Cat Merc wrote:The "superior FPS killz" part of you might think that hit scan is for "scrubs" and stuff, but there's no point to put physics where it's not needed.
I say keep non hit scan to the minimum, to keep server load down to allow for larger battles.
I am not making any argument based on "skillz" let's leave that on the console forums please.
I'm arguing based on immersion.
This is from the
Wiki page:
Advantages[edit]
The primary advantage is the simplicity of the simulation, it uses relatively simple mathematics to calculate hits. Although bullets do not move at infinite speed via perfectly straight trajectories, they move fast enough that a hitscan solution is normally a reasonable approximation. It leaves the question of where a weapon has hit to just one function, streamlining the programming of weapons.
In terms of game design, it readily ties cause (the player presses a 'fire' button, executing a hitscan function) to effect (the hitscan returns a result, the player sees the weapon's effect at that location). While a simplified model of real world ballistics, it makes games more accessible in that there is no need to aim slightly ahead of a moving target in order to compensate for the time it takes for the projectile to reach it. Although less realistic this model requires no understanding of real weapon handling in order to play the game, and reinforces the intuitive understanding that whatever the reticle is placed over will be hit.
Disadvantages[edit]
Visually representing the firing effect of a hitscan weapon can be difficult - since the weapon hits its target instantaneously, any bullet or projectile that comes from the weapon is merely a 'ghost', and where it lands may not necessarily represent its actual hit. In particular, a projectile bullet effect will always lag behind the effect of its hit, a problem which can be compounded by internet latency in online multiplayer gaming.
The hitscan method also precludes ballistics, as it cannot simulate any kind of movement other than a straight line, such as a parabolic arc or atmospheric resistance (including wind direction).
With advances in processing and internet bandwidth, it has become more practical to simulate the ballistic nature of real-world firearms in real-time games by using a more realistic "projectile" model, spawning bullets as actual game objects with mass and velocity and continuously simulating them until they reach their target.