PSA: Understanding Client/Server Hit Registration

Just wanted to make a quick post because I see this misunderstood a lot. I won't go into the complex backend of network authoritative systems but it is important players understand what these settings are actually doing.

- Client Prediction ON:

If you turn this setting on what will happen is your local computer showing the events happening on your screen will "guess" where everything is. The point of this setting is to make the movement seem more smooth by filling in the gaps of visual delays by guessing where the stuff on your screen should be but not where it actually is.

So for example with Client Prediction if you killed an enemy and the enemy body falls on the ground. Each player with this setting enabled will see that enemys body in a different spot on the floor because each local computer is "guessing" where that dead body is. If each player goes to loot that dead body they will be all standing in different locations on your screen but touching the same body on thier screen.

The server only sees one TRUE location for that dead body which is also known as Server Prediction. This is important because while turning Client Prediction ON will make the stutter movement look more smooth ... it also means where you see people in a fight may not be exactly where they actually are on the server. This is why you dodge a hit on your screen but then take damage anyway. It is because on the TRUE server location you were standing closer to the hit than on your local client machine when it "guesses".

- Client Prediction OFF:

So now that you understand what client side prediction is doing you can start to see what Server Side prediction is and why it always looks jagged. On Server Prediction your local computer is seeing a copy of the actual server data for where all the object are on your screen. What this means is even though turning Server Prediction ON makes things visually more jagged when moving ... it is showing you the TRUE location of objects on your screen based on what the server is seeing as actually happening. So even though the movement looks less smooth it is actually better because you get way more accurate information on where you are standing, what direction that arrow is flying, if you were inside the AOE hit zone or not, etc.

Sooo the TLDR is Client Prediction ON looks smooth but plays not smooth and Client Prediction OFF looks jagged but plays smooth. If you feel like you are getting hit when visually it looks like you are outside of the swing than I can bet it is because you are using Client Prediction ON.

Sorry if this was still too hard to follow for some of you but hopefully this will help you as players decide which settings is best to use based on your gameplay. Good luck!