I just deicided to make a list of some basic tips that have increased my skill a lot. Not really hard things, but they're good to know.
This post is mostly for newer folks, but it's probably good for anyone who isn't above par.
Moving around
Duck - When you're under fire and reloading, duck behind something! Don't just fly around. Use those little bullet-blockers and terrain bumps - it's much smarter to stay out of fire alltogether rather than try and dodge it. Once your attacker gets high enough above you to shoot, JUMP out of your spot and either relocate or open fire.
MOVE!! - I see people try and fight while either standing in one spot or moving in a straight line (especially the FN Minimi noobs) - that's the worst thing you can do - it makes you an easy target. Move around fast and keep moving. Try to circle around your opponent.
Stay high - It's always better to fight above your opponent - you have a better chance of a headshot, you have less of a chance of being hit in the head and your bullets won't slow down as much (and theirs will slow down a little, too). This tip is especially important if you're fighting against a M79, Ruger, Spas or knifer.
Manipulate the terrain - Don't just run and jump around mindlessly - try to calculate where you're going to land and try to fall on a flat surface, not the tip of a surface bump or steep ledge. It's very important to be able to move fast and accurately.
Bullet dodging and shooting
Cirlce - It's much easier for you to hit your opponent if you circle them than it is for them to hit you.
Jump up and down - When fighting someone, it's a lot harder for them to hit you if you land on the ground (and wait for their bullet stream to get close to you if they're using an auto) and then very quickly jump back up in the air.
Lead your shots! - The biggest problem I see when playing online is that people don't compensate enough for the movement of other players. If you're bullets aren't hitting your target, do something about it!
Reload - If you're not fighting anyone and you don't have a full clip, RELOAD! (Unless you're using Barret, Mnigun, FN Minimi, AK-74)
Taking out the lamers
Camping Barreters - If you know where they are, move as fast as you can and DO NOT RUN/FLY DIRECTLY AT THEM because then you're just askin' for it. That's all you need to know.
Sprayers/Minigunners - If someone is spraying dozens of bullets in your general direction, then move to a different general direction...
If you're fighting a Minigunner, use the terrain. Hide behind something while they fire at you and when they stop, pop out and take a few shots before the wind up again. Or you can be more hardcore and try to take them out before they can even start (much easier to do with Ruger, M79, Deagles, Spas and Barret.)
Rugertards Yeah, I use the Ruger a lot and sometimes people call me a Rugertard because I'm good with it so I thought I'd post some tips on defeating them as well (even though I don't consider it being lame)
Be quick - The hardest target is a moving one. Do not stand in one place or anyone with a ruger will own you. Fight as close as possible because a guy whose good with a Ruger can nail you anywhere within his line of sight. Lastly, a Ruger-User is weakest while reloading, so just concentrate on being fast rather than shooting and once those four bullets are up, rambo their ass.
Minimis - I've seen an increasing number of people who use the Minimi and unload an entire clip just to kill one person. It has 27 start power, so four shots can kill you. However, try to fight close and hide behind things and wait until they reload, then you can punk em around all you want.
Using the guns (A brief guide on how to use each gun.)
Desert Eagles - Fight close. Two headshots will kill a person.
MP5 - Fire in well-aimed bursts - don't stream your entire clip. Lead your shots.
AK-74 - Get as close as you can - four shots from this can kill a person.
Steyr - Same as MP5
Spas - Fight face-to-face. If your opponent is far away, don't even bother. Run if you have to 'cause this weapon is useless unless you're close to your opponent(or above them)
Ruger - Fight moderately far away, aim your shots well and reload a lot.
M79 - Fight in a place where there are corners or on small maps. A M79'er whose fighting in the open is probably dead.
Barret - Get good at aiming. Don't camp please...
Minimi - It doesn't take a lot of skill to get decent at this, but don't waste your bullets, don't fire at things you probably can't hit and don't spray with it...
Minigun - Try and duck/hide behind something while winding up, then at the last second, pop up and start shooting. Up close it only needs 7 shots to kill someone and it pumps out 15 bullets/sec... It's deadly in the right hands. Just don't spray unless you're doing it strategecally (coverfire, prevent enemy from advancing, etc)
Powerups, courtesy and misc
Vest - Nothing to say really. 'Cept just because you have more 'health' doesn't mean that you're invincible
Predator - Don't use your jets if you can help it (although that doesn't mean don't use them if you have to or should) because that's a dead give-away of where you are. Also, avoid getting in the middle of firefights because although people can't see you, they can see your blood. Try to pick people off rather than getting up close.
Cluster nades - They carry momentum with them, so compensate for that. They're mostly just good for rushing a base (CTF) or dropping into a big brawl (DM). Otherwise, don't get them. I try to avoid them while playing in DM personally.
Flame God - Only pick this up in DM/Rambomatch/Pointmatch because otherwise it's pretty crappy. Don't start firing away once you pick it up because that's just saying "I'm invincible with a flamethrower and here I come!" A lot of people can't recognize it so wait until you get close to someone before spouting off fire.
Berserker - Wait until you see people before you pick it up because there's nothing more dissappointing than getting it and not killing anyone. Also, don't reload unless you're completely (or very low) on ammo. With 4x damage, you don't need to.
And now, a paragraph on courtesy
It's not hard to just be decent to people (I slip up from time to time) but don't get into yelling matches. Just know that the ignorent guy on the other end of the line is just a jerkoff in a computer chair. If it bothers you enough, go to a differnet server. Also, there's nothing wrong with a little lighthearted trashtalk, so don't let it get to you.
If you see that a guy is obviously typing and his gun is pointed towards the ground, be nice and don't shoot him (unless he has the flag or something... or is using a barret =P)
A last couple of things...
Don't rapidly throw nades 'cause there's a bug where, for one reason or another, one of your nades will kill you.
Throw nades in the way that people are moving. It's easier for them to walk into one than it is for you to throw one straight at them.
Well that's my horrendously long guide. I hope I helped some folks.
My online name is Lance the Villain. (For those of you that have played with me, you should know that I have AT LEAST some knowledge of what I'm talking about)
=)
This post is mostly for newer folks, but it's probably good for anyone who isn't above par.
Moving around
Duck - When you're under fire and reloading, duck behind something! Don't just fly around. Use those little bullet-blockers and terrain bumps - it's much smarter to stay out of fire alltogether rather than try and dodge it. Once your attacker gets high enough above you to shoot, JUMP out of your spot and either relocate or open fire.
MOVE!! - I see people try and fight while either standing in one spot or moving in a straight line (especially the FN Minimi noobs) - that's the worst thing you can do - it makes you an easy target. Move around fast and keep moving. Try to circle around your opponent.
Stay high - It's always better to fight above your opponent - you have a better chance of a headshot, you have less of a chance of being hit in the head and your bullets won't slow down as much (and theirs will slow down a little, too). This tip is especially important if you're fighting against a M79, Ruger, Spas or knifer.
Manipulate the terrain - Don't just run and jump around mindlessly - try to calculate where you're going to land and try to fall on a flat surface, not the tip of a surface bump or steep ledge. It's very important to be able to move fast and accurately.
Bullet dodging and shooting
Cirlce - It's much easier for you to hit your opponent if you circle them than it is for them to hit you.
Jump up and down - When fighting someone, it's a lot harder for them to hit you if you land on the ground (and wait for their bullet stream to get close to you if they're using an auto) and then very quickly jump back up in the air.
Lead your shots! - The biggest problem I see when playing online is that people don't compensate enough for the movement of other players. If you're bullets aren't hitting your target, do something about it!
Reload - If you're not fighting anyone and you don't have a full clip, RELOAD! (Unless you're using Barret, Mnigun, FN Minimi, AK-74)
Taking out the lamers
Camping Barreters - If you know where they are, move as fast as you can and DO NOT RUN/FLY DIRECTLY AT THEM because then you're just askin' for it. That's all you need to know.
Sprayers/Minigunners - If someone is spraying dozens of bullets in your general direction, then move to a different general direction...
If you're fighting a Minigunner, use the terrain. Hide behind something while they fire at you and when they stop, pop out and take a few shots before the wind up again. Or you can be more hardcore and try to take them out before they can even start (much easier to do with Ruger, M79, Deagles, Spas and Barret.)
Rugertards Yeah, I use the Ruger a lot and sometimes people call me a Rugertard because I'm good with it so I thought I'd post some tips on defeating them as well (even though I don't consider it being lame)
Be quick - The hardest target is a moving one. Do not stand in one place or anyone with a ruger will own you. Fight as close as possible because a guy whose good with a Ruger can nail you anywhere within his line of sight. Lastly, a Ruger-User is weakest while reloading, so just concentrate on being fast rather than shooting and once those four bullets are up, rambo their ass.
Minimis - I've seen an increasing number of people who use the Minimi and unload an entire clip just to kill one person. It has 27 start power, so four shots can kill you. However, try to fight close and hide behind things and wait until they reload, then you can punk em around all you want.
Using the guns (A brief guide on how to use each gun.)
Desert Eagles - Fight close. Two headshots will kill a person.
MP5 - Fire in well-aimed bursts - don't stream your entire clip. Lead your shots.
AK-74 - Get as close as you can - four shots from this can kill a person.
Steyr - Same as MP5
Spas - Fight face-to-face. If your opponent is far away, don't even bother. Run if you have to 'cause this weapon is useless unless you're close to your opponent(or above them)
Ruger - Fight moderately far away, aim your shots well and reload a lot.
M79 - Fight in a place where there are corners or on small maps. A M79'er whose fighting in the open is probably dead.
Barret - Get good at aiming. Don't camp please...
Minimi - It doesn't take a lot of skill to get decent at this, but don't waste your bullets, don't fire at things you probably can't hit and don't spray with it...
Minigun - Try and duck/hide behind something while winding up, then at the last second, pop up and start shooting. Up close it only needs 7 shots to kill someone and it pumps out 15 bullets/sec... It's deadly in the right hands. Just don't spray unless you're doing it strategecally (coverfire, prevent enemy from advancing, etc)
Powerups, courtesy and misc
Vest - Nothing to say really. 'Cept just because you have more 'health' doesn't mean that you're invincible
Predator - Don't use your jets if you can help it (although that doesn't mean don't use them if you have to or should) because that's a dead give-away of where you are. Also, avoid getting in the middle of firefights because although people can't see you, they can see your blood. Try to pick people off rather than getting up close.
Cluster nades - They carry momentum with them, so compensate for that. They're mostly just good for rushing a base (CTF) or dropping into a big brawl (DM). Otherwise, don't get them. I try to avoid them while playing in DM personally.
Flame God - Only pick this up in DM/Rambomatch/Pointmatch because otherwise it's pretty crappy. Don't start firing away once you pick it up because that's just saying "I'm invincible with a flamethrower and here I come!" A lot of people can't recognize it so wait until you get close to someone before spouting off fire.
Berserker - Wait until you see people before you pick it up because there's nothing more dissappointing than getting it and not killing anyone. Also, don't reload unless you're completely (or very low) on ammo. With 4x damage, you don't need to.
And now, a paragraph on courtesy
It's not hard to just be decent to people (I slip up from time to time) but don't get into yelling matches. Just know that the ignorent guy on the other end of the line is just a jerkoff in a computer chair. If it bothers you enough, go to a differnet server. Also, there's nothing wrong with a little lighthearted trashtalk, so don't let it get to you.
If you see that a guy is obviously typing and his gun is pointed towards the ground, be nice and don't shoot him (unless he has the flag or something... or is using a barret =P)
A last couple of things...
Don't rapidly throw nades 'cause there's a bug where, for one reason or another, one of your nades will kill you.
Throw nades in the way that people are moving. It's easier for them to walk into one than it is for you to throw one straight at them.
Well that's my horrendously long guide. I hope I helped some folks.
My online name is Lance the Villain. (For those of you that have played with me, you should know that I have AT LEAST some knowledge of what I'm talking about)
=)