The best ways to train in Rocket League
Insight into different Rocket League training modes
This article is written by /u/MiracleWhiff on Reddit and published with his permission.
With the introduction of custom training packs in Rocket League’s update 1.25, training has transformed slowly over time. More recently, Bakkesmod is changing the landscape of training even more. But, are these new options better than Free Play, Custom Training, Workshop maps, and Bakkesmod? What did we as a community gain and lose with the introduction of these new training modes and which are better for learning new things? With this guide, I’m going to be explaining the pros and cons of using each type of training mode.
Starting off with the original sandbox mode, it gives the player the ball, a map of their choice and infinite boost. Meaning that the player will need to set their own shots up. This style of training made it very tedious to practice higher level shots such as double touches. Players may have needed to set every shot up before Custom Training. Because of that, it helped players learn to set shots up in their own way, instead of performing a shot because the ball just so happened to be in the right spot at the right time. Some notable training packs that are popular with codes that can be entered in-game to access them:
Wall Shots by Poquito, 9F6D-4387-4C57-2E4B
Grand Champion Redirects by Wayprotein, 34AF-5323-A9EF-E80D
Backboard reads by Rizzo, 07E1-81BC-DD2E-BF8C
Custom Training packs were based on a mod that Rocket League had, called “Rocket League Trainer.” Custom training packs were added in update 1.25 on all platforms and let players train high-speed shots, redirects, and defense. With this addition to the game, it let players train complex shots in higher repetition. Custom Training packs allow players to train specific shots though, it doesn’t train in setting the shots up. Which is why many players avoid 1v1s more and more because they cannot set shots up but can make great goals when the ball lines up with what they practiced in the custom training.
Custom Training wasn’t the only training mode added with update 1.25, Workshop maps were also added. Workshop maps seemed to be added on a whim and didn’t really make sense when they came out. Any maps that were made in the Unreal Engine could be posted into the Steam Workshop and from there, players went wild. From mazes to Quidditch fields, there wasn’t anything that couldn’t be done. Even a robot mech map was created! With all of the creativity that was coming out of Workshop maps, a user name French Fries started making obstacle courses and solidified their use from beginner players trying to learn to aerial to champions looking to perfect freestyling. Workshop maps are the best way to learn dribbling and aerials, and any other way really won’t let the player train and perfect every scenario that could be thrown at them. Here are some honorable mentions of maps that I recommend for training:
Dribbling Challenge #2 by French Fries
Obstacle Course #1 by French Fries
Obstacle Course #2 by French Fries
Speed Jump: trials 1 by dmc
Speed Jump: Trials 2 by dmc
These are some notable Workshop maps based on their creativity and skill in creation:
Mech Arena: Zombie Survival by BatDuck
Even the best training modes can be improved. Bakkesmod is the next step in making training better and allowing the skill ceiling in Rocket League higher. This mod lets players pass to themselves, have the ball rebound off of the backboard, and has the ball to make shots at goal where players can train their defense. The mod also has a huge amount of options such as having MMR be shown outright, have the rankings replaced with the 2017 April Fools foods, and having replays automatically saved and uploaded to ballchasing.gg. These are options that add more to the game than just a normal training mod. This mod lets players train shots repetitively like custom training and lets players train more dynamically. You could train backboard goals, and instead of just one angle, it randomizes the speed and angle so that you experience all that move has to offer.
Some training methods are better than others. Specifically, if training for 1v1 matches, it is best to stay in a sandbox mode and set everything up for yourself. Workshop maps are great to perfect aerials, freestyling, dribbling, and flicks. Custom training is good for ceiling shots, wall shots, and practicing hitting the ball when it is above your car. Bakkesmod is great for the options it has within it, dynamic training, and defending the goal.
References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47VgRmloyQI
https://bakkesmod.com/index.php
https://www.rocketleaguetrainer.com/p/download
https://www.rocketleague.com/news/patch-notes-v1-25/
Dribbling Challenge #2 by French Fries
Obstacle Course #1 by French Fries
Obstacle Course #2 by French Fries
Speed Jump: trials 1 by dmc
Speed Jump: Trials 2 by dmc
Mech Arena: Zombie Survival by BatDuck
Tumble by BB
Quidditch Field by renaiku
Yoshi Circuit by Thanrek
