To auto-aim or not to auto-aim?

[kainemaxwell]

Do most of you prefer auto-aiming (GTA series, any others?), or you prefer to manually shoot your weapons like Halo, etc?

[TheRedEye]

Depends entirely on the game, obviously. If I'm playing a game where my main objective is to shoot people, especially on a PC...duh, let me aim. If it's a game where I run around and cause all sorts of havoc, with guns being one of many options - especially on a console controller - screw that, I don't have time for such nonsense.

[digitalpress]

Do most of you prefer auto-aiming (GTA series, any others?), or you prefer to manually shoot your weapons like Halo, etc?

Um, not all of the weapons in GTA auto-aim, bro. And that game is a perfect example of when they should and when they shouldn't.

Sniper rifle, rocket launcher: no.

Pistol, small machine gun: yes.

[jdc]

I like auto aim in something like a Duke Nukem-ish game or even Halo where you have waves of enemies, but if it's something like....Deer Hunter 2005 Season....I'll manually aim.

[izret101]

Depends on the game and the weapon like as stated.
I prefer no auto aim in GoldenEye though.
I like how Halo 2 doesn't have a full auto aim but if the character is moving the cursor will drag with them for a second.(If you have never noticed try it with a sniper rifle.)

[tholly]

Do most of you prefer auto-aiming (GTA series, any others?), or you prefer to manually shoot your weapons like Halo, etc?

Um, not all of the weapons in GTA auto-aim, bro. And that game is a perfect example of when they should and when they shouldn't.

Sniper rifle, rocket launcher: no.

Pistol, small machine gun: yes.


exactly how i would have explained my answer

[bargora]

Keep in mind that I don't play modern computer games, so I'm talking strictly console here. If the game has a toggle, then I try it both ways. If I'm getting my ass kicked without auto-aim, you better believe that I'm turning it on. Although sometimes you might want to turn it off temporarily (e.g., going for head shots with the pistol in Red Faction).

I agree that some weapons probably shouldn't have auto-aim. Unreal Tournamnt for PS2 had auto-aim that could not be turned off. This occasionally made for some uncomfortable situations when you were firing a spread of rockets and the game decided that you didn't want to hit the guy across the arena, but rather the guy standing 10 feet down and right in front of you. BOOM!

[CartCollector]

Auto-aim is nice in faster situations and/or third person, and manual aim works well when you want accuracy or in first person. The people at LucasArts made Star Wars: Battlefront a nice combination of both. For example: if you start shooting at an enemy with a blaster, the aiming cursor trails them. The only auto/manual hybrid I have not gotten used to is the one in Jak and Daxter. But I've only played a demo, so it might be something you get used to.

[Promophile]

To sum up my opinions:

3rd person- Auto-aim

1st person- Manual-aim

This is followed pretty much to a T, such as in games like Grand Theft Auto, which go into FPS mode when you use rockets or a sniper rifle.

[s1lence]

Let me aim, the auto aim in Halo sucks. I want head shots, let me control it. :eek 2:

[shopkins]

I always free aim in FPS. I like headshots and location damage too much.

I'd usually rather have an aiming cursor in 3rd persons games, especially shooters like Max Payne. In some situations auto-aim works better, though. One of my favorite new additions to GTA:SA is that it gives you a choice with almost all of the guns now.

[ubersaurus]

Let me aim, the auto aim in Halo sucks. I want head shots, let me control it. :eek 2:

I disagree on the usefulness of Halo's auto aim, and here's why.

Start a game with two people on the same team (I know halo 2 lets you do this, and that works fine for this example). Try and kill the person on the other team. Almost impossible to hit em, ain't it? The auto aim in Halo is pretty subtle most of the time, it pretty much exists to help you keep your targeting on the person, since a controller doesn't give you the accuracy of a keyboard & mouse combo.

I agree with the person who says 3rd person is better with auto aim, and 1st isn't.

[christianscott27]

just give me cross-hairs that turn red when i have a foe in them. currently playing thru Mafia and the lack of that is driving me nuts cause theres no zoom or scope.

[calthaer]

Only when I have to use a console controller to aim, because those things are lousy. Give me a mouse with pixel-precision targeting any day of the week.

[Joelius]

If i grew up on the mouse and keyboard free-aim approach, i'd go with that. But since i was grown up console everything, i'm going to have to go with the subtle auto-aim in Halo 2.