Made this on the steam forum and figured I'd post it here too, seems to be well received.
My Q&A for New Players
I have to admit, it takes a lot for a game to actually impress me despite having several big issues. RO2 takes a lot that had been missed from the FPS genre and then again takes some away that have been taken for granted for far too long.
I wanted to write this not as a bile drenched rant or drooling poem of lust and admiration, but a little piece a potential player can read to answer a few questions that should be asked.
Is this game fun and easy to play?
Fun, yes, depending on what you classify as fun. If you are an FPS junkie who has spent the last few months dosing up on Battlefield or Call of Duty then you need to be prepared for a whole different style of playing. This is a more 'intelligent' FPS (and no, that for once is not a put-down to COD players), in the sense that it does not reward you for being blase with your tactics and storming around shooting everyone in the face. It requires a stronger sense of tactical awareness and a reasoning of 'I am not an SAS-Ultramarine Combat God'. This is a game that will force you to learn it through a period of suffering at the hands of people more seasoned, but once you get the hang of it its a very rewarding experience.
Can I play solo well or is it more team based?
You can play solo yes, a lot of the public servers are nothing but gaggles of random people taking shots each other. The problem with playing in this manner is eventually you're going to be playing on a public server and run into a group of clanmates playing on one side. That's all amazing if they are on your side, but generally (of course there are exceptions) you're going to end up steamrollered unless that clan in particular spreads their numbers out. Also RO2 is a pseudo-realist shooter, the advantage of having voice communication with a group of players actually working as a squad cohesively is overwhelming. So by all means play solo, but remember that all the roles in RO2 are designed for the most part to compliment and support each other, rewarding good communication and teamwork.
I chose a commander role, and everyone's angry with me!
The commander role is something very specific and if you don't know what you are doing then you're going to be in trouble. Commanders are there for calling in artillery strikes, forcing respawns and generally overseeing the battlefield as a whole (especially in more competitive, teamwork orientated matches). For a start, Commanders shouldn't be at the front line, they rely on the Radio's dotted around the map to call in strikes from off-map. If you are very new to the game and select this role, its probably best to relent it until you have a real grasp of the game and the various maps. While it may seem like that's unfair, believe me you will appreciate a more experienced commander in the role raining death and spotting targets for you to assault. Once you feel confident, read up on the role first, the various commands and use of binoculars and give it a go. Provided you are a little experienced and are prepared, you could probably do a good job!
People keep shooting me in the face, and I never see them!
The chances are you are not using cover correctly. While at first its tempting to stand in front of a window high up, thinking that elevation and a 2x4' window is going to keep you safe, it really isn't. After a while playing with single action rifles, it becomes almost second nature in RO and RO2 to spot movement rather then an obvious target. Even something as subtle as the movement of your rifle through the window is going to draw attention, and you're likely to end up dead. This also includes being shot through walls. People probably aren't cheating, but simply predicting where about you are standing and taking a chance at a pot shot. You need to be creative, standing back from the window and hiding in the shadows, creeping forward a little to pop your head up and have a quick look around. Remember, one bullet will kill you, and sadly a lot of games recently have installed a false confidence into people. Play like you want to actually survive, not just kills, be cautious.
I just unloaded from the hip into someone and they shot me once and killed me!
Accuracy. Yes a PPSh or a MP40 is impressive, but if you are not aiming down your sights you have little hope of hitting the target first time. Your barrel will climb and as you move the mouse you're arms move in an oddly detached way that you may not be used to (as you're moving the weapon itself, not your viewpoint). You can get used to it, but even in the heat of the moment try and aim with your weapon properly, because the other guy will probably be doing the same (unless he has a machinegun at he hip).
Is camping frowned upon in this game?
This is a tricky one. If you are defending a point, say for example a building that's currently flagged as a control point then of course you would be warranted in finding a quiet corner or staircase in which to try and pick people off and stay hidden. It's annoying granted, but its also a viable tactic, you do not want the baddies in your zone. A machine gunner or sniper is also not camping, despite remaining stationary. They are controlling an area, denying it to the enemy forces and doing what they are supposed to be doing. What could be classed as 'bad' camping though, is taking a rifleman and sitting far back from the front lines just taking shots at a single row of windows waiting for targets, or finding a way to overlook the enemy spawn and shooting them as they come out. The question you need to ask is 'Is this useful to my team?', if the answer is no and you're just racking up points for yourself its probably bad camping. If however you are helping your team advance and are moving with them (granted in more set up locations) then its probably fine.
Whats a good way to rank up fast? Just shooting people?
This game has a very good scoring system. It doesn't reward you a great deal for kills, but rewards you for killing people in objective area's or from them. You are encouraged to actually try to take points as opposed to just sitting (like mentioned above) waiting for a target to present itself. Not only do you get a good chunk of points for capturing or defending an objective, but you also gain extra points for enemies defeated within that area. Therefore, if you want to rank up fast, then play as part of your team and actually get stuck in there doing what you're supposed to be doing!
Is a Squad Leader as in depth as commander?
No, thankfully, a squad leader is a role that's far less complicated but does introduce to you a few more advanced concepts. First of all, you can use your binoculars to spot targets for your commander (with a right click when zoomed in) to send a few artillery rounds too. Of course its entirely up to them if they do or not, but as a spotter its a good way to help your team. On top of this you have one of the most precious things in the game, smoke grenades. Use these whenever you are about to charge or flank an enemy position. Unlike older games where smoke was a pathetic little puff, the smoke in RO2 is a very useful and viable source of cover. Use it. Use it so much your throwing arm starts to ache, and remember that you are also a spawn point for your squad. Your buddies in that squad can spawn on you from the respawn menu, so remember to take good care of yourself lest you all want to walk further.
I shot a tank with an AT rifle and it did bugger all!
The AT rifle is a weird battle tool. It doesn't actually directly damage the tank, but damages subsystems of it. Remember that unlike more arcade like situations, the tank does not have hit points. It has an engine, a gun, and a magazine. Lots of little components are in there. The rifle is for picking at these specific points, for example shooting the tracks to immobilize it or shooting the engine to stop it. Sometimes you get lucky and get a good hit on the magazine and blow the whole tank sky high, but just remember that you need to aim for a specific area/system on the metal beast to have any impact.
Whats better? Assault or Rifleman?
The good news is, neither of them are better. Yes you will hear people complaining that the SMG's are laser accurate, or the rifles can shoot people inside out from a map away but they both serve different but similar purposes. The assault class is designed to be the first into an occupied building, with a short weapon great for cornering rooms and clearing them out with automatic fire. On top of that, if you like grenades then be assault, since usually you will be the first one in then you should be safe to toss them in without too much fear of friendly fire. Once you have cleared out a building, you can simply wait for the clock to tick then take the next one. By that time, the rifleman should have also moved into the building and already be setting up a defense of the building, ready to repel anyone from the windows or doors that tries to retake it. Therefore, assault are free to move onto the next objective and capture it, while the rifles defend the first taken one. At least that is the way I see it. Assaults go in hard and fast to take a point, and the riflemen with their longer range and powerful rifles are far better equipped to deal with aggressors trying to get in. Therefore, both are excellent choices all around, its a matter of personal preference. Oh and Rifles can stab people with bayonets, which is a bonus.
How comes the language is different on each side?
This is a common question, leaves the new player a bit confused but its a really simply answer. When you are on one side, the opposing team speak in their native language as opposed to a translated version. Its certainly a lot more intimidating hearing the enemy sounding like they should do rather then the typical dubbed English and it certainly makes for a more interesting game instead of hearing 'Achtung! A communist is in ze building wiz me! Vere are his paperz?!" etc.
I keep getting killed as a Machine Gunner, how can I set up in a safe place?
Hard question. You see, the problem with a machine gunner is its very easy to assume the best place for you is going to be in a window somewhere, mowing down hordes of infantry and cackling like a maniac as you do. However, in effect as some of you have come to realise you just get your head blown open as soon as you open up. A key point to make, is that the machine gun is an area denial weapon, perhaps even more so then an offensive weapon. If you know there is a popular doorway thats going to funnel attackers through in a building you are protecting, then set yourself up in a way that you can overlook it from inside the building. Sit on stairs, hide behind a corner and rake people with lead by surprise. On the offensive, the Machine gun is a squad support weapon. It does not take you long to set up, so move with your squad, only stay in one place for few seconds laying down a few heavy bursts of gunfire before moving on. You may not kill as many people, but you can suppress them far far easier then any other class making them essentially stay in one place while your attacking friends flank them.
What exactly is this suppression thing? (aka Why does my screen go weird?!)
Fairly straightforward answer is this is your character crapping themselves. Lets be honest, if you are in a building and suddenly you have artillery raining down around you, gunfire bouncing off the walls and grenades taking off your comrades bits and bobs, then you are going to suffer. The strange dizzy like effect, the blurring, is a replication of this feeling. It will effect your aim, make things harder to see until you get away from the source of it. Either get indoors during an artillery strike and stay away from the windows, or move back away from whatever is suppressing you. Remember, you can try shooting whatever is causing it, but your chances of succeeding are greatly reduced. Suppression is the games way of saying 'You are in real big trouble.' and you should take it as the alarm bell it is.
