channel to now point to serveme.tf for server support.

POV Demo Recording

You may have heard, you may not have. P-REC, our staple POV demo recording tool of the last decade has not been, and likely will not be updated for 64bit TF2. P-REC does still work on the 32bit version of the game, which can be run from the SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2 directory, however, there is an alternative if you don't want to give up the performance benefits of 64bit. Whilst some may not like it, the in-game demo recording tool does allow for similar functionality to P-REC. We will be leaving the two main commands to run below, which will help you get the "demo system" setup correctly. We have also finally added our own POV Demo Recording guide to help you get the demo system set up and provide you with all of the commands you need to get it working as closely to P-REC used to.

To be crystal clear, regardless of which TF2 client version you use:

It is the responsibility of the player to ensure they are recording POV Demos when playing official matches. Ignorance of this is not an excuse.

Custom File Issues

Depending on your choice of custom HUD, you may run into issues with certain parts of your HUD. For example, some HUDs are having issues with the loadout section of the inventory. We would suggest joining the HUDS.TF Discord for diagnosing HUD issues if you can't wait for the HUD's creator to update it. Additionally, if you want to see all of the HUD changes, see this GitHub commit.

If you are running into stability issues with your game, we would suggest ruling out your configs and other custom files, and then reporting it to Valve. Some things to note that were changed with the move to 64bit (and that were fixed separately or as a result of 64bit):

• HUD player model has received optimizations in the update thanks to a fix from Team Comtress 2, so it's basically a couple of frames cost instead of dozens.
• If you have -noquicktime in your launch options, it's no longer needed.
• DX8 is causing crashes for people, might be worth going up to DX9.

Match Play Issues

If your match has been impacted or you fear it will be, please feel free to contact your division administrator via the Team Captain's Discord, or by using our #admin-support channel. Please note, however, we do expect everything to run "business as usual", but we're here if you need help.

"What else came with 64bit?"

Again if you don't already know, performance improvements. Anywhere between 15-35% depending on hardware configurations. Check out shounic's video discussing the now finished beta for 64bit.

"Once more for those at the back"

Please be patient with us, Valve, serveme.tf, HUD and CFG makers, everyone. 64bit is a huge move and win for TF2's longevity, but it may come at a cost short term. Issues more than likely will arise, but we'll deal with them.

Sorry this took so long to get out. We wanted to make sure we had a guide ready and could answer some of the questions you may have had. Again, thank you to Arie and the rest of the serveme.tf team for their tireless work getting servers up-to-date and ready.

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Ultiduo is back in 2024 with Ultiduo 18!

ozfortress' famed Ultiduo returns, this time as a part of our May Madness off-season. Ultiduo 18 will kick off a series of tournaments between the Autumn '24 and Winter '24 seasons.

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Signups

You can sign up for Ultiduo 18 from now (Wednesday the 17th of April 2024), up until Wednesday the 1st of May 2024. We aim to have initial seedings out by Friday the 3rd of May at the latest. As always, Ultiduo will be on a Saturday, Saturday the 4th of May 2024.

Maximum Signups

We may look to limit the maximum team signup numbers to somewhere between 40-48 teams, as we are worried we will not have enough servers to effectively cover any more teams. It's not ideal, but sadly may have to happen. We will let everyone know how things are looking as we find out ourselves.

SIGN UP TO ULTIDUO 18!

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Proposed Changes Poll Results

We've included the three most voted-for maps in Ultiduo 18. We are also currently considering the two most voted-for weapon unlocks, those being the Disciplinary Action and Solemn Vow. In addition to those changes, we now have a fresh new Ultiduo ruleset!

For more in-depth info on the results, please see the league page.

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Creating a Team and Signing Up

On the ozfortress website, captains can create Teams using the "Start Team" button on the Teams page. Once created, captains can invite players to the team. Team invites are shown on a player's profile, which can be accessed by clicking on your name next to the bell on the top right-hand corner of your screen. Teams provide a pool of players that can be signed up for a tournament. Players may be in the pool for multiple teams but only one active roster for any given tournament. Captains may sign up a roster for tournaments under the league page.

By signing up, you acknowledge that you may be placed in any division the administrators deem fit for your roster, and thus you should be reasonable in your expectations on division placement. We will endeavour to let duos know of changes in initial seedings before the final release. Please ensure you specify the division you truly believe your team should be in, this will make it easier for administrators to consult with you on your seeding. Along with selecting your desired division, please also list who you expect to play, and what class/role. We've left a template below, please include it in your signup application's description.

Soldier:
Medic:
Discord Handles:

For questions regarding substitutes or mercenaries, please see 1.6. Substitutes & Mercenaries.

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Finding a Partner

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If you're new and not sure how to get started, don't fret! Check out the Recruitment category of the ozfortress Discord where you can see if anyone is also looking for a partner (you will need to get the Sixes recruiting roles in the "channels and roles" part of the Discord, otherwise you will not be able to see these channels). Ultiduo duos consist of one soldier and one medic.

Once you've signed up your team or have joined one, your part is done.

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Bans

The users below have received Permanent Bans. This ban type will prevent them from using our services indefinitely. ozfortress reserves the right to deny users from its properties or services for any reason. If you are found aiding this person in evading their ban, you will face hefty league bans.

Permanent Bans

bappo STEAM_0:0:62610209

This person has been permanently barred from all ozfortress properties and services.

mef STEAM_0:0:74939682

This person has been permanently barred from all ozfortress properties and services.

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Should any teams or groups within any ozfortress competitions be found housing the listed players, that team will be permanently banned from our competitions and all members involved will face hefty league bans.

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Bans

The following ban/s are all Infraction Threshold bans, split between New Bans, and Ban Resets.

New Bans

The following player/s accrued enough points to reach an Infraction Threshold Ban.

Half Evil / emo / wally west / rockstarmade STEAM_0:1:103417454
This player has accrued a total of 90 ozfortress infraction points. As such, the player has been banned from ozfortress.com, the community's competitions, and all other ozfortress properties for 2 years, after which they will serve a 12-month probation, in which any reoffence will double the severity of the penalty. Their ban duration will be extended if they are found ban-evading during their ban.

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Should any teams or groups within any ozfortress competitions be found housing the listed players, that team will be permanently removed from our competitions and all members involved will face severe penalties.

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Bans

The following ban/s are all Infraction Threshold bans, split between New Bans, and Ban Resets.

New Bans

The following player/s accrued enough points to reach an Infraction Threshold Ban.

clynic / zore STEAM_0:1:27983646
This player has accrued a total of 90 ozfortress infraction points. As such, the player has been banned from ozfortress.com, the community's competitions, and all other ozfortress properties for 2 years, after which they will serve a 12-month probation, in which any reoffence will double the severity of the penalty. Their ban duration will be extended if they are found ban-evading during their ban.

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Should any teams or groups within any ozfortress competitions be found housing the listed players, that team will be permanently removed from our competitions and all members involved will face severe penalties.

APRIL FOOLS

Heh, you thought.

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These aren't announcements I ever expected to be posting, neither of them. I started Respawn League in late 2018 out of discontent with the current Highlander league offerings at the time, then two years ago, Respawn League merged into ozfortress. To now be handing off not only the Respawn League branding but also the League Director role - it's a huge change. So, let us lay out what changes are coming.

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I'm stepping away from the League Director role. Closing in on three years, I figure now is the right time to move on. So who will be at the helm? Well, I figured I would dig up a fossil, a Suchomimus in fact (I have no idea if that is the ancestor species of a catfish but), catfish. catfish will be returning to see over the return of Capping 4 a Cause later this year and the day-to-day of Respawn League from now on. Wait, the day-to-day of Respawn League?

catfish's acceptance statement:

I'm excited to be returning. After a good break to just enjoy TF2 and our community, I'm ecstatic to be picking up the reins, and leading ozfortress into the remainder of 2024 and beyond.

I, along with the rest of the staff team, have full confidence in catfish to help us redefine Team Fortress in the Asia-Pacific region.

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We're rebranding!

Yeah, you read that right. Starting very shortly, all ozfortress properties will be rebranded to Respawn League (rsl.tf). There are more than a few reasons as to why this is happening, but the ones that matter are below.

Merch

We want to be able to bring you cool ozfortress merch, working with artists on a 50/50 revenue split. All merch revenue will be combined with the Patreon pool to cover server costs, as well as to more consistent prize pools! We'll have more information about this coming shortly.

Capping 4 a Cause

There are some fairly obvious legal requirements for a charity event/tournament, especially one with staff attending a studio for coverage. Like merch, there will be more info coming in due time. Oh and also yes - Capping 4 a Cause will be returning.

Branding

Beyond the ozfortress name, not having a logo that isn't a wordmark logo can be very limiting. So we figured we would bring a new logo and name, or rather a logo and name that didn't get to be used too much. ozfortress has been around for 23 years almost, it's time for something new.

Infrastructure reasons

Having full control over the rsl.tf domain, we can more quickly deploy new services and tools, regardless of if they are public or private. This will prevent us from having to wait weeks/months to get any ozfortress subdomain set.

We're expanding our competitions to Asia!

Yup, it's finally happening. Starting from our Winter '24 seasons, we will be running both Asia Sixes and Asia Highlander leagues. This is a big step for us, but it's yet another step up the mountain of bringing competitive TF2 to the spotlight it deserves.

We understand there is a lot of change coming, but just know this - what you've come to love and appreciate about ozfortress will remain, just under a new name.

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Well, I guess not everything will remain. It's been real everyone, but there comes a time when you feel you need to step back and let those with more passion take the lead. Thanks for the memories and to those I met along the way.