Lodbias tweaks - Cheats or Gay as the Night is Black?

[T2A`]

It's cheats, but there are varying levels of cheats. INI/cfg hackers is a low-level form of stupidity and egotism. Rolloff exploiting in UT2004 is similar. Sure, it's not blatant wallhax, but it's an advantage you're giving to yourself because you want that advantage.

The "everyone can do it" argument is 2pr0. Everyone could also go get an aimbot but they don't. Why? It's lame. This is no different.

 

[Defeat]

Read the first two posts and I need to say this: Using the LOD BIAS tweak gives a person no extra fps.

edit: +1 to T2A having said this already

 

[Bullet10k]

leet people pwn with their eyes closed so this makes no difference at all.

 

[Dark Pulse]

Have you ever played UT3 on the lowest settings? (without editing lodbias) It's MUCH easier to see that way than with everything maxxed out.

Never have, never will. I hit the online framecap of 90 easily in nearly every map, at maximum detail.

Thus, I'd gain very little benefit from even turning it down. The worst I get is on ShangriLa, and that drops down to perhaps 75.

EDIT: Speaking of framerate, I notice that in that online game shot, he's got above 90 FPS. That means he's increased his netspeed - a similar tweak in that while everyone can do it, few do, and it proves he's trying to get as much of an advantage as he can. Disgusting.

 

[MonsOlympus]

Well I dont see why someone would go through all this effort and adjust the lodbias only I mean cmon everything in the ini would be tweaked not just that!

We'd be talkin 0 ambient volume, 0 music volume etc as well. Every little bit to get that extra 0.1 of a frag over someone with one of those settings enabled.

Ofcoarse some of the settings come down to personal preference like volumes, brightness or crosshair adjustments. I guess thats one reason people might move to consoles because they have a piece of mind that other people are seeing something very similar if not exactly the same as someone else. With different system specs its harder for Epic to lock some of the options off against change others I kinda sit back and think wtf where they doing.

Obviously Im not a huge fan of excessive use of clientside settings but theres nothing stopping the server being able to enforce a minimum. Why doesnt that happen? Well no one wants a more level playing field now do they...

Should we discuss gameplay balancing next?

 

[Renegade Retard]

I have all details maxed out - yes, even motion blur on and Bloom set to Intense...

...and even the foliage on Maul!

DP: WFT hal! How did you see me?!? I was hiding in the grass!!!

Classic!

 

[JohnDoe641]

I won't cry about people using it, I'd never touch those settings. But I think it's a dumb**** thing to do.

 

[Dark Pulse]

...and even the foliage on Maul!

DP: WFT hal! How did you see me?!? I was hiding in the grass!!!

Classic!

 

[Taleweaver]

at that picture.
Man, that brings back good memories. Good ol' UT2004.


As for the Lodbias...where's the option "I don't care"?
Unlike the previous game, UT3's characters stand nicely against the background. And if it's indeed no performance boost...well, then I really want to see someone claim a difference in their gaming style.

 

[MonsOlympus]

Wow, just looked at the results! I didnt vote cause I dont really think its cheating, id be with Taleweaver in the "I don't care" option. I dont like it but hey whatcha gonna do

That pic is hilarious hey, happens more often than anyone would like to admit

 

[Fuzz]

Epic would think of it as cheating judging from previous statements during the development stage of UT3.

Perhaps some more screenshots on this with stat fps would be nice. I think I should try this if it gives smoother framerates.

 

[Flak]

How can an ini setting be gay?

 

[rhirud]

Let me at him in my nightshade

 

[Tweakd]

I use it. I tried it back in 1.1 and was amazed that it got rid of a frame stutter problem i was having. When i went back recently the fps troubles started again.

I'd also like to say that believe it or not, i LIKE it looking simpler. I have always said that i wanted Epic to include it as an option in game just like DOF toggle. Which btw must be a cheat too right?

The advantage you get from the LODBIAS tweak is, in my mind, comparable to DOF. You don't need LODBias to be a great player and switching it on won't make you one. However for some people it just feels right and for that reason i actively encourage people to try it.

I also find it funny the amount of people that feel they need to hide because of threads like this. The vote is almost 50/50 yet very few people are prepared to say they support it.

 

[d3tox]

I use it. I tried it back in 1.1 and was amazed that it got rid of a frame stutter problem i was having. When i went back recently the fps troubles started again.

I'd also like to say that believe it or not, i LIKE it looking simpler. I have always said that i wanted Epic to include it as an option in game just like DOF toggle. Which btw must be a cheat too right?

The advantage you get from the LODBIAS tweak is, in my mind, comparable to DOF. You don't need LODBias to be a great player and switching it on won't make you one. However for some people it just feels right and for that reason i actively encourage people to try it.

I also find it funny the amount of people that feel they need to hide because of threads like this. The vote is almost 50/50 yet very few people are prepared to say they support it.

With the older versions of UT I tend to agree with you, but this time around I am perceiving this one to be a little different. This game does seem to be harder on the eyes at lower settings to me.

 

[Fuzz]

How do I modify my INI to make the LoD-bias the way it's in the screenshot on top? My system is so low end I can't even get 15 fps in large scenes with massive firefights.

 

[Sir_Brizz]

So I guess some of you would say that since bUnlit was available in UT2004 that it also wasn't a hack? Just because you can do something doesn't mean it is not exploiting.

 

[T2A`]

How do I modify my INI to make the LoD-bias the way it's in the screenshot on top? My system is so low end I can't even get 15 fps in large scenes with massive firefights.

It was already stated that this does nothing for FPS gains. It's only purpose is to exploit the engine to make the game easier for yourself because you're a lame-ass pr0. Your only option is to get better hardware.

 

[Tweakd]

Didn't either of you read my post? LODBias is less of an advantage than a good pair of headphones/mouse acceleration off/DOF off/ 1/1 settings/widescreen/footsteps off.

The main reason i use it is because the game looks the way i want it to. Simple.

 

[In73gr4L]

It's gayer than the fab 5 combined (I mean ffs go play the original doom if you play on gameboy graphics settings because you want a million fps even though you've got a top of the range PC) but it's definitely not a cheat.

Note: I have read T2A's post, I just made the comment about fps as a general jibe at people who play with 1/1 settings yet have additional settings added on to make things like the veiled nightshade visible.