The true cause of tripping

[ILOVESMASHBROTHERS]

Hey all

Tripping is a big problem in Smash Brothers Brawl. A lot of people have come to the conclusion that its a randomly occuring move aimed to punish players that "run" a lot. Nintendo would have been silly to punish players for running, its a basic movement skill! However, I have good news, as I have discovered how to avoid tripping (or at least what causes it). When you smash the analog stick in a direction, you will perform a dash attacks. You have a 45 degree cone on each side of the analog stick to use to perform the smash dash. Now, if you are perpendicular to the ground with the direction of your analog stick, you will NOT fall. However, the more off you analog stick is whenever you start a dash, the greater the risk for tripping, and here is why - EVERY time you dash and you do NOT smash the controller perpendicularly to the ground below your character (be it a sloped surface, flat surface, whatever, but it must be perpendicular) then your character will build up what I call a trip count, adding to the previous trip count how many degrees off your analog stick was from the ground. There is a trip threshold that each character has, which I haven't determined yet, but I'm sure exists from my playtesting. What happens is once your trip count exceeds the characters trip threshold, you fall. I'm going to be doing some playtesting and hopefully coming up with character specific thresholds, but this is the true cause of tripping.

 

[pirkid]

If this is true (and bloody hell it better be), you might have made the first useful thread all week.

I'll try this out myself, maybe upload vids.

 

[RaptorHawk]

I really don't think there is a trip threshold. I've had matches start with the first thing my character does is trip.....that kinda throws the whole trip count threshold thing out the window doesn't it?

 

[PwnyRide]

This easily should be voted best thread of the month. Awesome, AWESOME find if this is true.

 

[MookieRah]

If this is true, then explain how the vid of 3 marios being controlled by one wavebird yielded random tripping results.

 

[Papapaint]

If this is true, then explain how the vid of 3 marios being controlled by one wavebird yielded random tripping results.

I think he's saying that the only time you have a random chance of tripping is when you don't tilt the stick perfectly.

Worth testing, but I doubt it.

 

[Firebert]

I think he's saying that the only time you have a random chance of tripping is when you don't tilt the stick perfectly.

Worth testing, but I doubt it.

Yeah, in my opinion, that theory doesn't make sense at all. The amount of degrees it tilts? Unlikely. Possible, but very unlikely.

 

[pirkid]

There's a chance that titling the control stick will cause you to tilt. A chance, it could go either way.
That set-up would satisfy the Mario vid and the 'not random' aspect.

 

[Papapaint]

Uhh... I think I just proved this maximum false.

No analog stick on wiimotes.

 

[Firebert]

Uhh... I think I just proved this maximum false.

No analog stick on wiimotes.

Yeah, wow, I didn't even think about that! I knew the theory was bogus, though. It just seems too far-fetched in my opinion.

 

[slashinroy32]

Uhh... I think I just proved this maximum false.

No analog stick on wiimotes.

uh... actually that explains why u trip less on a wiimote.................. its true try it out.

 

[Papapaint]

Interesting.

For the past ten minutes, I've sat here testing this theory.

I'd very carefully tilt the stick exactly properly, and dash. Once the animation ended, I'd do it again. I did this for two minutes straight with no trips. Then, I intentionally missed. I tripped. I did this repeatedly for a while. basically, 4 2-minute tests have shown that this theory is, in fact, plausiable. More testing is needed.

It's possible that this is a nod towards GC users.

 

[DarumaBlue]

Even if not true, major kudos to OP for hard work and a great theory.

 

[Firebert]

Even if not true, major kudos to OP for hard work and a great theory.

Yeah, even though I am not entirely sure that the theory is accurate, I commend the OP for their hard work and insight.

 

[Papapaint]

Um... can I have some other people helping me test this?

So far, 7/7 trials support OP's theory. This is incredibly interesting.

EDIT:
So far, I've done 9 trials. Each supports his idea.

Here's my theory:

He's smack on about "trip points." I think that every time you dash, you accumulate a "trip point". Let's call this .1%. After 10 dashes, you'd have a 1% chance to trip ON THAT TENTH DASH. This explains why some people trip their first dash of the game... there's a .1% chance.

Now then, as long as you dash perfectly perpendicular to the ground, this chance does not come into play. However, when you don't dash perfectly, the game runs an algorithm, and you're victim to the laws of chance.

This needs maximum more testing, but this is big if it's true.

 

[shadydentist]

I remain dubious. This doesn't explain tripping off the first dash of the match.

 

[Firebert]

I remain dubious. This doesn't explain tripping off the first dash of the match.

It still is somewhat random, of course. The theory only partially explains tripping.

 

[tshahi10]

ok, just make up a stage with stage creator that goes likw this /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
then run across it with a dash dance

 

[Papapaint]

Okay, after 20 trials, I tripped once during a "perfect dash".

Now then, this leads me to two theories:

1. I screwed up without knowing it.

2. TS's theory is partially true. It seems likely to me now that THE CLOSER YOU ARE TO THE "PERFECT" DASH ANGLE, THE LOWER YOUR CHANCES OF TRIPPING. THE FARTHER YOU ARE, THE HIGHER YOUR CHANCES.

Or it's all just a fluke chance.

Seriously, can more people help me test this?

 

[redeyedol]

If this theory proves to be true, it may add more depth to Brawl in the sense that a good Brawl player will require VERY GOOD hand dexterity to avoid any kind of mess-up whatsoever. I'm gonna do some testin myself..

 

[RazeveX]

did everyone just ignore mookierah's post?

 

[Yuna]

almightypancake: You've dedicated, what, 1 hour to testing it? Tripping is random. As such, it's inherently unpredictable. Only 100's of hours will yield any real results.

Also, why are people so desperately to cling onto a way to explain tripping away as not random that they'll fall for anything? Really, you won't believe that tripping is random but you'll gladly believe it's a (randomly based) punishment if you don't dash perfectly perpendicular?

Seriously? In a game that not only caters to the Casual crowd but which has also been "dumbed down" from its predecesser to make everything easier to do and more intuitive? They'd put in something so obscure only 100's of hours of testing would determine a way to avoid it? I mean, who the Hell (who's Casual) would random stumble upon this solution to tripping? A game in which the philosophy is "If it's too hard to for a Casual gamer to do, it's out!", they'd put something like this in? So basically they're gonna punish Casual gamers who haven't practiced "perfect perpendicular dashing" with random tripping while awarding those who've learned how to do it (i.e., the Competitive gamers)?

Yeah, I don't think so.

almightypancake, there are people who go hours without tripping. I've personally tripped 4 times in a single match yet in many others not have tripped a single time. 2 minutes of dashing means nothing. It's a fluke.

 

[Senshuu]

I wouldn't doubt this. You know why? Because I trip tons, and I found out yesterday that I tend to hold my control stick a little upwards when I intend to go forward--so much so that sometimes I do up attacks when I mean to do side attacks.

 

[Yuna]

I wouldn't doubt this. You know why? Because I trip tons, and I found out yesterday that I tend to hold my control stick a little upwards when I intend to go forward--so much so that sometimes I do up attacks when I mean to do side attacks.

And the reason why they'd make you trip for not dashing "the right way" would be? To force people to play the game a certain way? To force them to dash a certain way lest they want to randomly trip? Yeah, no.

 

[redeyedol]

almightypancake: You've dedicated, what, 1 hour to testing it?
almightypancake, there are people who go hours without tripping. I've personally tripped 4 times in a single match yet in many others not have tripped a single time. 2 minutes of dashing means nothing. It's a fluke.

Although I do think you make very very good points in the paragraphs before this one I chose to quote, I will respond to this last one. How are you so certain that the stick positionin and tilt did not affect the trippin in those matches? Cause I doubt you may have paid attention to how perfectly straight or tilted the stick may have been (since usually it should not matter for a basic dash, or directional attack). However, I will not doubt your points, you may very well be right, but there is still a chance the topic creator might be right too. You never know..

I know it's pretty stupid to add somethin that would take a moronic amount of hours to test out in the game, I agree with you there, however you should not discard the possibility, especially if someone found certain "results", even if thye don't seem too significant. Only further testin will prove somethin, and if it is to prove his theory *wrong*, then at least testin has a use.

 

[Yuna]

Although I do think you make very very good points in the paragraphs before this one I chose to quote, I will respond to this last one. How are you so certain that the stick positionin and tilt did not affect that match? Cause I doubt you may have paid attention to how perfectly straight or tilted the stick may have been (since usually it should not matter for a basic dash, or directional attack). However, I will not doubt your points, you may very well be right, but there is still a chance the topic creator might be right too. You never know..

Because I do not dash perpendicularly. I dash straight forward. And I've gone hours without tripping. The majority of players also don't dash perpendicularly. Because it's weird and who would do that spontaneously?

almightypancake said "I tested this X number of times! I've probably proven it true!"... ... ... which was what I was refuting.

 

[Firebert]

did everyone just ignore mookierah's post?

No, and I find it quite intriguing. It could debunk many a theory.

 

[Bendu]

almightypancake said "I tested this X number of times! I've probably proven it true!"... ... ... which was what I was refuting.

Which is why he's been asking other people to help him test it? From what I can tell he doesn't think he's proven anything at all. Otherwise he wouldn't be asking for more testing and other people contributing.

Just let up a little, seriously Yuna. It's not that big a deal.

 

[redeyedol]

Because I do not dash perpendicularly. I dash straight forward. And I've gone hours without tripping. The majority of players also don't dash perpendicularly. Because it's weird and who would do that spontaneously?

almightypancake said "I tested this X number of times! I've probably proven it true!"... ... ... which was what I was refuting.

We may move our thumbs a slight angle off due to involuntary movements people are scientifically known to do sometimes, or simply due to bein caught up in many different actions. Example if we went from doin somethin upwards to straight forward, we'd be more likely to do the forward motion at a very slight angle, than say if we simply went from left to right, or right to right again. I do not doubt your points though, but I still believe there might be a possibility to his theory. And at least testin this out longer than the guy who came up with the theory would actually be useful, cause disprovin somethin means only one less thing to bother with.

 

[SenorPresidente]

Nothing is being lost by just testing things out.

 

[Senshuu]

And the reason why they'd make you trip for not dashing "the right way" would be? To force people to play the game a certain way? To force them to dash a certain way lest they want to randomly trip? Yeah, no.

I don't think we were talking about reasons here.
You're only "forced" to do things the "right way" if you really care about tripping. Personally I'd like to practice dashing straight so I don't keep messing up my smashes. (It's pretty bad with me, yeah, just like I keep missing items, too. But that's personal bad habits.)

Me, I'm just interested in people's theories about the mechanics.

 

[redeyedol]

Nothing is being lost by just testing things out.

Exactly my point.

 

[Yuna]

Then why don't people test it out? I can't at the moment, surely at least a few of you have Brawl at home? Also, these "theories" about Tripping are becoming annoying since pretty much everyone and their mothers' got one and most of them are wild and illogical... and later (or already) proven completely bogus. The majority of people making up theories haven't even read up on Tripping properly since Hitaku's test debunked the majority of them (even though they popped up after hgis tests)

This one is illogical but apparently it's possible. I say it's just a fluke. Because it's still illogical (in terms of why the heck Sakurai would implement tripping like this).

 

[Papapaint]

Then why don't people test it out? I can't at the moment, surely at least a few of you have Brawl at home? Also, these "theories" about Tripping are becoming annoying since pretty much everyone and their mothers' got one and most of them are wild and illogical... and later (or already) proven completely bogus. The majority of people making up theories haven't even read up on Tripping properly since Hitaku's test debunked the majority of them (even though they popped up after hgis tests)

This one is illogical but apparently it's possible. I say it's just a fluke. Because it's still illogical (in terms of why the heck Sakurai would implement tripping like this).

It could be Sakurai's way of adding "depth" to the game.

And I don't claim to have proven anything. I even kept saying it was possibly just a fluke. Still interesting, and worth investigating.

 

[Firebert]

Yes, we all know that Sakurai likes to pull pranks.

 

[NESSBOUNDER]

Yuna is so negative. He shot down my footstool jump attack theory, which turned out to be true and useful for a few characters.

Keep on testing, guys. This is pretty interesting. It also goes well with the way certain characters have moves that can trip the opponent. Perhaps these moves just increase the opponent's trip factor?

 

[dguy6789]

I tried for about 10 minutes and yielded no correlation either way. It's random.

 

[Papapaint]

Alright guys, I managed to get around 30 or so trials (lost count). In all those, I only tripped one time when I thought I was "perfect dashing". Could be a sign that this whole idea is silly, but still...

I'll test more tomorrow, but it's like 4 AM here. Peace.

 

[Luigi player]

Interesting... I'd try it out if I had Brawl.

But what if your "treshhold" thing is at 100%? If you don't tilt the control stick EXACTLY horizontal and not vertical you'll trip 100% of the time? >_>

Or does it reset if you trip? Hmm...

 

[Yuna]

It could be Sakurai's way of adding "depth" to the game.

"Dash this way, at this angle or risk random punishment!" - Yeah, that'd be even stupider than it just being random.