This question has been on my mind for a while now.
People constantly lament the spammers (not just in Lockdown... Looking at you Nitro)! However, I can never tell the difference between simply using a weapon, and spamming the weapon.
So... What do you define as spamming a weapon? What's the difference between spam and general use? Or is spamming just a stupid term made by butt-hurts who got outplayed?
I personally consider spamming a weapon as constantly using said weapon in any and all situations, even if it isn't the most effective or useful. Sometimes, said spam can be useful (such as polaris/supernova - if used right, it can really help the team by keeping enemies in corners or away from them!) but it can also be really annoying. For example, someone might be polarising/supernovaing/nitroing/whatever attacking enemies into teammates and getting them killed. Or if someone's computer is quite old and can't handle the graphics of nitro explosions/polaris explosions/whatever, that's also a hindrance. Personally as an occasional polaris user if I'm going on runs with people, I'll ask them first if it affects their FPS before taking it with me or if I forgot to ask and it does give them problems, avoid using it and change out at the next arsenal station.
As for LD use of spam, I'd say spamming can be truly spamming (constant use of a single weapon for any and all situations as mentioned above; polaris anyone?) and people being butthurt over getting killed. *shrug* It isn't too hard to sneak past polaris shots to get people off of a control point, just a matter of timing correctly. I've seen many people do it.
Kinda depends on who you ask, really.
Weapon spamming is pretty much using it in all instances a situation can occur. For instance, shivering everything for just total lockdown of enemies. If done incorrectly, you'll create walls of enemies that at times can be difficult to penetrate instantly. Hence why I make a big complaint about people using Shiver in say most of the 3rd floor of FSC.
I act like a Jack of All Trades so I use a lot of random stuff and tend to just not question people's loadouts . (Exception is bringing something such as Ash for Terminal Meltdown's last room, now that is a bad idea.)
That pales in comparison to the time I've had someone using nothing but the Polaris in Ghosts in the Machine one time.
LOL that sounds awful. xD Not only is it kinda useless to use polaris at all times, it won't even shock 'em 'cause they're immune! I recall my very first C42 mission - one of my teammates brought a combuster and spammed the charge all the time. So much fire...bad memories...
Spamming should not be considered a bad action in itself, as sometimes it just happens to be the best way to use a weapon. (Such as bombs and Polaris in Lockdown). Other times, it's advantegous to strategically position yourself and time your attacks in order to draw enemy attention to the right places and interrupt attacks. Something like Antigua can only be spammed as there is no interruption or knockbac to speak of (as such, only DPS remains which will always be at its highest when spamming), while Nitronome, in the correct settings, can be timed to synchronize with enemies and interrupt them.
Not only that, I also hate all of the Polarisers' excuses for bring it into shock levels. "Because knockback counters the unshockibility"
"Unshockibility"
This also applies to ANYONE who brings the same debuff weapon into the the levels that they inflict. Combuster into FSC, Polaris in GiTM, Etc. The Polaris one especially makes me wanna shove it up their ash and through their face.
Reminds me of the guy who brought his Voltaic Tempest into a T3 Thunderfist Arena; Slimy Showdown.
Every member of the team including myself told him to drop it for something that wouldn't get us killed. Nope. Luckily we were able to stay the hell out of the newly charged Quicksilvers long enough to beat it.
Combuster is actually a valid weapon to use in FSC. The regular swings won't set anything on fire, and the charge attack will push away the oilers, which only exist on the first two depths. Weapons such as the firo alchemer or the ash of agni would be more of a hindrance in FSC.
And my opinion on spam in LD is much different than that in pve. I believe there are two types of spam, with the first type being valid. Sometimes, there are tons of strikers zooming around one point. I think to myself, "Should I dash in swinging a gf/btb and have the chance to get hit? Or should I fire a few polaris shots to clear up a point so that I can determine where my enemies will be going.
The second type of spam is the one I do not encourage, which is the repeated abusing of the attack button. This mainly applies with swords though. Yesterday, I saw a vog recon with glacius trying to triple swing at me. I dashed away, firing supernova shots at him. The thing is, instead of backing off, he continued to repeatedly swing is sword, not moving away from the straight line of shots I was firing at him. That is probably the most extreme case of spam abuse, but any attack button mashing (besides the antigua series) would be the wrong kind of spam to use.
Spam to me is when someone is attacking air constantly (more or less) hoping for someone to walk into the area denial.
This is why people rage at bombers. Bombers don't deserve to be called spammers, because bombs work in one way only. (I'm not saying bombs are fun or boring to face.)
What do you consider spam?
There really is not any new moves or variations of shooting/swordplay/bombing. So I never knew there was "spam" in this game. I mean you do have a reload/cooldown. Or maybe spam would be not watching your health and doing your final hit ina "panic" attempt.
What do you consider general use
Knowing when the coodown animation is and effectively using shield to move slower.
Is there a difference in my views
Yes, spam is rushing to defeat your opponent and general use is playing it smart.
SIDE NOTE
Span is also a delicious type of food. In my opinion
@Xtweeterx: I find that my gigawatt is still one of my best weapons for countering kats, even if it is a shock level. The knockback is helpful, and some kats are always the "regular" ones that are still affected by shock anyway.
@Maeko: I once did a slime/shock danger room when I had only 2 weapon slots. It was a beast level so I had a pierce sword and gigawatt for gun puppies. Things got messy. O_O When a bunch of quicksilvers spawned with other mobs, and I used the giga, about half of the quicksilvers went crazy--and killed most of the rest of the enemies for me, including other quicksilvers. It worked much better than I thought it would when there were a lot of enemies, but then I got stuck with a couple quicksilvers left. Every time I tried to kill the last one, it would get shocked before it died and reheal. I had to gradually beat a couple of them to death with my Dark Thorn Blade. I think it took longer to kill the last few than all the rest put together. LOL.
@Halandin
For that situation, I could accept that as a strategy, considering the sheer number of Quicksilvers that spawn in danger rooms. Arenas don't get that many.
Spamming is randomly and repeatedly using a weapon without any specific target in mind.
Simply shooting polaris repeatedly is not spamming, unless you're just using a wall of shots to keep anyone from getting close.
As a pure LD bomber, I don't think there's any way to not use mist bombs in PvP besides dropping down one after another to cover a larger area. Same with damage bombs like Nitro, Irontech, and BBB, if you want to keep Skolvers back.
You're gonna be regretting that once you find yourself in a room full of greavers, Devilites, Mecha Knights, Shock Wolvers, Quicksilvers, or anything related. Because the bright blue explosions are very eye-catching, the knockback is, according to my observations, Half good and Half bad, depending on how you use it, And I don't care if the Damage output does +9000 and 1-hits everything and everything's mother. It's still not viable for shock levels. Though I'll admit I HAVE seen some good use of it in FSC, but I don't do FSC parties anymore unless it's with friends or guildies.
Arsenal please.
Anyways, I define spam as "Combos" or "NONSTOP-STAPH ET NAO!!!!". General use? Well, if they don't look like a n00b who combos 100% or most of the time, they're using the weapon right. :3