First-person shooters (FPS) are games where the player controls an avatar that moves through a virtual environment presented from the perspective of the avatar. The object of the game may be eliminating other players, capturing an objective like a flag, or controlling strategically important locations. Games are fast-paced and the learning process is Darwinian. Several core concepts can help you go from dumbfounded to dangerous in the shortest possible time.
Learn the game controls
It’s crucial to learn your game controls so well that using them is second nature. If you encounter an in-game situation and have to think before activating appropriate controls you haven’t mastered them yet. Use any tutorial modes as often as necessary till control use is instinctive and automatic. Your controller should be an extension of your will.
As an analogy consider typing on a computer. Hunt-and-peck typing is slow and inefficient. Mastery of the keyboard allows touch typing so your thoughts become words on the screen without you having to consciously think about keystrokes. Learn your controller so you can play the game more like a touch typist.
Know the terrain
The best video games have large, expansive play areas that allow amazing freedom of movement. Despite that they have finite boundaries and each game has only a finite number of play areas. Game developers create the play areas to include more than eye candy. They are designed to offer locations of tactical importance within the game.
Learn every map intimately. Find locations offering good cover and concealment. Learn how to reach and capture high ground. Find any hidden paths and discover how to access hard-to-reach places. Learn to navigate the play area from the first-person view without needing to resort to map screens.
Either be hidden or in motion
Stationary, exposed targets are easily hit and allow players to rack up stats quickly. Don’t be the player who buffs up other players’ stats. Only stop moving if you are out of enemy sight where you cannot easily be attacked. Position your avatar with a clear view of approaches to your hiding place – other players may know about it.
Keep moving when you leave your hidden location. Moving targets are hard to hit. Sprinting and jumping can be an effective way to avoid taking damage. It forces enemies to predict your movement in two dimensions instead of one.
Learn your weapons
Some games let you carry many weapons at once. Others allow one or two out of a wide selection. You must learn which weapons fit your play style and understand their characteristics. A sniper rifle may be accurate and cause high damage, but fire slowly and take a long time to reload. That may work well for you if your play style is hanging back and shooting from hiding. If you like getting in close quarter battle (CQB) a different choice will work better.
Learn the different weapons’ damage output, range, ammunition capacity, reload speed, rate of fire, effects on your mobility, and other game-affecting factors.
Know your objective
Each game has specific victory conditions. Keep them firmly in mind and seek to accomplish them above all other goals. If you’re playing a capture-the-flag mission the game is won any lost by moving an objective. High kill counts are neat but they don’t move the flag. You’ll feel silly if you dominate the battlefield but still lose the game.
Practice
Frequent practice is fun and improves your game. Start out by playing with a focus on fundamentals rather than wins or stats. You’ll be a terror of the battlefield in no time.
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