Fortnite for Boomers: Deadly Mistakes to Avoid

– but I still keep making ‘em…

As you’ll have gathered, there’s a heap of stuff to keep your head around in this game – it’s complex and fast! So it’s understandable that things – even life and death things – can slip your mind. Here’s some deadly mistakes to try and keep mindful of:

Don’t forget to Reload!

*I’d have so many more wins if I could only drum this into myself…*

Regardless of how much ammo you have, no Fortnite weapon will keep firing indefinitely.

You’ll find that, say, an SMG (sub-machine gun) will run through its clip bloody fast. There’s nothing worse than drawing a bead on a foe, hitting the trigger and… nothing. I can’t tell you how many #2 spots I’ve ended up in because of overlooking this crucial routine…

After firing any weapon, hit the ‘X’ button for it to reload. This takes an average of around 2 ½ seconds – which can feel like an eternity in the thick of gunfire. Unlike bandages and shields, you can do it on the move – and be ready for that next sortie.

Don’t leave yourself exposed!

*If you’re going to stand around out in the open, you’re just begging to be shot…*

Say you’ve found a good vantage point to pick off players with your scope – but you don’t have a handy bush. Even if you have a nice rock to one side, leaving the other side open means some other bugger with a scope can take their time and end your dream. What to do? Well, be choosier about your spot – but if it’s the best around just hit ‘B’ and build a protective wall on your exposed side. The drawback of this activity is that your position could be given away when they see a structure – but it could be the difference for survival. I reiterate this elsewhere.

Don’t barge blindly into buildings

*An open door spells potential danger – but a closed door could also be a fatal trap!*

All doors are closed when a game starts – an open door means someone has definitely been there before you. But a closed door could mean that someone went through and closed it again. And they might still be there. Go through every door with the expectation that someone has a gun trained at you on the other side.

I like to open a door and wait to one side for an instant. If there is no response, a curious visual distortion phenomenon allows you to ‘look round corners’ of objects you are really close to without being seen. Do that. I’ve spied would-be ambushers like this and depending on my appraisal of the likelihood of success – charged in firing, or run away!

All that said, it’s pretty cool to be the ambusher. I’ve chalked up countless kills simply by aiming my shotgun at head height towards the inside of a door and waiting for the owner of those nearby footsteps to open it. They make the fatal error of not checking first – bam!