Frag is a computer and video game term originating from the word fragging, a term indicating to kill an unpopular superior officer with a fragmentation grenade. A frag is roughly equivalent to "kill", with the typical main difference that the player being "fragged" can instantly respawn (play again) in most games , i.e. the "kill" is only temporary. In games it is mainly used as a kill count and score system. The term is used in various first-person shooter

First-person shooter

First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...

 (FPS) modes, e.g. deathmatch

Deathmatch (gaming)

Deathmatch or Player vs All is a widely-used gameplay mode integrated into many shooter and real-time strategy computer games...

 and games, e.g. Quake III Arena

Quake III Arena

Quake III Arena , is a multiplayer first-person shooter video game released on December 2, 1999. The game was developed by id Software and featured music composed by Sonic Mayhem and Front Line Assembly...

. The usage is different in different games, modes and implementations. This article describes the most common uses.

General

A player will die when the health value reaches equal to or less than 0. If the value is reduced to a very low negative value, the result may be gibbing depending upon the game—which counts as a normal frag in regard to the score system.

In this context the term "frag" is used to replace "kill" as these terms are final, whereas first person shooters usually allow respawning (instant or almost instant resurrection).

Telefrag

A telefrag is a frag involving teleporters, when one entity teleports into space already occupied by another. This can also occur when one player respawns in the same location as another player. Many computer games cannot handle two characters being in the same place. Those games handle this by destroying the player who initially occupied the spot, leaving place for the player teleporting in. The character who teleported in is said to have telefragged the other.

The first first-person shooter game to display telefragging was Doom, though the phenomenon predates the fragging video game term as it was found already in the 1985 arcade game Gauntlet

Gauntlet (arcade game)

Gauntlet is a fantasy-themed hack and slash 1985 arcade game by Atari Games. It is noted as the first class-based multiplayer game. Released during the emergence of popularity of other role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, the game was a sensation, being one of the first true dungeon crawl...

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Generally, a teleporter's endpoint is not visible from the entrance. This makes telefragging a matter of chance in many games. In such games, being telefragged is often seen as annoying. Some games have incorporated telefragging as a conscious gameplay element, however. Unreal Tournament

Unreal Tournament

Unreal Tournament is a futuristic first-person shooter video game co-developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes. It was published in 1999 by GT Interactive. Retrospectively, the game has also been referred to as UT99 or UT Classic to differentiate it from its numbered sequels...

 (and its sequels) allows players to use portable teleportation device (known in-game as a "translocator") to frag an enemy player by creating a teleport exit underneath the target player, and then teleporting over him. However, if a player attempts to teleport to his or her teleportation device after it has been destroyed, the player who destroyed it is credited with a telefrag.

Etymology

The origin of this term may be related to the military definition, and was first popularized by the game Doom. It is also believed to be an abbreviation of "fragmentation" in reference to the "gibbing" of players killed by explosions.

The word "frag" can also refer to a fragmentation grenade

Fragmentation grenade

A fragmentation grenade is an anti-personnel weapon that is designed to disperse shrapnel upon exploding. The body is made of hard plastic or steel. Flechettes, notched wire, ball bearings or the case itself provide the fragments...

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