Yeah, but the difference between "tweaks that allow you to translate your existing skill more accurately into the game are not hacks, whereas tweaks that create false skill" are completely subjective to peoples opinions. There in is where the problem lies.
I may think, IMO, that ones aim skill is how well they deal with the input given them. I used to think that the whole controller thing was BS, and I didn't wanna play console shooters without a keyboard/mouse combo, because it seemed the best realitive choice of input deivce for the style of game. I've recently grown to accept that the reason they make it so nigh-possible to do (despite hardware capabilities) for games like say, Halo/Halo2, is because the game is balanced for that limited input. Play Halo PC, and you know what I mean. Alien weapons dont' exist (metaphorically), it's all hit-scan, and sniper. Who is to say that Epic didn't code UT and balance the weapons with only average stock installed input devices to test it? Who is to say that if they took time to tweak the refresh and poll rates on thier input devices, that they wouldn't have shaved a couple damage off of lightning bolts, or minigun bullets? or even capped the max tick rate servers were capable of? Does anyone even consider variables like that when making tweaks like this? No, becuase they are simply looking for an edge in their game. I know people don't think of how ping effects balance on a regular basis, otherwise things like newnet would never be coded... Or, they would nerf the crap out of any weapon that gains that much of an advantage under LAN conditions. I don't wanna stray to that subject, but it is kinda related.
Console games won't have this problem, because every ones input device is regulated by the same drivers and settings. Everyone is playing with the same vid card, proc, and frame rates, and everyone's "skill" is filtered through the same variables. If you try to change those variables in an Xbox game now, you risk getting your box black listed for online play. It becomes all how you adapt to what is given you, vs what you adapt to yourself.
The problem with this is, I couldn't see somone doing better with less precise equip because of a playing style. I could only see that precision costing them more in frames because of less money to invest in the hardware to push it.
Even more circumstances where the money you can invest in this game will make the difference between "win or lose" at equal skill levels. It's an accepted fact in PC games, but it's getting bad, especially the way this game keeps pushing the limits of visuals, and hardware.
