“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”–Leo Tolstoy
Welcome to Squids in Arms, my guide to the mental game of Splatoon, aimed at making you a smarter and more effective SK (Squid/Kid). This guide will (hopefully) teach you how to analyze the battlefield and apply mindgames, play as a team, and, most importantly, HOW TO STAY ALIVE.
This guide will not go over tech skill, nor how to “get all da sweet xXn0_5c0p35Xx”. This guide is for players who are serious about getting better at the game they love with a better mindset, as well as for casual players who are looking to do just a smidge better and not be splatted so much. I will do my best to refrain from being biased in this guide, and as such, will never say “this is the best strategy to win” or “this is the best weapon”. While this guide may be a bit more in-depth and philosophical, I’ll do my best to make it entertaining, easy to read and easy to comprehend. Just be warned: Most of this guide will be covering Splatoon’s metagame and working on sharpening your logistical skills and survival strategies.
With all that boring junk out of the way, why don’t we get to know each other just a little better!~
The Creepy Part All About Me (A Small Bio)
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Alexis, and I go by the tag Wispy.
…what you want more?! Ugh, FINE. I’ve been a gamer ever since I was little and have loved all games from any platform, but with a special lil’ spot in my heart for Nintendo games (Kirby and Pokémon fangirl alert). I especially love JRPG’s and will harass you with PM’s if you mention Persona anywhere around me.
As for my experience with shooters, I spent many years playing Gears of War competitively, as well as a few more shooters on the Microsoft consoles, although I’ve always loved third person shooters the best (Gears actually being the reason I bought an Xbox, as opposed to Halo).
I also play a lot of Smash, though not too much is interchangeable between fighting games and shooters. If you ever want to face a crappy Duck Hunt who spams decent Duck Hunt main, feel free to hit me up here or on Smashboards (both places, @Wispy).
Ok that’s enough, YOU CREEP. Let’s get to this mothersquidding guide!
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE (Why is this important?)
All throughout this guide, there will be an underlying theme that I will make nice and obvious.
THE MANTRA OF SURVIVAL
(^It’s big, bolded, and in caps because this is the important theme of the guide!)
Quite frankly, the more you are killed/splatted in any game, the more of a chance your team will lose. Once you are splatted…
· Your team becomes more vulnerable.
· The enemy has an easier time pushing.
· They also get a nice chunk of free ink covering their environment.
· You are no longer helping.
· At the end of the game, you become “that guy, the one whose fault it was we didn’t win [insert angry text emoticon]”.
While covering the terrain in ink or controlling a zone may be the most important thing to keep in mind, staying alive ensures that you are around to keep doing it. It won’t matter if you got 50 splats in a game if you died 50 times along the way. Staying alive and being a valuable resource to your team is much more important than trying to prove to everyone that you’re “da bes at getting kills”.
Using and Abusing The Third Person Perspective
Through much meditation, mental focus and years of research, I have deduced that Splatoon… IS A THIRD-PERSON SHOOTER!
For the 7 of you who don’t know already, this means the camera is behind and slightly above the player’s perspective, as opposed to first person, where the perspective is in the eyes of said player.
“So what?!”” you are probably thinking.
First off, your thoughts are very rude. Secondly, this perspective allows many tricks involving the camera’s manipulation.
The most useful feature of having a third person perspective is using the camera to look around corners, without exposing yourself, better known as corner camping.
All weapons benefit from peeking around corners. Rollers will almost always win, since they are a one-shot weapon, shooters will get the first hit in a fight, as well as having access to the choice of inking behind your opponent as well, making retreats much harder to do, and chargers will be able to charge a shot behind the wall WITHOUT the laser sight giving you away. Keep in mind, however, enemy players can do this as well. If choke points were not dangerous enough on their own, the advantage of having corners can make them even harder to overcome. If you think or know someone is hiding around a corner, you have your sub weapons to get them out, splash walls to negate any fights happening, locators to show you where exactly they are, and so on. Subs are very important for tough situations, make sure you know how to use them. The other measure against corners (if you have the space to do it) is to simply take the corner from a wide angle. Instead of hugging the wall with the corner, just give it plenty of space as you maneuver around it. Opponents either have to move back to avoid being seen, or come out to attack, neutralizing the situation.
Below are some pictures to help illustrate my examples!
“Zoom… and enhance…” (Analyzing the Battlefield)
This is where the meat and waffles of the guide will be primarily. I don’t expect everyone to read this guide all at once, nor should they, as it’s going to be covering a lot. I would recommend reading a chunk at a time and slowly working new patterns into your gameplay as you get better.
The Opening Rush
I won’t be going through the mindset of an entire match, as it greatly varies from situation to situation, but there is one part I wanted to discuss, which the beginning of every match.
So the match starts and INK GOES EVERYWHERE! EVEN IN YO EARS. THAT STUFF IS HARD TO GET OFF, YO! Now, in both Turf War and Ranked, you have very similar “opening options” to choose from (although in Ranked, your options have a heavier weight). Contrary to popular belief, you SHOULDN’T always rush out into the middle of the map and immediately get into the blitz. You first may want to survey your team, the enemy team, and what is available to them. For example, the enemy team has two chargers, so instead of rushing to the middle, maybe you want to hang back and ink up as much free turf as you can to build up your meter, then bring out the big guns to help your team push. Perhaps you see the team has rollers, so you actually do want to rush the middle and keep them from setting up their turf. There is no definitive “right” answer for every match, only varying degrees of strategy. This is why you try new things, go for a crazy idea at the beginning once in a while; experiment. It keeps you from becoming predictable, which is the last thing you want to be in a game that punishes you hard for mistakes.
When I mentioned Ranked having more weight, I don’t mean it eats at McDonald’s every day and really like ranch dressing on everything. This implies that your actions will affect the outcome of a match, the options your teammates will have, and how the fight will play out much more than in a simple Turf War. Not only are people fighting to win, they’re also putting something at risk: their rank, which is a big motivator to do your best. This is where the opening rush and your options become much more significant. Staying behind to build a special, or just to make sure your terrain is safe in your color ink really does matter, rushing the hill is not your only option. Remember, it’s better to play “smart”, rather than “fast”.
Are You A Kid? Or a Squid? (Know Your Role)
This is the part where “being da bes quickscoper dawg 420 blaze it!” is not always the most optimal way to play. The role you play on your team is really based on your playstyle, weapon and how you deal with certain scenarios. Once teams become a thing in August, this will become even more important. Knowing what void you fill and how it affects the match is vital. This area is actually VERY complicated, and as such, I can’t tell you “how to be the best X”, but I can outline a few good archetypes in a simple format, to give you a good idea of what I mean.
· Offensive Roles
o Slayer: The team’s go-to killer splatter…er? You are the one always applying basic pressure, weaving in and out, getting splats and acting as your team’s “guard dog”. You are always looking for your next splat, so long as you are not at a disadvantage.
o Flanker: With the way ink works in this game, this is another vital role. A slayer can also accomplish these goals by flanking, but the flanking I’m talking about is a little more tactical. You are the one pushing the enemy team’s buttons, being an annoyance and forcing them to mix up their game or lose. Avoiding direct combat, and sneaking in behind people as an “assassin” is your way to deal with people. A defensive flanker could also be the one to take enemy territory back while they are not looking, leaving a nasty surprise for any respawning enemies.
· Defensive Roles
o Area Defense: Be it a hill or a vital chokepoint, you are the troll under the bridge, making it hard as heck to get past you. Although you may be campier than your teammates, your main intention is to hold your side of the map first, and then make sure it stays yours.
o Support: The “playdough” of your team, everyone has a bit of support in them. It could be tagging along with a buddy for a firefight, or retreating so your team can spawn in on you. You are flexible to always go back and forth between roles as needed.
Your “role” may not be here, nor may you even fit in any one “role”, but knowing how you fit among your team is the key difference between good teamwork and great teamwork. To find where you fit, I’d recommend trying a bit of everything until you find a couple playstyles you enjoy.
“HOW DID SHE EVEN FREAKIN’ GET ME!?” (Combat)
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “All is fair in love and war”. This is the 2nd mantra you should have in mind while playing. You should never start a fair fight. As harsh as it sounds, at the end of the day, you are out to win, first and foremost, and believe me when I say the enemy team is not thinking “let’s give them a chance to fight back”. It’s a squid-eat-squid out there, and you have to be sure you’re the one on top at the end as the most fresh!
Never starting a fair fight is the fundamental rule to winning most interactions against opponents. You need to use every advantage you have to make sure the engagement is as fast as possible, and as easy as possible. Here is a list of advantages to keep in mind.
· High Ground: Shooting someone from the top of a hill is not easy for any weapon, especially with how much gravity comes into play in this game, along with the ink mechanics. High ground gives you many more options for escaping, attacking and defending as well.
· Range of your Weapon: See that charger? See how it shoots over a great distance? Use that to your advantage. If they can’t hit you, then you already have a very big advantage. No need to get closer and give them a chance. On the inverse, do you have an Aerospray, and see someone with a high accuracy weapons nearby? Rush in close and make it hard for them, don’t start shooting and running at them. The moment they know you are nearby, you have officially lost part of your advantage. Speaking of knowing you are there…
· Element of Surprise: Again, this is the whole “make fights end as quickly as possible.” The less time your opponent has to fight against you, the more likely your odds of survival. Using the camera to peak around corners and knowing when not to shoot (and stay stealthy) can really boost your sneak skills.
· Movement Strategies: For those of us who like short range weapons, you also have a plethora of movement options for fighting. Dipping in and out of ink to heal and get new positions on your opponents, jumping, strafing erratically, climbing walls, don’t just stand still, get creative!
· Power in Numbers: See a teammate trying to push by themselves? Go back them up! The situation may end up in a splat on both ends, but the side with more fighters usually tends to win the push, having one or more people left to keep going.
Don’t forget about your access to sub weapons as well. Why you may like just using your main, keep in mind most kits are designed in a manner that balances out the weaknesses of your gun, and gives you more options.
Mindgames
Knowledge is indeed, power, based on the ancient teaching of School House Rock. While most of what I have wanted to say has been said already, there are a few more topics that have to deal with outsmarting your opponent, instead of using a basic understanding of spacing and logic: the mindgames.
Mindgames make up a huge chunk of the meta in any competitive game, and are vital for doing well. This isn’t only in game, but has to do with your own psyche as well, a major part many players tend to ignore.
The “Slaughterhouse” Effect
So, you’ve been splatted ay? Oh well, time to rush back in right?! WRONG!
This is an issue that has plagued many shooters, and is a major reason of why it sometimes feels like the enemy team completely DOMINATES once they have control of a section of the map.
In case you don’t know how a slaughterhouse works, back in the past, we used to get our bacon in a very barbaric fashion, before we were concerned with animal rights and humane ways of getting meat. A conveyor belt with pigs would be set up to move, while pigs would stand on it and let themselves be transported. At the other end of the conveyor belt was a man with a weapon, and usually a non-humane one. It wasn’t nice, but it was an easy way to get meat in mass quantities quickly.
This example can be used to describe many situations that have led to complete knockouts in ranked mode. An enemy team will win the opening rush to the center of the map, wiping out the other team one by one. With the team now spread out and coming to the center of the map one at a time (due to varying spawn timers and the enemy starting to control more of the map), it makes it very easy to pick off squids one at a time. Nobody means for this to happen, we all have good intentions to “help out by storming the hill”, but unfortunately it happens quite often when we do not take the time to slow down and think.
Luckily, should you find yourself in a situation like this, it is possible to come back, you’ll just need to approach the situation from new angles. Literally. Try slowly gaining back what territory you can while you wait for your teammates to come back for a large push. Remember, power in numbers, don’t try to take on 3 squiddies at once. If you want to go solo, take a flanking path and start pushing slowly from that side while applying bits of pressure to contest areas. Take back captured areas and build up your special instead of trying to be the hero. Not only are you flanking and taking back turf at the same time, but giving your teammates a chance to spawn on you and get closer to the action. Having a wide area of control when in combat is very important. The more ink on your side, the more options available to you. One final tip to avoiding this trap is to always keep trying new approaches. Don’t be predictable and always spawn on your teammates, or always take the same path. Try the flanking route, or go into squid form and get to the battle normally. Just keep your opponents guessing.
Dealing with Burnout.
We all lose eventually. It’s a fact of the game. We all want to win but it’s not always possible. When we come off a string of losses, it also starts to eat at our morale, making it harder for us to think more clearly, making smart choices, and slowly drains us of our mental energy in general. This is what is known as burnout; When you have run out of mental energy to stay engaged in a game. It happens to all of us, even when we are winning, be it from playing too much or dealing with loss after loss. We all start to lose our edge at some point.
While there is no way to stop burnout from happening completely, there are ways to cope with it, and delay it from happening.
· Take breaks: Perhaps a 10-15 minute break every hour. It’s not only healthy for you, but it relieves you from the constant tension of competitive games. Close your eyes for a while and relax. Watch a funny video on the web, or make a snack (or do both like I do). It helps you from getting upset over games too much, and helps you come back form it more refreshed and aware.
· Think positive: This one is a little harder for people. I’m not saying be “happy-go-lucky” levels of euphoria, but don’t focus so much on the bad. Instead of thinking “damn, how dumb am I for falling for THAT?!”, try thinking “How can I avoid that next time?”.
· Try new ideas: We can get caught up in the tunnel vision of always having to use one weapon, or one strategy, that we forget we have room to wiggle. If you are not enjoying yourself, try something new! It’ll help with your creativity, and get you out of the rut of not having fun as you explore your new-found weapons and gear.
· Know when to stop: Similar to taking a break, you should know where you cut-off point is. Playing while upset or after you’ve lost your cool will not make you a better player, as you are more likely to make rash decisions. I can’t tell you when you should stop playing, but a few of my cut-off points are: Getting sleepy, not having fun anymore, and not feeling better after a break.
Conclusion
Hopefully I'll be able to add more strategies to helping you survive longer later, but with this, you should be well equipped to get out there and NOT die! Maybe even help your teammates out! Just remember: Survival is the first mantra, and never starting a fair fight is the second! I'll see you all out on the ink! May the most fresh be blessed by Judd!
...shhh no don't cry it's ok, I'm still here... I'm just not good at ending things...
No no it's not me! It's you! You did just stare at this guide for a long while.
I need space seriously, stop reading.
There's nothing else here.
butts lol
Welcome to Squids in Arms, my guide to the mental game of Splatoon, aimed at making you a smarter and more effective SK (Squid/Kid). This guide will (hopefully) teach you how to analyze the battlefield and apply mindgames, play as a team, and, most importantly, HOW TO STAY ALIVE.
This guide will not go over tech skill, nor how to “get all da sweet xXn0_5c0p35Xx”. This guide is for players who are serious about getting better at the game they love with a better mindset, as well as for casual players who are looking to do just a smidge better and not be splatted so much. I will do my best to refrain from being biased in this guide, and as such, will never say “this is the best strategy to win” or “this is the best weapon”. While this guide may be a bit more in-depth and philosophical, I’ll do my best to make it entertaining, easy to read and easy to comprehend. Just be warned: Most of this guide will be covering Splatoon’s metagame and working on sharpening your logistical skills and survival strategies.
With all that boring junk out of the way, why don’t we get to know each other just a little better!~
The Creepy Part All About Me (A Small Bio)
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Alexis, and I go by the tag Wispy.
…what you want more?! Ugh, FINE. I’ve been a gamer ever since I was little and have loved all games from any platform, but with a special lil’ spot in my heart for Nintendo games (Kirby and Pokémon fangirl alert). I especially love JRPG’s and will harass you with PM’s if you mention Persona anywhere around me.
As for my experience with shooters, I spent many years playing Gears of War competitively, as well as a few more shooters on the Microsoft consoles, although I’ve always loved third person shooters the best (Gears actually being the reason I bought an Xbox, as opposed to Halo).
I also play a lot of Smash, though not too much is interchangeable between fighting games and shooters. If you ever want to face a crappy Duck Hunt who spams decent Duck Hunt main, feel free to hit me up here or on Smashboards (both places, @Wispy).
Ok that’s enough, YOU CREEP. Let’s get to this mothersquidding guide!
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE (Why is this important?)
All throughout this guide, there will be an underlying theme that I will make nice and obvious.
THE MANTRA OF SURVIVAL
(^It’s big, bolded, and in caps because this is the important theme of the guide!)
Quite frankly, the more you are killed/splatted in any game, the more of a chance your team will lose. Once you are splatted…
· Your team becomes more vulnerable.
· The enemy has an easier time pushing.
· They also get a nice chunk of free ink covering their environment.
· You are no longer helping.
· At the end of the game, you become “that guy, the one whose fault it was we didn’t win [insert angry text emoticon]”.
While covering the terrain in ink or controlling a zone may be the most important thing to keep in mind, staying alive ensures that you are around to keep doing it. It won’t matter if you got 50 splats in a game if you died 50 times along the way. Staying alive and being a valuable resource to your team is much more important than trying to prove to everyone that you’re “da bes at getting kills”.
Using and Abusing The Third Person Perspective
Through much meditation, mental focus and years of research, I have deduced that Splatoon… IS A THIRD-PERSON SHOOTER!
For the 7 of you who don’t know already, this means the camera is behind and slightly above the player’s perspective, as opposed to first person, where the perspective is in the eyes of said player.
“So what?!”” you are probably thinking.
First off, your thoughts are very rude. Secondly, this perspective allows many tricks involving the camera’s manipulation.
The most useful feature of having a third person perspective is using the camera to look around corners, without exposing yourself, better known as corner camping.
All weapons benefit from peeking around corners. Rollers will almost always win, since they are a one-shot weapon, shooters will get the first hit in a fight, as well as having access to the choice of inking behind your opponent as well, making retreats much harder to do, and chargers will be able to charge a shot behind the wall WITHOUT the laser sight giving you away. Keep in mind, however, enemy players can do this as well. If choke points were not dangerous enough on their own, the advantage of having corners can make them even harder to overcome. If you think or know someone is hiding around a corner, you have your sub weapons to get them out, splash walls to negate any fights happening, locators to show you where exactly they are, and so on. Subs are very important for tough situations, make sure you know how to use them. The other measure against corners (if you have the space to do it) is to simply take the corner from a wide angle. Instead of hugging the wall with the corner, just give it plenty of space as you maneuver around it. Opponents either have to move back to avoid being seen, or come out to attack, neutralizing the situation.
Below are some pictures to help illustrate my examples!
Here you can see very clearly inside the hill and across the map while remaining hidden behind this crate.
Panning the camera down while hiding in the ink, you can look over cover, as well as see a decent chunk of the map while staying hidden.
A position I use often, you can see the entire hall to the right to properly defend, as well as tell if it is safe to go down.
In the new Kelp Dome Map, standing by this wall let's you see both sides of this barrier, as well as down the hall to the right.
Here, at the chokepoint on Urchin Underpass, people love to run over this hill without looking. But if we pan the camera up (by looking down)...
http://i.imgur.com/5YVgUyR.jpg
You can see over the hill and check if anyone is inside the center of the map.
http://i.imgur.com/Qvh6EQJ.jpg
Over by the flanking path of the map, hiding on this corner let's you see inside the gulch and a good chunk of the center without exposing yourself to danger.
http://i.imgur.com/b3kGjDa.jpg
Using the other side of the corner, you get a clear view down the hall of the flanking path!
http://i.imgur.com/UEJ274L.jpg
Near the chokepoint of Urchin Underpass, you can't really see much from looking normally.
http://i.imgur.com/uPuhFgI.jpg
Moving your position and the camera however, you can see a bit inside their base, for anyone attempting to hide!
Panning the camera down while hiding in the ink, you can look over cover, as well as see a decent chunk of the map while staying hidden.
A position I use often, you can see the entire hall to the right to properly defend, as well as tell if it is safe to go down.
In the new Kelp Dome Map, standing by this wall let's you see both sides of this barrier, as well as down the hall to the right.
Here, at the chokepoint on Urchin Underpass, people love to run over this hill without looking. But if we pan the camera up (by looking down)...
http://i.imgur.com/5YVgUyR.jpg
You can see over the hill and check if anyone is inside the center of the map.
http://i.imgur.com/Qvh6EQJ.jpg
Over by the flanking path of the map, hiding on this corner let's you see inside the gulch and a good chunk of the center without exposing yourself to danger.
http://i.imgur.com/b3kGjDa.jpg
Using the other side of the corner, you get a clear view down the hall of the flanking path!
http://i.imgur.com/UEJ274L.jpg
Near the chokepoint of Urchin Underpass, you can't really see much from looking normally.
http://i.imgur.com/uPuhFgI.jpg
Moving your position and the camera however, you can see a bit inside their base, for anyone attempting to hide!
“Zoom… and enhance…” (Analyzing the Battlefield)
This is where the meat and waffles of the guide will be primarily. I don’t expect everyone to read this guide all at once, nor should they, as it’s going to be covering a lot. I would recommend reading a chunk at a time and slowly working new patterns into your gameplay as you get better.
The Opening Rush
I won’t be going through the mindset of an entire match, as it greatly varies from situation to situation, but there is one part I wanted to discuss, which the beginning of every match.
So the match starts and INK GOES EVERYWHERE! EVEN IN YO EARS. THAT STUFF IS HARD TO GET OFF, YO! Now, in both Turf War and Ranked, you have very similar “opening options” to choose from (although in Ranked, your options have a heavier weight). Contrary to popular belief, you SHOULDN’T always rush out into the middle of the map and immediately get into the blitz. You first may want to survey your team, the enemy team, and what is available to them. For example, the enemy team has two chargers, so instead of rushing to the middle, maybe you want to hang back and ink up as much free turf as you can to build up your meter, then bring out the big guns to help your team push. Perhaps you see the team has rollers, so you actually do want to rush the middle and keep them from setting up their turf. There is no definitive “right” answer for every match, only varying degrees of strategy. This is why you try new things, go for a crazy idea at the beginning once in a while; experiment. It keeps you from becoming predictable, which is the last thing you want to be in a game that punishes you hard for mistakes.
When I mentioned Ranked having more weight, I don’t mean it eats at McDonald’s every day and really like ranch dressing on everything. This implies that your actions will affect the outcome of a match, the options your teammates will have, and how the fight will play out much more than in a simple Turf War. Not only are people fighting to win, they’re also putting something at risk: their rank, which is a big motivator to do your best. This is where the opening rush and your options become much more significant. Staying behind to build a special, or just to make sure your terrain is safe in your color ink really does matter, rushing the hill is not your only option. Remember, it’s better to play “smart”, rather than “fast”.
Are You A Kid? Or a Squid? (Know Your Role)
This is the part where “being da bes quickscoper dawg 420 blaze it!” is not always the most optimal way to play. The role you play on your team is really based on your playstyle, weapon and how you deal with certain scenarios. Once teams become a thing in August, this will become even more important. Knowing what void you fill and how it affects the match is vital. This area is actually VERY complicated, and as such, I can’t tell you “how to be the best X”, but I can outline a few good archetypes in a simple format, to give you a good idea of what I mean.
· Offensive Roles
o Slayer: The team’s go-to killer splatter…er? You are the one always applying basic pressure, weaving in and out, getting splats and acting as your team’s “guard dog”. You are always looking for your next splat, so long as you are not at a disadvantage.
o Flanker: With the way ink works in this game, this is another vital role. A slayer can also accomplish these goals by flanking, but the flanking I’m talking about is a little more tactical. You are the one pushing the enemy team’s buttons, being an annoyance and forcing them to mix up their game or lose. Avoiding direct combat, and sneaking in behind people as an “assassin” is your way to deal with people. A defensive flanker could also be the one to take enemy territory back while they are not looking, leaving a nasty surprise for any respawning enemies.
· Defensive Roles
o Area Defense: Be it a hill or a vital chokepoint, you are the troll under the bridge, making it hard as heck to get past you. Although you may be campier than your teammates, your main intention is to hold your side of the map first, and then make sure it stays yours.
o Support: The “playdough” of your team, everyone has a bit of support in them. It could be tagging along with a buddy for a firefight, or retreating so your team can spawn in on you. You are flexible to always go back and forth between roles as needed.
Your “role” may not be here, nor may you even fit in any one “role”, but knowing how you fit among your team is the key difference between good teamwork and great teamwork. To find where you fit, I’d recommend trying a bit of everything until you find a couple playstyles you enjoy.
“HOW DID SHE EVEN FREAKIN’ GET ME!?” (Combat)
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “All is fair in love and war”. This is the 2nd mantra you should have in mind while playing. You should never start a fair fight. As harsh as it sounds, at the end of the day, you are out to win, first and foremost, and believe me when I say the enemy team is not thinking “let’s give them a chance to fight back”. It’s a squid-eat-squid out there, and you have to be sure you’re the one on top at the end as the most fresh!
Never starting a fair fight is the fundamental rule to winning most interactions against opponents. You need to use every advantage you have to make sure the engagement is as fast as possible, and as easy as possible. Here is a list of advantages to keep in mind.
· High Ground: Shooting someone from the top of a hill is not easy for any weapon, especially with how much gravity comes into play in this game, along with the ink mechanics. High ground gives you many more options for escaping, attacking and defending as well.
· Range of your Weapon: See that charger? See how it shoots over a great distance? Use that to your advantage. If they can’t hit you, then you already have a very big advantage. No need to get closer and give them a chance. On the inverse, do you have an Aerospray, and see someone with a high accuracy weapons nearby? Rush in close and make it hard for them, don’t start shooting and running at them. The moment they know you are nearby, you have officially lost part of your advantage. Speaking of knowing you are there…
· Element of Surprise: Again, this is the whole “make fights end as quickly as possible.” The less time your opponent has to fight against you, the more likely your odds of survival. Using the camera to peak around corners and knowing when not to shoot (and stay stealthy) can really boost your sneak skills.
· Movement Strategies: For those of us who like short range weapons, you also have a plethora of movement options for fighting. Dipping in and out of ink to heal and get new positions on your opponents, jumping, strafing erratically, climbing walls, don’t just stand still, get creative!
· Power in Numbers: See a teammate trying to push by themselves? Go back them up! The situation may end up in a splat on both ends, but the side with more fighters usually tends to win the push, having one or more people left to keep going.
Don’t forget about your access to sub weapons as well. Why you may like just using your main, keep in mind most kits are designed in a manner that balances out the weaknesses of your gun, and gives you more options.
Mindgames
Knowledge is indeed, power, based on the ancient teaching of School House Rock. While most of what I have wanted to say has been said already, there are a few more topics that have to deal with outsmarting your opponent, instead of using a basic understanding of spacing and logic: the mindgames.
Mindgames make up a huge chunk of the meta in any competitive game, and are vital for doing well. This isn’t only in game, but has to do with your own psyche as well, a major part many players tend to ignore.
The “Slaughterhouse” Effect
So, you’ve been splatted ay? Oh well, time to rush back in right?! WRONG!
This is an issue that has plagued many shooters, and is a major reason of why it sometimes feels like the enemy team completely DOMINATES once they have control of a section of the map.
In case you don’t know how a slaughterhouse works, back in the past, we used to get our bacon in a very barbaric fashion, before we were concerned with animal rights and humane ways of getting meat. A conveyor belt with pigs would be set up to move, while pigs would stand on it and let themselves be transported. At the other end of the conveyor belt was a man with a weapon, and usually a non-humane one. It wasn’t nice, but it was an easy way to get meat in mass quantities quickly.
This example can be used to describe many situations that have led to complete knockouts in ranked mode. An enemy team will win the opening rush to the center of the map, wiping out the other team one by one. With the team now spread out and coming to the center of the map one at a time (due to varying spawn timers and the enemy starting to control more of the map), it makes it very easy to pick off squids one at a time. Nobody means for this to happen, we all have good intentions to “help out by storming the hill”, but unfortunately it happens quite often when we do not take the time to slow down and think.
Luckily, should you find yourself in a situation like this, it is possible to come back, you’ll just need to approach the situation from new angles. Literally. Try slowly gaining back what territory you can while you wait for your teammates to come back for a large push. Remember, power in numbers, don’t try to take on 3 squiddies at once. If you want to go solo, take a flanking path and start pushing slowly from that side while applying bits of pressure to contest areas. Take back captured areas and build up your special instead of trying to be the hero. Not only are you flanking and taking back turf at the same time, but giving your teammates a chance to spawn on you and get closer to the action. Having a wide area of control when in combat is very important. The more ink on your side, the more options available to you. One final tip to avoiding this trap is to always keep trying new approaches. Don’t be predictable and always spawn on your teammates, or always take the same path. Try the flanking route, or go into squid form and get to the battle normally. Just keep your opponents guessing.
Dealing with Burnout.
We all lose eventually. It’s a fact of the game. We all want to win but it’s not always possible. When we come off a string of losses, it also starts to eat at our morale, making it harder for us to think more clearly, making smart choices, and slowly drains us of our mental energy in general. This is what is known as burnout; When you have run out of mental energy to stay engaged in a game. It happens to all of us, even when we are winning, be it from playing too much or dealing with loss after loss. We all start to lose our edge at some point.
While there is no way to stop burnout from happening completely, there are ways to cope with it, and delay it from happening.
· Take breaks: Perhaps a 10-15 minute break every hour. It’s not only healthy for you, but it relieves you from the constant tension of competitive games. Close your eyes for a while and relax. Watch a funny video on the web, or make a snack (or do both like I do). It helps you from getting upset over games too much, and helps you come back form it more refreshed and aware.
· Think positive: This one is a little harder for people. I’m not saying be “happy-go-lucky” levels of euphoria, but don’t focus so much on the bad. Instead of thinking “damn, how dumb am I for falling for THAT?!”, try thinking “How can I avoid that next time?”.
· Try new ideas: We can get caught up in the tunnel vision of always having to use one weapon, or one strategy, that we forget we have room to wiggle. If you are not enjoying yourself, try something new! It’ll help with your creativity, and get you out of the rut of not having fun as you explore your new-found weapons and gear.
· Know when to stop: Similar to taking a break, you should know where you cut-off point is. Playing while upset or after you’ve lost your cool will not make you a better player, as you are more likely to make rash decisions. I can’t tell you when you should stop playing, but a few of my cut-off points are: Getting sleepy, not having fun anymore, and not feeling better after a break.
Conclusion
Hopefully I'll be able to add more strategies to helping you survive longer later, but with this, you should be well equipped to get out there and NOT die! Maybe even help your teammates out! Just remember: Survival is the first mantra, and never starting a fair fight is the second! I'll see you all out on the ink! May the most fresh be blessed by Judd!
...shhh no don't cry it's ok, I'm still here... I'm just not good at ending things...
No no it's not me! It's you! You did just stare at this guide for a long while.
I need space seriously, stop reading.
There's nothing else here.
butts lol
