Why are skulks on walls harder to shoot?
Imbalanxd
Join Date: 2011-06-15 Member: 104581Members
Join Date: 2011-06-15 Member: 104581Members
<div class="IPBDescription">conceptually, no meta game here</div>Why is it that, compared to a skulk that runs along the floor, skulks on walls or ceiling are just so much harder to shoot? Its like a hidden mind hack. You can be a dead shot aimer who never misses while the skulk runs zig zags on the floor towards you, but the second he hits a perpendicular surface, you go cross eyed and start shooting the wall.
What is the mechanism behind this? I know there may be an aspect of "the high ground" here, but at a reasonable distance, the angle of elevation isn't more than a few degrees, yet it is still vastly more difficult to hit accurately. Some actual accredited psychiatrical or physiological knowledge would be greatly appreciated here, not just "I pleid pro CS and can headshot any1 and I tellz you its laik dis".
What is the mechanism behind this? I know there may be an aspect of "the high ground" here, but at a reasonable distance, the angle of elevation isn't more than a few degrees, yet it is still vastly more difficult to hit accurately. Some actual accredited psychiatrical or physiological knowledge would be greatly appreciated here, not just "I pleid pro CS and can headshot any1 and I tellz you its laik dis".
Comments
This. Its harder to move up and down since you have to move your entire arm rather than just the wrist.
In most FPS you targets are all at the same level, so you just move to head-level and move left to right as needed. NS requires moving up and down aswell.
?
I'm used to placing my crosshair on targets and clicking mouse 1. The question asked is: why is said process more difficult when said target is on a wall.
If you don't know that shooting a target on a wall or ceiling is strictly harder than shooting one on the ground, then you haven't played this game enough.
From playing games like cs, I also tend to use strafe to aim. Once you have the crosshairs on level with someone's head, you can strafe in and out of walls and get the perfect shot. This sort of makes it easier because you are almost aiming in 2D.
Ns2 is a lot harder because you have x, y and z if you get me.
From playing games like cs, I also tend to use strafe to aim. Once you have the crosshairs on level with someone's head, you can strafe in and out of walls and get the perfect shot. This sort of makes it easier because you are almost aiming in 2D.
Ns2 is a lot harder because you have x, y and z if you get me.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I actually think this is the primary issue. Unlike most other games, almost all shooting in NS is done while moving. As such, players learn to compensate their movement by focusing on adjustments in the X plane. When something runs along a wall, it is necessary to combine compensation in the X with adjustments in the Y.
But does this mean that running up a wall is more beneficial than running along it, and does running a long the ceiling give any benefit at all, as it is comparable to running along the floor, in terms of y axis displacement?
Also, I wonder, from a marines perspective, if its a good idea to stop moving the second your target begins moving in the y axis.
I'm used to placing my crosshair on targets and clicking mouse 1. The question asked is: why is said process more difficult when said target is on a wall.
If you don't know that shooting a target on a wall or ceiling is strictly harder than shooting one on the ground, then you haven't played this game enough.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Played this game enough? I've been playing since ns1, I don't find it at all harder when a skulk is on the wall.
But does this mean that running up a wall is more beneficial than running along it, and does running a long the ceiling give any benefit at all, as it is comparable to running along the floor, in terms of y axis displacement?
Also, I wonder, from a marines perspective, if its a good idea to stop moving the second your target begins moving in the y axis.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Something running along the ground is coming straight at you and has little Y displacement (on your screen it stays mostly still as far as going up and down is concerned), something running along the ceiling has considerable Y displacement along your screen (because you are much closer to the ground than the ceiling). That and the fact that you have a much wider range of movement side to side with your wrist than up/down but the horizontal and vertical sensitivity is identical. As for standing still I find moving only really helps you aim when the enemy is close to you.
I think it is a question of jommetry, draw some profile pictures of marines on the ground and skulks on the ceiling and what I mean will hopefully become clear. Draw profile of hallway, put one dot on the ground (the marine) at one end and a series of dots (skulks) leading away from it on the ceiling and the ground. Now connect the first dot with each of the others with a straight line, not that the lines on the ground change in only one dimension (horizontal), while the lines on the ceiling change in two. To hit a skulk on the ground you just have to aim straight (if youre crouched) to hit the buggers on the ceiling you have to keep aiming up as they run along towards you.
<!--quoteo(post=1969527:date=Aug 31 2012, 09:47 PM:name=lssj_dragon)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lssj_dragon @ Aug 31 2012, 09:47 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1969527"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Played this game enough? I've been playing since ns1, I don't find it at all harder when a skulk is on the wall.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It appears you are an exception(lucky you), dont generalize.
<!--quoteo(post=1969482:date=Aug 31 2012, 07:28 PM:name=Wheeee)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Wheeee @ Aug 31 2012, 07:28 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1969482"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->i'm pretty sure the human brain and eye is more used to tracking things moving horizontally in general. think about it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Your field of view (without moving your head) is certainly bigger across the horizontal plane than the vertical. But in my (admittedly limited) experience as a psychology student I have heard nothing of the sort, still it would not surprise me most of our problems run around on the ground.
Another reason to add this is that there is a minimum time frame it takes to switch directions. (strafing left to strafing right, etc.) Even though there's no momentum issues when shifting direction, your hitbox is relatively still for a long time.
Forward and backward can't be used for dodging, and the up/down movement is set to a pre-defined and predictable arc. A marine aiming at a skulks shoulders only has to adjust his aim high enough to hit the skulk's toes at the top of its leap, then can easily shift down again with minimal adjustment.
None of that works if a skulk hits the wall and has a 90 degree change in direction.
The other issue is that many marines will "lead" their targets a bit - they aim just ahead of the target and let the target run into their line of fire. It usually works really well if you don't have a good twitch. It also really only works when the target is moving on one axis.
<!--quoteo(post=1969479:date=Sep 1 2012, 02:23 AM:name=JuCCi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JuCCi @ Sep 1 2012, 02:23 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1969479"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Feel your wrist when you aim up and down, then do left to right.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Disclaimer: Some people use claw-grip on their mouse, supposedly it's easier to aim up and down with that since you're only moving your fingers. Don't go changing the way you grip the mouse though, that's a sure recipe for disaster.
Tip: Want to practice shooting on the y-axis? Play quake on quakelive.com. Lots of up and down action.
finally a post of yours I can support!