Playing video games without any experience can feel overbearing. You have to consider the controller and how its buttons work. Also, you need to factor in the graphics certain games have that can strain a player’s eyes.
If you’re new to gaming and looking to brush up on some gaming knowledge, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some tips for beginner gamers looking to avoid any growing pains.
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Controllers, Where Do I Put My Thumbs?
Using a controller or keyboard and mouse is not a universal experience. Learning a new skill takes patience and repetition.
Trying to learn a new skill while dealing with eye strain or nausea is not a recipe for entertainment or enjoyment when gaming. It would be best if you took regular breaks and practiced your skills consistently.
By doing this, you’ll quickly see it’s a great way to learn how to use a controller or a keyboard and mouse. Also, taking some steps to reduce potential discomfort sweetens the gaming experience significantly.
If this is your first time using a controller, don’t expect to feel comfortable or in control of the game. Connecting the brain to the hands without staring at the controller requires patience and acceptance of the difficulty of getting used to a different thought process.
This process becomes much more enjoyable when playing a game that does not punish failure and allows for freedom to explore. Games such as Minecraft or Portal/Portal 2 allow for low-stakes enjoyment – and even if you fail, it’s still fun.
Daily repetition in small doses makes the thought process of using a controller more familiar over time. Take your time and eventually, the repetition will pay off.
Another way to help you get used to a controller, especially one with joysticks, is by turning the sensitivity off or down very low. By doing this, you should get better at moving your character around. Once you have the basics down, you can gradually turn up the sensitivity.
If you’re new to gaming and have no experience at all, another good way to get the hang of how to use a controller, keyboard, or mouse, is by searching for videos on YouTube. They say you can learn anything on YouTube, and learning how to master a gaming controller is no different.
KBM, Getting started In Gaming with a Keyboard and Mouse
Gaming with a keyboard and mouse is a more straightforward process than using a controller. However, modern games sometimes have dozens of different actions that need distinct keystrokes to use.
Heading into a game’s settings and grabbing a picture of all the different buttons that might need to be used is a great way to get comfortable in a new environment. Changing key binds to fit your preferences is a totally acceptable practice in every game that is controlled by a keyboard and mouse.
Another way to improve your gaming experience while using a keyboard is by memorizing the keyboard finger placements. This may seem like an obvious one, but it’s true. If you don’t know the layout of your keyboard, then your experience playing a game won’t go as smoothly.
Point and click adventure games are great starting places for getting used to precise clicking with a mouse. Like controllers, finding low-stress games such as Minecraft or Stardew Valley helps make the learning process more enjoyable.
If you’re playing a game that involves using a mouse, a tip to improve your gaming experience is by aiming the mouse with your elbow. Most gamers move the mouse with their wrist in small movements.
By aiming with your elbow, you’ll get large sweeping movements, which can give you higher accuracy. This will greatly improve your PC gaming experience.
Another tip to improve gaming with a mouse is turning the mouse’s acceleration down. By having the mouse acceleration turned on, the cursor will speed up and slow down depending on how fast you move the mouse. When you turn the mouse acceleration down, your movements will be more consistent no matter how fast you move the mouse.
Flashing Lights: Getting used to ever-changing lighting in gaming
Some people experience a type of motion sickness when they play certain video games. This sickness is often referred to as “cybersickness.”
In an article on thehindu.com, Dr. Vamsi Chalasani explains what causes cybersickness:
“Screens with a lot of glare push this cybersickness along, as these can induce persistent cluster headaches and migraines, which can inhibit appetite, leading to a host of other issues.”
This, obviously, can ruin the gaming experience, and it may prevent a new gamer from continuing to play video games. Continue reading to learn tips on how to look out for and prevent cybersickness.
Eye Strain, Nausea:
Make sure you have lighting near the computer in the form of incandescent lights pointed at walls and ceilings. A moderately lit room lets eyes adjust better than a dark room. Continuous adjustments between a bright screen and a dark room add to both eye strain and nausea.
Digital setting solutions:
VSync, is a visual setting that synchronizes the framerate of the game, the number of frames shown, with the monitor’s refresh rate. This setting eliminates off-putting visual artifacts such as screen tearing.
Monitoring FPS and ensuring consistent framerate is a key factor in reducing eye strain and potential headaches.
Lowering control sensitivity can make movement within a game slower and more manageable for individuals new to gaming. When first getting into gaming, taking regular breaks is a great way to enjoy gaming without feeling uncomfortable or exhausted.
When learning how to game, it can be easy to remember other skills you may have picked up throughout life. Lowering the pressure and remembering that gaming is purely entertainment can lead to less frustration and a greater appreciation for the video game creators and other, more experienced players.
Even though gaming may be a new experience, discomfort is not something to be accepted. Regular breaks and other remedies can lessen the fatigue some games can induce.
We hope this article helps you improve your gaming experience. If there are tips that we missed, we’d love to hear them. Please let us know in the comments!
