What Does It Mean To "Play Smart"?

[FleshBack]

Whatsup guys.

 

I've been playing Halo since CE. What I realized recently was that while I have been playing Halo for years, I have never played Halo as a competitive player. I really started looking at all this MLG this and Pro that after Halo 4 came out, so I feel REAL late to the party. In fact, I am probably already too late. However, that isn't going to stop my drive to improve at this game.

 

I have already made a topic or two about this; I am interested in improving my skill as a player. I want to aim better, strafe better, and throw nades better. When I see users talk about there skill on these forums I often see statements like:

 

"Yeah, I used to to be bad until I started to play smarter"

 

Well, not exactly like that, but it is generally the same meaning. So what I am asking in this topic is what does it mean to play smarter? What mindset is the best to approach this game?

 

Does it mean stuff like, don't chase enemies behind corners, or stay out of open areas? Or does it mean stuff like know the appropriate range to engage enemies with your weapon? Cuz I already know this stuff, however I feel like I am still approaching this game wrong. I would at least like to be an above average player, so I would like to know what the correct mindset it takes to play "intelligently" like so many people claim.

 

I understand that there are many players here with above average skills at this game so I would like to know what it means to play intelligently, if anybody would be so kind as to elaborate for someone as slow as I am, apparently.

[SykoWolf]

I believe it means use your head. Get to know each of the maps, back to front so that you never have issues in deciding where to go.

Choose your loadouts wisely and choose weapon combinations that suit the map, dont go using long range weapons in tight hallways.

 

when your actually playing, you need to know when to fight and when to retreat..

 

Thats the kind of things id recommend anyways...

[FleshBack]

Well, that is good advice and I appreciate the input.

 

I play small and medium maps because I detest BTB. Too much chaos and I feel it doesn't really test your 1v1 skills because your enemy isn't always aware of you. I appreciate a fight where both players know that they are about to engage each other and one comes out on top due to superior skill and tactics. That is why I play a lot of Regicide until they get a proper FFA playlist. However, I don't think that will be happening anytime soon.

[SykoWolf]

Well, that is good advice and I appreciate the input.

 

I play small and medium maps because I detest BTB. Too much chaos and I feel it doesn't really test your 1v1 skills because your enemy isn't always aware of you. I appreciate a fight where both players know that they are about to engage each other and one comes out on top due to superior skill and tactics. That is why I play a lot of Regicide until they get a proper FFA playlist. However, I don't think that will be happening anytime soon.

Ok so your Loadouts should match the maps you like...so for me id use DMR as its a good medium range weapon, however it's up to you.

There are other tactics out there like crouch shooting and jump shooting...very self explanatory . If you want to do those it's up to you, i don't though tbh

[FleshBack]

Well, I already know about things like evasive movement, crouch shot, jump shots, and strafing and I try to practice them online. It kills my KD to use matches as practice, but I am not too concerned about having a good KD if I don't have the skills to back it up.

 

I would rather have someone see me at 1.05 and be like, "this guy probably sucks", and then proceed to blow their mind in the match. Jokes on them.

 

Besides, I know I am probably more of a 1.5 kinda player. The enemy doesn't need to know that. Better for me if they go into a game with a false perception. Sometimes your pregame is almost important as your actual game.

 

When I think of this play smarter thing, like I said, I think it has more to do with an actual mindset than a playstyle.

[aFd Coach]

Playing smart halo is everything you have been talking about. But it also means:

- having educated guesses on where the enemy is and going to go.

-know when to hold em, know when to fold em.

-Know the order in which multiple targets should be engaged.

-Save your grenades. instead of throwing them aimlessly to try to get a "hail Mary". save them as a deffencive tactic. use creative bank shots with walls anbd objects to out wit the enemy and get the advantage with a skillful grenade placment.

 

Also i know it is very difficult. but when your shooting an enemy and you get his shields down and he slips behind a wall and you no longer see his dot on the radar.... you should probably not chase after him because Boltshot-to-Face is about to happen.

 

Take corners wide and always be aware of your suuroundings.

 

lastly, depending on your audio set up, use your ears. i dont know how many kills i can give credit to my turtle beaches. Footsteps, shots in the sistance, and man cannons are just some things one can hear. A radar in its self

[FleshBack]

I am starting to find a lot of these suggestions are all common sense and I subconsciously know them. I think my issue is that in the heat of battle I do not think of these things so I can panic and begin behaving irrationally.

 

From that conclusion, the only thing I can really draw is to keep a cool head when I am playing. I guess I should practice calming down a little, but it is difficult when you are playing Regicide on Adrift and you are the king and you find yourself being cornered by one dude coming from the front via the narrow hallway and another guy coming from the back via the man cannon. Those are the situations I spazzing out on. I get the feeling that death is inevitable so I have the tendency to panic.

[im the next halo]

It's typically being strategic. Knowing when you shouldn't engage the whole team by yourself or rather knowing when to retreat when your shields are down. It's all basic. I didn't get into Halo until Halo 3, but I knew about it since CE because my brother played it a lot. Halo is far from CoD. Tactics are way different and you cannot just simply run in and expect a one-hit-knife or that sort of nature.

 

MLG relies primarily on teamwork. It doesn't matter if you can pick off people quicker than the flash running around the world by yourself. Teamwork is key. The more you strategically play Halo and think while in combat the better you get. You start to learn of those better than you, and improve on those worse than you not to kill you. You eventually start to learn how to strafe well, how to always aim for the head, where to place your grenades etc. That's all how you play. Now I tell you everything else...

 

Know the map and the gametype well. It's a done deal if you play against a team who is good on the map and/or the gametype. I remember Snipedown saying you don't have to be the best to use the sniper. If you know the map and can flank the other team picking them off in the best spot you're fine. It doesn't matter that you can easily headshot a guy driving a ghost. You know what I mean?

 

PS It's so much more easier to die in Halo 4 compared to other installations. I mean if you're good at Halo 4 hands down and you put in Reach witness how much you improved.

[JONxJITSU]

For me; playing smart is to know the map very well, spawns, weapon spawn locations...etc. As well as really understand the game play and objectives. And just try not to get killed.

[Mainbrid]

Means getting tons of kills and winning

 

 

Also predicting what the other guys will do and preplacing nades, getting a team shot and knowing when to back down

[im the next halo]

Means getting tons of kills and winning

 

 

Also predicting what the other guys will do and preplacing nades, getting a team shot and knowing when to back down

It doesn't mean being a cocky player and determining the best player is getting tons of kills and winning. Yes winning is everything, but in MLG you do not win a game against professional players by yourself. Teamwork is the biggest playbook in everything, especially MLG. A lot of players are winners when they assist and back the team up. K/D doesn't even matter.

 

I know this because I've been there and done that let alone I've played against professionals who state the same exact thing.

[Delpen9]

I am starting to find a lot of these suggestions are all common sense and I subconsciously know them. I think my issue is that in the heat of battle I do not think of these things so I can panic and begin behaving irrationally.

 

From that conclusion, the only thing I can really draw is to keep a cool head when I am playing. I guess I should practice calming down a little, but it is difficult when you are playing Regicide on Adrift and you are the king and you find yourself being cornered by one dude coming from the front via the narrow hallway and another guy coming from the back via the man cannon. Those are the situations I spazzing out on. I get the feeling that death is inevitable so I have the tendency to panic.

That situation is inevitable because you have a way-point on your head. That is the same thing that happens to flag holders in CTF. The waypoint gives out your position so the enemy decides to flank you just in this case your enemies unknowingly flanked you. In those cases it is lucky that you will survive but you will surely die if you panic. In this situation I would try my hardest to think of an escape route.

 

The best single piece of advice that can be given is to take your enemy by surprise and then to carry it threw. Do the most unexpected thing to the enemy and then do it correctly. You will most likely get the kill unless the enemy somehow gets lucky. Try to put yourself in your enemies shoes and figure out how they will act based on what YOU are doing. - lol, never give your enemy the height advantage and never stay in a position for longer than 5 seconds. Look behind you for a possible flank and communicate with your teammates.

[GryffinGuy007]

It means exactly what the statement suggests.

[Oni]

To me playing smart means to play the game like it's ment to be played, a game. Anyone that wants to be MLG most of the time have a poor mentality, and because of this they are not actualy smart. If you want to get better by playing smart then realise that smart person should never play fair. You want a advantage over the other player, you don't want them to have one.

[HappehNinja]

Unlike some people which refer to it as "camping", I believe that playing smart is to play accordingly depending on how your team, and how your opposite team is playing. For example, in a situation were the enemy team is "camping" you must realize that the best way to counter this, is to "counter-camp" or to go the other way around.

[TornadoFlame]

don't die 20 times lol

[LiQuid BioniX]

To me, when people yell play smart, it's when each team is two kills away from victory. Basically, don't rush out in the middle. Pick people off, put shots on them, but don't go crazy and start dying.

[Delpen9]

To me playing smart means to play the game like it's ment to be played, a game. Anyone that wants to be MLG most of the time have a poor mentality, and because of this they are not actualy smart. If you want to get better by playing smart then realise that smart person should never play fair. You want a advantage over the other player, you don't want them to have one.

The second sentence was hilarious but it seems that after that you were just counteracting yourself. In MLG gameplay you may start out with an even slate at the beggining of the match but map domination ensures that you would have the advantage in every way possible. You get the weapon spawns, the best postions, and more confidence, lol... Also, being better in general would be an advantage all on its own, so does that mean I should play people without the same skillset as me? No, because you would get worse in the process of playing them; creating a counter-intuitive argument. You must have the advantage to be smart. You play someone who you have the advantage against. In playing them you eventually lose your advantage, therefor, playing him gave you the disadvantage.

[Vehicle Destroyer]

Know each map with the back of your hand, don't rush the enemy head on, figure out a back door way to get to them that they wont expect, get in their head and not do what they think you will do. Only do what you know you are capable of doing, and only attack if you know their skill level and primary/secondary weapons.

[Christian.]

In my opinion, playing smart would be; not running into the open, using cover to your advantage, knowing the layout of the map, and knowing your opponents strategy.

[FatalRecoiil]

Whatsup guys.

 

I've been playing Halo since CE. What I realized recently was that while I have been playing Halo for years, I have never played Halo as a competitive player. I really started looking at all this MLG this and Pro that after Halo 4 came out, so I feel REAL late to the party. In fact, I am probably already too late. However, that isn't going to stop my drive to improve at this game.

 

I have already made a topic or two about this; I am interested in improving my skill as a player. I want to aim better, strafe better, and throw nades better. When I see users talk about there skill on these forums I often see statements like:

 

"Yeah, I used to to be bad until I started to play smarter"

 

Well, not exactly like that, but it is generally the same meaning. So what I am asking in this topic is what does it mean to play smarter? What mindset is the best to approach this game?

 

Does it mean stuff like, don't chase enemies behind corners, or stay out of open areas? Or does it mean stuff like know the appropriate range to engage enemies with your weapon? Cuz I already know this stuff, however I feel like I am still approaching this game wrong. I would at least like to be an above average player, so I would like to know what the correct mindset it takes to play "intelligently" like so many people claim.

 

I understand that there are many players here with above average skills at this game so I would like to know what it means to play intelligently, if anybody would be so kind as to elaborate for someone as slow as I am, apparently.

 

The best way i could describe it is by dying as little as often. Do not put your self in situations at will get you killed unless its absolutley neccisary, like taking shots for the flag carrier to complete an objective. Basically playing smart results in little deaths. You play smart by manuevering the map, not rushing to your death instantly, supporting your team, move the map while staying in decent cover, and just generally out smarting your enemy.

[Halogeek99]

Good teams always try to lock opposition down. That, and reading tactics and individual skill/role of opponents is key.

 

 

Best mindset for a beginner is "never rush in", unless you know you'll handle it