Optimal Button-mashing?

[Splendid]

Let's say someone grabs you and you think they're getting greedy with pummels. You know you should mash, but doing what will make for the greatest possible amount of inputs?

 

[20YY SS | Saiblade]

Probably try hard SDI inputs and spamming buttons.

 

[Spak]

The game registers one analog input on the Control Stick and one button press per frame while mashing, so since the C-Stick doesn't count in mashing, so make sure you hit buttons with at least a 1/60 of a second difference and move around your analog stick a lot.

 

[EPsilon933]

Be sure to hold a good direction to DI out of the throw setup/combo before you get thrown too

 

[pagedMov]

yeah, you shouldnt really be spinning the analog stick because if you lose the wheel of fortune and end up doing something like DI'ing Fox's f-throw down and out, there's not really much you can do lol

 

[Y-L]

I actually read something about this before and here's the information I gathered:

-A cardinal direction on the analog stick (up down left right) counts as one input
-The c-stick does nothing
-L/R digital press (the click) counts as an input
-The game only registers 1 button per frame. This means for optimal mashing you need to not hit every button at the same time. What I do is go from x y a b to a y x and repeat. Separate the inputs. Also, spinning the stick hits all cardinal directions which is very helpful but sometimes it's not worth it (maybe only when being wobbled or at high percent or a slow throw animation) to use the analog stick and just prepare your DI. For example you want to be buffering upward DI for peaches fthrow.

 

[GenNyan]

Does anyone know how many inputs it takes to actually break the grab?

 

[Spak]

Does anyone know how many inputs it takes to actually break the grab?

Spoiler

Grab Escape Speed Formula (and the factors that affect it)

The formula for escaping a grab (NOT special grabs, like Bowser's Koopa Klaw) is the following. The variables are, as you probably know, "t" = time(in frames) stuck in a grab, "b" = amount of times victim presses buttons to escape quicker, and "d" = damage of victim.

The formula is...

"t" = "1.6d" + 76 - "6b"

At 0%, without any usage of the analog stick or any buttons, it takes exactly 76 frames (1.26666...) to escape a grab. On average, every damage more an opponent receives, the time they're stuck in a grab is increased by 1.6 frames. Since the game doesn't have fractions of a frame, it goes like this for every 5% an opponent receieves(and then the process/pattern continues). +2 frames, +2 frames, +1 frame, + 2 frames, + 1 frame. That's how it works. I also found that every flash when Mew2 grabs you occurs exactly 24 frames apart(and the 1st one starts on the 3rd frame of the grab), which is the exact same speed as Falco's laser when it's shot on the ground rapidly(except for the 1st shot, which starts on frame 23). Also, here is a general list of what affects escaping a grab by how much.

-----Press A, B, L, R, X, Y, or Z - 6 frames is reduced from the time you'd be held in a grab.

-----Press The Analog stick in 1 of the 4 cardinal directions(angles don't count) - 6 frames is reduced from the time you're held in a grab (24 frames is reduced after 1 complete rotation of the analog stick, so 2 and 1/2 rotations reduces the time by 1 second).

The characters that shock you when they're holding you(except Ice Climbers with both of them) with they're grab+A move, which include(in no specific order)...

1) Mewtwo
2) Pichu
3) Pikachu
4) Zelda
5) Ice Climbers(with both of them, by pressing A really really fast)

...stun a grabbed foe for for 5 frames, and every single other character in the game(??? on Giga Bowser, Master/Crazy Hand) stun a foe for only 3 frames. Yes, you can actually increase the time a character is held by pressing A to attack them in a grab. The total time for ever A attack (in a grab) is EXACTLY 26 frames, so that means that you'll be able to shock a foe with Mew2, Pika/Pichu, Zelda and the 2 Ice Climbers about 1 more time in 12 or 13 times than you'd be able to do with another character, which gives those 5 characters an very very very slight advantage over other characters when you hold and attack them.

Here's a little list on the amount of frames a character is held in a grab at each damage percentage(counting by 5's)

---------------0% - 76 (1.2666 sec)
5% - 84
10% - 92
15% - 100
20% - 108
25% - 116
30% - 124
35% - 132
40% - 140
45% - 148
---------------50% - 156 (2.6 sec)
55% - 164
60% - 172
65% - 180
70% - 188
75% - 196
80% - 204
85% - 212
90% - 220
95% - 228
---------------100% - 236 (3.9333 sec)
105% - 244
110% - 252
115% - 260
120% - 268
125% - 276
130% - 284
135% - 292
140% - 300
145% - 308
---------------150% - 316 (5.2666 sec)
155% - 324
160% - 332
165% - 340
170% - 348
175% - 356
180% - 364
185% - 372
190% - 380
195% - 388
---------------200% - 396 (6.6 sec)
205% - 404
210% - 412
215% - 420
220% - 428
225% - 436
230% - 444
235% - 452
240% - 460
245% - 468
---------------250% - 476 (7.9333 sec)
255% - 484
260% - 492
265% - 500
270% - 508
275% - 516
280% - 524
285% - 532
290% - 540
295% - 548
---------------300% - 556 (9.2666 sec)
305% - 564
310% - 572
315% - 580
320% - 588
325% - 596
330% - 604
335% - 612
340% - 620
345% - 628
---------------350% - 636 (10.6 sec)
355% - 644
360% - 652
365% - 660
370% - 668
375% - 676
380% - 684
385% - 692
390% - 700
395% - 708
---------------400% - 716 (11.9333 sec)

also...
0% - normal time
47% - 2X time
95% - 3X time
142% - 4X time
190% - 5X time
237% - 6X time
285% - 7X time
332% - 8X time
380% - 9X time
427% - 10X time
997% - 22X time

From M2K's Melee Bible.

 

[-ACE-]

You can spin the stick twice or so and then move to proper DI just before you get out (while mashing other buttons). You should have a idea as to what is possible, as far as when you can mash out, so you can switch to DI properly in time. If you don't know, grab a level 9 at various percents. They'll show you how quickly you can get out.