Do we really need aimpunch?

(moonlitAbility) #341

Is aimpunch really random, or does it punch based on the direction you are getting fired at from? If the latter it seems like it would increase the skill ceiling not lower it

(Jurmabones) #342

I don’t think it’s so much about the skill it takes to compensate for aimpunch as it is the fact that it gives artificial advantages to whoever lands the first hit, which is a large advantage on its own to begin with.

(Ghosthree3) #343

The randomness is the fact that you can’t know if you’re going to get punched or not so you have to act like you will all the time meaning aiming for the head becomes a useless skill. Well, less useful than it should be anyway.

(Jurmabones) #344

I feel like aimpunch just makes your cursor/screen stutter upwards, regardless of where you’re being shot from. I could be wrong though.

(Ghosthree3) #345

I believe this is correct, which is strange really.

(DeezNutz) #346

No why did nearly everyone vote yes…

R.I.P. aimpuch 2015-2015

It will be remembered by dirty bomb devs , players and of course family and friends cry

(Gi.Am) #347

@DeezNutz more like 2012 - to be decided :wink: .

Yes aimpunch seems to go only vertical (the DEV post, stating so is on page 11). Which would mean that aimpunch gets countered by aiming lower, still have to be under the head tho and not general speaking on the body (i.e. the target area is just as small) to turn the aimpunched shots into headies again.

@Jurmabones My statement about teambalance in that post had pretty much nothing to do with aimpunch, but how the different sides should (in my opinion!) be balanced against each other as a whole, its a asymetric game. There is room to have sides play differently and emphasize different skillsets per site (shooting skills on defense, teamskills on offence).

General speaking you can achieve my suggested (teamplay vs. blunt force) balancing by mapdesign.
Give attackers several routes to attack from. Every single one of them can be held easily by the defenders (given equal numbers or even slightly less). But the routes can’t be covered from one single spot. Forcing the defenders to split up. A mindless attacker team lemming rushing all ways equally would be held of forever. However if the attackers communitcate they can overload a route (they pool all their numbers into one), and wipe out one weaker defense position after the other. Additional because the attacker teams stay close together (not so close that a Fragger nade wipes them) they benefit more from support abilities (Merc synergy). While the defenders don’t have a medic/FS on every spot.

How could a route be designed specifically?
Lets imagine a small corridorbuilding, the attackers have to go through. Across the buildings exit is a perfect sniper spot. Nice half cover only exposing the head, perfect aim into the corridor. A single sniper can hold that corridor by himself (positional superiority) against a complete team if they run in one by one, heck even if they run altogether depending of the length of that corridor they might not make it to the end.
Now imagine that perfect sniperspot is in open space and an Arty/Kira can target it (Merc ability favouring attackers). Even if the sniper is good and can escape the AOE he is out of position for a few seconds. If Arty/Kira told their team that AOE was incoming they can use that window (team communication).

As I said earlier Omaha beach scenarios are prime examples of this way of design (maybe a bit too black and white tho), defenders get a few very strong positions, attackers have to run across open field, if they lemming through defenders win (picking them of 1 by 1). If Attackers do a concerted push (a few start running, snipers use that to get a window on the defense ) enough people get through and reach the flanking routes.

This design certainly means that on pubs where communication is low, defenders will win more often. But could very well mean that in a comp setting. the game is decided by which team did the better team effort on attack.

PS. if you look you can find examples of this type of design on quite a few DB maps, and quite often the major chokepoints are, where the principles get turned on their head.