Table of Contents:
Improving your FPS gaming skills isn’t like trying to improve your athletic performance; practice will only get you so far. Improvement requires assessing your shortcomings and identifying clear progress goals, then trying different strategies to achieve them.
Here are five easy tricks to improve your performance in FPS games and learn from your mistakes.
Reflect on Your Weaknesses
Before trying to improve, reflect upon your weaknesses to look for trends. Note what happens each time you’re eliminated or lost and identify why it occurred. Sometimes you may be unlucky, but there are likely a few trends impacting your outcomes.
For example, you may struggle with poor aim or panic when another player surprises you. This issue identifies a need to learn stress management skills, like deep breathing, as you play. Maybe you forget to reload until it’s too late. Learning to count your shots out loud (or seconds for automatic weapons) can help build awareness around this habit.
Alternatively, you may be good at surviving but not getting your own shot count up. This issue could stem from hesitation to get into the game or poor aiming abilities.
Once you identify your weaknesses, you’ll have a clear starting point for your improvement efforts. You can develop strategies that pertain specifically to improving your weaknesses.
Connect with an Online Community
Once you better understand your pain points, connect with other players and engage with online resources for gameplay tips. Look for additional info about your FPS game, techniques, and strategies you can implement. It’s also helpful to watch videos of other players to see how they handle situations.
Participate in online forums and ask other gamers if they’ve had similar issues or have game-specific advice to share. Remember to be a helpful participant and share your advice with new players in return.
Practice in Creative Mode
Many FPS games have a creative or training mode in which you can refine your skills. Many FPS players overlook this opportunity to hone their skills in a safe environment. While the training protocols and creative modes can be dull, they’re ideal for sharpening your skills without impacting your stats.
Working in training or creative mode also helps you familiarize yourself with the nuances of different weapons. Take the time to learn about the recoil of each weapon and how to account for it with your positioning. Practice your skills of running, crouching, or sliding while shooting.
Cross-Train Your Skills
Playing other games can also help you build your FPS player skills. If you’re getting frustrated with your lack of progress, this could also give you the mental break you need to improve.
Consider playing a variety of other video games that help build complementary skills. Even board games can offer benefits! Some common skills gleaned from gaming include:
-
- improved hand-eye coordination (a top priority for FPS)
- critical thinking and problem solving
- collaboration and teamwork
- patience and calm under pressure
Developing these skills in other games can help improve your FPS gameplay. Don’t overlook the value of taking a break from your game and playing something like Mario Party with your family. You’ll develop many complementary skills while relaxing and unwinding from your FPS frustrations.
Adjust Your Settings
Depending on your favorite FPS game, your settings could be causing the issue. Some games allow you to adjust your controller or mouse sensitivity, crosshair settings, recoil, etc. Try adjusting the settings and see if they make a difference.
Finally, consider whether improving is truly important to you. If you play the game and it helps you de-stress or relax, keep it as a casual hobby rather than a competitive aspiration. Try some new skills and take the pressure off yourself— sometimes that’s all it takes to improve.
