Today I would like to talk about respawn camping. Ok, shush, stop the groaning, I’ll try to make this interesting. Hey! Stop throwing those tomatoes. I mean it buddy, it’s not like I’m forcing you to read this. Ok, thanks…=)
Just to lay some foundation for this article, I would like to pose the following to you. Respawn camping is lying in wait to kill newly spawned players. I think this definition is broad enough to validly include people that actually stay in the enemy respawns and those that lay a trap outside the respawns and await emerging players. Respawn campers live for the sole purpose of fragging the enemy at their most vulnerable time.
I’m not going to turn this into some whining bit on how respawn campers ruin my games. Frankly, they don’t affect me at all. Not to say I am highly skilled, any player with his wits about him will be able to unseat and destroy the camper with no problems.
One could ask why the issue of respawn camping is constantly rehashed. Well, for one, I like making you all suffer through recycled arguments. Recycling is good for the environment after all. Why just today I cut down a tree so I could recycle it. Yes, yes, no need to thank me, I’m just looking out for our planet. I care too ya know. Anyway, the reason I want to address this topic is because we are here to talk about Honor, Sportsmanship, and Fairplay. Personally I think that respawn camping goes against all three of those tenets and I’m going to do my best to convince you all too. (Well you all if we happen to have some random reader stopped by, otherwise it’s just you reading this Bundy)
My thought is that any halfway skilled player can effectively defeat a respawn camper. I do not wish to get into tactics in this discussion but trust me, you can do it. If it is possible for almost any player that’s figured out how to change his name from ‘Player’ to defeat a camper then the point of camping must be for the sole purpose of killing lesser skilled players.
Now, I may have a very twisted view on things, feel free to correct me on this but this doesn’t seem very sporting at all to me. It is no more indicative of sportsmanship than fighting a man with both hands tied behind his back. One might as well go out driving and aim for the pedestrians, they’re easier targets after all.
Of course, I may have this all wrong, maybe respawn campers only camp because they are bored. Yes, that must be it, why else would they do it. Oh, wait, if they are doing it because they are bored then the game must be so lopsided that they can afford to stick around the enemy base doing nothing helpful for their team. But hold on a second, if their opponent is so weak that they can do this then they are still not practicing Fairplay. Heck, I bet that if they switched teams they would have the fight of their life.
Regardless of the motivation for camping, I can not see the Honor in it. Yes, you may very well be at the top of the frag chart, but it’s no different than cheating at poker, the win is hollow. I will say that there is one instance where I see it as valid to hang around the enemy respawn for even a fraction of a second. That is when you are escorting a flag runner into or out of the enemy base. But then, you aren’t really camping, you’re utilizing teamwork and providing rear guard cover for your runner.
Anyway, I see I’m rambling now…=) Bundy, I need more of that Geritol and cough syrup! I went through two cases today and I’m afraid I will keep rambling unless I get more! Well folks, this really is the end of the article, feedback, comments, daughters between the ages of 17 and 23, are all welcome.
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