Let's get started at the very basics.
Point of view
This section will cover the first-person and third-person points of view. In Star Wars: Battlefront, you can switch between both points of view, even when you are in a vehicle.
First-person
First-person is when you see the action through the person's eyes. When you're just running around as an infantry unit, first-person offers you better accuracy. However, it's harder to check your flanks for enemies, so be very careful when going along. On the other hand, playing first-person in vehicles is much more harder, and unless you want a challenge or you play on Microsoft Flight Simulator a lot, it's better if you use third-person for vehicles.
Third-person
Third-person is when you can see the unit you are controlling. This view offers you a larger angle of vision, allowing you to see your enemies and surroundings better. When you can, this method should be preferred, especially if you are a beginner in the FPS genre. Otherwise, it's your call.
Movement
This section will cover the three types of movement: running, crouching, and prone, as well as jumping, jet-packing, and rolling.
Running
This is your default form of locomotion. It is the fastest form of movement besides jet-packing. Always use this when fighting. Running will make you a harder target to hit, and you need to outlast your enemy.
Crouching
Crouching is most useful when you need to duck down for cover and reload. Otherwise, don't use it. It is slow, and makes you a sitting duck for snipers.
Prone
Unless you have leet skills, don't even think about staying prone, unless you are sniping. When sniping, stay prone to make yourself less conspicuous, but make sure your comrades are around you at all times. You don't want to already be lying down before you're dead. The only map where being prone is useful is probably Kashyyk: Docks for the Republic or Rebels, where sniping is very profitable.
Jumping and Jet-packing
Jumping is another technique. Keep in mind that when you jump, you can't fire, so use it only when you are on the defensive, not offensive. Jumping will give you a momentary burst of speed when running. All in all, jumping is useful mostly for evading enemy fire.
Jet-packing can only be achieved with the Dark Trooper of the Empire and the Jet Trooper of the Republic. Basically, you can fire up your jet pack by pressing the jump button twice. The Dark Trooper's achieves height, but is hard to maneuver, and is too short. Besides, it spews black smoke too, giving away your position. The Jet Trooper's, however, is very maneuverable and long-lasting, but doesn't have the same height. If you'd like to get somewhere faster, jet-packing is very useful, as well as being a method for a quick getaway.
Rolling
We finally turn to the last topic in movement: rolling. Rolling is when you strafe and press jump. Your player will do a dive, and then finish with a roll. It's very useful in skirmishes, to make a get-away, or to move past a hallway where lasers are flying about left and right. When you are being shot at, your first action should be to roll away and fire back, if at range.
Basic gameplay
When you start a game, you start on a selection screen of characters and spawn points, also known as "command posts." The basic points of the game are to capture and hold command points to allow a greater spawning area while depleting the enemy's "reinforcements." Each team starts with a number of reinforcements. Every time someone dies, the person's team loses a reinforcement point. Most games are won by depleting all of the enemy's reinforcements. A game may also be won if a team holds all command posts on the map for 20 seconds.
Types of command posts
There are three types of command posts.
- Normal command posts appear as circles on the map. They can be taken by any side or indigenous NPCs.
- Destructible command posts appear as diamonds on the map. They have a very large amount of health and can only be held by one side. The other side should try to destroy these destructible command posts with heavy vehicles. Examples include the generator in Hoth and the bunker in Endor.
- Mobile command posts appear in a large vehicle shape on the map. They are AT-ATs and AT-TEs. They can also be destroyed, although they have a lot of health. Only the Republic and the Empire have mobile command posts, and these command posts can only be held by them, even if the opposite side is piloting the vehicle.