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By XXX_Quitch
Commander of the XXX Clan
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees."
Newbie: Someone who is doing a new thing for the first time.
Although it's not the most popular game, Outwars has a steady influx of newbies. These players are just starting out, and need help learning the ropes. The standard reaction to a newbie is one of repulsion. People seem to hate having to say anything that can't be understood immediately, and in shorthand form.
People have a habit of forgetting what it was like to be new, and think only about where they are now in their expertise. Remember, everyone who is now a pro at Outwars was a newbie at one time. Any game must have its newbies if it is to survive. The game needs new generations of players, ever ready to take over from the old.
I can still remember my first game; my opponent suited up in something called a "dreadnaut" suit. I couldn't find it on my list of suits, but it sounded big, and more impressive than my mere combat suit. I pestered my opponent, asking him what a dreadnaut suit was, and how could I get one. As usual, almost like a tradition, I was greeted with the "Ready up" response. It was not very helpful. So, armed with my frag grenades and timed mines, I prepared for battle.
It may have been my first game of Outwars, and I may have had no idea what to do, and my opponent may not have been much help, but I still won. I just adapted to the way he played, and merely ran away; leaving timed mines behind me. He died many, many times.
So, I won my first game of Outwars: quite a win in fact, from a combat suit over a dreadnaut! However it wasn't some natural gift, or sudden miracle; it was my preparation. Before playing the game online, I had run through the map Anub1m offline. I sped around, learned the routes, the reload points, and dueled with some of the lampposts. I didn't take anyone on until I felt confident on this map. It paid off. I used my knowledge of the map to always make sure I had those timed mines which proved so valuable in that first game.
Most people, especially Americans with free Internet calls, dive straight into the game, because most people take the view that losing is a good way to learn. This is one way of approaching it, but I would recommend a lot of offline practice on Anub1m first, because there is nothing that can give you a better boost than winning your first game. Who knows what would have become of me if I hadn't?
Every little detail matters. Before you even consider playing a game, you should investigate every aspect of the game. Too many people come online not knowing a thing about the game or its controls. You should go through the entire control list, make sure you know what they do, and have your optimum key configuration set up.
Learn some of the basic terminology, or ask for help. When you first enter the Zone Outwars room, you will see lots of game with titles such as FFA, or TW. You need to know this kind of language, and won't pick all of it up in games. Many of the terms are just simple abbreviations, or can be found in the manual. However, the only complete reference of terms I know is on the XXX site.
Don't expect to destroy everyone you meet in your first few games. Unless you are particularly gifted at Outwars, this won't happen. The only way to become good, and stay good, is practice. You should play at least four games a week every week. Outwars is a game where it's easy to become rusty.
To paraphrase the words of XXX_Oquendo, you can play a newbie and stay the same, or play a pro and get better. Although you are better off playing in games for newbies, eventually you're going to have to play the pros. You will most likely lose your first game against them. Anyone who is a pro at Outwars will have been playing it for a long time. They will be skilled at guided missiles and/or mines. They will destroy you in large firefights or in one on ones. In addition, they may make you think you're inferior. However, don't give up.
One day, with enough practice, you could be one of these pros, crushing all the new newbies who dare to start Outwars. One day it could be your name spoken with a mixture of fear and awe in the world of Outwars.
If you would like more information on Outwars and playing the game on the MSN Gaming Zone, visit the XXX site and check out the Newsletter section. You can sign up to receive the newsletter published by the XXX Clan for newbies and pros alike. It is filled with tips, strategies, interviews, and general Outwars chat.
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