Sniper: The T.O. Syndrome

Maybe comparing snipers to Terrell Owens is a bit farfetched, but calling them selfish is not. I knew that when Battlefield 2 introduced stat tracking, you would see gamesmanship go out the window like litter on the freeway. I knew that you would have point farmers (which I have seen) and people looking out for number one. People looking out for number one is not entirely new, but now that you get awards for it makes everything just a whole lot worse. This article however is about the sniper. Allow me to explain.

The sniper is not just the person who picks the sniper class and hides about. The sniper is a "look-out-for-me-only" type of cat. You know, the one that will join your squad and then just perch the whole game. The sniper has been around since online FPS has been out, and you just learn to deal with him on the field of play. Even I have come to just accept the fact that people love racking up kills (one-shot kills, mind you) and perching somewhere. They do not feel the need to help capture flags or put a rush on the opposition. They care about one thing: kills. I do understand the mentality-when I am out there playing, I am there to help my team and get as many points doing it as possible, but the lack of team work exhibited by said sniper is what puts me off a bit.

Let's get a bit deeper, shall we? Most of the following is a personal issue, but the sniper has just escalated things from annoying to a point where it now just plain upsets me. This happens when sniper is mixed with a younger person. Usually, the sniper is a younger person as it is; but what's worse is when they are in the same room as you. Allow me to get more specific. I game at a cyber café (Xtreme Gaming Cyber Café), and I absolutely love it there. However, from time to time you run into what I call Counter Striker (in my opinion, the downfall of online etiquette), and Counter Striker loves to be a sniper (I love grouping people). By now you're reading this as an "amen, brother" or "man, this guy bitches a lot." I am an understanding individual-I really I am. I also know that I am not the best in the LAN center, or even the best online, and that is fine with me. However, it is like nails on a chalkboard to listen to some kid go on and on about how great he is. I can plainly see that they have mastered the one-shot-one-kill technique, and I give them credit for it. What's worse is you can't backhand anyone anymore. I guess in the days of my grandfather you could, but now society frowns upon me, and older person (25), beating down a younger kid who deserves to be taken down a peg. I should probably just get over it, but seeing as how I have an avenue to gripe about, I decided to use it. Call it therapy, call it griping.

Either way, snipers may help the team in holding a position and picking off people. They can demoralize the opposition (as people tend to get pissed, like me), but I would rather play the game in a straight-up fight, knowing who is shooting me instead of a cowardly approach and perching somewhere and picking people off. You may have the most kills in the end, and even props from me as you have mastered doing so. What you don't have, however, is my respect. I know that's a word that you kids don't understand. Damn, I am old.

Aug 24, 2005 - 8:35 am | 5 comments
Mike Carabajal