American Shogtun Syndrome, more commonly known as "ASS!" is the problem built into many multiplayer games to do with lag. This term was originally coined specifically for First-Person Shooter games, but in
time has been used for any multiplayer game with similar problems.
ASS occurs when one user, for example from Europe, plays against an American
player on an American server. The American
player will be able to walk upto the European
player, take aim and shoot them in the face with a shotgun at point-blank range to kill them instantly. The European
player, suffering from a higher latency will see the American
player where he was a second ago, then simply see this as being killed instantly by a shotgun from around 20 metres away, sometimes around a corner or after scoring a headshot or melee kill on said American
player.
At the same time, when a European
player tries to get up close, aim and get a shot to the head at point blank range against an american player, they may actaully be shooting at where the American player was a second ago, and either do much reduced damage or miss altogether.
When a player suffers from this occurrence, they are often know to disclaim "ASS!"- as they have fallen victim to the effects of American Shotgun Syndrome.
That guy killed me with his
shotgun after I hit him in the face with my plasma sword! ASS!
Ugh, I don'
t want to play this game, it suffers too much from American
Shotgun Syndrome... Yeah, it reeks of ASS.