Getting Started

Getting Started with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Welcome to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, a landmark first-person shooter that blends cinematic storytelling with tight, tactical gunplay. This guide is tailored for absolute newcomers, covering the first hour, controls, UI, essential objectives, and day-one pitfalls. Let’s dive in.

Character Creation

Call of Duty 4 does not feature character creation. In the single-player campaign, you play as predetermined soldiers:

• Soap MacTavish (SAS, British accent)


• Paul Jackson (US Marine Corps)


• Private Martin (USMC, split missions)

You don’t choose appearance, name, or loadout. Your role is to follow the story and complete objectives.

Controls on All Platforms

Below are the default control schemes. You can customize these in the settings menu.

#### PC (Keyboard & Mouse)
Mouse Sensitivity: Start around 6-8 (in Options > Controls). Lower if you feel jerky.

#### Xbox (360 / One / Series X|S)
All modern Xbox consoles play the original via backward compatibility. Controls are identical.
#### PlayStation (PS3 / PS4 / PS5)
PS4/PS5 via backward compatibility on PS4 or streaming on PS5. PS3 native controls similar.

UI Overview (Heads-Up Display)

The HUD is minimal and functional:

• Bottom-right: Current weapon + ammo (magazine / total spare). Red when <10 rounds.


• Bottom-left: Frag grenade count (2 maximum) and flashbangs.


• Center-left: Health indicators – there is no health bar. Screen turns red, you hear heavy breathing. Take cover to regenerate after a few seconds.


• Top-center: Objective text (e.g., “Get to the roof”) and mission timer.


• Top-left: Killstreak reward indicator (grenade icon for frag x3, UAV, airstrike, helicopter).


• Top-right: Compass/radar. Shows direction of sights, enemy fire (red dots when UAV is active) and objective markers.


• Crosshair: Default + shape. Turns red when aiming at an enemy. Size increases when firing (bloom).


• Kill feed: Top-right corner, shows recent kills (enemy red, teammate blue).




First Hour Walkthrough (Campaign)


Step 1: Boot and Main Menu

• Select Campaign from the main menu.


• Choose Regular difficulty for your first run (not too hard, not too easy).


• Press Start to skip cutscenes if desired, but they set up the story.


Step 2: The Training Mission – “F.N.G.” (Fawzi’s Not Good)
You play as Soap MacTavish in a SAS training course. Duration ~10 minutes.

• Objectives: Follow Sergeant Price’s instructions.

1. Run the obstacle course: Sprint (Shift / Left Stick click) through tires, climb walls (press Use at ladder), crawl under barbed wire (hold Ctrl or press Circle to crouch, then move).
2. Shooting range: Pick up M4A1 (on table) and follow prompts. Shoot targets – use ADS (RMB or LT) for accuracy. Reload (R or X) when empty.
3. Breach room: The instructor fires a flashbang; you must move quickly into the room and shoot the pop-up targets. Stay calm, aim center mass.
4. Completion: Receive your score (points, time, accuracy). Not important – just finish.

Step 3: First Real Mission – “Crew Expendable” (Cargo Ship)
You are on a ship in the Bering Sea. Duration ~15 minutes.

• Objective: Infiltrate the ship and retrieve navigation data.


• Walkthrough:

- Follow Captain Price and the team. He will lead you.
- Use your night vision goggles (N or D-Pad Right) when inside dark areas.
- Combat: Enemies appear. Prioritize threats: those with RPGs (you’ll hear “RPG!”) or snipers. Use cover: walls, crates.
- Grenades: When you see a red indicator and hear a metallic clink, sprint away or press the “Use” key to throw it back (PC: F, Xbox: A, PS: Cross).
- Breach through doors: press Use near a door, then follow the clearing sequence.
- Final room: destroy two server racks with frag grenades (throw them near the servers).

• Ending: The ship sinks; you escape via helo. Mission over.




Essential Early Objectives



• Learn to Aim Down Sights: Hip-fire is wildly inaccurate beyond 10 meters. Always ADS for medium-to-long-range engagements.


• Use Cover: Peek around corners (strafe with A/D or left stick). Standing in the open gets you killed.


• Listen to Squad Commands: Captain Price and other NPCs call out enemy positions (“Enemy spotted!”, “Sniper!”). Heed them.


• Conserve Ammo: You carry only two weapons. Pick up enemy rifles (AK-47, G36C) when low. SMGs are for close quarters.


• Use Grenades Wisely: Toss a frag into rooms before entering. Flashbangs can blind enemies (and you), so turn away.




What to Do First – and What to Avoid


DO:

• Complete the training mission to learn basic controls.


• Adjust your sensitivity before starting the campaign (Options > Controls > Sensitivity). Start at 4 (console) or 8 (PC).


• Experiment with different weapons on the range. The M4A1 (full-auto) is forgiving.


• Save often – the game autosaves at checkpoints, but if you die, you restart from last checkpoint.


• Check your minimap (top-right) for objective markers (yellow diamonds).


DO NOT:

• Rush headfirst into enemy fire. The AI is aggressive; use tactical pauses.


• Reload after firing only 2 bullets. Always reload when the magazine runs dry and you have cover.


• Stand still for long periods – you become an easy target.


• Ignore the “grenade” indicator. It flashes white and you hear a ticking sound. Run away immediately.


• Skip the tutorial thinking you know FPS games – the specific mechanics (lean, prone, night vision) differ.




Early Resource Priorities (Campaign)


There’s no economy or inventory management in single-player. Your resources are:

• Ammo: Grab ammo from fallen enemies by walking over their weapons (it’s automatic for the same weapon type as yours). Swap guns when ammo is low.


• Grenades: Replenish at weapon crates (blue boxes on the ground). Frags are more common than flashbangs.


• Health: Regenerates after a few seconds out of combat. There are no health packs.


In Multiplayer, early resources are unlock tokens. More on that later, but as a beginner, stick to the pre-made classes (M16, M4A1) until you unlock custom classes at level 4.



Common Beginner Mistakes


1. Not Using Aim Down Sights: Spraying from the hip wastes bullets and misses.
2. Sprinting Everywhere: Sprinting drains stamina (rechargeable) and lowers your weapon. Use it only to cross open areas, not when entering a room.
3. Over-reliance on Radar: The minimap only shows red dots when a teammate pings or a UAV is active. Don’t stare at it; watch your surroundings.
4. Tunnel Vision: Focus on one enemy and ignore flanking enemies. Sweep your view often.
5. Wrong Difficulty: Don’t jump to “Veteran” – enemies have aimbot, grenades are spammy, and you die in one shot. Stay on Regular.
6. Ignoring Equipment: Flashbangs and frags are plentiful early on. Use them.



Day-One Checklist



• [ ] Install the game (PC: use Steam or physical disc; Xbox/PS: insert disc or download digital, ensure patches are applied).


• [ ] Launch the game and check for updates (especially for multiplayer, to get latest balance).


• [ ] Go to Options → Video and adjust brightness (set to default or slightly higher for dark areas).


• [ ] Options → Audio: Set dialogue volume to 100%, effects 80%, music 70%.


• [ ] Options → Controls: Configure key bindings (PC) or check stick layout (console). Toggle crouch vs. hold – many prefer hold for prone.


• [ ] Options → Sensitivity: Set per above and test in training.


• [ ] Complete the F.N.G. training mission. Replay it until you can finish in under 60 seconds (optional but good practice).


• [ ] Play the first two campaign missions (“Crew Expendable” + “Blackout”). Focus on learning movement and gunplay.


• [ ] Spend 10 minutes in a private match (Multiplayer → Private Match) against bots to practice aiming, grenade throws, and movement without stress.


• [ ] If online play is on your radar, unlock Custom Class by reaching level 4. Use the stock M16 class – it’s a three-round burst beast.


• [ ] Finally, review your settings again: adjust auto-aim strength (consoles only) – set to low if you want to improve your aim naturally.

Stick to these steps, and you’ll be ready to enjoy one of the greatest shooters ever made. Good luck, soldier.