Escape from Tarkov

I would love to get into this… but it confuses me as to where to even start!
The new map 'ground zero' they've added makes it more beginner friendly, it's only open to players below level 20. Don't get me wrong it's still rock hard, but it's a small map so makes completing the first quests easier. The new recoil system also makes it a bit easier to transition from other games.
 
I would love to get into this… but it confuses me as to where to even start!
Loads of videos/guides online.

Pestily is a good streamer/youtuber to watch.
Work on learning Customs / Ground Zero map to start with. Learn to workout where you spawn and where your exits are.
Use your scav to understand maps/gather loot.
 
I would love to get into this… but it confuses me as to where to even start!

I'm new this wipe as well, played like an hour or so a few years ago, but it's clicked for me this wipe and i'm enjoying it. The new recoil and armour buff has made it so that even as a low level player with bad gear, you can beat a high level player with good gear with tactics and movement/just being better at FPS games.


I'm by no means an expert, but my advice for a fellow newbie would be:

1) The aim of the game is to go into raids, complete quests, find loot, and get out by "extracting." This is the whole game wrapped up in one sentence at its base level.
2) https://mapgenie.io/tarkov - Almost essential to have a map up on another monitor/phone when playing. Play some offline raids and learn Ground Zero, Customs and Woods as these will be where you first quests will be.
3) Do your quests, they help you learn the game to a certain degree. Go to Trades > Tasks and then click through each trader to see them. You have to "accept" tasks from them before the tasks become active, then go back to the trader and complete the task, then go to your messages and "Receive" the rewards, bit of a long winded system, but that's Tarkov.
4) Sound is everything. Make sure you wear a headset in every raid, and if you hear footsteps then stop and listen. It could be:
- An AI scav, which sometimes have ridiculous aimbot aim and are not to be messed with, but once you get used to them they're easy enough to deal with
- A player scav. The same as above, but later in the raid, players can join as a Scav to finish up any loot/try and take down any players still around and loot their stuff.
- Another PMC. Dangerous times, could be a level 50 megachad with top tier weapons and armour, or a hacker as the game is infested with them :cry:
5) Use your scav runs! When you hit "Escape from Tarkov" on the main menu, on the left there will be a "Scav" option, click this and load into Ground Zero/Customs. You will have a loadout of usually basic weapons, have a loot around and then extract. These are essential in the early game to make some money and get some weapons/bags/rigs after you've lost everything in PMC raids.
6) Find a more experience friend to play with. The best tip of all, if you've got a friend who plays and is patient, ask them to hold your hand. It's already a touch late in the raid for you to do quests with someone who plays regularly, but if you've got a good friend they may help you out. Another option is to hop into Discords of big streamers and there may be "Sherpas" who help out new players.

Having a holding hand really is the best thing to do, as there's a million and one keybinds for different things, ways to make weapons a touch better early on, the whole ammo system is mind boggling.

But if you manage to persevere, EFT can be super rewarding, and super frustrating at the same time :p

Just last night me, a level 12, was in customs with a pal and we're approaching Big Red from across the river. Friend gets gunned down from inside the Big Red compound and I manage to get behind a wall and the other player starts voice chatting me chatting some smack.

I chat back a bit but stay still, turns out there's four of them. I sit tight and wait for one to push me and manage to take him down, then relocate behind the train and lay down and wait for the second, one quick burst fire and he's down as well.

Relocate down the bank towards the river and wait for the third to think that i've run off and he crawls out to try and loot his friend, miss the first few shots and he hits me in the leg, luckily somehow only giving me a fracture and no bleeds. Wait for him to push me and quick lean out and take his head off too.

Run back down the bank waiting for the fourth, when a grendade lands perfectly in my face, and the guy who killed me is called "CHINA NUMBER ONE" with 100 hours and K/D of nearly 20, so most likely a cheater. But knowing i've taken down three of his pals and that firefight was a serious rush!
 
I’ve got over 5k hours in this game.

This wipe has changed many mechanics and interactions from old so in a way it’s a new wipe for everyone.

What will punish you more than gear and equipment is players map knowledge over your own.

My advice to any new player mimics a lot of what others have said -

Do your scavs on different maps and learn them.

Play offline with scav numbers at high and put yourself as tagged and cursed this will inherently improve your fighting, aim and decision making.

Learn a map at a time, map knowledge is the biggest advantage you will have.

Don’t be afraid to die it’s going to happen and if you have fear just sell the item it’s a natural thing.

If you need help with anything just ask if I can help or guide you through a task or two I’ll be happy to.
 
I haven't played this for ages. Didn't play enough to be able to maintain good weapons / ammo / armour so tended to lose most fights vs pmc's even if I got the drop on someone. Have the recoil and armour changes mentioned above changed this?
 
I haven't played this for ages. Didn't play enough to be able to maintain good weapons / ammo / armour so tended to lose most fights vs pmc's even if I got the drop on someone. Have the recoil and armour changes mentioned above changed this?
Very much so

New hit boxes exist that are almost insta death (neck/armpit) good ammo is now locked behind tasks that unlock the craft which is then a 7/8 + hr craft.

Recoil has made the shooting far easier, this is a plus and a negative as the common strat now is spray, spray and then spray a bit more.

However it has made all weapons viable and low tier ammo.
 
I did 3 Labs raids at the weekend. I died instantly 3 times :cry:

Think I’m level 37…? My quest log is basically Streets, Lighthouse and bosses now. Guess I’ll have to actually learn Streets now! Lighthouse though, I actually hate that map. The layout is awful.
 
Very much so

New hit boxes exist that are almost insta death (neck/armpit) good ammo is now locked behind tasks that unlock the craft which is then a 7/8 + hr craft.

Recoil has made the shooting far easier, this is a plus and a negative as the common strat now is spray, spray and then spray a bit more.

However it has made all weapons viable and low tier ammo.
Thanks, might reinstall and give it another go then.
 
Takes me like 30 minutes wait in a scav que, and then its a 50/50 if i get a error and have to start again.
I think if you get to around 2 or 3 minutes of "awaiting session start", then you just have to Alt + F4 and then reconnect > leave game as you can't get into that session and just have to wait until your scav is available again.
 
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One thing that confuses and frustrates me is knowing what attachment goes on what. I want to build some decent gun builds but the linked search doesn't really tell you what you need in terms of another item to make that item work if you know what I mean? Is there a tool online which streamlines it at all?

Also, do you think the hideout is worth it for a newish player? I've just hit level 15 so got access to Flea but haven't touched hideout yet.
 
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One thing that confuses and frustrates me is knowing what attachment goes on what. I want to build some decent gun builds but the linked search doesn't really tell you what you need in terms of another item to make that item work if you know what I mean? Is there a tool online which streamlines it at all?

Also, do you think the hideout is worth it for a newish player? I've just hit level 15 so got access to Flea but haven't touched hideout yet.
If you right click on a gun and use edit preset, you can build it in there and it will allow you to buy the parts directly from traders or the flea market. I would start working on your hideout as it gives you perks such as more rewards per raid, Scav cooldown being lower and also allows you to craft stuff which are tagged as being "found in raid" so you can hand them in for tasks such as 60 round AK mags or small cans of Tushonka.
 
If you right click on a gun and use edit preset, you can build it in there and it will allow you to buy the parts directly from traders or the flea market. I would start working on your hideout as it gives you perks such as more rewards per raid, Scav cooldown being lower and also allows you to craft stuff which are tagged as being "found in raid" so you can hand them in for tasks such as 60 round AK mags or small cans of Tushonka.

"Edit preset" is greyed out for me? Do I need to build something in the hideout before I can do that or something?
 
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