Essay by Xenos on respawn frags
This was part of a large Doomworld article comment thread.
Original post on Doomworld:
Above this, though, I (unlike many people) play to a strict "code of honor." ... I won't shoot someone who respawns directly in front of me because I already know they don't have a chance. I'd rather have my games interesting, and it really bothers me when I respawn and get an SSG (or worse, a BFG) in the face without having a chance to defend myself. It's a lame kill. My ideal game is not one in which I win. It's the one I have a whole lot of fun playing. If the BFG is in the way of that, (and it doesn't have to be,) than it should go. This "getting the most frags you can" stuff is for competitors. I just want to play.
Xenos replies:
Code of honor... That sounds good. However, respawn frags are an indispensable part of the game. Here is why. Getting more frags than your opponent has to involve more than encounters at even odds. If both you and your opponent are skilled SSG users, you will not frag him until he gets the gun, and after he does, the odds are even (possibly even in his favor if your health is lower). Even odds lead to even scores if both players have matching technical skills.
Where do you draw the line with the code of honor? Using an SSG against a player with a rocket launcher is not fair either. Shooting a rocket into a narrow hallway when the opponent is in it is evil unfair to him (to quote you, he has no chance whatsoever).
If respawns are placed where you can hit them, it is for a reason. There are several distinct kinds of deathmatch maps, and the game flow is always dictated by the locations of respawns, items, and weapons. For example, map 1 is a domination map, since one player can control access to the SSG from one area, the chaingun-rocket launcher corridor, while covering 3 out of 4 respawns. Mind you that one respawn is safe, and gets the weapons right away, so the other player has a chance to dislodge the dominating player and take over. It is also no coincidence that both BFGs are in the same room. The games in map 1 are meant to be decided by respawn frags. There are other map styles, for example, cat-and-mouse, as in Dweller2 map 11. Respawn locations there cannot be controlled at the same time, and the map provides for circular routes and multiple escape paths from anywhere. It is altogether easy to make a map with respawns in safe places. Beware, it leads to slower games. Bigger maps usually accomplish that quite nicely. I strongly dislike deathmatching in big maps for that very reason. For me, the best part of Doom is its fast-paced action. Snapshot respawn SSG kills are beautiful. It is not easy to kill in one shot. Respawn-fragging a good player is also a task and a half and requires skill.
I believe your "code of honor" to have been put in place by playing much weaker opponents. Letting a player live because you feel generous is condescending and insulting. In my book it goes right next to refraining from using the BFG because of the belief that it either takes no skill or is an unfair weapon. Disliking respawn frags and disliking the BFG are both caused by the same factors.
BTW, I do acknowledge your disclaimer that you only play for fun and winning a game means nothing to you. However, the attitude towards respawn frags that you have expressed has been popular enough for me to have reacted to it with this post.
The real code of honor is respecting your opponent. Fragging him on sight shows an appreciation of his dangerous potential.
Xenos, a.k.a. Doom
