Shafee

Hey guys, I've made a post a while ago on the forums as rainydays with a bunch of tips a while back. This post is like a spinoff and an improved version of it.
 
Why take  tips or anything from me? Well, I'm nowhere near the level of the skilled players on the server (つω`*), but I've been playing a while so I caught a few methods/tips along the way. And I feel like a lot of members, including me sometimes, forget to implement these 'methods' in-game. So my aim here is to reinforce those forgotten techniques that make us better players.

 
Now there's going to be at least one enthusiastic person commenting: "But Dhun-senpai, it all seems like common sense, and already said before in the many other tip topics". It just so happens that some people need a reminder, and since you're already an advanced points expert, there's no need for you to post in this thread regarding that. The better thing to do is to add something constructive and helpful to the topic.
 
I hope this post helps everyone because my intention is for all of us to have a good time and enjoy playing on the servers. Let's get started! (´・ω・｀)
 

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Part I - The Number One Rule: Ask for points in the chat using !np <#>
 
 
!np let's players know you need a certain number of points, # being the number of points you need.
Example: !np 5 will make a request that you need five points.
 
To put it simply, the number one most helpful thing to do is ask for points immediately or very shortly after you get incapped.

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Why is asking for points in the chat is essential

 
There's some problems to consider when someone asks for points on mic rather than chat. You're making people vulnerable because now people have to manually type !sp in chat making them open to hunters and chargers, etc., whereas those with sp binds can instantly tap and send points.  And secondly, some people might not know who you are. I won't mention any names, but there's some seasoned members who are absolutely dead silent when it comes to asking for points until the last few seconds a lightbulb shines over their head "Oh yeah, I can ask for poi--"... *DEAD*.
 
So please, we need to make typing !np in the chat window a priority when we get incapped. We can forgive new players because they're not familiar with this concept, but members whose hours on this server ranging from 1,000 to 22,000 on this server should at minimum be familiar with this.

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So, DO:

•   Ask for points TYPING IN THE CHAT window as soon as you go down. Keep asking a several times if you still didn't get any

The DON'Ts:

•   DON'T STAY incapped in spit for long periods of time, not asking for points. (ex: you get incapped, spit is on you, you wait till spit is gone then ask for points)
•   DON'T ask for points in the mic. (ex: in-mic: "Uhh, I need 7, no nevermind I need 14. Nevermind I'm just gonna die here go on without me")
•   DON'T wait till for people to come pick your incapped body up in the open or anywhere
•   DON'T think "Oh, I need 14 points. That's too many. I won't ask for points, I'm too modest for that". No matter how many points you need, just ask. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take

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Here's the bind to quick send to anyone who's asked for points,

with this you don't have to type out !sp name # manually. It auto-sends to anyone requesting in sequence:

bind MOUSE5 "sm_sp; menuselect 1; menuselect 2; menuselect 1; wait 80; slot0";

 
I use mouse5 but you can use whatever you want.
 
 
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Part II - Game Sense
 
 
What is game sense
 
It's common to misinterpret what game sense is because people don't really elaborate what it is. It doesn't mean knowing everything about the game. And the bad news is playing a lot doesn't necessarily add to game sense, the good news is it's something that can be acquired overtime. So what is it? It's being aware of the current situation in-game and being proactive about it. As a newbie, your mind doesn't juggle a lot of questions internally, meaning he/she won't know when is the best time to heal or use a smoker. That's because they haven't developed their game sense yet, so most of the time a newbie will just do as they will, like heal in the open or throw rocks 1 inch away from survivors.

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Why game sense matters
 
Game sense is the defining trait of being a skilled player. It's why some people are better at carrying teams than others. A person with game sense will quickly go through issues mentally, such as "No, I can't heal in the open, there's hunters" or "Smoking in front of 10 people will get me killed in a second". Another example is knowing where to look/aim for special infected. There's common spots people playing special infected will play, and a skilled player will keep their awareness sharp for those areas. Some players have reached game sense to a point where newbies will call them fishy/hackers and will often get banned temporarily, you'll hear such phrases "B-but I just spawned in and he killed me!" or "That guy seems fishy". In actuality, not many people are cheating as we sometimes assume. I remember when I first started out on GC back in 2012ish, I would accuse of the top players as cheaters because I couldn't grasp how they killed me so fast or right as I spawned in. 

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How do I 'get' game sense
 
There's several ways to improve game sense not only in L4D2, but a lot of other games.

• One of the most important ways to improve game sense is to play frequently. This will familiarize you with maps and build muscle memory. Keep in mind, this isn't the only way to improve game sense, because it's evident there are players who may have over 10,000 hours yet still lack in game sense. Some people are slow learners but studies have shown it takes 20 hours to learn something at its basic level, and 10,000 hours to become an expert. Players often have different goals in-game. Some will play because the enjoyment they get out of socializing, and that's OKAY. But if your intention is to get better at the game, your best bet is prioritize active game sense.

• Making use of questions "why" and "how". Using examples is a great way to demonstrate how game sense can be crucial. So here's an example: you keep getting pounced from above, and from that the other team gets a tank from that. If you notice a pattern of you getting pounced frequently, you need to ask ourselves why and how. "Why do I keep getting pounced?" and "How do I counter their pounces?". From there I conclude I haven't been looking above in the sky as much, and I'll look up more and try not to heal in open areas. That's game sense in-training. The unwise thing to do would be to blame the class for doing what they do, in this case: pounce. That doesn't solve anything. Game sense is being proactive about your situation.

• Watch other skilled players play. Or watch yourself play. Watching others pros gives you the opportunity to gain insight on how they deal with certain problems, which you can add to your own gameplay. And re-watching your gameplay via demo or twitch past broadcasts can be a great way for you to see what you did wrong or what could have been dealt in a better way. Shout out to Gandalf's stream because his game sense is on point and there's a lot to learn from his plays even if you're skilled.

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Complaining
 
There are sometimes players who will whine throughout the game that the other team is too stacked, so they don't do anything meaningful throughout the round. You'll see sometimes this person rocket jockeying for the whole game, and complaining about teams be scrambled. Things like rocket jockeying and rocket smoking are useless most of the time, and you are free to do it no one is stopping you. But if you decide to complain about teams and why this team isn't doing so well, you are part of the fault because rocket jockeying and rocket smoking are not great contributors to team progress. In short, complain in a respectful way only if you're doing your part and not lazing around waiting for an admin to change teams.

Key take away: Don't complain about teams being stacked if you are rocket jockeying all round not contributing to the team.
 

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To put it simply, game sense is about asking questions. It helps us become better players not only in L4D2, but any game we play.
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Thanks for reading, and I hope this comes off as a helpful reference to everyone including me. 
Feel free to add or suggest something, such as general tips, advice, tricks/techniques, and criticisms. 
 
Much love,
Dhun