Thunder is supposed to come after lightning.

We perceive thunder to come after lightning because light travels faster than sound, yet in many games as well as movies and television shows they sync up perfectly. I know it's probably better for a cinematic effect to do it that way, but it's always bothered me. The only game I've noticed that does it correctly is Grand Theft Auto IV. Does anyone know of another game that does it properly?

Never really though about it that way but you're right. It seems to be there for dramatic effect though, just like you said. Movies and television also do the same thing.

If the lightning strikes close to a person (within a mile or so I think), the boom would be nearly immediately.  So it's not like there's always a huge pause.

I think that Bad Company 2 had significant "KRAKA-THOOM!" delay with it's thunder in that segment where you had to snipe guys, but I'm not sure. I haven't played the campaign in a while.

That's an interesting observation. I think they do it right in Deadly Premonition. I doubt it considering the quality of the game but I can't tell since I don't own it. Anyone willing to verify this?

Yeah, and it actually served the gameplay because you'd get ready when you saw the flash and could wait for the sound to fire.

" If the lightning strikes close to a person (within a mile or so I think), the boom would be nearly immediately.  So it's not like there's always a huge pause. "

Somehow I thought this would be about Dell Phones. They have a storm theme in naming, though I dunno if any are called thunder or lightning. I'm gonna say probably.

Maybe the dramatic cutscene just always happens to take place in the heart of the storm, and the lightning is hitting fairly close by?  Seems like that would fit, if a game is trying to be dramatic... even though it's become horribly cliche.