Kadano
Magical Express
Moonwalking looks cool and is very useful in some situations. At the same time, getting a maximum or near-max distance moonwalk is very hard to do, and until now approximately 99% of all moonwalk guides and informations have been wrong; guesses at best.
This thread is supposed to:
1. Explain precisely how moonwalking works
2. Compare the different input ways and their distances
3. Keep track of different players’ moonwalk distance records and corresponding inputs
4. Through that, find out how close to TAS precision we are able get
1. How does moonwalking work?
During a dash, your control stick position determines your actual running speed. By holding backwards from very early on, Captain Falcon can slide backwards. Ideally, you want to hold forward only for one frame, and hold straight back from the second frame on for maximum distance. At the very end of your dash, the backwards speed will just as high as when walking forward. By starting another moonwalk just when the one before ends, you can moonwalk with the same moving speed as when running forward.
The input strength that initiates the dash is not directly important. In other words, pressing only 70% forward of full way and then going to straight backward on the next frame will give you the exact same moonwalk as pressing to 100% forward of full way and then going to straight backward on the next frame. However, this is only true for frame advance. In real life, it will be easier to push all the way back when you are only at 70% forward than when you have to move all the way from 100% forward to 100% backward.
For an initial dash—that is, a dash that is not done from Turn—transitioning from forward to backward after either frame 1 or 2 of dash will keep you in the dash animation, thus allowing you to moonwalk. However, if you do the transition to backward beginning after Dash 3, you will enter Turn after frame 4 of your dash (or the very next frame if done from Dash 4 or even later).
In essence, you only have a single frame of leniency for the transition from first frame of dash (forward input) to backward input. Because of this, the established way to moonwalk is to go from straight forward to back and down, and from there to straight backward. During the two frames spent in back and down, the smash input subsides, so going to straight back afterward won’t cause turn any longer.
This method will produce slightly shorter moonwalks, but is much easier to do reliably. In the overview below, this method is listed as A4 / B1 (A4 is more realistic to achieve).
2. Overview of input methods
The letter denotes the situation category. The number denotes difficulty, where 1 is near impossible / TAS and 9 is super-easy. Distance is always measured from the last frame before the current moonwalk’s dash frame 1 until the end of sliding. The distance in (brackets) is the backwards gain at Dash 28 (last frame of the moonwalk, after this you want to jump or start another moonwalk). The value in [brackets] is the backwards momentum at Dash 28.
For consecutive moonwalks, position is set to zero at the previous moonwalk’s Dash 28 frame.
I will add pictures / animations showing the inputs later on to make this section more easy to understand. This will take ~30 hours of work though, so I can’t do it right now.
A1. Perfect forward moonwalk: This is done by holding forward for 1 frame and perfect straight backwards¹ from frames 2-28 of your dash. A single perfect forward moonwalk travels a backwards distance of 23.38 (6.46) [2.3].
A2. Semi-perfect forward moonwalk: Just like A1, but with the x values of 0.9875 you are more likely to get¹. Distance: 22.88941 (5.77126) [2.26938]
A3. Swift forward moonwalk: As close to A1 as humanly possible, but making use of the leniency frame Dash 2. X inputs: (frame 1) 0.9875 → (2) anything within [-0.275;0.825] → (3-28) -0.9875. Distance: 19.34441 (3.66189) [2.19125]
A4. Standard “real-life” forward moonwalk: Similar to B1. (1) 0.9875 / E notch → (2-3) SW notch → (4-28) W notch. Distance: 19.0219 (3.48564) [2.18313]
B1. Perfect backward moonwalk: When you dash out of turn, you cannot go directly from straight forward to straight backward. Instead, you need to hold down and behind for two frames to make the smash input subside. After that, you hold straight backward. (1) 0.9875 → (2-3) [-0.7875|-0.6] → (4-28) -1.000 Distance: 21.65937 (4.79062) [2.25625]
C1. Perfect dash-dance moonwalk: When you dash out of dash-dance, you always need to go through turn in-between, so you need to do the same inputs as in B1. However, the previous dash’s momentum will linger and add to your backwards distance: 34.69688 (17.77687) [2.3] when setting 0 to the point of Turn 1.
D1. Perfect consecutive moonwalk: Executed like A1, but draws from the previous moonwalk’s backwards movement. Distance: 69.79998 (52.87999) [2.3]
D2. Semi-perfect consecutive moonwalk: This is just A2 repeated perfectly. Distance: 69.05811 (51.90437) [2.27125]
D3. Swift consecutive moonwalk: This is just A3 repeated with perfect timing. Distance: 64.8182 (47.66438) [2.27125]
D4. Standard consecutive moonwalk: A4 repeated. Distance: 66.82624 (49.67249) [2.27125]
3. Moonwalk distance records
Everyone can submit their inputs here, but they will only be accepted if they fulfill all criteria:
1. Category of moonwalk you are submitting (see below)
2. Visual proof provided: Either in gfycat or imgur album format, no missing frames. Showing Magus’ input and position values (TopN and Sys Directi / Cur Directi / Prv Directi) is necessary.
3. Measured distance of the submitted moonwalk. It is not necessary that you start the moonwalk from 0 x offset, but in that case you need to subtract accordingly.
4. The name of the player who performed the moonwalk.
5. The input way you used (see above). If you did something else, describe it.
6. Only real-time played submissions are accepted. TAS is not allowed.
7. Any flat, non-moving stage is permitted.
8. At the end of the moonwalk, turning around and any other (accidental) action that does not increase distance is permitted. Walking, for example, is not permitted.
I will list two categories for now: initial moonwalk and consecutive moonwalk.
Initial moonwalk
#|Player name|Method used|Distance|Starting x|Dash 28 x|visual proof link|# of submission
1|Kadano|A3|19.34441|0|-19.34441| http://gfycat.com/CommonDependentKe...rom the impact of Z / Start pressing. [/SIZE]
This thread is supposed to:
1. Explain precisely how moonwalking works
2. Compare the different input ways and their distances
3. Keep track of different players’ moonwalk distance records and corresponding inputs
4. Through that, find out how close to TAS precision we are able get
1. How does moonwalking work?
During a dash, your control stick position determines your actual running speed. By holding backwards from very early on, Captain Falcon can slide backwards. Ideally, you want to hold forward only for one frame, and hold straight back from the second frame on for maximum distance. At the very end of your dash, the backwards speed will just as high as when walking forward. By starting another moonwalk just when the one before ends, you can moonwalk with the same moving speed as when running forward.
The input strength that initiates the dash is not directly important. In other words, pressing only 70% forward of full way and then going to straight backward on the next frame will give you the exact same moonwalk as pressing to 100% forward of full way and then going to straight backward on the next frame. However, this is only true for frame advance. In real life, it will be easier to push all the way back when you are only at 70% forward than when you have to move all the way from 100% forward to 100% backward.
For an initial dash—that is, a dash that is not done from Turn—transitioning from forward to backward after either frame 1 or 2 of dash will keep you in the dash animation, thus allowing you to moonwalk. However, if you do the transition to backward beginning after Dash 3, you will enter Turn after frame 4 of your dash (or the very next frame if done from Dash 4 or even later).
In essence, you only have a single frame of leniency for the transition from first frame of dash (forward input) to backward input. Because of this, the established way to moonwalk is to go from straight forward to back and down, and from there to straight backward. During the two frames spent in back and down, the smash input subsides, so going to straight back afterward won’t cause turn any longer.
This method will produce slightly shorter moonwalks, but is much easier to do reliably. In the overview below, this method is listed as A4 / B1 (A4 is more realistic to achieve).
2. Overview of input methods
The letter denotes the situation category. The number denotes difficulty, where 1 is near impossible / TAS and 9 is super-easy. Distance is always measured from the last frame before the current moonwalk’s dash frame 1 until the end of sliding. The distance in (brackets) is the backwards gain at Dash 28 (last frame of the moonwalk, after this you want to jump or start another moonwalk). The value in [brackets] is the backwards momentum at Dash 28.
For consecutive moonwalks, position is set to zero at the previous moonwalk’s Dash 28 frame.
I will add pictures / animations showing the inputs later on to make this section more easy to understand. This will take ~30 hours of work though, so I can’t do it right now.
A1. Perfect forward moonwalk: This is done by holding forward for 1 frame and perfect straight backwards¹ from frames 2-28 of your dash. A single perfect forward moonwalk travels a backwards distance of 23.38 (6.46) [2.3].
A2. Semi-perfect forward moonwalk: Just like A1, but with the x values of 0.9875 you are more likely to get¹. Distance: 22.88941 (5.77126) [2.26938]
A3. Swift forward moonwalk: As close to A1 as humanly possible, but making use of the leniency frame Dash 2. X inputs: (frame 1) 0.9875 → (2) anything within [-0.275;0.825] → (3-28) -0.9875. Distance: 19.34441 (3.66189) [2.19125]
A4. Standard “real-life” forward moonwalk: Similar to B1. (1) 0.9875 / E notch → (2-3) SW notch → (4-28) W notch. Distance: 19.0219 (3.48564) [2.18313]
B1. Perfect backward moonwalk: When you dash out of turn, you cannot go directly from straight forward to straight backward. Instead, you need to hold down and behind for two frames to make the smash input subside. After that, you hold straight backward. (1) 0.9875 → (2-3) [-0.7875|-0.6] → (4-28) -1.000 Distance: 21.65937 (4.79062) [2.25625]
C1. Perfect dash-dance moonwalk: When you dash out of dash-dance, you always need to go through turn in-between, so you need to do the same inputs as in B1. However, the previous dash’s momentum will linger and add to your backwards distance: 34.69688 (17.77687) [2.3] when setting 0 to the point of Turn 1.
D1. Perfect consecutive moonwalk: Executed like A1, but draws from the previous moonwalk’s backwards movement. Distance: 69.79998 (52.87999) [2.3]
D2. Semi-perfect consecutive moonwalk: This is just A2 repeated perfectly. Distance: 69.05811 (51.90437) [2.27125]
D3. Swift consecutive moonwalk: This is just A3 repeated with perfect timing. Distance: 64.8182 (47.66438) [2.27125]
D4. Standard consecutive moonwalk: A4 repeated. Distance: 66.82624 (49.67249) [2.27125]
3. Moonwalk distance records
Everyone can submit their inputs here, but they will only be accepted if they fulfill all criteria:
1. Category of moonwalk you are submitting (see below)
2. Visual proof provided: Either in gfycat or imgur album format, no missing frames. Showing Magus’ input and position values (TopN and Sys Directi / Cur Directi / Prv Directi) is necessary.
3. Measured distance of the submitted moonwalk. It is not necessary that you start the moonwalk from 0 x offset, but in that case you need to subtract accordingly.
4. The name of the player who performed the moonwalk.
5. The input way you used (see above). If you did something else, describe it.
6. Only real-time played submissions are accepted. TAS is not allowed.
7. Any flat, non-moving stage is permitted.
8. At the end of the moonwalk, turning around and any other (accidental) action that does not increase distance is permitted. Walking, for example, is not permitted.
I will list two categories for now: initial moonwalk and consecutive moonwalk.
Initial moonwalk
1|Kadano|A3|19.34441|0|-19.34441| http://gfycat.com/CommonDependentKe...rom the impact of Z / Start pressing. [/SIZE]
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