Reactions
In fiction, movement over long distances and movement over short distances - which can be dubbed "combat distances" - tend to be remarkably different for different characters, resulting in serious discrepancies when considering their overall speed. On this wiki, we therefore differentiate between various types of speed, including reaction and perception speed.
Reaction speed is defined as a single movement in a defined timeframe, which a character has been shown capable of. A series of movements in similar timeframes makes this combat speed, so this term should only be applied for a single, quick movement. Examples include ducking backwards to dodge bullets and diving away to dodge extremely fast vehicles. When measured in terms of a single movement of often undefined, small distance, humans have displayed between 300 milliseconds (below average human) to 100 milliseconds (peak human) reactions. Autonomous body reactions for humans can also reach as high as 40 milliseconds, but this is oftentimes inapplicable to reaction speed and shouldn't be used.
Perception speed refers to a character's ability to quickly process and understand sensory information. Unlike reaction speed, it's about the initial intake of data, not any subsequent actions, so perception speed doesn't encompass decision-making or actions beyond the initial sensory processing; characters with a perception speed higher than their reaction speed would be able to notice something without necessarily being able to dodge it.
Rules Regarding Reaction Speed and Scaling
- Reaction speed has both a distance and a timeframe component, so all calculations that are completed for reaction speed cannot simply be a timeframe by itself. Do not randomly assume a 1 meter distance for each timeframe and use that speed for the reaction speed. Other way around, perception time is just a timeframe and by that not proportional to a speed value alone. Do not assume that a character with a certain speed will have a perception time of 1 meter divided by that speed. Such calculations need a feat that demonstrates perception time and a suitable distance determined from that feat.
- If only a timeframe is known (for example, characters who do not need to move to attack or defend), then they should get a perception speed rating in line with the table below.
- If character A can blitz character B, A's movement speed may be scaled to B's reaction speed.
- If character A is considered an equal in combat to character B, then reaction speed may be scaled if there is no discrepancies or showings that suggest the opposite.
- All other scalings of reaction speed are circumstantial and must be discussed with the staff.
Calculating Perception Time
To calculate perception time, the timeframe in which a character was able to process some information or perform some kind of mental reaction needs to be estimated.
The most common way of doing so requires distance and speed components. The two distances being the distance an object has when it is first in the perception of the character, and then the distance where the character starts to react. The speed can be something calculated or assumed, but preferably it should be a reliable statement stating how fast a projectile, object, or even another character is. Be careful to avoid Calc Stacking, though. To find perception time, you divide the distance (in meters) by the speed (in meters per second), and you will get the timeframe of the perceptions of the character (in seconds).
Use the following formula:
- [ (Distance the projectile was away from the character when it was first fired in meters) - (Distance the projectile was away from the character when he/she started to move in meters) ] / (Speed of projectile in meters/second) = Perception Time of Character in seconds
This method should be used for feats where a character is slower than the projectile, but manages to react to it at close range distances.
Perception Time Levels
Seconds in Standard Form | Seconds in Scientific Notation | SI Units | |
---|---|---|---|
Below Average Human perception | 0.2 and above | 2×10-1 and above | 200 Milliseconds and above |
Average Human perception | 0.2 - 0.13 | 2×10-1 - 1.3×10-1 | 200 Milliseconds to 130 Milliseconds |
Athletic Human perception | 0.13 - 0.1 | 1.3×10-1 - 1×10-1 | 130 Milliseconds to 100 Milliseconds |
Peak Human perception | 0.1 - 0.08 | 1×10-1 - 8×10-2 | 100 Milliseconds to 80 Milliseconds |
Superhuman perception | 0.08 - 0.0291 | 8×10-2 - 2.91×10-2 | 80 Milliseconds to 29.1 Milliseconds |
Subsonic perception | 0.0291 - 0.00583 | 2.91×10-2 - 5.83×10-3 | 29.1 Milliseconds to 5.83 Milliseconds |
Subsonic+ perception | 0.00583 - 0.0032 | 5.83×10-3 - 3.2×10-3 | 5.83 Milliseconds to 3.2 Milliseconds |
Transonic perception | 0.0032 - 0.00265 | 3.2×10-3 - 2.65×10-3 | 3.2 Milliseconds to 2.65 Milliseconds |
Supersonic perception | 0.00265 - 0.00117 | 2.65×10-3 - 1.17×10-3 | 2.65 Milliseconds to 1.17 Milliseconds |
Supersonic+ perception | 0.00117 - 0.00058 | 1.17×10-3 - 5.8×10-4 | 1.17 Milliseconds to 580 Microseconds |
Hypersonic perception | 0.00058 - 0.000294 | 5.8×10-4 - 2.94×10-4 | 580 Microseconds to 294 Microseconds |
Hypersonic+ perception | 0.000294 - 0.000117 | 2.94×10-4 - 1.17×10-4 | 294 Microseconds to 117 Microseconds |
High Hypersonic perception | 0.000117 - 0.0000588 | 1.17×10-4 - 5.58×10-5 | 117 Microseconds to 55.8 Microseconds |
High Hypersonic+ perception | 0.0000588 - 0.0000294 | 5.58×10-5 - 2.94×10-5 | 55.8 Microseconds to 29.4 Microseconds |
Massively Hypersonic perception | 0.0000294 - 0.00000294 | 2.94×10-5 - 2.94×10-6 | 29.4 Microseconds to 2.94 Microseconds |
Massively Hypersonic+ perception | 0.00000294 - 0.0000003336 | 2.94×10-6 - 3.336×10-7 | 2.94 Microseconds to 333.6 Nanoseconds |
Sub-Relativistic perception | 0.0000003336 - 0.0000000667 | 3.336×10-7 - 6.672×10-8 | 336 Nanoseconds to 66.72 Nanoseconds |
Sub-Relativistic+ perception | 0.0000000667 - 0.00000003336 | 6.67×10-8 - 3.336×10-8 | 66.72 Nanoseconds to 33.36 Nanoseconds |
Relativistic perception | 0.00000003336 - 0.00000000667 | 3.336×10-8 - 6.67×10-9 | 33.36 Nanoseconds to 6.67 Nanoseconds |
Relativistic+ perception | 0.00000000667 - 0.000000003336 | 6.67×10-9 - 3.336×10-9 | 6.67 Nanoseconds to 3.336 Nanoseconds |
Speed of Light perception | 0.000000003336 | 3.336×10-9 | 3.336 Nanoseconds |
FTL perception | 0.000000003336 - 0.0000000003336 | 3.336×10-9 - 3.336×10-10 | 3.336 Nanoseconds to 333.6 Picoseconds |
FTL+ perception | 0.0000000003336 - 0.00000000003336 | 3.336×10-10 - 3.336×10-11 | 333.6 Picoseconds to 33.36 Picoseconds |
Massively FTL perception | 0.00000000003336 - 0.000000000003336 | 3.336×10-11 - 3.336×10-12 | 33.36 Picoseconds to 3.336 Picoseconds |
Massively FTL+ perception | 0.000000000003336 and below | 3.336×10-12 and below | 3.336 Picoseconds and below |
Discussions
Discussion threads involving Reactions and Perceptions |