no this isn't a major gameplay mechanic, it is a majorly overlooked addition that dumbs down gameplay and doesn't fit at all into killing floor.
The fact that we're having such long discussions about it proves it's a major mechanic.
But even if it wasn't, what's this about the "dumbs down gameplay"? Is this another "it seems like a console feature, so therefore it's dumb" argument?
Is it "dumbing down" because you autolock onto a clot's head and are thus one click away from killing it? Congratulations, you killed a clot, the easiest specimen to kill in the game. Now, while you were getting your dumbed down kill, the fleshpound that he took your attention away from wants a friendly hug.
If were going to keep this silly camera movement, might as well throw in some key mashing to possibly escape Han's heal grip, or perhaps some timed mouse clicking when a siren screams o you can cover your ears. Why don't we give every specimen a disorienting camera movement? **** we might as well be playing the walking dead.
No one's suggested that, so you're shooting at strawmen.
On top of that, both of the enemies in your example do have abilities that disrupt the player's user interface.
do you still not see how silly this is?
I frankly don't. I'm starting to believe you're against this simply because #PCmasterrace and since it resembles a console feature, you automatically write it off as bad without thinking about it's implications.
But let's ignore that for now.
If it was designed as a gameplay mechanic, more zeds would have something similar,
The bloat, husk, bloat, siren, and Hans all have abilities that disrupt the player's user interface, impair their ability to make informed decisions, and make it harder for them to carry out whatever their original task was.
there is one thing for zeds to have a unique ability, but the clot is the only zed that has this dumbed down casual shooter camera movement,
Again with the "dumbed down casual" comment. I still fail to see how it's dumbed down.
Is it because you lock onto the clot's head, enabling an easy kill? In retort, I say, congratulation, you killed the lowly clot. Now deal with your buddy who just died because your medic darts were delayed.
which not only makes it a bigger joke,
In fact, if the clot were sentient and could express itself, I'd bet his thoughts would be "Hah, the joke's on you. You may have shot me in the face, but now Big Brother Scrake would like to have a word with you face to face."
but takes away the whole point of the clot.
The whole point of the clot is to be an easy killable, ubiquitous specimen that had serious impact if you ignored it.
In the first game, it was only really a problem if everything had already gone to hell, and a clot caught you while you were retreating. In most other circumstances, you could ignore his feeble scratching while you sniped a scrake's head off or nuked a fleshpound to pieces with your M32. Your only punishment for letting a clot near you was losing a negligible amount of HP and/or armor.
But now? The clot is so much more dangerous. Forcing you to kill him (again, congratulations, you killed a clot, have another dozen) delays you that much longer in whatever your original task was. Your medic dart might be a second too late. Your grenades might have to be thrown just a few meters too close. Your pulverizer alt-fire will need to be swung again because you were disrupted midswing. The reload on your AA12 is a few seconds longer because you had to brain the clot.
What really baffles me is how many people are so quick to discount any changes made that would benefit the game. Its as if people forget this is EARLY ACCESS, and that TWI intends for most of the game to remain static as is. I can't believe the amount of inexperienced players who think this makes the clot more threatening, increase trash zed spawn count or play on a harder difficulty if you want a challenge, don't try to dumb down the game in the process.
What baffles me is your obssession with the dumbed down console angle. For your apparent disdain for consoles, you seem to like to mention it a lot. But I'm not here to examine your possible motives.
Several people have explained why it makes the clot more threatening, yet your only reponse is nyah nyah nyah dumbeddownconsoles nyah nyah nyah.