Do you remember your first game of Rocket League Credits ? The chances are that you don't, unless you have literally just jumped into the game. But, just as mine did, it probably involved driving around attempting to hit the ball, missing shots very regularly, and an awful lot of camera shake.

So what has changed, exactly, since those first few games to the level you're at now, and how can you evolve into an even better player in the future? Well, that question is of course subjective to each and every player. For example, a Silver player would need to adapt their gameplay differently to how a Diamond player does to reach their next rank. But generally, there are big improvements you can make as a player to strive for those higher ranks. Even as a Grand Champion, there are areas of improvement.

Customize the camera settings

Before you take to the arena, spend some time in practice mode not only getting familiar with the mechanics of the game, but also setting up your camera. You can change the distance of the camera from your car, your field of view, the angle of the camera and much more. All of these things will affect what you can see in-game. And everyone has a slightly different preference for how it should look. Personally, I say the more I can see, the better.

Learn to rotate

When you're first starting out, positioning is the most important thing to pay attention to. It may seem like everyone is charging after the ball flat-out all the time -- it feels like pure chaos for a time. (To be fair, sometimes it is.)

But once you play the game for a while, you may begin to notice a pattern, aptly called "rotating."

When you and your teammates are properly rotating -- whether playing 2v2, 3v3 or 4v4 -- the goal should never be left unattended. When one or two players push up for offense, one should remain back on defense. This gets more tricky when you're playing 2v2, but you must adapt the same principle to make sure someone is always keeping an eye on your goal.

Pass over shoot

Building on the ball chasing point, you'll sometimes find yourself in a situation where you have a pretty clear shot at goal. The urge to "break their axles" with a sick goal will be strong. If the other team is back and defending, resist the urge to take a shot. They'll be ready and waiting for almost anything you can throw at them.

Instead, take the ball wide, to one wall or the other, and get creative there with a pass to one of your teammates. The chances of a weird bounce, passing the ball to where a defender can't get to it or doing something unexpected are much higher than bumbling an accidental goal in over a few defenders.

Find a teammate

Whether you queue for ranked or casual matches, one of the best things you can do is find someone to play with. Not only will this lower the odds of one of you rage quitting when things get tough, you will learn to anticipate each other's moves much better than some random teammate.

This alone will increase your odds of winning.

When queueing without a teammate, you risk getting paired with teammates who are still upset from their last loss, in a bad mood or who don't know how to rotate properly. And it doesn't just have to be one of those things. Everyone's play style is different, and being able to read your own teammate and expect their next move will go a long way toward your own improvement.

Conserve precious boost

Boost is a precious resource in Rocket League. Even though it regenerates quickly, you will often find yourself without any, struggling to get back and defend your goal.

Instead of using boost all the time, you can "lunge forward" by holding the joystick forward and double-pressing the jump button. If you do this a few times, you can reach the same top speed as you can with boost (you just can't sustain that speed as well or maneuver as quickly or easily).

Learn to use both effectively in different situations to reduce the number of times you get stuck without boost.

Stealing boost from opponents is also a good strategy, so long as you're not going out of your way or breaking rotation to do so.

Don't be afraid to demo

When you boost (or sometimes flip or shoot) into an opponent, your car will blow theirs up. This is called a demolition and it's a very divisive tactic in Rocket League. Some people play as enforcers, cruising around just aiming for cars.

If done right, it can open up a lot of holes in the other team's game. If done poorly, it can open up holes in your own team's rotation. (It also doesn't make a lot of friends.)

Other players will usually whine in the quick chat when they get demolished, but there are times where a demo can change the momentum of the game. I recommend using demolitions as a tool. Don't go out of your way to use it, but if the opportunity presents itself … have at it! And try not to get too upset when it happens to you -- some players demo to get under your skin and throw you off your game.

Don't get too hung up on aerials and air dribbles

As you rank up, you will see people take to the sky to hit the ball. You'll also see them take the ball up the wall, bounce off and "air dribble" down into the goal. It adds a whole new element to the game as you rank up and begin playing with higher-skilled players.

Both of these are skills that will take a lot of practice and dedication. Being able to boost in the air to hit the ball is something anyone who hopes to advance at Rocket League should learn. But don't get too caught up on learning these skills early on -- just get the basics down first.

After logging over 900 hours in Rocket League to date, I've only just now started to get better at aerials. Air dribbling isn't even in my sights yet.

To rank up, you need the support of best cars. You can buy some Credits from the safe Rocket League Trading shop https://www.igvault.com/Rocket-League-Items , and then you can get epic cars by purchasing with credits. Hope you can enjoy the game!