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This thread has been linked to the game 'SOCOM: US Navy Seals'.
When beta first started, we were all n00bies at SOCOM, but we soon learnt the hard way by getting pounded by the alpha testers night after night, so this list of SOCOM tips developed as a result. I hereby pass it onto the SR N00bies (it'll save you being used as cannon fodder for your first few games).
READ THE MANUAL
I can't stress how important this is, hence the caps. Knowing what button does what is vital, because SOCOM is a twitch game, you need fast reactions, and hitting the wrong button at the wrong time usually ends in disaster (or hilarity, depends on your outlook).
Crank up your speed
Before you go online with SOCOM, go into options and under the controller settings submenu, put the bar on Look Speed and Acceleration all the way over to the right. These crank up your turning whilst aiming and get your crosshairs where you want them to be faster than everyone else who doesn't crank it. It takes a lot of getting used to, but once there you'll be able to run past people, turn around and shoot them before they're even half way facing you.
Featherlight Touch
The L3 button adjusts your rate of fire. Most gamers tend to grip their controllers too tightly, resulting more often than not in a heavy thumb causing the left analogue stick to depress just as you want to fire off 100 shots into the approaching 3 man force in front of you. Pressing L3 at this stage results in one shot being fired followed by your death. Learn to use a gentle touch, one way to encourage this is to say to yourself "Calm down" between rounds.
Explore the maps at leisure
"But I keep getting shot!" I hear you cry. Well, with the cooperation of a willing partner all you need to do is create a room for 2 people (agree a password beforehand), lock it, set it to 'Random Map' then stroll around to your heart's content exploring every nook and cranny and ledge and vantage point on every map. When the timer runs out it's a draw, you'll get the same map 10 times after that, but this gives you an hour or so to get your bearings, try out control configurations, weapons, explosives and the like.
The Right Tools For The Job
Correct weapon choice is essential, and some are a lot better than others. As a SEAL, for close up encounters the HK5SD is a good allrounder, especially if you like going toe to toe as it has a good rate of fire. It's especially good on Frostfire. The M4A1SD is the rifle version, also silenced, with good allround stats. Also it's great for sniping at medium distance, because if your first shot misses, the chances are your enemy won't hear it, so you get another go. The major advantage of these two silenced weapons is they won't show up on your target's crosshairs as a directional indicator telling them your location.
The terrorists have a slight disadvantage in that their weapons aren't all that fantastic compared to the SEALS but the AKS-74 is a very good weapon with one drawback, it's very loud, your target will know where you are if you miss with it. But kill a SEAL who drops you an M4A1SD and you can pick up a nice gun to confuse the other SEALS with.
The 552 is a very powerful terrorist rifle, but kicks like a mule so not much good for ranged shots. As backup weapons, the terrorists have the Mark 18, which can fire 17 shots automatically in a few seconds, and the DE.50, which is capable of one shot kills due to its raw power. Because they're handguns, actually hitting anything with them can be a problem until you get used to the game.
Technically, the best weapon in the whole game is the incredibly overpowered M60E3 heavy machinegun. 100 rounds per clip, automatic fire mode only, in the right hands it'll cut SEALs in two on Frostfire and mow them down in Rat's Nest. But like all weapons it has one drawback. The M60E3's drawback is accuracy, but at close range you needn't worry too much about that.
Bomb The Base Missions
The person who spawns nearest to the bomb's location should automatically know that their job is to go fetch it and the others should cover. Once the bomb is acquired it's up to your team how to proceed, every team plays it differently. Some set up an ambush around the bomb, some have a firefight, I won't say which is best because alot depends on who you're up against at the time.
Make sure if you see a red triangle on your radar that you're hoofing it back to your base to prevent it being bombed, and if you see a green triangle that you're rushing towards the enemy base to provide cover for whoever is taking the bomb there.
And when you plant a bomb, cover it with a couple of smoke grenades, this makes de-fusing it a tough task for the enemy, because it's practically impossible to find when covered in smoke.
Hostage Missions
Hostages are generally just a pain. A terrorist can have a few follow him to give extra cover and make SEALs hesitate before pulling the trigger. A SEAL can do the same, but he's got to get to them first. It's easier in most cases just to kill the enemy outright rather than worry about extraction.
Suppression
My personal favourite as it helps my frag count. Always try to travel in pairs to provide cover, get to know the hotspots where the firefights always erupt and stay well clear of them unless you feel very lucky. Above all take good note of what the enemy do, where they like to go, where they like to snipe from, so that over the course of 11 possible games you can adapt your tactics accordingly.
Use the available cover
Don't just run past trees, run up to them then around them then keep them at your back as you proceed. This makes it very hard for the guy behind you with his crosshairs on your back to get a good shot. Stay close to walls, never run about in the open, never run in straight lines, always jink from side to side to make it hard on the snipers, try and maintain the crouch pose at all times rather than standing. And never stand still unless you're 100% certain that there's no threat in the vicinity.
Use the camera and the lean function (left/right on the D-pad) to see what's around the next corner before you dash around it, and try to shoot from a crouched position as this improves your aim. Prone position is even better, just make sure you're not shooting the ground instead of your intended target.
Friendly Fire
Always make sure you know if friendly fire is on (the box is ticked on the room description) or off (no tick). If friendly fire is on and you kill one of your team mates, you get a -1 kill score, as you do if you suicide or kill hostages. You also get a word or two from your ex-team mate about it. Save yourself the hassle and be careful what you're aiming at, be careful where you chuck grenades, and watch out for "Fire in the Hole" type warnings yourself, it means something is going to go 'BANG!' nearby and you don't want to be too close to it.
And Finally...
It's a GAME. Games are meant to be fun. Hopefully these tips will make it more fun and not turn you into a fanatical gun-wielding killing machine with 'MVP' tattooed on your knuckles. When you lose, have a chuckle about how silly you looked when you hit the deck, put it behind you, and say "Stay Calm" to yourself before the next round. When you win, take pride in your skills and chuckle about how silly your enemies looked when they hit the deck. When you can't chuckle anymore, it's probably because you need a break.
I look forward to being shot more often in the future.
READ THE MANUAL
I can't stress how important this is, hence the caps. Knowing what button does what is vital, because SOCOM is a twitch game, you need fast reactions, and hitting the wrong button at the wrong time usually ends in disaster (or hilarity, depends on your outlook).
Crank up your speed
Before you go online with SOCOM, go into options and under the controller settings submenu, put the bar on Look Speed and Acceleration all the way over to the right. These crank up your turning whilst aiming and get your crosshairs where you want them to be faster than everyone else who doesn't crank it. It takes a lot of getting used to, but once there you'll be able to run past people, turn around and shoot them before they're even half way facing you.
Featherlight Touch
The L3 button adjusts your rate of fire. Most gamers tend to grip their controllers too tightly, resulting more often than not in a heavy thumb causing the left analogue stick to depress just as you want to fire off 100 shots into the approaching 3 man force in front of you. Pressing L3 at this stage results in one shot being fired followed by your death. Learn to use a gentle touch, one way to encourage this is to say to yourself "Calm down" between rounds.
Explore the maps at leisure
"But I keep getting shot!" I hear you cry. Well, with the cooperation of a willing partner all you need to do is create a room for 2 people (agree a password beforehand), lock it, set it to 'Random Map' then stroll around to your heart's content exploring every nook and cranny and ledge and vantage point on every map. When the timer runs out it's a draw, you'll get the same map 10 times after that, but this gives you an hour or so to get your bearings, try out control configurations, weapons, explosives and the like.
The Right Tools For The Job
Correct weapon choice is essential, and some are a lot better than others. As a SEAL, for close up encounters the HK5SD is a good allrounder, especially if you like going toe to toe as it has a good rate of fire. It's especially good on Frostfire. The M4A1SD is the rifle version, also silenced, with good allround stats. Also it's great for sniping at medium distance, because if your first shot misses, the chances are your enemy won't hear it, so you get another go. The major advantage of these two silenced weapons is they won't show up on your target's crosshairs as a directional indicator telling them your location.
The terrorists have a slight disadvantage in that their weapons aren't all that fantastic compared to the SEALS but the AKS-74 is a very good weapon with one drawback, it's very loud, your target will know where you are if you miss with it. But kill a SEAL who drops you an M4A1SD and you can pick up a nice gun to confuse the other SEALS with.
The 552 is a very powerful terrorist rifle, but kicks like a mule so not much good for ranged shots. As backup weapons, the terrorists have the Mark 18, which can fire 17 shots automatically in a few seconds, and the DE.50, which is capable of one shot kills due to its raw power. Because they're handguns, actually hitting anything with them can be a problem until you get used to the game.
Technically, the best weapon in the whole game is the incredibly overpowered M60E3 heavy machinegun. 100 rounds per clip, automatic fire mode only, in the right hands it'll cut SEALs in two on Frostfire and mow them down in Rat's Nest. But like all weapons it has one drawback. The M60E3's drawback is accuracy, but at close range you needn't worry too much about that.
Bomb The Base Missions
The person who spawns nearest to the bomb's location should automatically know that their job is to go fetch it and the others should cover. Once the bomb is acquired it's up to your team how to proceed, every team plays it differently. Some set up an ambush around the bomb, some have a firefight, I won't say which is best because alot depends on who you're up against at the time.
Make sure if you see a red triangle on your radar that you're hoofing it back to your base to prevent it being bombed, and if you see a green triangle that you're rushing towards the enemy base to provide cover for whoever is taking the bomb there.
And when you plant a bomb, cover it with a couple of smoke grenades, this makes de-fusing it a tough task for the enemy, because it's practically impossible to find when covered in smoke.
Hostage Missions
Hostages are generally just a pain. A terrorist can have a few follow him to give extra cover and make SEALs hesitate before pulling the trigger. A SEAL can do the same, but he's got to get to them first. It's easier in most cases just to kill the enemy outright rather than worry about extraction.
Suppression
My personal favourite as it helps my frag count. Always try to travel in pairs to provide cover, get to know the hotspots where the firefights always erupt and stay well clear of them unless you feel very lucky. Above all take good note of what the enemy do, where they like to go, where they like to snipe from, so that over the course of 11 possible games you can adapt your tactics accordingly.
Use the available cover
Don't just run past trees, run up to them then around them then keep them at your back as you proceed. This makes it very hard for the guy behind you with his crosshairs on your back to get a good shot. Stay close to walls, never run about in the open, never run in straight lines, always jink from side to side to make it hard on the snipers, try and maintain the crouch pose at all times rather than standing. And never stand still unless you're 100% certain that there's no threat in the vicinity.
Use the camera and the lean function (left/right on the D-pad) to see what's around the next corner before you dash around it, and try to shoot from a crouched position as this improves your aim. Prone position is even better, just make sure you're not shooting the ground instead of your intended target.
Friendly Fire
Always make sure you know if friendly fire is on (the box is ticked on the room description) or off (no tick). If friendly fire is on and you kill one of your team mates, you get a -1 kill score, as you do if you suicide or kill hostages. You also get a word or two from your ex-team mate about it. Save yourself the hassle and be careful what you're aiming at, be careful where you chuck grenades, and watch out for "Fire in the Hole" type warnings yourself, it means something is going to go 'BANG!' nearby and you don't want to be too close to it.
And Finally...
It's a GAME. Games are meant to be fun. Hopefully these tips will make it more fun and not turn you into a fanatical gun-wielding killing machine with 'MVP' tattooed on your knuckles. When you lose, have a chuckle about how silly you looked when you hit the deck, put it behind you, and say "Stay Calm" to yourself before the next round. When you win, take pride in your skills and chuckle about how silly your enemies looked when they hit the deck. When you can't chuckle anymore, it's probably because you need a break.
I look forward to being shot more often in the future.
When beta first started, we were all n00bies at SOCOM, but we soon learnt the hard way by getting pounded by the alpha testers night after night, so this list of SOCOM tips developed as a result. I hereby pass it onto the SR N00bies (it'll save you being used as cannon fodder for your first few games).
READ THE MANUAL
I can't stress how important this is, hence the caps. Knowing what button does what is vital, because SOCOM is a twitch game, you need fast reactions, and hitting the wrong button at the wrong time usually ends in disaster (or hilarity, depends on your outlook).
Crank up your speed
Before you go online with SOCOM, go into options and under the controller settings submenu, put the bar on Look Speed and Acceleration all the way over to the right. These crank up your turning whilst aiming and get your crosshairs where you want them to be faster than everyone else who doesn't crank it. It takes a lot of getting used to, but once there you'll be able to run past people, turn around and shoot them before they're even half way facing you.
Featherlight Touch
The L3 button adjusts your rate of fire. Most gamers tend to grip their controllers too tightly, resulting more often than not in a heavy thumb causing the left analogue stick to depress just as you want to fire off 100 shots into the approaching 3 man force in front of you. Pressing L3 at this stage results in one shot being fired followed by your death. Learn to use a gentle touch, one way to encourage this is to say to yourself "Calm down" between rounds.
Explore the maps at leisure
"But I keep getting shot!" I hear you cry. Well, with the cooperation of a willing partner all you need to do is create a room for 2 people (agree a password beforehand), lock it, set it to 'Random Map' then stroll around to your heart's content exploring every nook and cranny and ledge and vantage point on every map. When the timer runs out it's a draw, you'll get the same map 10 times after that, but this gives you an hour or so to get your bearings, try out control configurations, weapons, explosives and the like.
The Right Tools For The Job
Correct weapon choice is essential, and some are a lot better than others. As a SEAL, for close up encounters the HK5SD is a good allrounder, especially if you like going toe to toe as it has a good rate of fire. It's especially good on Frostfire. The M4A1SD is the rifle version, also silenced, with good allround stats. Also it's great for sniping at medium distance, because if your first shot misses, the chances are your enemy won't hear it, so you get another go. The major advantage of these two silenced weapons is they won't show up on your target's crosshairs as a directional indicator telling them your location.
The terrorists have a slight disadvantage in that their weapons aren't all that fantastic compared to the SEALS but the AKS-74 is a very good weapon with one drawback, it's very loud, your target will know where you are if you miss with it. But kill a SEAL who drops you an M4A1SD and you can pick up a nice gun to confuse the other SEALS with.
The 552 is a very powerful terrorist rifle, but kicks like a mule so not much good for ranged shots. As backup weapons, the terrorists have the Mark 18, which can fire 17 shots automatically in a few seconds, and the DE.50, which is capable of one shot kills due to its raw power. Because they're handguns, actually hitting anything with them can be a problem until you get used to the game.
Technically, the best weapon in the whole game is the incredibly overpowered M60E3 heavy machinegun. 100 rounds per clip, automatic fire mode only, in the right hands it'll cut SEALs in two on Frostfire and mow them down in Rat's Nest. But like all weapons it has one drawback. The M60E3's drawback is accuracy, but at close range you needn't worry too much about that.
Bomb The Base Missions
The person who spawns nearest to the bomb's location should automatically know that their job is to go fetch it and the others should cover. Once the bomb is acquired it's up to your team how to proceed, every team plays it differently. Some set up an ambush around the bomb, some have a firefight, I won't say which is best because alot depends on who you're up against at the time.
Make sure if you see a red triangle on your radar that you're hoofing it back to your base to prevent it being bombed, and if you see a green triangle that you're rushing towards the enemy base to provide cover for whoever is taking the bomb there.
And when you plant a bomb, cover it with a couple of smoke grenades, this makes de-fusing it a tough task for the enemy, because it's practically impossible to find when covered in smoke.
Hostage Missions
Hostages are generally just a pain. A terrorist can have a few follow him to give extra cover and make SEALs hesitate before pulling the trigger. A SEAL can do the same, but he's got to get to them first. It's easier in most cases just to kill the enemy outright rather than worry about extraction.
Suppression
My personal favourite as it helps my frag count. Always try to travel in pairs to provide cover, get to know the hotspots where the firefights always erupt and stay well clear of them unless you feel very lucky. Above all take good note of what the enemy do, where they like to go, where they like to snipe from, so that over the course of 11 possible games you can adapt your tactics accordingly.
Use the available cover
Don't just run past trees, run up to them then around them then keep them at your back as you proceed. This makes it very hard for the guy behind you with his crosshairs on your back to get a good shot. Stay close to walls, never run about in the open, never run in straight lines, always jink from side to side to make it hard on the snipers, try and maintain the crouch pose at all times rather than standing. And never stand still unless you're 100% certain that there's no threat in the vicinity.
Use the camera and the lean function (left/right on the D-pad) to see what's around the next corner before you dash around it, and try to shoot from a crouched position as this improves your aim. Prone position is even better, just make sure you're not shooting the ground instead of your intended target.
Friendly Fire
Always make sure you know if friendly fire is on (the box is ticked on the room description) or off (no tick). If friendly fire is on and you kill one of your team mates, you get a -1 kill score, as you do if you suicide or kill hostages. You also get a word or two from your ex-team mate about it. Save yourself the hassle and be careful what you're aiming at, be careful where you chuck grenades, and watch out for "Fire in the Hole" type warnings yourself, it means something is going to go 'BANG!' nearby and you don't want to be too close to it.
And Finally...
It's a GAME. Games are meant to be fun. Hopefully these tips will make it more fun and not turn you into a fanatical gun-wielding killing machine with 'MVP' tattooed on your knuckles. When you lose, have a chuckle about how silly you looked when you hit the deck, put it behind you, and say "Stay Calm" to yourself before the next round. When you win, take pride in your skills and chuckle about how silly your enemies looked when they hit the deck. When you can't chuckle anymore, it's probably because you need a break.
I look forward to being shot more often in the future.
READ THE MANUAL
I can't stress how important this is, hence the caps. Knowing what button does what is vital, because SOCOM is a twitch game, you need fast reactions, and hitting the wrong button at the wrong time usually ends in disaster (or hilarity, depends on your outlook).
Crank up your speed
Before you go online with SOCOM, go into options and under the controller settings submenu, put the bar on Look Speed and Acceleration all the way over to the right. These crank up your turning whilst aiming and get your crosshairs where you want them to be faster than everyone else who doesn't crank it. It takes a lot of getting used to, but once there you'll be able to run past people, turn around and shoot them before they're even half way facing you.
Featherlight Touch
The L3 button adjusts your rate of fire. Most gamers tend to grip their controllers too tightly, resulting more often than not in a heavy thumb causing the left analogue stick to depress just as you want to fire off 100 shots into the approaching 3 man force in front of you. Pressing L3 at this stage results in one shot being fired followed by your death. Learn to use a gentle touch, one way to encourage this is to say to yourself "Calm down" between rounds.
Explore the maps at leisure
"But I keep getting shot!" I hear you cry. Well, with the cooperation of a willing partner all you need to do is create a room for 2 people (agree a password beforehand), lock it, set it to 'Random Map' then stroll around to your heart's content exploring every nook and cranny and ledge and vantage point on every map. When the timer runs out it's a draw, you'll get the same map 10 times after that, but this gives you an hour or so to get your bearings, try out control configurations, weapons, explosives and the like.
The Right Tools For The Job
Correct weapon choice is essential, and some are a lot better than others. As a SEAL, for close up encounters the HK5SD is a good allrounder, especially if you like going toe to toe as it has a good rate of fire. It's especially good on Frostfire. The M4A1SD is the rifle version, also silenced, with good allround stats. Also it's great for sniping at medium distance, because if your first shot misses, the chances are your enemy won't hear it, so you get another go. The major advantage of these two silenced weapons is they won't show up on your target's crosshairs as a directional indicator telling them your location.
The terrorists have a slight disadvantage in that their weapons aren't all that fantastic compared to the SEALS but the AKS-74 is a very good weapon with one drawback, it's very loud, your target will know where you are if you miss with it. But kill a SEAL who drops you an M4A1SD and you can pick up a nice gun to confuse the other SEALS with.
The 552 is a very powerful terrorist rifle, but kicks like a mule so not much good for ranged shots. As backup weapons, the terrorists have the Mark 18, which can fire 17 shots automatically in a few seconds, and the DE.50, which is capable of one shot kills due to its raw power. Because they're handguns, actually hitting anything with them can be a problem until you get used to the game.
Technically, the best weapon in the whole game is the incredibly overpowered M60E3 heavy machinegun. 100 rounds per clip, automatic fire mode only, in the right hands it'll cut SEALs in two on Frostfire and mow them down in Rat's Nest. But like all weapons it has one drawback. The M60E3's drawback is accuracy, but at close range you needn't worry too much about that.
Bomb The Base Missions
The person who spawns nearest to the bomb's location should automatically know that their job is to go fetch it and the others should cover. Once the bomb is acquired it's up to your team how to proceed, every team plays it differently. Some set up an ambush around the bomb, some have a firefight, I won't say which is best because alot depends on who you're up against at the time.
Make sure if you see a red triangle on your radar that you're hoofing it back to your base to prevent it being bombed, and if you see a green triangle that you're rushing towards the enemy base to provide cover for whoever is taking the bomb there.
And when you plant a bomb, cover it with a couple of smoke grenades, this makes de-fusing it a tough task for the enemy, because it's practically impossible to find when covered in smoke.
Hostage Missions
Hostages are generally just a pain. A terrorist can have a few follow him to give extra cover and make SEALs hesitate before pulling the trigger. A SEAL can do the same, but he's got to get to them first. It's easier in most cases just to kill the enemy outright rather than worry about extraction.
Suppression
My personal favourite as it helps my frag count. Always try to travel in pairs to provide cover, get to know the hotspots where the firefights always erupt and stay well clear of them unless you feel very lucky. Above all take good note of what the enemy do, where they like to go, where they like to snipe from, so that over the course of 11 possible games you can adapt your tactics accordingly.
Use the available cover
Don't just run past trees, run up to them then around them then keep them at your back as you proceed. This makes it very hard for the guy behind you with his crosshairs on your back to get a good shot. Stay close to walls, never run about in the open, never run in straight lines, always jink from side to side to make it hard on the snipers, try and maintain the crouch pose at all times rather than standing. And never stand still unless you're 100% certain that there's no threat in the vicinity.
Use the camera and the lean function (left/right on the D-pad) to see what's around the next corner before you dash around it, and try to shoot from a crouched position as this improves your aim. Prone position is even better, just make sure you're not shooting the ground instead of your intended target.
Friendly Fire
Always make sure you know if friendly fire is on (the box is ticked on the room description) or off (no tick). If friendly fire is on and you kill one of your team mates, you get a -1 kill score, as you do if you suicide or kill hostages. You also get a word or two from your ex-team mate about it. Save yourself the hassle and be careful what you're aiming at, be careful where you chuck grenades, and watch out for "Fire in the Hole" type warnings yourself, it means something is going to go 'BANG!' nearby and you don't want to be too close to it.
And Finally...
It's a GAME. Games are meant to be fun. Hopefully these tips will make it more fun and not turn you into a fanatical gun-wielding killing machine with 'MVP' tattooed on your knuckles. When you lose, have a chuckle about how silly you looked when you hit the deck, put it behind you, and say "Stay Calm" to yourself before the next round. When you win, take pride in your skills and chuckle about how silly your enemies looked when they hit the deck. When you can't chuckle anymore, it's probably because you need a break.
I look forward to being shot more often in the future.
Well I don't yet have SOCOM. But much appreciated and well written so thanks FM!
i will use your tips now, i will crank up my look thingy.
Great tips there FM. What would you say the best aim set up is. At the moment mine is way too fast and I am finding it hard to aim. Anyway...
One of my tips,
Under the broken bridge on Abandoned there is a little cave in the wall of a rock face. Hide in here and snipe as there is good cover from algie hanging from the cave roof, and when the enemy jumps into the pool he won't know what's hit him.
One of my tips,
Under the broken bridge on Abandoned there is a little cave in the wall of a rock face. Hide in here and snipe as there is good cover from algie hanging from the cave roof, and when the enemy jumps into the pool he won't know what's hit him.
I intend to get SOCOM very soon FM, and when i get it online i'll join the SRS clan, i dont know whether that means i'm against you or not, but i've playeed a demo and i seem to be pretty good at that so i hope i impose a challenge to whoever my enemy may be!
About the look rate - I read this tip in the early days and adjusted my settings - the result was that whenever I got into a firefight my cursor would swing wildly all over the place and I wouldn't hit a thing. I found it far better to have it somewhere in the middle, so I would be responsive but still controllable.
I had a good spell of games where I would be lucky to get 1 kill. After toning it down I was getting the average 10 kills per game that most seem to enjoy.
I had a good spell of games where I would be lucky to get 1 kill. After toning it down I was getting the average 10 kills per game that most seem to enjoy.
I changed my look rate and I just picked up 4 kills in a single round. :P
What's eeryones ranking. Mines mid 500's.
What's eeryones ranking. Mines mid 500's.
Good tips..especially the looking one..i was laughing at natbuc seeing him aiming at the sky, true comedy! LOL