Setting Your Field of View in CoD

[Tanger]

Field of View(FOV), in my opinion, is the most important console command CoD4 has to offer. The difference between getting a kill or getting a death for me comes down to my FOV sometimes. For those who are unaware of what FOV is, I'll explain.

FOV is the distance, in width, that you can see while playing. Increasing this width allows you to see more, thus maybe catching a player on your screen you wouldn't see otherwise.

The console command for FOV is:

/cg_fov ##


Before you try this command, here's how it works.

FOV is based on increments of five ranging from 65 to 80. The stock FOV is 65. The highest is 80.

For example, I could set my FOV to 70, 75 or 80. I recommend 80 because you will see more. So if I wanted to change my FOV from the stock 65 to 80, I would open console and type:

/cg_fov 80 

It may seem weird at first, but try your best to get used to it because FOV helps your gameplay A LOT.

Here's a screenshot of the difference between 65 and 80. You can see the red circles I added showing where I can see by using 80. With 65 I couldn't see those spots.

[BFM_dStruct]

Thanks for this Tanger.

One question though, if we change it, will it remain at the changed FOV every time we restart the game? Or will we have to change it back all the time?

[Tanger]

Thanks for this Tanger.

One question though, if we change it, will it remain at the changed FOV every time we restart the game? Or will we have to change it back all the time?

Yep, it stays the same. You can also change it back to 65 if you find you're not a fan of 80.

[Bleach]

I have a question about this. To me, this seems on par to modding Halo to give you a wider FoV.
It seems to me that when you are doing something like this, you are modifying the original game, and giving yourself a distinct advantage over someone else, just because you know something like this is possible.

Personally, I don't view this as a very good thing to do, because you are modifying the game to give you an advantage over others.


just my

-Bleach

[Tanger]

Of course this gives you an advantage, but everyone can do it. Just because the game is set to 65 stock doesn't mean you can't change it. What FOV you play on is someones choice. People hear the word console and suddenly think the game is being modded and an unfair advantage is at hand. This isn't the case. The game comes with console and these commands are known.

One example is specular, the glow you see on guns that make them look shiny. Just because the game comes stock with specular, or "glow" as its called in settings, I still turn specular off.  A great example of console use outside of CoD4 is in CS 1.6 and CSS. Changing your rates in both of those games, such as cl_updaterate 101, can fix your hit registration. Almost every player uses it.

Just because something in the game comes stock doesn't mean someone can't change the stock setting. That's why PC gaming is what it is. Instead of limited options like console games, we can change our settings to our liking.

[BFM_»Jây! iC]

A good way to look at these settings, is like an advanced button in your graphic settings. It's possible for everyone to do. So I don't agree with it being close to modding, but like extra graphic settings. Keep in mind, these settings are all built into CoD, much like the window setting for Halo.

[BFM_SWiFT]

To me, this sounds like something called Project Yellow for Halo PC, which is an illegal hack that can be used to alter your FOV and other HUD things. Just doesn't seem right to me.

[Tanger]

To me, this sounds like something called Project Yellow for Halo PC, which is an illegal hack that can be used to alter your FOV and other HUD things. Just doesn't seem right to me.

This is not an illegal hack. It's an option in the game that everyone can use legally.

[BFM_SWiFT]

To me, this sounds like something called Project Yellow for Halo PC, which is an illegal hack that can be used to alter your FOV and other HUD things. Just doesn't seem right to me.

This is not an illegal hack. It's an option in the game that everyone can use legally.

I realise that. But it has the same effects. I dunno to me it just seems a bit iffy.

[BFM_Edison]

I feel like denying something such as this that the game makers intended to put in the game in the first place would be like disallowing someone from turning off specular or other graphics changes in Halo (such as particles) in order to play more competitively. If it were some foreign modification made by a third party, then I don't think it should be allowed, but it's built into the game to be used, so I see no reason to disallow it on the basis that it gives a competitive advantage.

[Liam]

I personally think it's fair because Tanger shared how to do this with all of us. Instead of keeping this advantage to himself, we can now all do it, to improve our halo (haha i literally just typed halo   ) COD4 experience.

Thanks Tanger!, and as long as this is ruled fair, I will give it a try.  

[WaTy™]

To me, this sounds like something called Project Yellow for Halo PC, which is an illegal hack that can be used to alter your FOV and other HUD things. Just doesn't seem right to me.

This is not an illegal hack. It's an option in the game that everyone can use legally.

I realise that. But it has the same effects. I dunno to me it just seems a bit iffy.

It is only a simple console tweak, no 3rd party programs.
The different FOV has advantages and disadvantages, you may be able to see more across your screen, but you also have a smaller aim when aiming down the sights.
If IW didn't want you to change setting they would have hidden the console commands, much like they did in Call of Duty: World at War, and the got rid of the console completely in MW2, Trust me, this is probably the most harmless console tweak out there.

[Còól]

Guys I think the best thing to look at here is this. A "Hack" is another program or file that changes things outside of the original programming that was intended when the game was made. These console commands that Tanger has suggested are things the developers put into the game when they made it. They put those changes in the game and made it available to everyone. It is a matter of preference with these settings. Some people like to keep the game the way it is out of the box. This is fine. Some people like to tweak there game with console commands such as this one. These commands are not hacks, they are tweaks the developers made into the game. Either way you want to play the game is up to you and both are fine.