<Disclaimer> After the following discussion, I no longer believe that disabling headshots is the best solution to this problem. I don't have a firm opinion on what the best solution is, but this isn't it. The discussion does illuminate some very interesting an potentially valuable solutions, however, so I encourage people to read through.Over the past few weeks there has been a rapid proliferation of the so-called Aim Lock. One only need do a simple search online now to gain access to the tool, which helps players snap their aim to other players' heads easily. The spread of this tool stands to completely alter the gameplay balance of VC:MP, and as I'm sure most of you can testify, is already having discernible effects ingame. New and old players alike will not wish to play a game wherein some players have god-like abilities to inflict instant kills.
With the VC:MP devs AWOL, it is now up to server owners to try and combat the effects of this tool before it does too much damage to the size of the playerbase. I therefore suggest that all server owners disable headshots as soon as possible. I'm unaware of the feasibility of this, but in a previous topic Krys suggested that it would be possible:
To disable headshots you can give immunity from headshots (critical hits?) to all players.
Edit with counter-arguments:
Argument 1: Learn to beat aimlockers.
Counter-argument: This isn't just about experienced players, it's about newbies who can't beat them and will leave. They make up the majority of the VC:MP playerbase and we rely on them for the mod to be sustainable. If they leave, we're fucked.
Argument 2: Just find the hackers and ban them.
Counter-argument: Aimlock is very hard to detect and prove. Creating a staff team that can do so reliably would be essentially impossible.
Argument 3: Long-rangers would lose interest in the game and leave.
Counter-argument: Long-rangers were interested before headshots were possible in VC:MP, they will adapt. If a few of them leave, this is not a high price to pay versus the alternative of many more newbies leaving as soon as they join the game and can't score kills.
Argument 4: There needs to be a better solution.
Counter-argument: Until someone suggests one, this is all we have.