You will no doubt have heard of Fortnite. It is one of the most popular games on the planet. As of 2022, Fortnite sees between 2 and 4 million concurrent players at any given time. And this number is showing no signs of decreasing anytime soon. It is a fantastic multiplayer shooter that balances casual and competitive gaming extremely well.
Fortnite has changed a lot over the years. And for new players, it can be quite a chore to get your head around all the features. Especially considering the game undergoes massive gameplay changes every few months. Luckily for you, we have prepared this beginner’s guide to Fortnite. And we have even thrown in a few tips and tricks to help you survive longer and get that epic victory royale.
What Is Fortnite
Now you may have heard of Fortnite, but you might not actually know what type of game it is. Fortnite actually started off as a PvE game called Fortnite: Save The World. And this game mode still exists. But the main reason people play Fortnite is for the battle royale mode.
A battle royale is where 100 players are all dropped onto a large island and have to fight to the death. The winner is the last man standing. This mode can be played solo or as part of a team. And there is no character progression between matches. So any weapons you find during one match won’t carry over to the next unless you use the new tent mechanic.
Navigating The Lobbies
When you first open Fortnite, you might be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options. There are a number of different game modes and screens to navigate through. The first screen you will see after logging in is the main lobby. Here you can see your character, profile level, online friends, and quests, and most importantly, you can select which game mode you want to play.
The next section is the Battle Pass screen. Here you can see your progress through the battle pass and unlock various rewards. The Fortnite battle pass does have some free rewards. But to get all of them, you need to purchase the full pass.
Next, you have the Compete section. Here you can enter various events and tournaments. For now, you are better off avoiding this section until you have a better handle on the gameplay. After that is the Locker, where you can customize your character. To unlock skins, you need to buy them from the item shop or earn them in the battle pass. Occasionally Fortnite will give away free skins. So keep an eye out for that.
Next, is the Item Shop, where you can exchange real money for V-bucks, which can then be used to buy various skins. After that, you have the Career section, which tracks your profile’s level and various achievements.
Fortnite’s Many Game Modes
One of Fortnite’s greatest strengths is the number of game modes it has on offer. You have the standard battle royale mode, which is the mode we will be focusing most heavily on. Through the creative mode, players can create many different games, which can then be published for anyone to play. You can find a huge variety of games to try, such as Island Wars, Zombie Outbreak, and Runner Maze.
Playing Your First Battle Royale
Now we are going to get into the meat of this guide. The actual gameplay. We will assume for this guide; you are launching into a battle royale match without any teammates. Meaning it is a total free-for-all. The aim is simple. Be the last man out of 100 standing.
When the match starts, you will find yourself on a flying bus known as the Battle Bus. You’ll also see a mini-map in the top corner. Take some time to look at the world below you and try to decide where you want to land. After a short while, you will see a prompt telling you what button to press to jump. It is up to you when you want to jump. We recommend avoiding any of the major areas. Instead, try landing at some smaller houses or areas further away from the center. The first thing you should do after landing is found a weapon.
Items and Weapons
Scattered around the island are numerous weapons and items you will need to make use of if you want to survive. You will want to listen out for chests. When you are near one, you will be able to hear an ethereal humming noise. Our top tip for finding chests is to turn on the sound visualizer in the options menu. This will give you a compass pointing towards chests and it will also give you a visual indication when there are foes nearby.
Weapons and items are automatically sorted in your inventory; You can customize which items go into which slots in the options menu. We recommend carrying at least two weapons, some medkits, and some shield potions, and then keeping a slot spare for any other useful items you find, such as jump-pads or grappling hooks.
Combat Tips and Tricks
As much as you might want to avoid it, combat in Fortnite is inevitable. You are going to have to fight to survive. So here are a few tips I have learned over the years. Firstly, make use of the construction mechanics to build cover and gain the high ground. Secondly, don’t be afraid of running away to heal up. There is no honor in a pointless death.
The aiming in Fortnite takes some getting used to since it’s all done in the third person. A good tactic for improving your skill is to use cheats in private games. Veterancheats offer a varied selection of cheats perfect for training with, and they have a great aimbot for Fortnite. Just keep in mind you won’t be able to use any of these hacks in normal game modes without running the risk of getting banned.
The Storm
As the game progresses, you will see The Storm mentioned a lot. The storm is a massive wall of energy that slowly engulfs the island in a circular motion. To survive, you have to keep moving toward the new storm center. This forces players to keep moving and run into one another. The storm will not stop shrinking until there is a winner. The longer the game goes on, the more damage you take from being caught in the storm. Our advice is this, stay ahead of the storm at all times!
