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[Lethal Dosse]

Hey all!
I just registered but I ve been playing for around 6 months. I ve seen a few GU matches and wondering how you guys can reconsile fast dodging to presicely jumping and shooting. I'm on vista and when i open control panel > mouse > pointer settings i got the quickest mouse pointer. It is helpful while dodging I can't jump precisely though even with quite big mousebox ( 10 ). If I make it slower I shoot better but move like a snail. I used to think you all got special gaming mice but I heard that most of you have just normal 800 DPI's mice.
Thanks for reading and have fun!

P.S Sorry for putting my post in here but I think gu has most skillful players so maybe you are able to solve my problem

[Mucho Maas]

Not all players in the GU league, but quite a few are using mice with higher dpi. I think somewhere around 2000-3000 is standard. Some might have more. Higher DPI may help to gain more control.
A few of the very good players also use quite slow mice though. How they do it they will have to explain. But what is very important regardless of mouse speeds is experience and a good anticipation of the movement of your opponent. This can only be achieved by playing a lot.

Also learn to be able to understand and change the BZFlag configuration file. The options menu allows a lot of settings, the config file allows even more..and specially allows you to use values not possible to set through the options menu. So play around with your settings.

Generally try to play with a big mousebox if you have a very fast mouse (some have a mousebox almost the size of the screen...try mousebox size 30).

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set mouseboxsize 30

Large mousebox sizes can only be set through the configuration file. Some of the good players with slow mouse use a mousebox size around 3. Here it is important that while moving your mouse you always know where the mouse pointer is..try to keep it close to the mouse box.

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set mouseboxsize 3

Another thing that is important is to use the biggest setting for radar possible. There is an internal max size for radar. The max size however can only be set through the config file.

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set radarsize 30

Once you have found a setting that suits your playing style..stick with it. Don't keep changing it, because if you keep changing it you will never get used to it. And it takes a while until you fully get used to a setting. So be patient, don't expect to turn into a pro over night just through a good configuration setting.

[quantum dot]

hello, I know that feeling

each player has different likes and settings, everyone has to find the best for him/her. To start with, you have 2 main variables you can set up to control dodging and jumping:
1) mouse acceleration (external to bz, OS controlled and/or software controlled for some gaming mice)
2) Mouse Box (internal bz setting)

Many players have set mouse acceleration to the highest values and mouse box the largest possible. This somehow gives you a balance between fast dodging and more precision while jumping. Keep in mind that the smaller your mouse box is the fastest you react when dodging, but as a drawback you lose control in jumps. Also, a very small mouse box hardly allows you to drive straight. You can easily identify a player with a little mouse box while driving with him/her because the tank can't really move straight.

My recommendation to start would be to set mouse accel. to a maximum (if you feel confortable with that) and maximize your mouse box. From that you can start reducing your mouse box (to give you extra accel for dodging) until the point where you feel jumping becomes uncontrolled. I always use mouse box size 10, the max allowed in the menu).

To set mouse box size: Options -> GUI options -> Mouse box size (towards the middle of the option list). To set mouse speed/accel you already know how to do that.

good luck.

PS: while writing this, foo posted something along the same lines.

[dexter]

Another thing that is important is to use the biggest setting for radar possible. There is an internal max size for radar. The max size however can only be set through the config file.

Well, depending on how big your screen is, having the radar size at the maximum can be a pain. If you have a 20-25" screen, radar size 23 is probably more than sufficient too. I have a 13" MacBook.. and sometimes 30 can even be a bit small. However, having a large sized radar is the premiss for precise dodging and shooting. By the way, you can set the max radar size in the GUI options too.

I use a gaming mouse (Razer Diamonback 3G, 1800 DPI) but I've set the tracking speed to quite slow in the system options. I have a size 10 mousebox, from everything I've tested (-2 to +28) it's been the best overall setting. Easy to hit jumps, dodge and shoot. Seems to be the most popular size among GU players.

Another important setting, is shot size/length on radar. I'd suggest setting the shotlength to something between 10-60 (something you'll have to do in the config file)

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set linedradarshots 60

is what I have.

It's crucial to be able to dodge in advance - much easier with long shots.

The best setting of course, is practice. Adjust your config until it suits you and then start playing and practicing. Once you've found something you like, it's best never to change anything. (I haven't changed my config since January last year)

If you have any questions or doubts, you can always just ask some good GU players about their settings and what they think works best. (Never ask meno!)

Just my two cents.

[Lethal Dosse]

Hello
Thanks for help! I got 1600 DPI Laser mouse so I'm gonna try adjust my settings according to your tips

[slime]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't think that to be good at dodging at GU, you have to have a high-tech super mouse. Personally, I have a simple 1000dpi Microsoft mouse. I have pointer speed set at it's fastest, but also have Enhanced Pointer Precision turned on. Thus, I have no where near the fastest mouse out there (actually probably one of the slower ones) but I can still dodge quite well.

Just don't go out and buy an extremely expensive mouse so you can dodge better. It's definitely not worth the money.

[Zelgadis]

Well, i really don't know what you guys have with your DPI and little/big mouse boxes. My mouse has 1000dpi and im on a 17" monitor. My Radar size is 30 and i play without zoom.(i know, unbelievable. ^^) Mouse speed is default OS-Speed. Right, mousebox size is 2. ^^ I think its good to dodge/jump with that settings. But you should make your own settings you can play with, that's my advice.

[dexter]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't think that to be good at dodging at GU, you have to have a high-tech super mouse. Personally, I have a simple 1000dpi Microsoft mouse. I have pointer speed set at it's fastest, but also have Enhanced Pointer Precision turned on. Thus, I have no where near the fastest mouse out there (actually probably one of the slower ones) but I can still dodge quite well.

Just don't go out and buy an extremely expensive mouse so you can dodge better. It's definitely not worth the money.

Completely agree, although high DPI mice come as cheap as maybe 20-40$ these days. To add, you don't really have to be able to dodge to be good at GU anyways.
A lot of players just focus on shooting and jumping. There really isn't a player who is best at dodging, shooting and jumping. Ya gotta decide what you wanna focus on more, as long as you're good at one of 'em you can be a good player.

[ducatiwannabe]

A lot of players just focus on shooting and jumping. There really isn't a player who is best at dodging, shooting and jumping. Ya gotta decide what you wanna focus on more, as long as you're good at one of 'em you can be a good player.

I wouldn't necessarily call myself good... but I do have plenty of experience in the jumping department. :-P

[Zac]

wellllllllllllllllll......im an excellent dodger when i put my mind to it.. (cause usually im not really trying). i play for fun... dodging skills are thanks to the hepcat pillbox server borrego (YAY!! FTW!).. shooting- eh im average. lag makes it harder.. Jumping- find it lets me down. if i jump i get shot.. so all in all im good enough to hold my own..

but for some reason DW always manages to beat me into oblivion

one day i will triumph DW!!

[Knox]

Just needs lots of train to become a "pro". With some patience can you do and learn pretty much.

[Monster]

For accurate jumping you can also use the arrow keys as an addition
wfg Monster