very true, BUT, the same goes for aliens, especially skulks. A problem i frequently see is that when I'm attacking RT's as a skulk and another skulk comes running along to help me, 99.99999% of the time, i get bit. Now, assuming i'm at full hp/armor, it drops me to 68/2. This means far less bullets are needed to kill me. So the FF damage factor goes both ways. Attributing game losses to FF seems a bit off the wall to me simply based on the way the game is currently constructed. Yes, we all KNOW aliens are overpowered...well, except the onos. We KNOW that the beacon/pg rush tactic isnt as great anymore because of the half second wait time to phase. We KNOW we need to develop the teamwork thing. But as for FF? Lets think about it.
Say you get hit with a couple FF lmg bullets in a firefight (you have armor 0). Drops your armor a bunch, and your health very little. Say you get bit by a skulk instead of FF. Your health drops considerably and your armor is gone. Even if you kill the skulk, chances are, you need a medpack. With FF, you *might* need a medpack, but you still have a better survial probablility based on the fact that your armor is still mostly there. I dont really think i've ever been in any kind of situation where FF was responsible for the outcome of a game. Sure, theres the MC argument to it, but remember, if the rines work as a unit, a shotgun rush on a hive takes 10 seconds, then the aliens are out 40+ res and mad cause you just took out a hive, even with the aliens MCing in. Remember that people dont just hang around the MCs like theyre a bar serving free drinks. Aliens are just as spread out as marines are, and half the time its easier to run to the hive than to MC to it.
If we wanted to try FF off, i wouldnt be staunchly opposed, but I think the quality of gameplay and the overall respectability of the players on the server might decrease. Not knocking the admin staff of course, just that it takes a bit more skill to play with FF on than it does to play with FF off, and it tends to keep some of the rif-raff out.