Can someone give me a 4-sentence summary of the game? I know it's kind of like a FPS survival game, but you keep your loot between matches?
Does it work like the Division PVP areas? Each deployment is instanced, but you only get to keep your loot permanently if you're able to extract it?
Then you can go into a new game with whatever you've extracted?
choose your own fps adventure?
The thing that impresses me the most about this game is the variety of playstyles the game lends itself to. It's a solid fps sandbox with a pseudo-economic system generated by a smash and grab gametype. In my group of friends alone, we have a guy who has never played an fps before lured in by the complexity.. made spreadsheets, gun building depth/realism, hustling crafting and flea market while enjoying the game too with its varying degrees of emotions. I have two friends that are now pure loot runners, ledex resort runs and interchange tech runs with a pistol and a dream. I personally hate looting, so I go in looking for people and try to give em the shakedown in hopes i'll find a pinata and gtfo. I think we're all somewhere "successful" at the moment in the fact we can play each map how we want, which is probably the hardest introductory bit given the gear fear, the unknowing, and so on. My tip would be to learn/rush your hideout, and get your btc farm going so you have some sort of passive income.
While it rewards veterans with easier access to solid loadouts via knowledge/playtime, nothing beats the rush of dropping a thiccboi with some ganky ak setup with abysmal rounds then grabbing his shit, sweating, and wondering if you're gonna get out or be greedy and try to get more.
Either way,
Escape From Tarkov Interactive Map | Map Genie
I have only done a total of 1 offline raid my entire time playing eft, and it was to throw F-1 grenades because my friend said they have a 45 degree roll after a few seconds sliding on the ground. I highly discourage you from doing the same, the game will be infinitely easier if you learn the map in offline.. but I found that incredibly boring. Short stint of me tucking in bushes trying to orient myself and find my tasks while looking at a map in a live raid lol. Good times, but also tough times.