The Frame Advantage blog

Frame Data - Part 3

2010-05-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

Comboing and Blockstrings

Let's take a look at some frame data for Ryu, a snippit from eventhubs.

Let's look at the close light punch. As you can see, each field is filled in with a value. Generally, 3 frames for startup is relatively quick, and is the same speed for a throw in this game. It actively his for 3 frames, and takes 6 frames to recover. Simple so far right?

Frame advantage on block and on hit aren't too bad - but how did they get to those numbers?

Both sets of frame advantage fields are actually calculated by the hit and blockstun values, as shown below.

Frame Advantage on block is calculated as:

Block Stun - Recovery - (Active - 1)

10 - 6 - (3 - 1) = + 2

Frame Advantage on Hit is Calculated as:

Hit Stun - Recovery - (Active - 1)

13 - 6 - (3 - 1) = + 5

The (Active - 1) Assumes you hit on the first frame - if you hit on the last hit frame, you can actually have even more frame advantage! This is the SAME as hitting on the last frame of Startup!

Now Let's take a look at some link combos. A very common one with Ryu is the Cr. Med Punch, Cr. Med Punch, Cr. Roundhose. This is a link combo with strict timing - but why is it so strict?

Let's take a look at the move properties:

Cr. Med. Punch:
Startup: 4 Hit: 4 Recovery: 8 FAB: +2 FAH: +5 BS: 13 HS: 16

Cr. RoundHouse
Startup: 5 Hit: 4 Recovery: 28 FAB: -14 FAH: - BS: 17 HS: -

So if you start with a medium punch we get the calculation similar to above (we are looking at frame advantage to combo:

Frame Advantage on Hit = 16(hitstun) - 8(Recovery) - (4(Active) - 1) = + 5
So after doing a c. Medium punch, we are left free at +5 while the opponent is still in hit stun. So we input another c. Medium Punch, which takes 4 frames to start up. One thing to note here - look We have 5 frames, and it takes 4 frames, leaving one frame of error in this combo!

So again, Frame Advantage on Hit = 16(hitstun) - 8(Recovery) - (4(Active) - 1) = + 5
And we are left at +5 again. Now look at how many frames the sweep starts up!

The Sweep Starts up in 5 Frames, and we have 5 frames to do it. There is how that combo works.

Now lets take a look at an example where something looks like it combos, but it actually has a large hole in its blockstun that you can be hit out of. "Block Strings" are sets of moves similar to combos that put the opponent in a state of blockstun where they cannot mash any attacks. This is to apply pressure to the opponent and attempt to give you an opening to attack when they don't block in the correct direction.

A common one that is used with Ryu is c. LP, c. LP, c. MP, Fireball.

C. Light Punch

Startup: 3 Active : 3 Recovery: 6 FAB: +2 FAH: +5 BS: 10 HS: 13

So after 1 c. LP, you are at +2, and another light punch takes 3 frames (its startup). So as you make the next jab, your opponent has only 1 frame to get an attack out before your attack comes out! The math works out like this: (+2 FA - 3 frame startup of jab = -1 Frames) Since very few attacks come out that quickly, even uppercuts (which are 3 frames) will not come out. It is pretty lenient on timing, so 1 or 2 frames later your opponent still has to put out a perfectly timed 3 frame attack.

However, when you try to use c. MK to continue your block string, you will see that this block string has a large hole in it. C. MK needs 5 frames to start up, and you were left at +2 after two blocked c. LP's. Now, +2 - 5 Frame Startup leaves you at -3 IF you time it perfectly. Which means an attack from them with a 3 frame startup, even mashed during their blockstun will come out and hit you.

So be careful with fake blockstrings!

Frame Data - Part 2

2010-04-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

Fighting games have some special cases that really aren't explained too well, so I have included them in my discussion of frame data as they will be of great importance later.

A combo is defined as a series of attacks, which, after the first hit is unblockable to the opponent if the timing, hit boxes, and spacing is correct. Several terms are used in the fighting game community, and aren't always explained very well. Those words are Cancel, Link, Chains(Target combos).

Cancel: A cancel is an effect that makes your first move's recovery cancel into another move (which usually combos, except for the case of a super jump cancel). A very well known cancel is Ryu/ken's ability to cancel from a crouching med. kick into a fireball. If you watch closely, you see a med. kick come out, and when it is supposed to recover, you see the beginning of the fireball animation. Most combos that use special moves cancel into another move, in addition to the fact that many normals cancel into special moves (i.e. a fireball, shoryuken, tatsu, etc). With a cancel you can begin the motion for the next move within the startup and active frames of that move. For example, when you do a crouching Med. kick into fireball, you start be hitting down and med. kick, then you start doing the fireball motion while the med. kick is still out. Then you hit punch, and the fireball cancels the recovery of the med. kick.

Rapid-fire Cancel: An addendum to cancels is the Rapid fire cancel. 3 crouching light punches with Ryu/Ken/Akuma can be done slower or faster and both will still combo, but only the slower one will allow you to cancel the last light punch into another move. This is because 3 quick punches are rapid fire cancels, which allow you to do them fast and combo them, but not have any follow up.

Link: A link is different from a cancel as you have to wait until the move has recovered before you can input the next move. In Street fighter 4, there are a lot of combos that use this. Ryu's ability to do c. Med. Punch, c. Med. Punch, c. Roundhouse is dependant on the move properties and their ability to link. As you do one medium punch, you must wait for the recovery of that move to end (at which you can do anything at that point) and then input the next move, and then wait for its recovery. The reason it actually combos is because the frame advantage left after you recovered before your opponent actually allows you to do another move.

A good example is looking at an older street fighter's example. In Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, some characters had the ability to do an overhead into a super - Ken and Chun-Li to be specific. When they did their overheads, they had to wait until the move had hit and recovered, and then very quickly did the motion for the super. Because of this strict and unusual timing, some people just considered it a "late" super, but in reality the move properties don't support a cancel. The frame advantage left by the hit stun allows you to get another move in.

P-Link: P-Linking or "Plinking" is a technique to ease the strict timing of links. What you essentially do is hit your attack, followed by the lighter version of the attack milliseconds later. So if you use medium punch, you press medium punch, and light punch very quickly after. When heard to the ear, it sounds like a double tap. This only works for attacks that are higher than the lightest attack - you cannot plink a light punch or kick.

Chains: Chains are an interesting topic, as they are specialized combos that only work for a specific character using the character's normal attacks. Ken in both Street Fighter 3 and 4 has had the same target combo, med. punch to heavy punch. This is more well known as the "Strong Fierce" target combo, and is usually followed by an uppercut (cancelled from the Fierce). Another example with the release of Super is Ibuki, who's playstyle is predominately target combos.

Chains, as I said above, are character specific. So if you try to use Ken's Strong Fierce target combo with Ryu, it won't work. Chains also operate as a form of cancelable normals that combo. You are cancelling the recovery of one normal into another normal. Target Combos are usually listed in the command list for Street Fighter 4.

Frame Data - Part 1

2010-04-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

The origin of frame data (as the name implies) is from taking a frame by frame analysis of moves in a fighting game. So, for a lot of current games like SF4, the game runs at 60 Frames per second. You take a move, such as a jab, and count the frames it takes to start up, how many it takes to hit, and how many it takes to recover. Then you see how it affects the opponent - when does it hit? how long are they hit for? When you compare these to another character, it defines how your character will "play" in the game.

For the sake of analysis, I'll be describing frame data using Street Fighter 4 (mostly because of its popularity and availibility).

Let's Start with the terminology that will be used to describe frame data.

Each move has a set of fields that describe its properties, and they go as follows.

Startup: The startup of a move is how fast a certain attack comes out before it can hit an opponent. Startup data also describes what can link from one move to another.

Active: Active frames describes how long a move actually hits for, and is a big part of how "meaty" attacks work.

Recover: Recovery frames are how long after hitting the opponnent (i.e. startup+active) that the move recovers for you to go back to neutral or to have another move come out.

Total: The total frames are the full count of frames that a move has, from start to finish.

Frame Advantage Block: This describes how long a person is in blockstun after they are hit with your move. If it is +, then you recover before they do, and if it is - then they recover first.

Frame Advantage Hit: Same as above, except for on hit. This sometimes is part of the calculation to tell if something can combo or link, as the opponent is in hit stun for these frames.

Blockstun: During this amount of frames, the opponent cannot get out of the block animation. (On block by opponent)

Hitstun: During this amount of frames, the opponent cannot get out of the hit animation. (On hit by opponent)

Damage: This is the amount of damage a move has. If it has multiple hits, an asterik is used. If the attack has early and late damage, you see parenthesis.

Stun: This describes the amount of stun a move makes to get a character to the dizzy state. Usually Medium or heavy moves do more stun, but there are some special moves that will induce more stun than damage as well.

Meter Gain: In SF4, your super meter will gain if you do special moves. This field shows the amount gained on hit or block of the move. Usually this is described by Hit/Block int the field.

Block: Describes if it can be blocked High or Low, i.e. stand block or crouch block. If it can be blocked by both, it is labeled "HL"

Cancel Ability: Shows moves that can be canceled out of their recovery frames. Moves will say either C,Sp, or Su (referencing eventhubs frame data).

C stands for Chain, Sp is Special, Su is Super. More on this later.

Now that we've gone over the basic terminology, lets go over some of the special cases and some basic calculations of how frame data works.

An Introduction to Frame Data

2010-04-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

If you have been playing fighting games for a while, or you are moderately new to it, you have most likely heard people referring to "Frame Data". What exactly is it? Why is it important? What does it tell you? Why do so many people in the Fighting game community talk about it and reference it?

To remove the mystery of frame data, I'll be writing several articles on what frame data is, what it affects, and how to use it. In order to become a better fighting game player, you need to take advantage of frame data and make it your own.

When you make an attack, what dictates if you will be counter hit by the opponent? How do you know when things link or combo? How do you know how difficult a combo's timing is? Every fighting game has a system in which it defines your attack's properties. How fast is your roundhouse? How fast can you recover to make another move following it? The code written by that game programmer dictates how that character "feels" and "plays" in the game.

In addition to knowing your character's frame data, what happens when you understand your opponent's? It allows you to know what is safe and unsafe about your opponent's attacks - giving you the upper hand in the battle. Knowing their data limits their options and opens up your options.

Let's get started on the subject.

Arcade UFO's latest Tournament trailer!

2010-02-16T18:35:00.000-08:00

So... I spent this past Sunday helping film the most hype tournament trailer for our arcade, which will happen this coming Saturday. But doesn't the trailer seem awfully familiar?
More after the jump...

Oh yeah! That video. We took great lengths to make this video as representative as possible of Level Up's. I have no clue what will come up next, but I'm sure we'll be doing more or these fun videos more often.

Akuma/Gouki Combo Expo video

2009-10-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

This video shows some viable combos that can be used in matches - taken from a link in the shoryuken forums!

Training mode's uses

2009-10-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

After spending quite a bit of time in the arcade and practicing at home, a couple new developments have come up since that time. First of all, training mode has a few neat features to get a player up to speed in any game.

For SF4 in particular, you can use these ideas, but it transfers over to any other fighting game.

-Watch the " X hit combo" text that pops up after you do a set of attacks. That tells you if you have executed the combo time correctly. If you haven't, it will show a smaller hit combo than you anticipated. Any missed frames in that combo means that somebody can reversal you, so keep that combo hit reading handy.

-Each of the blocking modes is important. Auto block will tell you if you missed a combo, because the CPU will start blocking as soon as you missed one of the hit timings. Random block is a new one that I found that lets you do some interesting work - Hit confirms. Because it blocks randomly, you have to make sure something hits before continuing your combo, or if you do a follow up move, or if you will back off and block. This also allows you to practice execution in that any time you get an opening, you bank on it. Any let go opportunity can very likely mean a loss in a match.

-Finding hit priorities and quirks about the game are pivotal in training mode. Does this normal beat out this special attack? Can I jump to avoid the ultra/super? Will this EX attack beat out this ultra? Training mode helps with finding these things out.

-Execution, execution, execution. You CANNOT play mind games without having decent execution to go along with it - and winning in fighting games is heavily dependent on it. Practicing execution in training mode and/or casuals is a must.

The Final Product: Arcade UFO TE Stick!

2009-10-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest work: The Arcade UFO Stick!

It's a 360 TE stick with an MC Cthulhu and PS2 via the ethercon connector. The back button is now wired to "turbo".

A view of the internals

A view of the Ethercon Mod.

Modding a Madcatz TE Stick for all consoles - for a pro player

2009-09-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

I have been tasked with creating a Modded Madcatz TE stick to work with 360, PS3, and PS2. This means cables that will work for each of them as well. I am creating a custom Arcade UFO themed stick for Fubarduck, the co-owner of Arcade UFO. This stick must be a LOT cleaner than my previous test build, and in addition it must have a lot more options added to it that are meant for Tournament use.

This means:

-A switch for PS3/360 Selection. No Imp switch, as he needs to know for sure that he's on a specific console.

-no 4th column buttons. Easy modification with panel plugs.

-An MC Cthulhu. Allows for PS3, and PS2 compatibility for 3rd Strike.

-A ethercon port for PS2 cables. Strong, Small, and easily serviced.

Notice the layout differences from my previous build.

Unopened backplate as well; all wires routed from TOPSIDE and serviced through the top.

Notice how the wires are organized, ziptied, and put away. Makes for a cleaner build.

Updates on the PS2 ethercon port later this week.

Modding a Madcatz TE 360 Stick for PS3

2009-08-08T15:20:00.000-07:00

So I set out on modding my TE 360 stick to PS3 (I actually play more on PS3, but I bought this stick intentionally to dual mod.)

*Warning* this will VOID your Warranty!

I achieved this entire mod with 24 gauge wire, a DPDT switch, and Toodles' Chtulhu board. Time: 3 Hours.

My Process:

I started with tapping the wires from the buttons off of the quick disconnects. You can actually move up the heat shrink, solder it to the back of the disconnect, and put the sleeve back over - seamless and clean.

I then moved to the main board, cutting the USB cable. Notice here that I connected Purple and grey to the Green and White of the USB cable, and the Green and white off of the board goes to the switch so that I can switch between 360 and PS3. The Red cable obviously is the USB power line. The ground on the USB has been reconnected to ground on the main board. Notice also that I have tapped the Joystick cable's wires from below, and those cables go to the backside with the Cthulhu. I had to remove the main board's screws to get to the underside though. Remember to heatshrink everything to avoid shorts.

Here is some detail on the wiring for the switching setup. As you may remember, the purple and grey are paired with the white and green going to the USB from the Xbox Board, and the yellow and green go to the Cthulhu's USB output. The DPDT switch has been drilled to fit on the inside of the cable storage compartment, as it is less visible there. In addition, note the wiring on the harness to the left of the switch. This is where the Guide and turbo buttons are, as well as some of the power harnesses. I used that node as the main place to wire both the 360 and Cthulhu power rails, as well as ground. The green wire leaving that is actually the 360 guide button, which is tied to the "Home" button on the Cthulhu.

Notice here that all the wires come to the centralized position through the button spaces. I know this isn't the cleanest, but I am waiting for some PCB standoffs in the mail, so this is a temporary solution. I know it is kind of ironic that I took the time to make the wiring before this neat, only to leave the board that it sits on messy, but it's anchored down well. Two zipties secure it until those standoffs arrive in the mail.

Here you can see my switch placement. Switch down is now PS3, switch up is 360. No more whining about which console and having to bring two fightsticks!

A view of the entire mod from the top side.

Another Angle

Hope this page is of some use to those of you who don't want to buy two TE sticks for competition. Save that money and get one stick with a modification! I'll be adding custom art and paint later on, so stay tuned. Questions? Email me at dcltechnology (at) gmail (dotcom)

From Scrub to Seasoned Player

2009-08-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of gamers like me that missed out on the past 2 decades of Street Fighter. For us, Street Fighter 4 was our first Street Fighter game - so there is a lot of catching up on concepts and habits that seasoned players have. Execution, mindgames, and fundamentals are things that have to be practiced and learned over time. Many players are frustrated by the experience level of other gamers, and it can be really detrimental to their progress. So how do go from Scrub to Seasoned? Here are my thoughts and experiences on how I've been progressing in fighting games.

1) Play and experiment as much as you wish; getting used to the environment, speed, and flow of the game are just as important to mindgames and fighting game experience. This is the first step to getting your fundamentals on Street Fighter 4. The speed of Street Fighter 4 is a bit faster than Street fighter 2 and 3, so getting used to the speed of the game is important.

2) Training mode is your friend. This is your best chance to practice things such as execution, and figure out how certain attacks work. Although the Arcades are great, it is quite expensive to learn these things wasting a dollar per game. The arcade is for experience against competitive human players. It's hard to practice mindgames and match stress in training mode where nothing is happening.

3) Play against human players as much as possible rather than against the computer. The computer can't compete against broken code, and it won't let you progress because human players notice things about your play-style and adjust their strategy. Even better is to play next to someone - it allows you to occasionally watch your opponent and read their strategy. Xbox live and PSN are great, but if you can't take hype, pressure, and sh*t talking from the guy next to you, you'll fall apart pretty quickly. Human players can bring out your bad habits and things you need to work on as they try to exploit YOU as much as possible.

4) Watch match videos during your spare time when you can't play. This allows you to see what tricks the competition is using, as well as their methods, bad habits, and execution. The videos are all over youtube, and streams from EVO and Devastation are pretty easy to find as well. However, this DOESN'T replace actually practicing the game, so don't depend on it as your "practice". It becomes "Theory fighter" if you do.

5) Study the game mechanics and Frame data. Even though people call this "Theory Fighter", it is just as important to Zoning, and the fundamentals of Street Fighter. Zoning, Mixups, and Resets have their basis from Theory Fighter, so don't count it out. Understanding hit priority, safe and unsafe attacks on block, and even the characteristics of the characters' attacks makes you have an upper hand when placed against someone of an equal skill level, so why the hell not have it? A good example of this is David Sirlin's knowledge of the SF2 game - his knowledge usually lands him in the top 8. Ed Ma is considered a Street Fighter 4 scientist, and his knowledge of the game is visible in his matches as well as on Gootecks' podcast and Street Fighter Secrets CD. A combination of this knowledge and good playing ability will make you a formidable opponent.

6) Play on an Arcade stick. A key to playing well is to use what the tournament standard is - the arcade hardware. Even then, executing any of the more complex moves and combos are ridiculously hard without it. Going from Scrub to Seasoned for me couldn't have happened without it. Also, if you own a stick turn off the last 2 right buttons (that are usually a different color) so that there are only 3 x 2 buttons. This is the tournament format, and the arcade setup.

7) Practice Practice Practice! Nothing beats out hours you put into the game. Learn from your mistakes, and listen to others when they talk about the way you play.

Hopefully this helps if you were a struggling gamer like me.

-David

Akuma/Gouki

2009-08-06T19:59:00.000-07:00

Stamina: 850

Akuma is one of the most powerful shoto characters in Street Fighter, and in Street fighter 4, he is no joke. He has a diverse moveset, hard hitting combos, great mixups, and a teleport to go along with all of this. However, you cannot blindly play Akuma like Ryu or Ken. His low health makes you change up the way you play him, because mistakes are punished with big damage to Akuma. You will commonly see players turtling with Akuma for this very reason, as the Japanese Player Momochi has shown. However, there are many players that play him completely different and are more aggressive in their play style. Edma's Akuma is a completely different beast then Momochi, as you will see him using mixups off of the demon flip more than anyone else as of right now. Hsien's Akuma is where I think Akuma players should be going to. Exploiting Akuma's mix-ups and high damage while playing safe with his footsies.

His Normal and special moves will be analyzed at the bottom of this post, with character notes before it.

Character notes:

Akuma's standing roundhouse/HK is one of the most unique roundhouses in the game. Where as some characters have a 2 hit roundhouse (i.e. sagat or vega(claw)), Akuma's roundhouse hits twice and moves him forward very quickly at the same time. On most characters this will break focus, giving them less options to use. Depending on how close the attack hits, you can link off of the Roundhouse with a crouching jab or strong, or even get a Shoryuken in if they are close. You can even use this attack to Kara Demon, or for spacing purposes.

Akuma's Demon Flip, executed by a shoryuken motion with a kick, allows for a series of mixup games which are the core of Akuma's gameplay. This attack Launches Akuma into the air with a modified arc with a selectable distance (based on which kick button) and gives him a palm attack, a dive kick attack, and a throw. Left neutral he goes for a low kick. During play, his demon flip can be mistaken for a normal jump in, adding to the mixup. His palm attack has a quick execution and quick recovery, stuffs a LOT of attacks and even breaks focus. You can also use this as a canceling move, because it recovers quickly - giving you access to throws, low short/forward links, and safe jump-ins to bait out attacks. His dive kick changes the trajectory of his jump, and can lead into other quick executed attacks because of its frame advantage on hit. The throw is great as it cannot be teched, and is very commonly seen after an air fireball or link into the demon flip for a mixup. The EX version can go through certain attacks and homes in on the opponent, usually ensuring a throw if done correctly.

Akuma's LK tatsu is different from Ken's and Ryu's. Although his LK will execute a knockdown, it tosses the opponent in the air instead of horizontally, giving access to his three hit HP/Fierce Shoryuken. The ability to link this attack is the basis of his bread and butter combo - Crouching HP ->LK Tatsu -> HP Shoryuken.

Akuma has a non-EX knockdown fireball with 1,2, or 3 hits depending on the punch. Because of its recovery time, you'll see it at full screen fireball wars, and at the end of a FADC Shoryuken for added damage. It can give Zangeif a headache as it makes his banishing flat useless in a match.

Akuma's Teleport is one of the most important concepts to his playstyle - Do your damage and get out. He has 4 teleports; A long teleport forwards and backwards, as well as a short teleport backwards and forwards. It is executed by using the Shoryuken motion with three punches for the long version (reverse the shoryuken direction for backward), and three kicks for the short version. It can get you out of corner traps, Ultras, Zangeif Wakeup games, and many other difficult situations. However, remember to not abuse it because people may sweep you on your recovery or punish you with some damaging combo if they can read the teleport.

Akuma's Super and Ultra are the notorious Raging Demon. Both attacks are grabs, and deal decent damage if they connect. However, because he moves across the screen before he grabs, he can be knocked out of the attack - which is why there are super and ultra setups. Most of the time you use it to punish whiffed attacks, as a sort of anti - air (not always dependable), and after a successful focus attack/dizzy. In addition, since the games release new things have been found out about the Raging Demon attack itself. It can be short executed by holding Down+back, jab,jab, and back+Fierce+Short (DB, LP,LP,B+HP+LK). Or holding back, and then hitting down+back. This trick was first reported on the Gootecks podcast with fubarduck. In addition, the Kara demon has carried over from 3rd Strike, and is done by canceling his overhead attack (-> + MP) into the Super/Ultra. This is done by holding forward, and then hitting LP+MP, LP+MP, then Forward+down+HP+LK. This looks like he is executing the overhead, causing them to block. Then it cancels into the super, with a 1 frame startup (No attack is 1 frame in the game!! So auto connect if you are close). Or, instead of Forward+down, hit back or down+back and get the ultra version of it. Note because of the 5 frame startup, they may be able to get out of it, depending on what character they are. A newer version of this demon cancels the standing roundhouse into the demon, moving you close to your opponent. This is executed similarly, but instead of MP, you hit HK.

The Frame Advantage blog's plan

2009-07-23T20:59:00.001-07:00

So what I plan to do with this blog is to do a character by character move analysis versus other characters - i.e. Akuma's standing light jab vs Balrog's normals and specials, etc. Each page should have frame data and analysis of what priority the move has over other attacks. I know it seems daunting and ambitious, but I'd like to follow in Edma's shoes of being a Street fighter scientist without being too much of a a "theory fighter".

Street Fighter 4 is my FIRST fighting game, and so it's been quite a learning experience with the concept of mix ups, mind games, spacing, and frame and priority data. That's why I'm going to try to share my findings with everybody else.

So wish me luck on this project!

My Tutorial Video for Modding a Madcatz SE Fightstick to full Sanwa

2009-07-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

Here's my video on fully modding out a SE stick with the arcade parts.