Is there a way to train reaction time?

[sml411]

Is there a way to get better reaction time or ppl are bound to havethe same one, which only gets worse while getting older?

I usually have around 200ms but for my total happyness i would wish 175ms or lower.

I'm not sure if anybody answered this to your satisfaction. IMHO, yes we are born with our god given speed or reaction time. And yes it all gets worse as we age. So a raw number reaction time of seeing something on the screen and the time for your index finger to press are set and will diminish. That being said all other things can be increased or bettered through practice and basically voiding the speed delta of your opponent. You've been playing long enough to already know that.

[quakestreme]

this reaction test is flawed in my opinion
- same intervals before it turns green every time (so you're able to predict the moment it changes color)

If this is the same benchmark reaction time test I'm thinking of, yes. It's meant to be different times, but what will happen is either it will turn in exactly about 2.5 seconds or else be delayed a bit longer. The majority of the time it's that same interval. It's ridiculous.

- possible interference from slow flash-plugin (40 or 60 fps refresh max; aero influences lag there too)

This is almost definitely the case, flash is not designed for accuracy. Also your monitor is 120Hz and another is 60Hz, that's another 8ms difference right there. Someone has their USB polling rate at 125Hz? Another 7ms vs someone who has it clocked at 1000Hz.

[xdc]

this chimp has 20ms reaction time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTgeL...feature=fvwrel

[insect]

this chimp has 20ms reaction time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTgeL...feature=fvwrel

and here's the test
http://games.lumosity.com/chimp.html

[quakestreme]

That's not a test for 20ms, those are flashed for like 200ms and it's only a few numbers that are flashed.. not ten. They showed recently that the chimps can do a lot better than that.

[*kadle]

- possible interference from slow flash-plugin

This is almost definitely the case, flash is not designed for accuracy.

This is not correct. AFAIK quakelive does not require any flash-plugin/aero at all. I have played quakelive regularly with no flash/aero installed. The site requires a flash plugin for "full" functionality (commercials?), but the game client doesn't. Disable flash in your browser to verify.

Some people also write that the reaction time can't be improved. This is also incorrect. Experiments show that the reaction time can be improved to a certain point - you are not automatically at your "reaction-time-max", it requires practice for each activity involving reaction time. I assume that the OP thinks that he hasn't reached his max, and asks for advice on how to do so. The best advice is prediction and practice IMHO.

EDIT: Some poster (one?) wrote some wrong information about the chimp experiments too. The experiments I've read about are conducted like this:
1) The chimp is shown 9 (or 10) numbers for a tenth of a second. Then the digits are replaced by filled rectangles.
2) The chimp (after being conditioned) correctly memorizes all the digits shown, and can select them in order. I can't remember the speed with which the chimp selects the digits, but it does it faster than a human.

Best Regards
Kadle

[Lorfa]

This is not correct. AFAIK quakelive does not require any flash-plugin/aero at all.

They were talking about those online reaction tester proggies.

[Blam_blam]

www.lumosity.com <-- there is the way

[pall]

Yep.
Reaction time is what you born with, its like color of your eyes.
Good players have 170+ reaction time (I analyzed their demos by tech means) and their great skill is just a prediction and manner they use their weapons.
They all have or 0ms input lag monitor or maybe 12-15ms. So, add 15 ms to 170 you will get your average 185ms in best case.
If you look at their lg and wonder how good can they lead the target, don't! There is no miracle there - they just KNOW where the target goes in next moment, so they just correct their aim accordingly.
Aiming in game is not just stupidly following the target (but I personally like it, lol ), but feeling the target near you, feeling the space, distances and movements of other players.
So, if you already got your 30 acc with lg and mg in duels (or 35 in ffa), then just try to think about other things to improve and not reaction time.
IMHO

[*kadle]

A lot of people are claiming that your max-reaction time is something you are born with. What are your sources?

Best Regards
Kadle