A noob's guide to first-person shooters

For the uninitiated, first-person shooters (FPS) are games that play in the first person perspective, normally with some kind of projectile weapon, whether it’s a gun or some weird portal-making doohickey. It adds an eerie sense of realism and unparalleled engagement because the game environment is viewed totally through what would be the players’ actual perspective if they existed within the game.

FPS as a genre isn’t exactly new. It’s been around since the 70’s. In fact, the first documented FPS were Maze War, a maze game, and Spasim, an abbreviation of Space Simulation. Popularity never really picked up until the world was introduced to the grand daddy of them all in the 90’s, Wolfenstein 3D, which was also the first FPS I ever played. I’ve been hooked ever since.

With the almost supernatural popularity explosion of FPS in recent years, it has evolved into a global phenomenon. In fact, the recent Call of Duty: Black Ops broke all kinds of sales records. On its release date, it raked in $360 million from North America and the UK alone! In its first five days, it brought in $650 million and only after 42 days from its release, it has amassed $1 billion. If you think about it, that’s a ridiculous amount of money. Source: http://bit.ly/hFKnFQ

It can be said, with almost complete certainty, that this genre became a powerhouse thanks largely to the multiplayer mode. Any FPS worth its salt absolutely must come with a good multiplayer mode. This is how great titles like Halo and Call of Duty earned their place in society. They are the Facebook of gaming.

Because of these universally large numbers, it can be assumed that everyone and their grandmother play or have played an FPS before (If you don’t, you’re probably some kind of anti-mainstream hipster and we don’t like you). And because of that, I’ve decided to come up with universal tips to get better at any FPS. Most of these apply to most games, but of course, each game has its own unique dynamic. It’s up to you to choose which ones work for you.

Learn the maps

The most basic thing about warfare is to learn your enemy and the battlefield. The important things to find out are:

-          Team spawn points

-          Major choke points

-          Sniping positions

-          Hidden passages

-          The areas with highest and lowest foot traffic

-          Item locations

-          Possible camping positions

Sun Tzu quote: Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.

Control the map

Now that you know the map, you’re going to have to control it. Make sure you have a degree of control of major choke points and item spawn locations. Defend them, they’ll be your greatest asset. Avoid high traffic areas, and be careful when entering camping positions. Defend and utilize sniping positions; otherwise, the opposing team will and you’ll all be sitting ducks.

Sun Tzu quote: Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

Know where your team mates are

Unless you’re hacking or you’ve got satellite support/UAVs/spy planes up, you don’t generally know where your opponents are. Knowing where they are means knowing where to strike and how to defend. This is why enemy position information is so vital. You can get a general idea of where they are by knowing where your team is.

Each member of your team is likely engaging an enemy or on their way to do so. When you’re aware of where they are, it’s likely that the enemy is where they are not. Engagements usually end in one player fragging another, and these are noisy. Most of the time, you’re searching for someone to shoot and so is your enemy. Given that, they’re likely where your team is not yet present. When your team is engaged, you’ll know where to run.

Knowing where you have protection and knowing if anyone’s got your back are important things, too.

Sun Tzu quote: Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.

Don’t run around like a chicken with your head cut off

This is the opposite of camping, but this isn’t running and gunning either. Run-and-gunners adapt certain paths and routes. Idiots just like running out into the open, in the hopes that they find someone to shoot at. Do not do that.

Chances are, your opponent is aware of the wide-open areas, passage ways and routes. They’ve got eyes on them constantly. You will get shot down if you keep running around. When you do move, plan your path carefully. That way, you make yourself less of a target.

Sun Tzu quote: Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.

Don’t feed

Most FPS games have a reward system for getting consecutive kills without dying. When you’re a noob and you’re just getting killed left and right, remember that you’re practically feeding the enemy’s kill streak.

Rewards range from simple spying tools, ammo resupplies, shields, health restoration to game-winning kill-everything-in-sight explosions. Stop giving these to your enemy. Make them work for it.

If you find yourself not being able to fight back for whatever reason (lag, sucking), then it might be better to adopt a defensive play style. Stop where you spawn and instead of actively searching for enemies, have them come to you.

Sun Tzu quote: He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.  

Choose a class/weapon that fit your play style or vice versa

Some games are class-based (Team Fortress) and some are weapons-based (Counter-Strike). It is imperative that you learn the strengths and weaknesses of each weapon or class. You just absolutely have to. Once you get the hang of your chosen weapon or class, make sure that your play style suits it. Sniper rifles are for long distance engagements, SMGs are for running and gunning, heavy machine guns are for laying down a bunch of rounds, so on and so forth.

Another advantage to learning how the weapons and classes play out is the ability to predict how the enemy will utilize their own weapons and classes. You’ll know the weaknesses of each weapon, right? Use that knowledge.

Sun Tzu quote: Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.

During objective games, perform the objective

Different first-person shooters have different game types. Of course, there’s going to be the ever-popular, ever-classic Deathmatch, in which the main objective is to kill as many enemies and avoid getting killed; in other words, building up one’s kill-death ratio.

However, there are other game types – demolition, search and destroy, domination, capture the flag and a bunch of others. You have to remember that when you’re playing one of those objective-based game types, you have to perform tasks that are aimed toward the objective. Do not make stacking up your KD ratio your main priority, just because a good KD ratio looks good.

See? These guys have the right idea.

In demolition, demolish. In search and destroy, search and destroy. In domination, capture checkpoints. In capture the flag, well… capture the flag.

Sun Tzu quote: The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.

Take cover

Simple enough to remember, right? When moving around in a map, make sure something’s in between you and a hail of bullets. Defense wins the game. You can’t shoot when you’re dead.

Sun Tzu quote: The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

Hope these tips help! Catch you guys online!