Dodging skills: FAQ

[gentle giant]

I started gu about a month ago and have been getting worse, i think, from when i started. I have a serious problem with dodging. I just guess where the shot would go to rico and hit another opponent. I dont know when to use my radar also. I just look at the screen and try getting out of the way of one bullet, then another hits me. And when i use my radar, i make the silly mistakes. Im on a laptop and have created a hand technique involved with the touch pad. I tried going keyboard but i had problems moving. I dont really want to mess up this crazy technique. So if you have any tips AT ALL about dodging ANYTHING, could you tell me please. Thanks

gentle giant

[Bambino]

open your config and find and add this

Code: Select all

set linedradarshots 60

you can make the number anything, but I like 60, dodge shots easily and see them well.
Also, go into your in-game GUI and find the colored shots - change to ON then make them fairly large.
Make your radar as big as possible. you can always toggle the score board and chat.

EDIT: http://my.bzflag.org/w/Category:Tactics
try that and a different config. I removed what needs removing...password, email, usename/callsign etc
I use it a lot and it's great.
copy your config into a text document and replace it with this one.

[dexter]

Seriously, just search the forums. There have got to be at least a dozen threads with topics with hints and advice.

[red-der]

Ok, my 2 Cents:

It helped ME a lot to learn and improve dodging in 1v1 duc matches. Im not good, but a lot better than before. On duc 1v1, there are only 2 shots, no jumps

So you have to be more carefully with every shot you do and it helps you to avoid these silly beginners fault: jumping
You should only jump (on GU) to avoid getting hit if there is no, really no dodging possible. Most of these "emergency jumps" normally end with your death. If you want to train your dodging skills, do some duc 1v1 matches.

Feel free to ask me - I match you.

[gentle giant]

I checked dexter and thought there would be one for gu but there wasn't. I never really played 1vs.1 before because i knew i sucked. I should probably just start doing that. Thanks redder. im just about to check your hints pg, because of the downloasdable file. looks interesting.

[gentle giant]

Pg, im not a techno person and exactly where is the configuration spot? And if i get it on, is there anywhere to take it of if i dont like it?

[Bambino]

Yeah, Start > Documents > My BZFlag Files > 2.0 > config(.cfg) then you copy your current config paste it into a text document in your desktop and add copy my config into your config folder > save > open bzflag.exe

That is for Windows Vista, no idea on other systems.

[ts]

open your config and find and add this

Code: Select all

set linedradarshots 60

you can make the number anything, but I like 60, dodge shots easily and see them well.
Also, go into your in-game GUI and find the colored shots - change to ON then make them fairly large.
Make your radar as big as possible. you can always toggle the score board and chat.

Make sure not to set linedradarshots too high and don't make your radar too big as that can be counterproductive.

Pg, im not a techno person and exactly where is the configuration spot? And if i get it on, is there anywhere to take it of if i dont like it?

Please take a look at http://my.bzflag.org/w/Config_File. I might add here that the Mac OS X path is not according to Apple's guidelines.

[Mucho Maas]

I dont know when to use my radar also. I just look at the screen and try getting out of the way of one bullet, then another hits me.

Most GU players use the radar 99% of the time. If you use the HUD to much it is very likely that you will miss incoming bullets, thus giving you no time to dodge. Even for aim, jumps etc, try to learn to do those by radar.
Also, never focus to much on a single opponent. Use the radar zoom levels a lot to keep an oversight of the entire map and players at all times. Map the keys for radar zooms close to those keys you use a lot. Most people actually do it the other way around, and map shot and jump keys to keys close to the default zoom keys.
Example: Mapping radar zoom levels to keys 1-5, jump to tab and fire to q, w and e.

Using long bullet lines for radar is a good idea, though there are very good dodgers in the league that do not use extravagant values for those. Disabling "colored shots" in radar may help you to see incoming bullets more clearly as well (though you loose a bit of height information, but it is disputable whether that really is a noticeable loss of information).

As for ricochet prediction, that is something that you can only develop through experience.
Ricochet predictions is probably one of toughest to learn. Also, if your good at predicting ricochets on a GU League map, doesn't mean you are automatically good at that on a random ducati map or vice versa. Don't get discouraged if it takes you a long time to improve. Players like my self still run into the the simplest ricochet shots, and there are a couple of good ducati veteran players that cannot get the hang of GU map ricochet shots though they are good in predicting them on ducati.
A big part is learning to know the map and the most common shots. What helps a bit is to not sit still, but to keep moving, and finding the "blind spots" on the map for certain standard situations. With "blind spots" I mean those positions you'd be most save for certain typical shots. A typical example are the hexagon pillars. Depending on the angle of the incoming bullet, there are different save spots for standing around them.
Also it may be easier if you try to stay close to walls. For example, if you are standing right at the wall, you can treat a ricocheting bullet as any other incoming bullet.

[gentle giant]

Thnx all and especially pg. I transferred it to the config file and changed it up a little to the way i like it. But i had a little probablem saving, i tried it a couple times and it went to diffult. So i did it the old fashion way on editing the original config file. On the link you gave me, how do you get the map on the whole screen like they got it? IS it possible, because were would the chat box go? Also, another tactic i forgot to mention. How do people jump from the pyramid to the base so easily? I think it is just practice but i keep on trying and i think im doing it wrong. Do you have to turn a certain way to do it. After all of you gave me the tips, my score went from -15 to -5 as an average it helped, but there are more questions to come i cant figuire out with practice.
Thnxz again
gentle giant

[Bambino]

Make sure you swap out your config for mine with your bzflag client running, or else it will overwrite the new config.

[Saturos]

Make sure you swap out your config for mine with your bzflag client running, or else it will overwrite the new config.

... without ...

[Bambino]

Thanks Saturos.

[ducatiwannabe]

You've got a lot of tips... now here's a little one... touchpad is hard! Get a normal mouse. That's just my $0.02.

[gentle giant]

Thanks. I will do that now for the config. It was hard when i started playing bz on this computer, but i found out i way i could do everything, except typing, well. I tried to use some older mice i had, but none fit the laptop. I just never got around to buying a new one. I think about it.

[zaphod]

i tried to collect some help and tips info on the http://www.zaphod.fr site!
hopefully you'll find some useful information in the basic, rookie and pro:help sections (have also a look into the tips&tricks page)!
anyway, there a 3 basic rules to get better in playing :::
1. practice
2. practice
3. practice


.

[Saturos]

There's also dutchrai's shellshock website with lots of tips&tricks... it hasn't been updated in a while, but imo it is still the best page out there to help beginners: http://shellshock.bzflag.bz

[doc holiday]

personally i'd say don't try to do too many things at once u'll just fail (i suppose u're not a woman )
i don't use radar zooms much, didnt change anything in the config and use the one which is by default set on the key "2" most of the time. i never use the one set to "1" and only check with '"3" by time where opponents are on the map and where they're heading to.
the only thing i changed directly in the config is the font. did that years ago when bz was updated from 1.x to 2.x
also, i don't concentrate too much on radar - with time i got a feeling for the game and when u're in a 1vs1 situation in front of an opponent HUD is much better for dodges (in my opinion).
in addition i recommend you to use the right mouse button to check which opponent u're facing. most players tend always to dodge in the same way. honestly, everyone does. but that's something you'll experience later on.
my € 0.02...