A key skill in Quake Live is determining what weapon to use in which situation. If you think you have a sick aim and prefer using the rail gun or the rocket launcher all the time, then you will see that against better opponents you will start losing. Quake Live isn't all about aim; you need to choose your weapon wisely in combat and also make sure that your opponent is cut off from them.
As you might already know by experience, the Rocket Launcher is your friend in close combat while the Rail Gun is your best bet in a long range fight. For mid range confrontations, you can either go for the rocket launcher or the lightning gun. The Lightning Gun has been nerfed in Quake Live, but it's still a potent weapon to take out an enemy quickly. The grenade launcher is a good spamming weapon to keep enemies away or to ambush enemies who may be coming through tight corridors or doors. When you know that the enemy is low in health (when you hear them screaming), finish them off with the Shotgun if in close range, the Machine Gun if enemy is retreating and far away, or the Lightning Gun if the enemy is in mid range. Although I myself don't prefer using the Plasma Gun, in the hands of high skilled players, it is a deadly weapon. Plasma Gun is good for taking out enemies in close quarters or spamming doors or corridors, and not to mention Plasma Climbing!
According to my experience, Rocket Launcher is the most versatile weapon in Quake Live. It deals insane amount of damage with direct shots, and the splash damage makes it all the more easier to blow enemies into giblets. If you hit an enemy near the ground with a rocket, they will bounce off which makes it significantly easier to target and hit them with another rocket as they come down. If you are skilled enough, you can finish them off even before they can land by air rocketing them. The rate of fire of a rocket launcher is fast and this is what makes it the weapon of choice for most gamers. As if these weren't enough, you can even Rocket Jump (more on these later) to unreachable heights and cut off your enemies' escape or surprise them. The Rocket Launcher is also an excellent weapon for spamming at items as they respawn or spamming doors and corridors if you can predict that they are coming through.
The Rail Gun is the other most used weapon in Quake Live. Although its damage has been nerfed from 100 to 80 per shot, it is still a lethal hitscan weapon. If you have the rail and your opponent doesn't, you will usually be able to fend him off from important items by chipping at him from a distance. If you can land a shot or two, this often makes enemies run away for health or armor shards, leaving you open to take the MH or RA. Skilled players usually make sure that the opponent doesn't get the Rail. Some people even camp the Rail Gun obsessively, but I wouldn't recommend that, because sticking to one weapon only is a sign of weakness, and skilled players will definitely capitalize this mistake. The main drawback of the Rail Gun is its reloading time and the humming sound it makes that can alert players of your location. Other than that, it's a great weapon for harassing your enemies and taking them out from a distance.
The Lightning Gun is another fatal weapon in the hands of a skilled player. You can either aim by moving your mouse (more useful if opponent is in the air) or by moving using the strafe keys (more useful while enemies are on the ground and strafing). You can combine both methods to truly make yourself deadly. However, if you are too close to the opponent, be careful if they have a rocket and are very good at using it. But in most cases, you will be able to take them out if they don't have armor. The Lightning Gun is especially useful for taking out enemies as they are retreating for health. Some people say that the Lightning Gun is unbalanced, but it really depends on who is using it. Most people have a tough time keeping their aim straight. So master this, and you will be a force to be reckoned with.
As stated earlier, the grenade launcher can be used in very interesting ways. They are most useful if you are good at predicting your opponents. See some demos of how the skilled players spam certain points on the map with grenades and keep away enemies from important items like the RA or MH.
The Shotgun is underrated by most people. You can deal massive damage in close encounters and take out enemies with a shot or two. It's a good weapon for ambushing if you don't have the rocket launcher. It's also excellent for finishing off enemies when you know that their health is low. The art of using the shotgun is moving your mouse fast enough and precisely enough to predict which way your opponent is moving and fire away. Shotguns can turn the tide of a duel if used wisely.
The Plasma Gun is most useful for taking out enemies in close quarters or spamming at item locations. Sometimes you will see enemies waiting for an item to respawn (usually RA, YA or MH). You can then fire away at them and hope to take out enough health that they will retreat. The trick is to spray fire in an arc and shoot ahead of where the enemy is moving. This makes it harder for enemies to dodge them.
The Machine Gun is weak, but it is a hitscan weapon, which makes it lethal when taking out enemies from a distance if their health is low and they are retreating.
Of course, the rules of using these weapons are not set in stone, but you now have a basic idea of what weapon to use in which situation. Practice using the different weapons and try to control the Rail Gun and Rocket Launcher on the map, and you will be one step closer to becoming an unstoppable player.
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