Headaches and DayZ

[admphi 6]

Has anyone else experienced a tension headache while playing DayZ? I get them after a couple of hours and sometimes they don't go away for days. Once they are gone and I try again. I get another headache.

 

Do you think it could do with the refresh rate or vSync? Thoughts?

 

I play other games with the same headset and I don't have a problem. Only in Dayz.

[Conrad_The_Comrade 577]

I get headaches, but that's pretty much from any game after playing for hours

[Espa 711]

I know that a few have commented this is due to having the "Head Bob" feature activated in settings, but I'm unsure. It could also have to do with posture, or stressful situations in game getting the best of you. Take it slower maybe.

 

Hope you figure it out buddy!

[Red_Ensign 990]

that peripheral motion blur makes my eyes ache after a while, so I keep that turned off.  I think turning post-processing down to one notch above off is what killed it.

Edited December 24, 2015 by Red_Ensign

[sneakydudes 278]

I do too guys, i think there is a few of us here. I also find it might be the fast movements of the character that Gews posted on before.

 

I set the 3p to 25% fov so i am not zoomed all the way in, but just a bit. Just below the characters back pockets i think.

 

I don't have any options on that would cause blur etc...

 

See i wasn't lying when i stepped forward before about 1p giving me more headaches then 3p but that's just me.

 

Glad more stepped up and admitted it, and i am not alone.

 

 

For those that are wondering, i don't use the FOV to cheat, its to stop the motion being so fast on my screen.

Edited December 24, 2015 by TheSneakyDude

[sneakydudes 278]

Has anyone else experienced a tension headache while playing DayZ? I get them after a couple of hours and sometimes they don't go away for days. Once they are gone and I try again. I get another headache.

 

Do you think it could do with the refresh rate or vSync? Thoughts?

 

I play other games with the same headset and I don't have a problem. Only in Dayz.

If you guys are ok with it, lets keep this thread open, so that we may find a solution or a cause of it in Dayz. We might be able to fix it, so we can play the game relaxed.

I think some of it can be the video settings, other things may involve the way the characters are moving around in such a fast rate.

[mercules 1290]

I could be any of what you mentioned admphi.

 

When things get tense in game I often find myself clenching my jaw. I had to train myself away from that and then also train myself not to push hard on my front teeth with my tongue when that fight or flight kicks in. I think those reactions are from learning from RL fights that having your mouth open or jaw loose when someone punches you is worse than having everything locked tight. 

 

That tension, however, would end up giving me headaches. That is why I had to learn not to do it through hours of playing games. I also had to learn to blink. When I used to play a lot of fast paced FPS games or RTS I found I wouldn't blink for long stretches of time and that would strain my eyes and give me headaches. 

 

Heck even just tensing up your shoulders can give you a headache and DayZ tends to be a sphincter clenching game from time to time.

 

All that is possible but mechanical issues are just as possible. Low FPS can lead to motion sickness which can express as headaches or eye strain. Refresh rates are much the same. Motion blur and headbob can all add to that. 1PP can be worse for that as it give you less of a reference point to focus on. Actually I wonder if the people who get sick from 1PP put a small dot(say from the corner of a sticky note) on their screen if that would help them with 1PP. Might be why some other 1PP games are not as bad for them well that in FPS might be better in those as they are optimized. 

[admphi 6]

There are some interesting theories on why this occurs in this game. I do prefer 1PP over 3PP because of the immersion. On  3PP servers I tend to switch to 1PP when entering buildings but then I switch back to 3PP when I exit them. I will test to see of the different perspectives make a difference.

 

Currently I do not have motion blur on and headbob is low but enough to be immersive. I don't get sick from the headbob. Funny thing is, when I get the headache and I walk away from the game for a while and have to deal with it, getting back on DayZ seems to relieve some of the pain. What is up with that? Then I get off of the game and its worse.

 

I do wear contacts. Maybe its the intense focus on detail this game demands. Most of the time I play the hermit style and avoid a lot of people. Rarely do I end up in a gun fight but the zeds can be stressful enough trying to avoid them. But I am constantly looking over my shoulders and to the horizon for a silhouette... or smoke.

 

My normal FPS is between 30 and 40.

 

I can play Battlefield or Elite Dangerous for hours yet DayZ is the only game that gives me these headaches. If I find something new, I will report back.

[Zurvivalist 300]

Has anyone else experienced a tension headache while playing DayZ? I get them after a couple of hours and sometimes they don't go away for days. 

 

List of things I want you to try , That will help determine the root cause of your issue. 

Just follow the steps for one of you long standard game play sessions and report your results .

 

Play on a low/empty pop 3pp server 

Nighttime , Turn gamma and brightness up so the game is in Black and white for you 

Set Render 80%

Head bob off 

FOV as wide as it will go 

Rotational blur off

 bloom off 

Try to maintain a 30+ FPS 

Jog/Walk dont sprint

Use Alt to look around , rather than moving entire body. 

Spend your time doing something relaxing , like working on your camp , going deer hunting, Or simply running down the coast line for netting . 

 

Make sure to adjust the brightness of your monitor , And make sure there are no lights on in your house with in your peripheral vision .

 

This should basically test all the possible game related issues at once. 

[sneakydudes 278]

Except for the fast motion of the view, turning left and right. This one was mentioned prior

[sneakydudes 278]

OK, guys i tested more on this, and i found out why i couldn't play 1p in dayz but i am fine with 1p in Squad.

In dayz there is a very aggressive turning left and right. This is moving way to quickly. I felt sick, after just a few minutes of playing it. When i moved left and right very slowly it was so much better in 1p.

in 3p i can compensate for that i figured out. It gives me the view around to offset the sick feeling.

 

Is this what you think is bothering you?

[iClown 29]

It could have to do with the fact that the sun in game is pretty much the actual sun. If you catch it directly enough you will probably get yourself a headache and, who knows, maybe lose a bit of your vision as well. Might even end up with skin cancer from it. I think its a good source of vitamin D though.

[admphi 6]

List of things I want you to try , That will help determine the root cause of your issue. 

Just follow the steps for one of you long standard game play sessions and report your results .

 

Play on a low/empty pop 3pp server.

   I generally play on 1pp servers with a population of 5 to 15 players. Rarely do I see other players let alone get into a gun fight. I've gotten pretty good at ditching them.

Nighttime , Turn gamma and brightness up so the game is in Black and white for you.

   I typically do not like to play during the night. Its hard to see and the wind ambiance is slightly annoying. Leaving the gamma at or just above normal for now.

Set Render 80%

   Not sure what this will accomplish other than making a fuzzy view. Still at 100%. (Other games run at higher settings without any pain.)

Head bob off 

   It's off.

FOV as wide as it will go.

   This actually disorients me as it has a "zoom" like effect when moving. Appears to be moving fast than you are and an unnatural fish-eye view.

Rotational blur off

   It is OFF.

 bloom off 

   It is OFF.

Try to maintain a 30+ FPS 

   Usually not a problem unless I enter large towns.

Jog/Walk dont sprint

   I am quite conservative. Just because I can sprint everywhere doesn't mean I will. Thirst and hunger becomes more of a problem when sprinting.

Use Alt to look around , rather than moving entire body. 

   This is a habit. I don't want someone seeing unnecessary movements so I turn my head instead of my body. Even when looking through a scope or binoculars. 

Spend your time doing something relaxing , like working on your camp , going deer hunting, Or simply running down the coast line for netting . 

   Because of the small amount of time I get to play before the pain starts, I usually do smaller tasks that do not create stress in the game. Occasionally I will run into a zed or player or two.

Make sure to adjust the brightness of your monitor , And make sure there are no lights on in your house with in your peripheral vision .

   I have a 40 watt lamp next to my desk that I usually turn off while playing. It helps to have it off when playing as the sun goes down on the server.

This should basically test all the possible game related issues at once. 

 

I am still at a loss, no change. I still can only play for a couple of hours until I feel the pain setting in. Other games do not do this to me.

 

Curious as to why this was moved to the "Troubleshooting" forums. Worried it won't get enough attention there.

 

Again, I play alone and prefer to play undetected, avoiding contact or a violent interaction. I am never the first to shoot and will be very cautious to those who stumble upon me. Yes, I will have my weapon drawn but if I feel like we are safe enough, I will offer aid and depart quickly.

[admphi 6]

Played another 30 to 40 minutes and I started to feel the tension headache begin. Almost like its toward the base of my skull. Again, its only during DayZ.

[Zurvivalist 300]

Played another 30 to 40 minutes and I started to feel the tension headache begin. Almost like its toward the base of my skull. Again, its only during DayZ.

If its at the back of your head and not behind your eyes, Logic would imply it could do with posture. 

Either way I would strongly suggest first seeing a doctor and getting his opinion . and perhaps getting your eyes checked. 

[sneakydudes 278]

That's the neck disc's your out of alignment. I get headaches that way too, if my neck is out of alignment. You need to see a dr.

[admphi 6]

If its at the back of your head and not behind your eyes, Logic would imply it could do with posture. 

Either way I would strongly suggest first seeing a doctor and getting his opinion . and perhaps getting your eyes checked. 

 

Thanks. But there is literally no difference when I play other games. Dec 1st I had my annual eye exam and my contact Rx changed just a little. Fresh contacts in but it has been a while since I've needed (more like wanted) to go see a doctor.

 

I played for just over an hour again. Slow build on the pain. Ran into a couple of people and managed to avoid them. At this point it doesn't appear to be any difference between 1pp and 3pp.

 

It is strange how I have nearly 400 hours played and only recently did this start occurring.

[sneakydudes 278]

I don't think anything in the game changes made anything different to warrant headaches. I noticed it differently back in .48 right away. I still think its the swing around of the mouse. Going to try adjusting the mouse settings and see if i can come up with some configuration for others.

[Zurvivalist 300]

try playing around with your depth of field settings