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Hello. I am a beginner in BZFlag, and I'm dying a lot and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Maybe someone can post a few tips or link to a good site for beginners?

I have a feeling that this has probably been asked before, but it wasn't in the FAQ so I figured it would be fine to ask.

http://shellshock.bzflag.bz/ <== Awesome site. Look at the Rookie moves, and Tips & Tricks

You can also, increase your radar size

Options -> GUI -> Radar and Console settings

Make shotlines

Options -> GUI -> Radar Shot Length

And make them bigger

Options -> GUI -> Radar Shot Size

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You can also mess around with other settings, making bullets visible is very helpful for staying alive

It takes time to develop tactics, player instinct, etc.

All i have to say is just play a lot, do whats best for you and practice what needs to be worked on. Thats what ive been doing, but im still kind of a noob , but i have fun being one and i have improved a lot.

Here is one thing I've learned: you can drive twice as fast in forward than in reverse. This is a very important fact, especially when an enemy with SW is jumping your way. Drive away forward, not backward.

Ratfink wrote:Drive away forward, not backward.

Unless of course you can take them out before they get close enough to kill you.


In think in general if you can make your opponent jump you will have a better chance of killing them, since (with the exception of Wings) they cannot adjust their course once they jump. You can then aim for where they will land, or kill them in mid air by jumping yourself.

Thanks for the tips. Shellshock was an excellent site, and I have a feeling that blast's tip will help as well.

Change the key mapping to something easier. For instance, mine is:

fire- q
jump- tab
lockon- ~`
drop flag- spacebar

Those are the ones that matter. It makes them all close together so that you can do those with one hand a lot easier. Doing this made me a lot better.

If you're playing on a map with superflags, learn to dodge GM's (adjust your course to travel perpendicular to them, thus making part of a circle as it approaches you). This can save you lots of lives, as well as really annoy the person trying to shoot you, which is fun .

Note that on some servers, like Missile Wars, GM's travel and turn fast enough that the only viable method for dodging is going behind a building. NEVER jump to get away from a GM, unless that will get you behind a building for cover, as they will always track you easily.

And if you play a little too much BZ, maybe you'll start ducking in your seat when a GM comes at you from above, like me .

scorchgeek wrote:Note that on some servers, like Missile Wars, GM's travel and turn fast enough that the only viable method for dodging is going behind a building. NEVER jump to get away from a GM, unless that will get you behind a building for cover, as they will always track you easily.

You can use Tiny, Agility, and High Speed to dodge MW2.3's GM, also

And if you play a little too much BZ, maybe you'll start ducking in your seat when a GM comes at you from above, like me .

I sometimes flinch if I get shot with Laser

play most of time on radar ±90% look at 3d view sometimes 9% check what flags are on other players 1%

tips:be mature,mouse:learn to use the box in the middle of the screen keyboard learn how to turn,play at ducati league servers helps your dodging alot.

I get a start when someone shoots me from behind. Getting involved in a game is nothing to be ashamed about.
Tips:
Don't curse people, they might ban you. Act nice, who knows, maybe someday you'll get to introduce new people to BZFlag. Apologize for teamkills and say np if you get teamkilled. WG slide on some servers. If you're moving against a bunker wall your aim is off. Aim for where your target will be, not where he is. The little squares around players on the radar is their height, don't waste flags that have a shotcount if you can see that their higher than you. learn to dodge without jumping, it really helps.

-K

Getting tips can help get you started, and playing on public a lot will eventually get you a high score, but the only way to really get skilled at fighting is to play a league a lot. Just try to play a lot of matches and FFA Hix, and eventually you will find you can fight pretty well without superflags.