How to Gain an Edge in Battle

This "gaining an edge in battle" post is not about getting illegal advantages to win. It's about educating you about what gets in your way to victory.

I think that most people recognize that "lag" is a player's worst nightmare. And that's true.

If you are noticeably "lagging", everybody agrees you will have little chance in battle. Heck, you may not even be able to play the game!

But even if you are not noticeably lagging, you may still have some minor lag sabotaging you all along...

Lag's Causes

Lag is commonly caused by:

• Not meeting the game's requirement
• Poor internet connection
• Display / Hardware

PC Requirements

Everybody knows that UWO has very low requirements. In fact most 10 year old PCs can probably run UWO just fine.

If your specs are lower be careful not to overload your computer while playing. But I bet this will not interfere with your gameplay.

Internet Connection

A 1 Mbps speed should be enough if you, or anyone on your network, are not using it elsewhere (streaming / Netflix and so on) .

But, and this is a big BUT, not all internet service providers (isp) are equal.

In the example below I show my a 100Mbps connection with 6.35ms latency and 1.43 ms jitter.

For us gamers the most important is:

• Latency
• Jitter

"Latency" is an average for the time your information takes to get to the server (And return to you). Sometimes just called "Ping".

"Jitter" works like a tolerance, it gives an idea of how your latency may go up or down over time.

Check your internet speed here. Why not post your result in the comments below?

Try to get the lowest latency isp as you can for gaming. As a rule of thumb, Fiber / Cable connections are usually better than ADSL / Radio / Satellite.

Latency below 100ms is acceptable but try to get less 40ms, if you can.

Tip: Make sure to play on CABLE (ethernet / rj-45). Wireless connection increases latency!

If you really need to play on wi fi, check the "MoCA network adaptor" as it can reduce latency and improve your wi fi signal. It uses coax wires to increase speed and coverage for your wi fi (Even in apartments) or create new ethernet cables spots (where there were none available).

Display / Hardware

This is probably the most underestimated lag cause.

You may have a decent hardware, internet connection and still lag behind.

And the problem is: You won't even notice.

It has to do with how monitors work. Video is actually a sequence of frames displayed so fast you understand it as a video.

You see, you take decisions based on what you see.

If the image you see is delayed you do what is right according to what you saw, not what is actually happening.

Have you ever been so sure you have landed that critical hit? But the game told you it was a normal shot???

If you have a decent PC and internet connection than the likely cause is your display monitor.

There are many variables but the two most important of a gaming monitor are:

• Image Refresh Rate
• Response Time

Image Refresh Rate

Without getting too technical, your pc sends images to your monitor in a certain speed. It is called "refresh rate".

Most monitors can make 60 Hz refresh rate, which mean 60 frames per second (fps). You won't see more than 60fps on a 60hz monitor even if your PC (or GPU) is capable of.

That's where most intermediate players think they got it covered. And thus the reason of their failure.

Who do you think will see it first? The guy on a 60Hz monitor? or the one on a 120Hz or 240Hz monitor?

Surely the one a higher refresh rate, if all other variables are equal.

Response Time

Response time is the time it takes to change from one color to another.

It is not as important as the refresh rate but still very important. You can be the first to spot a low durability enemy, maybe even before he does...

Lower numbers means better image and motion production.

Gamers should consider monitors with less than 5ms.

There are other variables that affect gameplay such as:

• Screen Size
• Resolution
• Display Technology
• Brand

Check the link if you are interested in learning more about the technical stuff.

Recommended Hardware

If you double check this list I guarantee you will have an edge in battle over other players (that didn't do their homework).

Internet

Regarding internet connection, you will have to do your own research as it really depends on your location and isp availability.

PC

A decent 4th gen (Or more recent) CPU and a decent onboard / integrated graphics should do just fine*.

*Important:

If you want to gain an edge in battle, your GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) resolution and refresh rate should match the one from your monitor.

Let's say you want to have 1920 x 1080 resolution 360Hz. Both your monitor AND GPU must be capable of it.

If one of them has a higher spec it's OK also. In real life the lowest specification will be the specification you see, unlike sail speed in fleets (where the lead ship defines the speed of the fleet).

When you have a graphic card (GPU) with different specs than your monitor it is important to have a monitor with SYNC technology (FreeSync or G-SYNC).

GPU

Like I said before, UWO is not resource intensive. But if you want to get a very high refresh rate you will have to spend on good GPU hardware.

I'm positive that any RTX 2060 / 2080 (or better) should get you up to 360Hz at 1080p (full hd or 1920 x 1080).

Note: The higher resolution you set, the lower the refresh rate can be.

Display Monitor

If you are a competitive player that wants to have all advantage you can than I recommend the Alienware AW2523HF:

It's well-built, and it has a clean and modern design that fits easily into most setups. 

It has an incredibly fast response time and a 360Hz refresh rate, resulting in almost no blur trail behind fast-moving objects. 

One thing to note is that you can only get the full 360Hz over a DisplayPort connection, so it's important to make sure your graphics card has the same port.

The backlight is entirely flicker-free, which helps reduce eye strain. All in all, it's an excellent choice for both casual gamers and professional esports players.

If you find the alienware too expensive, you can also check the Acer Nitro XFA243Y Sbiipr:

It's a well-rounded monitor with excellent gaming performance that competes with higher-end models. 

It has a 165Hz refresh rate and exceptional response times to deliver smooth motion with fast-moving content. 

The backlight is also flicker-free, which is great for reducing eye strain on those long gaming sessions.

As a last tip, in case you are interested:

How to use a monitor as a TV