Somebody call a waaaambulance

As I mentioned previously, I've been playing quite a bit of the Call of Duty 4 Multiplayer lately. While it's been a lot of fun, and I have actually found some pretty decent servers to play on, there are a couple of things about the game that are driving me nuts. Interestingly enough, neither of them have anything to do with the game itself, but rather the people who play it.

First of all, the VAST majority of the public servers out there have a ridiculously high maximum number of players. In my opinion, there are very few maps in the game that can adequately accommodate more than 12 or so players. However, the average max number is usually two to three times that. I absolutely fail to understand how that is fun. It honestly seems like it would get to the point where you couldn't even move without seeing somebody and potentially getting shot. On hardcore mode or similar, it seems like it would be nothing more than spawning with a nearly instantaneous death. I've seen 30+ people playing both killhouse and shipment -- two microscopically sized maps. I just don't see the entertainment value there.

Secondly, and more annoying, is the way people cry ALL the time. It is a rare occurrence when I'm not on a server that has a guy who seems to want to complain about everything every time he dies... as if I'm somehow doing something unfair. Case in point: Last Stand.

Last Stand is one of the perks in the game that you can choose from. Basically, when you get killed, instead of instantly dying you drop into prone with a pistol. A single shot with pretty much anything can you kill (even a flashbang), but you get a few precious seconds to get some kills in. For some reason I don't understand, this seems to be the most hated perk. I find myself using it fairly frequently because I'm often ridiculously effective with it... yet every time I use it and get a kill, I instantly look to the chat area to see the complaint.

In a single play session (an hour or so), I had two different people basically go off on me for using it. In the first instance, I had my sniper rifle out and was looking out a small hole. The next thing I knew, I dropped into Last Stand due to a shot in the back. My reflexes kicked in and I quickly shot the fool in the face. Immediately I see (or something similar):

LameD00D: OMG, last stand is for noobs

He was pissed because, in his words, he shot me in the neck and I should have died. I replied:

Morinar: If it wasn't so effective, I wouldn't use it

I felt like my point was made.

The next map began soon afterwards and I very early on found myself with a tidy Last Stand kill on an obviously veteran player (Rank 55). This guy began by calling me a noob for using Last Stand, added that I shouldn't use Martyrdom either, and finished by telling me that I shouldn't be using the M16 anymore because it was a "noob" weapon and I was in my late teens. My reply:

Morinar: Why is it so important to you to dictate how to play the game to me?

I even explained to him that if he didn't like me using the mechanics that are BUILT INTO THE GAME, he was welcome to go play a different game. He "politely" declined my invitation.

I just don't understand why these people freak out so much... perhaps they are all 10 years old or something (likely) or have the maturity of a 10-year-old (more likely). I mean, I HATE claymores in that damn game. I think they are way cheaper than any perk the game has. But I don't complain every time a claymore takes me out. I respawn and go find somebody else to kill.

Perhaps someday everyone will be more mature, although I know I'm certainly not going to be holding my breath.