How Do You Aim?

[Quaker Oats]

Let's have a nice chat about aiming strategies. I'll go first!


I've definitely gone through my phases of aiming. Before I got competitive with Quake, I used to just wave the crosshair generally around my target and fire repeatedly, hoping to land an RL or get lucky with the shaft.

I stepped things up when I realized I needed actual techniques, so I started to focus on where players were when I couldn't see them; be it behind a corner for a second, or running around a large obstacle. That's when I learned predetermined shots.

As I got better and played with better players, I noticed that strategy was just common knowledge. I ran into new problems when I would face players who would just make you catch their RL... in the face... every time. I knew there was more to be learned.

That's when I began using a technique that I think has been coined, the "twitch shot". Usually performed with the RL, SG, SSG, and GL, the twitch shot works well with a high sensitivity. The small movement your hand makes is easily memorized, and after a bit of practice, each twitch was landing my crosshair right in the path of my target. Today, I myself, and I'm sure many other players as well, can twitch shot 180 degrees, shooting a perfect RL at a target he lost sight of.

This post was unexpectedly long, so I'm gonna wrap it up with what I'm currently trying to learn:

Eager to find new aiming strategies, I would ride players seeing how they work the shaft/RL. I've increasingly come across players who aim real slowly and patiently. I've always had the mentality that "quake = fast = high sensitivity = gotta keep movin = shoot like crazy". But this kind of aiming seemed quite the opposite. Generally, they would very smoothly line up the crosshair and wait for a perfectly timed RL. Even if they aren't going crazy, the effort put into these shots is enough to take out a target very quickly, so it doesn't matter.

Thoughts? Attributions? Criticism? Let's hear some voices!

[Bruce2]

Great topic. Need to formate my response a little more

[Bloodshot]

I was really expecting this to be a new player asking what the key for ADS was.

[l33t]

I use a lower sense. Just enough to where I can do a perfect 180 in a panic jerk. Currently my sensitivity is set to 2.7 with direct input on. As far as aiming.. there are a lot of adv timed shots you can pickup and learn. For battling it out.. I learn a persons walk pattern and can easily identify them just by how they move and where I should put my rockets.

[Phenom]

I was really expecting this to be a new player asking what the key for ADS was.

I expect to see killcam when I play Quake now

[R00k]

Without reading anything more than the topic,

back in 1997-98 we had to lead our intentions because of lag.
As an LBP now i lead my intentions based on what i want the opponent to do.

I do this by thowing a grenade to my right, then strafe right making them do the opposite and strafe left as i anticipate then shoot left and they strafe in to my (it takes 3 seconds for a nade to explode) grenade i tossed earlier, (it takes 0.8 seconds to refire the RL) , which i swing right to shoot my rl. they get hit with both GL AND RL same time! Well that's how i do for Rocket Arena....atleast .
Other wise just aim low and if you miss you will at least get the m with splash damage.

[Mindf!3ldzX]

I use a sensitivity of 45 lately, with a modified .032 pitch and yaw and I can turn 360 degrees about 5 times comfortably. I don't know if anyones ever noticed, when you play against a player with a lower ping, they tend to have more sharp jukes or changes of direction...... and it can be hard to compensate using a low sensitivity.

I also combine my GL+RL into effectively a single attack, as r00k said it doesn't take nearly as long to fire a RL as it does a GL, so when I use RL and GL combined, I can push out many more projectiles than you can just using GL or RL. Everyone knows he who spams faster,spams longer

[Tremor]

Here's my take:

Certain maps require a mix of both aiming at a certain position on the map and actual player aiming. For example: Say, on DM3, you exit RA room and an enemy at the same time is exiting SNG room. I will typically aim at a position on the RA rotunda instead of at the player, because when exiting that room, there is really only once place to go - so typically they will walk right into your shot if you placed it well enough. Of course, there are situations, when evenly matched, that player aiming & prediction is absolutely necessary, but this all varies from map to map and is subjectively situational.

But, as far as strictly aiming is concerned, rocket arena being the example here, this is my technique: I like to get 'in rhythm' with the other player, and I personally believe that the very first shot is the most important. If your aim and prediction is quick enough to land the first rocket, it buys you some time to firmly establish that rhythm, get in sync with the other player's movement, and be more methodical about your aiming and weapon choices. So, for me, the key to an evenly matched rocket fight is movement. In fact, when I am able to establish that rhythm, I rarely have to move my mouse much in order to make hits because the other player naturally enters my crosshair. I've found this method works well for me, especially while using the shaft.

..'Course, this isn't always the case. In a small area, it's often the fastest with the mostest.

[Phenom]

I first aim based off geometry (Since its stationary and I always know where to aim), if I can manipulate a player into a position so I can pop them up in the air and shaft'em based on their location, I do it. This is often why you see me trying to lob anade at your feet, basically for 2 reasons, 1: pop you in the air noobie like and shaft you to death. 2: you see the nade and think "OMFG IM ABOUT TO DIE BY PHENOM'S HANDS AGAIN!" and exit the nade area... usually I can predict which direction a player is going to go based off level geometry and the actual player i'm up against.

Though I find myself within the past 2 years really only playing for fun and I think my attitude has improved a great bunch, playing to win is overrated (As I see myself more as a staff member or babysitter at times), I try to just go out and kill people in inventive ways now, doesn't matter if I win here's MVP's prize![*] I just don't have time to keep mt competitive edge going.

so in a nutshell, I aim while running my own business and raising a child all with a sub 2 sensitivity!

sometimes its "2EZ" other times I don't even have time to think straight enough to play right, depends on the stress level form day to day

LG = enemy position-er
RL = enemy killer
GL = enemy scatterer
SNG = semi-fakeout(CA-match/DM only)
NG = a joke
SSG = water weapon
sg = for when I'm feeling ****y
AXE = close quarters combat and I love to use CQC with axe

[Quaker Oats]

Great posts guys! I'm sure everyone can benefit from this as well as I did. It's always nice to hear what other people think.

And yeah Tremor, I was going to go into that "geometry aiming" but I felt it was a whole different topic, lol. It can almost be summed up with it being a memorization of the map and knowing your enemy's movements.

[foq]

I really don't put too much thought into it. I'll lead shots with RL, sometimes try to manipulate with GL, but mostly I'm just mindlessly roaming about pointing and clicking.

[bluntz]

This was a big issue on dialup for sure and all the best players I knew used the lowest sensitivity they could live with.
The trick is not aiming at all but your movement.
If you can match the other guys moves you effectively stop them from moving at all making the shot cake.
Gimmicks work for awhile but soon they all fail.
Once you figure out their technique you can use it against them.
I have names for some of the more obvious ones like Rook I call his
Rabbit droppings.
And Phenom I call Pine herder.
I have been thinking lately that maybe sensitivity should actually be different
for each weapon and may try scripting new values to each one.
I have been doing this for my LG for quite some time now and I have seen a definite improvement in my shaft.

[Phenom]

And Phenom I call Pine herder.

I have my own special moves list?

I'd like to hear more about that!

[smokey]

w/ rl, dont shoot where they are, shoot where they are going to be (think dogfighting ww2 simulators) also works for ng/sng. w/ rl always remember to shoot at their feet/walls/ceilings anywhere you can do guaranteed damage, this will over time do more damage than going for direct hits only, and if you are really good you can aim a fraction behind their feet and still have the chance of doing some damage. LG is all ping/fps/ability to point and click imho. (this is half of what it takes to aim the other half is knowing your opponent and their tendencies)

[bluntz]

Sure Phen,almost everyone has traits that I categorize.
Yours were developed from playing the original single player the way I see it.
You drive through your enemy using the map to dictate objectives and almost ignore your opponents reactions leaving only the openings as booby traps.
You are a herder of the pined.