Battlefield 2 redefines Teamkill(er)(ing)

[Sub_Saint]

First, let me inform the reader where I stand on BF2. I love BF2. Easily GOTY!
<you heard it here first>

Second, I'm not whining, crying, snivelling...just trying to spark some thoughtful discussion...

But honestly...BF2 has redefined the term teamkill(er)(ing).

I consider myself an "old school" gamer...and I can remember when I first heard the term back in the Quake days. There seemed to be more reservation to labelling some one a TK'r. They were the outcast. The lowlife scum who found pleasure in intentionally killing off their fellow players. They were not well liked, banned from servers, caused players to chat in all CAPS spewing threats and curses. They ranked up their with the hackers and cheaters. This behavior was generally not tolerated and the community seemed to rally against them. Many games even imposed their own options to counter this. I can remember some HL Team Fortress servers that had it where if you TK'd someone, you died as well. If you injured them, you suffered an equal amount of damage.

Now, along comes BF2. As mentioned, IMO - an awesome game...but the teamkill aspect of it is seriously flawed.

Teamkills/Teamkilling/Teamkillers/Teamkiller Exploiters <as I like to call them> are changing the way many (or perhaps just me) think of teamkilling. It's so common in this game...that often the person that has been TK'd is the one at fault (and often is) and the TK'r is the one who is unfairly treated and punished.

I go out of my way trying to prevent TK's, but I sure have enough of them on my stats page (and I've checked others...I'm not the Lone Ranger for sure). No matter what I do, or how I play. It happens. I'm not particulary fond of it. I guess in this kindler gentler gaming era, we need to learn to live with it.

I can live with it of course. While TK's do take away from your overall score, might get you kicked or banned...there's really no adverse effect.

The adverse effect is that BF2 is making teamkilling a common everyday event. It's expected and accepted.

Thoughts?

[AssaultSqdLdr]

Re: Battlefield 2 redefines Teamkill(er)(ing)

Teamkilling sucks. Always has, always will. Whether you meant it or not. End of story.

[NiteCyper]

Re: Battlefield 2 redefines Teamkill(er)(ing)

Teamkilling sucks. Always has, always will. Whether you meant it or not. End of story.

Second. With gusto.

[Capt.Hook]

Re: Battlefield 2 redefines Teamkill(er)(ing)

An interesting thought Sub_Saint, and one where I can indeed see where you are coming from but I will be the devils advocate here are and be the yang to your yin.

As said I do indeed see your point and in most games such as e.g. Day of Defeat (half-life mod) or Quake, the small inclosed nature of the games and style dictate no room for team killers. With exemption of the odd grenade or stray round which one can usually redeem ones self with an apology. Team killing is a cardinal sin and one which gets you a good solid boot up the client if not a thrashing of heckling. Even when accidents happen and they do, its a hurtful blow to be booted by over zealous admins.

BUT, BF2 I feel is a little different. The game has a much more... how to put it... open feel about it. While the maps do have boundaries even on the small maps there is no feeling of claustrophobia, it has a real battle feel despite some people and players saying and treating it like some arcade classic. As we know from watching the news friendly fire is painful and all too common occurrence.

Yes allot of teamkills are self inflicted I for one am no exception to this, and we all swear and curse the monitor at the incompetence of the commander raining down arty of our now airborne corpse but I do feel it adds to the overall game. An team kill and most of them are accidental in whatever way shape or form is usually punished...but that said... its right back on to playing the game.

Nothing is spoilt, game play is still great, you took a dent to your hard-earned score but never mind lets get back on playing. As long as you take it with a pinch of salt TK is not really much of a problem. Those who abuse the system are in turn abused back genuine consistent TK'ing will result in rallying the mob for a good bashing then a ban.

All in all, I personally think the system is fair, makes for good game play and excitement, the pitch battles are intense in the game could you imagine if you got kicked for a TK or had a 10 minuite ban, it would make the game ****e pure and simple.