SSBM | The mechanics behind advanced platform tech

0:00 - Intro
1:24 - No-Impact Land
4:28 - Aerial Interrupt (AI)
5:38 - Instant AI
6:27 - Lifting AI
7:29 - Aerial Interrupt Attack (AIA)
8:21 - Platform Cancel aka Drop Cancel
11:03 - Platform Warp NIL
12:59 - Platform Warp Aerials
14:00 - Backwards Hop Platform Warp
15:13 - Shine Platform Warp - discovered by kitsune91

All possible platform cancel aerials -   / what_moves_can_be_platform_cancelled  

Most known AIs - Samus Upair, Sheik Upair, Yoshis Upair, http://smashboards.com/threads/undisc... needs updating (there are loooads of instant AI and lifting AIs) :/

All known AIAs - thread above (Doc+Mario Upair, Pichu Nair)

All recorded Platform Warps - http://smashboards.com/threads/new-te... needs updating

info on backwards hop setup -   / falco_backwards_shorthop_platform_warp_nai...  

There are literally hundreds of platform warps, and loads I have not yet discovered. I try to only document the useful ones that arent double frame perfect though.


Text explanations:
Intro 0:00 :
The diamond in front of Doc's hurtbox is called the Environment Collision Box (ECB). It is used to determine collisions with the stage, other players and items. When the ECB is above a surface and moves downward onto it, it will trigger landing (unless you are fastfalling through a platform).

There are 4 diamonds that make up the ECB, we only need to know 2 for this video. The light orange is the ECB on the current frame, and the dark orange is the ECB on the previous frame. (   • Introduction to develop mode and basi...   if you want to know the other 2). Every action has it's own ECB pattern, with set values. The ECB pattern roughly resembles the bone structure of the character during the animation. Under the ECB is the Base Position Star, that shows the character's "true" position.

No-Impact Land (NIL) 1:24 :
First example:
Your jump is slightly higher than the platform, and so you fall only briefly and gain little downward velocity by the time you land.

Second example:
Same as first, but you use the backwards hop's ECB pattern to move your ECB high up, so you can land on a platform that you normally would just miss.

Third Example:
This jumps ECB pattern has a downward movement on certain frames. The downward movement is big enough that it puts the ECB at a lower point than the previous frame. If the ECB is just above a platform, you can use the downward movement to touch the platform and trigger landing. You have upward velocity so you NIL.

Aerial Interrupt (AI) 4:28 :
Some aerials have downward movements (normally at the start) that you can use to trigger landing with the correct timing, like the last NIL example. Most AIs happen very early during the aerial in their autocancel window and so trigger an Impact Land. Some don't, and have regular l-cancelable landing lag.

Instant AI 5:38 :
An aerial ECB pattern begins on frame 1, and most start relatively low down. So use a jump that has a high up ECB (like backflips) you can cause a downward extension. Timing it so that the ECB is above a platform before you aerial, you can use the extension to trigger landing.

Lifting AI 6:27 :
Some Aerials have a relatively high up ECB (at some point in their pattern) and can be used to reach a high up platform that your regular short hop doesn't reach.

Aerial Interrupt Attack 7:29 :
Some aerials have downward extensions after their first hitbox frame, and so can use the extension to trigger landing. Thus they have a hitbox right before they land.

Platform Cancel aka Drop Cancel 8:21 :
When you go airborne the bottom of the ECB is fixed to the Base Position for 9 frames, and on the 10th will update to the action's regular ECB pattern. Hitlag does not stop this counter, and so it can update midway through hitlag. Hitlag also freezes you in place, so if you aerial quickly after dropping from a platform you can freeze close to the platform. If the Aerial's ECB is high up enough, it can update to be above the platform. Once hitlag ends you fall on the platform.

Platform Warp NIL 11:03 :
When you doublejump the bottom of the ECB is fixed to the position it was in before you doublejump for 9 frames. You can pick any frame of which you can doublejump from, and use the ECB position to cause downward extensions when it updates, provided that the doublejump has a low ECB. When timed correctly it will cause a NIL because you have upward velocity.

Platform Warp Aerials 12:59 :
If you aerial instead, you can still get downward extensions if the aerial's ECB is low enough. But you must make sure you dont enter hitlag when the ECB is below the platform.