PS3 input lag issue

[Actionball]

The cord sends data, you can use your PS3 controller on a PC over usb if you like. Does it do it that way on the PS3? Don't have an answer to that for sure but it would make sense to not run the radio while it is trying to charge the battery. Sony does not always make sense though.

If you unplug while playing you start blinking, indicating you lost connection with the base unit and have to press PS button to assign the controller a number. That would seen to indicate it was not running on the radio while the cord was plugged in.

When I unplugged to test my lag it was very slight, more "spongy" than laggy as the flipper return had the same minute millisecond lag and it lacked the crisp response you need for saving a ball rolling off the tip. Since I have been plugged in for weeks this was a full charge controller. My experience on launch day trying a ~50% charge wireless control game was downright maddening, I quit after half a game rather than go plug in.

If charge level is a factor it would go a long way to explain why there is such a variance of reported lag. I was shocked at how little lag I was getting during my test. Even loaded up PHOF to check that and it was the same, nearly imperceptible but infuriating none the less...just not the game breaking lag that drove me to the cord in the first place.

Maybe not every PS3 version handles control the same way. I have a launch era 60gb with all the bells and whistles. Its possible they cheaped out on the radios later, or made the USB controller not receive data from controllers. They cost cut a LOT of features from the first boxes.

I may have to make myself a tinfoil controller cover to test what the cord is doing/not doing. Maybe later if I feel like looking insane when my girlfriend gets home.

 

[Actionball]

Well, I don't have an answer about the radio being on or off when plugged in. What I do know now is that the controller radio can blast right through 2 layers of tinfoil...have the UFO nuts with the tinfoil hats all been duped by superior beings for their amusement?

Also, this does not bode well for anyone who worries about radio wave induced cancer in their crotch I guess. People fret about cell phones...my cellphone reception gets blocked by birds farting a mile away so Im pretty sure if I wrapped it in foil it would cry. So is the Dualshock just like a mini fission reactor we have been holding in our laps for hours on end?

 

[Fungi]

I'm just giving up and buying the 360 version. So yes Farsight, you've got me buying yet another version of your product. Again.

 

[Dumahim]

I want to get the 360 version as well, but the whole MS not really cooperating with some of these special incentives Farsight would like to do has me sorta soured on that as well. Two good consoles and both have their own set of problems.

 

[bavelb]

PS3 version plays great on my monitor, with the cord out. Every shot missed or ball drained is completely on my part.

It goes to crap when I put it on my expensive 40"Bravia, cord in or out. Shots feel off, timing is bad, and it just feels sloppy. Turned off every processing Just a shame that I'm force to play it on 720p on my monitor graphics do not looks as crisp that way and so up close. I tried PHOF on my 360 and I think I have the same problem there, but PHOF is a lot more forgiving due to the more floaty physics. I used to prefer playing on my iPad because it feels more snappy, but after trying it on the monitor and learned to play and nudge proper I just can't play it on the iPad anymore (even the newest update has very spotty nudging). I stopped buying the tables for it because I know there is a better option out there. I rather play another round of RBioN with crisp controls and nudging than a "lacking" version of (admittingly a better table) MM.

Really really want to play MM, CV and FH on the consoles (I find BoP a bit of a one-trick-pony)

 

[cmotors]

Definitely laggy flippers, which is pretty disappointing on this PS3 release. I have an LG 47LW5000, and it is set to PC mode which bypasses all the processing. Controller is connected by usb, and the ps3 is connected by HDMI. When playing, the lag is pretty bad on the flippers. Not just mushy, but a delay that interferes greatly with aiming. This is not a matter of how the controller buttons are pressed, but a result of a timing issue between input and flipper response. If just pressing the flippers, the timing seems right, but when the ball is involved, the lag is quite evident. Using all of the same hardware, I loaded up the Wolverine pinball table from the Marvel Pinball set, and the flipper response was extremely precise. So much so, that I was shooting way too soon because I had adjusted to the lag on Pinball Arcade. Once I played for a bit, my timing came back, and it was quite evident that the issue is not specific on an inability of any of my hardware. Lag from LCD response (or any other hardware considerations) would factor in on the Wolverine table as well, and it did not. Not in the slight tiniest bit, and I'm extremely good at picking up on latencies.

My guess is that there is something peculiar to how the pinball arcade software scales its response on different displays. That would explain why some don't experience it. Also, some are more sensitive to lag, whereas others are not as conscious of it. This makes a mish mash of subjective experience and differing displays that really vary the user experience (or lack thereof). A bunch of different factors and symptoms are confusing the topic. Based on my experience above, there is definitely an issue with pinball arcade in -my- case.

 

[ScotchYeti]

The slightly laggy flippers actually force you to play more controlled, e.g. catch the ball and make only safe shots if possible. With this strategy I managed to complete the wizard mode in ToM.

It was quite thrilling though, I missed the trunk again and again to start the last illusion. Midnight Madness started instead and I let it time out in fear of draining my last ball. Finally it worked, the Grand Finale started shortly after and with 4 seconds left I completed it - what a blast!

 

[Dumahim]

My guess is that there is something peculiar to how the pinball arcade software scales its response on different displays. That would explain why some don't experience it.

The display shouldn't matter as the PS3 is only going to output the signal it's told to, usually 1080i/p or 720p. Does the game run at 1080p? Most PS3 games run at lower res and get upscaled to match. I wonder if forcing the output to 720p would have an effect.

 

[bavelb]

Game runs at 1080p, going to 720p does nothing.

And yes the Display DOES have an effect. On my Bravia it lags, on my LG Pc monitor it doesnt.

 

[Actionball]

A lot of LCD tv's even if they have a "game mode" or a PC input that is supposed to get around all processing its not always true. What is puzzling is the difference between xbox and ps3 on the same TV. It could be that one of the boxes is doing some sort of internal scaling to match a TV. I had WPHOF on 2 different LCD's and now a DLP, the issues with lag and stutter always went away with a usb cord, sucks thats not working for everyone.

When I got WPHOF I remember the big thing that drove me to plug the controller in by usb was the flipper stutter. The lag was bad, the stutter was awful. If you tried to trap while connected by blutooth the flipper would stutter and vibrate and made trapping useless.

 

[Crush3d_Turtle]

I too am experiencing some delay or lag with the flippers on the PS3. I have an LG LCD tv and am connected to it through HDMI, but I am very reluctant to blame the tv since my friend brought his 360 over and that version played flawlessly. The lag basically breaks the game because several times now I have had the ball simply roll right off of the flipper into the drain after a trap which is something that I never have happen in the PS Vita version. The flippers just feel off in the PS3 version for me.

Edit: Just download the trail for my Xbox 360 on the same TV hooked up through HDMI and it plays much better than the PS3 version. It looks a little worse, but the flippers are much more snappy and responsive and feel much better.

 

[xNiCeGuYx]

Yeah. I've played the PS3 demo on a philips tv with around 15 ms input lag and the Xbox version on a Samsung Led with around 35 ms input lag and the Xbox version was more responsive.
I have to say that I've noticed that all games I've played for Xbox and PS3 on the same TV, had lower input lag on the Xbox.
Watch this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyrwGA5GND0
I don't think it's Farsights fault. Blame Sony!
(But it's strange that the PHOF version for the PS3 is faster than TPA!)

 

[bavelb]

A few weeks back my 360 RROD'd and I replaced it yesterday, after installing it I immediately downloaded the TPA demo, and to my mild surprise/delight there was no lag on my TV.

So after all my testing my conlusions are:

-TPA on PS3 lags very noticeably on my Sony Bravia (in any setting on either ps3 or tv)
-TPA on PS3 doesn't lag noticably on my PC monitor
-TPA on 360 doesn't lag noticably on my Sony Bravia (in Game Mode)

My theory is
-that the PS3 has an innate lag, and my Sony Bravia adds a certain amount, addding up to a total amount of lag that is quite noticable.
-When I play on my monitor the PS3 causes lag but the total amount of lag is below the treshold where lag becomes noticable for the human eye.
-When I play on my 360 it doesn't cause lag, my Sony Bravia adds lag but this is below the treshold.

So now the question is, did the late DLC for PS3 become a boon of sorts and shall I move over to 360 for my TPA enjoyment. I'm very much leaning to yes....

 

[Fungi]

I too am leaning that way. Also, I've found I like the XB controller better for pinball as well.

 

[Jeff Strong]

I too am leaning that way. Also, I've found I like the XB controller better for pinball as well.

Same here. Definitely more comfortable on the hands.

 

[Crush3d_Turtle]

I also agree that the XB controller is the way to go. I will wait a few updates and see if the lag on the PS3 is resolved at all, but if not then I am going to have to pick up the 360 version which kinda sucks since I am primarily a Vita player and would have to buy all the DLC twice instead of just once. bavelb, your theory seems to make sense. I will try the PS3 on my monitor and see if that resolves the problem.

 

[Jeff Strong]

A few weeks back my 360 RROD'd and I replaced it yesterday, after installing it I immediately downloaded the TPA demo, and to my mild surprise/delight there was no lag on my TV.

So after all my testing my conlusions are:

-TPA on PS3 lags very noticeably on my Sony Bravia (in any setting on either ps3 or tv)
-TPA on PS3 doesn't lag noticably on my PC monitor
-TPA on 360 doesn't lag noticably on my Sony Bravia (in Game Mode)

My theory is
-that the PS3 has an innate lag, and my Sony Bravia adds a certain amount, addding up to a total amount of lag that is quite noticable.
-When I play on my monitor the PS3 causes lag but the total amount of lag is below the treshold where lag becomes noticable for the human eye.
-When I play on my 360 it doesn't cause lag, my Sony Bravia adds lag but this is below the treshold.

So now the question is, did the late DLC for PS3 become a boon of sorts and shall I move over to 360 for my TPA enjoyment. I'm very much leaning to yes....

I'm seeing similar results with my Sony Bravia and PC Monitor.

 

[cmotors]

If it were true that there is an innate lag in PS3 in general, then all of the games would exhibit the same lag. The issue is specific to Pinball Arcade. Saying that it doesn't lag on the xbox doesn't necessarily mean that the xbox has less lag, it just means that the xbox version of the Pinball Arcade software doesn't have the problem. The bigger point of the xbox not having the lag, is that it means the display is not a part of the issue since one is comparing the same game played on the same screen. When people hear lag, they are immediately tripped up into thinking that it is the TV settings that are at fault. Yes, that can be, but only if it happens to "every single game" played on the display, whether it be xbox, ps3, or PC even. It becomes quite obvious when every game played has controller lag, -that's- when you know it is the TV settings. As well, even in the case where your settings are correct for gaming and it is said that it can still give you lag because of your tv, then you will see it in every game if that is the real problem. If you only see it in one game, then it isn't the display causing it. Looking at the info in this thread, it is clear that the issue is not the display settings since other games play fine, as well as the same game on an xbox on the same display doesn't have the problem.

Try setting your TV to a setting that is not good for playing video games, then try to play any game, whether it be xbox, ps3 or PC. Not just Pinball Arcade, but any game. It should ruin the experience for all of them, not just Pinball Arcade...

 

[The Doctor]

I'm wondering if the people who are having flipper lag are getting it because your TV and/or ps3 is upscaling or downscaling?

if TPA is native 720p (not sure what its native res is) then on the ps3 go to settings - display and then make sure only 720p is set, not 1080p/i

 

[The Doctor]

iirc on the 360 this process is done through hardware while on ps3 it's a software thing... this might be why people don't see it on the 360... I've heard of other people having a problem around scaling before (with a different game) and it is dependent on the tv (for instance, what is doing the upscaling the ps3 or the tv... on the 360 it's always the 360, w/ ps3 it's either or... )

hope i'm making sense