Not a hero or bandit, but sometimes merely an observer?

[Death By Crowbar 1213]

I've had some fun with binoculars or LRS in the past, but I'm wondering how many people have found themselves effectively "people watching" with either the LRS or binoculars?

 

There's been a few times where, using the binoculars, I was observing some of the more active towns and I've seen some pretty ridiculous stuff. From holdups, to executions, to bambis attempting to stand toe to toe and box zombies without strafing/circling (and thus losing every time), it gets kinda hilarious. It's always funny to observe someone enter a town where you know there are already a few people and wait to see how it will play out - will they become friends? Will there be a fight? Will someone run off?

 

One of the few times I've had an LRS with a good sniping sport on the town just south of Berezino I was amazed to see 5 people suicide off the round water tower thing in less than an hour. I guess they didn't like their spawn points? The 6th guy jumped but apparently only broke his legs - I did him the service of sniping him rather than have him crawl around looking for a zed or another mercy killer. Observing the airfields this way an also be amusing as shoddily geared folks approach well geared units defending the airstrips, and then how all hell breaks lose when server hoppers show up inside the buildings unexpectedly.

 

Above and beyond playing a hero or a bandit, I've found myself playing an observer on multiple occasions. Anyone else get sucked into this role on occasion?

[oktofano 3]

yeah i found that enjoyable too. dont forget to bring some crunchy chips and soda :D

[TheFarm 158]

If you follow them for long enough, you will find the end of the rainbow

[rybec 339]

You know the mountain beside Prigorodki? In the mod I'd sit on it with a DMR and when someone who looked like a new spawn ran around, I'd shoot all the nearby zombies for him from way up on the mountain. The differences in reactions were great. Half the people alt+F4d instantly, a few would run for cover while still in my view, some would stand there and look around, some acted like it never even happened, and one single person saluted.

[Ramblin Hans 118]

All the time. Since I converted a few months ago to only really carrying a Mosin/LRS and sniping (when not scavenging, exploring, etc), I have found myself doing this ALOT. I will find what I think is a good sniper spot, watch, wait, and observe patterns. Occasionally take a shot and then move to a new spot and repeat, but I have spent hour + in a spot many a time not firing at targets.

 

What type of people come here?

What direction do they come from?

What kind of gear do they have?

What actions do they take...especially how cautious are they, where are they looking at before approaching if possible to tell, and are they aggressive to other players?

Extrapolate and theorize, given the above where did they come from and what were they doing at that spot?

 

It's fun learning traffic patterns, don't want to be sitting in a spot where people regularly trek through on their way to somewhere else for example. And many a bandit team have encircled a noob in a building only to suddenly find themselves under fire with one of their buddies dead from an unknown location 800m away :)

[Dynamic_G 9]

Yep, I do this a lot.  Just observe and move on.  With so many many people playing in pairs or greater, the Lone Wolf has to be very careful.  75hours in and still yet to shoot anyone but my Mosin is calling me.....soon.....very soon......

[Testnewbie 34]

I have to admit, I like to shoot "legs" when I am waiting for my brother and be bored. Not a single pair of legs of course but a "squad leg". It´s really interesting to see how the squads react. I never go for a killshot just "legging" one member and see if they can handle the situation. In 9/10 cases I could wipe at least two because most squads try to "fight back" but from 600-700m it´s hard to locate the shooter if it´s just one shot. Besides that the "Berenzino camping" is really sweet too. Just looking how people run into the meatgrinder and die for stupid reasons. 

[sachad 1016]

People watching is fun. Mostly you just see scavengers, but if you're lucky you get to watch encounters. And if you're really lucky, you get to watch 3 guys chasing each other around a field with pitch forks until one is left standing.

[Irish. 4886]

Not with range in the SA so far.. used to do that a lot in the mods.

 

..But in the SA all of my watching has been up close.

 

A few have lived to see another day just based on their actions and my mood, but many I was forced to eradicate or engage due to their actions and my current way of playing the game. I float around between being a cold blooded killer and warm and fuzzy bambi loving hero. Mostly though its the blood thirsty Irish who is out there stalking Chernarus and if I spot you, I will stalk you for an hour or more if need be, until you make the perfect mistake and I can take you down with one shot. Or if you manage to spot me, I will rush you in a hail of bullets causing confusion and chaos and the loss of your life. So far, so good.. but my luck is bound to have a bad string in it. One day.. Ill get mine. :)

Edited July 8, 2014 by lrish

[rybo 171]

Me and my buddy's in the past have spent hours just watching the airfields to snipe someone but end up never sniping anyone due to just watching them. About 90% of the time we saw one guy another would show up and shoot the first guy.

 

Allot of laughs...

 

That and taking bets..

 

 

The most fun to watch is Berinezno. There you will find groups of people smashing into each other.

Edited July 8, 2014 by RyBo