SoF2 Mouse Settings: Sensitivity, Raw Input and cm/360

For precise aim in Soldier of Fortune II, turn off mouse smoothing and acceleration (m_filter 0, cl_mouseAccel 0), leave m_yaw and m_pitch at 0.022, and pick a sensitivity that turns you about 360° in a comfortable swipe. SoF2 uses the same 0.022 mouse scale as Quake III and Counter-Strike, so at the same mouse DPI, the same sensitivity number turns you the same amount.

The mouse settings that matter

Change them in the console with ~, for example /sensitivity 3. They take effect at once.

Get a raw, one-to-one feel

1. No smoothing: /m_filter 0. Smoothing averages your movement over two frames, which adds a small delay.
2. No acceleration: /cl_mouseAccel 0. With acceleration, a fast flick turns you further than a slow move of the same distance, which makes muscle memory impossible.
3. Turn off Windows’ acceleration too. In Windows, open Mouse settings → Additional mouse settings → Pointer Options and untick Enhance pointer precision.
4. Leave the input method on automatic: /in_mouse -1.
5. Keep free look on: /cl_freelook 1, so the mouse looks up and down.

Choosing a sensitivity

Sensitivity is personal. The default of 5 was set for the low-resolution mice of 2002, and on a modern 800 DPI mouse it’s fast: about 10 cm of movement turns you a full circle. Lower values make small adjustments easier, which suits rifles and the sniper rifle. Higher values make quick turns easier in close-quarters fights.

A good way to compare is cm/360: how far you move the mouse to turn a full circle.

counts for 360° = 360 ÷ (sensitivity × m_yaw)
cm/360          = counts for 360° ÷ DPI × 2.54

Most experienced shooter players use somewhere between 20 and 45 cm/360. If you’re new to it, start around 30 cm and adjust in small steps.

Copy your sensitivity from another game

Quake III, Quake Live, Counter-Strike (1.6, Source, CS:GO and CS2) and most Quake-engine games use the same 0.022 degrees per mouse count as SoF2. At the same DPI, your sensitivity from those games gives exactly the same turn in SoF2. Just copy the number.

For other games, work out your cm/360 there and use the formula above to find the matching SoF2 value.

DPI and polling rate

• DPI: 400, 800 and 1600 all work well. Set the DPI in your mouse’s software, then adjust sensitivity to match.
• Polling rate: 500 or 1000 Hz is ideal. Very high polling rates (4000 Hz and above) can make some older games stutter. If SoF2 stutters only when you move the mouse, try 1000 Hz.

Inverted mouse

To invert up and down, make m_pitch negative: /m_pitch -0.022. Change it back with /m_pitch 0.022.

Save it in your config

// Mouse: raw and unaccelerated
seta sensitivity "3"
seta m_filter "0"
seta cl_mouseAccel "0"
seta m_yaw "0.022"
seta m_pitch "0.022"
seta in_mouse "-1"
seta cl_freelook "1"

Put it in autoexec.cfg in your base folder, with your own sensitivity. If the mouse feels wrong only on Windows 10 or 11, see SoF2 on Windows 10 and 11.

Frequently asked questions

What’s a good sensitivity for SoF2?

Most players are comfortable with 20 to 45 cm of mouse movement for a full turn. At 800 DPI that’s a sensitivity of about 1.2 to 2.5, and at 400 DPI about 2.3 to 5.

Is SoF2 sensitivity the same as CS?

Yes. Both use a yaw of 0.022, so at the same DPI the same sensitivity number turns you the same amount.

How do I turn off mouse acceleration in SoF2?

Set cl_mouseAccel 0 in the console, and untick Enhance pointer precision in Windows’ mouse settings.

How do I invert the mouse in SoF2?

Set m_pitch to a negative value: /m_pitch -0.022.