Command line augment _GameTime.MaxSimfps 33
Recently a friend in Rivals related adding this command line.... _GameTime.MaxSimfps 33 ...to Game Properties. I would like to know how adding this line is viewed within parameters of fair gameplay ...
Forum Discussion
Some people use the following two parameters to circumvent the 30 Frames lock:
-GameTime.MaxSimFps XX -GameTime.ForceSimRate XX.0
Example for 60 Frames
-GameTime.MaxSimFps 60 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 60.0
Without changing or even adding those parameters, the game runs like it would run with:
-GameTime.MaxSimFps 30 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 30.0 (30 for both is the standard setting for the game (30/30))
As you can see both numbers are the same (except for the .0)
Using only "GameTime.MaxSimfps 33" means that you run the game with
-GameTime.MaxSimFps 33 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 30.0
(because "-GameTime.ForceSimRate 30.0" is the standard setting for the game. So even if you don't add "-GameTime.ForceSimRate 30.0", the value for that parameter would be 30)
To make that very clear:
"-GameTime.MaxSimFps 33" is enough to have a disparity between both!
Using a higher number for -GameTime.MaxSimFps (example: 33) and using a lower number for -GameTime.ForceSimRate (example: 30)
--->
YES, THIS IS CHEATING! FOR SURE.
The reason why your friend is increasing "-GameTime.MaxSimFps" just a bit (+3), is simple: if the difference between -GameTime.MaxSimFps and -GameTime.ForceSimRate is too high, the cars would become too fast to control.
You can see what happens by using:
-GameTime.MaxSimFps 60 (again: ForceSimRate is always 30, if you don't change it)
((( SIDE NOTE: Some people are even reporting that for example the emp locks in faster with "-GameTime.MaxSimFps 60 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 60.0" instead of "GameTime.ForceSimRate 30.0", even despite both numbers are the same (60/60 or 30/30)
I can not say for sure if that is really the case.)))
But what i can say for sure: if "-GameTime.MaxSimFps" has a higher value than "-GameTime.ForceSimRate", then i would be definitely cheating!!!!
Summary:
-GameTime.MaxSimFps 30 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 30.0 ---> Standard, everything is fine.
-GameTime.MaxSimFps 60 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 60.0 ---> Probably not cheating, may or may not have an influence on some of the weapons (emp). Would require more testing.
-GameTime.MaxSimFps 33 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 30.0 ---> CHEATING! Car is going faster than it should (due to 33>30) This results in an unfair advantage over other people, who do not change those parameters (You -> 33 = faster car; other people -> 30 = slower, even if it is the same car).
or
-GameTime.MaxSimFps 45 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 40.0 ---> CHEATING!
(((The opposite:
-GameTime.MaxSimFps 27 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 30.0 --> you would be at a disadvantage)))
And to make that very clear: my own savegame is 100% legit. I am not using any of those parameters at all. I highly prefer 60 frames over 30 and that is the reason why i even looked for a way to circumvent the framelock. But due to the above problems, i decided to play the game as intended by the developers (30 frames). Fair play! (BTW Racer can use Turbo, that helps a lot to get fast times)
Yes, I'm the same. I will not use anything that gives an advantage over the standard player that's why I posted this question. I was hoping to get a few more responses and opinions to see what this fps thing is all about. You've explained it well and I already figured that if you run the command for 33fps that you are essetially getting a 6 second per minute advantage over other players and the car is definitely faster. I would even think that being a cop with this 33fps makes your weapons more powerful and faster recharging like you say.
My brother who has been gaming for many, many years explained that this 33fps augment line is not cheating, that it simply makes your system run better as in better video card or faster CPU or better internet connection. But, unless I get a very clear explanation that this is not cheating I will continue to run the standard 30fps. I can't see the gratification in winning races when you are cheating. That's not winning...that's simply..........cheating. I can't understand the thinking that would feel good about winning through using cheats or codes that give you an advantage that others do not have.
XC_ShelbyCobraSS
The problem here is that NFS Rivals (unlike most other games) has its game logics (physics etc.) directly connected to the framerate.
That is why i pointed out that the standard settings are: "-GameTime.MaxSimFps 30 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 30.0 "
As you can see both numbers are the same. That is very important in Rivals. It is because of how Rivals works, that these numbers have to be the same, to not have an unfair advantage over others. Using only "-GameTime.MaxSimFps 33" means that it is 33 vs 30 - both numbers are different.
Most games don't have their game logics connected to their framerate, in the same way Rivals unfortunately does. In other cases your brother would be right. In these games it makes no difference if the game runs at 50 or 60 frames for example, at least in terms of game logic. In other racing games the car is as fast at 50 frames as it is at 60 frames. Well i may have simplified this a bit, because higher framerates come with some advantages (smoother gameplay, better sense of speed etc.) but NORMALLY they do not break the gamelogics or mess up physics. Unlike with Rivals, in most games: better hardware -> better frames rate = fair play.
I also mentioned that i can not confirm for sure if "-GameTime.MaxSimFps 60 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 60.0" is 100% fair, but at least both numbers have the same value (60 / 60.0). Some people are saying that some weapons (emp) are a bit more powerful or faster. This would require testing, but i won't do that (no time). I would probably consider it as fair, because the cars should drive as fast as intended by the developers, since both parameters have the same value (60/60) . The problem is, that maybe only a developer or someone with similair skills and tools, could dig deep enough into the program code, to find out why the weapons may react differently - it is way more complex that just those two parameters.
Battlefield 4 for example, runs on the same engine, and as far as i know, it does NOT connect its physics and framerate in the same way as Rivals. If we were talking about Battlefield 4 instead of Rivals your brother would be right. But here, Rivals is not like the most other games.
There are tools like bandicam, where you can lock your framerate. Take a racing game you can run on 60 frames and lock it to 30 frames. The chance is very high, that this does not do the same thing as Rivals, because normally that is not very common. Compare both. You should notice that the car isn't faster at 60 frames as it is at 30 frames. That is because the logics in this game are NOT connected to the framerate. The only advantage you have with 60 frames over 30 frames, is the usual advantage (because 60 frames simply are better than 30 frames)
In Rivals, use:
-GameTime.MaxSimFps 60. The car is twice as fast as it is at 30 frames. Why? Because the game still operates in many areas at 30 (-GameTime.ForceSimRate 30)
This is actually a mistake Total Biscuit (youtube personality) made. The result is his infamous Rivals video where the car runs way too fast. I think he also experienced some more problems.
or
-GameTime.MaxSimFps 15. The game should almost run in some kind of slow montion or at least noticeably slower, where as the time (race time) runs at normal speed. That would be a huge disadvantage. (-GameTime.ForceSimRate is at 30 (as long as you don't change it, of course)
Summary_
Using only "-GameTime.MaxSimFps 33" is indeed cheating. This may be a very NFS Rivals specific thing, but that is how it is.
If you really want more that 30 frames, then please at least use BOTH parameters and use the SAME value for BOTH.
Example:
45 frames:
"-GameTime.MaxSimFps 45 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 45.0"
60 frames:
"-GameTime.MaxSimFps 60 -GameTime.ForceSimRate 60.0"
If you want 100% fair play, simply don't change those parameters and play with 30 frames.
