Guwange lag on X360

[casualcoder]

I've been playing the x360 version of Guwange a lot lately and since I had been also playing deathsmiles and esp2 on the same system around the same time, it became apparent to me just how much extra lag there is in Guwange than the other titles.

I went back and forth and made sure my tv was in game mode (didn't make much of a difference in ds and esp2, but was noticeable in Guwange where it gave me back a frame or two). Sure enough when I deliberately press a direction from neutral I definitely noticed a greater delay in Guwange, while the other games had virtually no delay.

I'm wondering if anyone here can help explain this. I know it must be something to do with the game itself and not my setup for the reasons listed above, but I'm wondering if it's just a bad port or even if the pcb version had issues with slight lag. I know the mame version to me was always borderline unplayable because it had some of the worst lag I've seen across all of the titles.

PS> I just tried Akai Katana and it too had a bit more lag than the other titles. That is a bit of surprise given that it had just been ported.

[To Far Away Times]

I've always wondered if Akai Katana had a slightly larger amount of lag than some of Cave's other titles (or atleast, the 360 port). I think I can feel a slight difference, nothing unplayable though.

[casualcoder]

I've always wondered if Akai Katana had a slightly larger amount of lag than some of Cave's other titles (or atleast, the 360 port). I think I can feel a slight difference, nothing unplayable though.

Oh, no not unplayable at all. Even the lag in guwange rarely seems to cause me issues like the lag I've found in mame at times. It's just a little annoying because when I'm playing esp2, for instance, I feel so much more in control and I want that experience now with all of the shooters I play.

[matrigs]

Someone correct me if i'm wrong but isn't this due to the fact that Guwange is originally 57hz and has now been synced to 60hz, whereas Akai Katana and the rest of the SH-3 games are 60hz natively?

[casualcoder]

Someone correct me if i'm wrong but isn't this due to the fact that Guwange is originally 57hz and has now been synced to 60hz, whereas Akai Katana and the rest of the SH-3 games are 60hz natively?

I'm surprised I didn't think about that but you must be right because the original was 57hz and syncing would obviously add lag. That doesn't explain why I find lag in akai katana though.

What's interesting is deep into the screen settings is a greyed out option for frame delay.

[matrigs]

do you have problems in all three gameplay modes?

[casualcoder]

Yeah it's the same in all modes. It's now put me on a mad hunt to reduce lag on my display as much as possible to atleast gain some frames back. I think I've gotten my tv down to pretty much zero lag with game mode and using the hdmi2/dvi input. Still, I'm getting some lag but it is now quite hard to notice most of the time.

[matrigs]

keep in mind that not on all television sets, the digital inputs are the most lagless.

some people mentioned additional lag in shin mode, but i assume it would be logical if it is the same in the other modes too. do you have the frame delay option in all modes greyed out? sounds pretty weird.

and the guwange has been mentioned a few times also. you can at least try guwange on mame if this is a real problem for you.

[BPzeBanshee]

Guwange is 57 hz?

I noticed in MAME that Guwange Blue seemed to have some amount of actual screen delay whenever there was an explosion and I swear the MAME Information for it listed it as 60hz. Maybe that explains it.

[nZero]

Guwange is 57 hz?

All games on 1st generation Cave hardware update the screen at 15625/271.5 (57.55...) hz

[casualcoder]

I have been trying a lot of different things lately to test the lag in Guwange. I no longer believe the lag is due to any porting, programming or refresh issues.

I got my tv down to zero (effective) lag and noticed that delay from input to animation was only visible when using the spirit and trying to move your character. There seems to be a delay as the character rotates their body to move in the direction you pressed. If the rotation is 4 frames then it is possible that the hotbox is also delayed for 4 frames, for instance.

However, when not using the spirit and you tap in any direction, the character animation is instantaneous in that direction so there is no delay in that situation.

I've noticed the same thing in street fighter before. If you throw out a punch, it takes a few frames of animation before the fist is fully extended and you have active (hitbox is engaged) frames. If feels like lag but it isnt.


I don't know about Akai Katana and it's modes. I haven't yet done testing with it. Since moving the ship has no motion based animation, I find it harder to understand the delay in that game. Mind you, it is hard to perceive unless put up against other shooters like DS or ESP2.