Street Fighter 6: Frame Data [Extensive Guide]

Professional and hardcore players prioritize timing their attacks in Street Fighter and Tekken series. Calculating an attack exactly frame-by-frame to launch decisive attacks guarantee easy wins for players in these games. While there are many ways to evaluate the gameplay to understand the game better and have an edge on your enemies, the recently included Frame Data technique in Street Fighter 6 is particularly peculiar.

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Key Takeaways

• There have been many ways to calculate moves and devise strategies accordingly to get a significant edge over opponents in many video games. However, the latest Frame Data technique in Street Fighter 6 is rather peculiar, partly because it is a never seen feature.
• Especially helpful for competitive players, Frame Data can help them understand different moves frame-by-frame and understand their in-depth work. Consequently, they can devise their moves and countermoves accordingly during a fight and have easy gameplay.
• Players can read Frame Data from the Frame Meter. To enable it in Street Fighter 6, players should join a Training session and turn on the Frame Meter option in the Screen Display Settings.
• After enabling the Frame Meter, players can read three different types of frames on their screen. Moreover, players will observe two phases of Frame Data while making and recovering from attacks in Street Fighter 6.
• The startup frames represent the initial few frames when players launch an attack. Active Frames represent the frames involved in active attack animations and deal all the damage. Recovery Frames represent the cool-down period during which players are usually vulnerable to retaliation.
• During the On-hit phase, the opponents will recover from the attacks and lag behind a few frames. Players can utilize this opportunity to make severe attacks. However, during the On-block phase, the attacker will be disadvantaged when the opponent blocks its attack. As the attacker lags behind a few frames, the opponent can utilize this opportunity and launch decisive attacks.
• Players can employ these phases in their gameplay while reading the Frame Data and win any fights in Street Fighter 6. 

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While an average player would not be concerned with this feature, hardcore fans will undoubtedly utilize the Frame Data to benefit them. It is a new feature in Street Fighter 6 that lets players know how many frames are required to execute an attack. However, the question is, what exactly is a frame?

The perfect, smooth video graphics that make up an exciting, action-packed cinematic shot usually comprises multiple animations. These animations have multiple frames that run together to create crispy fighting animations. In short, a frame is the smallest unit of an animation.

How To Turn On Frame Data

Hardcore players would love the new Frame Data feature as it allows them to understand how long it will take to launch various attacks. Hence, players can easily strategize their attacks considering available time and ensure their dominance in the game. To read Frame data, follow these steps to enable the Frame Meter in Street Fighter 6:

• In the Practice Menu, opt in for the Training session.

  

• Start a new training session with your desired character and arena.
• Press the Esc button on your keyboard or any dedicated button on your console to open the Settings menu.
• From there, go to the Screen Display Settings, scroll down to the Frame Meter, and enable it.

  

Types Of Frame Data

Frame data completely divides a set of movements involved in a fight between two characters in Street Fighter 6 into different parts to better understand the moves’ working. Three primary divisions, also known as stages, exist differently from the start to the end of a move. You can find the relevant details about these three primary divisions below:

• Startup Frame
• Active Frame
• Recovery Frame

Besides these three primary types of Frame Data in Street Fighter 6, players can also find three further sub-divisions. These sub-divisions contain relevant information about different frames involved in various types of attacks, including projectile and aerial attacks. These three sub-divisions are:

• Invincibility Period
• Strike Invincible Period
• Projectile Invincibility Period

Let us discuss these terms in detail:

Startup Frame

Players will see the Startup frame represented by a green box in the Frame Meter in Street Fighter 6. These represent the starting few animations of an attack. While this frame usually has visually appealing animations, it leaves players vulnerable to retaliation. If any such retaliation occurs, players will be barred from finishing their attack and can suffer considerable health loss as well.

Moreover, the length of the green box also determines how strong the attack will be. A prolonged startup frame means the attack will be lethal and vice versa. Ensure you maintain a safe distance when loading in prolonged attacks to avoid retaliation. 

Active Frame

When reading the Frame Data in the Frame Meter in Street Fighter 6, players will see the Active Frames represented by the red box. These represent the active animations during an attack. These frames are responsible for dealing with damage to the enemies. While dealing damage is their primary purpose, players can also intervene in enemies’ attacks and stop them in the startup frame period.

Similarly, the length of the red box represents how long the attack will be. For example, a simple punch would have fewer active frames and a smaller red box section against a full-fledged punching combo.

Recovery Frame

Players will see the Active Frames represented by a blue box on Frame Meter in Street Fighter 6. After landing a destructive combo, players need time to cool down. These frames represent that particular cooldown period. It is a critical stage where players won’t be able to defend themselves from their opponents.

Therefore, to have a secure cooldown period, ensure you use the active frames not to miss the attack and land powerful attacks to leave no room for your opponents’ retaliation. Moreover, prioritize stronger attacking combos to force your opponents to take more recovery time for themselves.

Invincibility Period 

When making an attack, you will often see some grey-white striped boxes on the Frame Meter. These frames represent the Invincibility Period in which your opponent won’t be able to attack you. For example, when launching the Dragon Punch with Ryu in Street Fighter 6, you will get three Invincibility period frames during which your opponent won’t be able to hit or disrupt you.

Strike invincible Period

Players will often see some red-white striped boxes on the Frame Meter. These frames represent Strike Invincible Period. These frames occur when players try to make an attack that can only be stopped using projectiles. Therefore, when your opponent makes any such attack, easily counter it by throwing some powerful projectiles.

Projectile Invincibility Period

Players will often see some yellow-white striped boxes on the Frame Meter. These frames represent Projectile Invincibility Period and act entirely antagonistic to the Strike Invincible Period frames. During this frame-time, players won’t receive any damage from projectile attacks. However, they will be seriously vulnerable to other attacks, e.g., strike attacks.

Phases In Frame Data

Now there come two different situations with two additional phases in the Frame Data that players will encounter more often in Street Fighter 6. These two situations arise when a frame gap occurs between you and your opponents’ attacks. For example, your attack can take four startup frames while, at the same time, your opponent could be loading an attack using nine start-up frames.

In this case, you will have a significant advantage of five frames over your opponent as your attack will load faster, allowing you also to disrupt your opponent’s attack. Here are the details of the two additional phases:

On-Hit Phase

Players will observe a yellow bar on their opponents’ side, representing a Hit Stun. Opponents could not launch any attacks during these frames period. Consequently, players can take advantage of this period and launch quick attacks. It is a convenient way to annihilate opponents without giving them any chance to attack or recover.

For example, players can launch simple punches when playing with Cammy in Street Fighter 6, which usually leaves the opponents staggering behind four frames. In contrast, players go back to the neutral position immediately. These four frames can be a game changer as you can strategize and implement powerful combos to end the fight quickly.

On-Block Phase

On-block represents when an attacker is at a disadvantage in a fight. When you try to land an attack, and your opponent blocks it successfully, you will be prone to more attacks as your character will need more time to recover, unlike your opponent, who will require significantly fewer frames. For example, if players launch a Standing Heavy punch with Cammy in Street Fighter 6 and the opponent blocks it, players will stagger behind three frames.

These three frames can prove critical, and the opponent can launch match-winning knocks. Moreover, you can also avail it as an advantage for yourself against your enemy’s attacks. Remember that you can get more advantages and fewer recovery frames dodging an attack. Therefore, strategize your defense wisely and use efficient moves considering Frame Meter.

How To Read Frame Data

Now that we know almost all the relevant and necessary information about Frame Data in Street Fighter 6, it is time to learn about reading the data from Frame Meter and using it to our advantage. Startup frames and Recovery Frames are relatively easier to read and understand. Players are prone to being attacked in both frame types if any miscalculation happens. 

Similarly, when calculated wisely, it can save time, and players can get a significant advantage over their opponents. Here are two ways players can read the frame data to their advantage:

oH Advantage

Understanding different movements and their required numbers of frames ultimately results in a calculated win in Street Fighter 6. Carefully reading the Frame Meter and strategizing different sets of moves to be used together can be the first and foremost step to your dominance in the game. During an On-hit phase, players can easily calculate how long it will take for their opponent to recover and regain control after launching an attack.

A wise decision would be to prioritize those moves that will leave your enemies damaged and staggering behind multiple frames. Consequently, they will be left vulnerable to deadly combos and special moves. In short, select those moves requiring fewer startup and recovery frames to get the oH advantage.

oB Advantage

The on-block advantage is an exciting concept in Frame Data, where players can take advantage of their enemies’ attacks in Street Fighter 6. However, players can also mess up the whole situation and give an upper hand to their opponents. As explained above, when you block your opponent’s attack, you will get a significant frame advantage as your opponent will be in a recovery phase after failing the attack.

You can grab the opportunity and land a helpful move that will take less or equal frames to your opponents’ frame loss. While it is good for you, the opponent can also block your moves and put you in a frame loss. To avoid such a situation, quickly land another counter move that will take startup frames less than your total frame loss.

It was all for our extensive guide on Frame Data in Street Fighter 6. We hope we have explained all the relevant information about this latest feature in the game. This feature in everyday gameplay can help you take your gameplay to an advanced level and get the best out of the game. Is there anything else we could help you with? Tell us in the comments.

Read More:

• Street Fighter 6 How To Block.
• Street Fighter 6 Recipes.
• Classic Controls Street Fighter 6.