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| + | {{for|other uses|Lag (disambiguation)}} |
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| − | {{split|A lot of different topics here, could work as multiple pages}} |
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| + | '''Lag''' is a catch-all term used to indicate periods of time where a character is busy initiating or finishing a performed move, being left unable to perform in any other action (except for moving through the air with aerial moves). The two main categories of lag that every move in the game has are '''startup lag''' and '''ending lag''', and for [[aerial]]s and certain [[special move]]s when used in the air, there's an additional form of ending lag that can occur called '''landing lag'''. The more lag a move has, the easier it is to evade the attack and [[punish]] the user. Typically, powerful moves have more startup and/or endlag, though this is not always the case. |
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| − | '''Lag''' is the downtime period after performing certain attacks or maneuvers. While in the lag period, a player cannot attack or move, and he or she is completely vulnerable to the attacks from an opponent. Different attacks have different lag-times, with the general rule of thumb that more powerful attacks (such as Jigglypuff's [[Rest]], Ganondorf's [[Warlock Punch]], or even Captain Falcon's [[Falcon Punch]]) get longer lag times. In some(most) cases it is actually completely avoidable with a properly timed DI. This is notable when playing with characters who have a stall-then-fall attack, and are left grounded for a few moments. Pressing upward during the correct set of frames(As an offhand guess, I'd say just as you touch the ground) will allow you completely avoid said lag, so and so forth. |
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| − | == |
+ | ==Start-up lag== |
| + | [[File:StartLag.gif|thumb|right|{{SSBM|Ganondorf}}'s UTilt has a significant amount of start-up lag]] |
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| − | '''Hitlag''', referred to on the [[Dojo]] as "impact stall", is the lag that occurs to an attacking character when a powerful move connects with an opponent. Most hitlags are only a few frames, but some hitlags are quite long, such as [[Zelda]]'s Lightning Kicks and [[Captain Falcon]]'s [[Knee Smash]]. These attacks have approximately 30 frames (half a second) of hitlag, which is easily noticed in real time. This lag will still affect the attacker even if the attack deals no damage, such as versus [[Mr. Resetti]], stage elements, or a character that is [[invincible]]. In addition, when two similar attacks clash and "clink", or an attack is [[Perfect Shield]]ed, it will produce slightly longer hitlag. |
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| + | '''Start-up lag''', also known as just '''start-up''' and '''windup''', is the delay between a move being initiated and the move having an effect, such as the length of time before a [[hitbox]] is first produced. Examples of moves with extreme start-up lag include [[Ganondorf]]'s [[Warlock Punch]] and [[King Dedede]]'s [[forward smash]]. Examples of moves with no start-up lag include {{SSBM|Fox}}'s and {{SSBM|Falco}}'s [[Reflector]] in ''Melee'' and [[Jigglypuff]]'s [[Rest]]. [[Flinching]] during start-up will prevent the move from being executed. |
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| + | The primary advantage of lower start-up lag is that the attack gives the opponent less reaction time, as well as the ability to hit before other attacks, and the user greater flexibility in being able to land the attack (making such attacks all around easier to land). Characters having access to low start-up lag attacks is important for success in competitive play; part of the reason {{SSB|Pikachu}} in ''[[Smash 64]]'', {{SSBM|Fox}} and {{SSBM|Falco}} in ''Melee'', and {{SSBB|Meta Knight}} in ''[[Brawl]]'' are considered the best characters in their respective games is that the general start-up lag of their attacks is among the fastest. Conversely, a major part of why {{SSBM|Bowser}} in ''Melee'' and {{SSBB|Ganondorf}} in ''Brawl'' have always been considered bottom tier characters is that the general start-up lag of their attacks are the worst in their respective games. |
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| − | Not to be confused with hitlag is '''[[Flinch|hitstun]]'''. Hitstun is the amount of [[frame]]s between the time you get hit and when the [[knockback]] actually occurs. During the hitstun, it is possible to use a technique known as '''Smash DI''', which is where you input a direction during the hitstun, and immediately go in that direction, regardless of the initial knockback direction. It is also possible to perform '''Multiple [[Smash DI]]s''', which is best represented in the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG1DLooq3Pc Perfect Control] video on Youtube, at about 2:36, and a slower version at about 3:51, during the credits. |
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| + | ==Ending lag== |
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| − | Notably, most electric-based attacks cause a decent amount of hitstun and hitlag. |
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| + | [[File:Punishment Snake F-air Lag KO Brawl.gif|thumb|right|250px|An example of landing lag, in which an improperly timed aerial attack with noticeable amount of landing lag (such as {{SSBB|Snake}}'s forward aerial) can lead to a [[punishment]].]] |
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| + | '''Ending lag''', is the delay between the move's effect finishing and another action being available to begin, such as the length of time after an attack's hitboxes ceases that the character can move again. Almost all attacks have more ending lag than startup lag, though generally, attacks with lower start-up lag tend to have proportionally more ending lag and vice versa. Attacks such as [[Rest]] and {{SSBB|Ike}}'s forward smash are notorious for having an extreme amount of ending lag. Moves known for having especially low ending lag include Meta Knight's [[up aerial]] and {{SSBB|Lucario}}'s forward smash. Typically an attack's ending lag can't be avoided, but some attacks can avoid ending lag without the character being flinched or [[priority|out-prioritised]], such as grabbing a [[ledge]] with a recovery move before it ends, and jump cancelling Fox's and Falco's Reflector in ''Melee''. Additionally, aerials can avoid their ending lag by the character landing before completion; despite this inducing landing lag, it can be overall faster if the character lands soon enough and the attack's landing lag is low enough (a prominent example of this is {{SSBB|Ike}}'s neutral aerial in ''Brawl'', which has a huge amount of ending lag, but rather low landing lag, thus landing earlier can be utilised to circumvent the attack's high ending lag). Also, if a character using a standard land attack is no longer on land before the attack finishes (such as from being pushed off by [[wind]] or the [[platform]] underneath them ceasing to exist), the attack will abruptly end with the user free to move, thus avoiding the attack's ending lag (special moves though will continue if this occurs while using them). |
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| + | The primary advantage of lower ending lag is that the less ending lag there is, the less punishable the move is, thus the more safe it is to use. Since the attacks end sooner, low ending lag attacks are also more effective at [[combo]]ing, as they allow a greater window to followup landed attacks before the opponent can respond properly or respond at all. While having attacks with low ending lag is considered important in competitive play and characters higher up on the [[tier list]] typically have lower ending lag attacks, it isn't held in equal regard to start-up lag is. [[Marth]], for example, is considered a top/high tier character in both ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'', despite most of his attacks having high ending lag, while there are no characters in any of the games ranked high that has comparatively high start-up lag attacks. More attacks can be very effective in spite of high ending lag (Jigglypuff's Rest in ''Melee'' being the most notorious example of such, as despite its ridiculously high ending lag and small hitbox, its start-up lag of 1 frame makes the move very landable, where its extreme power can be utilised), while there are few attacks that can be very effective in spite of high start-up lag. For example, Ganondorf's up tilt in ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'' is an extreme power attack with a small hitbox that has proportionally low ending lag, but its start-up lag is so ridiculously high the move is almost impossible to land without the opponent being incapacitated, and its extreme power can realistically never be utilised (however, in ''Smash 4'', it has a significantly larger hitbox). Moves that are very effective in spite of high start-up lag have a combination of significant attributes beyond just low ending lag (the aforementioned f-smash of Lucario's is considered to be one of the best f-smashes in ''Brawl'' despite being one of the slowest in start-up, as the move not only has very low ending lag, but also has potential extreme power with great [[reach]], making it one of the few powerful KO moves that can often be used with no repercussions if it fails to land). |
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| − | A trivial piece of information is that you can '''Smash DI''' even when frozen with the [[Ice Climber]]'s [[freeze glitch]]. |
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| − | == |
+ | ==Landing lag== |
| + | [[File:L-CancelLink.gif|thumb|The landing lag of {{SSBM|Link}}'s down aerial can clearly be seen. Even when the red Link uses [[L-canceling]] to reduce landing lag, it is still noticeable.]] |
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| + | '''Landing lag''' is the lag incurred when an airborne character lands on the ground for any reason. The amount of lag depends on what action the character is performing upon landing. |
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| + | ===Normal landing=== |
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| − | In [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]], when playing on Wi-Fi, there is a delay between pressing the button and your character performing the action. This was subject to huge criticism due to the fact this throws off timing for advanced combos, and makes guarding and evading attacks on time more difficult. Depending on the distance between the players, the lag becomes greater or less. Some Brawlers use Wi-Fi Lag as an [[John|excuse]] of how they lost. |
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| + | When landing under normal circumstances, characters undergo either a "light landing" (also known as a "no-impact land") or a "heavy landing". Light landings incur only 1 frame of lag, whereas heavy landings are character-specific, typically 4. The type of landing that occurs is based on the character's downwards speed upon landing, so landing during the apex of a jump or on an upwards-moving platform tends to be faster than landing from a fastfall or on a downwards-moving platform. |
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| − | == |
+ | ===Aerial landing=== |
| + | If a character lands while in the middle of an [[aerial attack]], they go through a unique animation that lasts for significantly longer than a normal landing. A clear example is [[Link]]'s [[down aerial]]; hitting the ground during the attack results in Link's sword getting stuck, and he has to spend a significant amount of time pulling it out before he can do anything else. Each aerial attack has its own amount of landing lag; most [[special move]]s tend to continue execution instead of being interrupted when the user lands while using them, though a few undergo their own unique landing animation if the character lands after initiating them in the air, such as [[Falcon Kick]] and [[Wizard's Foot]]. [[L-cancelling]] will reduce landing lag of aerials (that are not special moves), while [[auto-cancelling]] will avoid it. |
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| − | Screen lag (also known as button lag) is not a product of Super Smash Bros., but of the equipment that is being used to display it. Some HDTVs and computer monitors have a short delay in displaying the game actions. While in some cases (especially when digital recording is being used) this delay can reach levels that make the game unplayable, other times it is a minor amount that can be tolerated. In fact, some players intentionally practice on a screen with a delay to improve their reaction time and predicting skills. |
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| + | Certain aerial attacks produce a hitbox during their landing lag, such as Kirby's down aerial and bandana dee. |
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| − | On several HDTVs, the lag appears to be caused by the [[wikipedia:deinterlacing|deinterlacer]], which converts [[wikipedia:Interlace|interlaced video]] to the [[wikipedia:Progressive scan|progressive video]] that LCD, plasma, and DLP displays expect. Most deinterlacers are designed for non-interactive video such as television and DVD movies; they buffer several [[frame]]s to determine how best to handle each part of the picture. Wii owners can use a component video cable and progressive display mode to skip the deinterlacer, which noticeably reduces this lag in Melee and Brawl on TVs such as a Vizio VX32L. |
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| + | In the original ''SSB'', not all aerial attacks have unique landing animations, though they still have unique lag durations. |
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| − | ==See Also== |
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| + | ===Special landing=== |
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| − | *[[Directional Influence]] |
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| + | Characters that land while in their [[helpless]] state undergo a specific amount of landing lag, dependent on the move that initiated it. While the state is known as "LandingFallSpecial" or similar in the games' code, it also applies to [[air dodge]]s and thus [[wavedash]]es in ''Melee''. |
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[[Category:Unofficial lingo]] |
[[Category:Unofficial lingo]] |
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Latest revision as of 23:55, 9 May 2019
- For other uses, see Lag (disambiguation).
Lag is a catch-all term used to indicate periods of time where a character is busy initiating or finishing a performed move, being left unable to perform in any other action (except for moving through the air with aerial moves). The two main categories of lag that every move in the game has are startup lag and ending lag, and for aerials and certain special moves when used in the air, there's an additional form of ending lag that can occur called landing lag. The more lag a move has, the easier it is to evade the attack and punish the user. Typically, powerful moves have more startup and/or endlag, though this is not always the case.
Start-up lag
Ganondorf's UTilt has a significant amount of start-up lag
Start-up lag, also known as just start-up and windup, is the delay between a move being initiated and the move having an effect, such as the length of time before a hitbox is first produced. Examples of moves with extreme start-up lag include Ganondorf's Warlock Punch and King Dedede's forward smash. Examples of moves with no start-up lag include Fox's and Falco's Reflector in Melee and Jigglypuff's Rest. Flinching during start-up will prevent the move from being executed.
The primary advantage of lower start-up lag is that the attack gives the opponent less reaction time, as well as the ability to hit before other attacks, and the user greater flexibility in being able to land the attack (making such attacks all around easier to land). Characters having access to low start-up lag attacks is important for success in competitive play; part of the reason Pikachu in Smash 64, Fox and Falco in Melee, and Meta Knight in Brawl are considered the best characters in their respective games is that the general start-up lag of their attacks is among the fastest. Conversely, a major part of why Bowser in Melee and Ganondorf in Brawl have always been considered bottom tier characters is that the general start-up lag of their attacks are the worst in their respective games.
Ending lag
An example of landing lag, in which an improperly timed aerial attack with noticeable amount of landing lag (such as Snake's forward aerial) can lead to a punishment.
Ending lag, is the delay between the move's effect finishing and another action being available to begin, such as the length of time after an attack's hitboxes ceases that the character can move again. Almost all attacks have more ending lag than startup lag, though generally, attacks with lower start-up lag tend to have proportionally more ending lag and vice versa. Attacks such as Rest and Ike's forward smash are notorious for having an extreme amount of ending lag. Moves known for having especially low ending lag include Meta Knight's up aerial and Lucario's forward smash. Typically an attack's ending lag can't be avoided, but some attacks can avoid ending lag without the character being flinched or out-prioritised, such as grabbing a ledge with a recovery move before it ends, and jump cancelling Fox's and Falco's Reflector in Melee. Additionally, aerials can avoid their ending lag by the character landing before completion; despite this inducing landing lag, it can be overall faster if the character lands soon enough and the attack's landing lag is low enough (a prominent example of this is Ike's neutral aerial in Brawl, which has a huge amount of ending lag, but rather low landing lag, thus landing earlier can be utilised to circumvent the attack's high ending lag). Also, if a character using a standard land attack is no longer on land before the attack finishes (such as from being pushed off by wind or the platform underneath them ceasing to exist), the attack will abruptly end with the user free to move, thus avoiding the attack's ending lag (special moves though will continue if this occurs while using them).
The primary advantage of lower ending lag is that the less ending lag there is, the less punishable the move is, thus the more safe it is to use. Since the attacks end sooner, low ending lag attacks are also more effective at comboing, as they allow a greater window to followup landed attacks before the opponent can respond properly or respond at all. While having attacks with low ending lag is considered important in competitive play and characters higher up on the tier list typically have lower ending lag attacks, it isn't held in equal regard to start-up lag is. Marth, for example, is considered a top/high tier character in both Melee and Brawl, despite most of his attacks having high ending lag, while there are no characters in any of the games ranked high that has comparatively high start-up lag attacks. More attacks can be very effective in spite of high ending lag (Jigglypuff's Rest in Melee being the most notorious example of such, as despite its ridiculously high ending lag and small hitbox, its start-up lag of 1 frame makes the move very landable, where its extreme power can be utilised), while there are few attacks that can be very effective in spite of high start-up lag. For example, Ganondorf's up tilt in Melee and Brawl is an extreme power attack with a small hitbox that has proportionally low ending lag, but its start-up lag is so ridiculously high the move is almost impossible to land without the opponent being incapacitated, and its extreme power can realistically never be utilised (however, in Smash 4, it has a significantly larger hitbox). Moves that are very effective in spite of high start-up lag have a combination of significant attributes beyond just low ending lag (the aforementioned f-smash of Lucario's is considered to be one of the best f-smashes in Brawl despite being one of the slowest in start-up, as the move not only has very low ending lag, but also has potential extreme power with great reach, making it one of the few powerful KO moves that can often be used with no repercussions if it fails to land).
Landing lag
The landing lag of Link's down aerial can clearly be seen. Even when the red Link uses L-canceling to reduce landing lag, it is still noticeable.
Landing lag is the lag incurred when an airborne character lands on the ground for any reason. The amount of lag depends on what action the character is performing upon landing.
Normal landing
When landing under normal circumstances, characters undergo either a "light landing" (also known as a "no-impact land") or a "heavy landing". Light landings incur only 1 frame of lag, whereas heavy landings are character-specific, typically 4. The type of landing that occurs is based on the character's downwards speed upon landing, so landing during the apex of a jump or on an upwards-moving platform tends to be faster than landing from a fastfall or on a downwards-moving platform.
Aerial landing
If a character lands while in the middle of an aerial attack, they go through a unique animation that lasts for significantly longer than a normal landing. A clear example is Link's down aerial; hitting the ground during the attack results in Link's sword getting stuck, and he has to spend a significant amount of time pulling it out before he can do anything else. Each aerial attack has its own amount of landing lag; most special moves tend to continue execution instead of being interrupted when the user lands while using them, though a few undergo their own unique landing animation if the character lands after initiating them in the air, such as Falcon Kick and Wizard's Foot. L-cancelling will reduce landing lag of aerials (that are not special moves), while auto-cancelling will avoid it.
Certain aerial attacks produce a hitbox during their landing lag, such as Kirby's down aerial and bandana dee.
In the original SSB, not all aerial attacks have unique landing animations, though they still have unique lag durations.
Special landing
Characters that land while in their helpless state undergo a specific amount of landing lag, dependent on the move that initiated it. While the state is known as "LandingFallSpecial" or similar in the games' code, it also applies to air dodges and thus wavedashes in Melee.