When learning to play a new First Person Shooter game (FPS) such a Overwatch or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, or even Third Person shooting games like Fortnite: Battle Royale, knowing where best to position yourself is an excellent first step in becoming a better player.

When you first begin playing a game, you may simply run straight into the enemy, hoping to eliminate as many as possible, but inevitably, or immediately in some cases, you may find yourself the first to die. If you only ever engage the other team in this way, they will come to know you as they person who charges in and awards a quick, free kill. Below are a number of points to improve your FPS performance based on positioning.

Via: Youtube.com (Viral Killer)

It’s Over Anakin. I Have The High Ground!

The timeless meme is actually one of the most important things a player can attain in an FPS, at least when they are learning the game, or even a new map in a game they are familiar with.

Being in a position above an enemy, be it on a hill or from the roof of the building, means that you can see and aim at their entire body, whereas they are forced to have access only to your upper torso and head. While a headshot is always worth more damage, demanding that a player make that skillshot to do any damage is a significant handicap against them.

At the same time, by moving only a little, either by backing away from the edge of whatever high ground you are on or crouching, you can remove yourself entirely from danger, while still being able to peek and shoot at them when you decide. This ties into the idea of controlling an engagement. If combat occurs on your terms, when you decide is best, there is a far greater chance that you will emerge as the victor.

Via: Epicgames.com

Consider Fortnite in this regard. The ability to build at a moment's notice makes that game unique, and a strategy that many players employ when meeting someone in an open field is to immediately build a three story ramp and rush up, attempting to both get the high ground advantage and also still be low enough to not suffer any fall damage should the structure be destroyed.

But what about games where one cannot build, like either Overwatch or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive?

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Mind Your Surroundings, Memorize The Maps

These games and others like them have maps that are completely static. They never change or deviate in the resources that are available, and as such can be memorized to maximize your efficiency. YouTube and Reddit are also outstanding resources to find the quirky, gimmicky aspects of a map that can give you an edge.

Let’s consider Volskaya Industries, a double-point capture map in Overwatch. The map below is an overhead layout that one can find online, in this case thanks to Joeixgaming. When the game first released, players were working hard to establish the best plans to break through the initial bottle neck and capture Point A.

Via: Joeizgaming.blogspot.com

Other players decided to look for interesting shortcuts, and they found one, allowing a player to bypass the bottleneck entirely. This would then allow them to sneak around the map to the Point, forcing defenders to scatter in response. This video showcases all the characters who can do this, and how it is done, and is a perfect example of the power of knowing both a map and what each character can do well.

Learning the ins and outs of a map, including these little tricks, can shift the fight in your favor when playing any FPS. And speaking of surprise engagements...

Situational Awareness

Situational awareness depends completely on the game one is playing. In Overwatch, one may be seeking to capture or defend a point like in the example above. In those cases, knowing where to set up a defense, and where an enemy may flank your team is paramount.

However, in games like Fortnite, PlayerUnknown's Battlegroundsor the more recent Apex Legends, it is every person for themselves, and the object is to be the last one standing. The briefest of searches online will reveal how terribly unfair some claim it to be when two players are having a long, hard fight in either of these games, only for a third to swoop in and eliminate whichever wounded character was left.

This is not a problem in game design, nor it is unfair, it is exactly as the game is meant to be played, and one has only themselves to blame. Is hiding when the odds are not in your favor a bad way to play the game, or is it strategic? Do not consider it a retreat, but advancing in the opposite direction. These may not lead to the most entertaining victory for viewers, but most people are not Twitch streamers vying for subs, and a win is a win.

So consider exactly what the objectives are for each match, and how best to exploit the positioning of a map. It may sound like the most obvious thing in the world, but how many times have you come across an opponent who simply does not notice your approach?

RELATED: Apex Legends Season 2: How Good Is Wattson, According To Top Players

The Next Step – Aim And Reflex

Although knowing everything about a map can give you a significant advantage over other players, it will matter little if you are a terrible marksman. So how does one improve upon their shooting skills?

First, check your gear. Are your mouse and mousepad up to snuff? Luckily, technology and hardware has advanced to the point where one can buy these items for cheap and still be competitive. Points to keep in mind include DPI capabilities, weight, and button layout. Why fiddle with the keyboard when you can toggle things like building, weapon switching, and auto run onto a mouse?

Next, check your sensitivity settings for the mouse. There is no perfect, optimal catch all in this regard, but you can learn what works best for you. Landing dependable headshot may require a slow-moving cursor, while at the same time you may want something faster to flick about.

Finally, consider what weapon and game you are playing. Some games have instant hit shots, while others fire projectiles that must be led. This leads to our final point.

Practice, Practice, Practice.

There are always options for this. One way is to create a custom game with only you and bots, and then give those bots conditions that make it easy to practice. In Overwatch for instance, you can create a capture point map where it is you versus a team of Ana, and then set their condition to only attack you with headshots. Since Ana cannot score a headshot, you will now have waves of AI controlled bots shuffling around but unable to kill you, and you are free to practice your shots with every character in the game.

Other games have similar options for practice but find something that works for you. Fortnite has its PVE content called Save the World, which changes the mechanics of some weapons but provides and endless supply of enemy Husks to practice headshots on.

As you play, learn maps, consider your surroundings, and practice, always try to consider how things went down when you are eliminated. What can you take away from each match in order not to repeat the mistake? In no time at all, you might be the next Ninja!

This guide was written based off of a similar question from Quora.

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