# Lightheadedness, Nausea while playing Borderlands?



## funkysourav (Jun 20, 2011)

Hi guys
I just want to know
*does anyone else feel lightheadedness/nausea while playing Borderlands?*
i cant even play it more than half an hour without straining my eyes

i tried a fix 





			
				WillowGame.ini said:
			
		

> [WillowGame.WillowPawn]
> bWeaponBob=false
> Bob=0.000


but it doesn't help at all

just want to know if anyone else is facing this issue, is the game at fault here or is it just me? (time to visit the Doc?)

its just this singular game thats making me feel sick
no other game made me feel this way


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## Zangetsu (Jun 20, 2011)

buddy u need some rest :zzzz:....


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## Faun (Jun 20, 2011)

It's just you.


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## thetechfreak (Jun 20, 2011)

Read the disclaimer notices in the CD pack. You cant blame them.

Take rest and dont use a PC for 2 days


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## Zangetsu (Jun 20, 2011)

@funkysourav: if it increases then u will feel this even while playing Minesweeper


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## asingh (Jun 20, 2011)

A nice read. Outdated, but makes sense.

The Daleisphere — Video Game-induced Nausea, Dizziness and Headaches


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## nims11 (Jun 20, 2011)

i feel this way when playing wolf 3d


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## funkysourav (Jun 20, 2011)

asingh said:


> A nice read. Outdated, but makes sense.
> 
> The Daleisphere â€” Video Game-induced Nausea, Dizziness and Headaches



Thanks for the informative link Asingh
it details my situation under
*Dizziness Caused by First Person Bobbing While Walking*

also to add to it, i feel the center of field of view has been aggressively put forward as compared to other FPS games
as i have had no problems playing Unreal series, Crysis series or Half life series

the feeling is like my head tries to overcompensate for the excessive turning and or bobbing effect which is resulting in this
here's a person with similar case
Anyone else get headaches from Borderlands? - Giant Bomb
a quick googling shows that a significant size of gamers experiencing nausea while playing Borderlands, even if they do play tons of other FPSes and never faced the problem before
berderlands headbobbing - Google Search


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## soumo27 (Jun 20, 2011)

I felt the same way when I played Max Payne, many years back for a continuous stretch of 8/10 hours,..


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## gameranand (Jun 20, 2011)

Oh boy....I have played that game 6 to 7 hours straight never faced the problem....you need to get rest and play game in shorter interval don't go for long session.


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## Tejas.Gupta (Jun 20, 2011)

I felt the same when i played "Doom" for the first time for an Hour !
It was such a sick game !


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## noob (Jun 20, 2011)

stay away from PC for 2 days...close game after 1 or 1.5 hour and take rest for 1 hour again...

try to play in short sessions and take rest


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## JojoTheDragon (Jun 20, 2011)

Happened to me while playing HL games. Just ditch the game and take a break.


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## comp@ddict (Jun 20, 2011)

It's the FOV, I've answered this in TE.


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## Piyush (Jun 20, 2011)

@sourav
check your PM


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## funkysourav (Jun 20, 2011)

comp@ddict said:
			
		

> it's the FOV, it's meddling with your head dude. It happens, you aren't losing your head or eyes (eye strain confirms it's the FOV that's hurting you)
> 
> I feel this way in EVERY Unreal Engine 3 based game, hence "AVOID" (not ME though)


 thanks for the clarification Comp@ddict,
its the FOV you're right
i just played 2 hours of Darksiders and an hour of Far Cry2 without any problems
i guess i will have to ditch this game, but i wil give it one last chance with the FOV adjuster trick and/or the Third Person view unlock

if it doesn't work, so long Borderlands (and will keep a suspicious eye on UE3 games)

anyway will take a 2-3 day break from gaming, don't wanna hurt my eyes

@piyush
thanks for the PM buddy, answered


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## gameranand (Jun 20, 2011)

Yeah you do that. Eyes are more important than gaming. And also if you are facing problem with a particular game you can always play other games.


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## Ethan_Hunt (Jun 20, 2011)

Never experienced anything like that. We have played this game for 5 hours at stretch, but never felt nauseous. In fact, I have completed it around 3 times now. The only game which made me (almost) nauseous was Mirror's Edge.


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## vamsi_krishna (Jun 20, 2011)

I have had.. this problem while playing Fear(1), Prey, Half Life. I got of with half life by adjusting bob effect with some console commands. Rest of them gave me a hard time. Almost felt like vomiting my guts out. Interesting thing is.. all three of these games takes place mostly in closed, congested places.

Never had an issue with Borderlands though.


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## tkin (Jun 20, 2011)

vamsi_krishna said:


> I have had.. this problem while playing Fear(1), Prey, Half Life. I got of with half life by adjusting bob effect with some console commands. Rest of them gave me a hard time. Almost felt like vomiting my guts out. Interesting thing is.. all three of these games takes place mostly in closed, congested places.
> 
> Never had an issue with Borderlands though.


I felt this exact issues with Portal 2(for some reason), never felt it with metro 2033(so its not claustrophobia).

I feel this issue very much if I do not find my way in a video game and go to the same place over and over again in circles, soon after a few runs I feel nausea, start to sweat and get a massive headache, I sweat even if I have ac turned on, I used to think this has something to do with refresh rate and frame rate but I feel them occasionally if I lose my way, psychological issue? Maybe mukherjee can answer.

Maybe head bob as pointed by vamsi? But didn't get it with FEAR 2, in crysis with max hud bob(100%) I never felt it, very weird.

PS: I remember a lot of users said they felt nausea and dizziness due to FOVs in game, that's why a  lot of users try to madly fix the FOV in games, borderlands being one of them, yes I believe that's it, its the FOV, our eyes cannot compensate for the abnormal FOV in games.

@ funky: Experiment with *FOV*, I bet its the FOV.

Update: Its answered above by comp@ddict, sorry, missed it.


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## asingh (Jun 20, 2011)

Never had any problemo with any game. And I only play FPS/TPS.


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## vamsi_krishna (Jun 20, 2011)

IMO, BoB is the culprit. Devs try to emulate realism by making the camera go up and down while walking. couple this with fast mouse moments, closed environments and a bad stomach. And we got our answer.

@tkin,

Exactly. I will get this damn thing.. If I lost my way... and moving here and there like a lost puppy.


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## gameranand (Jun 21, 2011)

Well in many games I do sweat even though the temp is not high but never got any other problems. Mostly I sweat when I get too intense in the game and playing for like 6-7 hours straight and well its my family members who see that I am sweating I never felt a thing but when they say hey why are you sweating then I kept wondering myself and finally blame it on the game.


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## axes2t2 (Jun 21, 2011)

After every two hour's look out your window at a far away point for a few secs.

Works for me,always.


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## Piyush (Jun 21, 2011)

axes2t2 said:


> After every two hour's look out your window at a far away point for a few secs.
> 
> Works for me,always.



+1
it relaxes our eyes and hence our brain
looking at big green trees also do wonders
it is a fact that looking at natural "green" color relaxes our mind

i look at a big Neem tree touching my balcony(3rd floor)
so it *is* big


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## vamsi_krishna (Jun 21, 2011)

^ No.. you are not getting the point. Given the time and place.. it may strike even after 5 mins of play. (happened to me)

Staring at a greenery after every 5 mins. is not a solution. Ditching the game is.


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## DarkDante (Jun 21, 2011)

well damn, i THINK im feeling a headache after reading these messages.. anyways, Take rest for a bout 2-3 days and then try playing, if it still isnt helping the situation, then well, no idea..


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## Alok (Jun 21, 2011)

Well i had never faced such thing.
But my parents always warns me of similar things when they see me on my pc or mobile above 5 hours.
    But i'll take care in future cause without my eyes no graphics card values.


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## funkysourav (Jun 22, 2011)

TRying to mess around with the settings in borderlands
got a nice tweak tool from gearbox forums, but the damn thing failed to change the FOV and 3rd person view
However it did reduce the black outlines and some other settings
No lightheadedness now 

now i have to enable the third person view and change key bindings using the tutorial
hope this works


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## vamsi_krishna (Jun 22, 2011)

Dear Kidney stone folks... Continue the discussion here.

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/community-discussions/142761-drinking-water-kidney-stones.html


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## doomgiver (Jun 22, 2011)

i get the same symptoms while watching my brother play games (i usually dont get them when im playing myself, only while watching the games as a viewer)

i almost always get sick when watching soldier of fortune 2, igi, and nfs carbon.


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## gameranand (Jun 22, 2011)

doomgiver said:
			
		

> i get the same symptoms while watching my brother play games (i usually dont get them when im playing myself, only while watching the games as a viewer)
> 
> i almost always get sick when watching soldier of fortune 2, igi, and nfs carbon.


Don't let him play any game ever. You health is more important.


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## doomgiver (Jun 22, 2011)

it hits within a few seconds. i was surprised the first time, i thought i had played too much and had a headache, lol.

only a few games do this, and its not the gore, im sure.


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## tkin (Jun 22, 2011)

doomgiver said:


> i get the same symptoms while watching my brother play games (i usually dont get them when im playing myself, only while watching the games as a viewer)
> 
> i almost always get sick when watching soldier of fortune 2, igi, and nfs carbon.


I have a theory for that, when you are playing games you know which route you are taking, you can predict the movements, but when somebody plays it you have no idea about the next step, you end up looking in opposite direction to where the person is going, your mind can not cope with it and you get nausea and headache.


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## axes2t2 (Jun 22, 2011)

*Do this after playing for a while*

[YOUTUBE]Nvi1ZeV_LSg[/YOUTUBE]

*Like a boss*

Oh and I hate motion blur in games.


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## tkin (Jun 22, 2011)

^^ROFL.


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## gameranand (Jun 22, 2011)

LOL......What a dance.


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## cyborg47 (Jun 23, 2011)

Wow! I thought it was just me who had problem with borderlands. Though I didnt have any serious problems like you did, but it just didnt feel right. I mean, I never had any kinda problem (except for once, with age of mythology and myself to blame for playing nonstop, coz of which I fell down unconciously  ) but stopped playing borderlands.

Anyway, do some yoga and eat carrots everyday, that would help


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## doomgiver (Jun 23, 2011)

tkin said:


> I have a theory for that, when you are playing games you know which route you are taking, you can predict the movements, but when somebody plays it you have no idea about the next step, you end up looking in opposite direction to where the person is going, your mind can not cope with it and you get nausea and headache.



that is deep stuff, man, really deep, i mean, even Leo will have to go deeper to understand it.

it kinda makes sense, the brain likes order and harmony(???)


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## Faun (Jun 23, 2011)

^^disregard order and harmony. Chaos theory here.


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## funkysourav (Jun 23, 2011)

tkin said:


> I have a theory for that, when you are playing games you know which route you are taking, you can predict the movements, but when somebody plays it you have no idea about the next step, you end up looking in opposite direction to where the person is going, your mind can not cope with it and you get nausea and headache.



 my theory exactly
i felt the same when i was first initiated to FPS games by Quake 3 Arena in 2004
it took me a day to adjust my mind

the mind plays an important role in the immersiveness of the games
and when the immersion is incomplete due to some factors, the mind cant cope up

i think another reason for my problem is the 
Mouse smoothing(disabling helped)
my monitor is 3 1/2 feet away from me (so the focus of the intended FOV was at a distance of 1-2 feet from my eyes) decreasing the distance helped too
cel-shaded graphics (disabled it)

in the process of making it a third person shooter with some tweaks i found over the net


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## Skud (Jun 23, 2011)

Even I suffer from the same problem. Actually, it is this reason my venture with Portal lasted just 10 minutes and I never came back. Half Life 2 was a bit lengthier but never get completed. But never faced the same with Crysis, FEAR and Max Payne.

@vamsi_krishna: you are right, it can happen very quickly and nothing to do with rest and all.

Thanks sourav for raising the issue. Also I couldn't get the cause of the problem and the probable remedy. So can anybody please clarify?


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## gameranand (Jun 23, 2011)

Just played Borderlands Co-Op for like 3 hours straight just to check if I have the problem also...Looks like I am immune to this at least in this game.


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## tkin (Jun 23, 2011)

gameranand said:


> Just played Borderlands Co-Op for like 3 hours straight just to check if I have the problem also...Looks like I am immune to this at least in this game.


I finished it 3 times, no issues till now.


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## asingh (Jun 24, 2011)

Real MEN do not get dizzy and nauseated while play FPS.


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## tkin (Jun 24, 2011)

asingh said:


> Real MEN do not get dizzy and nauseated while play FPS.


In soviet russia ............

oh hell, you all know the rest


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## funkysourav (Jun 24, 2011)

asingh said:


> Real MEN do not get dizzy and nauseated while play FPS.



Mard ko Dard Nahi Hota?
something like that? 

on the contrary i think
Real men aren't afraid to reveal their weaknesses and shortcomings


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## vamsi_krishna (Jun 24, 2011)

asingh said:


> Real MEN do not get dizzy and nauseated while play FPS.



Real men are the men who will complete the game, even they are attacked by nausea.


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## funkysourav (Jun 24, 2011)

mission successful
Borderlands has been converted to a *Third Person Role Playing Shooter* 
the *Borderlands Config Tool 2.14* did its work beautifully
adjusted the FOV to 101 (default 70)
everything is Freakin fine now

p.s.
i can post screenies if requested
didn't post it now ' cause i am a lil bit busy
if anyone is interested to get the BCT 2.14 PM me i will send it via email (very small file 500kb)


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## tkin (Jun 24, 2011)

Good for you, enjoy borderlands.


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## Faun (Jun 24, 2011)

funkysourav said:


> p.s.
> i can post screenies if requested
> didn't post it now ' cause i am a lil bit busy



post now !


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## funkysourav (Jun 25, 2011)

dang, i cant take screenies using PrintScreen 
will Fraps work?

sorry i didn't post the pics earlier, was busy studying Curve SketchinG


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## asingh (Jun 25, 2011)

Fraps works.


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## Faun (Jun 25, 2011)

@funky

wut ? Why so PrintScreen ?
Fraps or if you have MSI card then afterburner has a utility for that. Or use steam client to take screenshots.


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## marvelousprashant (Jun 25, 2011)

As I am a medical student I can suggest not to play games for more than 2 hours without a break. In immersive FPS games blood supply to fingers in increased for increased responsiveness. In a way that compromises the blood supply to brain. For hardcore gamers : pause the game after 1-2 hours, walk a little (5-10m) have some water and sugar, wash your eyes and then go back Aim for the HEADSHOT


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## Faun (Jun 25, 2011)

^^Sugar is bad IMO.


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## doomgiver (Jun 25, 2011)

marvelousprashant said:


> As I am a medical student I can suggest not to play games for more than 2 hours without a break. In immersive FPS games blood supply to fingers in increased for increased responsiveness. In a way that compromises the blood supply to brain. For hardcore gamers : pause the game after 1-2 hours, walk a little (5-10m) have some water and sugar, wash your eyes and then go back Aim for the HEADSHOT



how much blood is diverted? 1 litre?

the only blood being diverted in my body is from my bum. cant feel it.


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## marvelousprashant (Jun 25, 2011)

doomgiver said:


> how much blood is diverted? 1 litre?
> 
> the only blood being diverted in my body is from my bum. cant feel it.



It is diverted from all parts of the body. It is not that 1l or 2l. Vessels of the hands dilate causing an increased blood flow there.


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## doomgiver (Jun 25, 2011)

tell me, how large are the blood vessels of your hands? are they so big that they drain most of the blood away from the brain?

in this way, you can argue that sprinting makes the blood go from the brain to the legs. if thats the case, then the drain must be much larger coz [size of legs] >>> [size of hands]
so, sprinting is worse than gaming wrt blood flow to brain.


im sorry, i dont buy that reasoning.


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## funkysourav (Jun 25, 2011)

Okay Guys here are some of the pics
sorry couldn't post them earlier
*thumbnails52.imagebam.com/13799/bff0a2137981786.jpg *thumbnails39.imagebam.com/13799/316f8e137982450.jpg *thumbnails48.imagebam.com/13799/10e006137982492.jpg *thumbnails34.imagebam.com/13799/98cff4137982520.jpg

here's a screenie of the config tool
*thumbnails48.imagebam.com/13799/76952c137983239.jpg


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## gameranand (Jun 25, 2011)

marvelousprashant said:
			
		

> As I am a medical student I can suggest not to play games for more than 2 hours without a break. In immersive FPS games blood supply to fingers in increased for increased responsiveness. In a way that compromises the blood supply to brain. For hardcore gamers : pause the game after 1-2 hours, walk a little (5-10m) have some water and sugar, wash your eyes and then go back Aim for the HEADSHOT


So what exactly would happen if I play for like 6-7 hours straight???


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## doomgiver (Jun 25, 2011)

drop dead due to awesomeness, maybe.

prolly you will have to be dragged screaming to the dinner table.


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## mitraark (Jun 25, 2011)

One should atleast look the other way for few seconds every 1 hour , just to rest the eyes.. maybe get up to grab the bottle of water.  I do it to prevent a sore butt


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## doomgiver (Jun 25, 2011)

no.1 problem of hardcore gamer : numbbutt.
i have a nice foam pad that adjusts to my bum, so that i am comfy for long computer sessions(on the downside, it gets warm, and i have to flip it over after a few hours of use)


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## axes2t2 (Jun 25, 2011)

I sit on those plastic chairs which you find at many weddings/functions


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## doomgiver (Jun 25, 2011)

nothing is more important than your bum while gaming.

otherwise you will be twisting and squirming while i calmly headshot you across the street


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