Poll: do headshots in FPSs matter?

[Drummie666]

I'm normally a sniper in TF2 and I always aim for headshots. I'm somewhat competitive, so I'm a bit disappointed if I get a bodyshot, but hey, if they're dead, they're dead and I'm happy.

I also aim for headshots because I'm a pretty good sniper and can get headshots with occasionally frightening frequency and the things I'm pointing at die faster as apposed to just getting body shots.

 

[el_kabong]

In the OP example, while I don't really care as long as I get the kill, head shots are much more satisfying. There's a definite feeling of accomplishment in downing someone with a well-placed headshot.

For most games (that count headshots with increased damage or insta-kills), it directly reinforces the veteran player. The more time you put into something, the better you expect to get. Going from a pray and spray noob to an elite headshot specialist is part of the FPS journey. Sometimes, this is reinforced by additional XP, special achievements, or just cool graphic/sound associated with it to increase the satisfaction. Either way, I hate FPS's without them.

 

[AnotherAvatar]

It matters in that you'll often get more points, it's satisfying, and it's a show of skill.

Were I to get into a real gun fight: Fuck no I wouldn't care about head shots, I'd be happy and lucky if I managed to hit body shots and survive. However when I'm playing battlefield or any other game where it properly maps that shit I'll always aim for the head, as it's a much quicker way to take things down.

Also, if you were to ask this question to say a board of Red Dead Redemption players, they would all find it absurd.

Now does this mean people who go for body shots should feel bad? God no. That's just stupid.

 

[gnihton]

Well I did say that I was very pragmatic when it comes to "offing" the opponents.

It's not all that pragmatic if you can do better.

It's always better to actually land shots than miss an attempted headshot.

See? Pragmatism.

It's also better to instantly pick off targets, rather than waiting several seconds or shooting several times (which would allow them to escape).

Also, you're assuming nobody can hit headshots consistently. I take it that's from personal experience.

 

[MrFalconfly]

Well I did say that I was very pragmatic when it comes to "offing" the opponents.

It's not all that pragmatic if you can do better.

It's always better to actually land shots than miss an attempted headshot.

See? Pragmatism.

It's also better to instantly pick off targets, rather than waiting several seconds or shooting several times (which would allow them to escape).

Also, you're assuming nobody can hit headshots consistently. I take it that's from personal experience.

I didn't say anything about anyone.

I just said that I didn't give a shit about headshots (unless I'm sure I can land one in which case I will).

 

[Altorin]

I was playing TF2 this Afternoon and I was killed by the sniper, the kid who killed me in one shot then apologised; I asked why he apologised and he said he bodyshoted me. Pursuing this further I said it was a legitimate tactic because it killed me. He said he wanted a headshot.

After the match had finished I remembered some Valve forum threads, and remembered that some people think that headshots are the only way to snipe. My personal opinion is that as long as you kill the guy, who cares.

What do you think Escapists, are headshots better then bodyshots?

while I think it's silly to apologize or such a thing, headshots are better in the sense that they do more damage. In TF2 and other major games, you get an indicator when you pull off a headshot, and when points are awarded, they're usually awarded bonuses for headshots.

Mechanically, headshots offer a higher risk/reward situation. Heads are harder to hit, hence if you manage to hit them, you get rewarded, either with an easier kill, or points, or whatever. Other then that, i don't know what to say. In real life, headshots are certainly not a priority, barring something like body armor or zombie apocalypse, and police train to aim or center of mass, to ensure a hit, rather then aiming for the head, for the glory of headshot greatness. Plus after you shoot someone in real life you have to bury them, and corpses are more presentable if their brain hasn't been extracted through a tiny hole in the side of their skull at the speed of sound.

 

[AnotherAvatar]

Well I did say that I was very pragmatic when it comes to "offing" the opponents.

It's not all that pragmatic if you can do better.

It's always better to actually land shots than miss an attempted headshot.

See? Pragmatism.

It's also better to instantly pick off targets, rather than waiting several seconds or shooting several times (which would allow them to escape).

Also, you're assuming nobody can hit headshots consistently. I take it that's from personal experience.

I didn't say anything about anyone.

I just said that I didn't give a shit about headshots (unless I'm sure I can land one in which case I will).

Another worthy note about the multiple body hits it takes to take down someone, and this is mostly key for snipers: It gives away your location, where as one carefully aimed headshot gives away only the fact that you are a BAMF.

 

[Zipa]

As long as they die I don't care though it always amuses me in games like bf3 where people spam shoot you with a semi automatic sniper rifle all the time because apparently using a bolt action and a single shot is too much effort.

 

[hoboman29]

I went with as long as they're dead who cares because in an fps that really is the main goal. About sniping on TF2 I have to say headshots are a sign of skill more than anything else because most classes die to a bodyshot in 1 shot or are nearly dead after it. Funny story I've been called a bodyshot noob for using the sydney sleeper a gun that can't headshot totally off topic but funny if you ask me.

 

[Xanadu84]

Depends entirely on the game. Some games, headshots are a major aspect of play, and the mechanics reflect that. TF2, Borderlands...Head Shots are extremely important. In other games, particularly more realistic games (Please lets not get sidetracked on the word realistic...), headshots are not as relevant, and the mechanics reflect that. Any strategy is legitimate, since the nature of play is trying to find the best, most winning strategy. If it works, it works. Sometimes, a game's mechanics are broken, and a headshot is either too powerful, or not powerful enough. That can lead to frusteration, like many would argue in regards to Counterstrikes AWP. But I would say that in TF2 especially, the snipers headshotting ability is taken into consideration within the game. If he wins with a body shot, thats still a kill. The game encourages headshot with bonus damage, but because TF2 is so well balanced, there's no reason to feel bad about a body shot. Your punishment is not shame, your punishment is greatly reduced damage to reflect you less skillful shot. Because when he hit you, his lack of skill was reflected as less of a chance of killing you. And he got a little lucky, which is an integral part of the game. If he killed you with a body shot after knowing that a body shot would be enough, then he made a rational decision to not spend more time trying to get a headshot, and was rewarded accordingly.

 

[gnihton]

I went with as long as they're dead who cares because in an fps that really is the main goal. About sniping on TF2 I have to say headshots are a sign of skill more than anything else because most classes die to a bodyshot in 1 shot or are nearly dead after it. Funny story I've been called a bodyshot noob for using the sydney sleeper a gun that can't headshot totally off topic but funny if you ask me.

The general consensus on TF2 is if you use the Sydney Sleeper, it's because you can't headshot, and I'm inclined to agree.

 

[Calibanbutcher]

I went with as long as they're dead who cares because in an fps that really is the main goal. About sniping on TF2 I have to say headshots are a sign of skill more than anything else because most classes die to a bodyshot in 1 shot or are nearly dead after it. Funny story I've been called a bodyshot noob for using the sydney sleeper a gun that can't headshot totally off topic but funny if you ask me.

The general consensus on TF2 is if you use the Sydney Sleeper, it's because you can't headshot, and I'm inclined to agree.

It appears to me that the Sydney Sleeper is a support gun, which afflicts the target with a jarate effect, which can be very useful for your teammates and make you a great pillar of support to your team.

 

[gnihton]

It appears to me that the Sydney Sleeper is a support gun, which afflicts the target with a jarate effect, which can be very useful for your teammates and make you a great pillar of support to your team.

Then you clearly are just desperately trying to justify it, because with any of the other rifles you could kill any enemy in one in less than the time it takes just to apply the jarate effect, never mind the fact that that doesn't even necessarily cause them to die afterwards.

Look, let me break it down for you:
Sniper rifle = instantly kill anything if you can headshot, even fully overhealed heavies.
Sydney sleeper = Bodyshot for reduced damage, and apply an effect that may not even be at all useful, and that the enemy can recover from.

Protip: Actually killing an enemy is significantly more useful to your team than just damaging them, killing them quicker (headshot) is even more useful as it removes them from the fight quicker reducing the enemy damage output and survivability as it allows your team to more easily focus enemies, and requires more skill. If you're using a Sydney Sleeper, you're not 'supporting your team' as well as you could be with the other rifles.

Christ, the wannabe smartarses on this forum. Try harder next time.

 

[Daveman]

In TF2 people shouldn't care. If you have such ineffectual support that nobody is taking out these snipers who are zoomed in for that long to 1 hit kill you then somebody needs to get on that or you need to stop walking into big red dots.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Headshots a) take more skill (unless you're shooting something with a larger head than body) and b) do more damage. If headshots mean you have to spend less time getting shot at, that's good. If it takes three bullets either way (body shots just managing to kill and headshots having dealt more damage but still taking three) it doesn't make any difference. They're both 'legitimate'.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

If the headshot causes more damage, then yes, headshots do matter.
If the same amount of damage is caused regardless of where the bullet hits, however, then no, headshots don't really matter.

 

[Jfswift]

Yup. I can't think of any game where they don't matter. Headshots do higher damage and usually lay out a target in one hit. Now if it takes two bullets to drop them (weaker gun or w/e) then body shot is more practical.

 

[Nickolai77]

Yeah it seems like a reasonable idea. The head is one of the harder body parts to hit so a instant kill headshot makes sense to me. That said, it's questionable as to how far the idea should be ported to sniper rifles. On Battlefield 2, it's very frustrating to hit someone with a body shot from a bolt action sniper and watching them run to cover before you can get fire off another shot. With sniper rifles, you should probably make upper body shots insta-kill, and for regular weapons just make head shots instant-kill.

 

[Calibanbutcher]

It appears to me that the Sydney Sleeper is a support gun, which afflicts the target with a jarate effect, which can be very useful for your teammates and make you a great pillar of support to your team.

Then you clearly are just desperately trying to justify it, because with any of the other rifles you could kill any enemy in one in less than the time it takes just to apply the jarate effect, never mind the fact that that doesn't even necessarily cause them to die afterwards.

Look, let me break it down for you:
Sniper rifle = instantly kill anything if you can headshot, even fully overhealed heavies.
Sydney sleeper = Bodyshot for reduced damage, and apply an effect that may not even be at all useful, and that the enemy can recover from.

Protip: Actually killing an enemy is significantly more useful to your team than just damaging them, killing them quicker (headshot) is even more useful as it removes them from the fight quicker reducing the enemy damage output and survivability as it allows your team to more easily focus enemies, and requires more skill. If you're using a Sydney Sleeper, you're not 'supporting your team' as well as you could be with the other rifles.

Christ, the wannabe smartarses on this forum. Try harder next time.

Let me modify my initial statement:
It is a great asset for someone new to sniping, who has yet to learn the ropes since it allows him to practice whilst also supporting the team, which would otherwise suffer from a team-member being an unskilled sniper, which this way gets to practice his/her aiming skills, whilst being able to support his team with bodyshots should things get too heated up for him/her to adequately take aim on the opponents heads, ensuring that the shots he/she lands still help his team along.
Better?

 

[gnihton]

Let me modify my initial statement:
It is a great asset for someone new to sniping, who has yet to learn the ropes since it allows him to practice whilst also supporting the team, which would otherwise suffer from a team-member being an unskilled sniper, which this way gets to practice his/her aiming skills, whilst being able to support his team with bodyshots should things get too heated up for him/her to adequately take aim on the opponents heads, ensuring that the shots he/she lands still help his team along.
Better?

In summary: It compensates for lack of skill, which is half the point of this thread.

Giving yourself a benefit isn't going to improve your aim, so while it may be more useful to people that are effectively useless anyway (and even then hardly at all), it prevents them from being actually useful in future.

Besides, this is about headshots and whether or not they're good, why are people bringing a non-headshot item into the topic, and worse, defending it.