Dr. Tuen
Smash Lord
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2009
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INTRODUCTION
Hello all! Welcome to what is hopefully going to become a series or a compilation thread... whichever is appropriate. The goal is to put numbers to some assumptions or feelings that we have about various capabilities of Zero Suit Samus. First up: the Flip Kick Frame Trap!METHODS
Seems funny to have a methods section here, but I believe it to be an important point of consistency in my work.This analysis involves the use of technical move or combination descriptions (REF 1, for Flip Kick Frame Trap) and the compiled ZSS frame data (REF 2). The frame data is put on a chronological timeline for assessment and a description of the move, combination, or frame trap is interpreted and presented for discussion.
RESULTS
COLOR KEYYellow - Start up frames
Red (ZSS) - Hitbox frames
Red (FOE) - Vulnerability Fraems
BLUE (FOE) - Invulnerability Frames
Note - I used ZSS' air dodge for this example. Others net similar results. There are also three air dodge timings presented here. The first line represents air dodging on the first frame the flip jump can occur. Some may wish to avoid being soft-spiked by that at high percent and may time an early air dodge. The second air dodge example is for avoiding the earliest kick frame. The last air dodge example demonstrates a late air dodge. These are deonoted "JUMP DODGE," "KICK DODGE," and "LATE DODGE" respectively.
A - Flip Kick startup Frames
B - Frame 19 and onward, the kick or the flip jump can be triggered
C - Possible hitbox frames for flip kick (reference: the duration of the kick is 5 frames)
D - Startup Frames for Bair ... NOTE! Since the kick can be activated on frame 41 and comes out 9 frames later... these can be hitbox frames for flip kick too!
E - Hitbox frames for Bair. ... NOTE! These can be delayed at the player's discretion!
DISCUSSION
This frame trap is really good. It requires some interpretation by the player, but otherwise, it is very, very good. As a note, this assumes you've likely put your foe off-stage.Jump Dodge
This is the earliest dodge presented in the data presentation above. Likely fearing any interaction with the flip kick, your opponent dodges away. Provided they do not trigger the jump early (in which case, you DI away to safety), you get a kick for free. This is a bit tricky though, because you must time that kick very well. You're aiming for a 5 frame vulnerability window. You may also have to kick in either direction depending on the foe's DI and the difference between your falling speeds.
Kick Dodge
If your opponent dodges away from the earliest kicking frame, you can execute a late kick (kick activated on frame 43-49) to catch them. This comes with the same caveats as the Jump Dodge timing... an opponent's DI and fall speed can effect the success of this hit.
Late Dodge
This is the most potent of the bunch. A late dodge gives you the greatest thing you could ask for: freedom to adjust your timing and positioning. When your opponent dodges away late, fearing some sort of long distance follow up from a Nair for example, you get a number of frames to jump/fast fall and position your back air for the hit. This may need to be adjusted to uair or nair depending on if your opponent crosses you up or not. Depending on the frequency of the hits (8 hits in 23 frames?) Boost Kick can also be a follow up option that could more reliably catch those 5 air dodge vulnerability frames. That possibility will be updated as knowledge regarding special moves improves.
Hypothesis - Ledge Cancel Kick to Fair/Bair
The data above lends itself to an interesting variant of this frame trap. Ledge canceled kick to a follow up. This presents both threats to your opponent, forcing them to get hit by one in the case of perfect play. In the Hitbox Visualization Thread (REF 3), it is shown that the attack kick of flip kick can very credibly threaten the "snap back" vulnerability frame that is present in low recoveries. Threatening this to an opponent that still has a second jump may force an airdodge... which ZSS could naturally follow with an edge cancel that leads to an aerial placed at the end of their air dodge. I have only considered this within the span of writing this thread, so consider this strictly hypothetical and discuss it in the comments to sort out its viability.
Error
There is always room for error. This analysis has been completely hypothetical, since I don't have a lot of hands-on time right now. I'm defending a PhD in 4 months and that means I probably shouldn't be doing the analysis I already do, ha ha. But alas, this is too fun.
That said, sources of error all lie in DI and fall speed. I would hypothesize that more similar fall speed can assist in the functionality of this frame trap. Being higher up also makes the frame trap safer, since you can fast fall without risk of death (so long as you've saved your second jump). If you fall faster than your foe, that yields even better odds if you are working with a late dodge since you can adjust your next jump to back air at will.
CONCLUSIONS
This frame trap, at least hypothetically, looks really awesome. I believe it warrants more discussion and investigation as a community. Technically it requires no set up other than an opponent off the ledge, or one that is in the air and scared of your follow ups. Realistically, hitting a Nair, Bair, or throw first would be a helpful start up.I hope this opens the door to other frame trap discussions, such as the viability of following up paralyzer shots on or off an opponent's shield. Or maybe, something new we have never considered.
Onwards and upwards, everyone!
REFERENCES
1. @
DeLux
- Flip Kick Frame Trap Comment - Zero Suit Samus- Quick Question, Quick Answer Thread2. @ Dr. Tuen et al. - ZSS Frame Data - http://smashboards.com/threads/zero-suit-samus-frame-data-compilation-misc-page-update.401590/
3. @ Dr. Tuen - ZSS Spacing Visualization - http://smashboards.com/threads/the-final-frontier-a-zss-spacing-visualization-update-down-b.401184/
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