Video is a sequence of frames played at a high rate in order to simulate motion. When you play a video game, frames are rendered on the fly and shown to you at a high rate. In a high action game, that rate is oftentimes very important. A high frame rate can be the difference between life and death. So, in today’s post, we’re going to answer the question: Why are frames per second (FPS) so important in online video games? Once you figure it out, you’ll be able to play free on-line solitaire games and enjoy your favorite shooters to the fullest.
A Few Words about the Frame Rate
Way back in 1956, a video recorder sold for $50,000, while a video tape cost $300 for an hour-long reel. And now we have a machine that literally synthesizes reality and displays it to you in rapid succession, which costs a little bit more than $300. That’s pretty amazing to think about. From that perspective, the frame per rate itself might not even sound that important because relative to where humanity was a hundred years ago, what we possess now is amazing.
The definition of the frame rate is the number of still pictures per unit of time of video. Generally, on the television you see video at a frame rate of 30 FPS. In a movie theater, you see it at 24 FPS. But the target for video games is generally 60. So, if you’re playing a game like, say, Action Strike, you’re going to find that things happen at a very fast pace. Players need to make a lot of decisions quickly and they have to execute those decisions to the best of their ability in a short period of time. Regardless of the frame rate, you’re always going to see the same action. However, it’s going to be less smooth if the FPS is lower than the standard 60. This doesn’t mean that you can’t play high-end online games on a low frame rate. Nevertheless, you might end up disappointed with your game’s graphics, speed, and your overall gaming experience. So, go and check your FPS on Android or any other platform to make sure you’re playing your game to its full potential.
Why is a Decent Frame Rate Important?
There’s no magic. The higher your frame rate, the more information a gamer has to work with in a single second. The point is your brain tends to view 60 FPS as much more similar to the actual world around. Because people don’t perceive reality in a frame rate, they see it at the speed of light. The human brain stops recognizing much difference between this speed of light and video at around 60 FPS, a 60 Hertz refresh rate if we’re talking about television. The brain can make decisions fairly quickly, and viewers can attempt to make a motion or an action in quite a short period of time. But every single FPS decreases the delay between an input and the action on screen. And as many as 42 milliseconds of input lag become very noticeable to say the very least. Have a similar problem but don’t know how to resolve it? Well, it’s time to check your FPS!
FPS and Gameplay
Given the fact that your decision-making can be affected by both the amount of information you’re taking in every second, there can be a major effect on the gameplay based on how many frames per second are being displayed. Most games do calculations based on the previous frame. Modern titles are mostly coded to handle things on a frame-by-frame basis, which means they have to account for variable frame rates. So, if you drop a frame, the calculations will need to be redone. This can be responsible for different types of in-game problems including the notorious falling through the floor, temporal aliasing, or the jagged edges. Again, these problems occur due to your brain’s failure to comprehend where an in-game item or texture is supposed to be. Motion blur can come to your rescue here. And in a lot of games at 60 FPS do have this essential effect specifically to prevent the aforementioned issues from happening. But even without motion blur, 60 FPS and up generally doesn’t have this kind of problem. For instance, such famous games as Diablo Immortal or Doom have some of the best motion blur effects you’ve ever seen in a game. Still, it’s highly recommendable that you play these titles at a high frame rate if you want to avoid such unwanted consequences as motion sickness and awkward gameplay. Moreover, you should also remember that not FPS alone can impact your gaming experience. So, it would be a wise idea to check your ping and other characteristics, as well.
Essentially, immersion is why FPS is so important in an online video game. A high frame rate helps maintain the sense that you’re actually there or at least help you suspend the disbelief of not being there. And if you attempt to make fast decisions and complete actions in the specific chains of events within the shortest time frame possible, constant reminders that you’re in the fake world is the last thing you want. So, mind your FPS and get the most out of your online games!