TF2Lobby is website that helps random people to get to the competitive side of the tf2. It is much like gathers, but it doesn’t require IRC client.

After creating an account and logging in, you can join to lobby, talk at the main chat, see who is online and create new lobbies. After joining lobby, you choose side and which class you want to play and when the lobby is full 6v6 and everybody is ready, the match starts. TF2 is launched via the steam link that will automatically connect to the server and use the password. When the teams are ready at the server, its time to play.

The system is nice and works well. There is couple of servers dedicated for tf2lobby and the system how they work is very similar to l4d2 matchmaking system. Server that are dedicated for tf2lobby are running without admins 24/7. When a lobby is starting a game, the tf2lobby sends couple rcon commands to the server setting it up, then sends the password to the users who can connect. System always checks if there is players already on the server, so active games are not stopped if there is new game starting.

It is also possible to use own server with this system by giving server ip and rcon password. Tf2lobby will remotely setup the server via the rcon.

Currently the system has some kind of karma system. You gain karma by playing games or by getting rated by other users. You lose karma by leaving from game. The system looks nice, but so far there isn’t any way to see somebody’s karma. But I think that in future players that leaves in middle of match aren’t problem. There is also nice system that asks new player to join the game if somebody leaves before the match has been finished.

TF2Lobby also needs more EU servers. But there is usually somebody with their own EU server.