A guide to FAF

[Sovietpride]

TLDR: I intend to make a video series from the ground up from basic principles to finer details to help newcomers/novices in FAF.
I am presenting my intended plan /chapters to the series, and input is welcome.






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So, one thing which has struck me are that newcomers tend to go "what do" too often. And trainers... dont seem to be overly active.
the community, sadly, isn't exactly patient - you are either a smurf, in which case die in a fire, or you really are a newcomcer and don't know what a build order is, in which case, die in a fire.

So, I have experience as it is making videos/etc with the intention to teach. Hell, as part of my uni studies i have to teach.
Therefore, I intend to make a series which people can direct newcomers to which will give them a solid grounding with which to progress.
Heck, today i met a 1300 guy on ladder who didn't know what slave factories were... so perhaps this series will help the lower rated players as well.

The thing is, this won't be everyones cup of tea. EVeryone teaches in a different way.
FOr instance, basic BO should take priority over all things (i.e, start with a factory...) yet i also understand the principles of ironing out mistakes early (build range etc)
Nonetheless, feedback will be appreciated.
Also, my video editing skills suck ass. so.... any volunteers to help would be amazingly appreciated.

How long will this take? I don't know.
WIll it die half way through? i dunno, hope not.

Above all,

Gl.
Hf

[Sovietpride]

Post reserved

1) Orientation to the FAF client.
- The tabs
- Rating
- Games
- Mods
- Ladder. (i.e, dont fucking press it)

2) economy.
- The concept of a flow economy. (i might need some pointesr here to explain it simply)
- Sources of power
-Types of generators
- A word on RAS (i will cover this at some other point)

- sources of mass
- Mexes.
- Reclaim = map based.
- REclaim - unit based
- the concept of "eco balance"
- the importance of map control.
-

3)Build orders.
- The idea of a simple standard build order (Land factory, x2 pgen, x4 mex, x3 pgen) to commit to memory.
- FAF being no different from other RTS's in the regards that there will always be an "optimal" opening.
- a warning that there will be other openers (looking at you first bomber...)
- a warning that this is a basic build order.

4)FAction differences. - an overview.
- That for new comers, they should avoid aeon.
- UEF - simplest, but by no means weakest or strongest.
- Units do what they do on the tin with no bells or whistles for hte most part.
- pretty mass efficient.
- Tend to be more defensive.
- Tend to fight head-on.
- very strong late game.


- Cybran -
- Focus on map control, speed.
- Not good at defence as a rule of thumb.
- Not great mass efficiency unit for unit, rely on combined arms for good effect.
- Beaten by terrain and hills.
- A fair few gimmicks that outright murder people.
- A fair few gimmicks that are important in order to fight head on.


Serphim -
- Tbh, i dont have much eperience with them, so input on their overview would be nice.
- Jack of all trades.
- Powerful t2.
- fall off a bit late game.
- very strong navy


Aeon
- Faction which plays different from the other.
- Arguably very micro intensive.
- Best air.
- Units are very mass efficient, but require micro in order to be used to full effect.
- hence, novices should avoid Aeon until they are familiar with the game.

nomads.
- Who?

A link to BRNK's unit tutorial video if they so wish to know a breakdown of the different units.
I may do one myself, but ATM there are higher priorities.

5)The importance of map control.
- Tying in with the bottom one.
- x3 t1 mexes are cheaper than one t2 mex.


6) Intel.

- Radar, and how to use it.
- where to place radar
- when to place radar
- types of radar.
- stealth
- omni
- cloaking.

7)) Teching, and a word on the engy mod.

- How engy mod works.
- when to tech
- how to tech
- choice of tech

8) How to win the game.
- Kill the enemy commander.
-Not get your commander killed. (protecting from snipes, not walking into pd, not being pants on head retarded, etc)

9) Handy templates to have.
- PD surounded by walls.
- X4 pgen
- X4 mass storage.
- 4x4 grid (Factory surround)
-


10) common novice mistakes.
- Power storage.



And that would be the first chunk, that should give a solid grounding to all newcomers.
Please feel free to give comments. I wont be enacting this project for a few days yet.

Advanced tutorials:

1) Economy -

Teching mexes: Horizontal vs vertical.
ADjacency
MAss fabricators, ras sacus.
Reclaiming.

2) Stealth and cloaking.

3) Common ways to die in team games.
Mercies, corsairs, TMLs, surpriseexperimentaltotheface

4)


Completed sections:

Basics: 1, 2.

[Korbah]

Sounds like a great project.

Surely you could review some of the existing tutorial videos available on the net and use them as inspiration for your updated coherent series.

Perhaps we could post some links here of existing tutorials if that'd be useful to you

Could I also suggest some map specific tutorials to help people branch out beyond Seton's and gap

Perhaps also a guide on how you make your videos step by step to encourage others to contribute to your tutorial series.

We could eventually link the load of them to the client as a resource for new players

[Zock]

I started with pretty much the same project a while ago. Gonna take a bit, i'm waiting until i have several episodes/lessons before releasing the first to have some buffer.

[Sovietpride]

making my videos isn't going to be anything fancy. Not exactly using sony vegas or anything like that.
Literally speed2/tokyto style of just talking with some gameplay in the background to elaborate some points.

Maybe some photoshop if i'm feeling, really, REALLY adventurous.



As for map specific tutorials - Yes, That will definitely be in part 2....

[justmakenewgame]

the problem of the tutorial is that there is too much stuff. And if you put it all in, i have to go through lots of things i already know.
Better remake the video with cool stuff not known by general public - like that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p5xAngV3lo

Easy to make, not much editing, contains only usefull stuff. And better not make ANOTHER basics tutor

edit: and no nerdy annoying commentator voice

[Exotic_Retard]

make sure it goes on the wiki!

http://wiki.faforever.com/index.php?title=Learning_SupCom

if you want you could even make small clips to put into the individual guides on there (most likely the general 1v1 guide or the beginners guide)

[Sovietpride]

the problem of the tutorial is that there is too much stuff. And if you put it all in, i have to go through lots of things i already know.
Better remake the video with cool stuff not known by general public - like that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p5xAngV3lo

Easy to make, not much editing, contains only usefull stuff. And better not make ANOTHER basics tutor

edit: and no nerdy annoying commentator voice

It isn't designed for the likes of you or current players.
Its designed to cater to brand new people who come across the game, and have no clue waht theyre doing.

Thus i don't quite understand the relevance of your comment as to "things i already know". You are not the target audience here.

[justmakenewgame]

you have been warned

[tatsu]

Heck, today i met a 1300 guy on ladder who didn't know what slave factories were...

oh my good god !

you know what? great initiative! I support you 100%!!