For background, I only just recently started playing Overwatch (and I mean around a few days ago) because of recommendations from friends.
I rarely play first person shooters, but I actually find the game fun. There’s plenty of characters, a strong level of complexity, and a great deal to learn. It puts me in mind of fighting games with match-ups and unique skills so to speak. I’m much more familiar with those so I think that’s why I’m attracted to this game.
I’ve only been playing unranked matches to continue improving and developing a feel for the game as a whole (characters, maps, movement, shooting accurately). I thought this would be the best place for new players to start because well, it doesn’t count for anything besides increasing your level.
A reoccurring thing I’ve seen from both team and opposing players is that they just expect you to be insanely good starting out? For example, someone tells me if you don’t know how to play well then don’t play unranked with other players. I don’t see how this is possible and why there would be this expectation with how deep this game is.
I’ve heard plenty of words from people, but it’s just that, words. The issue is that if unranked is not even a space for new people to learn, where should they learn then?
Unranked is unranked. There is no better way to learn the game without consequences.
The overwatch player base is notorious for its anger and desperation, like any MOBA player base.
You could be at the bottom of the barrel or the world’s #1 player, and people will still tell you to stop being terrible at the game. Don’t take it to heart.
The main issues new players have is learning maps and how to aim in Overwatch. Overwatch has no movement acceleration, so it feels different than most FPS with AD-AD and crouch spamming. You also need to learn the maps to figure out where to position yourself. So really any mode that rotates all the maps and gives you plenty of chances to practice aiming would be good.
Part of the issue, I think, is that we used to be able to tell from looking at a players name in our group if they were new to the game. You’d know at a glance that someone who had a bronze border and was only level 75 and had endorsement level 2 was new to the game. You wouldn’t expect as much from them as someone who popped into the lobby with you who had a gold border with 3 or 4 star and a level 75 with a level 5 endorsement.
Sadly, even then it didnt tell others “but I mostly play PVE events or I mostly play support and tanks but now Im playing dps” so even the old system was a bit flawed.
Just tell people you are new to the character and most people will chill a bit. Some may give advise.
I argue with QP ragers all the time, lots of fun, usually no rebuttal from them except “lol well u suck lol ur just mad”. I think a lot of it is involuntary anger, people get swept up in the game, unfortunately. If people were logically in control of their emotions at all times this world would be a lot different. In all fairness they’re probably not bad people.
Most people are pretty chill and it is good if you can ignore the random sweaty people, worth ignoring them even. QP is for casuals, not for srs people, or trying new heroes. If you are really intimidated, like was mentioned, go to the arcade mode, it has it’s perks, but QP is best IMO.
Expect some negative feedback, hopefully it’s informative. Just like fighting games, get defeated by a tactic (e.g. got ulted on), try to plan a counter tactic (should have rotated to high ground when i had the chance so they couldn’t get to me in the first place), if you are wrong keep trying to figure out a new tactic. Or maybe you were right, there was just an exception to the rule (e.g. they had a winston this game so he jumped to high ground).
There are so many team compositions and levels and areas to defend, you will learn new tactics which are good most of the time, and then realize there are a few exceptions when it doesn’t work, and you have to remember to check those and adjust.
But first before tactics, you’ll probably be overwhelmed by your character’s abilities and be tunnel visioned on those until you get used to them.
Have you tried practice vs ai? Thats a good one to utilize if you want to get used to a character before queuing up for qp. I used that a lot when I first started playing a few years ago. It’s still an option in ow2. You can choose to practice against easy ai to hard ai.
Or you can create your own practice vs ai game.
QP is a fine place to learn and practice, just do your best to win and anyone complaining after that is either having a really bad day or is just a miserable person so ignore them.
However, things like mystery heroes, deathmatch, and no limits are great ways to diversify your personal hero pool. They’re unbalanced modes so don’t expect to win, but they’re still fun despite the fact.
Unranked is exactly where you should be. Ignore people who try to tell you that you shouldn’t be there. It’s the best mode to learn.
I’d also like to give a shout out to Mystery Heroes which forces you to play a wide variety of heroes. You might find something by accident that you really enjoy or are really good at.
Some people recommend the AI mode. Do not use that to learn or improve. It teaches and reinforces really bad habits. Even the worst Bronze players can beat the VS AI on the hardest setting without breaking a sweat. It’s very very easy and doesn’t prepare you to play against actual people at all. It’s got it’s own super chill community that enjoys it. That’s cool, but it’s not a good practice mode.
Just play unranked & if they are toxic ruin there game by picking the worst character possible for the situation & make sure & tell them you did it because of there toxicity
Ruining peoples game is a great way to shut them up or make them rage quit
QP is exactly where you should practise. All people saying “no limits” or “mystery heroes” or “deathmatch”… yeah no because those modes do not teach you about how the core gameplay actually works. MH has its’ own “meta” and playstyle. Deathmatch plays nothing like what you’d experience in qp/ranked.
Sure, you can use those gamemodes to get comfortable with mechanics and maps and learn something new (MH can get you to play new heroes for example) but, other than that, just stick with QP for practise. Someone saying “don’t play QP unless you’re good”… pfft lmao! Just ignore them. This community is hopeless anyways and rarely says anything sensible. E.g. I have even seen similar complaints in goddang Mystery Heroes. Like, you take an intentionally random and unbalanced mode that seriously I think it’s time for you to go touch some grass.