• Welcome to Smashboards, the world's largest Super Smash Brothers community! Over 250,000 Smash Bros. fans from around the world have come to discuss these great games in over 19 million posts!

    You are currently viewing our boards as a visitor. Click here to sign up right now and start on your path in the Smash community!

Understanding PSA Frames vs. Game Frames

rPSIvysaur

[ɑɹsaɪ]
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
16,415
So this is half for us and half for the public. I think it would be good to just put this out there, so we can make sure that our frame data is correct.

Alright, so we all know that in PSA, you can view the frame data for characters. However, the way this works can confuse lots of people. Things such as ZSS's and Squirtle's "0 Frame" Jabs, when we just consider them frame 1. So instead we adopted the system of adding one to what we see in PSA.

However, is this completely correct to just add 1? No.

People that say that ZSS's Jab comes out frame 0 are technically correct. However, the frame 0 is a misconception. It is actually the PSA frame 0. In PSA, the frames is spits out are not actually the frames seen in game. Instead, they are the parts in-between each frame. They are the inputs. So I would rather refer to the number that PSA spits out as "input" so ZSS's Jab would be considered Frame 1, Input 0.

For the rest, refer to this visualization:


This is a representation of a move I made up (the frame data would be so lulzy). Imagine that they grey part is the start-up of the move, the red part the hitbox of the move and the white part the cool-down.

Now in OSA2 the picture would look like the following
Code:
---Start---
[B]Asynchronous Timer - Frames=2.00x,[/B]
Offensive Collision - Hitbox stuff...
[B]Asynchronous Timer - Frames=8.00x,[/B]
Terminate Collisions
[B]Asynchronous Timer - Frames=10.00x,[/B]
Allow Interrupt
---End---
Now I believe that we can all agree on that the hitbox starts on Frame 3. This follows the +1 rule. As you can see, it also follows the I2. So that is entirely correct. Now, if we were to follow the +1 rule. The hitbox would last until frame 9. But would that mean that frame 9 has the hitbox out or gone? This is where the +1 rule leaves much to be desired. But, if we are to use the inputs, we can see that it is indeed not out on frame 9. This is because we are reading this as the game would read it. It would read that the collisions are terminated on Input 8. Therefore, the following frame has no collisions because they were eliminated during Input 8.

Using the the "Input" instead of the "Frame" system helps us to realize things easier like the FAF. Lets take for example the move above. Is the FAF Frame 10 or Frame 11. Well, based on the Input, which is Input 10, we can see that the following frame, Frame 11 is allowing the interrupt.

TL;DR - When you refer to numbers from PSA/OSA2, start using the input number to figure out the actual frame using this graphic.
 

rPSIvysaur

[ɑɹsaɪ]
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
16,415
BTW, if we are going to use this, we're going to need to re-work the system we used in the hitbox repository. (Lux/Mr. E, if you want I'll regather all the data you gathered so you don't get mad at me for switching it on you T_T)
 

Mr. Escalator

G&W Guru
Joined
Apr 11, 2008
Messages
2,103
Location
Hudson, NH
NNID
MrEscalator
Sounds like a good idea to me; I don't mind regathering the data to account for this change. It helps me get more proficient at it.
 

Amazing Ampharos

Balanced Brawl Designer
Writing Team
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
4,582
Location
Kansas City, MO
I really don't like this change; it's radically more intuitive to deal with the game's execution. This game has buffering; you might input things far before they actually happen. I could drop shield with ZSS and buffer a jab. The shield commitment lasts 3 more frames and I hit 4 frames after my input. So I just changed ZSS's jab from I0 to I3, but it still hits on the first frame of her doing her jab.

Inputs also have different significances depending on context. Smash left + a could be a fsmash, fair, bair, SDI input, ledge attack, roll (or is it grab?), or maybe even a few other things depending on what was happening previously. I am definitely against ever thinking in terms of inputs; what is actually happening on-screen should be the basis.

It also is violating a long standing community standard. Smash frame data has always relied on what's happening on-screen, and it is completely non-ambiguous. Some, but not all, people in the SF community use the system you're describing, and their frame data is just worse for it since you have to find some move you actually know to find out their convention before you know anything, and it makes talking to them harder (they say a frame 3 grab, and you can't instantly know exactly what they mean like you could in the smash community that only does things one way).

It's also nothing that requires regathering of anything since you can just add 1 or subtract one depending on convention. I'm just sitting down to put in some G&W numbers, and I'll continue using the long established standards. If the ultimate decision is to violate that, just add one to every number.

EDIT: Actually starting working on G&W, I'm thinking these spreadsheets could use some reformat in general. I'll make a post about it in the main thread shortly.
 

rPSIvysaur

[ɑɹsaɪ]
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
16,415
Yeah, I'm planning on reformatting them.

And when it says input, it means as in a PSA input, not a controller input.

We would only be using the I_ system to gather the data and copy it down. Any interpretations of the data would be in the regular what's seen on TV. It's simply for accurate collection purposes.
 

Luxor

Smash Champion
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
2,155
Location
Frame data threads o.0
I can get around to doing all some of all this reformatting for Luigi/Fox/Ganon/Falcon/Link once I have the time, since it's pretty easy for me now. Hopefully we can establish one overall standard for the format, I'll keep tabs on that.
 

Veril

Frame Savant
Joined
Jun 20, 2008
Messages
3,062
Location
Kent Lakes, New York
interesting.

frame 0 = input frame is like the cornerstone of the data I collect unless I'm using input maps in which case well (first significant input frame), I posted that crap a while back and still recommend using that format for describing ATs.
 

KayLo!

Smarter than your average wabbit.
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
15,480
Location
Philadelphia, PA
3DS FC
3497-1590-7447
Eh, I'm with Ampharos. The input thing is only gonna confuse the general public, and having it one way for us, then converted to a different way for the public is unnecessary.

The half of Zelda's stuff I've done is formatted by on-screen frames, and I don't plan on changing that. Someone else can feel free to once it's posted if needed.
 

rPSIvysaur

[ɑɹsaɪ]
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
16,415
This isn't that much for recording data, but more or less information about figuring out how the inputs/frames correlate. PSA inputs do not entirely represent the in game frame data. If you're recording it directly frame PSA inputs without going through the process of converting the inputs into frames, you may end up with a hitbox that only lasts one frame, but ends up being recorded as two.

You don't have to record the data like this, this is merely for knowing how PSA uses timers and what not so we have frame data as accurate as possible.
 

EverAlert

Smash Master
Joined
Mar 4, 2008
Messages
3,433
Location
Australia
NNID
EVAL89
3DS FC
2664-2214-3431
I can agree with rPSI here, it seems much more intuitive to be reading PSA this way.
 

KayLo!

Smarter than your average wabbit.
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
15,480
Location
Philadelphia, PA
3DS FC
3497-1590-7447
You don't have to record the data like this, this is merely for knowing how PSA uses timers and what not so we have frame data as accurate as possible.
Oh okay, I thought you were suggesting that we start recording data with inputs instead of frames.

OP helped a lot btw, although I'm OCD and double check myself in frame advance most of the time. ><
 

rPSIvysaur

[ɑɹsaɪ]
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
16,415


I'd like to say, that even though this includes the inputs, it still has the frames. Which is what we are collecting. It's just a more intuitive way at looking at PSA. If you honestly think this bogs you down, then don't use it. But I find it extremely useful for checking my numbers.

edit: I just realized you ninja'd me.
 

Veril

Frame Savant
Joined
Jun 20, 2008
Messages
3,062
Location
Kent Lakes, New York
I'm just gonna point out that I already have an existing alternate format that incorporates input frames (input maps)... and that I've posted about it here... and that none of this is new.

PSA is not that hard to understand, it just takes a lot of time to get accustomed to it and recognize its patterns.
 

rPSIvysaur

[ɑɹsaɪ]
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
16,415
I know. I just posted this here to get it out of my head. It was driving me nuts not having some form of visual expressing exactly how it works. I hate loops and synch timers :urg:
 
Top Bottom