Chances are, if you’re reading this then you probably play games, at least every now and then. Across the world, current estimates suggest about four in 10 of us enjoy them, but this rises higher when you look only at the adult population in developed economies like those in North America and Western Europe. For example, in the United States and the United Kingdom, the percentage of people that play games is close to 65% and rising.
That means that, in the US alone, there are about 214 million gamers. Whichever way you look at it, that’s no small number.
It’s no wonder then, that if you’re dipping your toes into this giant gaming ocean, you can often feel a little out of your depth – treading water in the wake of the better-skilled and more experienced competition.
Don’t let this put you off, though. There’s no need to head back to shore and grab a towel. You just need to find your sea legs.
Thankfully, there are plenty of ways in which technology can help you get a better understanding of how your favorite games work and how you can improve your skills.
Online Guides
Whenever you start playing a new game, it can be tempting to just dive right in and see what happens. But, actually, if you take your time to understand the theoretical elements, you can hit the ground running.
For example, card games like poker are relatively easy to pick up as a beginner, but understanding the hierarchy of each combination of cards and other rules can make it easier for you to know what’s going on.
Thankfully, you can find detailed guides online that cover just about every element of almost every game. From Minesweeper to Minecraft, you’ll be able to build your theoretical understanding and even have a handy reference sheet to keep next to you on a phone or tablet while you play.
Hotkeys
When you’re playing fast-paced games on your computer, you can quickly tie yourself up in knots just like you would in a game of Twister.
You have to add finger placements to your muscle memory, which is fine but it can still slow you down when you’re in the heat of battle.
Hotkeys are a clever piece of technology that can help to address this. They can be programmed to perform multiple key presses on your behalf and they can be placed well within your reach so you can hit them in the blink of an eye.
The easiest and cheapest way to get access to these express buttons is to buy a gaming mouse. You can pick one up from just about any electrical retailer and they don’t have to break the bank.
Typically, a gaming mouse will have at least two extra buttons that sit under your thumb, though some more high-end ones can include an entire bank of them.
Then, just program the mouse software so that the correct sequence of key presses is linked to each button and you’re good to go.
Follow the Pros
No matter how good you are, there are always gamers that are better than you. While you might be a bit jealous of that, these pros have a lot of tips and tricks up their sleeves and technology can help you to learn them.
An easy way to do this is by heading to a streaming site like Twitch or YouTube and simply watching these experienced players play. There are thousands of gamers that broadcast themselves on a regular basis, all for free.
As you watch, you’ll see the way they approach certain scenarios in games like Fortnite, such as finding cover from incoming fire, constantly moving to avoid being targeted and being more deliberate with how they use ammunition – preferring accuracy over volume.
Of course, just watching a few videos won’t make you instantly better, but if you pay attention, examine their approach, and try to include it in your own gameplay, then it can help you level up your skills.
