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| '''Display lag''', also known as '''input lag''', refers to the inherent latency between a console producing an output and a monitor screen displaying said output. This is different from [[frame delay]], which is caused by the game itself intentionally delaying an input from being performed by a certain amount of time. Display lag is also separate from reaction time, which is mostly determined by the physical and cognitive ability of the player, though all three phenomena affect each other to influence the playing experience. | | '''Display lag''', also known as '''input lag''', is the delay between a console producing output and a television displaying said output. In most cases, it is caused by high-resolution televisions imposing additional processing on the visual data it receives in order to make it look better. While this feature is useful for non-interactive applications, such as video playback and technical demos, it goes against the real-time nature a majority of games require, thus resulting in the illusion that there is an in-game delay between input and action. |
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| ==Overview==
| | Display lag is difficult to quantify but easy for players to detect; [[controller]] feedbacks or inputs may be delayed, and the [[Wii U]] GamePad's screen may not be in sync with the television. It can be described as similar to [[Wi-Fi lag|playing online]], though at a more constant and predictable rate. |
| In most cases, display lag is caused by high-resolution monitors imposing additional processing on the visual data it receives on top of regular processing to analyze and produce every frame in order to make the image quality as high as possible. While this feature is useful for non-interactive applications, such as video playback and technical demos, it is often a hindrance when playing video games, as it goes against the real-time nature a majority of games require, thus resulting in a noticeable delay between input and action. Also, not all displays are created equal, with some having a significantly higher {{iw|wikipedia|refresh rate}} than others, which can lead to the important minutiae of the action on-screen being lost in translation.
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| Display lag is difficult to quantify but easy for players to detect; [[controller]] feedbacks or inputs may be delayed, and the [[Wii U]] GamePad's screen may not be in sync with the television. It can be described as similar to [[Wi-Fi lag|playing online]], though at a more constant and predictable rate.
| | Even with small amounts of display lag, some games with stringent timing requirements, such as rhythm games, may become difficult or infeasible to succeed at. For the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series specifically, every frame of display lag decreases the possible reaction time of players, increasing the amount of prediction necessary to win and widening the size of a character's safe movepool. |
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| Display lag is rarely considered a detriment with most video games, as the delay is usually so small that it is imperceivable execpt in extreme situations or if the player is actively searching for it. However, some types of games, such as rhythm games, fighting games and other games that require precise timing may become difficult or infeasible to succeed at even with small amounts of display lag. For the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series specifically, every frame of display lag decreases the possible reaction time of players, increasing the amount of prediction necessary to win and widening the size of a character's safe movepool. In particularly extreme cases combined with frame delay and sometimes [[Wi-Fi lag]] when playing online, players are able to react faster than the game itself, making reaction time completely irrelevant.
| | Owing to concerns over display lag, tournaments for ''Smash 64'', ''Melee'', ''Brawl'', and ''Project M'' heavily favour setups with older, {{s|wikipedia|cathode ray tube}} televisions (more commonly known simply as CRTs) that lack display lag. As ''Smash 4'' and ''Ultimate'' do not properly support [[screen|4:3 screen ratios]] that CRT televisions use, modern televisions must be used for the games' tournaments. As a result, televisions used at such tournaments need to feature a "game mode" that reduces the effects of input lag, or need to be specifically marketed as a model intended for gaming. |
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| ==In competitive play==
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| Display lag is an important consideration in any competition that involves a screen. In an environment where all players are supposedly at the peak of their abilities, external handicaps like display lag become increasingly more obvious and problematic. In extreme circumstances, some actions might be mathematically impossible to react to due to the screen not being able to keep up.
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| Owing to concerns over display lag, tournaments for ''Smash 64'', ''Melee'', ''Brawl'', and ''Project M'' heavily favour [[setup]]s with older, {{s|wikipedia|cathode ray tube}} televisions (more commonly known simply as CRTs) that lack significant display lag. As ''Smash 4'' and ''Ultimate'' do not properly support [[screen|4:3 screen ratios]] that most CRT televisions use and need special types of cables to plug into obsolete audio and video ports, modern televisions must be used for the games' tournaments. As a result, televisions that feature a "game mode" that reduces the effects of input lag or are specifically marketed as a model intended for gaming are highly recommended at said tournaments, with other models sometimes being turned away if a tournament accepts donated setups. | |
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| [[Category:Terms]] | | [[Category:Terms]] |
| [[Category:Technology]] | | [[Category:Technology]] |
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