As weird and dumb as it may sound, this fandom has helped me overcome my social anxiety more than anything.
Granted it has had it's ups and downs and will most likely continue to do so, but it has been an overall good experience.

Keep it real, TF2 bros.

Well, I first started playing TF2 due to the appealing characters and cartoony art style. Oh man, you should've seen my face when I found out it was a multiplayer team-based FPS.
One thing about me? I was never a team player. I deliberately gravitated away from games that had multiplayer systems in place. Bots were fine, but real people? Hell no.
And that went outside of games and into real life, too. I always wanted to do my own thing, and to a fault- a big fault.
So, anyway. I guess you could say, Team Fortress 2 taught me how to work as part of a team, and why it's great to be part of a team. Sure, my.. choice of class might still reflect my lone-wolf side, but without TF2 I might never have learned about looking out for my team members, as well as how much they'd look out for me. Askdfsdk it feels silly typing this all out about a game, but that's the bloody truth.
Also, I was damn nervous about posting on TF2chan the first time- I'd 'heard some things' as you might say, so I stepped carefully. But here, I met some brilliant friends, and even joined the CJ, which means more to me than it probably should, but there you go.
I got some terrific feedback on my artwork, and I feel like I've come a fair way since I joined. I even feel that I'm at a level that, maybe, I could give someone else advice.
Long yarn short: Team Fortress 2 has, ultimately, changed me as a person, and will continue doing so. And, it's changed me for the better. So, I guess: Thank you, Valve, for bringing this into reality. Thank you all.

TF2 was the first fandom I ever really involved myself in. I found the "Meet the" videos completely on accident in February 2010 and fell in love with the style and characters. From there, I started browsing the wiki and the chan and eventually joined an RP forum.

TF2 has introduced me to FPS-style gaming as well as so many interesting people and fanart/fanfiction/fan creations. The fandom is insanely dedicated and I find that wonderful. I hope I continue to be a part of it for a good while longer.

nope, cant think of anything life changing or whatever to come out of the TF2 fandom

not a thing

I first learned about Tf2 Not but two years ago, (it was my first fandom)I loved it beacuse of all the different characters and thier lives and backgrounds. (Not to mention I'm a whore for first person shooters). Valve brought me out of my "OHEMGEE KAWAII DESU!" stage, and into a more mature stance of artwork. Since then, I have bought the game, accumulated over 600 hours of playtime, and met the love of my life. We met on an empty server I was playing on with one of my friends. /Because you people had to know that/ I'd say it did change my life, and I doubt there will ever be another game like it. (Other than that chinese hack job they call "Final Combat.")

In short I agree with everyone here.

This thread.
This thread warms my heart and makes me feel all fuzzy inside.

Aside from meeting the love of my life I'm pretty much the same as >>6656 , the style of the game made me take anatomy much more seriously and has introduced me to a lot of inspiring artists.

>>6606
Holy cow you two are adorable.

And people say games isolate you. Tststs ...

TF2 has actually given me a lot in my life.

I was initially attracted to the style and the characters, and though I was not really a player of videogames, I wanted to give it a try. I found the chan and got some help learning to play, now I am addicted and I have met so many fucking amazing people it's not even funny. Some of my current closest friends have come from the TF2 fandom or just from playing on lots of different servers. It's had it's ups and downs and a lot of people I liked have gone from the fandom (and express all their buttmad over Hipstr), but I am still gonna stick here.

TF2 also introduced me to FPS games, where I found out just how much I love them. And how much I love Valve. It also helped me improve my artwork a great deal, and allowed me to express some of the interests and fetishes I had been suppressing.

Good times, I am remembering them.

Why I love this place?
I was in a phase of deep depression on my life because I told my best friend I love him and he stopped talk with me. 1 year of wasted time, I was so sad that I lost 1 entire year of the college, I should be graduated now. one day a friend of my brother told me that I should do what I want, draw what I want and forget about everything, I should start a new life, so I choose this palce to restart. I started to post gmod porn and some shit draws. I realy forgot that I loved to draw, but cant improve. SO one day kilo redlined one piece I did it realy was the flame to work hard to improve. then another day pinkshotgun did those types! I coundnt let the act of those people be in vain, so I have been working realy hard to improve! Thank alot people. and thanks to perry, dunno but every single comment she did in our works is the small feedback we need to get incentivated.

Then I get the brave to start to get involved here. yeah I was realy afraid of be involved because people could discover the huge closet faggot I am, but now I dont care anymore, I'm realy happy being what I am, doing what I do.
I stalk this place since the anonib times, watche everydrama. but one thing I learned in my life was ignore the things I dont like, dont make fun of people who are happy with theyr silly creepy things.
ANd sorry for my Inability to express myself with words, I have this dificulty in my native language too...

>>6867
Daw, glad to have helped add a bit of kindle to that flame. I'm really proud of how well you've done so far and look forward to seeing more.

While I can't say TF2 changed anything in my life, it has been a great influence over the years and given many good memories and good friends I hope to keep with me much longer than I have kept them before.

At first I found the Meet the Team videos, and ever since then the game and the fandom has grown on me. Due to the fandom, I met a lot of good people and eventually came to love and be partners with someone. It was a pretty life-changing experience for me, and I couldn't be any happier than to be with the person I love.

I really got into the gameplay experience as well, because of the unique traits and personalities of each of the nine classes. The game isn't just a boring FPS clone, you actually get pretty damn involved and immersed. I was able to keep bettering my skills and get involved competively, and become a div2-experienced player after rip-ass training.

I was shown the Chan during the time when I met new people, and I have never come to expect to be running the place after two years. It really is a good labor, and I'm proud to be working with a good team. Working on the technical side of the Chan has allowed me to become more experienced with PHP, MySQL/SQL, dwoo and imageboard-based forum software in general.

The icing on the cake is when you see the fruits of your labors take hold and make a difference. It's especially pleasing when the userbase goes out of their way to praise you for your hard work. A thank you goes a long way for the team and I. And just take a look at the uploaded picture that Perry made! We were very happy and had a good share of laughs because of it.

What's Danceflower?

>>7142
Does laughing at question that make me a horrible person?

Danceflower is the previous address was hosted at. We moved from there... oh, about two, two and a half years ago?

>>7142

I FEEL OLD

>>7145
SHNOOX WHAT IS ANONIB MY ALZHEIMERS KICKED IN AND I FORGOT D:

>>7146
I stalk here since anonib times...

>>7146
we were on anonib once?

I just found the chan because of Rule36.
It was a time for me where i was curious for which fandoms it gave such sites which included adultfanart and aultfanfictions.
Before i played TF2 just briefly at the free weekend demoversion. I had barrely time to get really into it so i just forgot about it later even if i had some fun.
But because i had some frineds at the L4D Fandom who played Team Fortress 2 recently i thought:
Well, why not search for such a site which had the Team Fortress 2 characters in it?
And i came here. I was stunned and intriguded.
So many great artstyles and well written fanfictions. Every class with his own personalitiy/lines. The game had character. So it ITCHED me to play it.
Long story short: I found the TF2chan, bought the Orange Box, found my currently Steamgroup and i´m almost a 7/24 TF2 player now.

So a toast to you channers! I consider you my blessing and my curse!