We all have played against the guy that seems to always know where you are. Seems to have spidey-senses, knowing when you're trying to sneak up behind him. I used to think that guy just had too much time on his hands and somehow fused with his Xbox/PC/PS3. Playing far more than anyone should. I truly believed this until I got a set of headphones to play on my Xbox.
Magically I was able to hear things I didn't know were there. People jumping, items being captured, doors opening and most importantly footsteps. This opened up a whole new sense that was previously unknown to me. Soon my scores were improving, people were wondering how I knew they were behind me, I was that guy.
Audio cues are important in competitive gaming. When you can't see your opponent and you don't know where they are you are at a disadvantage. You can use audio cues to figure out where your opponent is. Knowing where your opponent is a huge advantage if he doesn't know where you are.
When you initially start using headphones you'll hear a lot of sounds that you've never heard before. Take note of what each sound means. A "ding" may mean a power up was picked up. If you know where the power up is located, you know where your opponent is. Games such as Quake have other audio cues; a grunt can signify that an opponent is jumping. Is there an area where a person would have to jump multiple times to get to; possibly a sniper nest or some bonus item? You must distinguish what each set of noises can mean. Maybe a door opening followed by a series of jumps means you opponent has placed himself in a place to ambush you when you walk through the door. All these scenarios can be used to your advantage.
The addition of footsteps in video games let's everyone pretend they're clairvoyant. Listening for footsteps can be a huge advantage. Listen carefully as you turn a corner; are there footsteps around the corner? If there are, start shooting before your opponent turns the corner. He'll be wondering how you knew he was there. You can use footsteps to figure out where in a building someone is. If you know there are players in a room, use the footsteps to calculate where they are. When you enter guns blazing, you'll be able to point your crosshairs much faster than others.
Headphones help to provide a better gaming experience. They'll allow you to hear all the small nuances the developers placed into the game. They help to immerse you into the environment. Explosions will boom, ambiance will be set by the soundtrack, small sounds like shells hitting the floor will allow you to enter the game world.
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