Mood: Mildly Aggravated.
Music: Turn To You, Go-Gos.
Game: World of Warcraft, Planetside, Dungeon Siege II.
Book: The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand.
Muffin: None.
I wrote this a couple of years ago for a website that isn't quite dead now...but it might as well be. It's a shadow of its former self...and that's too bad.
The Rant is still valid, and I thought some of you might be interested in reading it.
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A while ago, I wrote a Rant about how to be better in fighting games. Since it was wildly successful, and millions of people worldwide have read it and sent me such lovely thank-yous in the form of e-mails, cash, and negotiable bearer bonds, I've decided to write one on how to be a better sniper.
In many team-based first-person shooters (FPSs), the sniper is the quiet player who hangs around back and puts bullets in people from across the map. If he or she's any good, they're able to soften up the opposing team to the point that the rest of their team can finish them off.
Being a sniper usually means low scores, relatively speaking. They aren't deathmatchers, who race into the enemy position and clean house...nor are they guys with grenades or heavy weapons who wipe out a whole area with a bunch of well-timed explosives. But properly deployed and trained, a good sniper makes it far easier for the rest of his or her team to do their jobs.
At the end of the day, for most games, the sniper is the player with the most powerful weapon shot for shot, the best aiming capacity, and the weapon with the furthest range. It requires serious thinking and psychology and patience, followed by accuracy and speed. In my mind, it's one of the most rewarding positions in a tactical shooter.
I recognize that there are many different games, and even many different versions of the same game...so not everything is going to apply universally with the same weight of importance. But being a sniper is being a sniper...and the rules of being a good one are pretty standard.
1) If you're in a tight map (which implies CQB), put down the rifle and get yourself a real weapon. R6:3 aside, a sniper rifle is of limited value when you're standing in front of a guy with an M16A2. Unless you have veins that run with ice water, it's almost impossible to hipsnipe someone that's firing at you on full automatic. Yes, there'll be plenty of times when that happens, and if you manage to walk away from such an encounter, you have plenty to laugh about, but if you know the map is all indoors with cubicles and walls everywhere, use something that's more suitable for the situation at hand.
2) MOVE. Nothing says "Dead Sniper" like a guy who insists on taking 10 shots from the same window. Fire ONE bullet, then move somewhere else. Two, if you have to. Then get moving. There are exceptions to this, of course...and we'll discuss those later. By and large, if your opposition is any good, stick and move.
3) With very few exceptions (like the game doesn't allow being prone...), snipers are most accurate when they're prone. There's a tradeoff, of course. If someone walks into your nest, it's going to take you a moment to get up and fire...if you even notice that they're there. I tend to fire from a crouching position, unless I have cover from a teammate watching my back.
4) If the game allows it, lean. I tend to crouch, lean, slide into position, then lean back. That way, I can peek around a corner, pop off the shot I want, then duck back before I get tagged.
5) Look for the right places from which to snipe. Long hallways, elevated positions, open windows with lots of other windows around you, under trucks...you get the idea. A sniper is most effective when they've got a lot of distance between them and their (potential) targets. Remember, sniping from a position that makes it hard to move from in a hurry pretty much guarantees you getting killed. This may be a tradeoff you're willing to make. A sniper in the open is a dead sniper, however.
6) Once you're in position, sit still. I'm not talking about after you fire. I'm talking about beforehand. The human eye moves immediately to motion. If you're looking to surprise someone, get in position and freeze. If you're behind something, don't keep peeking out. If you're in a shadow, stop fidgeting. It's hard to do...but learn it. I kill more snipers just because they keep popping in and out of windows. My eye snaps to it, I wait, and someone's missing a head.
7) You're not going to get another shot. Just assume it's true. While everyone wants a headshot, torsos, arms, legs, necks...all good. Your job should be to wound or slow down an opponent. Let your teammates finish the job. If you hit them, get out of there and find someone else to wound. Obviously, this doesn't apply if you're the last person standing, or if they're the last person standing....
8) Most people forget the most obvious part of being a sniper. You have a scope that sees things further and more clearly than most people do. This is invaluable for scouting the enemy, and notifying your teammates where the enemy is, and what they're doing. "3 guys, left side, grassy alleyway." Then open fire.
9) There's a time for ninja-sniper stuff, and then there's time to be an assault sniper. Assault snipers get closer than you'd think, unload two or three quick rounds, then rush off someplace else. In most games, the sniper rifle does more damage per bullet than any other weapon in the game. In R6:3, it's better than an assault rifle or light machine gun. Of course, in R6:3, that weapon is WAY broken.
10) There are three natural enemies to the sniper: The counter-sniper, the guy standing behind you, and the guy with the assault rifle within 20 meters. Be faster than the counter-sniper, keep your back to the wall, and don't let anyone near you. All sounds obvious, but listen to me on this. It's way too easy to forget to unscope and look around every now and again. It's way too easy to forget that the room you're sniping from has a doorway to a hall behind you. It's way too easy to ignore the close guy who's running and dodging and take the shot at the stationary target across the street. Watch for your enemies and deal with them.
Lastly, it can be hard to feel like part of the team when you're all the way back by yourself, and your buddies are up front kicking butt and taking names. Constant communication and coordination will alleviate most of that. The sniper, if not picked off first himself, is often the last guy left when your team gets wiped out. Be prepared to advance and do what you gotta do, with a poorer weapon selection.
With all of this, being a sniper can be extremely challenging, and incredibly rewarding. Nothing provides better taunts than wiping out an entire opposing team before your team even gets into position. Finishing a round with a single shot that kills the last opponent...right where you knew he would be. Stopping a rush by putting two bullets in the lead attacker, blocking a doorway, and allowing a grenade to wipe out a team. If this is for you, give it a try...and keep the stuff above in mind. You may find it suits you.
Posted by Glenn at September 20, 2005 02:14 PM