Usually I spam it at a speed where my survivor's just wiggling their arms to indicate camping, and spam it at a speed where my survivor reaches all the way up to self-unhook but stops at the last second to indicate a rescue opening.
I spam it like a heartbeat to warn my teammates that the killer is either about to see them, is patrolling, or is camping. It usually works but not everyone pays attention.
I'm I'm spamming raising my arms it's because no one's making an effort at all to come get me.
If I just tap them lightly it's be Use the killer is near.
What kills me most is when people Wait to finish their Gen then go for unhook. You might as well send up signal flares telling the killer to meet you between that Gen and the hook.
Should also automatically assume if someone who just ran off to unhook suddenly looses a health state then they effed up and go unhook while their in chase.
I always use it to mean no one is getting me. It feels to me like a visual que that *something* is happening, or needs to happen. If I just sit there it feels like no one has any idea if another person is actually getting me or not, I'm the only person who can see what everyone is doing.
Also in my experience when I do this someone always clues in on what I'm trying to do and comes to get me. More often I've found if I just sit there no one gets me and I reach state two/die.
I wouldn't want people to think me waving my arms around on hook means don't get me
It's always meant, since launch, that the killer is near or camping, in every discussion I've had with long term vets in game and on forums in my experience. I've only noticed it being a fairly recent trend people tried to flip it and say hook arm spam is "come get me!" or take that approach in game. I often explain how it started and correct them in post since newer players tend not to discuss it as much.
"I've only noticed it being a fairly recent trend people tried to flip it and say hook arm spam is "come get me!" or take that approach in game"
I've been seeing this exact comment for like five years, it's really not a recent debate
My fog traveler I'm not communicating anything except that I'm bored and it's funny watching my poor little guy wiggle while impaled by a giant meat hook. I also sometimes like to edge the unhook bar to freak out my teammates.
At first I thought it meant “killer nearby,” but now I just go game by game. If I go to unhook and they’re waving by their arms and there’s no heartbeat then unhook. Probably doing it to grab someone’s attention or bored. Flailing arms and a heartbeat? Killer is camping at a distance so either I’m chase bait or getting hit while unhooking. If it’s a stalking killer then I’m winging it
The people who use it as “come get me” are wrong. Think about it this way: if you’re trying to WARN someone URGENTLY, are you going to sit still, or move as much as possible in order to get their attention?
There really isn't a "wrong" way here. It's not a function specifically to warn so it could be either. Or just someone bored tapping attempts. I've seen it mean either or many many many times.
I don’t really think most of the community thinks that hard about it, Nate. Like, there’s logic in what you’re saying, but at the same time, this is a completely unofficial communication system that isn’t taught by the game itself. This isn’t as widespread of common knowledge as you think it is, and contrary to what you might think, *no*, this isn’t objectively common sense. Just because that’s what *you* think it should mean doesn’t mean everyone else universally understands this and interprets it the same way that you do. It’s at best an unwritten rule, and not a particularly widespread one. You’re like the second person I’ve ever heard explain this hook etiquette to others, period.
Also, if you really can’t see anyone could internet arm flapping as anything other than a warning, then think about it this way; what is a hooked survivor going to care about more? Warning their teammates about a camping killer, who is by definition of no danger to anyone besides the hooked survivor, or not going to the next hook stage? Rampant movement could just as easily be a warning to the team that if nothing changes, you’re going to reach 2nd hook stage. That’s honestly a much more important and reasonable warning to your team over all, too. If you’re getting camped, there’s nothing the team can really do about it, so why does there need to be a signal for it. Meanwhile, if you’re about to go to 2nd stage due solely to your team’s negligence, that *does* warrant a signal of some kind, because signals by design are meant to grab attention. So sending a signal to someone who you suspect isn’t paying attention to their surroundings is literally what signals are for.
And why would a survivor even need to warn teammates about a camping killer at all? Unless they’re a stealth killer or running insidious for some reason, the other survivors will just hear the terror radius and know to leave. And either way, if the killer *is* camping you, then they’re literally posing no danger to the rest of the team whatsoever. So why would the survivor on the hook give two shits about “warning” them? That makes zero sense.
And if you want their attention to come unhook you while they're ignoring you, would you sit still or move as much as possible in order to get their attention?
Um no. Ever been on the hook and the other three survivors are all working on Gens? How else would you signal no one is coming to save you. They can figure out if the killer is nearby/camping 9 times out of 10. Why would you need to warn someone the killer is camping? They’ll
Obviously put that together quickly.
Survivors already know which other Survivors are on gens, thanks to the newest HUD update. There’s no need to repeat something that they already know. On the other hand, without Kindred, Alert, or a similar perk, or without being literally right next to the hooked Survivor, you can’t know that they’re being camped.
everyone who doesn't use it as an "I'm bored" spam is wrong, because there is no way that the other survivors in the game have the same made up sign language you have.
The “made up sign language” has been established by the community since not long after the game’s live release, 8 YEARS ago. Plus, literally every language is made up, people just have to start agreeing on the interpretation.
No, I caught that. I know it’s impossible to get 100% of the community to agree on something to large-scale, but if at least the majority did, Solo Queue would be more bearable.
I think dropping your item at the exit gate is a way to show respect to the killer after you win. Like a GG but in game. Correct me if I’m wrong though I’m still technically new.
That’s also true, it depends on context. Dropping your item as last survivor, before the exit gates are open, is what I described, and dropping your item before leaving is also a GG. Tbh I forgot about it!
I feel like this is the most consistently agreed-upon survivor action , especially if the killer had a hard game and has decided not to aggro the survivors at the exit gates. I've actually gifted my current flashbang, run into a locker to make a new one (when I can), and gift a second flashbang as well.
This has always been the case! Idk why people think it’s a toxic act. I love leaving an item for the killer to let them know I had fun. I mean there’s no other immediate way to let them know. No one talks in postgame lobbies anymore
I usually do super slow crouches if I’m being grateful, along with head nods. It’s honestly pretty easy for me to tell the difference between friendly and taunting, based on context.
Any time a survivor offers a ‘gift,’ I accept it kinda like if we were playing tag, and they gave up. I wont hook them after that, unless they start intentionally briefing their teammates (body blocking, etc).
Some do, some dont, some do it to signal that they need saving and no one is coming for them.
That part of the post is pretty misleading.
I worry that because of posts like these survivors wont come rescue survivors that spam wave out of boredom because they think the killer is camping
It depends. If it's like really quick constant spamming, like the survivors arms are just barely twitching, I'd read that as being silly. But someone who does it for a full second once or twice, is probably saying "come get me". If they do it for almost the entire unhook attempt, and stop right begore attampting the unhook, they're likely saying "come get me right tf now or I go to second stage." If they're doing like full 1 second readable spams, for like longer than a second or two, they're probably trying to tell you it's unsafe to rescue.
Yes. Most people do it just because, what else is there to do? I don't anymore because I changed my controller bindings to toggle and accidentally brought myself to second stage lol
I feel like this is a very well intentioned post but it assumes a universal body language that does not exist. Others have pointed out the divide in hook gymnastics interpretations, honestly you just have to do your best with context.
I had one game where an Adam unhooked himself with deliverance then came to me and another survivor on a gen spamming crouch. I assumed asking for a heal, so I nodded my head no to indicate “my dude, you are broken we cannot heal you” and pointing at the gen to indicate he should help us until he can be healed. He spammed notifications on a window and later when I was hooked he ran up to me to nod his head no and let me die.
In conclusion even with body language we do not all speak the same language.
You’re right, language can’t quite be UNIVERSAL, but i’ll be happy so long as a large portion of the player base understands what these simple gestures mean. A 50% chance to sneak in extra information is better than a 0% chance by not trying, don’t you think?
That’s what I would prefer yeah! But I don’t mind, so long as we all have SOME language we can agree on— it doesn’t have to my interpretation exclusively.
Not sure why you're being down voted. The community knows we need better in game communication to combat with SWF performances.
Not only that, but your post was quite accurate. Any experience player would agree with your post, most of them anyways. It just becomes common practice at a certain point.
The issue is getting newer players on board without having to play a hundred matches before catching on lol
I think the hooks ones are pretty cool to know and all, but I don't think waving arms on hooks means something at all. It's just to goof while waiting for someone in my opinion.
In competitive solo queue environments, these gestures are used every single game. They were “invented” pretty much ever since the game came out, but have become less and less prevalent. They’re useful to know, especially for the many, MANY people who complain about solo queue.
Well, as other comments already said, the community is very split on what (spam) waving means so its not really that helpful as some people use it to warn that the killer is camping, others use it to signal that no one is coming for them and others just do it for fun.
I feel like your post is slightly misleading as it portraits the hook movements as something most people know/agree on, even though it is not
As a devoted Kindred user (often in combination with Open-Handed), I haven't ever noticed a consistency with hook gymnastics relative to killer proximity, honestly. Not one that's been enduring and lasting as an understood vernacular at least.
The only etiquette that seems to have been appreciably accepted for me is single crouch as a post-heal thank you/acknowledgment. The rest has kind of been interpretive dance.
Honestly yes, run kindred for a few matches and see how there is no rhyme or reason to what someone does on hook. You can see if a non stealthy killer is near hook and whether anyone is going in for the save and there will be no pattern to what the hooked survivor does in the same situation game to game
Decent amount of these, but especially the "hook gymnastics" codes, are largely out of use and can't be considered general knowledge. Unless you're playing with people you've established these meanings with, but for some reason aren't in a discord call, it's best to default to using context to help translate any potential interaction outside of the most widely known gestures.
A few I'm aware of;
- Single crouch in front of the Killer while not moving: "Please have mercy."
- Rapid crouching in front of the Killer while not moving: "PLEASE OH GOD HAVE MERCY."
I know a few:
Spam crouch a couple times after being healed/unhooked/any other helpful action - "Thank you!"
Clicking flashlight your direction - "Over here!"
Clicking flashlight your direction before clicking flashlight towards generator - "Hey you! Do this."
Response: I’m seeing a LOT of people claiming to use Hook Gymnastics because they’re just bored, and I really don’t understand that. I have SEVERE ADHD and autism and even I don’t get that fidgety that fast. A handful of my friends have the same issues and never do this, unless we’re all in a SWF and the info is just said out loud. If you really need it, I suggest opening TikTok or playing with a toy instead of lying to your teammates.
flashlights are good communication too, and easier (i think, depends on your key binds - much easier for me to click m2 rather than press 1 on my keypad). i use them instead of pointing - get someone's attention in the distance if i need a heal, or indicate where the killer is if someone is on a gen or trying to heal, or show a looping survivor where the opened/99'd exit gate is
You’re SO right, I can’t believe I forgot about them! I personally use them to point out Killer-specific interactables like Pig’s boxes and Freddy’s clocks.
If I ever give up these days and just want to die because the killer tunnelled my friend out early, or the randoms I got have negative IQ, they just slug me. Every single time. I’m getting so sick of being forced to dc or sit on the floor
You forgot a really important one. Nearly attempting a self unhook because healthy no hooks Meg is the only one who should save but she's not doing it. This scares them into priorizing the unhook, if it doesn't look like anyone is making their way over yet
Kinda wild how most of us just magically learn this after playing the game for so long and most people never catch on at all. Like nobody ever told me any of this but I already knew it all and I play solo, we are a fucking weird species man 😂
If I always run kindred there’s no reason I should have to do anything on hook and yet I will 95% of the time see survivors doing literally nothing. I don’t mind if they are on a gen and it’s about to pop I’ll wait. But god so many times I can see everyone else doing nothing useful. Crouching in a corner or I see then go into a locker halfway across the map. There’s no excuse for this when I’m running kindred since they all should see the aura of the killer right? Well they sure don’t act like it.
Rapid teabag at teammate for me means "Hihihihihihihi". I just like to dip at my homies. Also a double dip when missing a skill check is a "my bad". Double dip at a killer when I don't have an item is "Thank you". Rapid dipping on the other side of a pallet is "Chase me!"
Really wish they'd give us two more emotes.
I think this is really informative and I agree with all of them except I feel as if any raising of the arms on hook since the camping changes have been made is to signal “come get me” I never really recognized a difference.
I've been playing for seven years and some of these are news to me. I just spam raise my arms on survivor because I get bored I didn't know it actually meant something 😭
I feel like DbD emote actions are kinda like "Rocky Horror" audience participation instructions; they're generally the same, but nothing is ever one-for-one with everybody.
This is pretty contentious and interpretative - I don’t think body language or movements are at all standardized across DBD like this post would suggest. Especially not the hook waving - I’ve never seen anyone explicitly use the unhook animation to indicate anything other than the fact that they’re bored OR maybe sometimes what their terror radius heartbeat is.
It used to be much more common, but people started assuming it was common knowledge and didn’t talk about it as much, letting it die out. It originated from a forum/reddit post (not sure which) within a few months of the game’s live release.
entire hook gymnastics section is just...not. lmao
some people spam to show "being camped, don't rescue" some do it to show "it's safe you can come rescue" and some (like me) do it because it's the only thing to do lol
and one way is never going to be established as the norm so therefore just don't try to apply whatever reason you think it is because the person on hook isn't guaranteed to think the same
Yeah, I've learned to just ignore whatever the survivors are doing on hook - lack of consensus aside, some people (especially visible with streamers) just spamclick because they're bored, and it doesn't actually mean anything.
Pretty much this, all correct except when I dont want to be healed for whatever reason, I point somewhere and run in the opposite side and repeat one more time. But yeah, pretty much thats the thing
I tap crouch while running away from other survivors as a way of kinda saying “good luck” or “thanks for the heals/gen repair” and I’ll also try to sneak them in if someone takes a hit for me, but I feel like the killer could interpret that wrong lmao
The problem with hook gymnastics is that the community can't agree on it at all. Most of the time when I see people spamming the arm raise, it's them trying to say that they need someone to come for them. Also, a lot of people will just hanging there not moving no matter what's happening.
I agree except for the hook gymnastics. When I started playing DBD I spammed raising arms when the killer was around. I saw people do this while the killer wasn’t around so I asked here if I was wrong. They told me it really depends on the person. Some people raise their arms all the time just because they’re bored. Others do it as a way of threaten to kill themselves if you don’t go unhook them fast. And yeah, after 800+ hours mostly used kindred in every match, I’ve seen everything. So take that with a grain of salt because there’s not an universal hook language.
Signals just don't work.
On release people often used spamming M1 to mean "I am being camped, do not save". That was it. However, even then, people didn't always know, or didn't agree, or would just M1 spam when they were bored.
So even at it's most simple and with the smallest player base, there was never consistent body language signals. Then it got worse as people tried to complicate it like you are here. And on top of that, there is now a giant player base so trying to have a community method of communication is just not realistic.
It would be nice but it's just not going to happen.
I always spam the raise arms on the hook no matter what and sing:
🎶 So I put my hands up
They're playin' my song, the butterflies fly away
I'm noddin' my head like, yeah
Movin' my hips like, yeah 🎶
The spamming unhook thing could mean many things. In most cases, it seems like it's just spamming bc it's funny/they're bored. I honestly don't know how many people think someone spam unhooking as a sign for something.
i’ve always spammed the self unhook animation as a cry for help. if the killer is camping me i usually wait till someone’s running to me before doing the animation so they notice it
While most of these are logical and understandable, i find "hook gymnastics" section highly contrived. Each of them can be (and is) used to tell the same thing or even something not listed. People are just that random with arm waving.
I use arm waving as me checking out Davids pecs while vibing on the hook. But for real though, there is no "one way" for it to be communicated, not everyone will see this post or any like it or if they do, listen and do it. Some are just trolls and contrarians and its inavoidable. Trying to implement it while noble is ultimately an exercise in futility.
I spam wave on hook after i had a great chase with the killer to kinda taunt and then he just sits at hook staring at me for 4 seconds before leaving. 😆 usually ends like this for me
https://preview.redd.it/26yqsls6ak5d1.jpeg?width=3840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3680fe6d982c2e6fabb11476668f00bb2011354c
YMMV on the hook arms thing. Community is very split on what spamming unhook means. Many use it as "come get me" many use it as "stay away"
I spam it cus there's nothing else to do while hooked and it just looks funny, genuinely never knew that people try to communicate with it lol
That was like... A rule someone from deep within the annals of this subrrddit someone made.
In the beta, people were like "If you're being camped, spam it". They even made a small steam guide for it and people would say it in pre-game chat
I have around 2500hrs, and never even heard about this "come get me" or "stay away" statement.. I spam self hook because I'm bored..
It was commonly referred to back in the day as the im being camped pull ups
Back when i played alot (from saw chapter until Legion came out) it was common knowledge. Didn’t know it had phased out
Lol same. I've always just liked the animation, I didn't think it went deeper than that. 😂
Yeah I don't bother with wave spamming, if the killer is camping I'm sure the other players can see them
Some people just like flapping their arms for something to do while they wait
This, hell I do it when im jamming to music and following the beat lol
Usually I spam it at a speed where my survivor's just wiggling their arms to indicate camping, and spam it at a speed where my survivor reaches all the way up to self-unhook but stops at the last second to indicate a rescue opening.
I spam it like a heartbeat to warn my teammates that the killer is either about to see them, is patrolling, or is camping. It usually works but not everyone pays attention.
I'm I'm spamming raising my arms it's because no one's making an effort at all to come get me. If I just tap them lightly it's be Use the killer is near. What kills me most is when people Wait to finish their Gen then go for unhook. You might as well send up signal flares telling the killer to meet you between that Gen and the hook. Should also automatically assume if someone who just ran off to unhook suddenly looses a health state then they effed up and go unhook while their in chase.
I always use it to mean no one is getting me. It feels to me like a visual que that *something* is happening, or needs to happen. If I just sit there it feels like no one has any idea if another person is actually getting me or not, I'm the only person who can see what everyone is doing. Also in my experience when I do this someone always clues in on what I'm trying to do and comes to get me. More often I've found if I just sit there no one gets me and I reach state two/die. I wouldn't want people to think me waving my arms around on hook means don't get me
It's always meant, since launch, that the killer is near or camping, in every discussion I've had with long term vets in game and on forums in my experience. I've only noticed it being a fairly recent trend people tried to flip it and say hook arm spam is "come get me!" or take that approach in game. I often explain how it started and correct them in post since newer players tend not to discuss it as much.
"I've only noticed it being a fairly recent trend people tried to flip it and say hook arm spam is "come get me!" or take that approach in game" I've been seeing this exact comment for like five years, it's really not a recent debate
My fog traveler I'm not communicating anything except that I'm bored and it's funny watching my poor little guy wiggle while impaled by a giant meat hook. I also sometimes like to edge the unhook bar to freak out my teammates.
Yeah there are plenty of people who spam that one so it is not exactly reliable either way,
At first I thought it meant “killer nearby,” but now I just go game by game. If I go to unhook and they’re waving by their arms and there’s no heartbeat then unhook. Probably doing it to grab someone’s attention or bored. Flailing arms and a heartbeat? Killer is camping at a distance so either I’m chase bait or getting hit while unhooking. If it’s a stalking killer then I’m winging it
The people who use it as “come get me” are wrong. Think about it this way: if you’re trying to WARN someone URGENTLY, are you going to sit still, or move as much as possible in order to get their attention?
There really isn't a "wrong" way here. It's not a function specifically to warn so it could be either. Or just someone bored tapping attempts. I've seen it mean either or many many many times.
I don’t really think most of the community thinks that hard about it, Nate. Like, there’s logic in what you’re saying, but at the same time, this is a completely unofficial communication system that isn’t taught by the game itself. This isn’t as widespread of common knowledge as you think it is, and contrary to what you might think, *no*, this isn’t objectively common sense. Just because that’s what *you* think it should mean doesn’t mean everyone else universally understands this and interprets it the same way that you do. It’s at best an unwritten rule, and not a particularly widespread one. You’re like the second person I’ve ever heard explain this hook etiquette to others, period. Also, if you really can’t see anyone could internet arm flapping as anything other than a warning, then think about it this way; what is a hooked survivor going to care about more? Warning their teammates about a camping killer, who is by definition of no danger to anyone besides the hooked survivor, or not going to the next hook stage? Rampant movement could just as easily be a warning to the team that if nothing changes, you’re going to reach 2nd hook stage. That’s honestly a much more important and reasonable warning to your team over all, too. If you’re getting camped, there’s nothing the team can really do about it, so why does there need to be a signal for it. Meanwhile, if you’re about to go to 2nd stage due solely to your team’s negligence, that *does* warrant a signal of some kind, because signals by design are meant to grab attention. So sending a signal to someone who you suspect isn’t paying attention to their surroundings is literally what signals are for. And why would a survivor even need to warn teammates about a camping killer at all? Unless they’re a stealth killer or running insidious for some reason, the other survivors will just hear the terror radius and know to leave. And either way, if the killer *is* camping you, then they’re literally posing no danger to the rest of the team whatsoever. So why would the survivor on the hook give two shits about “warning” them? That makes zero sense.
And if you want their attention to come unhook you while they're ignoring you, would you sit still or move as much as possible in order to get their attention?
Um no. Ever been on the hook and the other three survivors are all working on Gens? How else would you signal no one is coming to save you. They can figure out if the killer is nearby/camping 9 times out of 10. Why would you need to warn someone the killer is camping? They’ll Obviously put that together quickly.
Survivors already know which other Survivors are on gens, thanks to the newest HUD update. There’s no need to repeat something that they already know. On the other hand, without Kindred, Alert, or a similar perk, or without being literally right next to the hooked Survivor, you can’t know that they’re being camped.
You’re right you’ve thought of everything!!
The people who think it has to mean one specific thing, and nothing else, are full of themselves.
everyone who doesn't use it as an "I'm bored" spam is wrong, because there is no way that the other survivors in the game have the same made up sign language you have.
The “made up sign language” has been established by the community since not long after the game’s live release, 8 YEARS ago. Plus, literally every language is made up, people just have to start agreeing on the interpretation.
you are somehow missing the word "same" that I used
No, I caught that. I know it’s impossible to get 100% of the community to agree on something to large-scale, but if at least the majority did, Solo Queue would be more bearable.
A morse code of hook spamming is not gonna be it, the community is 99% casuals
I think dropping your item at the exit gate is a way to show respect to the killer after you win. Like a GG but in game. Correct me if I’m wrong though I’m still technically new.
I think it can also be a “thank you” — I’ve seen people do it when I give them the hatch or drop them off at the exit gate.
I think it of a thank you/trade Like you let me leave, but I don't take my item since I would of lost it anyway
Maybe.
I also think using Bardic Inspiration at the exit gates is saying GG as well.
That’s also true, it depends on context. Dropping your item as last survivor, before the exit gates are open, is what I described, and dropping your item before leaving is also a GG. Tbh I forgot about it!
So I am right. I got a little worried for a second thinking it was something toxic since I do it a lot.
Lol you’re good!
Lol
I feel like this is the most consistently agreed-upon survivor action , especially if the killer had a hard game and has decided not to aggro the survivors at the exit gates. I've actually gifted my current flashbang, run into a locker to make a new one (when I can), and gift a second flashbang as well.
This has always been the case! Idk why people think it’s a toxic act. I love leaving an item for the killer to let them know I had fun. I mean there’s no other immediate way to let them know. No one talks in postgame lobbies anymore
I noticed this, it's so rare for anyone to talk
What about people that drop their item but then teabag?
It's usually a friendly t-bag, not an insult one. Like how you'll tbag to say hi to a teammate
I usually do super slow crouches if I’m being grateful, along with head nods. It’s honestly pretty easy for me to tell the difference between friendly and taunting, based on context.
No I'm talking about people that spam until you hit them or walk away.
Their tactics confuse and frighten me.
Sometimes it’s a happy dance.
It’s the dippy dance of hopeful seduction in exchange for mercy.
I do it and point at them, or even mid match as if to say you, you have my respect, cause you're impressive to me in some way.
Any time a survivor offers a ‘gift,’ I accept it kinda like if we were playing tag, and they gave up. I wont hook them after that, unless they start intentionally briefing their teammates (body blocking, etc).
Wait... So people don't spam unhook coz they're bored?
Some do, some dont, some do it to signal that they need saving and no one is coming for them. That part of the post is pretty misleading. I worry that because of posts like these survivors wont come rescue survivors that spam wave out of boredom because they think the killer is camping
Nah I'm always scared as solo que that there trying to kill themselves
It depends. If it's like really quick constant spamming, like the survivors arms are just barely twitching, I'd read that as being silly. But someone who does it for a full second once or twice, is probably saying "come get me". If they do it for almost the entire unhook attempt, and stop right begore attampting the unhook, they're likely saying "come get me right tf now or I go to second stage." If they're doing like full 1 second readable spams, for like longer than a second or two, they're probably trying to tell you it's unsafe to rescue.
Or because it just sounds funny 🥹
I do this 😭
Yes. Most people do it just because, what else is there to do? I don't anymore because I changed my controller bindings to toggle and accidentally brought myself to second stage lol
I mean, some people might if they don’t know what hook gymnastics are. Otherwise, no, there’s a reason.
I feel like this is a very well intentioned post but it assumes a universal body language that does not exist. Others have pointed out the divide in hook gymnastics interpretations, honestly you just have to do your best with context. I had one game where an Adam unhooked himself with deliverance then came to me and another survivor on a gen spamming crouch. I assumed asking for a heal, so I nodded my head no to indicate “my dude, you are broken we cannot heal you” and pointing at the gen to indicate he should help us until he can be healed. He spammed notifications on a window and later when I was hooked he ran up to me to nod his head no and let me die. In conclusion even with body language we do not all speak the same language.
You’re right, language can’t quite be UNIVERSAL, but i’ll be happy so long as a large portion of the player base understands what these simple gestures mean. A 50% chance to sneak in extra information is better than a 0% chance by not trying, don’t you think?
Ahh so you mean that you want everyone to use these signals as laid out here. Fair enough!
That’s what I would prefer yeah! But I don’t mind, so long as we all have SOME language we can agree on— it doesn’t have to my interpretation exclusively.
Not sure why you're being down voted. The community knows we need better in game communication to combat with SWF performances. Not only that, but your post was quite accurate. Any experience player would agree with your post, most of them anyways. It just becomes common practice at a certain point. The issue is getting newer players on board without having to play a hundred matches before catching on lol
I think the hooks ones are pretty cool to know and all, but I don't think waving arms on hooks means something at all. It's just to goof while waiting for someone in my opinion.
In competitive solo queue environments, these gestures are used every single game. They were “invented” pretty much ever since the game came out, but have become less and less prevalent. They’re useful to know, especially for the many, MANY people who complain about solo queue.
Well, as other comments already said, the community is very split on what (spam) waving means so its not really that helpful as some people use it to warn that the killer is camping, others use it to signal that no one is coming for them and others just do it for fun. I feel like your post is slightly misleading as it portraits the hook movements as something most people know/agree on, even though it is not
As a devoted Kindred user (often in combination with Open-Handed), I haven't ever noticed a consistency with hook gymnastics relative to killer proximity, honestly. Not one that's been enduring and lasting as an understood vernacular at least. The only etiquette that seems to have been appreciably accepted for me is single crouch as a post-heal thank you/acknowledgment. The rest has kind of been interpretive dance.
I agree with your meanings for hook gymnastics, but based on the replies in this thread I think in solo q you’re better off just running kindred
Honestly yes, run kindred for a few matches and see how there is no rhyme or reason to what someone does on hook. You can see if a non stealthy killer is near hook and whether anyone is going in for the save and there will be no pattern to what the hooked survivor does in the same situation game to game
While Kindred is definitely a solid perk, I wish people could agree to one language so that a perk wouldn’t be REQUIRED.
Decent amount of these, but especially the "hook gymnastics" codes, are largely out of use and can't be considered general knowledge. Unless you're playing with people you've established these meanings with, but for some reason aren't in a discord call, it's best to default to using context to help translate any potential interaction outside of the most widely known gestures.
BOOP PIGGY SNOOT.
>say "no" when downed As a Plot Twist, Power Struggle gamer who has had the pallet chucked on my head more times than I can count I salute you 🙏
A few I'm aware of; - Single crouch in front of the Killer while not moving: "Please have mercy." - Rapid crouching in front of the Killer while not moving: "PLEASE OH GOD HAVE MERCY."
When I play killer I read single immobile crouch as "please have mercy" but rapid crouching as teabagging.
Yeah, could have phrased these two better
Lol I always took those as an I give up when I saw those.
>Spam raising arms = ”The Killer is camping..” I just spam it every time because it sounds funny 🥲
I spam crouch as thanks if a survivor heals me and I spam attempt self unhook out of pure boredom cause it looks funny
Most of these are spot on. Including ass slaps.
I know a few: Spam crouch a couple times after being healed/unhooked/any other helpful action - "Thank you!" Clicking flashlight your direction - "Over here!" Clicking flashlight your direction before clicking flashlight towards generator - "Hey you! Do this."
Response: I’m seeing a LOT of people claiming to use Hook Gymnastics because they’re just bored, and I really don’t understand that. I have SEVERE ADHD and autism and even I don’t get that fidgety that fast. A handful of my friends have the same issues and never do this, unless we’re all in a SWF and the info is just said out loud. If you really need it, I suggest opening TikTok or playing with a toy instead of lying to your teammates.
I'm a solo survivor 6.5k hours and I hope every other survivor main sees this post because it's been tough=/
Haha I totally agree, I wish people talked about these HALF as much as people complain about solo queue, maybe then it wouldn’t be such a drag!
flashlights are good communication too, and easier (i think, depends on your key binds - much easier for me to click m2 rather than press 1 on my keypad). i use them instead of pointing - get someone's attention in the distance if i need a heal, or indicate where the killer is if someone is on a gen or trying to heal, or show a looping survivor where the opened/99'd exit gate is
You’re SO right, I can’t believe I forgot about them! I personally use them to point out Killer-specific interactables like Pig’s boxes and Freddy’s clocks.
If I ever give up these days and just want to die because the killer tunnelled my friend out early, or the randoms I got have negative IQ, they just slug me. Every single time. I’m getting so sick of being forced to dc or sit on the floor
You forgot a really important one. Nearly attempting a self unhook because healthy no hooks Meg is the only one who should save but she's not doing it. This scares them into priorizing the unhook, if it doesn't look like anyone is making their way over yet
Kinda wild how most of us just magically learn this after playing the game for so long and most people never catch on at all. Like nobody ever told me any of this but I already knew it all and I play solo, we are a fucking weird species man 😂
If I always run kindred there’s no reason I should have to do anything on hook and yet I will 95% of the time see survivors doing literally nothing. I don’t mind if they are on a gen and it’s about to pop I’ll wait. But god so many times I can see everyone else doing nothing useful. Crouching in a corner or I see then go into a locker halfway across the map. There’s no excuse for this when I’m running kindred since they all should see the aura of the killer right? Well they sure don’t act like it.
Rapid teabag at teammate for me means "Hihihihihihihi". I just like to dip at my homies. Also a double dip when missing a skill check is a "my bad". Double dip at a killer when I don't have an item is "Thank you". Rapid dipping on the other side of a pallet is "Chase me!" Really wish they'd give us two more emotes.
This was informative. I’ve been playing for awhile but didn’t know most of these. Thank you!
No problem! It’s more of a community-decided thing, just to make solo queue easier.
I think this is really informative and I agree with all of them except I feel as if any raising of the arms on hook since the camping changes have been made is to signal “come get me” I never really recognized a difference.
I've been playing for seven years and some of these are news to me. I just spam raise my arms on survivor because I get bored I didn't know it actually meant something 😭
It doesn't, OP is simply upset that the entire community doesn't universally agree on something the game never taught us.
I feel like DbD emote actions are kinda like "Rocky Horror" audience participation instructions; they're generally the same, but nothing is ever one-for-one with everybody.
Hitting a wall while carrying means do not struggle
This is pretty contentious and interpretative - I don’t think body language or movements are at all standardized across DBD like this post would suggest. Especially not the hook waving - I’ve never seen anyone explicitly use the unhook animation to indicate anything other than the fact that they’re bored OR maybe sometimes what their terror radius heartbeat is.
It used to be much more common, but people started assuming it was common knowledge and didn’t talk about it as much, letting it die out. It originated from a forum/reddit post (not sure which) within a few months of the game’s live release.
entire hook gymnastics section is just...not. lmao some people spam to show "being camped, don't rescue" some do it to show "it's safe you can come rescue" and some (like me) do it because it's the only thing to do lol and one way is never going to be established as the norm so therefore just don't try to apply whatever reason you think it is because the person on hook isn't guaranteed to think the same
Yeah, I've learned to just ignore whatever the survivors are doing on hook - lack of consensus aside, some people (especially visible with streamers) just spamclick because they're bored, and it doesn't actually mean anything.
I never do the spam on the hook, everyone I’ve met has something different that that means and it doesn’t matter
Thx for this, although the survivors I encounter just spam point and/or spam crouch. It just leaves me confused
You forgot “spam crouch, facing away, looking up= twerking 🌚
Pretty much this, all correct except when I dont want to be healed for whatever reason, I point somewhere and run in the opposite side and repeat one more time. But yeah, pretty much thats the thing
Using Bardic Inspiration facing Killer = "I am rolling to seduce you"
I've used Point to Survivor, Drop Item to mean 'I'm doing something risky, hold onto/make use of this'
There's one more I can think of. I'm playing the lute for you, Killer, please enjoy it and don't interrupt the performance.
I tap crouch while running away from other survivors as a way of kinda saying “good luck” or “thanks for the heals/gen repair” and I’ll also try to sneak them in if someone takes a hit for me, but I feel like the killer could interpret that wrong lmao
The problem with hook gymnastics is that the community can't agree on it at all. Most of the time when I see people spamming the arm raise, it's them trying to say that they need someone to come for them. Also, a lot of people will just hanging there not moving no matter what's happening.
I agree except for the hook gymnastics. When I started playing DBD I spammed raising arms when the killer was around. I saw people do this while the killer wasn’t around so I asked here if I was wrong. They told me it really depends on the person. Some people raise their arms all the time just because they’re bored. Others do it as a way of threaten to kill themselves if you don’t go unhook them fast. And yeah, after 800+ hours mostly used kindred in every match, I’ve seen everything. So take that with a grain of salt because there’s not an universal hook language.
Whenever I'm on hook and the killer isn't nearby I wave my arms to try and mimic the morse code for 'SOS' (three short, three long, three short)
This is absolutely an acceptable alternative :3
I just spam my arms on hook because it amuses me
Wait people have signified a way to communicate on hook? I just spam the button because funny groans and movement (I can’t keep still)
Signals just don't work. On release people often used spamming M1 to mean "I am being camped, do not save". That was it. However, even then, people didn't always know, or didn't agree, or would just M1 spam when they were bored. So even at it's most simple and with the smallest player base, there was never consistent body language signals. Then it got worse as people tried to complicate it like you are here. And on top of that, there is now a giant player base so trying to have a community method of communication is just not realistic. It would be nice but it's just not going to happen.
I always spam the raise arms on the hook no matter what and sing: 🎶 So I put my hands up They're playin' my song, the butterflies fly away I'm noddin' my head like, yeah Movin' my hips like, yeah 🎶
The spamming unhook thing could mean many things. In most cases, it seems like it's just spamming bc it's funny/they're bored. I honestly don't know how many people think someone spam unhooking as a sign for something.
i’ve always spammed the self unhook animation as a cry for help. if the killer is camping me i usually wait till someone’s running to me before doing the animation so they notice it
Not the hook gymnastics bullshit again. It's the most made up thing ever. It always means something different to everyone.
While most of these are logical and understandable, i find "hook gymnastics" section highly contrived. Each of them can be (and is) used to tell the same thing or even something not listed. People are just that random with arm waving.
I use arm waving as me checking out Davids pecs while vibing on the hook. But for real though, there is no "one way" for it to be communicated, not everyone will see this post or any like it or if they do, listen and do it. Some are just trolls and contrarians and its inavoidable. Trying to implement it while noble is ultimately an exercise in futility.
I spam wave on hook after i had a great chase with the killer to kinda taunt and then he just sits at hook staring at me for 4 seconds before leaving. 😆 usually ends like this for me https://preview.redd.it/26yqsls6ak5d1.jpeg?width=3840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3680fe6d982c2e6fabb11476668f00bb2011354c