Reactions

[Kepekley23]

Currently, there seems to be a problem with the Reactions page/calculations:

• 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.

Our reactions page states that the reactions can't be a simple timeframe. However, I've seen this exact method (timeframe without distance) being used and accepted in literally almost every calculation. That's a problem, to say the least; apparently, a method that is explicitly prohibited in the page is being applied to the profiles.

Also, "distance and timeframe" are what we need for combat speed. Not reactions. If this is true, reactions and combat speed will be the same thing, which is obviously extremely troublesome.

NOTE: CALC GROUP MEMBERS ONLY (With the obvious exceptions of Kaltias and DontTalk)

 

[Matthew_Schroeder]

I agree the page needs to be updated. A lot of our term pages are super old and haven't been touched since 2015 or so.

Not a Calc Member but wanted to weight in.

 

[Executor_N0]

First of all with regard to conventions it is necessary to know the origin of them. Light speed is 299792458 meters per second. It needs 3.33564095e-9 seconds to cross 1 meter.

"Speed of Light perception: 0.000000003336 seconds"

Can you understand now? The table on our reaction page is based on the time needed to cross 1 meter.

So when you perform the calculations to find the time, you can not simply compare with the value of the table because the value of the table depends on the distance that the character has traveled is 1 meter. That is why there is this rule on the page, it informs the visitor that it is only based on the time to cross 1 meter, but in calculations this should not be done.

There is no way to find a "reaction speed" just knowing the time it takes for something to hit a character. Unless you bring new information, because this page is completely correct with respect to the table it shows and the rules it adopts are consistent with the information in the table.

 

[Kepekley23]

@Matt

I also agree.

 

[DontTalkDT]

We use the term "x perception" if we only talk about timeframes and "reactions" if we talk about speed that translates into movement, but not into combat speed. (That are only names btw.)

E.g. A character that can aim and pull the trigger of a laser gun fast enough to hit a Massively Hypersonic being has Massively Hypersonic reaction speed (being able to move his finger that fast and keep up the aim against that kind of speed), but that wouldn't be combat speed (since he can not run or move his whole body at that speed).

On the contrary a character that can only activate a psychic power in response, being unable to even pull a trigger or something similar, has only a reaction time. (usually designated as "perception")

 

[Matthew_Schroeder]

I generally prefer dividing speed into Movement Speed, i.e the speed in which the character can move, run, walk, punch, etc; and Reaction Speed, i.e the speed in which the character can mentally perceive and react to their surroundings.

 

[Antvasima]

Well, a lot of characters are not able to run anywhere near as swift as they can attack and move in response to attacks, which in combination is combat speed.

Reactions alone are more mental perceptions and avoiding attacks alone as far as I am aware, but I personally find that it is usually not necessary to use in profiles.

 

[Matthew_Schroeder]

Well it is very useful. A lot of series primarily have feats in form of reactions and combat speed. Warhammer 40,000 is packed ton of feats of people processing information and reaction in timeframes of microseconds and nanoseconds.

 

[Antvasima]

Okay.

 

[Spinosaurus75DinosaurFan]

I wonder where do those values come from?

 

[Kaltias]

The values for perception speed?

It's assuming that the distance is 1 meter.

However they don't scale to combat speed, it's only how fast the character can think.

If they move, you measure the movement and find combat speed

 

[Spinosaurus75DinosaurFan]

Ok. I agree with Executor N0. Don't see a problem.

 

[ThePerpetual]

I don't think using reaction feats is an issue in and of itself, no, though one should be careful to distinguish between reaction and combat speed (the former only allowing for mental reactions to external conditions, or abilities that function at the speed of thought.)

Is there anything wrong with using a timeframe to find how much faster than a normal human a person's reaction speed is? I don't find it to be a logically incoherent concept, myself. (Unless, of course, I'm misunderstanding the actual problem here.)

 

[Antoniofer]

Some of the reactions value comes come dividing 1 m per the speed value of subsonic, hypersonic, etc. But for example, the reaction speed of human doesn't come from that, it used the knwn value of 0.25 to 0.1 s; now, I don't known where it comes the other values between human reaction and lightspeed reaction (that just divide the 1 m), if scaling from the human reaction or scaling from the lightspeed reaction.

 

[Antvasima]

When you have all decided what the text segment should be changed to, please tell me here.

 

[Antvasima]

So, is anything happening here?

 

[Matthew_Schroeder]

Well the page needs to be expanded and explained.

 

[Antvasima]

Yes, but we still need to work out in what manner we should do that.