GTA IV deathmatch hints and tips

The following is a guide for novice and learning players.


Strategy

Being brought up on the Hitman games, I prefer a stealthy kind of play. I get satisfaction from being in the top three kills and the bottom three deaths. I see many players who always run into the centre of the action trying to kill as many people as quickly as possible. The ones with the fastest fingers go to the top of the results board but pay the price of a considerable number of deaths.


Vehicles

When auto-aim is enabled don’t attempt drive-bys. It is much, much easier for a pedestrian gunman to kill a driver than the other way around. If you need to use a car to reach your target, park it around a corner and get out.


Cover

Using cover is an integral part of stealth strategy.

Don’t use GTA 4’s auto-cover system. It’s fine for dealing with AIs in the single-player game but is much too awkward for multiplayer. Instead, position yourself behind a wall, pillar, tree or other projection between you and your target. Crouch and move close to the side. Move the camera around so you can see them coming. If auto-aim is on, try to lock on as soon as possible and it will track their movements. You can then quickly move out and fire before they’ve had a chance to aim at you.

Whatever you do, don’t just run down the middle of streets hoping you’ll pass by unnoticed. You won’t.


Better weapons

There are two types of sniper rifle, assault rifle, shotgun, SMG and pistol – one weaker and one stronger. One type of weapon will have a greater range, impact, or re-load speed than the other.

It is worth seeking out the stronger version of a particular weapon. You usually respawn with the weaker version (except when weapons are set to Strong). If you take the time to find the better one you’ll have another advantage over those who just keep dying and jumping into the action.

Learn to recognise the stronger version of each type: the reloading combat sniper rifle has a different telescopic sight and a more pronounced hand grip; the more powerful carbine assault rifle has a short, straight magazine (not a longer, curved one); the SMG is stronger than the T-shaped micro-SMG; and the (considerably) better combat pistol has a longer barrel. Shotguns are hard to tell apart, but the combat type allows for more rapid shooting.

In a game set to All Weapons you start off with a relatively weak pistol. It is worth taking the time to find a good assault rifle, since its range and power are far better.


Armour

Armour is good, but it won’t protect you from headshots. It’s worth taking a small detour for but long treks looking for armour can become tiresome and time-consuming, and there’s a demoralising effect when a headshot negates all your effort.


Exploit the terrain

Good players utilise the landscape. They play in three dimensions, not two, using height when appropriate. Ledges, fire escapes, side passages, rocks, grit-boxes, walls, stairways, and other features will help you to surprise an opponent once you have learned to use them effectively. Don’t overuse this idea, however, and don’t get a false sense of invulnerability from being higher than your opponent. The advantage of height in GTA 4 is small, and depends considerably on the novelty and surprise value of your position.


Learn from others

When you first start playing deathmatches you’ll be killed time after time. You’ll swear some players are cheating. Some are, but very few. What’s actually happening is that they’ve learned to play the game, to use cover, to maximise auto-aim effectiveness, to use the right kind of weapon, and so on.

Players often leave a game early because they feel outmatched or they get fed up of being killed. They’re missing out on vital learning experience. Watch the better players and copy their tricks. Don’t worry about being killed so often. With patience you will gradually turn it around.


Find the sweet spot

In many locations there’s a sweet spot; a place you can stay in relative safety and pick off targets. This is most often on ground level near (but not right next to) a respawning point. It becomes all the sweeter if there is armour or a health pack nearby. It will work until the other players get wise and come for you. Don’t spend time hunting for the perfect place – rather, look out for the opportunity to arise while in the course of your normal play.


Watch out for snipers

If a player’s blip shows that they’re at a higher elevation and they stop moving they have probably taken a sniper rifle. There is an exquisite pleasure in quietly waiting atop a rooftop, scanning the scene through a sniper scope, and lightning-bolting the unwary. However, there’s an equal pleasure in demolishing sniper positions. At ground level you usually have the advantage of cover, which you can use to stealthily reach the sniper’s position. Take your time. He’s invested time and effort getting where he is. You should do the same in taking him down. Losing his position will probably be demoralising for him, and often he will move on to a different strategy.


Watch out for cheaters

It’s well known that there are several cheats based on getting into closed buildings or under ground level. They can shoot out but no one can shoot in. I am absolutely opposed to cheating in deathmatches. It’s fine for Free Mode, but it appears cowardly and crude here.

If you know the cheat yourself you can attempt to get in and deal with the cheater, but it’s often just better for the other gamers to avoid him and leave him hanging around uselessly in his little fox-hole.

There are also cheats involving pressing the PS button and so on (players will appear to flicker, change position instantaneously, etc). None of these are particularly effective as cheats.


Keep an eye on the blips

When you’re hunting down a target, keep an eye on the blips coming up behind you. Many times I see two players in a tense stand-off only to be picked off by a sneaking opportunist. It’s obvious that you should try to be that opportunist!

With practice you will learn how to correlate the 2D map with the 3D view of your surroundings so you’ll know which side road or passageway your opponents are coming from.


Is it working?

Most of your learning will happen subconsciously. You’ll start to feel ‘luckier’ in matches. Things will start going your way. What’s actually happening is that you’re developing the skills you need to gain advantage. You’re becoming the kind of player you used to fear.


And finally ... the auto-aim tilt and the offset sniper

Okay, everyone probably already knows that with auto-aim, tilting the angle of firing upwards slightly gets a headshot.

They probably also know that when you’re sniping a moving target you should aim in front of the movement because of the bullet travel time. If you miss, look out for the flash of the bullet hitting the ground and you can gauge the offset needed.

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I'll post more tactics and tips - when I learn them. I'm currently on the cusp of level 8 and I'm still learning. I think it's being on the learning curve that keeps me interested. I'd like to hear any good tips that you may have too, so feel free to share them.