The official Arrow looping thread

[kupo15]

**Disclaimer**
I am not claiming discovery of this technique I am creating this thread for the teaching and discussion of this AT. The original founder of this AT is Undrdog.
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Arrow looping is nothing more than looping an arrow for a desired effect. More on that later but this is how you perform an arrow loop.

You move your joystick in a circular motion in an evenly timed pace. Thats it. If you don't move your joystick smoothly, then you will either go to fast or to slow for the arrow and you will lose control of it.

The best way to learn arrow looping is to make a large, flat custom stage and go in fixed camera mode. You can also add a tower of platforms so you can physically throw the motionless CPU up to the top platform which will also zoom the camera out. This will allow you to see the arrow loop. The next step is to practice the feel of looping an arrow on a regular stage such as Final destination.

Why this is important
Arrow looping is important because when used right, YOU are controlling your opponent by limiting his options. These are the options you give your opponent when you effectively arrow loop:
1. Get hit by the arrow
2. Get hit by you after the dodge ends

So it is basically a win situation.

Classic "Arrow loop"

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The "Knot"

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The "Boomerang"

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The "Horseshoe"

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The "Fish Hook"

Arrow Chasing

This is probably the most common use of arrow looping. Arrow chasing is looping an arrow and chase after it as it flies by you. What this does is allow you to be close you the opponent when the arrow hits with ANY attack option at your disposal. So if they shield it, you can grab them or if they take the hit, you can Fsmash while they are stunned by the arrow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGw8vJGyimo

Arrow Swarming

Arrow swarming is looping more than one arrow at a time. You can only loop up to four arrows because the game will delete the first arrow you fired as soon as you shoot the 5th. This method of arrow looping is not used often because it is usually impractical in an aggressive match.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJzyV7ys7UU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcHwN0LvcqM (Gets good around 4:20 to the end)

Arrow Blitzing
Arrow blitzing is hitting someone with multiple arrows at once. It is also not used much as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTJUhAgIGmU


Arrow Rain

Arrow Rain is also another variation that isn't used much but it is shooting 4 arrows straight up and looping all four of them down to hit your opponent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8-FGf24cfc

 

[Aminar]

We have Looping, and Knotting. Why not Pulling, like Pulling the arrow back. I dunno, I'm just reminded of Loop Swoop and Pull for tying shoes into knots.

 

[Admiral Pit]

i have not been able to do number 3 yet. To me, I just use it as a "Mortar" shot
I prefer to call the 3rd one the "Missile" Loop because it reminds me of a missile that is launched into the air, and then it comes back to its target. Then again, im bad with names.

 

[Ryazan]

how about the half-loop for the last one?

 

[CorruptFate]

ask Undr to put this as the link for arrow looping in the "read before posting" sticky

 

[kupo15]

lol will do. I think he would appreciate this thread if he were on. wonder where he is...

 

[Crystanium]

how about the half-loop for the last one?

I don't know. It's really not a half-loop. It's simply the Arrow Loop, just starting from a different angle. A half-loop would simply be firing Palutena's Arrow forward and angling it to where it curves in the air, but does not return to you. Perhaps the Boomerang?

 

[kupo15]

Thats a good name

 

[Crystanium]

Thats a good name

Cool! And to think, this all started because of the other thread that introduced the "Knot." Yay! I think it's especially unique for Pit, also. I mean, calling Ness and Lucas' PK Thunder attack when they hit themselves, "PK Thunder 2" isn't all that great. Go, Pit!

 

[kupo15]

lol yup!!

10arrows

 

[Ryos4]

Idk not to be a downer or anything but i sorta find it weird to name arrow loop variations. There are a bunch of things you can do with the arrow loop. But people name stuff like baseball throws so, meh why fight it. lol.

So meh i guess ill join in on the arrow looping variations. Something ive played around with before.
If u jump like 2 or 3 times or use the wings renewal on the left side of the FD and shoot to the right(or vice versa) and loop it down you can make it pass really close to the edge and hug the side on its way down at a 45 degree angle. It can be used shoot any other players who like to approach from below the lip of the stage or people who like to fly under the stage to escape you, ie other pits. Allowing you to possibly take out the WoI without having to risk ur life by jumping down and shooting an arrow. It could also give your opponent a false sense of security, leaving themselves open to a arrow gimp that they just dont expect. In theory this should work since it would definitely work on me if i ever tried run to the other edge because my opponent was a really good edge guarder. Im usually too busy worrying about attacks coming from behind and flying to the other edge rather then looking for an arrow coming from in front. Even if they see it coming, theres no real way to avoid an arrow if ur usings pits WoI and ur under the stage. What are they gonna do, air dodge it? lol.

 

[Admiral Pit]

Interesting. And the Boomerang is a good name. It's a shame that I could not have thought of it.
An arrow that was meant to go after the opponent under the stage would be something useful, but timing it would be difficult depending on the stage. Since FD is my best stage... It shouldnt completely hard. Perhaps a vid showing this would help out a bit better.

 

[kupo15]

or maybe just a pic of the loop would be nice. I have one Ill add called the horseshoe

 

[Ryazan]

Hmmm...it's not really a boomerang if its initial trajectory is vertical...

 

[kupo15]

well, looking at them from the side, our perspective not Pits, i think it does

 

[Ryazan]

A Boomerang would be more like shooting the arrow forward, then curving it up and back towards you.

 

[kupo15]

I like it unless you have a better name.


I added the Horseshoe. Other names could be the Arc or the Rainbow.

 

[Ryazan]

I like Horseshoe or Arc for the fourth one. How about the Cross or the Slipknot for the third one?

 

[DiosDePyro]

Even if they see it coming, theres no real way to avoid an arrow if ur usings pits WoI and ur under the stage. What are they gonna do, air dodge it? lol.

The boomerang looks like it could be useful for coming back under the stage to hit escapees

 

[kupo15]

Maybe, bu tif it is quicker to drop down and fire, that would be better. If that isn't the case then yes, the boomerang would be the fastest

Ryazan: How does it look like a cross? Slipknot is a little better but that could be confused with the knot. I think it looks more like the path of a boomerang than anything else

 

[kupo15]

Some discover it on their own and tell others. Some discover it on their own and say nothing. The one who mentions it first is the first to be credited for it. Whether it's an early find or a late find, it matters not. They're all going to be used anyway.

While we're at it, the Arrow Loop is an advanced technique. Other uses branch off of the Arrow Loop. For example, I could say, "I have created a new kind of Arrow Loop. I call it the 'Fish Hook.' The reason I call it this is because Palutena's Arrow goes up as though it were going to be an Arrow Loop, but instead of returning right where you're at, it flies below you. Thus, it looks like a fish hook. This is performed at the edge of the stage for anyone who is attempting to fly to the other side of the stage. Hopefully, it will hit the opponent."

For visuals, observe below:

The point would be where the Arrow starts. It then circles around, as seen where the bend is at. Then it flies diagonally like the shank, and finally, the eye hits the opponent. Try it on Final Destination at one of the edges. Heck, I don't even think you need to perform right by the edge. You can just use it while on the stage. This, of course, would mean that you have to do at least a double jump. Yet, this useless. I suppose we could just come up with names for the Arrow Loop variants.

Eight - 8
Infinity - ∞

If you made it to where it looked more like an eight, this would mean that you would do it vertically. I did mine horizontally. No doubt, Pit could do it either way.

Sorry but where on the hook does it start? and do you need to rotate the pic to fit the arrows path?
Also, have you been able to do the infinity loop? I haven't tried that hard but I couldn't do it. Maybe my angle was off.

 

[Ryazan]

In the third picture the initial trajectory of the arrow is almost perpendicular to the terminal trajectory. That's where I got Cross from.

 

[kupo15]

if that was the case, then every time you fire up it is a cross arrow. The path of the arrow should determine the name. Boomerang has stuck for now unless someone has the perfect one. I don't want to change it all of the time

 

[Ryos4]

Its in the shape of a boomerang, rather then, its like one being thrown. Or well w/e.

As for my arrow variation, I really cant make a video or pictures, since my recorder is taking a break and i dont have an sd card or w/e to transport pictures. If someone wanted to record it for me after i send them a replay that could work. Though i though i really explained it enough. lol.

 

[kupo15]

Sorry, I forgot or didn't see that post >_< So is it like this?

Rereading your post i dont think my pic matches it. If the arrow goes down the same side you are, then what makes it different than the horseshoe? And cant you just do it on the floor?

 

[Crystanium]

Sorry but where on the hook does it start? and do you need to rotate the pic to fit the arrows path?

It starts at the Point, as seen in the image. This isn't the best, but I hope it'll do.

Also, have you been able to do the infinity loop? I haven't tried that hard but I couldn't do it. Maybe my angle was off.

The infinity loop is useless in regard to battle. I only brought that up, because I wanted to note that Palutena's Arrow can be manipulated so easily.

 

[kupo15]

ok so you had to flip it around. It is close to the horseshoe but since the arrow goes vertically down, its a bit different

 

[alphak4]

Wow, after looking at those, I seriously need to work on my arrow shooting xD

 

[Prophesized]

I'm n ot exactly sure as to how useful this might be, but I've found it quite useful against opponents.

Lets say that Pit and your opponent (Lets say..Ike?) is standing on a flat stage like Final Destination.

[----Ike--------<___>--------Pit----]

The <__> standing for the center. Pit can shoot an arrow forwards to Ike, but a little before coming into contact with Ike, you tap up so the arrow begins to rise at a slant. As soon as you tap up though, tap down right afterwards.


[----Ike--Arrow-<___>--------Pit----] (Part one)



_______ A
_______ _r
_______ __ r
_______ ___o
[----Ike------w---<___>--------Pit----] (Part two)




Arrow


[----Ike--------<___>--------Pit----] (Part three)

From here, you simply do an arrow loop by pressing up, and around the stick. Because of this, Pit will jump into the air. During the arrow loop, since pit is left in midair, you can follow up with any sort of air attack just in case the opponent chooses to begin to run forward. I tend to use dair or fair due to the arrow loop's movement, but I think it could be possible to do a bair or uair (not sure how useful they are in comparison to someone running at you from the front, though).

Basically, this leaves you slightly less open than a normal arrow loop would if you were using it when both players are on the ground. Sorry if this description doesn't really help, I can't upload a video of it yet..

[Side note]
What I've also come to notice is that when shooting arrows up f or arrow raining, the arrows have a much longer time staying within the borders of the entire map than arrows to the left or right, which disappear and don't return to the stage bescause of it. So when you're shooting up consistently, all of the arrows are going up in the same exact place, just at different timings. So when you shoot that last arrow and angle it onto the stage, you're r emaining arrows that will fall will be depending on the angle. If you angle the final arrow directly down to an area, all of the following arrows will hit the exact same place.
___ A3
___A2
[----A1-------<___>--------Pit----]

If you shoot it to make it a little closer to you, the arrows will rain down to the right.


___ 1_ 2_ 3
[----A-A-A----<___>--------Pit----]

Shooting it a little farther from you will make it rain to the left
3_2_1
[A-A-A--------<___>--------Pit----]


Again, I'm sorry I can't put up any videos of this, and I'm really sorry if this was already discovered or if this is all pointless to Pit Mains, but I thought it might be a little useful to know.

 

[Ryos4]

yeah kupo it looks just like that. it could work on the ground, but you would have to tilt it up then tilt it down since u cant make the arrow hit corners as sharply as you would want it to. Think of it like this, if you try to loop an arrow, it usually leaves the screen just because the arrow cant turn on a dime. So to make up for it you have to be higher in the air when shooting below to make it tight as possible without wasting time going up then down.

hmm stupid name for it. how bout "edge hugger"? lol.

 

[Crystanium]

I think it's necessary to explain why I thought it would be good to call the third variation of the Arrow Loop, "Boomerang." It has nothing to do with what shape the Arrow is creating, but that, like a boomerang, it returns to Pit. Some are named by what they create as if it were drawn out, while others are called what they are called, simply because of how they act. The Arrow Loop, for example, is called "Arrow Loop," because it loops. Otherwise, we'd be better off calling it, "Arrow Circle."

 

[kupo15]

Yup. And I added the Fish hook. I will get to Ryos later when i have time

 

[Crystanium]

Yup. And I added the Fish hook. I will get to Ryos later when i have time

Uh, thanks. You know, I really wasn't intending for that to be an actual variation. I was just throwing that out to show that every variation is simply a branch that comes from the Arrow Loop. But, if it works, why not?

 

[Tomato Kirby]

This thread contains good things to keep in mind as a Kirby player.

Thank you, kupo15.

 

[Tipzntrix]

The knot is a rather interesting loop I can't get down. It is quite cool to see it in your vids though, kupo. Kudos on this thread!

 

[CorruptFate]

woot more info on arrow loops for people to look at on the OP.

 

[Arigon]

When the game first came out i played pit alot and named a tech that i found on my own (not saying that someone didnt find it before me i just didnt know about it). " Arrow Rain" is what a called it and you can add it if you like. You shoot 4 arrows straight up into the air and when you shoot the 4th one you curve that one straight down and watch the other 3 come down to. Now once you get the hang of that you should be able to hit your target with 2-3 arrows easily if hes across a large stage such as hyrule temple or new pork city. Not really effective but in the right situation you can rack up damage. I have stolen some ko's with it (some on purpose some on accident). Also this is super cool if a person gets knocked off the stage when you get the 4rth arrow up. You can just aim all 4 at them and try to keep them down.

Ps-hope that didnt sound to selfish at the beggining

EDIT>>oh btw just watched your combo vid montage, nice job and great vid

 

[Elsavita]

Is it possible to not move while directing the arrow?
If its not, its impossible to do this, you keep falling off the edge.

 

[Villains]

Is it possible to not move while directing the arrow?
If its not, its impossible to do this, you keep falling off the edge.

What you mean? U can easily direct your arrow while not falling of the edge. I mean, when u shoot your arrow, press up, left, down, right u shouldn't move that much.

At this vid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8-FGf24cfc), u also see he doesn't move that much or falling of the edge. When he presses up he jumps, its easilier to put that one off at the controller set-up. Tap-up jump or something is standing there.

 

[Elsavita]

So as example one press up should be enough to make him curve?

I always HOLD the arrow keys, but that is wrong?

Thanks alot