Mod to reduce offline input lag on PC by 1 frame

[WAZAAAAA]

Soulcalibur 6 has 1 fake frame of forced input lag that can be easily disabled on PC with simple modding, just like Tekken 7.

This is the meaning of the training mode "Frame Delay" options:

1 frame = While Offline
3 frames = 5 bars
5 frames = 4 bars
7 frames = 3 bars
9 frames = 2 bars

The lag applies to every offline mode, not just training.

So this is how the mod works:

1. open SoulcaliburVI.exe with a hex editor of your choice
2. find this hex string:
   74 06 2B 9F 90 03 00 00
   replace it with:
   74 06 90 90 90 90 90 90
   and save the changes.

Done. You can check if it worked by enabling the Frame Delay option in Training: it shouldn't do anything. And you can also tell by the fact that the gameplay is more responsive of course.
Please note that you'll have to mod your exe every time the game gets an update. This exact method has been working for every version of the game thus far, but I can't guarantee it will keep working in future patches.

 

[FluffyQuack]

Huh, that's interesting. Do you know if this breaks online play?

 

[WAZAAAAA]

Huh, that's interesting. Do you know if this breaks online play?

I tried right before posting, it doesn't break the online

 

[FluffyQuack]

I just tested this myself. I couldn't get padlight working (it ignored a lot of input for some reason), but I tried running a program I've made accepting xinput alongside the game and then I recorded both running at the same time with OBS.

What I find a little bit weird is that the result varies quite a bit. At best, SC6 matches the input delay of my own program, so I'll list how far behind SC6 was compared to my program.

Unmodded exe: Lagged behind by 0-2 frames (0 frame delay only happened once, it was usually 1 or 2 frame delay)
Modded exe: Lagged behind by 0-1 frames (both seemed equally likely)

So yeah, I don't why it varied, but this definitely does reduce input delay in practice mode. Did you confirm this affects every offline mode, including versus? Though, I suppose I could test that myself.

 

[WAZAAAAA]

Save the headache and just use Cheat Engine's speedhack feature to check the frame delay. Set it to like 0.02 speed, it will let you play the game frame-by-frame in super slowmo. You'll have to hold buttons for a long time for them to register since everything is so slow.
This is a great way to count game frames by ignoring completely all secondary sources of latency such as your OS/fluctuating FPS/VSync/controller/monitor etc.
Extremely underrated tech in the FGC btw, having a universal frame-by-frame feature added to all fighting games is INVALUABLE and I use it religiously for labbing all sorts of stuff (you can set up comfy hotkeys for different speeds too that's what I do).

Btw you can mod padlight to work with high FPS for added accuracy for that kind of testing.
19 B8 3C 00 -> 19 B8 58 02
Make sure New animation control is checked for it to take effect and that Animation frame rate is the lowest value otherwise you're gonna get waaay too many FPS lol (1000?)
You can check if the high FPS padlight mod is doing its job by doing the Bandicam (the trial version works fine) game hook to it and reading the FPS counter.

The only offline mode I didn't test was the uh... MISSION: Libra of Soul because I didn't feel like wasting a save slot lol

 

[FluffyQuack]

Okay, I tried your CE testing method with the game running at 2% speed, and now I can clearly tell I get a 1-frame delay with normal exe, and zero delay (once I press a button I see a reaction on the following frame) with modded exe. I did the test in versus mode.

I wanted to check if this somehow affected online play (it's unlikely, but it would be crazy if this was so poorly implemented it always leads +1 frame delay online), but I'm not sure how I would test that. I tried my OBS method, but I somehow got slower delay by one frame with the modded exe. Maybe due to how OBS captures frame buffers you get up to +1 frame delay on the video feed? Anyway, I'm assuming online play is completely unaffected as that would make the most sense.

It's silly they've got this small extra input delay. I assume it's there on the console versions too, which is an even bigger shame as those versions have so much bigger input delay overall compared to the PC version.

 

[WAZAAAAA]

jap netcode so bad that they have to trick you into thinking it's not that bad by making offline also lag lmao
that has to be the single most galaxy brain design decision of these modern fighters man

I've seen people go "why would you mod it it'd make the game too different from PS4 the tournament standard" several times already in both the SC and TK communities
"sorry I need to lag more in order to compete in this game" what a sad sad situation