Game notes for my endeavours in Escape from Tarkov

First raid EVER and I survived

Preface

I bought/preordered Escape from Tarkov(EFT) on january 28. 2022 because I needed something to waste my sparetime on... time will tell if I get hooked.

This page is intended as my own personal reference card to stuff I probably will forget if I do not write it down somewhere :-D

Usefull websites

• Escape from Tarkov Market.
• Escape from Tarkov ballistics.
• Escape from Tarkov Official Wiki.
• Escape from Tarkov in game time.
• Escape from Tarkov server status.
• Escape from Tarkov news from Battle State Games.
• Escape from Tarkov interactive maps. The wiki also got maps. Re3mr's maps are quite good too.

Gear

Key Tool

The Key Tool would be handy to obtain as soon as possible.

It spawns on Customs:

• in the "Marked room".
• in the "Old Gas Station" on the table.
• In "Warehouse 3" on the shelf left of the back door.

Barter for one from Therapist Level II (PMC level 13).

Documents case

• Barter for one from Therapist Level II (PMC level 13).

Mr. Holodilnick thermal bag

• Barter for one from Jaeger level II (PMC level 15).

M4A1 post Raid #1 upgrade

• Replace front sight/Gas block with MK12 Low Profile Gas Block bought from Mechanic for ~5100 RUB
• Replace Carry Handle with any optics of choise - Skier got Walter MRS reflex sight for ~13000 RUB

Console commands

This section contains Console commands that i use.

FPS Counter

Press the tilde key ~ on your keyboard to enable the console command interface (either on the menu or in raid).

• Enter fps 1 in the console bar that appears at the top of your screen and press enter.
• Alternatively, enter fps 2 for advanced information
• Enter fps 0 to turn off the counter completely.

Graphics settings

12.12 (Setting {before} -> {after} = {before FPS} -> {after FPS}):

• Object LOD: 4 -> 2 == 32 -> 33 FPS
• Overall visibility: 3000 -> 400 == 33 -> 34 FPS (1000 still 34FPS)
• Anti-aliasing: TAA High -> Off == 34 -> 35 FPS (Need AA? TAA.)
• Resampling: 1x (Rather use NIS -- Guide linked in description)
• HBAO: Colored very high -> off == 35 -> 43 FPS
• SSR: Ultra -> Off == 43 -> 80 FPS
• Anisotropic Filtering: On -> Off == 80 -> 87 FPS (Per texture = 82 FPS)
• Nvidia Reflex Low Latency: On -> Off == 87 -> 89 FPS (On+Boost = 84 FPS)
• Sharpness: No effect. (3 for stimulant effect kekw)
• Lobby FPS Limit: No effect. (duh)
• HighQualityColor: On -> Off == 87 -> 94 FPS (Didn't restart. After raid restart: 116 FPS [was now cloudy weather too])
  • Disabling PostFX entirely: 94 -> 100 FPS
  • FOV: Min FOV -> Max FOX: No change (may have difference on your system)
• Only use Physical Cores On -> Off: No change. (Ryzen 3900X though)
• Automatic RAM cleaner: Nothing (128GB RAM though)
• Texture Quality: No change, but didn't include in video.
• Shadow Quality: Ultra -> Medium -> Low: 100 -> 100 -> 103

12.12 Weapon builds

• Tarkov's LOWEST Recoil 5.45 Builds - Budget to Best AK Build Guide -

Advice i found on the Intarwebz

Beginner advice

• Buy a cheap weapon and nothing else and go to shoreline, go to the sniper rock and kill the 1-2 sniper scavs that spawn there - then check YouTube for the tutorial for how to get on top of the rock to loot them. They always have either a scoped Mosin or sks and semi decent loot for a new player.
• Extract at path to lighthouse, or road to customs
• Rinse and repeat for ez loot

Video guides

• Level 1 Trader Loadout Guide
• The BEST Advice for New Tarkov Players to Get Better FAST - This may be a hot take, but grinding Factory, in both offline and in live raids, is the best way for new players to get good fast.

Shoreline

• Visual guide to the 37 Caches by Pestily.

Nvidia Settings

• VOX_E's Tarkov OPTIMIZATION Guide 2022 - Nvidia Control Panel Settings (22. jan. 2022)

Graphics settings

• VOX_E's BOOST Your FPS in 12.12 - Best Tarkov Graphic Settings (8. jan. 2022)

Errors

Stuck on "Awaiting session start"

Stuck on "Awaiting session start" should be exclusively on your scav ; if you're stuck on "Awaiting session start" specifically for more than 5 minutes ; it's a good indicator that you're desynced and need to Alt+F4 and restart.