!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/newbie-corner-banner-thumb.png(Halogene's Newbie Corner)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/09/newbie-corner-banner2.png
+{{>toc}}
+
h1. Preface
This tutorial aims at showing all fundamental aspects of vanilla gameplay to enable new players to pick up the ropes quickly. It includes the information of all six blog posts of the !http://xonotic.org/tag/newbie(Newbie Corner)!:http://xonotic.org/tag/newbie as well as some new things that have changed or that I didn't think about back then.
Note that all this applies to vanilla Xonotic. Whereas movement aspects should usually apply more or less unchanged to modified servers offering minstagib, vehicle ctf or overkill gameplay, I will not explain the specifics of these game modifications/mutators - I simply lack the expertise in non-vanilla game modes. So if you want to fully apply the knowledge gained from this tutorial, search for vanilla servers (Xonotic icon next to it in server browser) or use the official [HUB] ones.
+Remember that the Xonotic player community is generally considered a very friendly and helpful one and for many people (including me) this is the key aspect that gets one hooked to this game. If you meet very strong players online and wonder how they do certain things, it usually pays off to simply ask them. Most of the experienced players will take their time to shortly explain gameplay techniques to newbies if asked nicely. Some of them might even offer to show you around by giving you a short live tutorial. That's how I myself learned about laser jumping and strafe turning for example.
+
+Even if the skill gap between you and another player is immense, it is highly improbable that the other player is cheating. There are a couple of mechanisms implemented in the game that effectively prevent cheating, and from my personal experience I am confident to say that cheating is not really an issue in Xonotic. The skill gap between newbies and experienced players mostly results from newbies not knowing gameplay mechanics and therefore lacking the ability to acquire skill in the first place. The purpose of this Newbie Corner is to allow any new player to develop the same skills that experienced players have already gained, simply by showing how it works.
+
h1. Movement
Even though people tend to be more interested in what the weapons do when they first try out a new first person shooter, I prefer to follow the structure that I established for my live newbie tutorials and to start off with the movement. Understanding and mastering Xonotic's movement is a key success factor in this game, apart from making it incredibly fun to play once you get the hang of it. So let's get started!
* The first one is a very easy one, you shouldn't have any difficulties with doing that one.
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/stormkeep-25armortunnel1-thumb.png(Easy Ramp to Tunnel on Stormkeep)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/11/stormkeep-25armortunnel1.final_.png
+_click to view full size_
* Also the other side of the warpzone can be used as a ramp, you'll need a bit more speed though to do this one, so gain some by a couple of pre-jumps.
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/stormkeep-25armortunnel2-thumb.png(Alternative Ramp to Tunnel on Stormkeep)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/11/stormkeep-25armortunnel2.final_.png
+_click to view full size_
* Probably the most useful jump on stormkeep. If you are too slow to make the jump directly to mega health from the little platform beside the stairs leading down there, head to the right and do a ramp jump up the stairs as shown here. No need to take the longer route via the small armor shards, which are placed so uniquely that any experienced player can tell EXACTLY where you are when you pick those up in a row and could intercept you before you reach the mega health.
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/stormkeep-megahealth-thumb.png(Ramp Jump to Mega Health on Stormkeep)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/11/stormkeep-megahealth.final_.png
+_click to view full size_
* This is a nice way to get to the top of the warpzone without making any noise in order to surprise someone that you expect to come through the warpzone soon. You'll need quite some speed, it's recommended to start prejumps in the tunnel system where the small armor shards are (below Crylink).
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/stormkeep-warpzone-thumb.png(Ramp onto Warpzone on Stormkeep)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/11/stormkeep-warpzone.final_.png
+_click to view full size_
h3. Runningman
* On runningman, you can use the very tiny ramp at the edge of the floor to jump up to the higher level where crylink is placed. You'll have to jump just before you bump into the wall in order to make it, it takes some practice but it is doable reliably once you figured it out.
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/runningman-crylink-thumb.png(Ramp Jump to Crylink on Runningman)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/11/runningman-crylink.final_.png
+_click to view full size_
* You can bend the jump above so it takes you directly to the mega armor. However, this requires a lot of practice to reliably succeed. In-game I'd recommend to stick with the jump to crylink side and from there jump over to mega armor unless you know for sure you master the bended jump. I consider this jump the hardest one of all that I show you here.
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/runningman-megaarmor-thumb.png(Ramp Jump to Mega Armor on Runningman)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/11/runningman-megaarmor.final_.png
+_click to view full size_
* The ledges at hagar also serve as ramps, you can use them for a double ramp jump from the lower level up to the higher one like this. Note that when you are doing this on the fly out of a bunny hop, you might even be able to skip the upper ramp jump as the first one will take you all the way up already if you have enough speed.
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/runningman-hagar-double-thumb.png(Double Ramp Jump at Hagar on Runningman)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/11/runningman-hagar-double.final_.png
+_click to view full size_
* This jump up to mortar works most reliably for me when I walk up to the ramp and jump just before I touch it. It's the easiest way to get get up there without having to traverse the very open space or making a laser jump (which makes noise).
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/runningman-mortar-thumb.png(Ramp Jump to Mortar on Runningman)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/11/runningman-mortar.final_.png
+_click to view full size_
+
+h3. Glowplant
+
+Glowplant is so full of ramps that I don't even know where to start. I won't be able to display all of the possible ramp jumps, just a selection to give you the general idea where to look for what kind of ramps.
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+* These lamps are all over the place. Here you can get to strength room. You might want to make a second jump on the broken tiles if you don't get up in one jump.
+!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-strength-thumb.png(Ramp Jump to Strength on Glowplant)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-strength.png
+_click to view full size_
+
+* If you turn around where you started the jump to strength you'll find another lamp on the other side, and even on the jump pad side of the plateau below mega health (as you see here). You can use either of them to get to the upper level just below mega health without triggering the noise of the jump pad.
+!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-below-mega-thumb.png(Ramp Jump below Mega Health on Glowplant)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-below-mega.png
+_click to view full size_
-I hope to have been able to show you with these examples how to use and where to find ramps on Xonotic maps. Keep your eyes open for ramps and interesting jumps to do with them, as most mappers put some ramps at strategic places. Ramp jumping is a lot of fun and mastering this technique can give you a real advantage over other players!
+* From outside, you can also get to the plateau below mega health if you use one of the ramps next to the jump pad. You might want to gain some speed by pre-jumping, though it is possible to make the jump more or less out of the stand.
+!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-pad-thumb.png(Ramp Jump from outside to plateau below Mega Health on Glowplant)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-pad.png
+_click to view full size_
+
+* To get from the level below mega health up to the mega health without triggering another jump pad noise, you can use this little ramp to jump onto the broken ladder, which you then can climb through the hole.
+!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-ladder-thumb.png(Ramp Jump to ladder leading to Mega Health on Glowplant)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-ladder.png
+_click to view full size_
+
+* From Nex you can use these little lamps to get to the 50 health on the pipe.
+!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-nex-thumb.png(Ramp Jump to 50 Health from Nex on Glowplant)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-nex.png
+_click to view full size_
+
+* From bottom level outside you can get to rocket launcher using the broken pillar.
+!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-rocket-thumb.png(Ramp Jump to Rocket Launcher on Glowplant)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-rocket.png
+_click to view full size_
+
+
+* This is a very nice ramp jump that's essentially a double ramp jump with a follow-up ramp jump on the small pipe. You'll usually land on the flat level of the pipe before hitting the pipe ramp, so it doesn't really count as a triple ramp jump but still it is very useful in order to get to the rocket launcher platform without using the slow vent shaft.
+!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-crates-thumb.png(Ramp Jump to Rocket Launcher Level via the Crates on Glowplant)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-crates.png
+_click to view full size_
+
+* Those handy little lamps everywhere... here you can use one to get to the nex level from rocket launcher.
+!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-upper-level-thumb.png(Ramp Jump to Nex Level from Rocket Launcher Level on Glowplant)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/glowplant-upper-level.png
+_click to view full size_
+
+
+These are just a few examples where to find ramps on Xonotic maps and how to use them. Keep your eyes open for ramps and interesting jumps to do with them, as most mappers put some ramps at strategic places. Ramp jumping is a lot of fun and mastering this technique can give you a real advantage over other players!
+
+Of course you can combine ramp jumping with [[Halogene's Newbie Corner#Laser Jumping|laser jumping]] to gain an !https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TETTtt5r86s(extra strong upwards boost)!:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TETTtt5r86s .
h2. Weapons
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/WEAPONS-thumb.png(The Weapons)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/12/WEAPONS.png
h3. Laser
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/Laser2-thumb.png(Laser)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/12/Laser2.png
-I already explained the laser as versatile movement tool in [[Halogene's Newbie Corner#Laser Jumping|the Laser Jumping Section]]. Apart from moving yourself around, you can also use it for juggling around <em>other</em> players, irritating annyoing campers or generally messing with other people's movement. Pushing people around or forcing a prolonged bunny hop can be especially effective on space maps. Unless shooting at sitting ducks (such as campers), you might want to aim at your target's feet to make use of its splash damage, as the laser projectile needs some time to travel even though it is rather fast, thus aiming directly at moving targets can be rather tricky.
+I already explained the laser as versatile movement tool in [[Halogene's Newbie Corner#Laser Jumping|the Laser Jumping Section]]. Apart from moving yourself around, you can also use it for juggling around _other_ players, irritating annyoing campers or generally messing with other people's movement. Pushing people around or forcing a prolonged bunny hop can be especially effective on space maps. Unless shooting at sitting ducks (such as campers), you might want to aim at your target's feet to make use of its splash damage, as the laser projectile needs some time to travel even though it is rather fast, thus aiming directly at moving targets can be rather tricky.
The laser does not eat any ammo. Secondary fire will switch to the previously used weapon.
h3. Crylink
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/Crylink2-thumb.png(Crylink)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2012/12/Crylink2.png
-The crylink has a couple of very non-obvious features, which makes this weapon rather interesting and unique. First of all, getting hit by crylink particles will slow you down very much, no matter of the direction you're moving in in relation to the firing player. Even if you move at insane speeds, getting hit by several crylink particles at once will make you perform a full stop. This makes the crylink very popular amongst defending CTF players, as you can really annoy fast flag runners with it provided you manage to hit them.
+The crylink has a couple of very non-obvious features, which makes this weapon rather interesting and unique. First of all, due to negative (!) push force, getting hit by crylink particles will effectively slow you down very much, no matter of the direction you're moving in in relation to the firing player. Even if you move at insane speeds, getting hit by several crylink particles at once will make you perform a full stop. This makes the crylink very popular amongst defending CTF players, as you can really annoy fast flag runners with it provided you manage to hit them.
The latter can, however, be quite tricky, given the high spread crylink primary has. Fortunately, crylink has another feature that is very unlikely to be discovered unless someone tells you about it: when you release primary fire, the spread of crylink primary will inverse. Let that sink in for a moment.
"When you release primary fire, the spread of crylink primary will inverse"
</pre>
-Got it? This means that if you press the primary fire button, the particles will get fired with a certain spread. As long as you keep the primary fire button pressed, the spread will stay constant. Once you release it, the spread inverses, which means *all particles traverse a single spot*. Now the trick is to time the release so that all particles hit the opponent, or at least are NEAR to the opponent. Why to be at least near the opponent? Because once ONE crylink particle of a shot detonates (i.e. hits a player), ALL of them detonate. And crylink does most of its damage per splash damage.
+Got it? This means that if you press the primary fire button, the particles will get fired with a certain spread. As long as you keep the primary fire button pressed, the spread will stay constant. Once you release it, the spread inverses, which means *all particles traverse a single spot*. Now the trick is to time the release so that all particles hit the opponent, or at least are *near* to the opponent. Why to be at least near the opponent? Because once *one* crylink particle of a shot detonates (i.e. hits a player), *all* of them detonate. And crylink does most of its damage per splash damage.
Crylink secondary does not have the spread inversion feature, the particles leave the gun at a very low and constant spread. The particles of secondary fire are faster than primary fire, and they don't bounce. Their negative push force can be used on other players to break their movement (especially trick jumps) and even to pull them drastically if you manage to hit them in mid-air.
h1. Gameplay Tricks
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/Gameplay-Tricks-thumb.png(Gameplay Tricks)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/Gameplay-Tricks.png
-Now that we've been examining movement and weapons, the air for new newbie stuff is starting to get thinner and thinner, but there's still enough material left to be covered by one or two newbie corners, so let's get started! In this section I'll be providing some general gameplay hints that hopefully will make your life as a newbie out there on the servers easier – and longer :)
+Now that we've been examining movement and weapons, the air for new newbie stuff is starting to get thinner and thinner. In this section I'll be providing some general gameplay hints that hopefully will make your life as a newbie out there on the servers easier – and longer :)
h2. Weapon Comboing
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/combo-thumb.png(Weapon Comboing)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2013/02/combo.png
h2. Stay Healthy
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/healthy-thumb.png(Stay Healthy)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2013/02/healthy.png
-This is something which is almost too obvious to be included here, but I've seen so many new players running right past health and armor pickups without taking them. In Xonotic, your starting health of 100 can be brought below zero very quickly. It takes any experienced player two shots to accomplish this, which typically are a two weapon combo so this goes *really* fast. If ONE player can finish you off that fast, imagine how long your life lasts in a typical EIGHT player deathmatch. This is why it is absolutely crucial to pick up any health and armor you might find on your way, unless of course this puts you in a dangerous position that outweighs the advantages of a health/armor boost. A mega armor or mega health gives you additional 100 health or armor points respectively, which obviously equals the amount of damage you can take with your starting health – you could consider a mega armor or mega health an extra life. Megas respawn within 30 seconds of being taken.
+This is something which is almost too obvious to be included here, but I've seen so many new players running right past health and armor pickups without taking them. In Xonotic, your starting health of 100 can be brought below zero very quickly. It takes any experienced player two shots to accomplish this, which typically are a two weapon combo so this goes *really* fast. If *one* player can finish you off that fast, imagine how long your life lasts in a typical *eight* player deathmatch. This is why it is absolutely crucial to pick up any health and armor you might find on your way, unless of course this puts you in a dangerous position that outweighs the advantages of a health/armor boost. A mega armor or mega health gives you additional 100 health or armor points respectively, which obviously equals the amount of damage you can take with your starting health – you could consider a mega armor or mega health an extra life. Megas respawn within 30 seconds of being taken.
However, note that if you are above 100 health/armor, both health and armor will start to rot down to 100 a short while after you picked up your last health or armor respectively. The higher above 100 you are, the faster the rot goes. On the other hand if you are below 100 health, your health will start to regenerate a short while after you took damage for the last time. Again, the lower your health is, the faster it regenerates. This means if you get out of a battle with really low health and there is no health pickup anywhere near, it can be a good idea to retreat to a place out of action until you managed to regenerate a bit. Armor obviously does not regenerate.
The fewer players you have in a match, the more important it gets to listen to the sounds they make. Each armor or health pickup size has its own distinctive pickup sound. Pickup sounds are louder and therefore easier to notice even at some distance than footsteps. If you know where which pickups are on the map you're playing, you'll be very often able to know where other players are before seeing them just by listening to the pickup sounds they make.
-Also note that the sound a player makes when getting hit varies depending on how low that player's health is. When you hit a player and you hear the characteristic “very low health groan” (most newbies know that sound primarily from their own player model... :D), you'll know that you'll only need to deal a few damage points to finish that player off, so you can go for fast high spread (mg, shotgun) or fast splash damage weapons (crylink). Listening is a very important part of duel gameplay.
+Also note that the sound a player makes when getting hit varies depending on how low that player's health is. When you hit a player and you hear the characteristic “very low health groan” (most newbies know that sound primarily from their own player model... :D), you'll know that you'll only need to deal a few damage points to finish that player off, so you can go for fast high spread (mg, shotgun) or fast splash damage weapons (crylink). Listening is an essential part of duel gameplay.
h2. Console ABC
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/Console-ABC-thumb.png(Console ABC)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/Console-ABC.png
!http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2014/04/audio-thumb.png(Audio)!:http://www.xonotic.org/m/uploads/2013/09/audio.png
Apart from all the visual stuff, you can of course also improve perception by adjusting the audio settings. While there is quite some remarkably good music in Xonotic, in-game music can distract you and predominate pickup or movement sounds that you might want to hear. The same goes for ambient sounds. Whereas these greatly add to the atmosphere of the game, they can prevent you from predicting where an opponent will come from, what the player's approximate health status is and what is being picked up. So if you can do without the atmosphere, you might want to turn those off via the menu.
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-h1. The End
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-I hope this wall of text remained readable. If not, I hope you at least enjoyed looking at the pictures :)
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