Petition to Add a Lag Compensation Selector

Games Other Halo
1

Hello Community,

I created a similar topic, in the general thread but feel that this thread for matchmaking is the better thread for a topic like this, seeing as this heavily involves the matchmaking system, etc.

I want to first start out by saying that the lag compensation in the game right now is kind of game breaking. At times you feel like a boss out DMR-ing people, etc. and at other times you get the “WTF” just happened moment when the person out DMRs you and in the kill cam he is looking at the wall.

I have an immense amount of experience in First Person Shooter games ranging from the (arguably most competititve) CounterStrike to the fun but still awesome BF3. I have been a fan of Halo for years and played at high levels in H2 (level 46 slayer legit) , H3 (multiple level 50s) and Reach (Onyx ranks). (The only reason I stated this was to give a foundation so that I do not get laughed out of the forum for being “bad” or “you just cannot aim”, etc.

Right now, we have something called lag compensation in the Halo 4 matchmaking system. This is a good mechanic. It needs to be in any modern game, it has been in games for years now and even other competititve shooters, such as, Counterstrike have come to develop the lag compensation system. Games that have succeeded in the implementation of this system allow for the user to “Damper” the lag compensation to meet the connection strength of the user. Games that have utterly failed in the lag compensation system are games, such as, MW3 that did not do this.

A simple change is needed, and it would cost 343 next to nothing to implement. A damper system should be put in place for lag compensation. Why? It would give people who have good connections the ability to turn down the compensation and people with not so good internet connections the ability to turn it up.

A system such as this would work:

In the options menu, 343 could add something that deals with connection (duh). The menu would have three options:

  1. Low (for higher connections)
  2. Medium (For mid-grade connections)
  3. High (for connection speeds that are considerably slower)

Now I do not have numbers in front of me on connection speeds that would fit each category but for the purposes of this suggestion we could assume connections with a:

  1. Low (connections with a rating of A to B )
  2. Medium (connections with a rating of C)
    3 High (connections with a rating of D to F)

These ratings could be obtained from speedtest.net and would allow 343 to implement a system that could suggest a damper for the user to select based on the following ratings or speeds. This would create a highly competitive and FAIR environment. The current lag compensation is not good, plain and simple. It catters to connections with lower connection speeds while punishing higher connection speeds. I am not the one to brag, but I have a B+ grade connection and I am lagging horribly during BR / DMR fights and this needs to stop. I have had instances where I get shot once, then the guy appears on my screen (well, lets do the math 1 second makes a difference in competitive play. You get one or two shotted before you can react you lose). I have read several posts that pertained to the kill cam showing people getting shot when they are not even being aimed at (this pertains to lag compensation).

Community, let us vote on the ADDITION of a damper/buff system for lag compensation which would establish a fair and consistent environment for online competititve play. 343 has done many things right, and I feel that this is the big one they need to NAIL.

Please keep the negative comments to the minimum and vote. We also do not need people crying out imbalances, flaming, or acting like a troll. Read this and understand this before you post to avoid negativity. We are all in this in the long run and 343 has had an extensive track record for listening to the community (i.e. Halo Anni. and Reach).

If you think there could be a better way to add something like this to the game, please share your insight.

Thank you community and happy gaming!
-UnSeEnz

EDIT: I forgot to add something, completely removing the lag compensation system is a NO. It needs to be in multiplayer gaming now to create more fair environments and having none is just… no. Plus it would be like reworking the ENTIRE network code and that is A)costly and B) like creating a whole new game. SO before you suggest “Remove l4g c0mpens4tion GRR” remember this. Plus, adding a dedicative server list is expensive, this is a less expensive awesome addition.

EDIT EDIT: I just realized how innovative Halo online play actually is comparably to most games, would it not be absolutely electrifying if they were to develop a system for lag compensation settings for consoles? I shiver at how awesome this could be. The best way to get 343 to listen is to vote and keep this thread alive.

2

To Add Some Clarity,

Halo 3 did have lag compensation but it was never this bad. Let’s put it this way. Most modern games have lag compensation and it will never change, it cannot. It is not fair to people who may not be financially capable of purchasing better internet and it helps when people from other countries play with each other.

Now, what you are experiencing could quite possibly be lag. I do not know your skill level, nor do I want to “guess” what skill level you are but for the purposes of this discussion and suggestion I will give some light to it, using myself as an example.

For an example, I right now, have roughly a 2.0 KD (I think it is like 1.98) and I am a SR 42. I run into issues sporadically with the gameplay, namely when I play objective game types where a lot of things are going on. I notice, that sometimes when I am in games I am completely dominating people at a similar SR rank (I know SR rank does not = skill but w.e.) I then play games where it seems a little jittery and I am being out DMR’d by lower SR rank people. This is fine because some people have bad games, w.e. However, a trend arose from these types of games where I do statistically bad. The kill cam in these games are horrid. I watch myself get shot through walls, the guy/gal might be looking down on the ground and I just magically die, or it shows the person aiming up in the air and I just fall down on the ground.

This ladies and gentlemen, is lag compensation kicking in. Most games, I have no problem with the kill cam (the games I do well in) and the games I do horrid in show a 1 to 2 second delay of DMR shooting or firing (this could be br, ar, etc.)

I cannot express it enough that I am not whining or am displeased with the game. I love H4 but this is definitely game breaking. 1 to 2 seconds of lag compensation on someone with a good connection, means that someone with a bad connection is 1 or 2 seconds ahead of me, regardless of how I play I will die against any competent player.

Hope that brought some light to your concerns,
UnSeEnZ

3

Since youre new, i will share a tip. Petitions are not allowed on these forums, i would remove that word from your title. I would hate to see you typed that essay out only for it to be locked.

PS. Please read the rules, there may be somethings you would like to know in there.

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I don’t want to sound like a jerk here but I wish ALL video game companyh’s would do away with lag compensation. If you don’t have a good connection then TO BAD! My connection is not the fastest but for gaming its great at 25Mbit down and 7Mbit up. Like a lot of you here I have the same problems. I can clean up some games and then BOOM it’s like there is not enough bullets in my DMR to kill ANYTHING! I’ve also seen it kick in as “faulty” plasma grenade tosses in which the grenade just goes straight through the enemy even if there aren’t moving. I spend good money on games and Xbox live and I pay very good money for my connection as my type of connection and it’s speeds are very uncommon in Canada due to our -Yoink- options here and I don’t think it’s very fair to have to be punished for it when I got it to play these games with little lag.

I guess the reason it really pisses me off is because I think this latest rendition of Halo multi player is the best one since halo c.e. (original xbox not the remake). I noticed the first week of play it wasn’t as bad but the more I play the worse it seems to get. nothing worse then putting a whole DMR clip into someone’s head and then they spray you with an assault rifle and you fall faster then a house of cards. We all know about what we see on the kill cam so I’m not even gonna touch that. In my honest opinion though I don’t know why Devs came up with whole lag comp thing. You want less lag?, you want crisper online action? go spend some $$$ on a better connection but Devs PLEASE DON’T PUNISH ME for having that nice connection. I got it to play your games in the first place!

edit
Speedtest.net just told me I have an A connection and that’s with a wireless connection from my laptop. My Xbox is a hardwire connection so it’s got it all coming in full force.

5

Starting petitions is against the rules.

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People still think the killcam is accurate? It’s not. Not even close and isn’t reliable at all.

Also “lag compensation” would just let laggy people with lousy internet shoot you through walls.

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> Also “lag compensation” would just let laggy people with lousy internet shoot you through walls.

That’s his point. He wants to lower the amount of compensation.

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What really needs to be happening is that the Lag Compensator should be automatically based against current latency to the host.

I would think this IS how it works, now a real issue is the Auto-Aim; which is frankly far too generous, especially concerning the Human Weaponry that is currently over-powered compared to the Covenant or Forerunner Weaponry… not so much because they are better stats wise, but because they seem to fair the best with the latency compensation and auto-aim.

Especially when you consider that the “spread fire” of the weapons and almost total lack of kickback means you really don’t need any real skill to be successful with the human weapons; simply aim roughly towards the enemy and somehow the bullets seem to find peoples heads.

Now I have no issues with Auto-Aim, but honestly I’d prefer to have the option to simply turn it off (that’s a personal preference) and it NEEDS desperately to be about half as strong as it is.

Also would love to know what the deal with Killcams is… sure it might be something to do with the Latency Compensation, but no other games that have it; have I ever seen someone shooting 2-3ft behind who they’re trying to hit and at the body yet somehow magically getting headshots ever damn time.

Personally I would love for 343 to get a collection of the community (get us to opt in or something) where we can help them to improve the multiplayer experience for everyone. There are no doubt many players who would jump at the chance to communicate with 343 directly about issues with the game and help them to iron out the issues to improve the game.

Even simple things such-as co-operative gameplay latency can be very touchy at times regardless of the host or clients.

Seriously I’d strongly suggest 343 thinks about having a Beta Multiplayer program, with regular upgades and changes with continuous feedback between players and 343 developers to improve the multiplayer aspect; esp given that updates for the game can’t exactly be pushed out every single day: where-as within a beta program it works independantly from Live so could be run from the 343 Live Server, so changes pushed out more regularly then sorted out for the larger retail patches that require several weeks to certificate for retail players.

Just a thought

9

No petitions, sorry OP.