So, i frequent this subreddit and have noticed an increasing ammount of posts from struggling new players. This has prompted me to write this little text to help you understand what the reality of Tarkov is and to save you guys from an apparent spiral of negative thoughts and emotions that eminate from playing this game. For the record, i've played Tarkov – and pretty much Tarkov only – for 3 years.
Your situation;
Right now you are playing a game and experiencing pure frustration, desperation and disbelief in how bad you are at this game. You simply cannot understand how or why you are so bad. You get killed in almost every raid by kitted up chads while you maybe put a dent in their armour if you are lucky. You get shot while not even seeing the enemy, you are solo and getting rushed by 5man chad squads, and all the while you can't even afford using cool, kitted out guns. Heck, you can barely afford a pistol and a backpack. In pure desperation, you resort to being a rat, completely avoiding pvp fights. Sooner or later you stop progressing. You become a true rat, you make some money, you get some quests done, but deep down you understand that you are not proud of it, you are not progressing, you are not getting better, and then you get the creeping feeling.
"Something about me and this game just doesnt work, i am just terrible at Tarkov. Im so good in other fps games, but me and Tarkov is like a toxic relationship, why am I so bad?"
So let me tell you why you are so bad. There are a set of parameters to Tarkov, these parameters influence your overall success in this game alot more than they do in any other game. Thats why tarkov is called the dark souls of fps games. Its fucking hard.
You suck because you are inexperienced in these parameters, and i bet many of you dont even know that some of these exist/are important. Let me list some of them for you;
- map knowledge
- AI behaviour knowledge
- Progression mechanics
- Economical management
- Weapons modding
- Armor mechanics
- Ammunition mechanics/stats
- Effective healing
- Pre fight medical actions (premed)
- PVP:
- player behaviour
- knowledge of different statistical risks.
- How to adapt to these statistical risks.
- player movement connected to time in raid
- player movement connected to AI variables (ex. boss has spawned)
- pmc squads behaviour
- long range engagements
- medium range engagements
- CQB fights
- player behaviour connected to that players loadout/kit
- effective flanking maneuvers
- effective counter flanking maneuvers
- sound knowledge
- sound supression knowledge
- sounds of different surfaces connected to map knowledge
- using netcode to your advantage
- avoiding that other players use netcode against your advantage
- movement in detail
- perfecting your pmc movement (on micro scale)
- crosshair placement
- recoil management (or lack thereof)
- aiming skills
- psychological management (gear fear, pure fear, aggressiveness, assertiveness, believing in your self)
These are just some of the variables that you are far from accustomed to. Now ask yourself, is it really THAT weird that you suck? Is it really THAT weird that you are having a much easier time in Warzone than in Tarkov? Is it really that weird that people like me, who have had 3 years to get to know the inner details of all those parameters and more, kill you like you were an annoying mosquito?
Or are you going to resort to the usual, complaining and self destructive thought: they are just better than me because they have lvl 5 armour and i only have lvl 3. This will lead you nowhere and only put you further away from becoming more proficient at the game.
I promise you, you are NOT the worst player in this game, you are NOT having a much rougher time than other newbs, you are NOT having exceptionally bad luck compared to everyone else. And there is NOTHING stopping you from becoming a pvp god except time and lack of experience.
How do i know?
Because i have been there ofc. I remember when this game could almost make a grown man cry (me). I remember feeling all those feelings that i hear from you guys now. I remember how it was feeling like you were the worst. Thats how i know.
This has been a long post, but i want to leave you with one last and most important parameter. Time, it takes time to get better. Dont expect progress next week or even next month. At least not "real" progress.
And also, git gud.
Feel free to ask questions if you have any!
