PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds: Tips and Tricks Third Part

Be strict with your looting

So we all know by the now that looting gear and items is kind of a big deal in PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds, but that doesn’t mean you should just grab everything you see and fill your inventory to the brim. 

You can only hold so much, so be strict and only take what you need. Don’t fill up on too many energy drinks and medkits - you’ll only ever get a chance to use a couple. Avoid ammo and attachments for guns you don’t currently possess and only keep gear with the highest level possible.

You can, however, expand your carrying capacity with upgraded backpacks - so keep an eye out!

Treat water like armour

Much like in real-life water in PUBG can slow the speed and deadly trajectory of a bullet, meaning it can potentially save your life in a tasty shootout. In fact, bullets won’t penetrate the water’s surface at all, effectively making it a source of on-the-fly armour.

Only certain areas will support pools of water deep enough for you to dive into, but they’re certainly worth keeping in mind if you’re setting a trap/searching for loot. Just don’t forget to periodically come up for air or your new bullet protection could become a soggy tomb. 

Friendly fire will get you banned

The developer of PUBG really isn’t mucking around when it comes to friendly fire. Its policy of monitoring and deterring trolls who’d rather incapacitate their teammates than take on the enemy has led to some almost instantaneous bans - even for those who a) did it by accident or b) were just doing it for a bit of fun with some willing friends.

Even big (and seemingly untouchable) streamers on Twitch and YouTube have been slapped with temporary bans for friendly fire, so check your fire from the off. Oh, and being an avenging angel and taking revenge on a player who killed their teammate won’t exempt you either. 

Judge your distances

Okay, this might not be the sexiest of topics to broach, but realism does play something of a role in PUBG so it pays to understand distances and rangefinding when engaging the enemy. 

Whether you’re taking a shot through the scope of a sniper rifle or laying down suppressive fire while crossing an open meadow, having at least a rudimentary knowledge of bullet drop can have a huge impact on how many shots you fire actually go the distance.

The PUBG map is 8km x 8km in size, and is further divided into 1km2 squares. Use this as your basic ruleset of knowing just how far a building, bunker or vehicle is from you. It’ll also help you judge whether you’re in a prime position to get sniped on the way.

To bush or not to bush?

Bush is a hot topic in the PUBG community. No, we’re not trying to introduce smut to the squeaky clean pages of TechRadar - we’re talking about the world of tactical topiary. You see, the nature of PUBG’s colour palette means shrubs and bushes have become the new ‘open door trap’ for ambushing players since most avatars blend into the map’s digital shrubbery.

So yes, shrubs are a great way to get the drop on the enemy, but keep in mind a) everyone is doing it so you’re more likely to get gunned down by an armed plant than use yourself, and b) they offer zero protection, so camping is likely to get you killed regardless.

Your car can sprint as well

Much like DayZ and H1Z1 before it, PUBG comes complete with cars and bikes to commandeer, but that doesn’t mean you have to bomb around the map at the same top speed. Just like when running on foot - where holding ‘Shift’ gives you a short burst of speed - the same process applies when on four or two wheels.

Just keep in mind that boosting uses up a lot of petrol, so only use it if you’re trying to escape the red or blue zone of the map, or you’re trying to evade a raft of enemy fire. Be sparing with your boost and your vehicle will last a lot longer.  

Noise is your enemy

PUBG has been doing the rounds on PC for a while now, which means its dedicated community of players have learned just how important noise can be. With in-game audio turned up to 11 on a decent pair of headphones, everything from footsteps across a grassy field to a distant car engine can be used to hunt other players.

With this in mind, only use vehicles if you’re in a group that can defend itself while you drive (as vehicles will draw a lot of enemy attention). Also, crouch or go prone when approaching an area full of enemy fire. The same applies when approaching loot boxes - the quieter and smaller you are in profile, the better chances you have of survival.

Shooting the teammates in your car is surprisingly easy

While in a vehicle you can lean out of the windows to fire at other players, but be careful to not shoot the teammates riding in the car with you. 

If there are just three of your riding in a car then we'd suggest the two that aren't driving fire out of opposite windows to minimise the chances of them shooting each other.