Lag can't be that bad can it?

[Noah17]

Ok, so I got in a fight with a Ki84 tonight. I get a couple of pings on him but nothing great. We end up in a nose to nose pass; both of us fire but get nothing. I plan to pick up a little E and come back around. Then all of a sudden I'm back in the tower with a message that I'm shot down. I had not been hit by anyone else so, I thought that I just never saw the guy that got me and I go check the film.

It turns out the guy I was fighting got the kill. After we passed he was over 300yds behind me when my plane took hits. We weren't passing each other at 500mph; this was an average speed merge.
I've seen slight delayed reactions before but this was weird. Is it possible that the lag was that bad? Is there anything I can do to keep that from happening? Could this be the reason why I couldn't hit the guy?

Confused.
 

[Killer91]

It can indeed be that bad. I can remeber a few times I've been killed that it's been 4 - 5 seconds later that my planes received the damage. One name comes to mind but I won't turn it into that kind of thread.

The worst case I can remember (used to have film but lost it in a pc crash  ) was in a HO shot. We made our pass and I know I shot the crap out of his plane. And I wondered how we both missed but kept fighting. So I pull vertical and almost make a half loop when I suddenly get sent to the tower. In the film it was a full 7 seconds after the pass before my plane recieved damage. So yes it is very possible for this to happen.

[FLS]

It's not unusual to get hit after you see the bandit no longer has a shot. The bandit shot you on his computer and that hit information has to go to the server and then to you.

When you shoot the bandit you shoot him on your computer so lag is not an issue with you hitting or missing him.

[Noah17]

I don't want to accuse anyone of anything when I don't know how it works in the first place. It would be sad if someone had a way of making themselves appear where they are not here.

Is there any way that I can do something to improve the situation? Shooting at planes that are really 300 - 400 yards some other place probably won't help my already poor aim much...... I'm not looking for a cheat I'm looking to just give myself a fair and honest chance and, play the game the way it should be played...........Although I guess maybe this is they way they're played LOL 

Thanks for your help.

[FLS]

You missed my point. You're shooting at the bandit on your computer. He's exactly where he appears to be.

[The Fugitive]

You missed my point. You're shooting at the bandit on your computer. He's exactly where he appears to be.

Correct, and the lag comes into play when the "hits" he scored on you have to travel to the servers in Texas, then out to you where ever you are. Lose a packet or two along the way and it will act exactly like you described

[Noah17]

FLS It looks like we were typing at the same time I do get your point and I'm grateful for your explanation.
Thanks very much for your help all!

I'll just call it the Fog of war....or, Lag of war...or something like that LOL. 

[FLS]

Just remember that when you're defensive, the bandit probably has a better angle on you on his computer than you can see on your computer. You don't have to allow for lag when you shoot but keep it in mind when you''re defensive.

[PuppetZ]

There's a complete analysis of how lag affect gameplay on the trainer site. Maybe you should have a look at it.

http://trainers.hitechcreations.com/lag/lag.htm

[HighGTrn]

Funny lag story. Just happened last Friday. Bunch of guys attacked our base in a swarm of C202s. Found one spaghetti maker zoom climbing and I had tons of smash in my P-38. Ended up shooting past him over the top cause of my horrible gunnery. Came back down on him as he was flopping out of control from stalling out, missed him again on the way down. Started to pull back up again to reset when I got a kill message half way up my climb. Either way, I must have killed him on the first pass or the second when I thought I missed him.

[shotgunneeley]

I'd consider getting a belated kill on a guy I pumped rounds into to be an upgrade  

I have the kind of luck to beat a guy to within an inch of his life but just cant seem to seal the deal. That's how it always used to be on FPS like Battlefield 2, you would just waste the guy at point blank just to have him turn completely around and turn your health meter from 100% to 0% with the snap of a finger.