Spiral Knights - FPS affects button inputs?

FPS affects button inputs?

8 Réponses [Dernière contribution]

dim, 03/30/2014 - 09:13

Whimsicality

Without use of external programs, my crummy laptop fluctuates between 45 to 55 FPS, which is suitable for someone like me. I used to run on an even cruddier laptop with an intergrated graphics chip that could barely run the game past 15 FPS, so I was curious how upgrading from a crummy laptop to a not-so crummy laptop affected my gameplay experience.

I've been tinkering around with the 'Set FPS Limit' setting of Bandicam at several intervals. How I tested the effect on my gameplay was through Shield Cancelling several weapons and running around the Advanced Training Hall, with nobody else in there. There are three factors I took into account; the visual speed of a shield cancel, the time in between the sound of the sword swing and the shielding sound, and how fast it takes to kill the training bots (which all die in one hit).

My gear gives me Attack Speed Increased Maximum! with my Flourish and Brandish. I smash the training bots with my FPS set to my default, 45 FPS. It only takes a couple of seconds, so far so good. I lowered it to 30 FPS, and noticed that I was holding my shield up despite not holding the shield button. I passed this off as a fluke, and forced the FPS to 15, close to my original laptop's default.

It was then that I noticed that there was a larger gap of time in between when my sword swing started, and when my shield was raised, in spite of my button presses being identical to that prior. So it would only make sense that having a higher FPS would maximize your ability to chain inputs, for let's say, shield cancelling a Flourish into a Blaster shot.

My curiosity couldn't stop there. I set my FPS to 1. It was the most beautifully hideous thing I've seen. My shield cancelling inputs remained the same as before, but instead of actually swinging and shielding, I found my Knight swinging, then holding a charge attack. It was literally impossible to shield cancel without running into a wall, holding a charge, or just doing nothing.

But what does this prove? Well. Nothing we don't already know, I bet. People with better computers are able to perform better, and people running on toasters need to either upgrade or play Solitaire. ormaybeyouknowOOOshouldoptimizetheirgamebetter

dim, 03/30/2014 - 09:24

Skepticraven

↓

When you say the same, describe the operations.

Would you be shield canceling while blindfolded or are you using visual input?
I would suggest recording videos with muted sound and the monitor turned off/blocked so that you are sure that it is the same (for all FPS rates).

Also - how is the one program capping FPS? Is it stopping process functionality for each interval or just locking visual output frequency?
If it locks the program, that is not the client failing the test...
I don't know how the game is coded. If it threads the visual output through the OS and server com/input is on a different thread.
I just think your tests may not be telling you exactly what you think they are.

dim, 03/30/2014 - 10:11

Whimsicality

i love this stupid game too much

I use arrow keys + ZXCV as my control setup. To shield cancel, I keep my middle finger on Z to attack, then immediately press my index finger on X. Taking several typing tests show that my typing speed averages 80 words per minute, 452 characters-per-minute, or 7.5 characters per second. My shield cancelling is more of muscle memory than it is reliance on visual and audio cues, but I factor them in nonetheless.

I've pondered if that was the case, but I do remember that I had similar (if not exact) results on my older laptop, which wasn't limited in FPS by an external program, but by the limitations of the integrated graphics chip. I'll be trying to test this out on my older laptop to see if its consistent. I got some dust to blow off on this thing, ha.

In the mean time, I've opened up two clients. One is running at my standard 45 FPS, the other is forced to run at 15 FPS. By spectating the actions of 15 FPS through the window of the 45 FPS, I can see that there is a distinct change in my Knight's movements. Instead of shield cancelling as normal, I see the Knight charging for a charge attack instead.

EDIT: Ahh. My old laptop seems to be broken, so I can't test SK out on there. There goes that idea then.

dim, 03/30/2014 - 10:42

Hexzyle

Girls do their best now and are preparing.

It's a pretty frequent occurance for FPS to effect input rate.

dim, 03/30/2014 - 14:16

Dogrock

Short answer: Yes

Longer Answer: This is usually a side effect of V-Sync or the computer not being able to keep up. You can't generate input faster than the slowest component's processing involved in rendering what's on your screen. This isn't anything special to Spiral Knights or new for gamers in general.

Longest Answer: Anandtech did a great article on input lag a while back. It covers different scenarios in why it can take too long for your mouse click to show up in game.

dim, 03/30/2014 - 21:47

Whimsicality

Well, that was an interesting read.

I put up a short bunch of clips demonstrating (poorly) what I experienced. Can't even do a thing at 1 or even 5 FPS, haha.

lun, 03/31/2014 - 01:03

Blue-Flood

Yeah I'm on board with this... When I record with Fraps even anything above asi HIGH doesn't really make a difference. I can coordinate switch shooting properly for example during normal game play, but just the few drops in frames makes asi max basically useless on my end.

Toaster needs moar power!

lun, 03/31/2014 - 07:42

Ardent-Light

This is what happens to me every day. My SK drops in frames, and within this time: I cannot shield cancel, sometimes can't move and I start randomly shielding/ charging. Every 7 seconds or so.

lun, 03/31/2014 - 10:55

Hero-Of-Cheese

@Ardent-Light

I know that feel bro.

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FPS affects button inputs?