How to aim

[enoch84]

How does one achieve decent aim in an fps game? Well, like most things, practice is the #1 aid. Then there are other things: good mouse and mouse pad, decent frames, large enough screen, an appropriate mouse sensitivity, correct chair cushion height, comfortable arm rests... I like to mention the sound aspect of it too. The quicker you hear someone the sooner you can get your sights on their general location.
The thing I did to get better at headshots was simple. I started aiming for the head (and only the head) every time.

Well... I could go into more detail, but it's better to just watch and learn. Below is the link for downloading a recording I made this morning. It's 650mb...sorry, youtube takes way too long and tends to degrade the quality (it's bad enough all ready). This first video (there will be more) is more of a test run. It's just me, this other guy, and a bot. Then Syzygizer joins later.
http://www.mediafire.com/?729jhdaolh8t9au

You can also download the demo file for this match. To watch this demo you have to place in the Demos folder on your computer:
C:\Users\"your name"\Documents\My Games\Unreal Tournament 3\UTGame\Demos
http://www.mediafire.com/?r1mx2r8f8z3g3ai

But first you'll need to make sure you have the right files in your game folder.
http://www.galaxypugs.com/downloads/...red-files.html

I'd recommend playing music or something with the camera recording, as the only sound is me smashing keys and humming random songs to myself.

[[S]JZL]

I hope your aim is better than your uploading and linking skills . . .

What I got was an 84kb mp4 that won't open and the galaxypug link is kaput, for me anyway.

[Cybis]

There are two different aspects to aiming which you can sort of trade off: timing vs. tracking. Compare the link gun 2nd fire with the sniper rifle, for example. Link gun 2nd fire requires excellent tracking skills - you need to keep your crosshair on the opponent. If you're good at this, you'd be good with the sniper rifle too.

Personally, I suck at tracking but I'm really good at timing my shots. When I see a person moving in a predictable path (hoverbording, jumpbooting, using a jump pad, sometimes even being taxied) - I never try to aim at the target. I always take an extra second to put my crosshair right where I expect them to go eventually - after which I don't move the mouse at all. I simply wait for them to pass by and fire at just the right moment. This is how I get almost all of my headshots.

If you dodge like crazy, I'll have a ridiculously hard time hitting you because of this. Just remember to never use a jump pad when being shot at by someone with a sniper rifle. You're even easier to hit when moving in a predictable path than when you're standing still.

[enoch84]

I hope your aim is better than your uploading and linking skills . . .

What I got was an 84kb mp4 that won't open and the galaxypug link is kaput, for me anyway.

Well that's odd. Everything worked for me when I tried it. I just downloaded the 615mb file (not 650mb) in like 6 minutes and watched it. I just hope anyone interested can watch the demo file as well.

[enoch84]

I simply wait for them to pass by and fire at just the right moment. This is how I get almost all of my headshots.

Yeah that's probably how I get a majority of mine as well. (Like the two in the demo where the bot is falling down at me).

[Nightmare85]

I agree with Cybis' post.
Mentionable is that in some situations you don't really move your crosshair but only strafe left or right.
So instead of moving the crosshair to the right, you move your player to the right.
Of course this can't be seen as a general rule.
It depends on the situation and you will see what's the best for you.
Once your crosshair is near the enemy you can try to work more with the keyboard rather than with the mouse.

One problem in UT3 is the ping, though.
If you're used to play with 50 ms, and then you're on a server where you have like 90 ms, you will feel a big difference.
So you should always check your ping in order to "align" your aiming.

Cheers!

[enoch84]

I agree with Cybis' post.
Mentionable is that in some situations you don't really move your crosshair but only strafe left or right.
So instead of moving the crosshair to the right, you move your player to the right.
Of course this can't be seen as a general rule.
It depends on the situation and you will see what's the best for you.
Once your crosshair is near the enemy you can try to work more with the keyboard rather than with the mouse.

Agreed. I'd say most of us aim with our keyboard and mouse at the same time. To avoid getting hit by a decent (legit) sniper you can try to avoid his line of sight (stay to one side) because it's harder for him to make a twitch shot than wait for you to cross his sights. And if he dares to twitch shot you, just make sure you're movement style doesn't have any sort of pattern. The guy just shaking left and right is an easy target. The guy that mixes it up (left, left, right, left, left, left, right, right etc.) Will be harder to hit.

[Sly.]

The guy that mixes it up (left, left, right, left, left, left, right, right etc.) Will be harder to hit.

True, but don't forget the backward/forward moves.
This is useful in some situations, e.g. if a sniper tries to hit you (let's say) from above at 10.30. Sometimes, those moves can be very unexpected, if you do them occasionally. Just randomly dodge back and then left forward, right etc while slowly directing your movements into the direction of cover and/or shooting back to the sniper forcing him to move (which often worsens his aim and increases your chance for survival) or flee (depending on distance and location of your enemy and your aiming). Most people just check where you want to go and try to predict your movement by aiming in front of you and expecting you to move forward all the time.

Another useful trick is to execute hoverboard tricks when on the hoverboard when you notice that a sniper is shooting at you but missed you. If a cover is close, you can jump to its direction with a trick (that should irritate the sniper) and let go of your hoverboard when done (that way you won't get ragdolled even if you get hit after your trick, it gives you some extra-time to get to the ground and to dodge to your cover so to say).

[enoch84]

True, but don't forget the backward/forward moves.

Right, I think I was referring to when you're having a face off with the sniper (or some other hitscan-like weapon). And yea, firing back at him will definitely throw off his aim .

[[S]JZL]

Well that's odd. Everything worked for me when I tried it. I just downloaded the 615mb file (not 650mb) in like 6 minutes and watched it. I just hope anyone interested can watch the demo file as well.

The Galaxy site link is working now, but I'm still getting the tiny mp4.

enoch84 and Cybis, it doesn't sound like you don't move very much when your shooting. Frack, my aim was so bad last night I couldn't hit the ground with a Raptor.

[enoch84]

Hmm, the people I've asked about it have been able to download it fine. I'm somewhat new to mediafire, so I'm not sure why it would do that.