Enabling vertical sync is usually the first port of call when you fire up a PC game for the first time… if you can stand the input latency. Unfortunately, that means you have to put up with screen tearing instead. Valve’s Dota 2 could soon be the exception, with the developer recently introducing an experimental “lag limiter” that promises to deliver the best of both worlds.
In a post over on Dota 2‘s developer forums, Valve’s Jay Stelly explains how to enable the new feature, which can only be activated via a console command:
DOTA 2 includes an experimental feature that allows you to enable vsync with minimal latency. Normally enabling vsync adds another frame of latency causing some inputs to feel delayed. With this new feature the engine will attempt to schedule simulation and rendering to coincide with the start of the new frame on your monitor. It is experimental currently and only available as a console variable. We will add it to the main UI if it is successful for enough users. It requires a PC that can maintain a framerate higher than your refresh rate (usually 60 frames per second or higher).
To try it, enable VSync in the video options panel. Then open the console and set this variable:
r_experimental_lag_limiter 1
You can toggle it on & off to see how it improves your latency.
To turn it back off use the setting:
r_experimental_lag_limiter 0
Please only post feedback about this feature in this thread.
Keep in mind for it to work correctly, you’ll need both vertical sync and this feature enabled. And, seeing as Dota 2 isn’t the most demanding game out there, hopefully most players will be able to meet the performance requirement.
VSync without increased latency [Dota2 Dev, via Blue’s News]
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