Personally, I think its preference and QW is all about feeding into preferences. It's not like CS where you can't even use a different video mode without people crying hax. I think that toggle-able with default off would be perfectly acceptable. If a certain subsect of players want to play with hitsounds, why should you prevent them? Not everyones trying to win NQR or whatever here. Some of us just want to have some fun with friends.
As for the actual implentation, its as easy as editing T_Damage in combat.qc. I've done it before in FBCA's source on request from some friends.
if (targ != attacker) {
msg_entity = attacker;
if (targ.health >= 100)
stuffcmd("play hit25.wav\n"
;
else if (targ.health >=75)
stuffcmd("play hit25.wav\n"
;
else if (targ.health >=50)
stuffcmd("play hit75.wav\n"
;
else
stuffcmd("play hit100.wav\n"
;
}
This plays sound based on how much HP they have left. It's obviously cheaty and lowers the skill, and I'd hate to see that used in competition, but if thats how my friends (or I) want to play when we're messing around with each other or bots, then let us.
I don't think anything that lowers the required skill should be enabled by default in KTX/Quake in general, but this huge skillgap+learning curve is why so many people won't play quake. Most of my CS team doesn't even bother playing me 1on1 because I'd destroy them. I don't bother playing 1on1 against the real pros because they'd destroy me.
With this same reasoning, I'm also in favor of a teamplay hud, seperated deathmsgs, match timers, etc. All optional/default off, but all availabel for those that are playing with people that arn't seriously competing.