Camping (A discussion)

[llllTrooperllll]

Camping can be defined as (Wikipedia):

In video gaming, camping is a tactic where a player will obtain a static strategic position of advantage, often providing a clear field of view over a choke point or position of tactical interest whilst retaining cover for the camper. It differs from holding a strategic position by its requisite static nature and intensive cover.

In most games, camping is a legitimate style of play. It often proves frustrating, particularly to newer players, as it rewards those who invest a considerable amount of time in the game (which allows them to know the layout of the maps and the best defensive positions); as well as those with accurate aim. Among some players, camping is considered tantamount to cheating, especially in deathmatch-type games. The most common reason for this is that if every player camps, there will be no opportunities for players to come into conflict, and thus there will be no game at all.

In most deathmatch-type games that have both a time limit and a kill limit, camping can be used to take advantage of the time limit rather than the kill limit. Capture the flag and its variants provide an incentive to invade enemy territory, regardless of the risk, since scoring flags is more important than scoring by killing the opposing team's players; conversely, this mode also encourages players to camp their own vulnerable flag to defend against the anticipated stream of attackers. However, even in such games, some players may choose to camp to give covering fire for other team members attempting to grab the flag and run back with it. It is comparable to turtling.
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Now im not talking about spawn camping here, just camping in general. I feel as though it has its place in the game as it is a defensive playstyle, especially for Conquest and Rush.

Why oh why is the chat in BF3 constantly clogged with people complaining about campers? these game modes are defend and attack modes, it requires both attacking and defending styles of game play.

Camping has its advantages and disadvantages.
Advantage, you have a prime lookout over highly traveled routes.

Disadvantage, your not mobile! that is a huge disadvantage in my books.

[cadavre]

Personally I don't see a huge issue with camping and its never bothered me over years of gaming.

With BF3 - the maps are all big enough for it to not be an issue to me having booked over a hundred hours of play.

I think it can be a problem in some very rare instances - seem to remember a map in shadow warrior where you could just camp the nuke spawn or maybe that was what was intended to keep the action moving?

Its been a legitimate practice since the old doom days - it was very common then, but good players worked it to their advantage and could basically farm kills when they worked out what was going on with good reflexes.

Most of the BF3 games I've been in people tend to work out pretty quick when it happens and roll the perpetrator anyway with a squad.

In most games nowadays there are more bad to average players (either new to gaming or arrogant jerks) than there used to be.

Maybe this is due to the accessibility of internet/gaming setup's nowadays or the reduction in skill required to play certain online mmos's and other games over the last few years must have contributed to this as well

I guess people whine because they are either not experienced enough to adapt to another players play style OR are just expecting easy mode OR think people care that they are loosing

I would have thought that if you were falling victim to camping hard in BF3 - go medic, squad up and drink a concrete milkshake princess - war is hard

My 2 cents anyways....

Or maybe its because its just school holidays....

[Long John]

I find its not like you can really get away with camping for long in BF3 so long as there is kill cam. Generally makes it hard to remain stationary at one point for any long period of time before someone works out a way to get you.

[llllTrooperllll]

Most of the BF3 games I've been in people tend to work out pretty quick when it happens and roll the perpetrator anyway with a squad.

In most games nowadays there are more bad to average players (either new to gaming or arrogant jerks) than there used to be.

I guess people whine because they are either not experienced enough to adapt to another players play style OR are just expecting easy mode OR think people care that they are loosing

I would have thought that if you were falling victim to camping hard in BF3 - go medic, squad up and drink a concrete milkshake princess - war is hard

Or maybe its because its just school holidays....

I like all these quotes.

im not against camping, it serves a purpose in the right instances.
im not saying i am a victim of being ridiculed either, it's just something that floods the chat, FKN CAMPER NOOB etc.
i should probably just hide the chat window, but im somehow strangely drawn to it, like a moth to a light!

Kill cam is a good point, but its not in Hardcore mode, so its fun to 'search & destroy'

[Otto-matic]

People will come up with any excuse for why they died. It can't possibly be because you outplayed them, therefore you are a hacker / camper / lucky / insert excuse here.

[llllTrooperllll]

^^ Yeah, i think pride is one of the biggest factors influencing what is seen in the chat window.
Good point.

[cadavre]

"i should probably just hide the chat window, but im somehow strangely drawn to it, like a moth to a light!"

Trooper that is so true

[Long John]

Preference/Prejudiced to a classes also makes players call it. Snipers camp, that's their role.

[llllTrooperllll]

Preference/Prejudiced to a classes also makes players call it. Snipers camp, that's their role.

BAM! i was waiting for that. That's precisely what their role is. To sit from a far and spot, pick of enemy targets and provide Recon!

So why does everyone always complain about sniping pu$$ies and how they ruin the game blah wah wah?

[llllTrooperllll]

LOL, this pic isn't meant to prove a point, i just found it, its funny.

[cadavre]

"A sniper is a highly trained marksman who operates in one- to two-man teams which maintain close visual contact with the enemy and engages targets from concealed positions or physical distances exceeding the detection capabilities of the enemy personnel, without being detected."

Sounds like camping to me

From wikipedia (I know, i know bad source)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sniper

[Matt 'El_Funko' Long]

It depends entirely on what the person is doing.

If someone is sitting on a hill just outside of spawn, but he's spotting enemies on the flags and has a soflam marking vehicles for Engineers to javelin, then he's being incredibly useful to the team. He might have set up camp in one spot, but he's helping his team win the game by providing information.

On the other hand, if someone is sitting on the same hill, but all they're doing is playing sniper wars with the enemy snipers on the opposite side of the map, then they aren't really helping their team at all.

Either way, there's no point yelling at them in chat.

Personally, I enjoy playing as an offensive recon - grab a semi-auto recon rifle like the M39 or M417 with a RDS and a foregrip, then take the battle to the enemy.

[-Slayer-]

It depends entirely on what the person is doing.

If someone is sitting on a hill just outside of spawn, but he's spotting enemies on the flags and has a soflam marking vehicles for Engineers to javelin, then he's being incredibly useful to the team. He might have set up camp in one spot, but he's helping his team win the game by providing information.

On the other hand, if someone is sitting on the same hill, but all they're doing is playing sniper wars with the enemy snipers on the opposite side of the map, then they aren't really helping their team at all.

Either way, there's no point yelling at them in chat.

Correct, If someone is being helpful then it's alright, if your just sitting there trying to get the kills for yourself then your useless, spot, communicate to your team it all helps, after all BF is a team game.

Example of someone that seems to be doing nothing:
I played a round awhile back during the first double XP weekend where all I did on Wake Island was sit under the carrier and hovered a MAV with zoom optics over the island high up for the entire round spotting anything that moved, almost as soon as it became visible on the mini map it died.

Now where this fails is when you get too many players doing it, same with any kit.

[llllTrooperllll]

These are all very good and valid points.

is there anyone out there that does have a violent dislike towards people who play the Recon class, wether or not that person is being useful to their team or not?

[SaNE]

Personally, I enjoy playing as an offensive recon - grab a semi-auto recon rifle like the M39 or M417 with a RDS and a foregrip, then take the battle to the enemy.

Don't forget about the TUGS which marks everyone for a quick headshot spree (or for some knife slaughtering).