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Frame Data Trainer (12.08.03)
Campbell "Buktooth" Tran
This guide is intended for advanced level play. If anything here is unclear
because of my terminology or notation, ask somebody on the forums here at
Video Opera.
Preface
The use of frame data in guides has been an increasing trend in fighting games
as of late. A guide with complete frame data listings can be an incredibly
convenient tool to the experienced gamer, as they can tell at a glance what or
what isn't possible: possible link combos, which moves are punishable after
blocking them, and even formulate strategies around exploiting a move's frame
advantage/disadvantage.
Disturbingly, there is also an equally increasing trend of gamers misreading
the information given to them in these guides. This often causes them to come
to false conclusions, which they spread to the general fighting game public.
In turn, the public takes this new "information" and promptly starts forming
strategies around inaccurate assumptions, resulting in tactics that don't even
work.
To help prevent such misuse of information (and also because I'm getting
increasingly tired of answering mundane frame data questions on AIM and on
forums), I've whipped together a quick little guide on the basics of frame
data.
An important point to remember: This guide is NOT game-specific. The
information and even general strategies contained within on using frame data
applies to pretty much every major fighting game I can think of. However, since
I happen to specialize in CvS2, most of my examples will be from that
particular game. I did try to throw in an odd reference to a different game
here and there, though.
What is a Frame?
A frame is a unit of time that is used in video games, among other things. Most
modern fighting games run at 60 frames a second. If you do the math, then 1
frame is the same as 1/60th of a second.
A good guide will break down almost everything possible in a fighting game into
quantifyable frame data that you can use. However, the bulk of most any
guide that contains frame data will be dedicated to one thing: attacks.
Attacks
An attack is divided up into 3 portions, which I call start-up, impact and
recovery.
Start-Up: Also known as "EX" or "execution". How long it takes the move to
reach the first "Impact" frame (description below). A move with a start-up time of 10
frames will never hit before the 10th frame. Less start-up time is generally
better, since less start-up time means a faster move. Faster generally means more
priority as long as the move makes contact with the opponent's body. Put CvS2's
Kyosuke right next to the lovable Sagat, have Kyosuke do a low short, and at the exact
same time have Sagat do a low fierce. Kyosuke's low short executes in 3 frames, Sagat's
dreaded low fierce executes in 7. Kyosuke wins every single time, guaranteed, as Sagat
never even gets the chance to fully stick his fist out.
Active Frames: Also known as "AC". How long the move has an active hitbox for. In
other words, how meaty the move can be. Don't know what meaty means? As an exaggerated example,
CvS2's Bison can knock you down, then do a low roundhouse slide really early over the
opponent's body. When the opponent gets up, they still have to block the tail
end of the slide because its active frame window is tremendously long. An important
thing to remember is that whatever active time is remaining after the move
makes contact with the opponent is instantly converted to recovery time for
single-hit moves. To use Bison's slide as another example: the slide has an
active time of 35 frames. If Bison were to slide right next to a blocking
opponent he would hit on the first possible active frame. Since the slide is a
single hit move and that one hit is now used up, the remaining 34 active
frames of the slide get converted into recovery time in addition to the normal
recovery time of the move.
Recovery: Also known as "RE". Once the active portion of the move is over, how
long the move takes to put you back into a neutral state where you're able to move again. The
recovery time of the move, if you will. Remember, once the move makes contact
with the opponent, whatever impact time is remaining gets added to the recovery
time. Recovery time by itself is generally a meaningless number unless the
move is whiffed. You could have a million recovery frames, but if the move
gives a +10 frame advantage, you'll still recover 10 frames before your
opponent. If you whiff the move entirely, however, your opponent now has a full
million frames to punish you.
To put it all together, let's take Bison's jab Psycho Crusher as an example.
The point where Bison crouches a little and chambers his hand before flying out
is his start-up time. The whole portion of the move where he's spinning and on
fire are the active frames. The portion where he's coming down and lands on the
ground is the recovery time.
Page 2: Frame Advantage/Disadvantage and Frame Data Usage >>
Discussion Thread >>
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