MiceAdvice: Raw Input

"Why do I perform better with m_rawinput 0?" ^[src]

This in-depth section will consist of tips and information on gaming mice and their settings, that a casual gamer might not even have to think about, but will still benefit from. Last week we covered finding your perfect sensitivity, considered ways of improving consistency and grazed the subject of different mouse gripping styles. If you haven't, please go read through that post, because it has relevant information to this one.

This week we're looking into raw input, and the advantages of using it. I will define some terms for you, tell the commands that affect your mouse movement in-game, inform you about a program that helps you obtain raw input, and the specific variables that my own mouse handling consists of. So without further ado, these are the terms used when considering mouse movement:

• Raw input means information from the mouse is directly received (by the game) without interference by the operating system / OS (i.e. Windows 7), though mouse drivers still do apply. Thus the mouse won't be affected by your OS's settings, you will have more freedom to control your aim in-game and if you ever have to switch your mouse to a different computer it will be faster to setup correctly. On top of this it's easier to be consistent, when the mouse pointer reacts 1:1 to the movements you make with your mouse. It will even feel consistent if you have to change resolution later on.
• Acceleration is a controversial setting. Mouse acceleration is a software based movement enhancer that makes the mouse go exponentially faster the faster you move your mouse. Compare this to raw input which makes your cursor move precisely as fast as you move your mouse. I personally don't recommend using mouse acceleration, but some might find this useful with extremely low sensitivities, as then you will be able to make lightning-fast turns while still having a low sensitivity in most situations. Then again if you have acceleration on, landing flick shots will be very difficult.
• 6/11 Windows setting is exactly what it says, it's the halfway point (starting from zero) of the Windows's mouse pointer setting. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. For those occasions when Windows interferes with your mouse pointer, this is the setting that can give you the closest to 1:1 input. You may notice that I have also turned enhanced mouse precision off. Windows enhances mouse precision for a smoother user experience, but it really isn't needed with top of the line mice, and it takes away from raw input by adding smoothing attributes.

There are a lot of variables when considering mouse-to-mousepad-to-screen consistency. I've done way too much research on this subject, and spent many hours fiddling with my settings and gear. I recommend setting up your mouse for raw input action, and here are the eight steps I've personally taken to achieve it:

Step 1: Get a gaming mouse. Spend at least 40-100$ if you're serious. Consider your hand size and your grip style. Read through reviews and go try out some at your local computer store. The only specific mouse I can recommend as of now is the SteelSeries Sensei as that is the one I currently use, but it all comes down to your hand size and preference. Get a mouse you're comfortable with. If you're on a budget the Logitech MX518/G400 is a solid option. Here's a link for some additional read up: Optical vs Laser mice.

Step 2: Get a decent mouse pad. Don't start saving your cents here, this indicating to both the coins and the size (centimeters). Bigger is better, especially if you're on a low sensitivity. This is what I use.

Step 3: Set 6/11 pointer speed in Windows Mouse Settings and turn off enhanced pointer precision. This sets the Windows cursor the closest to 1:1 mouse-to-screen input ratio you can get without additional configuring, with the least amount of Windows interference possible. I also recommend installing the MarkC mousefix, though one might argue that the next step makes this obsolete. I personally like having the MarkC installed just in case I forget to run RInput on CS:GO launch.

Step 4: Get RInput.exe. (Win7/Win8) Forces raw input for CS:GO by injecting a DLL into csgo.exe. I've written a README for installation. From a post on HLTV.org by ricf0i: "You can see what with raw input you can move mouse as fast as you wish without skipping and with awesome precision. With raw input fps or cpi are not affected precision loss (cpi subjectively increase precision well). With this method mouse communicate with game DIRECTLY."

Additional info can be found here.

Step 5: Add these to your autoexec.cfg:

• m_customaccel "0"
• m_rawinput "0"

M_rawinput is again a bit controversial. Source Engine's raw input is a bit weird and fps dependent. I recommend the boolean "0" for this console command, because then you have more control over setting up raw input yourself, but if you have a high-end machine, you might try m_rawinput "1". M_customaccel will obviously be "0" as we don't want acceleration.

Step 6: Research your mouse's native dpi (dots per inch). For example, SteelSeries Sensei's is 5670dpi, whilst still being precise at increments of 90dpi. Thus I use (7*90dpi=) 630dpi.

Step 7: You do not need any mouse related Launch Options. If you have them added (-useforcedmparms -noforcemaccel -noforcemspd), please remove them. We are already controlling the same variables via other methods.

Step 8: Find your perfect sensitivity.

As in any specific setting, there is no single right answer. Some prefer acceleration, though most pro gamers out there go with raw input. In the end it's all down to what makes you feel the most in control. Toggling a setting here or there, or doing something completely different than I am suggesting might be your cup of tea, and I respect that. Please, if you have any other additional hints or tips, comment below!

Welcome back next time :)

-sb00t

P.S. I listened to the Shovel Knight OST, whilst writing this. Buy the game, and the soundtrack, they're AWESOME!