Fortnite Log [Aug 7, 2018]

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I didn’t have much time to log in major practice hours this week due to a cold and some massive headaches, but even with just a few play-throughs this past weekend, there’s a notable improvement in play. I’m quicker on my feet, faster to build, and piling on better habits in terms of my usual progression scenarios. Statistically, I’m also tagging a few kills on average and am less hesitant to pursue engagements. I’ll go through a quick list of aspects that I feel better about and what I’m trying to work on more in terms of in-depth improvement.

Latest developments

• Better shotgun play. A combination of shotgunning and switching from and to shotguns is turning out to be a major, if not the major, component of early game play. Unless you’re in an immediate firefight with nothing but a magnum, you’re likely to have at least one shotty and the first 5 min are dependent on landing some key shots. Being calm, aiming for jump landings, and peeking well with timed shots are all key factors.

• Better player locating indoors. Many times I would find myself securely on the high ground, roof or otherwise, and aware that another player was below me somewhere, like a trapped mouse. These still proved to be tricky situations as the onus was on me to find them, not so much the inverse. Starting high and working down can be tricky and I’ve been focusing on careful but swift and systematic triangulation, either with new floors or 2nd-level external floors to find players and gun-em.

• Better general early-game progression. Moving from house to house, scouting buildings with signs of occupancy/looting, and farming furniture and en route trees more quickly are becoming more comfortable with sheer repetition and conscious practice.

Build up, Don’t look up

This is the main takeaway that I want to focus on today. I believe that this is the key component in Fortnite that determines how much a player can improve and it’s a learned skill that doesn’t come from simply grinding out hundreds of matches. This is more of a habit that comes from a bit of self-enforced learning.

And that is to always build in response and to build proactively. I used to make mistakes like ramping to meet a building or trying to find signs of a player I hear above me before making a move. I think this is generally wrong and I should be making moves a few steps earlier to set up for potential situations. For instance, if I approach a house and hear footsteps, I know that the nearby player can either be 1. on the ground on an adjacent or opposite side, 2. inside on any floor, or 3. on the roof. In all cases, most especially the last one of the three, I should be moving up ahead of time to locate and engage. This will give me a slight advantage to position myself before the roof dweller knows exactly where I am and a progressively severe advantage if it is scenario 2 or 1.

This lesson is a bit of a more specific version of “always be paranoid” which is a common tenet in Fortnite play. In most situations, FN is a game that rewards proactivity - gaining the high ground, locating opponents, and playing into them from an advantageous position. Many players, including myself, start of by playing reactively and focusing on aim and building. Thinking proactively comes from a, well, more proactive shift in mindset.

This is highly pertinent in both early game and in later circles with many players camping or in 1v1s. I know that I have to get used to ramp rushing and double walling as a proactive response before tailoring my play based on enemy reactions. Make them react - this is the key point.

Notes to Improve on

Finally, here are some more specific points to focus on for the coming week -

• Even when snagging clear shots, protect other sides. This usually turns into an immediate 1v1 after the first shot. Especially in early game, it’s easy to hone in on a spotted enemy and disregard approaching footsteps or attacks from another angle.

• Build immediately after firing the first shot, unless they potato hard. Still, err on the safe side and put at least a walled-ramp immediately. Even one level higher can place the battle’s terms into your hands.

Both of these pretty much feed into the main lesson of the day. I’ll be grinding it out with a new mindset and I’ll report back with the results next week!