Over on the MAG forums

I had a good little rant about players with high kill-to-death ratios. The topic was titled "why hate on KDR?", and was intended to reinforce the fact that a KDR in MAG is directly reflective of your skill, and thus as important as teamwork and tactics. And while I don't argue against that, I was sparked into response by a tangent the discussion took - about those players who wave their high KDR around like a banner that shouts "I'm a better player than you (and a d-bag too)". Those who seem to think that anybody with a lower KDR than them isn't entitled to an opinion.

I was a bit tired so it sounded a bit puked out, but it was obviously meaningful enough to gain kudos from some of the forum's respected regulars, and what I said may have some relevance across other FPS games. It basically served to bring these players off their imaginary thrones and back down to earth. And it goes as follows:

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Super-Pangolin wrote:

People with a high KDR and keep it to themselves are good people, I can respect them.

 

Those who have a high KDR and rub it in other people's faces like they're superior, all-knowing MAG gods are **bleep**bags and shed bad light on the whole thing. Some people might be new to FPS games, or they might naturally be slower learners and take longer to adapt. Skill in MAG is basically reflective of the brain you're born with, it's capabilities and the way it functions.

 

Some people just adapt better to games and thus develop the skills much quicker. To parade your high K/D would be like me parading around the fact I was born a creative, artistically-minded person rather than an intellectual, academic person. It doesn't make me superior, my body and mind just function differently to everybody else. In the case of MAG and other FPS games, my body and mind don't function as effectively as some.

 

Then there are also people (such as myself), who challenge themselves. When I'm using a T2 AR I can maintain a 1.5-2.5 KDR and a grim-to-purple ribbon ration of 28. I'm no skilled player by any means but I'm definitely best when using an AR, though in the end I'll still choose a sniper rifle any day because it's more fun and more challenging to put up a lot of kills with.

 

Sure, be proud of your high KDR. Feel lucky that you are one of the skilled players. Just don't go pretending you're superior to those with lower KDR's and everybody will get along fine.

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Jargon breakdown
KDR - Kill-to-Death Ratio. KDR of 2 means 2 kills to every death.
K/D - Kill/Death. See KDR.
T2 AR - Second tier Assault Rifle.
Grim-to-Purple ribbon ratio - a less common statistic used to judge skill. Grim Reaper and Purple Heart ribbons are awarded for 35 kills or 30 deaths in a match, respectively.