By: Uncle Bing http://www.respawnless.

com/

Table Of Contents Introduction ............................................................................ 4 The Basics ............................................................................... 6

Play Single Player Mode ................................................................................................. 6 Learn The Mechanisms ................................................................................................... 6 Practice A Lot ............................................................................................................... 6 Keep Your Equipment In Good Shape ............................................................................. 7 Adjust The Settings ......................................................................................................... 7 Learn The Maps .............................................................................................................. 8 Learn Where The Spawn Points Are ............................................................................... 8 Practice On Your Own ..................................................................................................... 8 Know Your Options ......................................................................................................... 9 Practice With Friends ...................................................................................................... 9 Be Adaptable .................................................................................................................. 9 Do Not Be Predictable................................................................................................... 10 Experiment .................................................................................................................... 10 Be Psychic ..................................................................................................................... 10 Use Your Eyes................................................................................................................ 10 Use Your Ears ................................................................................................................ 11 Train Your Reflexes ....................................................................................................... 11 Know Yourself ............................................................................................................... 11

It All Starts With You ............................................................. 12

Work Out ...................................................................................................................... 12 Get Some Sleep ............................................................................................................. 12 Take Breaks ................................................................................................................... 12 Smile ............................................................................................................................. 12 Be Patient ..................................................................................................................... 13 Ask Questions ............................................................................................................... 13 Watch And Learn .......................................................................................................... 14 Join A Clan..................................................................................................................... 14 Communicate ................................................................................................................ 15 Dont Be An Ass............................................................................................................. 15 Dont Rage Quit ............................................................................................................ 15 Share The Goods ........................................................................................................... 16
The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1

| 2

Be A Team Player .......................................................................................................... 16

Moving Around ..................................................................... 17

Keep Moving ................................................................................................................. 17 Learn To Strafe.............................................................................................................. 17 Avoid Hot Spots ............................................................................................................ 17 Move Along The Edges ................................................................................................. 18 Change Direction .......................................................................................................... 18 Dont Rush Into The Middle .......................................................................................... 18 Flank The Enemy ........................................................................................................... 19 Walk, Dont Run ............................................................................................................ 19 Be Careful With Corners ............................................................................................... 19 Be Careful If Entering Buildings .................................................................................... 20 Never Run Into Open Spaces......................................................................................... 20 Get Down In Open Areas .............................................................................................. 20 From Cover To Cover..................................................................................................... 20 Be A Small Target ......................................................................................................... 21 Use The Environment .................................................................................................... 21 Get Down ...................................................................................................................... 21 Move Away From Your Killing Zone .............................................................................. 21 Be Ready For More ....................................................................................................... 22 Travel Together............................................................................................................. 22 Keep Your Distance ....................................................................................................... 22 Avoid Long Ladders ....................................................................................................... 23 Dont Get High .............................................................................................................. 23

Multiplayer Weapon Handling .............................................. 24

One Weapon At A Time ................................................................................................ 24 Learn About All The Weapons ...................................................................................... 24 Know The Attachments................................................................................................. 24 Choose The Right Weapon............................................................................................ 24 Assault rifles the secure choice ...................................................................... 25 Submachine guns the faster choice ............................................................... 25 Light machine guns when you need more punch .......................................... 25 Shotguns ........................................................................................................... 26 Raise Your Weapon....................................................................................................... 26 Use Burst Fire ................................................................................................................ 26
The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1

| 3

Aim Down Sight ............................................................................................................ 27 Fire From The Hip.......................................................................................................... 27 Think Ahead When Firing ............................................................................................. 27 Reload Often (And Safely)............................................................................................. 28 Switch Weapons ........................................................................................................... 28 Use Your Equipment ..................................................................................................... 28 Hold Your Fire ............................................................................................................... 29 Think First Shoot Later ............................................................................................... 29 Aim For The Big Targets................................................................................................ 29 Dont Be Stubborn......................................................................................................... 30 Use Your Knife ............................................................................................................... 30 Steal From The Enemy .................................................................................................. 30

The End ................................................................................. 31

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1

| 4

Introduction
Welcome to the first edition of The Multiplayer Survival Guide. This guide, filled with various tips and tricks, can help you become a better first person shooter player. I tried to make it as general as possible, so that you can benefit from it, regardless of which game you play. Since it's a first edition, I cannot claim that this a complete guide yet. Online gaming is constantly evolving. New solutions to old and new problems appear almost daily. Therefore, this guide is under continued development. I will send you the updates regularly. If you find there's something missing from this guide, I would like to hear from you. Do you have a tip that you think belongs in here? Send me an email at: uncle.bing@respawnless.com.

Copyright 2011, The Road Crew Flying Club All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system without a written and signed permission from the author. LEGAL NOTICES: The information presented herein represents the view of the author as of the date of publication. Because of the rate with which conditions change, the author reserve the right to alter and update his opinion based on the new conditions. The guide is for informational purposes only. While every attempt has been made to verify the information provided in this guide, neither the author nor his partners assume any responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. If advice concerning legal or other professional matters is needed, the services of a fully qualified professional should be sought. Any reference to any person or business whether living or dead is purely coincidental.

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1

| 5

The Basics
Play Single Player Mode
Many players buy games like Modern Warfare 3 to just play in multiplayer mode. I fully understand that: multiplayer gaming offers you days and weeks and even months of great experiences. However, if you pass on the single player modes, you miss out on useful information. Although single player and multiplayer modes differ in most of today's popular first person shooters, the former can teach you a lot that is useful for playing in the latter. In some cases the weapons will, to a certain extent, behave the same way in both game modes. Playing single player games can also teach you valuable lessons about driving tanks and other vehicles, or on flying aircraft. So, do play the single player version first. You will get more value for your money, and you will learn some basic aspects of the game that will prove useful once you log in to play multiplayer.

Learn The Mechanisms

Online versions of most shooters are quite complex. They typically offer a multitude of game settings and customization options. Learn as much as possible about the different features of the game. Learn how to set up classes and select weapons. Learn what you need to do to modify weapons, in-game equipment and any vehicles. Find out how to add friends or mute other players. Try to understand all the options that are available in your game, ranging from game settings to preferred server choice.

Practice A Lot
According to the Swedish psychologist Anders Ericsson, you can excel in anything if you practice 10,000 hours. This is known as the 10,000 hour rule. So, if you want to be the best player in the world, you only need to practice 3 hours each day for 10 years. The cat is out of the bag: this is the big secret to becoming the world's best online player. No need to thank me for sharing this with you... Now, your goal might not be to become the world's best player, let alone the world's best player of a ten-year old game. However, my message remains the same: you have to practice if you want to be good.
The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | The Basics

If you are a newly hatched player, you will be overtaken and destroyed by other players quite often. These are usually players who have lived with the game (or similar games) for months or years. The biggest difference between you and these players is the number of hours spent in the game. It's as simple as that.

Keep Your Equipment In Good Shape

Years ago, when the computer mouse had a little ball inside, there were many gaming "gurus" who advised players to remove dust and dirt that had accumulated on the ball. This had a big impact on the performance of many players. Today this particular problem is not that relevant. Still, having well-functioning equipment remains an advantage. Now, I'm not saying that you should smash your piggy bank to get the hottest and greatest screen your money can buy, but there is no doubt that a good screen can help you to become a better player. The same goes for the rest of your gear: Is your controller beginning to let you down? Consider getting a new one. Is it hard to hear everything that happens in the game? Get headphones.

Adjust The Settings

Most modern first person shooter games let you adjust the game settings. It is difficult to give specific advice about this, but I can try to say something general about the things you should consider: The screen - In most games, you can adjust how dark or bright the screen is. Experiment with this. Do you find it difficult to see characters in dark areas of the map? Try to make the picture brighter. Is the screen so bright that you find yourself wearing sunglasses while playing? Make the picture darker. Audio - In some games, you can adjust the volume of different sound elements, such as music, speech and sound effects. Some of these sounds may be experienced as distracting. You can choose to turn the music volume down, allowing you to more easily hear other sound effects, such as footsteps, grenades that fall to the ground, and characters reloading their weapon. The controller - If you use a handheld controller and you find that your aim is not as good as you'd hoped, try to turn off the vibration. Controller or Mouse Sensitivity - Sensitivity determines how fast you can move your point of view in all possible directions (how fast your character runs or walks is not affected by this setting!). Changing it may impact your accuracy with weapons. Quicker movements allow

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | The Basics

you to move your aim more quickly, but can also make precise aiming more difficult: a small movement of your hand will move your gun way off target if sensitivity is set too high. The advice from many experts is this: start with a low sensitivity. Gradually increase it. The perfect setting is the one that makes you feel like you are playing with a flexible character, while you're still satisfied with your weapon's accuracy.

Learn The Maps

The maps in modern multiplayer games, or arenas, come in many shapes and sizes, but they are typically very comprehensive. I oftentimes felt like I was put in the middle of a maze, if I played on a map for the first time - I was totally helpless against experienced players, who knew the maps like the backs of their hands. There is no doubt that it's valuable to know the maps as well as possible. The more routes, hideouts, objective and vehicle locations, mounted weapons, etc. you know of, the easier it gets to play well and tactically. So, try to set up private matches, if the game allows it. This way, you can wander all over the map uninterruptedly to become more familiar with it. If your game does not offer the opportunity to create private matches, there is really only one thing to do - play as many public matches as possible and take good notice of your surroundings. The more you play, the better acquainted you will get with the map.

Learn Where The Spawn Points Are

Part of becoming familiar with maps is learning where the different spawn points are located. Different games have different spawn mechanisms. Most games have fixed spawn points during the whole or part of a match. Learn them, so you know which areas of a map are more likely to be infected by recently revived and vengeful opponents than other areas. An advanced version of spawn point knowledge involves "reading the game", so that you can predict where your opponents mobile spawn points will appear as the game progresses. I will not write much about this in this guide, but here's a useful hint: in games with mobile spawn points, those locations are programmed to pop up where it is relatively safe for the players to make a comeback in the game. They often show up at some distance to your own team's spawn point and to areas of intense fighting.

Practice On Your Own

If you have a game that allows for it, do practice on your own. I already mentioned the possibility in some games to set up private matches, which allows you to become familiar with the maps.
The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | The Basics

You can also use such games to practice other things, such as aiming, driving, throwing grenades, and to test weapon attachments and rocket launchers. In Call of Duty: Black Ops, you can play against bots in multiplayer mode - a sort of multiplayer boot camp. Hopefully, more games will come with similar features in the future.

Know Your Options

Learn how the various weapons, equipment and modifications work. In Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3, there is a total of 100 different guns, pistols, grenades, specializations, perks, and more, which is or becomes available to you during play. The more you know about these things (including how to use them), the better prepared you will be when you start using them on the digital battlefield.

Practice With Friends

Practice with friends. You can, if possible in the game, set up private matches to which you can invite your friends. You can of course play with your friends in public games, too! No matter what you choose, use headphones with a microphone that allows you to talk to your friends during play. This makes it easier to give each other advice and feedback on the things you do.

Be Adaptable
Try to be a player who matches playing style, weapons and classes with the current needs of the game. Although the frame of the game - the maps - remains unchanged, you will constantly face new situations and challenges that demand different sets of actions on your part. Most of today's games allow you to put together and choose between different player classes, with different weapons and equipment. Try to choose the class and weapons that match the challenges you face.

Here are some examples:

Are you playing against a team that controls one or more armored vehicles? Choose a class that allows you to use rocket launchers. Has the other team been given access to attack helicopters? Equip your character with anti-aircraft missiles. Are you playing on a map with many buildings? Consider using submachine guns or shotguns as your primary weapon.

Ideally, you should be prepared to switch between several different classes within a single match.
The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | The Basics

Keep being adaptable in mind when you put together your classes, so you have a wide range of options to enter the digital war with.

Do Not Be Predictable
Do not repeat yourself. Imagine that you move your character towards a house. Inside that house, there's an opponent waiting for you, who kills your character. The same player will expect you to return in exactly the same way as you came before, once you make a comeback in the game. This is because an incredible amount of players choose to do this! Don't be like those players: if you repeat all your steps, your enemy will do so as well, and you will be killed once more. Do not give your enemy this pleasure. Instead, select a different route. Surprise him with an attack from any of his sides, or strike from behind. Alternatively, forget about him altogether and move to another area of the map.

Experiment
The whole world is your playground. Well, at least your game map is. Connect with the child within you and play around. Be curious. Try to find new routes. Test whether you can climb or jump up on ledges and balconies. Try to experiment with tactics that you think of on the spot. Find out what different equipment does. Can you use it for other purposes than the ones intended?

Be Psychic
Try to anticipate where you will cross the path of the enemy. Attempt to guess how your opponents will move around the map. As you play, you will become increasingly knowledgeable about the maps. This knowledge will also include the most probable routes your enemies take. You see, most of us are pack animals, reluctant to try new things. We repeat the things that we know well, instead of trying something new. You can use this to your advantage. Once you notice the repetitive behavior of the enemy pack, you can predict their future actions. This gives you a strong edge in multiplayer gaming.

Use Your Eyes

Tunnel vision is widespread among multiplayer players. Many gamers look only in one direction: forward. However, things are happening on your sides and behind you as well! Therefore you should occasionally glance at the sides or do a full 360, either while standing
The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | The Basics

10

still or moving. See if there are opponents hiding in corners, standing on rooftops or looking at you from trees or towers.

Use Your Ears

The sound in modern first person shooter games is great. It is so good that you can hear what is happening and where it happens. You can hear the footsteps of enemy characters, or someone reloading his weapon if he is close to you. You will be able to determine the direction from which the sound comes. This enables you to point out where opposing characters are located without seeing them, with fairly great certainty. You get the best benefits of sound in the game if you use stereo headphones.

Train Your Reflexes

The right tactics and game settings will only get you so far. To really excel, you need to train your mind and body. In the end, the most basic rule of any first person shooter game is this: whoever hits his opponent with the required number of bullets first, wins. This means you need quick wit and quick reflexes. Let's say you see an enemy character on the screen. This information goes through the eye to the brain. The brain processes the information, does a number of calculations, leading to the decision to eliminate the enemy character. It then sends a signal to your trigger finger, so that your game character fires his gun. The faster this whole flow of information goes from the eye to the finger, via the brain, the greater the chance is that you end up as the winner. Most young people have naturally fast reflexes. As we age, our reflexes slow down. That does not mean you have to put your career as a player on the shelf once you grow older. You can train yourself to get (and keep!) faster reflexes. An (excellent) way to train reflexes is to play (yes, exactly) video games: Study: Video games help quicken reflexes Here are other ways to train your reflexes: Exercises To Improve Reflexes

Know Yourself
Be honest with yourself. What are your weaknesses? Once you've identified those, you know what you should train on. Also identify your strengths: they are the things you should capitalize on when the going gets tough!

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | The Basics

11

It All Starts With You

Work Out
Stay in shape. Take breaks from your gaming to do some running or go to the gym. Try yoga, lift weights, dance Zumba, do whatever you like, but get physical. You see, there is a connection between achievements in life (and online) and the shape you are in.

Get Some Sleep

Many players pull an all-nighter (often many) to play their favorite games. You may think this is a fast way to get the 10,000 hours of training we talked about earlier, but that won't work. You need sleep to process all those tactics and reflexes you trained during the day. Sleep is the moment when most of your learning takes place - skipping sleep or minimizing it to a few hours will delay the speed with which your skills improve. Also, your performance will suffer. Without sleep, all people to start to weaken cognitively. Gamers are no exception. If you play badly and pull all-nighters pretty often, try to get some decent sleep for a while. You will find that your play improves!

Take Breaks
It can be difficult to put down a good game. Still, you should take breaks. Your body gets drained of energy slowly but surely, if you sit in front of a screen for hours. You need to regenerate. Take breaks often. Get up from your chair or couch and do something else for a while. Eat, drink, walk, talk to your girlfriend or boyfriend (not via chat!), or do whatever else you like. I practice the following routine when I'm in intense gaming periods: 45 minutes on - 15 minutes off. It clears my head, too.

Smile
Remember that you are playing games that are designed to entertain. (Some people react negatively when I label shooters as entertainment. That is a debate I do not intend to address here.) One of the creators goals with these games is that we - the players - are having fun. Do not take your gaming too seriously.
The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | It All Starts With You

12

Laugh at your mistakes. That gives you the right to laugh at others' mistakes as well.

Be Patient
It takes time to become good. If you admit to that, you've come a long way. You have to spend some time in each game. You have to understand the game and its mechanisms. Also, you have to take time to develop yourself as a player within the framework of the game. It can take weeks or months before you really master a game. Look at every game you play as an opportunity to learn. I am still learning - and I have been playing games since the mid1980s... The good thing about having played different games a lot is that you will gain some common basic skills and experience. This will help you to become a better player, regardless of what new game you enter.

Ask Questions
There are many millions of people who play first person shooters online every single day. You can meet many of these gamers in various discussion forums on the internet. A lot of them are friendly and helpful people. They are more than happy to answer your questions, so if you have any or need help to get better, ask away. Here are some good forums:

Modern Warfare 3:
Official Forum The MW3 forum on Callofduty.com. Neoseeker Neoseekers MW3 forum. COD4Boards.com Discussions about the various CoD games. I Play Cod Discussions about the various CoD games. MW3Forum.com Discussions about MW3, new, and updates. Modern Warfare 3 Forum MW3 fan forum. Info, updates, and community. COD Nation Discussions about the various CoD games.

Battlefield 3:
Battlefield 3 Forum - The official Battlefield 3 forum. Enter BF3 Forum - Unofficial and pretty active forum. Neoseeker - Neoseekers Battlefield 3 forum. Giant Bomb - Giant Bombs Battlefield 3-exclusive forum.

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | It All Starts With You

13

Watch And Learn

The gaming community has its own cable network. It's called YouTube. There are hundreds, even thousands of channels that air videos every day that have games as their main topic in one way or another. Many of those who create gameplay videos for sharing on YouTube are generous and share their best tips and tricks with you. Personally, I have learned incredibly much from watching videos on YouTube. In order to get the most out of these videos, create a YouTube account. This allows you to subscribe to channels you like. You can create an account for free here: Create Account. Some channels you should definitely subscribe to are:

Modern Warfare 3:
TmarTn WoodysGamertag The Tactical Gamer Gaming With Slash Chris Spooner's Gaming Channel

Battlefield 3:
The Red Dragon MassNERDerer Level Cap Gaming Elite Gamer Bros. BF3Blog.com Swordsman75

Join A Clan
Gamers create clans for different games. The range of commitment to these clans varies wildly. On one end, there are small clans that some friends created for fun. On the other end of the scale are very large and professional clans, with several hundred members. A great part of the major clans have their own websites. Members of these large clans are often generous with tips and tricks. Attempt to join one of the larger, more beginner-friendly clans. Chances are good that you will learn a lot from your new friends.

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | It All Starts With You

14

Communicate
You can use a microphone, regardless of what platform you play on. Use it. Talk to your teammates. Tell them what's going on in the game. Let the team know about the important stuff you do, such as capturing a flag or arming a charge. Try to get the team working together. You can also ask for help. The chance that someone will actually help you is much greater if you dare to ask than if you keep your mouth shut! The gaming community consists of all types of people. Most people are nice. However, there are idiots, too. If you do not like the language of a player and can't get to an agreement, just mute that person. You do not have to listen to any trash talk or harassment.

Dont Be An Ass
A microphone doesn't give you the right to act like an idiot. Be nice and polite - be helpful and ask for help nicely, if you need it. This way you will get many more friends than enemies. It's not good to behave like a jerk in the game either. Do not steal equipment and vehicles from your teammates!

Dont Rage Quit

I am not an exception - I too get angry sometimes when I play. It mostly happens if my gameplay sucks. Often, I just want to quit playing - there and then - in the middle of a match. But I don't. To stop playing the middle of a game because you are pissed is known as Rage Quitting. Don't do it! You will let your teammates down if you pull yourself out of a game. In some games it may also be that you are hosting the game. If you quit before the match is over, everything will come to a halt for everyone in that game. You don't want to ruin everybody's fun, just because you got angry, right? What's more, the times when you aren't succeeding may be the most instructive. Even though it hurts, success comes from daring to fail. Instead of Rage Quitting, switch weapons, change to a different class or change your tactics. Get a grip on your emotions and be a soldier!

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | It All Starts With You

15

Share The Goods

Share and you shall receive. Many of today's popular first person shooters give you the opportunity to be a generous team player. You can, for example, revive fallen teammates or distribute medication, protection or ammunition. Take advantage of these opportunities. Be a team player and do everything you can to ensure that your team will win. As you will see, this will not only increase the collective success rate, but will also encourage your team mates to help you out when you need something.

Be A Team Player
In some game modes the teams main task will be more than just killing enemy characters. The players will be supposed to achieve one or several goals, like capturing flags or destroying objects. It is easier to do so if your team is working together - as a real team. Reversely, it is really difficult to reach your objectives if your team is mostly made up of selfish players, who only focus on their own performance and statistics. Forget about being a lone wolf if you're playing objective based games. Focus on the mission. Help your team in the best way you can. Concentrate on the tasks ahead instead of your Kill/Death (K/D) ratio. If K/D is what matters most to you, just play Free For All or Team Deathmatch games. Every first person shooter has a game mode in which you can shine as a lone shooter.

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1

| 16

Moving Around
Keep Moving
It is not wise to let your character stand still for too long in first person shooter multiplayer games. You'll become an easy target for your opponents. This is why you should teach yourself to stay on the move as much as possible.

Learn To Strafe
You should also learn to keep moving while you're firing. This technique, called strafing, makes it harder for your enemies to hit you. The principle is this: move your character from side to side while shooting at the opponent's character in front of you. Alternatively, move your character around the enemy in circles, while continuing to fire at him. The trick to strafing is to keep your sight over the enemy character the whole time, while you are moving and shooting.

Avoid Hot Spots

Most multiplayer maps have so-called Hot Spots. These are areas on the map where you will often encounter heavy fighting. The center of a map will often be a hot spot, because most players tend to move towards the center. Certainly, you can score more kills in Hot Spots than elsewhere on the map. However, the odds that your character dies in such places are also significantly higher. Many players rush straight into these Hot Spots to get a shot at their opponents. However, if you want to surprise them, move your character outside the Hot Spots. Sneak up on your enemies from their sides or from behind them. As you become familiar with the maps, you will be able to determine where the various Hot Spots are.

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Moving Around

17

Move Along The Edges

The edges of many of the different multiplayer maps are less crowded than the more central parts. You can use this to your advantage. Move along the edges of a map to get from one part to the other without too much trouble. This is also a great way to sneak into Hot Spots or other enemy locations from an unexpected angle.

Change Direction
After you have killed one of your opponents' characters, you may want to change direction. Turn 90 degrees and move to either of the sides. Or turn 180 degrees and move backwards. The logic behind this is that the player whose character you just killed, may have seen you coming. Right now, he may believe that you will continue to proceed in the same general direction as where you were heading when you took him out. Being the vengeful spirit that most players are, he will probably respawn ahead of you and lie down, waiting to even the score. Changing direction after a kill could therefore cause your enemy to waste some time planning an ambush, instead of spending time to waste you or your team mates.

Therefore: Do not be predictable - change direction after you have killed a character. Do note that some games (for example, Team Fortress 2) show players the characters who killed them, right after a kill. If you change direction in the first few seconds after a kill in these games, the opponent can see your new direction - which defeats the purpose.

Dont Rush Into The Middle

The center of a map is often the busiest area in many a multiplayer game. The reason for this is a bit self-reinforcing: most players expect to find most of the action in the middle of a map. Therefore, they head out towards there. And thus the prophecy is fulfilled. The result of this is a chaos of bullets and explosions. Rushing into the middle of a map, without particular regard for what might be waiting for you, is generally a bad idea. Instead, work your way forward, calmly and methodically. Move from cover to cover. Expect opponents everywhere - especially when you're nearing the center of the map. Alternatively, you can of course choose a different and healthier route, such as along the edges of the map.

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Moving Around

18

Flank The Enemy

Do not rush face-first into the opposition's weapon muzzles. Instead, try to surprise your opponents by attacking them from the sides. Move out to the edges of the map and take long detours if you must, to get on your opponents' sides undetected. Be prepared, however, for any opponent, wherever you go. It's even better if you can sneak up behind the opponents. From this position the surprise element is usually even greater.

Walk, Dont Run

The faster you move your character, the greater the chance that you get tunnel vision - you will see only what is happening right in front of you, while you miss what's going on at your sides. If you are walking instead of running, you can more easily discover an opponent who is about to attack you from the side, or spot the one waiting for you behind a corner. Another advantage of walking is that, generally speaking, it will allow you to fire your weapon a little bit quicker than if you are running.

Be Careful With Corners

Corners are dangerous. Many multiplayer characters ended their days just after they rounded one, because they were greeted by people with raised weapons and their fingers on the trigger. Your opponent can always be waiting around the corner, as Corner Camping is popular among many players. Here are a couple of techniques you can use to prevent death around the corner: Method 1: Stop once you approach the corner. Take aim. Slowly move around the corner while keeping aim. Always be ready to fire your weapon.

Method 2: Start firing just before you round the corner. Continue to fire while you are rounding it.

You will waste a lot of ammo if you use method #2. But on the flipside, your character will most likely live to tell about it!
The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Moving Around

19

Be Careful If Entering Buildings

Just as often as enemy characters are waiting for you behind corners, they will be waiting for you inside buildings. If you're unsure whether bad boys are hiding within the building that you plan to enter, use one of the techniques I just mentioned for rounding corners. Alternatively, you can throw a grenade, flash bang, or something similar into the building to identify any possible squatter. You see, in some games, a grenade has a revelatory effect. Your reticle will change shape for a brief moment if someone or something is near the grenade when it explodes. Also, incoming grenades tend to get enemy players moving, which make it more likely for you to notice them behind some door or window.

Never Run Into Open Spaces

Large and open areas are often surrounded by campers and snipers who are waiting for a chance to take out your character. Try to avoid moving into such areas or, if you really have to expose your character in the open, try to keep him as close as possible to surrounding buildings or vegetation, so that you move from cover to cover. Try to take a path that ensures that you're never far from the next cover.

Get Down In Open Areas

Another option in large and open areas is to make your character be as small a target as possible. Crawl or crouch. I know it will take you much longer to get you where you want to be. However, the odds of your character surviving the trip are much greater!

From Cover To Cover

As mentioned above, try to move from cover to cover. It doesn't matter if a part of the environment doesn't completely guard you against enemy fire: some cover is better than no cover at all. Keep this in mind when you move your character. Move to the nearest cover. Make a short stop. Assess the situation. Where is your next, best opportunity for getting some cover? Once you know where to go, take out any enemy characters that could prevent you from reaching your goal and head over to the next lifesaving cover.

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Moving Around

20

Be A Small Target
The more you can hide of your character's body, the harder it will be for your opponents to get a direct hit. Try having a cover between your and your opponent's character as often as possible during firefights. The perfect cover hides most of your character's body without interfering with your line of sight. This is the simple rule: When your character gets shot at, it is better to answer the fire from behind a cover than from in front of it.

Use The Environment

The maps in todays multiplayer games are just as comprehensive and complex as real life environments. Buildings, vegetation, vehicles and rock formations in the digital landscape offer a wealth of stealth opportunities for players. You can hide behind buildings and rocks, you can use ditches to crawl toward the enemy, you can move around in the shelter of cars, bushes and trees, and so on. Learn the maps, so that you know what the various surroundings have to offer when it comes to covers, hiding places and opportunities to move around more or less undetected.

Get Down
In most modern multiplayer games, it is rare that characters get killed by one single shot. This is partly because many players are not very good at aiming and partly because the games mechanisms usually only allow shotguns and a few sniper rifles to kill with just one round. This might give you an advantage if your character gets shot at. If you manage to throw your character down to the ground just after the first round hits him, you will increase the chance for him to survive and be able to fire back at your potential killer.

Move Away From Your Killing Zone

Sometimes you're a beast. You are a monster that kills one enemy character after another. The mountain of digital bodies is piling up in front of you. Do not become too confident, if you do this within one small area of a map.

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Moving Around

21

The more enemy characters you kill, the greater the number of grumpy opponents, who are coming back to your area looking for revenge. If you do not move to another part of the map in time, you will have to deal with a force that is much greater than you can handle. There's nothing wrong with racking up kills in one area of the map. Just be sure to move on before it gets too unhealthy for your character.

Be Ready For More

This is the scenario: You are in a narrow alley. You discover an enemy character who is about to round the corner. You are faster than he is, and get to kill him. You move on with a big smile, quite happy with your own performance. Then, just as you've started to reload your weapon, a team mate of the guy you've just whacked shows up. And, because you are reloading and are not able to fire your gun, the score is suddenly 1-1. The moral is: Where there is one, there will almost always be more... if you've made a kill, make sure to look around for other enemies before you settle down and reload. If you really need to reload before you can continue, find a safe spot to do so.

Travel Together
The more the merrier. And the safer, too. In most multiplayer games, it is undoubtedly an advantage if you're moving together with one or more players. The chance that you and your squad will eliminate anything that gets in your way is much greater if you are moving as a pack. Try to imagine an enemy sniper that dwells at the end of an alley. From what he sees through his sight, what do you think scares him the most? A lone opponent who is about to close in on him? Or a crew of three to four guys, armed to their teeth and with the thirst for blood showing from their eyes? I know what would make me run for my life.

Keep Your Distance

As mentioned, it can be healthy to move in groups. However, be careful not to move too close to each other. A grenade, an RPG or a light machine gun in the hands of a skilled player can easily take out a whole team of players, if their characters are close to each other.

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Moving Around

22

So, move together with other players as much as possible, but make sure there is some distance between all of you.

Avoid Long Ladders

Ladders can get you up and down buildings. They are inviting, especially if you're playing as a sniper. However, ladders carry a few disadvantages. Firstly, your character moves slower if he climbs ladders. Secondly, you usually cannot use your weapons while climbing. Thirdly, ladders often expose you a lot. Let's see - slow, unarmed and exposed. If you ask me, that is one recipe for game over for your character! Therefore: Avoid ladders, especially the longer ones.

Dont Get High

Climbing up on rooftops or up in a tower is cool. Yet, it is not without danger. When you first get up there and start killing characters, you are often more exposed than you would be on ground level. Opportunities for a quick retreat are scarce on a rooftop, while unhealthy attention from your opponents is often greater. On the ground, you can run away and hide in a corner. The odds of doing this successfully on rooftops are slim. You can elevate your character to get an overview of the map, and perhaps take out one or two opponents from up there. However, do not expect that your high altitude camping trip can go unpunished for a long time...

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Moving Around

23

Multiplayer Weapon Handling

One Weapon At A Time
Choose a weapon. Stick with it for a while. Play some matches with it and test its various available attachments. If you want to improve your weapon skills, it pays to get familiar with one weapon at a time, instead of constantly switching to new weapons from one match to another.

Learn About All The Weapons

This doesn't mean you shouldn't explore other weapon types. Instead, familiarize yourself with as many weapons as possible! Learn how they work and how to configure them. The better you know the weapons in a game, the easier it is choose the weapons that are best suited to any particular situation you end up in. Choosing weapons is also about what kind of player you are. If you know the different weapons well, you are in a better position to find weapons that fit your play style.

Know The Attachments

Many of the weapons in today's first person shooters can be configured. As you play, you will get access to a variety of attachments. Attachments do different things to your weapon. They increase and/or reduce parts of the weapon's performance. Test the different attachments. Notice what they are doing to the weapon you are using. Pay particular attention to whether you think you play better or worse with each attachment. Save the attachments that make you better. Scrap those that make you a worse player, but try to revisit them once your game style changes. Attachments that don't work for beginning players, may literally be killer applications for advanced players.

Choose The Right Weapon

Multiplayer weapons come in many varieties. Many of them work almost anywhere - in any situation. Other weapons are more specialized and work best in certain situations. For example, shotguns work well on maps with many buildings, and lots of places where you can hide or

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Multiplayer Weapon Handling

24

take cover. Because of their limited range, they will work less well on maps featuring wideopen areas. Make sure you know the weapons well enough to be able to choose the right tool for the job at hand. A good player knows which weapons work best on different maps and in different situations. These are some of the more common weapon groups:

Assault rifles the secure choice

Not sure what kind of weapon to choose? Start with an assault rifle. Most weapons of this type will do a good job as an all-round weapon. As a general rule, use the assault rifle at medium range, where it typically works best. However, if necessary, you can also use it to make a big mark on both shorter and longer distances.

Submachine guns the faster choice

Submachine guns work best over shorter distances. I mostly use them on maps with lots of buildings and corners; as such terrain usually involves a lot of close quarter combat situations. Some of the benefits of the submachine gun: It is light - it will let you move faster with greater flexibility. Most submachine guns have a high firing rate.

Light machine guns when you need more punch

Light machine guns are among the heaviest and most powerful weapons in modern multiplayer games. You will often notice this in a physical sense: if you are playing with a machine gun as your main weapon, your character's mobility will decrease. The weight of the gun will slow down your character. Theres good news, however. Most of the disadvantages of machine guns are compensated by their raw and brutal firepower. Some light machine gun tips:

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Multiplayer Weapon Handling

25

Recoil - the movement of your gun (and aim!) that happens if you fire a gun - can be especially powerful if you're using a light machine gun. You can counter this by firing in rapid bursts. Reloading a light machine gun takes a lot of time. In Modern Warfare 2, it takes almost 8 seconds to change the magazine on a M240! This is why its a good idea to choose a secondary weapon with a high capacity. Switching weapons takes less time than reloading your machine gun. Light machine guns work best at medium range. However, they will also do a good job over longer distances. Firing in bursts is the key to making them work exceptionally! Because of your characters reduced mobility, you will find that they are harder to use successfully on shorter distances. You won't be able to keep up with fast moving enemies.

Shotguns
Shotguns in multiplayer games are often blessed with an enormous stopping power over short distances. One round will usually be enough to kill your opponents character, if you are close enough. This power decreases rapidly with distance. Remember this and adjust your playing style accordingly. You have to get pretty close to your opponents characters to put your shotgun to good use.

Raise Your Weapon

Many players are running around with their weapons as far down towards the bottom of the screen as possible. The reason for this is probably that they - consciously or not -want as little distraction and blockade as possible in their view. The problem is this: if you keep your weapon pointed down, it will take more time to take aim and fire it once you come across an enemy. Try to raise the weapon so that the reticle or the iron sight is roughly centred on the screen all the time. This allows for quick firing at bad guys who suddenly show up. In multiplayer games, every tenth of a second counts!

Use Burst Fire

As mentioned for light machine guns, automatic weapons in first person shooters often show recoil (also referred to as kick). Recoil causes your weapon to wander away from your target (usually upwards) if you are firing uninterruptedly. Using a technique called Burst Fire, you can counteract this effect.

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Multiplayer Weapon Handling

26

To execute Burst Fire, take the following steps: Aim Down Sight Place the reticle or the iron sight over your target. Fire two to four rounds. Release the trigger for a very short time. Place the sight over your target again, if recoil forced it away from him. Fire a second round of two to four bullets. Repeat steps three through five until you have killed the enemy character.

The secret to success with this technique is speed. The more quickly you release the trigger, adjust your aim and continue shooting again, the more dangerous you become. In the beginning, you will probably focus a lot on the technical part of this trick. However, once you start seeing it as a new way of firing, you will find that youre using the technique automatically.

Aim Down Sight

Virtually all multiplayer weapons have a sight of some sort (iron sights, red dot sights, Acog sights, and so on). Use them. You are generally more accurate when you are aiming down the sight. This is especially true over medium to long distances.

Fire From The Hip

Every good rule has its exception. If you're in close combat and your enemy has surprised you, it can be just as smart to shoot from the hip. Aiming down sight takes some time, and you may not always have that. What you lose in accuracy, you gain in speed if firing from the hip. And speed is important if you're fighting over short distances. How close is close enough for hip fire to have the desired effect? It is difficult to give a definite answer to this. As you play, you'll develop a feeling for when you need to shoot from the hip.

Think Ahead When Firing

In many games, it takes time for projectiles to reach their targets. During this time, virtual gravity will pull them towards the earth. At short distances, you won't notice this Bullet Drop, but across longer distances you need to take it into account. As long as your weapon's range allows it, this is how you can deal with Bullet Drop: If your target character is standing still, far away, place the center of the reticle or iron sight slightly above him, before taking the shot. If the target, in addition to being far away, is moving, place the center of the sight slightly above it and also a tad in front of it.
The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Multiplayer Weapon Handling

27

It may happen that you need to follow your moving target (through the sight) a bit in this position (slightly above, slightly ahead) before you fire. This technique is often referred to as deflection or "leading the target". Notice that targets can still move once youve fired your gun: the trick is to predict their path and aim at the place where they will be when the bullet gets there, instead of the place where they are when you pull the trigger.

Reload Often (And Safely)

Many multiplayer games are intense. You often have to fire 3 to 4 rounds (or more) to kill an opposing character. Your weapons magazine can get empty pretty quickly. Keep track of how many rounds you have in the magazine at any time. If you do not pay attention to this, you can run out of bullets in the middle of gunfight. That is not your best health option. You're also just making it hard for yourself, if you jump into a fire fight with only 2 rounds left in the magazine. So try to make it a habit to reload your weapon every time you have or create - the opportunity. Never forget to look out for enemies that sneak up on you while you're reloading! It's best to get some cover before you change magazines.

Switch Weapons
Sometimes it is not possible to make a retreat in order to reload your weapon. So what can you do if you run out of bullets and are under fire? Switch to your secondary weapons, instead of reloading. As a rule, it will take less time to switch to your pistol (or whatever your secondary weapons is) than it will be to reload your main weapon.

Use Your Equipment

In many games, you are not only equipped with firearms. You can also equip your character with a wide variety of goodies: hand grenades, flash bangs, concussion grenades, rocket launchers, and so on. Do not just leave these devices hanging in your belt or remaining attached to your vest. Learn how they work and use them. When I started playing multiplayer games, I played most games without throwing a single grenade. Shame on me...

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Multiplayer Weapon Handling

28

Hold Your Fire

Sometimes it's smart to just let the opponent's character pass by. Learn to judge all of the situations you end up in (this will become easier the more you play). Force yourself to be disciplined. Refrain from shooting if you're not quite sure if you would hit and kill the character you have in your sights. If you miss, you can attract unwanted and unhealthy attention from players on the other team. Here are some situations where it may be smart to let your trigger finger rest: The character you want to shoot at is too far away from you. The character is about to disappear behind a corner or is moving into a building. There are too many obstacles between your weapon and the target.

Also note that characters who move from one side to the other in your field of vision can be harder to hit than those moving in a straight line towards or away from you. .

Think First Shoot Later

Try and be a little analytical, before you take a shot. You should try to predict what will happen if you fire your weapon. In many of today's games, pulling the trigger attracts a lot of attention from your enemies. For instance, your character and his position can be highlighted on the mini-maps of the opposing players. Therefore, ask yourself a few simple questions before you start firing (if you have the time): Will I be able to hit the target? Will I be able to eliminate the target? What are the consequences if I miss? What are my escape routes? Am I in deadly trouble already, so that my only option is to start pumping away as much lead as possible before the unavoidable death of my character? (This question is often answered before you've managed to ask it...)

Aim For The Big Targets

A perfect head shot is the wet dream of many online players. This is because the game character's head is often the hardest target to hit. Hitting it gives bragging rights.

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Multiplayer Weapon Handling

29

And that, my friend, is precisely the reason why you should refrain from going after the head when you are aiming. You will be better off if you aim for the upper body of the character. It is a bigger target and easier to hit - especially over longer distances. Sure, you will usually need to fire more rounds to kill a character if you're hitting his upper body instead of his head. On the other hand, the probability of you actually hitting the target is a lot higher if you aim for the chest, instead of the forehead.

Dont Be Stubborn
Sometimes you will miss your target. Avoid focusing on the same target for too long. I've ignored this advice myself countless times. I tried to shoot a character, missed and my target had time to escape. I picked up the chase and focused on the one that got away, not even noticing that I was running past several other enemy characters. I got fanatical. I HAD to put an end to the life of this character. You can guess what happened. I ran straight into a bunch of friends of the player that I was pursuing. They instantly and effectively ended my hunt. Alternatively, the player whom I chased could have become aware of me and could have sought out cover, in order to ambush me once I passed by. So, if you miss a target who manages to get away - forget about him. Find a new target instead.

Use Your Knife

In several games, a knife is part of the standard equipment. Use it. Your knife can be used for everything from cutting your way through doors, fences and windows, to putting an end to the digital life of your opponent's characters. In some close combat situations, the knife is just as effective as any firearm. Knives are also excellent weapons when you want to take out enemies without attracting too much attention (the ninja way).

Steal From The Enemy

Find a weapon from a downed enemy character and "borrow" it if you run out of ammo. After intense firefights, you should not have a problem finding redundant weapons (if you still are alive).

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | Multiplayer Weapon Handling

30

The End
Did you like this Guide? Then why not visit Respawnless.com for more guides. Here are some of them:

Modern Warfare 3:
A Guide to Moving Around in Modern Warfare 3 Multiplayer A Guide to Aiming and Accuracy in Modern Warfare 3 Online Beginners Video Guides to Modern Warfare 3 Multiplayer

Battlefield 3:
How to Get a Good Start In Battlefield 3 Online How to Get Better at Aiming in Battlefield 3 Multiplayer How to fly jets and helicopters in Battlefield 3 multiplayer

This is where youll Find Me:

http://www.respawnless.com/ http://www.twitter.com/respawnless uncle.bing@respawnless.com

The Multiplayer Survival Guide v.0.1 | The End

31