Counter-Strike is one of the most popular game series in the world and now the latest game: Global Offensive, attracts many new players every day. Why? Well, the game has a very small threshold of entry. You don’t need top hardware and a lot of training experience to start playing CS:GO. Just a usual PC, mouse, keyboard, Steam account and congratulations, you’re a CS:GO player!
From now you can run, jump, shoot and kill enemies in one of the most popular FPS games in the world. But after you start, you’ll have one important question. How to become good at CS:GO and how to improve your own skills? Well, look no further, in this article we have collected the best CS:GO tips for beginners who want to become a pro.
1. In-game settings
Before you start playing CS:GO you need to set up your own settings. In this game, you can change a lot of points, starting with the crosshair and ending with the keyboard macros. The main settings point what you need to change is:
- Mouse configuration (sensitivity, double click and etc.)
- Crosshair (Colour, size, dynamic zoom)
- Display (Aspect ratio, Permission, Texture quality and etc)
- Sound (Device selection, effect volume)
- Keyboard (Macros, binds and etc)
It’s important to set your game up before you start playing. Try different configurations of settings in training matches and it will help you in future competitive games. A convenient way to save your CS:GO settings is to create an autoexec file. In this file you can manage and save your own in-game settings. Then when you launch CS:GO it will use autoexec first.
2. Learn a few maps and play only them
In Counter-Strike Global Offensive there are 7 competitive maps. Several additional maps are under Valve’s development. They remove maps from the general list, recycle them and then return them. To get good at CS:GO you need to choose one or two maps and learn all about them: from the plants location, ways to the plants, windows and boxes, boosts and map points.
To be a good player you need to know everything about the map where you play. Where to wait for your opponents, how to reach a point unexpectedly for the enemies, including where to shoot more conveniently for you (but not for the enemies!). All of this info can give you a profitable result.
In my opinion the best CS:GO maps for beginners are:
- Mirage
- Inferno
- Dust II
Another top tip is to learn a lot of useful information about maps from videos prepared by professional players. You can see what I mean in this movie about Mirage:
3. It’s not just rifles and pistols that give you a win – grenades are very effective
Usually, beginners don’t use grenades in CS:GO or they either use them ineffectively. There are five types of grenades:
- Flashback – a grenade that blinds opponents. Depending on whether a grenade hits the enemy’s field of view, it can blind completely or partially.
- HE Grenade – deal damage to enemies and allies alike. The closer the grenade gets to the character, the higher the damage level.
- Molotov / Incendiary grenade – a grenade that causes periodic damage to the area. With these grenades, you can restrict enemy movements and damage the area.
- Smoke – a grenade that closes the field of view. This grenade helps to block windows, doors and various passageways from enemies. Smoke can put out a Molotov and Incendiary fire.
Each of the grenades can be applied in different situations on the different CS:GO maps. Learn how to use each type of grenade and find out the best way to throw it. For example, one of the most effective techniques is what pro players throwing the flash-bang calls popflash. It includes a grenade trajectory that the enemy doesn’t have time to dodge.
4. Opening cases is a waste of time
One of the important differences between CS:GO and other games is the presence of skins for each weapon. In this game, you have an opportunity to upgrade your in-game inventory with beautiful items. There are 2 ways to get skins:
- Opening cases
- Buying them on the marketplace
In my own opinion: the case opening is a waste of time. Because you’ll need a lot of cases and a ton of luck to get your desirable skin. The best way is to buy it on dedicated marketplaces.
In CS:GO you can trade with Steam marketplaces and 3rd party services. The main difference between these two ways is Steam doesn’t provide an opportunity to withdraw real money and is more expensive than 3rd party services. With services such as DMarket, you can find the best price of any skins and earn real money.
5. Weapon spray patterns and recoil compensation
Each weapon in CS:GO has a different spray pattern, this is where your bullets go when you’re shooting. Sometimes in CS:GO you may need to clamp your rifle for effective shooting. When you need to control your bullets it’s called CS:GO Recoil Compensation.
Players who want to improve their in-game level will need to learn their spray pattern and recoil compensation of the most popular weapons: AK-47, M4A4, Famas, SG 553, AUG, Galil and etc.
6. Be a teammate
Counter-Strike Global Offensive is a team game. Essentially, one team will play another and to become a winner you need to cooperate with your teammates. This tip would be useful for any multiplayer game, but in FPS games it is especially important. Talk with your teammates and share your useful information:
● About everything that has happened on your side of the map
● The number of enemies you hear or see
● Tips and advice in different situations
● Even if your teammate isn’t good at playing, cheer him up, don’t flame him
Listen to your team and believe me, you will get good at CS:GO in the short term. Even if your team has a bad shooter, there is still the potential for you to win the game if you have good communication and fighting spirit.
7. Relax and enjoy the game
In each case you need to remember that CS:GO is just a game. Although, this game gives you real feelings. You are so happy if you win, but don’t worry if you have lost the match. It seems very simple, but after a tense game, my advice is to try and accept it without too much emotion.
Free your mind and go outside and get some fresh air. Walk down the street and let your body rest physically and mentally. Just 10-15 minutes of rest will give you good feelings and power for new achievements. Once an hour, let your eyes rest from the monitor for 5-10 minutes. This will improve your performance and response in future games.
In conclusion, all of the above. Try to perfect your game in every match, train with bots or on custom training maps, learn all about popular weapons and try to shoot with different weapons at different distances on training maps. Plus, if you help yourself with grenades, over time you’ll learn how to use them efficiently and effectively.
Constantly study videos from professional players and watch how they play. Learn all the points on the maps and all the nuances – they will help you win! Most importantly be a good teammate and people will be nice to you, always communicate and listen to what your teammates say. Make sure to relax both after victories and defeats, physically and mentally -spend more time outdoors. All these tips will help you become better and start to win. But always remember, that this is just a game.
