I imagine it must be pretty hard to make a online-multiplayer title that can be fun to play even when you're completely and utterly overmatched by your opponents. Take something like Gears of War, which is excellent, and consider how boring it can get when one finds themselves completely overwhelmed by the opponents - I know I tend to feel a bit flustered in this situation and cease to enjoy myself. Yet I can play Team Fortress Classic, die roughly 30 times for every kill I make, and have a pretty good time doing it. My theory as to why this is I think lies in the relative amount of responsibility placed onto the player - Gears has small teams and lacks specialization, as such I know that I am supposed to be taking down my opponents at a roughly 1:1 pace, and I also know that if I don't, that puts a lot of pressure on my teammates (being at most 4 on 4). By comparison, in a 10 on 10 TFC match where I, being a Pyro or a Medic (as I usually am), have a pretty specific role or task I suddenly feel a lot less guilty if I do poorly. Suddenly I'm in a position where I know there are a lot more guys to cover my ass, and I'm in a role where I know my primary task is not to rack up kills, but rather to wreck havoc (pyro) or help out others (medic).I'm not sure which of these two factors contributes the most to this feeling of liberation from the usual responsibilities of a team-shooter. On the one hand, I'm sure that the crowd factor is big, since I also enjoy playing Counter-Strike, where I consider my role as being that of a meat shield for my more talented teammates. On the other hand, the presence of roles, with the expectations for performance or style that come with them provide me with an excellent way to style my play in a somewhat guided fashion.
TFC also promotes a fast and imprecise style of play that makes it rather well suited for casual play. Unfortunately, it also boasts a number of quirks and glitches that lends itself just as well for obsessive and hardcore play - the exact kind that tends to intimidate novice players and discourage casual play. These same hardcore players insistence on limiting themselves to a single map (the relatively boring 2fort) which lends itself the best to these glitches also tends to discourage casual play.
Complaints about the hardcore TFC crowd should carry the caveat, however, that it is this same crowd that has kept the game relevant through the years, essentially keeping it alive for its exposure to new blood. Also, like I said at the start, I manage to enjoy myself pretty well in spite of the huge talent gulf - the core game itself is simply a fun way to waste some time.
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