What is noscope? And other "stupid" questions about games you've been too afraid to ask.

[Lilani]

My primary experience with FPS's is TF2, and when I started hearing about "noscope" and "360 noscope" when it comes to sniping I was quite baffled. I never found out what it meant, and before I knew it the term had become so ubiquitous I was rather afraid to ask.

So now I say, fuck it. What is noscope or 360 noscope or whatever, and what does it mean in relation to TF2 or other FPS's? And because it's easier to do embarrassing things when everybody is doing it, I encourage others to ask questions you've been afraid to ask because you've been lead to believe it should be common knowledge.

 

[Saetha]

I don't really play FPS's, but I'm pretty sure a no-scope is when you use a long-range gun (Say a sniper rifle) and get kill without using the scope for it. Shooting point blank, basically, but I think it's got to be longer range than that? Like, it's only a "no-scope" if the kill was a long shot, not just some guy standing five feet away. A 360 no-scope... I'm a bit fuzzier on that. I think it's when you get a kill while spinning the camera around - so you're effectively shooting blind and still manage to get a shot in.

I don't really have any questions at the moment. I know I've had some before, and I was too afraid to ask, but I can't think of any right now...

 

[Grumman]

Noscoping means accurately hip shooting with a gun not made for hip shooting. Forget that "aiming" rubbish - just point your sniper rifle towards the enemy and pull the trigger.

360 noscoping means doing the same thing to someone sneaking up behind you. Basically like pointing your sniper rifle over your shoulder and blowing someone's head off.

 

[EmperorZinyak]

"Noscope" means to kill someone with a sniper rifle without scoping in. "360 noscope" means to jump off of something, spin 360 degrees, and then kill someone. Both used to be very common tricks to show off in the COD community, but now they're mocked in the "montage parodies" community, which makes fun of the "noscope" mentality.

 

[Lilani]

Ah, I see, I figured it was something like that. I guess it didn't make sense to me because in TF2, the sniper rifle does very little damage if you don't use the scope. When you zoom in it begins to charge and it takes a couple of seconds to do maximum damage. Shooting it without zooming is really useless unless your target is already nearly dead. But I guess in other games where long range weapons do the same damage whether or not you use the scope, I can see how people would use that to measure their e-peens.

 

[Dingobennyfred]

I have a question: How hot is too hot? I do all my gaming on a laptop (Lenovo y510p), which I have little to no technical knowledge of. If a play games like Farcry 4, with full graphics, it's not quite as hot as a hair dryer in heat, but still kinda hot. Is this kind of heat harmful? I can add a cooling module, I think. Is any kind of heat exhaust harmful? Games that use the Source engine on this laptop are quite cool, but most modern AAA games can be somewhat scalding. Am I harming my computer?

 

[Evonisia]

Ah, I see, I figured it was something like that. I guess it didn't make sense to me because in TF2, the sniper rifle does very little damage if you don't use the scope. When you zoom in it begins to charge and it takes a couple of seconds to do maximum damage. Shooting it without zooming is really useless unless your target is already nearly dead. But I guess in other games where long range weapons do the same damage whether or not you use the scope, I can see how people would use that to measure their e-peens.

That's why it's often used as a joke in TF2, because TF2 is one of few games where noscoping and quickscoping are simply not valid tactics (and thank fuck for that, quickscoping at the very least is inherently balance breaking).

 

[Prime_Hunter_H01]

I used to not get why people hated quickscoping. I actually though I was doing it all the time.

The important point though, is that I thought quick scoping was using the actual optics for only a second for a shot, so whats wrong with that. Then I learned that it was actually taping the ADS button to trigger the reduction in cone of fire then firing without waiting for the animation of raising the sight to finish. The real definition is stupid as hell.

 

[DoPo]

I have a question: How hot is too hot? I do all my gaming on a laptop (Lenovo y510p), which I have little to no technical knowledge of. If a play games like Farcry 4, with full graphics, it's not quite as hot as a hair dryer in heat, but still kinda hot. Is this kind of heat harmful? I can add a cooling module, I think. Is any kind of heat exhaust harmful? Games that use the Source engine on this laptop are quite cool, but most modern AAA games can be somewhat scalding. Am I harming my computer?

I don't think an accurate answer can be given based on relative feel, but luckily, you can just measure what the temperature is, really easy - install some software that does it for you (I use SpeedFan, myself, and it shows me enough information). Check the video card and CPU temperatures - you can (most likely) ignore the HDD temperature (you will usually be able to see that one too).

For the video card and the CPU, usually 80-ish degrees Celsius is about normal if they are under load (while playing a game). If it's more, it's usually OK but it's something to keep an eye for - when it reaches 90, then it's worth having a detailed look, as that's normally the temperature when safeties kick in and underclock stuff. While 90 degrees won't damage your PC components, it's close enough so it's really advisable to not go over as there is where danger lies.

However, 90 degrees would suggest either a heavy load of the system for a really extended time or a problem with cooling, if it's too easy to get there. If the idle temperatures are high (maybe around 60-ish degrees when not doing gaming, but just doing general stuff) then for laptops, it heavily implies the airflow is not good. The two primary reasons for that are the fan might require maintenance or the heat is obstructed from leaving: the former would mean opening the laptop and either greasing or changing the fan. The latter is normal and it's usually because of dust and stuff accumulating inside, especially where the heat is supposed to leave. After all, that's basically just a hole from the inside to the outside where air can flow, but where also outside dust likes to chill. You can open the laptop and clean that or you could try just getting a can of compressed air and spraying from the outside. My housemate had good results doing that - it takes about a minute or so and you don't need to fiddle with scerewdrivers and stuff.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

I got one! Why do FPS matter so much?
I mean, sure, I'll go with the generic line that high FPS is better than low...
but if the game runs fine, why does it matter?
Like I have no idea what FPS Bioshock Infinite runs on my lappy, but the game runs fine regardless. Likewise RollerCoaster Tycoon, South Park Stick of Truth, Dragon Age: Origins, etc...
I'm sure I would notice if these games ran below optimal, sure. But if optimal for...lets say Bioshock Infinite is I dunno, 50Fps(no idea if that's accurate. Just using it as an example) and the game perfectly fine, why do so many gamers get up in arms about how its not the single highest FPS of all time, ever, ever.
If the game runs fine, no lag or clipping or loading issues, why does the FPS matter so much? And how can you tell the difference between high .vs low if low already runs perfectly smoothly?

 

[DoPo]

If the game runs fine, no lag or clipping or loading issues, why does the FPS matter so much? And how can you tell the difference between high .vs low if low already runs perfectly smoothly?

That's the thing - there is a difference, higher FPS is smoother. It's smooth, in fact. And "stupidly high" is, what, 60? Because that's standard. 30 is barely normal but not for a lot of people. 30 is low. It is, in fact, not smooth.

Your statement is baffling - the question is not getting more FPS for the FPS' stake when everything is smooth. The fact is that without enough FPS, the picture is visually choppy and hence the game doesn't run "perfectly smoothly". People don't (usually) want more than that, they want that.

 

[Ushiromiya Battler]

If the game runs fine, no lag or clipping or loading issues, why does the FPS matter so much? And how can you tell the difference between high .vs low if low already runs perfectly smoothly?

That's the thing - there is a difference, higher FPS is smoother. It's smooth, in fact. And "stupidly high" is, what, 60? Because that's standard. 30 is barely normal but not for a lot of people. 30 is low. It is, in fact, not smooth.

Your statement is baffling - the question is not getting more FPS for the FPS' stake when everything is smooth. The fact is that without enough FPS, the picture is visually choppy and hence the game doesn't run "perfectly smoothly". People don't (usually) want more than that, they want that.

A thing to take in to account is that seemingly most people that don't care for fps plays consoles.
When you're sitting far away from a TV it's a lot more difficult to notice the choppiness compared to sitting with your face inches from a monitor.
This is why I don't mind 30fps minimum on consoles, but anything under 60 on pc is visibly not smooth.

What really baffles me is people saying there is no difference when they're on a pc and inches from their screen.

 

[Bat Vader]

Ah, I see, I figured it was something like that. I guess it didn't make sense to me because in TF2, the sniper rifle does very little damage if you don't use the scope. When you zoom in it begins to charge and it takes a couple of seconds to do maximum damage. Shooting it without zooming is really useless unless your target is already nearly dead. But I guess in other games where long range weapons do the same damage whether or not you use the scope, I can see how people would use that to measure their e-peens.

That's why it's often used as a joke in TF2, because TF2 is one of few games where noscoping and quickscoping are simply not valid tactics (and thank fuck for that, quickscoping at the very least is inherently balance breaking).

I remember a TF2 match that I played that made me sick of playing MP games in genereal besides MMOs. I was playing a sniper and I kept getting kills on a guy by letting my sniper rifle get to max damage and then shoot the guy in the chest. He was getting angry because I was only aiming for the chest and not the head.

 

[Subbies]

I got one! Why do FPS matter so much?
I mean, sure, I'll go with the generic line that high FPS is better than low...
but if the game runs fine, why does it matter?
Like I have no idea what FPS Bioshock Infinite runs on my lappy, but the game runs fine regardless. Likewise RollerCoaster Tycoon, South Park Stick of Truth, Dragon Age: Origins, etc...
I'm sure I would notice if these games ran below optimal, sure. But if optimal for...lets say Bioshock Infinite is I dunno, 50Fps(no idea if that's accurate. Just using it as an example) and the game perfectly fine, why do so many gamers get up in arms about how its not the single highest FPS of all time, ever, ever.
If the game runs fine, no lag or clipping or loading issues, why does the FPS matter so much? And how can you tell the difference between high .vs low if low already runs perfectly smoothly?

If you're playing a game were smoothness of frame rate as well as precision of aim is important, then the fact that you have a high frame rate means that for the same distance you move your mouse, the cursor will move less with the higher frame rate which leads to better targeting. This is the main reason that PC gamers push for higher frame rates as a result of twitch based shooters and heavy micro influenced strategy games where the more precise you are, the better.

The main "argument" however is that at higher frame rates the games are smoother. It's true, but unless you actually need those extra frame rates then it isn't that important.

 

[Bat Vader]

Ah, I see, I figured it was something like that. I guess it didn't make sense to me because in TF2, the sniper rifle does very little damage if you don't use the scope. When you zoom in it begins to charge and it takes a couple of seconds to do maximum damage. Shooting it without zooming is really useless unless your target is already nearly dead. But I guess in other games where long range weapons do the same damage whether or not you use the scope, I can see how people would use that to measure their e-peens.

That's why it's often used as a joke in TF2, because TF2 is one of few games where noscoping and quickscoping are simply not valid tactics (and thank fuck for that, quickscoping at the very least is inherently balance breaking).

I remember a TF2 match that I played that made me sick of playing MP games in genereal besides MMOs. I was playing a sniper and I kept getting kills on a guy by letting my sniper rifle get to max damage and then shoot the guy in the chest. He was getting angry because I was only aiming for the chest and not the head.

You mean like snipers are actually taught to do? If at all possible, military snipers are taught to aim at the upper chest area between the base of the throat and nipples.

Yeah. That's where I was mainly aiming. He got really angry when I said a kill was a kill and the admin agreed and told him to stop getting mad.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Mine is MLG. Apparently it means Major League Gaming/er. Still not sure if it's supposed to be ironic or not.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

In Killzone 1 on the PS2, the Sniper Rifle was a one hit kill. It didn't give a targeting reticul when you were scoped though, but then I quickly realized I could just stick a piece of tape on the screen and went about slaughtering people online

....

At least until they patched it to make 100% in accurate when you don't use the scope.

(Fond memories of Killzone 1, I don't know why more people don't talk about that games' online)