Battle Royale Basics

Lobby

Before the game starts, you have a few things you could customize in the game's lobby -specifically with your avatar's general appearance. Additonally, this is where you are matched up with other players. The game automatically finds you a match -- which is typically filled in by 100 players. Note though that it does not necessarily need a hundred players before the match is started. There are occassions where matches can start with just 70 or so players. To see the actual number of active participant when starting a match, check the indicator in your screen as marked on the image below.

Since the game throws you out in open, with nothing but your pickaxe from the very start of the battle, you do not get to pick weapons in the game's lobby as compared to most FPS games out there. Instead, you're meant to scour weapons and settle for the ones you get, as there is practically no way to always pick a particular weapon of choice because the game generates them randomly in the game. While waiting for other players to fill up the match-up, enlisted players will temporarily be tossed in a waiting area which is like a school bus junk yard. When there are enough players to start the match, or a certain wait time is reached, the game starts.

Game Start

When enlisted players start the game, they are always dropped off by hot-air balloon strapped school bus. As the school bus passes at a random waypoint above the island, players get to pick where they actually jump off the bus. They could race towards the ground or actively engage a para-glider to control their descent. As they enevitably reach a certain altitude though, the glider will automatically engage to suppress death from falling. Depending on where you drop off, you'll be sent of different sections of the island, where you generally find your resources, weapons, and health items.

Typically, points of interests with markings in the map would generally house a lot of weapons, and items among the infrastructures already there -- which is why it also attracts high foot traffic among players. What this means is that you can always expect to be stressed in this areas as being engaged from the get go is imminent.

Alternatively, you may pick the hill side as an entry point, which will give you less encounters if you operate covertly, and let you survive the fiery first few minutes of the battle -- where typically the players that pick to land on similar densely packed points of interest square off against each other. The trade off to picking the hill side however is that you are most likely not be able to get the good stuff when you start. Nonetheless, you may want to build up on your resources, and procure some potions, med kits, and schematics for traps -- all while you work your way into the eye of the storm.

Map

There is only one map for the Battle Royale mode of the game (well at least for now). What actually changes is the waypoint of the flying bus which makes it seem that you enter random areas every single time. It pays to memorize the general points interest within the island as it could give you a headstart on knowing where to look or scramble for initial items.

Additonally, memorizing the map will generally help you be aware of your surroundings, for its potential benefits to you, or hazards. Nonetheless, depending on how good you are in simulating your route -- will greatly affect your chances of survival.

Currently, the available map has several points of interest which consists of farms, rivers, hillsides, abandoned residences, abandoned small towns, and some worn down factories / facilities. As seen on the image below, you'll always have access to your map in the game, which simply indicates your current position, your orientation, the current proximity of the storm, and the pertaining area the concluding safe zone.

Mission/Objective

Unlike the PvE mode of the original game that gives you varied and random missions/objectives, the battle royale mode always require the same objective; to be the last man standing. There aren't any scope or limitations on how you do this, as long as you survive and get to outlived all your opponents, you win the game.

Storm Eye

The eye of the storm is generally the only safe place in the game. Overtime (usually every 3 minutes) the eye of the storm shrinks down in size, which makes the safe zone smaller and smaller, which in the process forces everyone inside it to engage one another.

You always get a warning regarding the shrinking of the safe zone, the duration before it shrinks down again, and its concluding safe area in the map. If by any chance you get caught in the storm (meaning your way past the safe zone), your health points will gradually detriment until you die unless you get back inside the storm's eye.

Additional Tip:

Lots of players strategize an ambush within the bounds of the safe zone so always keep your guard up. Do not panic whenever you get caught by the storm as it takes quite a bit of time for you to actually die from it, especially if you have full HP. Take note too that the shield potions wouldn't grant you any protection from the storm, and regardless if you have one, you'll receive direct damage to your health points when inside the storm.

Sandbox

The Battle Royale mode similarly features the sandbox capability that players enjoy in the PvE mode. Here, you get to use your building skills to put up barricades, towers, and even traps. To get to build anything though, you'll have to scavenge for building materials by taking down anything that resembles a source of a particular building material. For instance, you can get wood from wood crates or furniture, metal from parked cars, and bricks from boulders in the hillside.

In the game, being particularly good with building will generally help you increase your chances of survival - especially during combat. That said, it wont hurt to practice some building skills on the PvE mode. Sad to say though, there isn't one in the mobile version of the game.

Chests and Loots

Chests in the island contain a collection of items that usually include a weapon, ammo, med kits, trap schematics, etc. Turning up the volume or putting on headsets while playing can particularly help you as they usually are good indicators of nearby activities like gun fires, footsteps, and even treasure chests. Even unassuming structures like dog houses can sometimes house a treasure chest so pay close attention to these indicators. In the mobile version of the game, a new indicator is present within your aim portion of the screen, and will glow an even guide you if a nearby chest is within proximity. Additionally, when another player is engaged and successfully killed in the game, you'll be able to collect his/her loots.

Additional Tip:

Although it is tempting to acquire the loots of downed player, most of the time this would also put you in your most vulnerable state. Be cautious when you see precious loots scattered around (especially shield potions), as they are most likely baits by other players -- waiting for those greedy players to get their hands on them before they ambush. On a similar fashion, experienced players also tend to lay traps using this bait method.