[The Final Dakar]

We're on a MW2 kick again, which caused on of our Black Ops brethren to comment the MW2s spawn system was atrocious. I'm of the tact that most (console) FPSs have spawn systems of varying suckitude, and getting spawn-killed is an inevitability of the genre. So I put it to you, MacNN, which FPS spawn system do you prefer?

(For the sake of argument, the spawning situation is standard Team Deathmatch, as Free-for-Alls and Objective Games put their own strains on a system)

[Stogieman]

I'm going to pick the Halo series (specifically Reach). I like the fact that you can change your spawn location by hitting up on the D-Pad while your still in the countdown screen. I didn't find this out until 2 months after the game was released. This info would have been handy when we were getting spawn f***ed during a SWAT match.

[sek929]

Interesting poll...

I am of the opinion, having prestiged 7 times in MW2 and 5 times in BOs, that both CoD games have equally crappy spawning at times, of course also very map-dependent (see: Sub Base, Nuketown). I don't find BOs to be any worse at spawning, but the levels are more cramped so it seems like you have less time to get your bearings before encountering enemies.

The Halo series isn't immune either, but I can't make that much of a comment on Reach, since I played it so little. However, as a general impression the spawning could be very good, and also absolutely terrible once your team has been backed into a corner. Slightly less of a problem in Halo, since you don't get killed immediately if you spawn into gunfire.

Never played Battlefield.

Homefront had atrocious spawning, mostly because the maps are ****ing huuuge yet it would always spawn me near enemies, or directly behind enemies. One game it spawned my so close to an enemies back, I was able to knife him without moving at all. That's ludicrous.

In my opinion, MW2 eeks out the edge on the rest, but not by much. Mostly because its maps have more space to work with and thus tend to put you in front of death less frequently.

In general, FPSes need to come up with a new solution for spawning, something elegant. They all have a tendency to put you near the entire other team when your team is across the map, which always baffles me.

[The Final Dakar]

I think that's roughly fair analysis (though I didn't think Homefront was nearly that bad), but here's my sticking pint with Black Ops – I have never played a game where I so thoroughly knew where people were spawning from and was able to predict it as well. I don't feel like that's possible in MW2.

(If you need an example: Jungle)

[sek929]

Homefront's spawning was technically better than all of them, but given the sheer size of the maps and general emptiness of the playing field I was spawn-killed, and vice-versa far to many times to give it a passing grade.

[lpkmckenna]

No option for the Unreal Tournament series?

[Leonard]

I'd have to probably say Halo for the reason Stogie gave, the ability to chose your spawn. Everyone knows where the spawns are in each game (they're too predictable), each game allows spawn kills (Unreal Tournament had a bit of a solution for that - invincibility after spawn for a few seconds), each game allows spawning around the enemy. Homefront sometimes frustrates me sometimes spawning me at the opposite side of the map to a control point I usually want.

[exca1ibur]

I liked Battlefield 2. If you join a squad you could choose to spawn near your squad leader or you could choose to spawn around your capture points. Loose a capture point you loose your spawn options.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Stogieman 

I'm going to pick the Halo series (specifically Reach). I like the fact that you can change your spawn location by hitting up on the D-Pad while your still in the countdown screen.

sek, do you remember this? I don't...

Originally Posted by exca1ibur 

I liked Battlefield 2. If you join a squad you could choose to spawn near your squad leader or you could choose to spawn around your capture points. Loose a capture point you loose your spawn options.

Well, I was talking strictly TDM here, but when I tried BC2 I found spawning with a team mate was pretty bad, as if they were about to die there was almost no indication, leaving the killer with a free double.

[sek929]

No idea you could choose your spawn in reach...

[The Final Dakar]

It should be noted that the poll results indicate either all FPS spawn systems suck equally or we're just partial to whatever it is we play. Pretty bland.

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by Leonard 

(Unreal Tournament had a bit of a solution for that - invincibility after spawn for a few seconds)

You could set this up in CoD2 if you administered your own server. It was needed as well because CoD2's spawning was really really bad. Serious spawn rapage could occur. You could sit in a corner next to a spawn point and melee kill 10 or 15 people sometimes.

I didn't vote because I don't have enough experience of other games, but I know that you guys enjoy reading my posts.

[The Final Dakar]

I think CoD developers should be forced to have three second spawn invincibility while developing their game. I wonder how fast they'd look into rejiggering the spawn system/maps if they had to endure that.

This goes 10x for Treyarch.