Optimal Screen Size for FPS Gaming [Scientific Research?]

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phatty
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Optimal Screen Size for FPS Gaming [Scientific Research?]

Post by phatty » 03 Jan 2019, 19:59

Dear BlurBusters!

There is a "gold" standard among the overwatch pros that can be seen at : https://prosettings.net/overwatch-pro-s ... gear-list/

We see the Asus Rog Swift 25 inch 240hz monitor as the most prevalent monitor.

Granted this may be because of endorsements and subsequent promotion/advertising of brands/equipment, I was wondering if we have actual science to back up eye tracking over distance relative to peripheral vision.

At what size are we looking at multiple twitch eye movements physiologically impacting play?

This is somewhat of a loaded question because the field of vision can be always altered by moving a bigger monitor back and a smaller monitor forward.

There is also mouse relativity. With a bigger screen, it should technically improve accuracy as well.

Thoughts?

I originally only gamed on 40 inch HDTV and then I got messages from friends, OMG isn't that too big, etc etc. Then I downsized to 27 inch @144, then 25@ 240, now I'm back at 27 @165 (but with IPS) - lol.

I think I had the best gaming experience at the 25@240 to be fair. Due to work and non gaming applications, I ended up going back to 27 / 1440p.
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Re: Optimal Screen Size for FPS Gaming [Scientific Research?

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 03 Jan 2019, 20:27

phatty wrote:Granted this may be because of endorsements and subsequent promotion/advertising of brands/equipment, I was wondering if we have actual science to back up eye tracking over distance relative to peripheral vision.

At what size are we looking at multiple twitch eye movements physiologically impacting play?

This is somewhat of a loaded question because the field of vision can be always altered by moving a bigger monitor back and a smaller monitor forward.
Not currently. Wide anecdotes tell me that 24" is approximately the sweet spot currently, though many swear by smaller or bigger. And use viewing distance to compensate. Farsightedness/nearsightedness are likely variables as well. This is a poorly researched topic but it deserves more study. There is such a thing as "too big" and "too small" when it comes to competitive gaming performance, and it is worthy of study, being a big important factor in deciding what gaming monitor to buy.

I am looking to fund more peer reviewed researchers to commission to research topics like these as Blur Busters articles. I've done this with Marwan Daar (aka spacediver) who wrote the Human Reflex article.

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(monitoring the distance (in pixels) between crosshairs and enemy).

This could also be graphs that monitors eye tracking, by using an eyetracker device for scientific purposes. There are eye-tracking glasses, which could be recorded simultaneously with gameplay video, to corroborate the data.

(Any researchers want to step up? Know one at your university who plays eSports and doing research, and want to combine the two? Bonus if you already have ResearchGate papers to your credit. Contact mark[at]blurbusters.com to inquire within).
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Re: Optimal Screen Size for FPS Gaming [Scientific Research?

Post by RealNC » 03 Jan 2019, 20:37

In my experience, a bigger display makes it easier for me to aim, because enemy targets are bigger. In CS:GO especially, heads being bigger helps with headshots.
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saw141
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Re: Optimal Screen Size for FPS Gaming [Scientific Research?

Post by saw141 » 03 Jan 2019, 22:04

I've heard that 27" @ 1080 is better because the pixel density is lower, and the images are just larger. I used that advice to get the XL2720Z, and I peaked 3850 as a Widowmaker main after 2 seasons with that monitor. I think my main gaming monitors will always be 27" if possible, even if I got to 1440p or something. I really, really want the XL2740 for 27", 240hz.

I've also heard that 1440x1080 with 4:3 stretched is the best resolution; or 1024x768 black bars on a 24". It's truly preference, but certain setups may be more advantageous generally.

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Re: Optimal Screen Size for FPS Gaming [Scientific Research?

Post by RealNC » 03 Jan 2019, 22:44

saw141 wrote:I've heard that 27" @ 1080 is better because the pixel density is lower, and the images are just larger.
Pixel density does not have an impact on image size in 3D games. It only has an impact on 2D-based rendering, like the Windows desktop, where you need scaling. 3D games don't have scaling issues, because they generate the image in real-time, they don't use pre-rendered 2D images.

Also, there are cases where enemies are invisible at lower pixel densities, and become visible at higher densities. However, these are corner cases. Like an enemy that's behind a fence that you're facing at an angle. A lower DPI is unable to resolve the gaps in the fence, and movement behind the fence is invisible. A higher DPI is going to show the movement because it can resolve the gaps. This stuff doesn't happen often of course, it's rare and in a game like CS:GO it's most probably irrelevant, but still.
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Re: Optimal Screen Size for FPS Gaming [Scientific Research?

Post by Notty_PT » 03 Jan 2019, 23:10

I´m quite the opposite! I prefer smaller monitors. Sure, I had no other option but to stick to 24 or 25 inches. But if someday a high refresh rate 22 inch monitor appears, I will be first in line to get it. I always played better on smaller screens, and I still feel 24 too big for me.

I couldn´t imagine myself playing on a 27 inch at all, that´s way too big for me to spot everything. Also on a note, curved monitors help A LOT with vision, but sadly there are no TN curved monitors so most Pros avoid it.

Also, I don´t want to be rude, but I wouldn´t take overwatch stats that seriously. I don´t think that game is that "skilled". I mean, not on a aiming/movement perspective. is a team based game. Comms and positioning are the most important.

If we talk about Quake tho... I would say that´s the best game to test hardware, from mice to monitors, etc lol. The skill ceiling on that game is huge.

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Re: Optimal Screen Size for FPS Gaming [Scientific Research?

Post by RealNC » 03 Jan 2019, 23:35

Notty_PT wrote:I´m quite the opposite! I prefer smaller monitors. Sure, I had no other option but to stick to 24 or 25 inches. But if someday a high refresh rate 22 inch monitor appears, I will be first in line to get it. I always played better on smaller screens, and I still feel 24 too big for me.
If you have a 27" 1440p monitor and play at 1080p and disable resolution scaling, what you get is effectively a smaller monitor. You can also use custom resolutions to make the image the same size as a 22" monitor. That means you can use the full 27" space for watching videos and playing immersive single-player games and whatnot, and then switch to a 22" sized image when playing a competitive game where you feel like you play better at smaller sizes.

You don't actually NEED a 22" monitor to get the same result as a 22" monitor.
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Re: Optimal Screen Size for FPS Gaming [Scientific Research?

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 03 Jan 2019, 23:46

Notty_PT wrote:If we talk about Quake tho... I would say that´s the best game to test hardware, from mice to monitors, etc lol. The skill ceiling on that game is huge.
Yes, Quake is a good game for research projects -- that's the game tested for spacediver's (Marwan) article at http://www.blurbusters.com/human-reflex
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Re: Optimal Screen Size for FPS Gaming [Scientific Research?

Post by Chief Blur Buster » 03 Jan 2019, 23:49

RealNC wrote:In my experience, a bigger display makes it easier for me to aim, because enemy targets are bigger. In CS:GO especially, heads being bigger helps with headshots.
Yes, but there are multiple tradeoffs acting against each other in real-time
- Bigger size
- Human's eyesight (nearsightedness, farsightedness)
- Whether you're a nonstop crosshairs-starer (always on crosshairs, rely on peripheral vision only)
- Whether you're a prolific eye-tracker (scattered all over screen plane)
- Peripheral vision is further away from crosshairs, making it harder to react to distant enemies at edge of FOV
- Eye tracking taking longer with bigger angle of views (bigger displays at closer view distances)
- The role you play (camping sniper vs crazy jumping runner)
- Etc.

The pro and cons fight against each other creating noise in all this statistics. The dominant factors that wins out is often a subjective thing, so more research is needed in how often these variables affect each other in a typical FPS game.

Regardless... Blur Busters is enthusaic to support more research in eSports -- and manufacturers are interested in reading about that kind of stuff that Blur Busters posts too, to make better monitors too! eSports eyetracking-habit research would be quite fun.
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Re: Optimal Screen Size for FPS Gaming [Scientific Research?

Post by ericl » 04 Jan 2019, 01:00

I highly doubt anyone is going to fund any research on ideal monitor size before 2025 or so. (Assuming Esports continues to grow and things get really serious).

For what it's worth, if you're playing games such as Starcraft II, League of Legends, Dota competitively, then 25" on a normal desk (about 18" away) is going to be the ideal size that allows your vision to easily consume the information in the corners of your screen. (So for instance, the mini-map, resources, supply,etc)

For FPS gaming, then 27" (and perhaps even slightly larger) will benefit you because your main focus will be on the middle of the screen (And things will appear larger so it will be easier to aim) and you'll still have your peripheral vision to see any opponents on the outskirts of your monitor. That way, you get the advantages of peripheral vision (you know, the awesome thing that humans have so we don't get eaten by predators in the wild) AND you have the advantage of having the largest possible image on the screen for aiming.

Ultimately, it depends on which game your playing and it's design.

If the game requires you to constantly scan corners of the screen for information, then 25" will be the largest you can comfortably use.
If the game relies more on focusing on a middle point (pretty much every FPS game), then 27" will provide you with a slight advantage.

This is based on an ex-professional gamer that literally wrote a book on the fundamentals of esport gaming (Fragging Fundamentals) and me going back and forth between 22, 25 and 27" displays because I enjoy the newest tech.

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