What exactly are hit scan weapons and why do people think they are bad?

[Daystar Clarion]

Hitscan is used to replace actual projectiles.

So, in CoD for instance, you may be able to see a shot being fired and be able to track that shot (tracer rounds), but that isn't what actually hits a target.

The thing with hitscan, is that it doesn't simulate real gunfire very well, since damage is nearly instantanous with little to no delay between trigger presses.

Bullets don't travel in a straight line for very long, they start to fall to the ground very quickly, while hitscan 'bullets' will travel in a straight line over a huge distance.

It's the reason sniping in CoD is easy.

No bullet arc, the shot doesn't travel. You basically 'click' on a person to hurt them, rather than shoot a round that has to travel to its target.

I'd like to note here that when taking into account the average size of CoD maps bullet drop would be a non-existent factor even with realistic projectiles. Target leading would be somewhat present, but in 90% of the encounters there literally would be no difference between hitscan or projectile.

You understand my other point about bullet travel though?

It's like firing a laser, rather than a bullet.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

This is something that fucks me up every time I go from playing Bad Company 2 to another shooter without bullet trajectory. I suddenly find myself missing when I am aiming above targets instead of on them.

 

[Awexsome]

Hitscan is far more predictable and is far more crisp and clear than games without it. That bullet travel time coupled with lag is a formula for some incredibly unfun games.

Hitscan is just a much easier way to report clear performance back to the player without them having to guess what the heck happened to their shot that didn't connect.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Hitscan is using a trace to determine where a weapon hits rather then generate and firing a projectile. Some gamers don't like it because they think it takes less 'skill'. Anyone who thinks gaming outside of maybe the professional league takes any kind of 'skill' or proves anything about yourself makes me laugh hysterically.

 

[Bad Jim]

Quake 3 only has one true hitscan weapon - the dinky machine gun you start with. All the rest have some sort of projectile. Even the lightning gun has a certain amount of latency on the lightning effect, so it too can be dodged.

No, you're wrong [http://quakelive.wikia.com/wiki/Lightning_Gun] unless you have a high ping which incidentally coincides with what I said above. Machine gun, shotgun, railgun, chaingun, lightning gun and gauntlet are all hitscan weapons in Quake.

Mkay, lets look at that link then.

works like a hitscan weapon but not really in the same family

What's that supposed to mean?

 

[Kargathia]

You understand my other point about bullet travel though?

It's like firing a laser, rather than a bullet.

Yes, I'm familiar with the mechanics and arguments behind both hitscan and projectile-based weapons.

I'm just noting here that criticising CoD for using hitscan is somewhat... short-sighted.

NB. The concept of "sniping" is entirely alien to CoD to begin with - once again due to the decidedly short ranges.