Overwatch gameplay settings and a few quick tips

Overwatch menu options, gameplay settings and a few quick tips

I don't claim to be GOOD at the game, or anything, but I can hold my own in the matchmaking.  These tips are from my own matches, and from watching through Seagull's twitch video archives (https://www.twitch.tv/a_seagull).  Most of these are questions and answers that he answers about two or three times every hour or so.

• Enable kill feed.  This shows who kills who, and when, in the top right of your screen.  No one knows why this is turned off by default. gameplay>kill feed display>on
• Disable windows mouse acceleration.  This may already be off in the Overwatch settings, which supposedly use raw mouse input, but it is useful for any PC gamer who doesn't know about it.  Here are instructions and even a tool that can do it automatically for you.  http://donewmouseaccel.blogspot.com/2010/03/markc-windows-7-mouse-acceleration-fix.html
• You can customize the crosshairs, globally and individually hero-by-hero.  You can change the crosshair color, such as to green for contrast on more backgrounds.  You can also change the shape, such as to a dot for easier aiming.  You can turn on or off the crosshair bloom, to show the weapon spread or recoil.  These are customizable globally or hero-by-hero, if you would like. controls>reticle>bloom/type/color
• Increase your FPS as much as you can, lowering your graphics settings if necessary for better performance.
• • You can view your FPS and performance stats by enabling the following video>display performance stats
• You can switch voice chat from "push to talk" to "always on", if you are grouped with a few friends but also matching up with random people. sound>voice chat mode>push to talk/always on
• You can turn "skirmish while finding match" on or off.  Some love it, some find it annoying. gameplay>skirmish while searching>on/off
• melee key <default is V>
• crouch key <default is CTRL>.  Crouch walking mutes your footsteps.
• Stand on the objective on defense, as well as offense.  This can push the timer back on assault, and halt or move the payload backwards on escort.  On offense, having more people on the payload moves it faster, and the payload also provides passive healing to nearby heroes.
• Shoot the shields.  A Reinhardt shield has 2000 HP, and a Winston bubble only has 600.  You can break them, but not if you don't shoot at them.  (Do NOT shoot the Zarya shields.  This gives her energy!!)

The following are general gameplay tips.  You can learn these much more in-depth by playing the game, watching streams, watching youtube guides, and playing the game.

• Learn the maps
• • map paths and chokepoints
  • locations of health packs
  • how yourself and enemy heroes can move around the map
• Learn the heroes
• • Movement abilities, map-specific movement options
  • • Genji double / triple jump plus dash, genji/hanzo wallclimb
    • Junkrat, Pharah, Soldier 76, Bastion during tank-mode, and a few others have rocket jumps
    • Lucio wallrun.  Also note that his speedboost amp it up is one of the most powerful abilities in the game with proper team coordination
    • May's walls can let you reach some interesting places if you cast them below yourself or an ally.
  • Unique game settings for particular heroes.  controls>click the 'all heroes' tab> view an individual hero A few examples:
  • • Mercy guardian angel and healing beam targeting options
    • Soldier 76, Zarya, and others should enable viewing allied health bars (off by default for some reason)
    • Widowmaker's zoom reduced sensitivity is adjustable
  • Some heroes have unique headshot / critical locations, notably Bastion's glowing back panel when he is in Configuration: Sentry.
• Learn the audio queues
• • You can hear enemy footsteps (and mute yours by crouching)
  • The same goes for gunshots or other attacks.  You can hear them hitting or missing and determine enemy locations.  For this reason, sometimes, spamming from long-range will give away your position in a negative way, even if you do hit for a few damage with it.
  • Enemy ultimate audio cues are louder than teammate ultimates.  Hearing them can give you time to change tactics, such as knowing that Widowmaker has activated Infra-Sight and the enemy team can see through walls as you move around corners.
• Be willing to switch heroes mid-match
• • You must be able to play something useful to your team in every role (dealing damage, tanking, and supporting).  You almost always need at least one healer and at least one tank that can absorb damage for your team.
  • You don't have to play ALL the heroes, just a selection that can fill all roles.  Something that can take out an entrenched Bastion or Torbjorn turret with its support.  Something that can deal damage at range, something that can skirmish in close quarters.  Something that can flank, or anti-flank.  Something that can provide useful team healing.  Something that can absorb damage for your team.  Something that can deal with enemy snipers.  I specifically avoided the Blizzard default terms "offense / defense / tank / support", as those are not as useful.  There are only three main roles - dealing damage, tanking, and supporting.
  • Different sections or points of particular maps, or whether you are on offense or defense, may necessitate a hero swap.  Don't stick to one hero just because you want to; do what is best for your team, and be flexible!