The best FoV (Field of View) for Mordhau
To determine the best Field of View in Mordhau, I have surveyed 43 players on their preference. Find out pros and cons brought by a wide FoV.
There is not a best setting for the field of view, but it comes down to your personal preference, the size of your screen and how close you are to it.
You may think to the FoV as a camera zooming in and out. When you increase the FoV, the camera zooms out, improving your peripheral vision.
FoV pros and cons
According to the PC gaming myth, a high FoV value is always the best choice because you are able to look at a wider area, which helps to spot any incoming enemy.
The truth is that a high FoV brings both pros and cons.
A high FoV makes targeting more difficult. The wider the FoV, the smaller the enemy on the screen, so you need to be more accurate to hit them. This is not a big deal if you are using only melee weapons, but in Mordhau you can also play as an archer.
A low FoV helps your focus. Everything on the screen is bigger, so it is easier to focus on where you are aiming.
Very-low FoV values can also bring motion sickness and issues in close quarters combat as it is harder to keep a fast-moving target on your screen, while with a high FoV it is simpler to spot and keep track of enemies.
If performance is an issue, be aware that increasing the FoV will impact negatively your fps because your PC must work harder to render more on the screen.
Mordhau uses a vertical Field of View
It is important to point out that in some games (like Overwatch and Apex Legends) the FoV is calculated horizontally, while in others (such as R6: Siege) it is calculated vertically. Do not forget this difference if you are trying to set the same field of view in all your games.
Mordhau uses a vertical field of view based on the 16:9 aspect ratio, which is becoming quite popular in modern games and usually works great also with ultrawide monitors.
130 horizontal FoV is equal to 117 vertical FoV with a 4:3 aspect ratio and to 101 with a 16:9 one.
121 horizontal FoV is equal to 106 vertical FoV with a 4:3 aspect ratio and to 90 with a 16:9 one.
110 horizontal FoV is equal to 94 vertical FoV with a 4:3 aspect ratio and to 78 with a 16:9 one.
Data
I have surveyed 43 players on their Field of View preference in Mordhau. The results are displayed in the graph and table below.
| Field of View | Votes |
|---|---|
| 78 | 5 |
| 85 | 2 |
| 90 | 8 |
| 92 | 3 |
| 93 | 2 |
| 101 | 23 |
Mordhau allows the players to select even a very low FoV of 30 (unplayable :P), but none of the voters went below the default 78 one.
I believe that the percentage of players using a 78 FoV is actually higher worldwide, but I gathered my data in Discord servers with many hardcore gamers who are used to adjust all the game options depending on their needs.
90 is also a popular option, but the overwhelming majority of the players prefers using the maximum FoV.
Many players also complained about the 101 FoV limit, instead I believe the developer did a great job because it helps fighting abuses.
In other medieval games with a very wide FoV (such as Chivalry), you can literally see everything that is happening in a circle around you - especially in third-person view. I believe this tactic should not be available in any fighting game: it gives you a huge advantage as you can run freely without worrying to check your back.
FoV on ultrawide monitors
Mordhau is powered by Unreal Engine 4, and the ultrawide support in this game is flawless. I believe it offers a great immersion, and I wish that more famous online games would provide the same support to us ultrawide gamers.
I play on a 34 inches ultrawide monitor at about 50-60 Centimeters / 1.6-1.9 Feet of distance, so I can share with you my personal experience.
I am very biased toward first-person view because I love the realism it offers. Still, it is necessary to point out that third-person view provides a wider view of your surroundings, which helps if your goal is achieving all the possible advantage.
I most games, I tend to increase or even max out the FoV, but in Mordhau I had to stick with the default 78 value. I tried 90, and indeed it looks better when you are not moving the camera, but I have also detected the fisheye lens effect as soon as I moved on the battlefield. At 101 FoV, it becomes really unbearable with the 21:9 aspect ratio.
The Fisheye effect is a strong visual distortion that in photography is produced with an ultra wide-angle lens. You can occur in it on PC when using a very-high FoV value. Some players tolerate or don’t mind it, others (like me) just can’t stand it :).
FoV at 16:9 and 21:9
Below, you can find images of the same scene at 78, 90, and 101 FoV, both in 16:9 and 21:9 aspect ratio.
The 16.9 monitor is a standard 24 inches one with a resolution of 1920x1080, while the ultrawide one is a 34 inches display that runs at 2560x1080.
I took all the screens in first-person view on the training map.
16:9
21:9
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