philok19

[philok19]

Spinning: The Foundation of a Great Style

Introduction

In 2024, the skill level of the freestyle community is higher than it has ever been: the most incomprehensibly spectacular missed shots of 2022 and prior are now being casually scored without anyone's grandmother even lifting an eyebrow. The boundaries of the game are constantly pushed to their absolute limit, yet I have witnessed some form of negligence towards developing a particular style, one that feels unique to each individual. For the past few years, I have prioritised improving my spins, and through that experience, I have discovered many factors that contribute to a great, visually pleasing and interesting style. To aid others into acquiring better movement in the air — and mostly to see more variety in an otherwise incredibly stale noflip meta —, I shall define and showcase my personal interpretation of great spinning, and thereafter, detail advice to give directions to anyone looking to improve their spins.

Disclaimer: I will mostly be referring to wall freestyling, as it is the genre I am most familiar with, and I think its slow nature makes the spins' quality a lot more important. However, the contents of this post can definitely be applied to other categories.

How does one identify great style?

Spinning is at the forefront of freestyling. Whether it is the main focus of one of its subcategories or simply a tool to better control one's car, freestyling cannot exist without rotations. The first factor to consider when judging a freestyler's style is, therefore, their ability to keep spinning. In my opinion, finding a way to twist and tangle the car to adapt to a particular situation — as opposed to staying completely still and waiting for the ball — is primordial for visually pleasing movement. This description may be vague, but the following shots should clear it up.

Example of a shot with barely any spins and long pauses

Credit: Spen

Example of a shot with continuous spins

Credit: Storm

Furthermore, I think depth plays an important role when considering someone's style. I define depth as the measure of how much the spins deviate from the normal directional air roll axis. This is much better explained with visual support, so the shot below will act as a reference for future explanations.

My shot features both depth and simplicity

For the first two seconds, the spins are simple — which is a term I will use as an antonym to depth from now on —: they nearly mimic the effect of solely pressing the air roll right button without ever touching the joystick. Right before landing on the ceiling, however, the spins become a lot deeper and deviate a ton from the aforementioned effect. Additionally, the following backflip adds a lot to the shot's depth. In contrast, the frontflip afterwards brings back a sense of simplicity, as no air roll is added to break up its straight-forward movement.

I think simplicity has its place in one's style, but it cannot be relied on entirely to produce an interesting style that differs from the norm. Depth, however, can be used perpetually in a shot without negatively affecting its style — or at least, I have not yet seen any counterexamples —, but a style that relies on it a lot can drain boost very quickly, making latter sections of a shot very difficult or even impossible.

Lastly, I believe confidence can be a great indicator of good style. Confident spinning is a rather nebulous concept — and it could honestly warrant a whole separate post —, but to keep it short, a confident freestyler is able to make it seem like they are comfortable in any situation. Confidence is antonymous with hesitation, which ties into the first aspect (continuously spinning), as pausing during a shot is not the best display of comfort. Again, visual support is included below.

Novel displays confidence by seamlessly adapting to a precarious situation

It is totally possible to go against these rules and still produce an entirely new and interesting style, but as Pablo Picasso famously said:

Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.

An example of a shot that breaks the rules while still retaining incredible value in a stylistic sense is the following shot by Storm:

Storm stops midair to contrast with the otherwise continuous spins

To take advantage of this out-of-the-norm movement, one must first be well-versed in everything I described above, otherwise the resulting style is likely to end up unappealing and poorly executed.

Which players can be relied upon for their style?

As the meta develops, it is increasingly clear to me that quantity is prioritised over quality, which may cast a shadow onto freestylers known for their style. I believe they deserve as much light as possible, and to recognise the artistic value of their spins, I shall provide a list of the freestylers that inspired me — and continue to do so! — the most.

Novel

It should not come as a surprise that arguably the greatest wall freestyler of all time is making it onto this list. From his early days until recently, Novel has been the king of confident and messy, yet clean spinning. His movement incorporates unpredictable direction changes — especially before landing on the ceiling —, and he has pioneered the use of the ''Novel catch'', as I like to call it (more on it in the advice section). No matter the situation, it seems like his car is always able to turn in an advantageous way. For that reason, I believe Novel is one of the few that is able to make it seem like he truly has complete control over his car. I do have to mention, however, that his latest videos, that being Freestyle Nonsense and cgt Freestyles were a bit disappointing to me when considering his style. When painted Dominus cars were made available, a shift in his style was immediately noticeable. While I quite liked the outcome of this change in Freestylering, his latter videos felt underwhelming.

2. Storm

If Novel's style is messy, Storm elevates it to the next level. With his tasteful changes in air roll directions and rough movement, Storm's style is the definition of unpredictability. I believe he is the only freestyler to really put emphasis on catching the ball in an abnormal manner, meaning that he is not afraid of throwing his car in odd directions before recovering perfectly to send the ball to the backboard. I would also describe Storm's spins as creative, since he is able to break the rules to produce unique visual effects. Adding onto that his peculiar flips, Storm is not afraid to get out of his comfort zone. If I had to point out a negative aspect of his style, it would be his relatively simple approach to the ceiling. He makes use of the same patterns in a lot of his shots, thus making them quite repetitive, which is only a negative point due to the rest of the shots feeling always so unique.

3. Sammy

In contrast to the previous entries, Sammy's style is methodical and risk-free. This may appear as a negative quality, but he delivers it with such a polished and refined execution that one can only admire it. Sammy never does unnecessary movements, meaning his shots feel extremely clean from start to end. Since this player does not strive to be creative, it is difficult to find many things to point out, but one can only gaze in awe at the sheer flow displayed in his shots.

4. Rasko

Much like Sammy, Rasko is another example of clean movement. His style is centred around ceiling play: both his landings and his jumps are rare sights in 2024, and they are typical of the time period he was most active in. As for the former, Rasko usually lands in a ''helicopter'' fashion, making sure his car does not stop rotating on the ceiling. When it comes to the latter, the majority of his shots feature jumping off of the ceiling followed swiftly by a stall or a flip, which is a rather old-school technique that is not used at all — or at least not to this extent — nowadays. Rasko has mastered both of the aforementioned concepts, and he has managed to combine them in a way that displays no hard catches and bumps nor any major interruptions, making his shots feel like long flowing motions. As this is a name most people will not recognise, I have included below a shot of his which, in my opinion, best demonstrates his style.

Rasko in Team Scope's Training Montage #1

5. philok19

I am aware that it is quite pretentious of me to include myself in this list, but I have received compliments for my style and I believe I am far from the worst example to follow. I would describe my style as an amalgamation of Novel's and Storm's spins, as my current goal is to stray away from my comfort zone as much as possible while retaining smooth movements. I have also worked on catching the ball in odd ways, akin to Storm's habits. To point out a negative trait of mine, I believe my confidence drops when using limited boost, and it is quite apparent when looking at my in-game shots.

Hopefully these examples were enough to inspire anyone interested in improving their style. I have tried looking for players from other freestyling subcategories, but my search has never amounted to anything substantial.

How does one improve their style?

To be able to work on their style, one must already be very familiar with the way their car spins. If this step is not taken into consideration, it will be impossible to unlock the entire range of possibilities freestyling can offer. Additionally, it may be difficult to tell if inconsistency is due to learning new movements or if the player's lack of control is to blame. However, developing a style does improve aerial control a lot.

1. The catch

Working on catching the ball in a more interesting way will singlehandedly elevate a shot above any other that uses the disgusting ''basic catch'' that has become too ubiquitous amongst wall freestylers nowadays. To eliminate any confusion, I define ''catching'' as redirecting the ball to the backboard while acquiring a jump reset.

To improve this skill, I would advise taking inspiration from other freestylers. Here are a few examples of catches that are effective:

The helicopter motion

The Novel catch

Stalls and flips

Other catches

The helicopter motion

This catch is the base for more advanced catches. The helicopter motion was especially prominent in 2017, and examples of it are plentiful in old Team Nytro montages. To perform this catch, one must first approach the ball while spinning, then stop using air roll once the car is close enough and the underside of the car faces the ball, and finally, start pointing the joystick sideways to perform helicopter motions while redirecting the ball to the backboard. It is important to note that only a single rotation — let alone half a turn — suffices to produce a pleasing effect. Any more rotations may induce a lack of control and unwanted visuals.

Slope uses the helicopter motion in Nytro's Freestyle Moments #9

The Novel catch

The Novel catch consists of doing a helicopter motion while leaning backwards:

Novel does his iconic catch in two different freestyle genres

This catch is usually done when the car does not have the time to complete another air roll cycle before reaching the ball.

To practice the catch, one may start by only leaning backwards into the ball. As experience for this motion develops, air roll can slowly be integrated to connect the spins leading up to the catch and the catch itself. Alternatively, one may also directly learn the inputs and adapt this newfound knowledge to a training pack until they are comfortable with the motion.

Stalls and flips

This category is quite broad, since there are many ways to include flips in catches. One may choose either to cancel their flip or to flip fully into the ball. Stall catches, on the other hand, are usually limited to heli-stalls (stalls with helicopter motions).

Example of a stall catch

When it comes to flip cancels (frontflips and backflips), there are a ton of subtle movements one can incorporate to make their catch more appealing. As a starting point, catches using flip cancels usually work best when they make use of helicopter motions. However, other methods can be just as appropriate depending on the context.

Example of a flip cancel catch

As for full flips, several options are available. These flips are usually found in messier styles where unpredictability dominates. A technique that works well visually — and is often unavoidable in certain situations — consists of stopping the cars rotation until it is in the perfect position (relative to the ball) to initiate the full flip. However, I believe a better effect can be achieved by spinning constantly before flipping, as the uncertainty of the situation may shock the viewer more easily. The former, in comparison, feels a lot more obvious and predictable.

Example of a full flip catch, #1

Example of a full flip catch, #2

Example of a full flip catch, #3

To practice these catches, one must already be comfortable with the prerequisite mechanics. Once this base is established, trial and error will slowly make the motions feel natural. Repetition and self-analysis are key to improvement.

Other catches

Even though most variations stem from the previous three catches, there are still many other options available. One may prefer inverting the inputs for a Novel catch and make the car lean forwards instead, or perhaps create an entirely new catching motion. At this point, the player's creativity is the limit. To practice or discover new catches, I would advise sending the car in the ball's general direction, then recovering in a way that feels interesting. Great finds often come by accident, but to accelerate that process, intentionally putting the car in odd situations can be quite favourable.

2. The approach

One of the most important parts of a wall freestyle is the one that precedes the catch, or in other words, the approach. For this section, I will exclusively give advice related to the very start of the freestyle, that being the starting spins and the following landing on the ceiling.

To start, one must consider the following: the type of spins a player uses strongly depends on the goal they are trying to achieve. For example, a freestyler with messy and unpredictable movement (flips, catches, etc.) will try to spin in a way that matches that description. Following the same line of thought, it would not make sense for Sammy, who has a clean style, to include a lot of depth or unnecessary movements before landing on the ceiling.

When it comes to cleaner styles, the best approach is often the simplest. There is no need to overcomplicate the matter, as basic movements are usually rewarded more than messier ones when done to perfection. A consistent and repetitive set of spins can work very well as long as their visual effect is properly taken advantage of. To improve the approach for this style, one should devote all of their efforts towards successfully executing each spin or motion without bumps or other oddities in the car's movement. The same concept applies to the ceiling part: one should always land perfectly on the ceiling, preferably keeping undisturbed the flow of the shot by doing a helicopter motion when landing. It should be noted that a difference exists between clean and uninteresting approaches: the former consciously uses simple motions that flow well when put together, while the latter only aims for the bare minimum without caring about the shot's aesthetic value.

In contrast, messy styles require a more intricate approach. One should therefore aim to make the car as unstable as possible in the air (depending obviously on the level of messiness) and to diversify their spin repertoire. Developing these aspects does not come without a ton of experimentation, as discovering interesting spins is not a skill one can easily acquire from watching others play. It helps a lot to try to understand the joystick and air roll combinations other freestylers use, but applying them can only be done through an extensive amount of practice. To improve, one should not fear of taking risks. Daring to try a different motion and failing often teaches much more to the player than any successful, yet safe attempt. As a starting point, I would advise exploring joystick positions that are unfamiliar and adding air roll at random intervals. Additionally, one may also frequently change air roll and joystick directions to produce a more chaotic effect. Again, practice will make these motion second nature given enough time. As for the ceiling landing, the possibilities are truly endless. Even rough landings have their place in messy approaches.

3. Depth of field

This section is arguably not as important, but I still chose to talk about it, since many freestylers nowadays do not seem to take this aspect into consideration. Similarly to the depth I described earlier, depth of field refers to the car's deviation from the pass' axis throughout the shot. In other words, it can be thought of as the distance travelled by the car during the shot. Below is attached a visual example of poor and great depth.

I have also included examples for both in the form of the following shots:

Reed's shot features great depth of field (Team Nytro Freestyle Moments #3)

Fadez' shot features poor depth of field (Wall Moments #2)

I believe a better depth of field creates more opportunities for a player's style to shine. After all, it is quite difficult to use more extravagant movement when space is a limiting factor. Additionally, I think having a sense of direction in a shot helps in making it interesting (the contrary can often bore the viewer, especially if the spins are lacking). I also have other reasons to believe great depth of field makes a positive impact on a shot, but these thoughts are still limited to superficial feelings. In the future, I may produce an entire post dedicated to depth of field once I understand my preference better.

I am uncertain whether ''too much'' depth of field is even a feasible option. From JHZER's frontflip double ceilings in 2016 to Novel's long ceiling shuffles, I have not seen any example that feels inappropriate. Obviously, some shots may appear poorly executed, but I do not believe depth of field is the cause of that. However, too little depth does affect a shot's appearance, whether it be the catch angle, the speed, the spins, the overall style, etc. In my opinion, the ideal location for the start of a wall freestyle is most likely located around the boost pill in the middle of the field, more specifically a few cars' worth of distance behind.

Conclusion

Style in freestyling is a vast world with endless possibilities. By defining and showcasing the knowledge I have gathered over the years, by providing examples of freestylers renowned for their style and by including detailed advice on many important aspects of a wall freestyle, I hope to have sparked a newfound interest in the artistic value of Rocket League shots. The community needs more variety, and this unexplored area is the perfect gateway for it!