Hey Ximmers,
I had a hard time at first understanding the basic concepts of the ballistic curve. Since there are no values listed, my brain kept assuming that TIME was somehow a variable though it isn’t. Now that I think I’ve got it, I want to share my interpretation to hopefully help a few others. (Please correct any mistakes and look at the example Curve below.)
Reading the Chart:
- For starters, concentrate only on two variables → Mouse speed vs. Aim speed
- Imagine the chart is a weighing scale measuring the ratio between those two.
- On the white line means both are equally balanced or “normal”. The speed in which you move your mouse produces an equal effect to your aiming. → 1:1 movement
- Rising above the “normal” white line means higher sensitivity. The speed in which you move your mouse produces a bigger effect to your aiming. → Acceleration
- Dipping below the “normal” white line means lower sensitivity. The speed in which you move your mouse produces a smaller effect to your aiming → Deceleration
Mouse Velocity:
- IMPORTANT → Imagine there are invisible numbers between the words “Mouse Velocity” and the horizontal line near it which gauge mouse speeds.
- IMPORTANT → The far left of that horizontal line represents slow / subtle mouse speeds or movements → micro movement
- IMPORTANT → The far right of that horizontal line represents fast / sudden mouse speeds or movements → twitch movement
- A dip or raised curve that evens out into a straight line means the ratio is balanced from that point → 1:1 movement *
* A straight line below the white line is still 1:1 movement but is the equivalent of lowering your base sensitivity.
* A straight line above the white line is still 1:1 movement but is the equivalent of raising your base sensitivity.
Aim Velocity:
- The best way to understand the chart is by considering Mouse Velocity as your point of reference. Look there first and compare it to Aim Velocity.
- Imagine there are invisible numbers between the words “Aim Velocity” and the vertical line near it which gauge aiming speeds.
- The lowest part of that vertical line represents micro aiming speeds → slow aiming
- The top part of that vertical line represents twitch aiming speeds → fast aiming
Pop Quiz. Let’s examine carha’s unique ballistic curve below to understand what’s happening.
Hip Ballistic Curve: → means the standard view
1. Three quarters of the curve is very close to or on the white line. What does that mean?
Answer: Basically 1:1 movement for small or medium mouse speeds.
2. The top-right of the curve starts rising above the white line. What does that mean?
Answer: Farther right on the horizontal line means faster mouse speed. Farther up on the vertical line means faster aiming. Above the white line indicates higher sensitivity. Put all those together and it means he has higher sensitivity at fast mouse speeds. He can twitch aim in emergencies, yet small or medium mouse speeds are stable at a 1:1 ratio.
ADS Ballistic Curve: → means the view when pressing ADS (aiming down sights); using your weapon’s optics like red-dot sight, ACOG, sniper scope, etc.
3. The bottom-left of the curve dips below the white line. What does that mean?
Answer: Farther left on the horizontal line means slower mouse speed. Farther down on the horizontal line means slower aiming. Below the white line indicates slower sensitivity. Put all those together and it means he has very low sensitivity (micro aiming) at low mouse speeds so he can ADS and track a target with precision, yet medium to high mouse speeds are stable at a 1:1 ratio until a small aim acceleration change at highest mouse speeds.
Those are just the first steps to understanding WHAT the charts actually mean. So now you know, and knowing is half the battle. G.I. Joe!
The tricky part is then balancing not only the 2 variables (mouse vs aim speed), but also factoring in your base sensitivity...
Even if you copy and use a ballistic curve it takes trial and error to test if something feels comfortable for you. And yah, don’t forget about the curve creator’s DPI as that also affects sensitivity. Lower DPI user’s will need to raise sensitivity to match higher DPIs and vice versa.
Good luck everyone! (including me...)
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