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Directional Influence - A Summary

ant-d

Smash Lord
Joined
Jun 3, 2005
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London, England
I thought it would be best if I made a topic about DI. My DI posts actually spread across 3 different topics so many people probably don't know the newest technique... or are just unsure what to do and how to do it.

What is it?

Directional Influence (DI) is a way of controlling your movement after you are hit. The window of DI input varies depending on the attack, but let's assume it is 10 frames long. This means once you are hit you can DI 10 times.
However, you cannot expect someone to DI perfectly, human limitation prevents you from being this fast and accurate.
DI is useful because in the most extreme cases it will let you survive otherwise deadly smash attacks. But, more frequently, it allows you to gain an advantage over your opponent when you are getting combo'd. With DI, you can get behind, above or infront of your opponent. Thus making a follow up move either difficult or impossible.
You can also DI when being edgeguarded. DI'ing in this way can either reduce the knockback of a powerful attack. Or, even get your character back onto the stage whilst being hit.
DI doesn't heavily effect verticle distance. Therefore, a killer Up-smash will always kill you, even with perfect DI. To survive an Up-Smash , you'd have to DI into a wall/ledge. In addition, throws have no DI window.

How do you do it?

There are two ways to DI effectively.

1. Smash DI-
Smash DI involves smashing the control stick in 1 or more directions. Smash DI is most useful when only one direction needs to be pressed. For example, to escape Fox's one hit Up Air combo, one needs to DI down.

2. Slide DI-
Slide DI involves sliding the control stick, like performing a special move in street fighter for example. Slide DI is most useful when more than one direction is needed. The most obvious case is in ground to ledge DI which I will explain later in this post.
If one wanted to slide DI to the right, you'd have to slide the control stick up&down between the right side of the octogon.
The main difference between the two is that Smashing one direction only allows 5 frames of DI. Sliding allows the full 10 frames.

What types of DI are there?
There are 2 main applications for DI. One is to simply change where your character ends up after a hit. The other is to hit a wall or ledge.

Wall/Ledge DI

-Ground to Wall
This is when your character is on the ground near a wall. The opponent smashes your character. You now need to DI.
In this situation, one needs to DI into the wall. When a character hits a wall, it reduces the trajectory and power of the hit.
It doesn't matter if you are not facing the wall
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=813996031426337171&hl=en
The video shows Pikachu DI'ing forward, through Falcon's Forward Smash, into the wall. This is the only way Pika is able to survive at such a high percentage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3nJT_NpGP4
This video shows Fox slide DI'ing into a wall. It also shows the big distance that slide DI'ing can produce.

Method-
1. Repeatedly Smash in the direction of the wall after being hit. You can Slide instead, but it is easier to Smash.

-Ground to Ledge
It is possible to DI into the ledge when being hit on the Ground. One has to be near the ledge to do this. You can be quite a way away too.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6038284583079376919&hl=en
Of course it gets much harder the further one is from the ledge.

Technical Input-
1 frame Away, 1 frame Down, empty, 1 frame Down, 1 frame Towards.
- Away, Down, Down, Towards.

Method-
1. Slide Away, Down-Away, Down, Down-Towards, Towards.
- Slide through a Half-circle (starting Away from the ledge)

There is another special example of Ground to Ledge DI. The input changes if you are perfectly on the edge. To do this, simply roll your character when on the edge, so you are the furthest on the ledge from the roll as you can be.
Now, when in this position only one frame of DI is needed.
When you are hit from this position press either of the following within the DI window:

Towards - You will hit the edge and bounce off Away from it
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1522343102611734190

Up-Towards - You will perform the reverse edgeguarding motion and fly onto the stage
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4609024451514200579

Down-Towards - You will perform motion like reverse edgeguarding. (Dreamland and Sector Z only)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6941656095545632341

-Air to Ledge (Edgeguarding)
This is typically when you are performing your Up+B recovery move to get back onto the stage. However, it can be used anytime you are near the ledge in the air, even when jumping to get back to the stage.
Smashing is good to use in this situation. Towards, Down-Towards and Up-Towards have the same effect as mentioned above except Down-Towards on Dreamland. On dreamland, this input makes you fly upwards, more vertically than Up-Towards.
The difficulty isn't reaching the ledge, it is reaching the precise point to perform the reverse edgeguarding technique. Smashing repeatedly Up-Towards and Up is the best way to perform this.

The pics show the precise point where you need to be in order to pull-off the reverse edgeguard technique.

Smash Up twice, so you are here.


Press Right here to fly across the stage.

Technical Input-
1 frame Up, empty, 1 frame Towards, empty, 1 frame Towards
- Up, Towards, Towards

Remember, it will depend on how far you are from the ledge. So the number of directional inputs are not meant to be taken as-is for every situation.

-Ledge to Ledge
This is when your character is holding the ledge. You can DI Towards the ledge once, as soon as you are hit, this reduces your knockback. You will also get your jump back.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1875533857043402081

Method-

1. Smash DI Towards, once

General/Escape DI

General DI is used to change your position after you are hit. It can be used to escape combos and to escape multihit attacks.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4813947748073614910
The video shows perfect Slide DI on Pika's Forward-Aerial. As you can see, the attack will only hit once with perfect DI. You can use either Smash or Slide DI for this. Personally, I use Slide because you can reach a further distance.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7256701136980786678
Fox's powerful Up-Aerial. You would think that this is insanely hard to do. It really isn't. You just need to Slide DI Down-Away to Up-Away. It only requires 2 inputs. Just a quick slide.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2231496278712108584
Ness' Uptilt of death is no more. You can Smash DI behind Ness to escape a further Uptilt.

One of the best things to escape is Falcon's Up-Aerial juggle. You can slide DI either up or down.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5454842220063387393
New- Here I slide down to stop Falcon juggling Fox.

Important Facts to remember:
1. Different attacks have different length DI windows.
2.

Here Jigglypuff DI's upwards. As you can see, the percentage doesn't effect the DI window.
3. Each character has the same DI window for each given attack (see number 2).

There are many more useful DI applications. If you have any questions or comments then leave a post.
Remember that the DI you see here is optimal. I am just giving you an idea of how DI works.
 

Nephiros

Smash Ace
Joined
Jul 17, 2005
Messages
754
Awesome. I've mastered edge to edge a long time ago and I this makes me think I may need some more DI training right now >:3

Keyboard's advantage : DI.
 

mooseproduce

Smash Ace
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Messages
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East Canada
Man, I've nkown about DI forever, but I keep assuming I'm not good enough. I think I'll just try it next match. The sliding DI sounds like exactly what I need; I can do a lot of advanced things in Smash, I just don't have the fastest fingers.

Any specific tips on how to use your right hand to move the controller instead of the stick? Because that might be helpful...
 

ant-d

Smash Lord
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Messages
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To escape combos such as Falcon's Up-Aerial juggle, I usually hold the stick like an arcade stick and slide like mad Up or Down... depending on the stage.
When Smashing, I move both the controller and the stick.

Do whatever you can to get the most input. Sliding is so good because one small slide equals 3 insanely fast Smashes.

Think of it like this:
Imagine playing street fighter and pressing:
Down, Down-Forward, Forward to do a fireball. It will be quite hard to do this with pressing, let alone smashing. You should slide instead because it's so much faster. The same is true with DI in this game in certain situations.
 

mooseproduce

Smash Ace
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Messages
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I hate and do not play Street Fighter. :D

I know what you mean about sliding, though. I just wondered about the "moving the controller not the stick" thing, but the answer "do whatever you can to get the most input" sounds doable. :D

What I've always wondered about DI is: if someone fsmashes you, (say, Link,) is it possible to DI into the stage and tech, thus being able to hit him before he's even recovered from his attack? Like when Yoshi or Kirby do their bairs and you hit the stage and tech, thus enabling you to hit them while they finish the move? Because that would be pimpin'.

Lastly, can you DI projectiles? And if so, can you do something ******** like: as Link, while recovering, throw a bomb into the side of the stage and DI through the explosion onto the ledge. Man, YOU SHOULD DO THAT. That should be your life mission. :p
 

ant-d

Smash Lord
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You can DI projectiles. Another tip is to DI up if you get hit by the Airwing, then the next shots wont hit you.

Also, you cannot DI 'into' the floor. Remember what I said about the DI only effecting the DI window and not the actual trajectory of the attack. Well, the attack will you send you up or to the side, so you can DI into the floor but the game thinks you are going upwards. So you cannot tech as you are not hitting the floor.

The DI movement from Link's bomb is very small. It wouldn't be impressive to see it.
 

Haze01

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Aug 26, 2005
Messages
193
You say that the window for input is 10 frames. Is that only true for smash attacks, or is it true for all attacks? It seems true for all, given your tips on aerial DI, but when playing it always seems like smash attacks 'hit' for longer...

No other questions, but I am interested in seeing responces to mooseproduce's ideas.

As well, thanks for this great comprehensive DI topic :bigthumbu
 

Wenbobular

Smash Hero
Joined
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Messages
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Yay, I can now take off that long DI portion off the tactics list and just reference your topic!
 

ant-d

Smash Lord
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Haze01 said:
You say that the window for input is 10 frames. Is that only true for smash attacks, or is it true for all attacks? It seems true for all, given your tips on aerial DI, but when playing it always seems like smash attacks 'hit' for longer...

No other questions, but I am interested in seeing responces to mooseproduce's ideas.

As well, thanks for this great comprehensive DI topic :bigthumbu
It's true mainly for smash attacks. Other attacks vary. Jabs can be 6 frames etc etc..
Yes, smash attacks hit for a long time, because they are powerful.
The Link idea really isn't good to watch, I tested Link's DI from his bomb's and it's nothing impressive.
 

rokimomi

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Im reffering to a previous post, in which I said, I guess SSB has a pretty decent framerate. How many frames pass in a second of gameplay and is it consistant, or does it change like in the rom?
 

mooseproduce

Smash Ace
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Well, that is unfortunate. :p So much for a better Link recovery.

How about powersheilding? It's not DI, but it's in the same vein. I've seen your vid on Google, but is it really very helpful?

For instance, does it have as much application as Yoshi's sheild's invincibility frame? (Not the full-out parry, mind. Just when you go into sheild and someone "hits" you, but there's no hit stun or sheild damage.)
 

tutata

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Ant d i sont get it that mutch? so like if im getting hit let say by link and i was fox to recover i would pretend to do a hadoken hyper combo to get away? I kinda dont know wut u are saying man, sry im DI illiterate.
 

ant-d

Smash Lord
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rokimomi said:
How many frames pass in a second of gameplay and is it consistant, or does it change like in the rom?
60FPS. Not consistent. It fluctuates from 59.5-60. On console the frame rate drops when 4 players have opened many Pokeballs, for example.

Powershielding doesn't benefit the shielder so it doesn't have any use, unless you wish to shield an attack.
 

rokimomi

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My frame rate must plumit, cuz when there are four players on mine, then it slows down to 3/4 the speed, not even with the pokeballs. But, im assuming it differs from console to console, cuz my friends 64 dosent seem to act as slow as mine.
 

m3gav01t

BRoomer
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if you have an expansion pack in your 64, ssb runs a lot smoother.
 

ant-d

Smash Lord
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It doesn't benefit the sheilder at all??

So wait... what IS it? :| I thought it removed a bunch of hit stun, or something.
It just shields an attack before the shield is fully up. The shield stun is still bad.
 

Wenbobular

Smash Hero
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No wonder I was confused on your video of Fox powershielding Captain Falcon's punch. It just looked like Fox shielding...heh.
 

ant-d

Smash Lord
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Oh yeah, it's impossible to DI such as in my videos. The reason is because it's impossible to get the control stick to go from hard left to hard right in 1 frame O_O

Not to mention that I use ranges outside of the N64 controller.
 

valoem

Smash Journeyman
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Too bad sensei hasnt released The Reckoning Smash tournaments videos yet, M3gav01t is probably the best DIer I've ever seen. There is a video of a full body DI when he is using a regular 64 controller. He basically can keyboard DI on controller
 

_kSo_

Smash Master
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DI is ridiculously hard on controller if you attempt to mash the directions. I agree with most of you - sliding is the way to go. As far as using the keyboard to DI being easier than using the controller goes...I don't know lol
 

m3gav01t

BRoomer
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lol, thanks gerry. i dunno though, i think isai and probably his crew have better di than me, and i'm sure there are others.

kso, i actually use the smash di most of the time. it just seems to work better for me. right now though, i'm practicing to use slide di to get the reverse edgeguard di down more consistently. if i could master that, it would be even better than just di-ing into the ledge or straight up.
 

_kSo_

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lol, thanks gerry. i dunno though, i think isai and probably his crew have better di than me, and i'm sure there are others.

kso, i actually use the smash di most of the time. it just seems to work better for me. right now though, i'm practicing to use slide di to get the reverse edgeguard di down more consistently. if i could master that, it would be even better than just di-ing into the ledge or straight up.
O ok, ic...well i dunno i just never got it to work for very well for me. Maybe i just have to practice more lol.

in any case, my DI probably cant be picked out if you watch one of my match videos so thats already telling me that i have something to work on.
 

Wat_the...o.O

Smash Rookie
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im still a bit confused. ive been trying to do it but i cant get the timing right, when do u start to move the stick, as ur gettin hit or after?
 

_kSo_

Smash Master
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yea you gotta do that right when your getting hit and during the whole hit (kinda like for spirals)

i dont think the split second after you get hit makes a difference
 

Wenbobular

Smash Hero
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Hopefully. There's still plenty of noobs who ask what Z-canceling is, despite the rather large sticky up top.
 

mooseproduce

Smash Ace
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Screw z-cancelling; r-cancelling is where it's at. So is using R instead of A in midair. Basically, if I'm in the air, there's a good chance that I'm wildly molesting the R button.

The only time I use A and/or Z for air moves is with Ness' DJC, but that's essentially a ground move anyways. X|
 
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