Reaction Times: Frame-based Analysis

[EthereaL]

I wanted to clarify the "but I think you can react to it" nonsense that I've been reading lately. This is mostly in regards to any time people claim you need to react to what your opponent does.​

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There are two separate reaction times based on the stimuli provided: Auditory, and Visual. These will be each have their own category. Also, if there are any questions on How to Improve one's reaction time, I will be happy to answer to my fullest capabilities.​

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The following data are listed assuming the frame-counter begins the frame an attack recognizably starts (the visual startup of moves, not the startup itself, which is often a frame or two sooner than the move).​

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The following data assume familiarity with all visual signs of their opponents moves.​

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• "Visual comprehension" is how many frames it takes a player to recognize which move they are seeing.
• "Analysis" is how many frames it takes a player to determine the next best course of action.
• "Execution" is how many frames it takes a player to send the input command to their fingers.
• "Frame of action" is the frame that the reacting player inputs their command.
• "Frames of disadvantage" is how many frames, after the initial movement visibly begins, until the reacting player inputs their command.

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Visual​

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Startle Reaction Time - This is the average time it takes to execute a command to an unexpected visual stimulus. This is the time it takes your eyes to "see" something, send it to the brain, process that image, analyze it, determine which option is appropriate, and then send the command to your body.

Example Situation: There is a lightbulb in front of you. It will flash either green or red. If it flashes green, you clench your left hand. If it flashes red, you clench your right hand. The time it takes you to clench your hand after the light flashes is your SRT.


Fastest Reaction Time: 170 milliseconds.

Visual comprehension: 3 frames.​

Analysis: 6 frames.​

Execution: 2 frames.​

Frame of action: 11.​

Total frame disadvantage: 10 frames.​

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Average Reaction Time: 245 milliseconds.

Visual comprehension: 3 frames.​

Analysis: 10 frames.​

Execution: 2 frames.​

Frame of action: 15.​

Total frame disadvantage: 14 frames.​

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Sub-par Reaction Time: 282 milliseconds

Visual comprehension: 3 frames.​

Analysis: 12 frames.​

Execution: 2 frames.​

Frame of action: 16​

Total frame disadvantage: 15 frames.​

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Impressed Reaction Time - This is the average time it takes to react to an expected visual stimulus with a predetermined response. This is the time it takes for your eyes to see that image, process it, and then send the command to your body.

Example Situation: There is a lightbulb in front of you. It will always flash green. When it flashes, you clench your hands. The time it takes you to clench your hands after the lightbulb flashes is your IRT.


Fastest Reaction Time: 144 milliseconds.

Visual comprehension: 2 frames.​

Analysis: 4 frames.​

Execution: 2 frames.​

Frame of action: 9.​

Total frame disadvantage: 8 frames.​

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Average Reaction Time: 205 milliseconds.

Visual comprehension: 2 frames.​

Analysis: 9 frames.​

Execution: 2 frames.​

Frame of action: 13.​

Total frame disadvantage: 12 frames.​

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Sub-par Reaction Time: 250 milliseconds.

Visual comprehension: 2 frames.​

Analysis: 11 frames.​

Execution: 2 frames.​

Frame of action: 16.​

Total frame disadvantage: 15 frames.​

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Pseudo-Reflexive Reaction Time - This is conditioning the body to respond reflexively to certain visual stimuli, bypassing the conscious thought process. There are no data for average or sub-par reaction with this.

The recent 2004 study conducted by the International Association of Athletics Federation suggests that this amount is limited at slightly above 125 milliseconds.

Fastest Reaction Time: 128 milliseconds.

Visual Comprehension: 2 frames.​

Analysis: 3 frames.​

Execution: 2 frames.​

Frame of action: 8.​

Total frame disadvantage: 7.​

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Auditory​

I'm currently gathering data for this section of the thread. Until specific data are collected, you should know that reaction times to auditory stimuli are typically slightly faster (+/- 13ms within 2 SD) than those with visual stimuli.​

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Update 2/20/2013: Almost finished with the auditory data​

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"Fastest Reaction time" is set 5 standard deviations to the norm (99.99999% inclusion). ​

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"Sub-par Reaction time" is set slightly more than than 1 standard deviation to the norm (slowest 15.2%).​

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[TheCrimsonBlur]

I typically use 14 frames as my benchmark for "can I consistently react to this" when studying frame data.

Expecting to react to anything with a 10 frame or less leeway is extremely unrealistic.

 

[Bones0]

Does anyone know how many frames it takes for the first hit of Fox and Falco's GUAs to come out? I am able to react to it fairly consistently, but I don't know how fast they are.

 

[Cactuar]

I use 14 as well. I like to mess with people and tell them I use 7 though.

 

[TheCrimsonBlur]

Does anyone know how many frames it takes for the first hit of Fox and Falco's GUAs to come out? I am able to react to it fairly consistently, but I don't know how fast they are.

17 or 19 depending on if they're on their stomach or their back

 

[Bones0]

OMG thanks, I've been wanting to find that thread for a while now.

 

[Mahone]

how do i increase my reaction time?

 

[Anand]

how do i increase my reaction time?

This is really easy to do, but I don't think it's very helpful.

More seriously, based on my cursory reading of the OP, perhaps you could improve your reads or train extremely intensely, to try to move things from the first category to the second or third.

 

[EthereaL]

Anand. Take two players. One has a 245 millisecond reaction time, and the other a 200 millisecond reaction time.

If everything else about the players is the same, exactly the same match-up experience, technical skill, controller optimization, stage experience, etc....one player will still be moving three frames faster than the other. In every single exchange.

That is a huge advantage.

The most common issues with reaction time are:

1. Sleep

Sleep (or a lack thereof) is the most common way to improve your reaction time. You should be averaging between 8 and 9 hours of sleep a night. This does not mean that you get great sleep two days before a tournament. It takes a month or two of solid sleeping patterns for it to begin making a difference. Unfortunately, it can only take one day of missing sleep for it to seriously impact reaction times.

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2. Physical health.

Physical fitness is another common way to improve reaction time. The healthier your body, the more efficiency it will operate with. This ranges from a healthy diet to a healthy exercise program. There's a reason that professional Starcraft players spend an hour a day in the gym.

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3. Caffeine.

Caffeine can improve your reaction time. The issue in using it to boost performance temporarily lies in the crash later. However, caffeinated drinks have definitely been proven to bolster reaction time.

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4. Hunger.

A slightly empty stomach can improve reaction time. This is based in mammalian instincts for hunting and predation. This does not mean you should be so hungry that it distracts you, but enough so that your thoughts are clear.
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5. Response framework.

The way you frame your responses in your own mind can also significantly impact your performance. If you think to yourself, "Now!" when your opponent does something, it will slow down your analytic response. In other words, when your mental voice says, "He rolled!", that delays the process of your reaction. Try to bypass this internal confirmation, and react directly to the motion you're waiting for.

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6. Situation recognition.

The more familiar you are with a situation, the faster you can react to it. The data in this thread applies to players who have total familiarity with the moves involved. Without absolute familiarity with the visual start-up animations of every possible move, your reaction time will never be at its peak for Melee.


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[Mahie]

how do i increase my reaction time?

The goal is to create an instinctive response to a visual clue.

To achieve that, you just need to keep on reacting the same way to said clue, for instance, if they tech away and you're marth, you wavedash then grab.

Eventually it'll become a habit, and you'll be able to have a much faster execution because you'll go from

Seeing --> Analyzing --> Deciding --> Executing

to

Seeing --> Analyzing subconsciously --> Executing

or at least that's how it works for me.

 

[Life]

So the voices in my head are slowing my reaction time? Darn, I liked them.

 

[Anand]

Anand. Take two players. One has a 245 millisecond reaction time, and the other a 200 millisecond reaction time.

If everything else about the players is the same, exactly the same match-up experience, technical skill, controller optimization, stage experience, etc....one player will still be moving three frames faster than the other. In every single exchange.

That is a huge advantage.

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I was just making a silly joke because Mahone said "increase" his reaction time, which means making it worse. Great posts though; keep up the good work!

 

[Mahone]

Anand. Take two players. One has a 245 millisecond reaction time, and the other a 200 millisecond reaction time.

If everything else about the players is the same, exactly the same match-up experience, technical skill, controller optimization, stage experience, etc....one player will still be moving three frames faster than the other. In every single exchange.

That is a huge advantage.

The most common issues with reaction time are:

1. Sleep

Sleep (or a lack thereof) is the most common way to improve your reaction time. You should be averaging between 8 and 9 hours of sleep a night. This does not mean that you get great sleep two days before a tournament. It takes a month or two of solid sleeping patterns for it to begin making a difference. Unfortunately, it can only take one day of missing sleep for it to seriously impact reaction times.

​

2. Physical health.

Physical fitness is another common way to improve reaction time. The healthier your body, the more efficiency it will operate with. This ranges from a healthy diet to a healthy exercise program. There's a reason that professional Starcraft players spend an hour a day in the gym.

​

3. Caffeine.

Caffeine can improve your reaction time. The issue in using it to boost performance temporarily lies in the crash later. However, caffeinated drinks have definitely been proven to bolster reaction time.

​

4. Hunger.

A slightly empty stomach can improve reaction time. This is based in mammalian instincts for hunting and predation. This does not mean you should be so hungry that it distracts you, but enough so that your thoughts are clear.
​

5. Response framework.

The way you frame your responses in your own mind can also significantly impact your performance. If you think to yourself, "Now!" when your opponent does something, it will slow down your analytic response. In other words, when your mental voice says, "He rolled!", that delays the process of your reaction. Try to bypass this internal confirmation, and react directly to the motion you're waiting for.

​

6. Situation recognition.

The more familiar you are with a situation, the faster you can react to it. The data in this thread applies to players who have total familiarity with the moves involved. Without absolute familiarity with the visual start-up animations of every possible move, your reaction time will never be at its peak for Melee.


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Only, i am probably the worst smash player alive when it comes to 1

I think im actually pretty good about 5/6, thats not the issue

bad at 2, don't usually do 3, but i could try that, 4 seems not worth it for tournies one way or the other imo, id rather just eat when friends eat or whatever

****, i can't fix 1 easily at all, i was hoping for some cheap way to do it, like stabbing myself in the leg before a match (maybe itd work for the same reason as 4)...

but still thanks for the advice, it was really good

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I was just making a silly joke because Mahone said "increase" his reaction time, which means making it worse. Great posts though; keep up the good work!

oh whoops my bad

 

[EthereaL]

Mahone, hunger does not mean starvation.

Secondly, if you're looking for "cheap" ways of improving your reaction time, i.e. a quick fix, then caffeine and sunlight are your best options. If you're outside in bright sunlight for 30 or so minutes, the influx of vitamin D and bright light should boost you for at least a couple of hours.

 

[Bones0]

Wow, this thread just got even more awesome than before.

 

[-Ran]

If you're chewing on something [gum], it removes your mind's usual process of 'reading aloud' in your brain when it comes to stimuli. This allows for faster reading on the most basic level. Studies also show that it increases reaction time, alertness, heart rate, and reduces your stress levels.

 

[Bones0]

^WTF? That sounds incredible. Is that why people have the tendency to chew on pencils and pens in school? Holy ****, my mind is blown.

 

[TheCrimsonBlur]

If you're chewing on something [gum], it removes your mind's usual process of 'reading aloud' in your brain when it comes to stimuli. This allows for faster reading on the moment basic level. Studies also show that it increases reaction time, alertness, heart rate, and reduces your stress levels.

Woah

I'm really skeptical to say the least but thats interesting for sure

 

[-Ran]

http://ir.tdc.ac.jp/irucaa/bitstream/10130/688/1/1_47.pdf

http://psych.cf.ac.uk/home2/smith/206.pdf

From what I gather:

Chewing increases your blood flow in your brain. The sensation of chewing makes it so you cannot 'talk' so you think with less 'words.' The act of chewing makes your body believe that you are eating, thus a primary contributing factor to stress [hunger] is removed.

 

[Superspright]

It probably works--anecdotally speaking I can attest to it.

 

[EthereaL]

There is not sufficient evidence supporting that the action of chewing gum improves your reaction time as itself. Evidence leans toward any rhythmic, unconscious action doing the same thing.

Also, studies show that the use of chewing gum knowingly as a tool to improve reaction time causes minimal improvement compared to those studies in which the participants had no knowledge of the purpose.

Edit: The arguments for it working make logical sense, but there are little-to-no supporting data.