🚀 go-pugleaf

> reaction time

All the same I would imagine (I am _JUST_ responding to reaction time).

A programme investigated Michael Schumacher, racing driver, 6 times Formula
1 champion on this very topic. They proved that his reaction times weren't
any better than any other human.

So why is he better racing driver than most others?
What they managed to show was that Michael was picking up visual clues
earlier than others and so it _appeared_ that he had faster reaction times.
I am not a great fan of his, but is renowned to be a thinker on the circuit.
For example, steering his car so it deliberately goes through a patch of
water, to cool his tires. He knows that in 30 mins, the circuit will be
hotter due to the sun.

It could be that the top fps gamers are "noticing" changes in shadows,
background sounds, light changes and alter their paths accordingly.

Stephen Howe

"Stephen Howe" <stephenPOINThoweATtns-globalPOINTcom> wrote in message
news:40d18dd4$0$279$ed9e5944@reading.news.pipex.net...
> > reaction time
>
> All the same I would imagine (I am _JUST_ responding to reaction time).
>
> A programme investigated Michael Schumacher, racing driver, 6 times
Formula
> 1 champion on this very topic. They proved that his reaction times weren't
> any better than any other human.
>
> So why is he better racing driver than most others?
> What they managed to show was that Michael was picking up visual clues
> earlier than others and so it _appeared_ that he had faster reaction
times.
> I am not a great fan of his, but is renowned to be a thinker on the
circuit.
> For example, steering his car so it deliberately goes through a patch of
> water, to cool his tires. He knows that in 30 mins, the circuit will be
> hotter due to the sun.
>
> It could be that the top fps gamers are "noticing" changes in shadows,
> background sounds, light changes and alter their paths accordingly.

It's not really reaction time that's key in games like Quake (that is, if
everyone has about the same reaction time, it can't be an important
differentiator), it's really practiced skill (in terms of, when something
DOES happen, having the appropriate response be reflexive), as well as
experience, map knowledge, etc. Item control, knowing when to probe, flee,
or attack, knowing the "angles" of the level for appropriate points to shoot
at (to hit opponents hiding just around a corner, for instance), and
numerous other factors are more important than sheer reaction time.

I'd agree that it's unlikely that excellent gamers actually have faster
reaction times, it's just that what they do when the do react (as well as
long before there's anything to react to) is so much smarter and more
practiced than an inexperienced player that it may SEEM like they can react
faster. And, as you say, picking up subtle cues (sounds, distant changes in
light or shadow) other than actually seeing an opponent directly can make
them appear to be aware of another player before they should be visible (or
just guessing where that player will be heading and how long it will take
them to get there).