If you really want to compete in games, stick with wired controllers. Wireless controllers are convenient, but they are prone to lagging, which is delay between an input on a controller and the corresponding action in the game. If you’re a PC gamer, you can plug in a standard Xbox or PS4 controller into your USB port and use it as a gamepad for most games getting published today. This is a major disadvantage in first-person shooters though, since the mouse and keyboard will be more accurate.
A good headset can really improve single player games as well, since you’ll have an easier time figuring out where sounds are coming from.
There is a lot of love in the gaming community for mechanical keyboards, which use physical switches under each key to trigger a command (as opposed to a digital output). They tend to be more responsive according to some gaming enthusiasts. DPI is short for dots per inch. It is a measurement used to indicate how responsive and accurate your mouse is. Look for a mouse capable of 400-1600 DPI to give yourself a ton of options when it comes to your personal settings.
Unlike gaming consoles, like the Xbox and PS4, you can upgrade individual components in your computer. Even if you aren’t comfortable doing it yourself, you can take your PC to a computer repair company and pay someone a small fee to do it for you. Apple computers are rarely used for serious gaming. They don’t have as many customizable components as a PC and most game publishers don’t make games that are compatible with Apple computers.
Stay away from “smurfing” in competitive games to actually improve. Smurfing is the act of starting a new account or changing your game mode to get matched against less-experienced players. While it may be fun to stomp on unassuming newcomers, it’s not really a great way to get better at the game. If your game has an elo or ranked system, track your progress to see if you’re ranking up over longer periods of time.
While it depends a little on what kind of game you’re playing, you should play no more than 3-4 hours a day to preserve your eyes, wrist, and ensure that you aren’t sedentary for too long. Calmer games, like turn-based RPGs and puzzle games, can probably be played a little longer. Physically-intensive games, like first-person shooters and horror games, will require slightly longer breaks and shorter gaming sessions. Video game addiction is a serious problem. If you find yourself struggling to put the game down, talk to your parents or a close friend and look into seeing a therapist to help you cope with your issues.
Xbox One and PS4 both have notification systems. These can be shut off from the home screen under the “settings” or “account” tab. You can normally shut off the soundtrack in single and multiplayer games to focus more on the gameplay.
If you’re trying to master fighter games, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and Soulcalibur are important titles to have experience with. If your goal is to master real-time strategy games, Age of Empires 2, Warhammer, Starcraft, and Company of Heroes are key games to play. If you’re trying to master MMOs, Guild Wars, World of Warcraft, and Eve Online are helpful games to understand the genre. If you’re trying to get better at arena shooters, Apex Legends, Overwatch, and Player-Unknown Battlegrounds are essential titles to be familiar with.
Learning from players that are better than you is a great way to improve. Keep an open mind when they offer suggestions and try to implement the skills and tips that they teach you.
In single player games, cheating or using exploits just robs you of gameplay and ruins the game’s intended experience.
There are tons of gaming communities that use https://www. reddit. com/ as a way to pool information and resources. For example, if you want to master Counter-Strike, visit https://www. reddit. com/r/GlobalOffensive/. If you want to master Mortal Kombat, visit https://www. reddit. com/r/MortalKombat/. There’s a forum for almost every game on the site. It’s also worth looking at Youtube tutorials to see where you’re different from the top players. This can point out areas for improvement, but also where you’re the better player!
On an Xbox One, simply double-tap the Xbox button in the middle of the controller to automatically record video and save it to your console. If you have a PS4, press the “Share” button on the PS4 controller. Set the recording length and play your game. You can also prompt a recording in the middle of a game by pressing the share button twice like you’re double-clicking on a mouse. If you have an updated version of Windows 10, you can record a video by pressing the Windows key and G at the same time.
Look for pro players with a lower viewer count to make it more likely that they see your questions in the chat.
You may need to download a driver or secondary program for your mouse to customize the controls.
Ping refers to how long it takes your computer to interpret information from an online game’s servers. High ping means a longer delay between you pressing a button and something happening in game. V-sync (short for vertical synchronization) is mandatory for making sense of a lot of first-person shooters, but it’s usually not necessary for side-scrolling or isometric games. Motion blur can almost always be turned off to improve performance without ruining gameplay.
A positive attitude can go a long way towards getting better at the game. If you focus on things that you can control, as opposed to things that you have no control over, you’re more likely to find a way to improve. If you aren’t having fun, stop playing. It’s not worth wasting your time on something that you don’t actually enjoy when there are plenty of other games out there.
