FPS is a key metric for any gamer when assessing PC power. Often, purchases of expensive video cards and processors are aimed precisely at improving this parameter. Let’s figure out what the frame rate depends on and what affects the frame rate in games, movies and animation.
Frame rate is the number of frames that change each other per second. In movies, animation or video games, the term is often used to explain how “smooth” an image is. There is also a unit for measuring such a frequency – it is literally frames per second (English frame per second, or FPS). The more of them, the “smoother” the image: if for films the norm is 24 frames per second, then in conversations about games they usually mention numbers from 30 to 60.
These, however, are not limiting values. So, in classic Walt Disney cartoons, the frame rate is 12 FPS, but the picture is still “smooth” enough so as not to annoy the audience – all thanks to the animators’ tricks. But a professional e-sportsman, playing on the most modern computer, may well see up to 300 frames per second. We will tell you where this spread comes from and what is important in this “framerate”.
24 frames per second
24 FPS is the standard in cinematography. The most comfortable indicator for the viewer.
For the first time, the frequency of filming was deliberately chosen by the pioneers of cinema – the Lumiere brothers. It was then 16 frames per second. It was a rigorous calculation – the consumption of 35mm film was exactly one foot (0.3048 meters) per second.
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Another example is Ang Lee’s Gemini, which was shot at 120 frames per second.
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Anime “Star Rider: The Magnificent Takuto”
In anime, there is also the term sakuga – these are the moments when the quality of the picture increases and reaches the 1s standard. The technique is used for cutscenes, plot twists or action scenes.
How many frames are in video games?
The optimal frame rate in games is higher than in movies – it starts at 30 frames per second. In terms of technology, the frame rate in the gaming industry works differently than in the movies, but the essence is the same – the more FPS, the better. In addition, it is the FPS counter that is the main indicator of the performance of a particular game.
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Comparison of different frame rates in Forza Horizon 4
The frame rate of a game depends a lot on what platform it is running on. So, on a PC, the only limitation in most cases is the power of the hardware, which can be very different. This often causes additional problems when optimizing a game: it is simply impossible to make it work the same on all computers – there are too many combinations of hardware.
When creating versions for game consoles, where fixed components are installed, the situation is a little simpler – the game has to be optimized for one or another “standard” (depending on the specific console). In this case, however, another problem arises: often the power of the device is not enough for a frequency of 60 frames, and then the developers artificially limit the frame rate at around 30 FPS. This is a compromise – low, but stable.
True, with the advent of a new generation of consoles – Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 – many companies and studios in the development began to aim precisely at 60 FPS, since the “hardware” allows. At least for now. If you believe the advertisements, the new consoles are capable of delivering 120 FPS, but this, of course, applies to relatively “light” in terms of graphics games.
Phil Spencer, head of Xbox:
“We have never tried to limit the developers of what they are trying to achieve on our platform, be it 60 FPS on the Xbox 360 or 4K and 60 FPS on the Xbox One X. We want to give them the tools to create their games on any from our platforms. In the Xbox One X generation, we’ve already reached a point where games look amazing, but we have a lot of room to make them even better. I want the games to feel as great as they look. With the future in mind, we wanted to focus not only on the pixel count, but also on the gaming experience that the high frame rate provides. “
A similar opinion is shared by the developers who cooperate with Sony.
Kazunori Yamauchi, Head of Development for the Gran Turismo Series:
“4K resolution is sufficient, it will last for a long time. But instead of staying at 60 frames per second, I would like to raise the frequency to 120 or even 240 frames per second. I think this is what will change the games. “
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With a low frame rate, it would be impossible to crank something like this in games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
When the monitor refreshes at this rate, the difference is not visible to the eye, it’s all about fine motor skills. After several years of training, the cyber sportsman in the same Counter-Strike: Global Offensive uses the extra 10 milliseconds for more accurate aiming. To realize their potential, professional players need equipment with maximum characteristics, even though the aforementioned Counter-Strike is not a very demanding game for hardware.
Another example is Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War. NVIDIA, which produces video cards, conducted a study of “flick shots” in 2019 – this term refers to situations when a player in a shooter aims very sharply at the enemy and shoots accurately. In the case of Black Ops, the 360Hz refresh rate improves shooting quality by 4% compared to a 240Hz monitor. And this small advantage can be decisive during the competition.
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