{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/04\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/04\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-1.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 1 Realize that the basic idea behind every multiplayer video game is basically the same. Whether you are shooting Nazis or scoring touchdowns, you need to be able to see everything that is going on around you. Learning maps helps with this, but the best way to maximize your view of the field of play is to have "shifty eyes". You don't need to keep looking at your character; trust me, they will be there when you look back at them. Look around. Watch for people sneaking up behind you or trying to move around to the side.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d2\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d2\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-2.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 2 Learn the game. Take a few hours to learn all the power-ups, the location of items, and how to do special moves and combos. Being able to do even one complicated move could be the difference between victory and button-mashing defeat.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/bc\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/bc\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 3 Learn the rules. There lots of clearly stated, observable, or calculable rules that have a bearing on play. A good example is weapon balance in Halo games. It takes exactly 8 Battle Rifle shots to the body to kill an opponent with depleted shields and full armor in Halo 2. These little nuances are the most important part of building a strategy quickly in the middle of a game.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a1\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a1\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 5 Learn to balance offense and defense. Only attacking an opponent will leave you vulnerable. Likewise, only defending will prevent you from ever defeating anyone. Sometimes, it is good to hide or run away, even though it might be more fun to try to pull off that amazingly difficult winning move.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6c\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6c\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 6 Find your groove. Chances are you and your friends won't all like the same characters, teams, weapons, et cetera. Find the one that works for you. Most games have enough choices that you will be able to find one that fits you perfectly.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/46\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/46\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 7 Be tricky. If the "expected" thing to do would be to run right in the front gate, then do the unexpected, try finding a side entrance or laying a trap, unless the unexpected is expected, then you do the expected and walk through the front gate!

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/65\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/65\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 9 Crunch the numbers. Learn how much damage you do with each hit in a set amount of time, and how many hits you can get off safely whether it be ammo in your gun or punches from your fighter. Learning your DPS (damage per second) is crucial when you want to get good with a game. It is the difference between playing more defensively when you're weaker or full out aggression when you can "Tank n' Spank" your way to victory.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d6\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d6\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 10 Pay attention to damage efficiency. Have that really strong attack that takes a couple seconds to pull off? While that single attack might be impressive and flashy it isn't the optimal way to play. Weaker but quicker attacks may not be flashy on their own, but they will be a lot easier to chain together. The look on your enemies face will be worth it when you have them "Perma-stunned".

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e7\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-11-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e7\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-11-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 11 Learn the mechanics. Just learning what the mechanics are isn't all of it. You need to learn every single detail of the game. Have an attack that missed your opponent, but it seemed like it hit? He might have learned that he has some invulnerability frames during that time, or you might not realize that FPS you're playing is "hit-scan" rather than projectile based. Mastering these under the hood mechanics will surprise your friends and make every game you play an entirely different experience.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/26\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-12-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-12-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/26\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-12-Version-2.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-12-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 12 Take breaks. No one can play a game for five hours straight and maintain a continuous level of focus and skill, especially when you are training on your own. Make a sandwich. Write a poem. Just do something that does not require you to look at a screen at least a few minutes every hour.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/0a\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-13.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-13.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0a\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-13.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-13.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 13 Handicap yourself for practice. Try to beat the hardest boss on the hardest settings only using your worst weapon. When playing multiplayer games where you are part of a team, volunteer to join the team that has the highest chance of losing. Eventually, your friends won't be much of a challenge at all.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/c9\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-14.jpg\/v4-460px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-14.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c9\/Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-14.jpg\/aid130308-v4-728px-Beat-Your-Friends-at-Video-Games-Step-14.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 14 Don't camp or repeatedly use "unfair" advantages, such as vehicles. While you might end up with the highest score at the end of the round, it takes no skill to get in a tank and blast away; it does not make you a GOOD player, just a lame one. Camping just leads to annoyed friends and less invitations to play.