[SUGGESTION] Typefragging abuse.

I've noticed some really bad typefragging abuse recently. I'm trying to splatter an enemy at my base with my vehicle, and when I'm about to pin him and he knows it, he just starts typing, giving me the friendlyfire sound until I kill the guy and it says I typefragged him.

1.) First of all, is there any damage reduction involved with typefragging? Because I noticed that you don't really do any damage with the first few shots of friendly-fire.

2.) Second of all, does it count as a full kill or is it -1? I didn't get the chance to notice if it is or not, since it happens at random.

3.) Last, and most importantly, why in the hell is there even typefragging!? I don't friking care if it's the Pope declaring that it's the end of the world: we're in the middle of battle ... you're supposed to be fighting not chatting it up. You shouldn't be typing in the middle of battle, and it's only YOUR business if you do, NOT mine. I don't care how important anyone thinks their words are, it's useless egotistical nonsense to me, and will forever be. In essence: "Shut up and play!"

If 1 or 2 apply, congratulations: You've just made one of the best ways to take advantage of the game. My suggestion: Get rid of typefragging because it's senseless and useless. I haven't even given it a second thought until it bothered me like this. Give me a valid reason why it should even exist.

It's an unwritten rule that you don't shoot/kill people who are typing - obviously only when they're in a corner or something and not holding the flag.
It just shows you that you did a typefrag, nothing more nothing less.

It does not reduce damage or gives you -1 so it can't be used for abuse.

Personally I just frag people who hold the flag while typing or those who are 'in my way'.

1.) I wouldn't know of any damage reduction involved with typefragging. I don't think there is, and I would object to it, too.

2.) Typefragging earns you a point just like any other frag, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

3.) The only thing that happens when you hit someone that's typing is that you get a different hitsound (and eventually, if you frag him, a different message). It's intended to remind you that you just shot someone that was not actually fighting actively. There has been a lot of discussion about the ethics of typefragging and the bottom line for me is the following:

a) if you type, you should expect to get fragged and don't get angry about it (if it's so important for you not to get fragged, then don't type in a FPS, if it's not important to you not to get fragged, then what are you complaining about),

b) if you see someone typing, you may exercise a little courtesy and not frag/hit him in order to show some respect if you like. I do so if I determine such player is not actually abusing his typing or that he is not in a position where he does not deserve such respect. Examples for situations where I don't typefrag are players standing in their base at a place where they don't potentially protect the flag or a strategic item or any player in ffa dm. Examples for situations in which I would say typefragging is reasonable are the flag carrier chatting at ANY place or players at the enemy base.

But again, the decision to typefrag is at everybody's discretion as he/she deems fit. Complaining about getting typefragged is just plain paradox imho.

Damage reduction or -1 for typefrag would be just ridiculous invitation to abuse. Low on HP, incoming rocket and caught in the open? Quickly, press T!

Never, ever.

All typefragging does is making a buzz sound and adding "type" to the message on screen. It's just bad taste to prey on those typing to rack up frags.

OTOH typefragging those who hold the flag or just happened to think of sth in the middle of combat isn't really bad.

I just think it's mostly unnecessary. You shouldn't be standing in the open, anywhere, if you want to type. Most bases have reasonable cover to stay and chat for a short while.

I understand it's a courtesy usually, but can you really afford to ignore a typing enemy in the enemy base? Depends, but most likely, if you're going for the flag (which is the only thing you could be doing in the enemy base, other than spawnkilling, in CTF atm), he wont be ignoring you. He could react at any second, and then what?

Thanks for the answers, I was worried there for a while.

Less talking more shooting. If people want to talk they should do it on irc, these forums, with real people in real life... and sometimes stray projectiles might just hit someone accidentally, doesn't make the person who fired them a typefragger.

frags a frag, if your opponent wants to have a nice conversation then he/she should spec there is nothing wrong with type fragging.

chat bubble above his head? easy frag
(for 'serious' matches the timeout cmd should be enabled to handle those situations)

Personally I like the different sound when you shoot sbdy who is typing. It helped me a lot of times not to be an asshole and kill sbdy who was typing ;-).

chat bubble above his head? easy frag

There was once a custom made alternate chat bubble icon made for Nexuiz, with the 3 keyboard keys replaced with an arrow pointing down the player and a big, glowy text reading: FREE FRAG!

Like others said above, the text message and the different hitsound is mostly there for non competitive public gameplay, and it doesn't punishes the fragger by any means. It's only a friendly reminder, that one might be afk or settings something up (the keyboards bubble apear too when you go to the menu for example), and as he/she can't defend himself/herself, it's not really fair to get an easy kill.
Typefragging always will be a grey field, and personal preference to do or not. I usually do the same way as Mirio: if the typing enemy is in my way: I kill it. If it's in a tactically important position: kill it. If it's the FC: KILL IT for FFS, it's the flag carrier afterall, also probably team chatting about low on hp, position, etc.
If the guy is facing towards a wall, in a remote location, just be a sportsman, and don't kill - probably binding keys, modifying a setting, etc. Also, a sitting duck is not much of a challange to kill anyway, so why bother?
As for abusing this, I always try not to kill a typer, but in case when I turn my back on them, and then I'm getting attacked, I make sure it'll face my furious vengence, and ignore the chat bubble for the rest of the game.

tl;dr:
If the kill is fair, and can be justified: do it
If the kill would be unfair: act like a sportsman, and let it be - and remember the same thing if you happen to find yourself in the typing situation too.

Completely agree with C.Brutail. Nothing more to say on this topic...