Why can't I do the mock-ball (mach-ball, whatever)

butterflyboy1974

2008-06-02 05:07:09 pm

Kneel before the great & powerful chOZo

I've read the description of this move over and over. I've watched the clips of peeps doing it over and over. I've spent forever and a day going back in forth in wide open spaces just trying to practice this move and I only succeed like one in every 30 tries. I'm not complaining, I;m just hoping that someone can put into words exactly what their technique on this move is so I can actually start to tweak my abilities (or lack thereof) instead of all this trial and error. There's something I'm just not getting in the other instructions I've read.
So someone who's a great written communicator, tell me exactly how you pull off this move, and I would be most grateful.

Thread title:

uNsane

2008-06-02 05:24:45 pm

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Basically, run, jump, let go of everything, press down, hold run, and then press down again just as you reach the ground. I'm not too terribly great at it, but that's just because I have a tendency to press the wrong buttons at the wrong times.

Xaggoth

2008-06-02 05:25:17 pm

Here's the easiest explanation I can think of:
-Find a gigantic open area so you can spin jump to full height without hitting things (things like the landing site, though that is a little bumpy)
-Begin running and spin jump, let yourself go fairly high.
-Near the apex of the jump let go of the jump button (you will keep forward momentum and stop moving upwards), then hold the jump button on the way down.
-Before you reach the ground and while you are holding jump, press down, canceling the spin.
-Right as you hit the ground press down and roll your thumb in the direction you were jumping (still holding jump)

Maybe some of that is unnecessary, but that's how I taught myself. If you didn't know, a good way to test is on crumble blocks, like the early super missile in green brinstar or the crumble blocks right before red brinstar coming from green brinstar. Make it across and you did it.

ducknerd

2008-06-02 07:31:50 pm

Eschews avatars

I learned the mockball in the long Beetom-filled room in norfair. Having a low ceiling simplifies things, too; you can simply jump, hold jump the entire time, aim down in midair, and do the above-mentioned thumb roll. It will feel difficult at first, but once you get it once or twice, muscle memory takes over and it's the easiest thing in the world.

072

2008-06-02 09:26:27 pm

coral to complement blue

Xaggoth got it pretty much right. The problem most people have though is that Jump has to be held at all times unless you are holding whichever direction you are going in (left/right), and it has to be held when you morph. This only becomes a problem when you have to cut your vertical momentum mid-jump; otherwise just hold jump the whole time.

uNsane

2008-06-02 10:16:44 pm

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I prefer to practice with speedballs. It's basically the same concept, except it's easier to see when you pull it off.

juicemousezero

2008-06-03 08:59:30 am

Watch this:

One of the few guides that doesn't over complicate it. It'll still take some time to get it consistent, but it's quite doable by everyone... Super Metroid god or not.

butterflyboy1974

2008-06-04 06:50:13 am

Kneel before the great & powerful chOZo

Wow thanks for all the help. I finally got it down. I was focusing on holding dash and not paying attention to the jump button. I now realize that I only have to hold dash while I'm gaining speed for my jump, and once I jump it's all about the jump button from then out. Once I practiced on the landing site for a while I went to Brinstar and tried it in the early super-missile spot and did it on the 3rd try. Now I just have to re-configure my whole route of the game. I haven't gotten a new sequence break in a long time and currently my 100% record is 1:24, lets see if I can get it lower now that I can mock-ball!

Thanks for the help