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Splatoon 2 Basics Topic List

Overview

Interface Concepts Modes Mentality Weapons & Gear
Controls (Tech Skill) Turf Turf War Growth Mindset Weapons
Game Screen (Awareness) Player Characters Splat Zones Competitive Mindset Subs
Fighting Tower Control Cooperative Mindset Specials
Space & Time Rainmaker Abilities
Clam Blitz
Observational Decision-Making Tactical Decision-Making Strategic Decision-Making Competitive Decision-Making Pre-Game Decision-Making

(More detailed list below)

Structure

The guides will follow five linear paths that can be chosen in any order. For example, one player might want to start by learning game modes, while another might want to start with the controls.

Each path ends with a capstone on decision-making, where we put everything into practice.

For example, the "interface" capstone will be concerned with getting people to be aware of questions like "when should I try to shoot people," "what should I be making myself aware of," and so on.

At the end of each path, people can pick another path to go through until they're finished with all five.

At any time, it's possible to click into any of the listed topics, even from a different path.

Each topic will have multiple parts to it, covering fundamentals and first-order concepts.

Fundamentals, First-Order, Higher-Order

We separate concepts into three broad types:

  • Fundamentals are concepts that come from the game itself, things like how projectiles behave, how fast you move, what effects turf has on your character, the rules of each mode, and so on.
  • First-order concepts are those concepts derived entirely from fundamentals, such as basic positioning (derived from projectile mechanics & sight lines), matchups (derived from damage output, turf output, and projectile mechanics), and aggro (derived from engagement and damage avoidance).
  • Higher-order concepts are those concepts derived from first-order concepts or higher. For example, a third-order concept would be derived from at least one second-order concept, which, in turn, would be derived from at least one first-order concept.

There isn't any functional difference between different levels of higher-order concepts, so we don't really care exactly what order a concept is, just as long as we know that it's either 0 (fundamental), 1, or greater than 1.

The basics guides will only cover fundamental concepts and a selection of first-order concepts.

Intermediate guides are usually higher-order (such as advanced positioning or weapon-specific guides) or very advanced first-order (such as objective timings, which are first-order but way too advanced for beginners) concepts.

Once the basics guides are finished, our contributors and I will start working on intermediate stuff based on demand.

My suggestion to collaborators is to use the beginners guides as both assumed knowledge (which you don't need to cover yourself) and as a logical framework for your own content (so that concepts I cover directly feed into things that you're working on).

Full Topic Listing

Subject to minor changes as I split/merge topics or add in things I missed here.

Note that I'll be covering topics breadth-first, not depth-first, i.e. I'll be working on each section fairly evenly, so the more advanced topics won't be covered for a while (and may end up being pushed to "intermediate" level guides).

Each of these dot points should be about one paragraph on average (some more, some only a sentence), so with about 50-200 words per paragraph and 550 or so dot points, we should be looking at a grand total somewhere around 40k-80k words over the next few months, as well as about 1000-2000 diagrams/short video clips.

  • Interface

    • Controls
      • Camera Controls
        • Gyro vs Sticks
        • Sensitivity
        • Y Button
        • Sitting Position
        • Basic Camera Movement
        • Camera & Crosshair Placement
        • Where Should You Look?
        • Flicking
          • to opponents
          • to the ground
          • to key prefiring spots
        • Adjusting
        • Tracking
          • moving opponents
          • while moving
          • both at once
        • Turning
        • Leading
      • Other Controls
        • Basic Movement
        • Squid Form
        • Shooting
        • Sub Weapons
        • Special Weapons
        • Jumping
        • Map
        • Superjumps
        • Pings
    • Game Screen
      • Heads-Up Display
        • Player Status
        • Timer
        • Objective Status
        • Special
      • Visual Cues
        • Teammate Specials
        • Ink Meter
        • Teammate Superjumps
        • Teammate Pings
        • Superjump Markers
        • Enemy Status
          • Glowing Hair
          • Ink Trails
          • Enemy Ink Tanks
          • Weapons & Sub Weapons
          • Crosshair "X"
      • Audio Cues
        • Movement Sounds
          • Swimming
          • Walking
          • Sharking & Healing
        • Weapon Sounds
          • Main Weapons
          • Sub Weapons
        • Special Activations
        • Objective Indicators
        • Map-Specific Sounds
      • Map Screen
        • Gear Builds
        • Teammate & Enemy Positions
        • Watching Turf
        • Map Alignment
    • Observational Decision-Making: Gathering and Using Information
      • Filtering Information
        • Quantifying Resources
        • Identifying Strengths
        • Identifying Threats
        • Missing Information
        • Information Latency
      • Processing Information
        • Comparing Each Team
        • Compressing Information
          • What you know, what you don't
          • Team Shape
          • Danger Area
        • Prioritising Information
        • Predetermined Set Plays & Flowcharts
        • Conditional Heads-Up Plays
      • Informed Technique
        • Red Flags & Go Signals
        • Informed Crosshair Placement
        • Pre-aiming Positions
        • Flowchart Movement
        • Proactive Positioning
        • Follow-Through
        • Map Watching & Map Checking
  • Concepts

    • Turf
      • Turf Mechanics
        • Turfing
          • Shooters, Dualies, Blasters, Splatlings, Chargers etc.
          • Rollers, Brushes
          • Brellas
          • Sloshers
        • Moving in Turf
        • Enemy Ink
          • Damage
          • Movement Slow
        • Burst vs Continuous
        • Disjointed Surface Weirdness
      • Turf Control
        • Neutral Turf
        • Sharking
        • Contested Turf
        • Scouting
    • Player Characters
      • Health
        • HP
        • Healing
      • Movement
        • Running
          • Normally
          • While Shooting
        • Swimming
        • Climbing
        • Acceleration
          • Sub/Main Strafing
        • Jumping
        • Superjumping
      • Ink
        • Usage
        • Recovery
        • Recovery Delay (White Ink)
      • Weapon Kits
        • Parts of a Kit
        • Assessing Kits
    • Fighting
      • Splatting Enemies
        • Effects
        • Respawning
        • Assists
        • Trading
      • Damage
        • Per Second
        • Per Shot
        • Indirect Damage
        • Estimating Damage
        • Assist Damage
      • Engagement
        • Standing to Shoot
        • Camera Lock, Focus & Attention
        • Mutual Engagement i.e. 1v1s
        • Line of Sight
        • Disengaging
        • Splatting Without Engaging
          • Subs
          • Specials
      • Avoiding Damage
        • Mobility
          • Strafing
          • Swim Strafing
        • Using Cover
          • Breaking Line of Sight
        • Health Management
        • Hitboxes
      • Aggro
        • Taking Aggro
        • Losing Aggro
        • Counter-attacks
        • Aggro Chains
        • Teamfights
    • Space & Time
      • Projectiles
        • Mechanics
          • Normal Shots
          • Area Shots
          • Sub Weapons & Specials
        • Moving and Shooting
        • Range
        • Distance
          • Kiting
          • Rushdown
        • Outranging Opponents
      • Timing
        • Player Movement
        • Objective Movement
        • Fights
        • Specials
        • Respawns
      • Map Features
        • Surfaces & Terrain
          • Inkable
          • Grates
          • Slicks & Glass
          • Walls
          • Barriers
          • Height
        • Sight Lines
          • Horizontal
          • Vertical
        • Commitment
          • One-ways
          • Overextension
          • Contextual Commitment/Overextension
        • Key Points
          • Choke Points
          • Commitment Points
          • Ambushes
        • Flanking
          • Flanking Routes
          • Flank Timing
      • Positioning
        • Range Finding
        • Visibility
        • Defensive Positioning
        • Cover
          • Proactively Breaking LoS
          • Cover Proximity
        • Using High Ground
        • Movement Options
          • Advancing
          • Repositioning
          • Retreating
      • Rotations
        • Moving Around the Map
        • Rotation Timings
        • Tracking Players
          • By Timing
          • By Turf
          • By Objective
          • By Other Player Positioning
        • Rotations by Weapon Range
        • Basic Player Tendencies
          • Short-range
          • Mid-range
          • Long-range
      • Control
        • Map Control
          • Area Denial
          • Passive, Active
          • vs Turf Control
        • Enforcing Control
        • Taking Control
          • Brute Force
          • Attrition
          • Undermining
      • Matchups
        • Base 1v1 Matchups
        • Matchup Context
        • Winning Matchups
        • Losing Matchups
        • Matchups outside 1v1s
    • Tactical Decision-Making: Advantages, Openings, and Timings
      • Playing for Advantages
        • Using Matchup Advantages
        • Creating Positional Advantages
        • Aiming for Control
      • Using Advantages
        • Forcing Enemy Plays
        • "Pressure"
        • Avoiding Complacency
      • Baiting with Disadvatage
        • for information
        • for picks
        • to undermine control
      • Purposeful Fighting
        • to gain control
        • to maintain control
        • to retreat
        • to misdirect
      • Identifying Openings
        • Playing Heads-Up
        • Catching Overextensions
      • Creating Openings
        • using aggro
        • using matchup advantages
        • using position and turfing
      • Timing Windows
        • Decisiveness over Correctness
      • Timing Sequences
        • Pace
      • Planning Rotations
        • Positional Flowcharts
      • Proactive Rotations
        • by range
        • by threat
        • by objective
      • Effective Trading
        • Spacing
        • Initiative
        • Trading for Position
        • Baiting
  • Game Modes

    • Turf War
      • Scoring
        • Area Scoring
        • Area Priority
      • Turf Timings
        • Game Phases
          • Opening
          • Midgame
          • Endgame
        • Asserting Advantage by Phase
        • Regaining Advantage by Phase
    • Splat Zones
      • Mechanics
        • Capturing
        • Scoring
          • Timing
          • Penalty
        • Special Advantage
        • Overtime
      • Concepts
        • Map Areas
          • Spawn
          • Staging
          • Fringe/"Hot Zone"
          • Zones
          • Elsewhere
        • Zone Stalling/"Delay"
        • Retakes
          • Penalty Retake
          • Contest Retake/Single Retake
          • Full Retake
      • Playing the Objective
        • Contesting the Zones
        • Retaking the Zones
        • Defending the Zones
    • Tower Control
      • Mechanics
        • Capturing
        • Scoring
          • Timing
          • Checkpoints
          • Tower Reset
        • Special Advantage
        • Overtime
      • Concepts
        • Strongholds
          • Defensive
          • Offensive
        • Freezing
        • Stalling
      • Playing the Objective
        • Taking the Tower
        • Pushing the Tower
        • Defending a Push
    • Rainmaker
      • Mechanics
        • Capturing
          • Popping the Shield
          • Grabbing the Rainmaker
        • Scoring
          • Routing
          • Key Scores
        • Rainmaker Weapon
          • Charging & Firing
          • Knockback
          • Push Timer
        • Special Advantage
        • Overtime
      • Concepts
        • Scramble
        • Sieging
        • Counter-Pushes
        • Placing the Rainmaker/Re-popping
      • Playing the Objective
        • First Pop
        • Escorting the Rainmaker
        • Carrying the Rainmaker
        • Defending a Push
    • Clam Blitz
      • Mechanics
        • Clam Spawns
          • Initial
          • Additional
        • Power Clams
        • Scoring
          • Breaking the Basket
          • Follow-up Scoring
        • Special Advantage
        • Overtime
          • Golden Point
          • Standard OT
      • Concepts
        • Clam & Basket Placement
        • Freebie/Pity Clam
        • Counter-Pushes
      • Playing the Objective
        • Gathering Clams
        • Scoring Clams
        • Defending Pushes
    • Strategic Decision-Making: Objective Context, Tempo, and Playmaking
      • Tempo
        • Playing with tempo
        • Playing off tempo
      • Playmaking
        • Aggressive Playmaking
        • Defensive Playmaking
      • Rollouts
        • Opening Rollouts
        • Midgame Rollouts
      • Context for Tactics
        • Turf War Context
        • Splat Zones Context
        • Tower Control Context
        • Rainmaker Context
        • Clam Blitz Context
      • Objective Foresight & Counterplay
  • Mentality

    • Growth Mindset
      • Play to Improve
      • It's OK to be a beginner
      • Dealing with Ranked Anxiety
      • Rank Comes with Practice
      • Setting Goals
      • Self-Assessment
      • Taking and Giving Advice
      • Observations and Logic
      • Just a Game
      • Preparing for the Unknown
        • Confidence
        • Clarity
      • Visualising the Game
    • Competitive Mindset
      • Playing vs People
      • Learning Enemy Habits
      • Playing the Player
      • Intent Implies Consciousness
      • Fighting Skilled Players
      • Handling Toxicity
    • Cooperative Mindset
      • Helping your Team
      • Coordination
      • Communication
      • Tracking Teammates
      • Solo Queue Teamwork
      • Organised Teamwork
    • Competitive Decision-Making: Counterplay, Mind Games, and Efficient Teamwork
      • Use Your Strength
        • Assertive Play
          • Flexing Advantages
          • Being Decisive
          • Testing the Waters
          • Failing is OK
          • Controlling the Game
        • On Counterplay
          • Possibilities are Bound by the Game
          • Knowing Isn't Everything
          • You Can Just Ignore Them
          • Mistakes
      • Mind Games
        • aren't
        • Intent
        • Declaring your Intent
        • Masking your Intent
        • Don't Assume Intent
      • Efficient Teamwork
        • Solo Queue
          • Keep Them Alive
          • Better to Help
          • How to Carry
        • Organised
          • Efficient Communication
          • Listen
          • Combining Specials
  • Weapons & Gear

    • Main Weapons
      • Shooters
      • Blasters
      • Rollers
      • Brushes
      • Chargers
      • Sloshers
      • Splatlings
      • Dualies
      • Brellas
    • Sub Weapons
      • Splat
      • Suction
      • Auto
      • Curling
      • Fizzy
      • Torpedo
      • Burst
      • Wall
      • Beakon
      • Sprinkler
      • Mine
      • Sensor
      • Mist
    • Special Weapons
      • Ink Armour
      • Inkjet
      • Sting Ray
      • Tenta Missiles
      • Splashdown
      • Inkstorm
      • Baller
      • Bomb Launcher
      • Bubble Blower
      • Ultra Stamp
      • Booyah Bomb
    • Abilities
      • Stackable
        • Swim Speed Up
        • Run Speed Up
        • Ink Resistance Up
        • Quick Super Jump
        • Quick Respawn
        • Special Saver
        • Special Charge Up
        • Special Power Up
        • Sub Power Up
        • Main Power Up
        • Ink Saver Main
        • Ink Saver Sub
        • Ink Recovery Up
        • Bomb Defence Up DX
      • Unique
        • Comeback
        • Tenacity
        • Last-Ditch Effort
        • Opening Gambit
        • Ninja Squid
        • Respawn Punisher
        • Thermal Ink
        • Haunt
        • Ability Doubler
        • Drop Roller
        • Stealth Jump
        • Object Shredder
    • Pre-Game Decision-Making: Metagame, Weapon Choice, Gear Builds
      • Metagame
        • What's a Metagame?
        • Using the Metagame
        • Some Points on Tier Lists
        • Strategic Metagame
      • Weapon Choice
        • Picking a Weapon
          • for yourself
          • for your team
          • for the mode
          • for the map
          • against the enemy
        • Weapon Roles
      • Gear Builds
        • Buff Builds
        • Playstyle Builds
        • All-in Builds
        • Utility Subs