Why all the spies (spy's?) and snipers?

[Bastion]

We've all been there: Joined a server, wanting to play an epic match of team-correlated tf2. Then you realise that you're on offense with 0 medics, 4 speis and 5 snipers, and as usually more experienced players tend to help balance the team in terms of classes, we can assume that the extra snipers/spies are new or inexperienced to the game. My question is this: Why do all the new guys want to play sniper and spy, arguably the hardest classes to play (sniper with its precision required and spy with its stealth and indirect attacks).?

[Wanderer(Retired)]

Those classes just seem to appeal to most new players I've noticed. I guess some of them assume their skills from other shooters will translate 100% to TF2's style of gameplay, even though that's not usually the case.

[templar]

Because these players are cowards who want to a) hide, or b) stay as far away from the actual fight as possible
Or because spies and snipers can both get instakills, one of the two

[smash]

There are a few factors of why spy and sniper are so popular to newer players.

1. Both being insta kill classes, making them seem like it is an easier class to play with the insta kill mechanics.
2. Sniper is the only class which is somewhat related to other traditional fps ie CoD and CS, players think they can transfer sniper skills from other games.
3. Spy being a very different class, since he can backstab and go invisible its not like a traditional fps and some people enjoy the stealth elements
4. Both classes can kill without being in a front on confrontation, so players assume they have a greater chance of survival with these classes.

[girdurloins]

Personally, I just started playing spy after 600 hours of gameplay, there nothing as rewarding as getting a backstab kill on a Heavy that's just waddled into your base camp thinking he's going to mow everyone down with his mini-gun.

[Bastion]

Originally posted by Colbolt:

There are a few factors of why spy and sniper are so popular to newer players.

1. Both being insta kill classes, making them seem like it is an easier class to play with the insta kill mechanics.
2. Sniper is the only class which is somewhat related to other traditional fps ie CoD and CS, players think they can transfer sniper skills from other games.
3. Spy being a very different class, since he can backstab and go invisible its not like a traditional fps and some people enjoy the stealth elements
4. Both classes can kill without being in a front on confrontation, so players assume they have a greater chance of survival with these classes.

Speaking of traditional fps, its pretty dam hilarious watching a guy run in with the smg thinking he can destroy everything, right before blowing up for being mowed down by a heavy c:<

[Graeyarea]

I miss the time when every new player was a heavy, and not a sniper or a spy

[♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥]

Sames Sharpy

[Puddingtame]

Originally posted by Enigmantic:

Personally, I just started playing spy after 600 hours of gameplay, there nothing as rewarding as getting a backstab kill on a Heavy that's just waddled into your base camp thinking he's going to mow everyone down with his mini-gun.

Yeah he is satisfying to use, especially the spycicle seems to add insult to injury.

[Topmounter]

Only the truly good spies get under my skin, but that is ok since they are actually playing the class well. The ones that aren't actually good spies are pretty easy to neutralize once you know they are around.

I find the dime-a-dozen behind-the-lines corner-snipers to be far more annoying... add a medicbot and/or aimbot and it starts to get silly.

[Sentient_Toaster]

Probably the instakills.

Also, new players who aren't familiar with spy/spychecking mechanics may find themselves being killed often by them and therefore expect that it's an easy class to play.

And then everybody else facepalms when they see an obvious spy attempt to stab a heavy to death from right in front of him...