HardwareSome gamers may be able to see more frames per second than the rest of us, adding to my list of excuses as to why I suck at fast-paced multiplayer gamesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
HardwareSome gamers may be able to see more frames per second than the rest of us, adding to my list of excuses as to why I suck at fast-paced multiplayer gamesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: SCAD)
A study entitled “The speed of sight: Individual variation in critical flicker fusion thresholds” published in academic journalPlos One(viaThe Guardian) details an experiment in which participants were tasked with viewing a fast-flickering light source, and identifying when it appeared to become constant. Some perceived the light as a steady beam when flashing at around 35 times a second, while others could still identify that the light was flickering at speeds of 60 times per second or above.
The study was repeated on multiple occasions with the same participants, and the researchers discovered that while there was significant variation between individuals, test subjects who could perceive the light flickering at faster rates were able to do so repeatedly.
Professor Kevin Mitchell, a neurobiologist at Trinity College Dublin, said: “We believe that individual differences in perception speed might become apparent in high-speed situations where one might need to locate or track fast-moving objects, such as in ball sports, or in situations where visual scenes change rapidly, such as in competitive gaming.”
“They may have an advantage over others before they have even picked up a racket and hit a tennis ball, or grabbed a controller and jumped into some fantasy world online.”
While the study is intriguing—and certainly makes me feel a bit better about being repeatedly trounced in my teenage years playing endless rounds of Counter Strike—previous research does provide some hope for us all.
The perception of flickering light is only one part of the puzzle when it comes to seeing movement. Moving imageshave been found to invoke different visual systemsto the ones that process light alone, and more than that, visual perception can be trained in order to improve.
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So much so in fact, that games are sometimesused in visual therapiesto treat certain conditions and to improve things like contrast sensitivity, attention abilities and object tracking.
Screen queens(Image credit: Future)Best gaming monitor: Pixel-perfect panels for your PC.Best high refresh rate monitor: Screaming quick.Best 4K monitor for gaming: When only high-res will do.Best 4K TV for gaming: Big-screen 4K gaming.
Screen queens
(Image credit: Future)Best gaming monitor: Pixel-perfect panels for your PC.Best high refresh rate monitor: Screaming quick.Best 4K monitor for gaming: When only high-res will do.Best 4K TV for gaming: Big-screen 4K gaming.
(Image credit: Future)
Best gaming monitor: Pixel-perfect panels for your PC.Best high refresh rate monitor: Screaming quick.Best 4K monitor for gaming: When only high-res will do.Best 4K TV for gaming: Big-screen 4K gaming.
So it turns out that perhaps my lack of ability can be better attributed to a lack of practice, rather than my poor old peepers not being well-equipped enough in the first place. Still, having a head start in one area at least can’t hurt, so I’ll happily lean on the idea that some of us are simply more superhuman than others.
While a comfortable frame rate can often be attributed to being within the eye of the beholder, I’ll also take some small comfort in the fact that60 fps is more than fine for me, and I don’t have to spend too much of my time chasing the upper stratosphere of frames to see my games in smooth-o-vision. Small mercies, ey?
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If you’re trying to convince me your ‘companionship’ robot is ‘lifelike’, maybe don’t rip her face off in the demo videoIs the new RTX 5070 really as fast as Nvidia’s previous flagship RTX 4090 GPU? Turns out the answer is yes. Kinda.
If you’re trying to convince me your ‘companionship’ robot is ‘lifelike’, maybe don’t rip her face off in the demo video
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Is the new RTX 5070 really as fast as Nvidia’s previous flagship RTX 4090 GPU? Turns out the answer is yes. Kinda.
Is the new RTX 5070 really as fast as Nvidia’s previous flagship RTX 4090 GPU? Turns out the answer is yes. Kinda.
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Latest
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Today’s Wordle answer for Sunday, January 12
Today’s Wordle answer for Sunday, January 12
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Epic CEO Tim Sweeney says tech leaders are ‘pretending to be Republicans’ to gain favor with Trump, skirt antitrust laws, and ultimately ‘rip off consumers and crush competitors’
If you’re trying to convince me your ‘companionship’ robot is ‘lifelike’, maybe don’t rip her face off in the demo video
Square Enix launches new anti-harassment policy to protect its employees and partners from abusive fans
The Sims begins its 25th anniversary celebration next week with a Behind The Sims episode of news and announcements
Path of Exile 2 numberlord spends 16 straight days killing rare monsters to prove that a stat that makes loot better makes better loot
Palestinian developer raises more than $200,000 to make Dreams on a Pillow, a game about the horrors of the 1948 Nakba
Piranha Games will lay off employees after Mechwarrior 5: Clans ‘performed below projections’
Marvel Rivals’ latest update quietly killed the game’s burgeoning mod scene
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