Dizzy in ST is random. Whenever you get hit by an attack or throw, you can take ‘stun’ damage which is an integer randomly chosen within a specific range. When this ‘stun’ damage hits a threshold of 30, you dizzy.
A dizzy timer keeps track of how long until your stun wears off. If the dizzy timer is greater than 0 when you get hit by a move, the dizzy timer gets added to and your stun also gets added to. The value of the stun and the amount of timer added depends on the move. The dizzy timer counts down immediately starting after the frame you get hit and will count down during knockdown, blockstun, hitstun, etc. Blockstun or hitstun does not slow down the timer. The only time dizzy will not count down is during super freeze. The timer probably counts down at 75/second (the simulation speed of ST) as opposed to the display and input rate (60 frames/second).
Attacks add to the dizzy timer as soon as you hit someone.
Throws do not instantly stun or add to the dizzy timer. Teching does not seem to reduce the stun or dizzy timer. Non-teched throws also do not add enough time to extend the dizzy they cause with a meaty attack. Teched throws have enough dizzy timer where you can generally extend the dizzy for ~1/3 to 1/2 a second when the opponent lands. If you tech a throw that would dizzy you, you will dizzy and take the full damage of the throw.
Grabs (multi-hit “hold” throws you cannot tech) do not seem to do any dizzy. If you need an excuse to use non-grab throws on a grab character, use it to dizzy.
Sweeps (usually cr.hk) add enough dizzy time so that if you connect with an attack ~1/3 to 1/2 a second when the opponent gets up, you can extend the dizzy. If a special move is listed as 100 for its timer, and it knocks down by itself without previous dizzy, often there is not enough time for a meaty attack to extend its dizzy.
As a general rule, heavier attacks do more stun and add more dizzy time. However, there are a huge amount of exceptions where a hard attack bizarrely has very low dizzy. Knowing these exceptions for your character is important to maximizing your chances to dizzy.
The stun from a move does not seem to be a uniform distribution. It is harder to get the lower or higher end of the stun a move can do than the middle. Each randomly chosen stun value seems completely independent of the opponent’s health (no scaling when low on health), whether or not the attack was in a combo, and previously rolled stun values.
Since I was really bored w/ ggpo being down, I decided to compile a list of dizzy. Note that these values are not perfectly aligned with the game and are just what I have observed through repeatedly hitting a dummy. Knowing exactly how the game calculates dizzy requires someone to have the source or to have a good working knowledge of raw assembly code.
I tested using the world version of ST (the one ggpo used) using ryu as a dummy.
All normal moves and normal throws in the game seem to follow this general template:
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template
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move stun time notes
ground light 0-5 40
ground med 5-11 60
ground hard 10-16 80
cr.hk 5-11 130 sweep
dj light 2-7 40
dj med 5-11 50
dj hard 11-17 60
nj light 1-7 40
nj med 5-11 50
nj hard 11-17 60
normal throws 7-13 100
However, there are many exceptions. For brevity and clarity, I am only listing those normals that deviate from the above template. I’ve also tried to list all multi-hit moves, special moves, supers, and command normals. If I’ve missed one, tell me! For certain multi-hit supers, I just tested a few times and listed the range of values that were produced from it hitting multiple times. For certain moves, I listed “low” in the dizzy timer since the timer was negligible and it wasn’t worth figuring out exact times per hit.
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Ryu
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move stun time notes
cl.hp 3-9 40 first part
cl.hp 10-16 80 second part
cl.hk 10-14 60 first part
cl.hk 2-5 70 second part
cr.hp 3-9 40
dj mp 4-8 40 second part has very low stun/time
dj hp/hk 3-9 40
6+mp 2-6x2 70x2 overhead
6+hp 2-5,1-6 70x2 rush punch
specials
srk 10-15 100
tatsu 4-9 90
air tatsu 4-9 90
blue fb 8-13 110
red fb 5-11 100
super 5-10 low
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E.Honda
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move stun time notes
fa.mk 5-10x2 60x2
cr.hp 1-6x2 70+60
fa./cl.hk 5-8,11-15 40+80
6+cl.mk 5-10x2 60x2
4/6+hk 6-10 130 sweep
dj.hp/hk 3-9 40
dj.2+mk 5-11 50 splash
specials
slaps 5-10xn 100
torpedo 9-15 100
buttslam 10-15 100
oicho 8-12x2 100x2
super 0-3x4 low
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Blanka
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move stun time notes
cl.mk 5-11x2 60x2
3+hp 5-10 130 slide
cl.4/6+hp 5-10x2 60x2 headbutt
dj.hp 3-9 40
nj.hp 10-15 80
specials
horiz ball 9-15 100
up-ball 10-15 100
kick ball 4-6 30
elect 10-15 100
super 2-4 low
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Guile
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move stun time notes
fa.hp 1-7 70
fa.hk 1-7 70
cl.hk 1-7 70
cr.hk 6-11 130 both hits
4/6+lk 6-10 60 bazooka knee
4/6+mk 6-11 60 sobat kick
4/6+hp 11-16 80 backfist
cl.4/6+hk 1-7 70 upside down kick
dj.hp 3-9 40
specials
boom 5-11 100
flash kick 8-13 100
super 6-11 low
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O./N.T.Hawk
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move stun time notes
cl.hp 1-7 70
cr.hp 10-16,2-7 80+90 2 hits
cr.hk 5-11 130 both hits
4/6+lp 0-5 40
dj.2+mp 5-11 50 elbow
dj.2+hp 11-17 60 splash
specials
dive 10-14 100
lp/mp dp 10-14 100
hp dp 3-7,10-14 90+100 2-hits
spd 9-12 100
super 8-10 100
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Fei Long
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move stun time notes
cl.hp 3-9 40
cl.hk 4-7,10-16 90+80
4/6+mk 3-7 40 overhead
4/6+hk 4-7,10-15 90+80 2-hit stepkick
dj hp/hk 3-9 40
nj hp/hk 3-9 40
specials
lk flame kick 11-15 100 other flame kicks do less dizzy but give more time
chicken wing low low
rekkas 1-7x3 30x3
super 5-10 low
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Boxer
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move stun time notes
dj hp/hk 3-9 40
nj hp/hk 3-8 40
specials
rush p straight 7-13 90
rush p lower 11-15 100
rush k upper 7-13 90
rush k lower 10-15 100
headbutt 10-14 100
turn around punch 9-15 100 higher levels (including final don't seem to increase)
super 4-9 low p/k super seem similar
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O./N.Sagat
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move stun time notes
cl.lk 0-5x2 40x2 2-hits
cl.mk 5-11x2 60x2 2-hits
fa.hk 1-7 70
specials
p fireball 10-15 100
k fireball 10-15 100
tiger knee 2-7,3-8 90x2 2-hits
tiger lp/mp dp 4-8 40 o.sagat hp dp uses this
tiger hp dp 2-9 low 5-hits
super 4-13 low
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N.Ken
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move stun time notes
cl.hp 3-9 40
cr.hp 3-9 40
dj.hp 3-9 40
dj.hk 3-9 40
specials
fireball 5-10 100
lp dp 10-14 100
mp dp 10-14,3-7 100+90
hp dp 2-6,11-15,1-6 30+100+30
lk tatsu 4-8x2 90x2 2-hits
mk tatsu 3-8xn 90xn
hk tatsu 4-8xn 90xn
air tatsu 3-8xn 90xn
qcf k 0-3,8-12 20+90 hold k seems similar
632+k 3-7,7-13 90x2 hold k seems similar
hcf k 0-4 20 hold k similar to qcf k hold
super 3-11 low
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O.Ken
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same as n.ken except:
move stun time notes
cl.hk 12-16,2-5 80+70 2-hits
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Chun Li
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move stun time notes
3+mk 0-2 40
3+hk 10-16 80 neckbreaker
nj/dj.2+mk 2-7 60 stomp
specials
fireball 8-12 90
spinning bird 7-12x2 90x2
upkicks 0-4xn 20xn
super 5-13 low
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Zangief
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move stun time notes
cl.hk 11-16,2-6 80+70 2-hits
6+mp/hp 2-7 70 hop
dj.2+lk 4-7 40 light knees
dj.2+mk 1-5 40 med knees; yes med knees seems to do less than light knees
dj.2+hp 12-17 60 splash
nj.mp 2-5 40
nj.8+hp 21-27 100 headbutt
specials
green hand 0-3 20
p/k lariat 9-14 100
p spd 7-12 100
close k 360 9-13 100
far k 360 7-13 100
super 8-11 100
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Dhalsim
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move stun time notes
1+hp 5-10 60
4+hp 11-15,11-16 80x2 2-hits headbutt; can rarely dizzy ryu by itself
3+hk 5-11 130 slide
dj.mp 6-11 60
p drill 11-16 80
k drill 11-16 80
specials
yoga fire 10-14 100
yoga p flame 9-14 100
yoga k flame 10-13 100
super 4-11 low
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Cammy
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move stun time notes
cl.hk 1-7 70
dj.hp/hk 3-9 40
nj.hp/hk 3-9 40
specials
dp 10-14 100
lk/mk drill 10-14 100
hk drill 2-6,10-14 90+100 2-hits
knuckle 1-7,10-14 70+100 2-hits
super 4-9 low
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Deejay
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move stun time notes
fa.mk 5-11,2-8 60x2 2-hits
cr.mk 5-11 130 sweep
cl.hp 11-16,2-5 60+70 2-hits
cr.hk 5-11 130 sweep
dj.2+lk 2-7 40
dj.mp 11-17 60
dj.hp 5-11 50
nj.mp 5-11 60
specials
fireball 4-9 90
lk dread kick 2-8 90
mk/hk dread 2-8x2 90x2 2 hits
lk upkicks 0-4 20
mk upkicks 0-4x2 20x2 2 hits
hk upkicks 0-4x3 20x3 3 hits
machine gun 0-5xn,9-15 30xn+100 4 hits; guessing
super 4-8 low
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Claw
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move stun time notes
dj hp/hk 3-9 40
special
lk/mk flipkick 0-3 20
hk flipkick 0-3x2 20x2 2-hits
p roll 0-5xn,10-14 30xn+100
p walldive 1-6 30
k walldive 10-14 100 claw attack
dive throw 8-12 100
super 8-12 100 only last hit dizzies
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Dictator
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move stun time notes
dj.mpx2 0-3,5-11 20+50 2 hits
special
crusher 10-14 100
scissor kicks 10-14,1-7 100+50
devil's reverse 10-14 100
stomp 9-15 100
stomp followup 9-15 100 ~100 dizzy left after stomp & followup
super 4-10 low
Big thanks to Cauldrath for providing and posting his initial findings regarding dizzy! Many of the statements in this post summarize or restate what Cauldrath has found.