I mean: Galactic Space PvP! Yay......

So I started a week ago, did the tutorial (had to browse the forums just to find it) and then did it again. Thought I was prepared, it's what a tutorial is supposed to do, isn't it? to prepare you for the inevitable? To show you the controls so that you can make a token effort to learn them before being thrown into the deep?

All I learned from the Tutorial was how to skim surfaces, how to self-destruct and how to capture a node (tip: don't fly into it, it doesn't help)

I spent some time figuring out how to upgrade my ships (huh... the tiers go from up to down? that is the opposite of our skill-trees) and the layout of the crew (sooo.... my co-pilot not only has an active ability but keeps muttering things when I self-destruct).

In my first battle I suddenly found myself flying a different ship.... wait, I haven't practiced with this ship yet! oh, the match started already? Waaaaait for meeeee *boom* [Nooben just sefldestructed].... great /facepalm. Lets try that again, but with a little more grace this time....

Suffice to say, I didn't score a single kill and died, what? 8 times? but hey, got some ship and fleet coins... (requisition, or something) and upgraded my ship('s engines) ...

Fast forwards to a few matches later.... watch out for that Asteroid! *boom* [Nooben just self destructed] not again!.... ok, so I keep on flying into things, but hey, at least I kill things (No, not realy, I just get blown up myself), at least I assist people (I wonder it a few shots make a difference? how do I lock on my missiles again?) and actually know how to capture an objective (I do it too, btw, without flying headfirst into the thing even).

So I like to think I've made some improvements in my play-style, except, how can you tell? how do I know that I'm not the one that makes us loose the match every time? There is hardly any communication during a battle (not that I can type anything without ramming headfirst into an asteroid) nor is there any communication after a battle... so... where do I go from here?

I know, I know, I'm a Noob (my toons are named Nooben, Be'ginner, Be'ginevra and Oopsí. that should give people a hint at least), I know I am not a good player, I know I need to improve my play-style.... But without people telling me that I suck at this or that, how will I /ragequit? I mean: how will I learn from my mistakes and seek to improve my horrid flying/targeting/shooting skills?

Next time you see me online in Galactic StarFighter, I'll probably be heading towards A and self-destruct on my way there. But hey, no worries, It's just a game (darnitwhydoikeepdying!) It's meant to be fun (Asteroidnonononono) and its Team work (Wait! where are you all going? what is going on???). And if you see me stop in the middle of nowhere, turning around to face you (or the enemy, depends on who you are ) I'm not lining up my superawesome shot, it just means I'm trying to get my bearings and probably haven't noticed you there yet...

I would like to thank everyone who ever did a battle with me (Probably on my toon Nooben) for the patience you have shown, and for not calling me a Noob (even though, in all seriousness, even if you did I would have no grounds to be upset, because, seriously, what do you expect when you call your toon NOOB-en).

PS: No, it's not a rant, no it's not a complain, and if you don't want to read it, you don't have to.... honest! (I'm also not being sarcastic, damnit!) and Yes this thread has NO POINT WHATSOEVER (besides the thank you part)

OMG... this is SO me! Thank you for sharing this. FYI, I'm not a noob... I just can't seem to stop overshooting my target(s) when turning or hit anything with my blasters.

/frustrated

Glad I'm not the only one (with the blaster problem). It can be so very frustrating when you are having problems locking on and a minute later you can't shake someone else's missile lock...

I just remind myself It's a game (and write down the name of the annoying person so I can try to avoid him/her next time )

You will get better. I performed similarly in my first few matches, but over time I somehow learned to fly, learned to shoot, learned to survive and now I consider myself quite good.

If you aren't a natural, you gotta pick a ship and learn to fly with it. I did that with my NovaDive, when I bought myself the Pike because it looked so cool, I performed horribly again... Back to the NovaDive.

You will learn that when you shoot someone, you rarely hit when they are far from the center of your screen, even if your aim is precise.

Rockets and missiles can only be locked and fired on enemies who are within the rocket circle - the smaller, inner one, and they have to stay there for the whole locking time. Also, since it isn't easy to keep em there for full 3 seconds or what, you might find that the dumbfire rocket pods are awesome, as they don't have to be locked, so you just aim the same as with the blasters and click your RMB over and over again.

You will find out that the collision model isn't overly precise in the starfighter, so you don't want to hug the asteroids too closely.

And you will also learn to turn yourself into as empty space as possible before unleashing your barrel roll.

... And you will learn a lot of other things, and storm the first 1/4 of scoreboard. Or at least you will not have to scroll down to find yourself

NEWBIES to this genre always suck at aiming, because they fail to use IRL doctrine.

NEVER EVER EVER continually adjust your aim, EVER.

don't aim at the lead indicator, aim where the indicator is GOING TO BE hold your aim steady and fire, let them walk into your fire.

you will see an accuracy jump of at LEAST x4.

if you are constantly moving your aim, you trash your aim constantly.

because your EYES AREN'T ROBOTIC.

they don't immediately adapt to the new angles etc.. they have to focus and adjust.. hence whilst you're THINKING your aim is dead on, actually you're shooting everywhere BUT the target.

My "crashing into things" rate during my first days was absolutely horrible as well ... Crash here, crash there, crash everywhere ... Wait, I didn't crash into that thing yet ? *boom*

Crash into structures, asteroids, enemy fire, turrets, stellites, force fields ... Literally EVERYTHING - and mostly when I accellerated into something ...

It DOES get better over time, though.

Seriously, stick with it, it does get better. I almost never self-destruct anymore, and I've gotten the hang of the aiming so that I'm a better-than-awful shot now. I still can get disoriented, but I'm more familiar with the maps so even that's getting easier.

(Of course, I'm sure they'll introduce new areas at the "big" launch...and then I won't know where in the H-E-Double Hockeysticks I am anymore...)