I suck online

[maximdymok]

Hey people. Well its been about a year since I've started playing UT2004, and I also played UT99 for a while. So recently I wanted to play online... so I did, on DM-Rankin. First time I got -3, then 2, and then 12 frags, with a lot of deaths. With bots I can only play on Skilled and no higher, on most maps at least. So how do I improve? Here's a demo I recorded of me playing online, could someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
http://www.mediafire.com/?c6i4yp8pbt7bcqy
Sorry, i was too lazy to convert to AVI. Just put it in UT2004/demos and start UT2004, go to Community>demos tab, and play it. Thanks.

[SkaarjMaster]

I suck online too!

Sounds like our sucking skills are about the same. You have to jump around a lot, dodge, strafe and just keep moving and know how to shoot while you're moving so you don't screw up your own shots. Also, know the maps and know where the powerups are in the maps and time their respawning. I never spent the time online or even offline against better bots to improve my skills as I was always trying new map after new map and getting more maps for UT, UT2003, UT2004 and UT3. Hope you have more time to work on your skills and get better online!

[GreatEmerald]

Ask yourself what you're playing for. For fun or in order to win? Because people who play online usually play to win and will do anything to get that. Yet losing is not bad at all. As long as you have a good time playing, the score shouldn't matter.

[Sly.]

You may want to take a look at my tips thread to become a better player.
You can find it here and here. It's on top of the 'Beginner's Discussion' and 'General Chat' forum sections and both are up to date. Tips are still being added over the time.

The average UT players play since a long time, many of them since the game came out in 2004, some of them even since 2002 when UT2003 came out and they are usually a bit better than masterful bots, so you should try increasing the difficulty when you are winning matches on the current one (disable the auto assign bot strenght option! It's not good, believe me). The profi players are much better than any default bots since they have a good aim and can move through the maps almost perfectly.
When you can beat a masterful bot without any major problems and if you can move through the maps by dodging a lot and using walldodges to dodge projectiles and can hit bots while moving then you are definitely ready for the online mode.

PS: Oh, and I play for fun. Winning is not necessary for me

[Unreal4Eva]

Also, The list can go on but, I'm not putting it all here, just to name a few. Have you tried dodging, strafing, circle attacks, dodge off walls while in battle? Learn how to use a Shock Rifle in air. Or camp and wait on someone where they aren't expecting then pick them off with a Sniper Rifle or Lightning Gun with a Head Shot. Use a Flak Cannon in close quarters, the shards can and will bounce around corners while the alt fire sends a deadly "smiley" on your enemies head lol and kills them!

[arbee]

Off-topic, but "I suck online" would make a good server name.

[maximdymok]

Thanks for the tips! Well I know where most shields and powerups are in default levels, but its hard to time it as I don't know when someone takes them. Also, don't you get kicked from servers if you camp too much? The thing I'm worst at is probably dodging. I can dodge for speed boosts, but while trying to shoot someone I just can't get my fingers to double-tap. Also, rockets and flak cannon shots are almost impossible to dodge in closed spaces, but I'm too stupid to decide to run away or to stay. I read the guides already, but most of the info I already know. I tried doing shock combos but I still really suck at them since I can't hit the core while moving and i usually hit it when its too far from the enemy still. Any tips on dodging rockets and flak? I always die from them. Well, I'm gonna go practice now.

[dsandusky]

remember, unreal tournament is all about getting to a frag limit first! so if you have 30 kills and 30 deaths, and you still win, well there you go. Also, I stopped worrying about my kdr along time ago. It makes it more fun and you can just practice. Also, some servers are (mostly sniping) are camping only. As for rockets and flak, don't stay still. (out of range is the best counter for flak). Also, for aiming, try changing you crosshair. I use a tiny dot; that way I focus on aiming less and anticipation/feel more. My skill is average (I usually come in the middle of the pack in online games and top half on masterful bot setting)

[maximdymok]

Weird, I just played a few matches on Masterful in UT99 and won 3/4 of them... DM-Liandri was the only one where I lost. Then I played UT2004 on Rankin, Curse4, and Deck17 on Masterful and lost all of the matches. So I guess either bots are smarter in 2004 or Im not used to the maps. What's up with that?

[StaffSgt]

We were all bad at one time

[GreatEmerald]

Bots and feel are different between the games. I can win easily on Masterful in UT2004 but I can only deal with Skilled bots in UT1...

[Baryonyx]

Ask yourself what you're playing for. For fun or in order to win? Because people who play online usually play to win and will do anything to get that. Yet losing is not bad at all. As long as you have a good time playing, the score shouldn't matter.

The thing about that is: Winning creates the most fun. And you can be even more proud of yourself if the one you won against is a human player.

I usually play with inhuman bots offline and always win. Online I suck too, though. But i don't play online. Offline lets me choose bots and weapons as I like it, online does not.

[GreatEmerald]

Does it? I wouldn't like to win if all I could see during the match were torches in a washed-out environment.

[-Warlord-^]

couldnt watch your demo but the name you use is a name i see in umg often times. wonder if your the same person

if you want to learn how to use shock rifle you can do it by getting som1 to help you out in a map or going offline with no bots and dodging around shooting shock cores as much as you can. never stop to shoot a core always to to move and dodge. ( use utcomp so you have 999 ammo )

try hitting the core by shooting toward lg ride the elevator up and hit the core
shoot a core towards link dodge up the ramp and try to hit the core there.

just different ways personally i think its best to run around and try hitting them as much as you can and try hitting air combos alot.

for dodging work on your forward dodge first then try to get a better hang of using the side dodges. when dodging forward hold the left or right key and double tap itll make your dodge more fluid and you wont have a pause when you go to dodge youll always be moving makes it look like a semi circle.

[maximdymok]

couldnt watch your demo but the name you use is a name i see in umg often times. wonder if your the same person

if you want to learn how to use shock rifle you can do it by getting som1 to help you out in a map or going offline with no bots and dodging around shooting shock cores as much as you can. never stop to shoot a core always to to move and dodge. ( use utcomp so you have 999 ammo )

try hitting the core by shooting toward lg ride the elevator up and hit the core
shoot a core towards link dodge up the ramp and try to hit the core there.

just different ways personally i think its best to run around and try hitting them as much as you can and try hitting air combos alot.

for dodging work on your forward dodge first then try to get a better hang of using the side dodges. when dodging forward hold the left or right key and double tap itll make your dodge more fluid and you wont have a pause when you go to dodge youll always be moving makes it look like a semi circle.

I don't even know what umg is
yeah I've done that with no bots and Im okay but with bots I just can't focus on the core or if i try i get pwned before i shoot it. BTW after practicing a lot I can now play on masterful in ut2004 too still i get nailed online.Thanks for your tips guys