Note: also possible on MGS3 MC PC version!
Initially found by Jaguar King, if you tab out of the game at certain moments, animations can be delayed or altered based on their inputs. In at least one case you can even freely move the character around.
First finding by Jaguar King:
https://www.twitch.tv/jaguar_king/clip/SteamyMagnificentSaladFloof-cSf-rywQtMgly4Dl
First use for the trick as found by MarlonH8 - Shell 2 Core 1F Full Cutscene Movement & “Microportation”:
Initial coverage of the trick and its early days summarized by Hau5test:
| Stage | Event(s) | Input Manipulation/Results | Available Inputs (estimated) | Videos | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aft deck | M9 Tutorial | Possible - Position resets after cutscene - Can head into different directions - Position resets two times during the cutscene - Can equip different Items - Can manipulate aim | R2, Down, Square, Down, Right, Down, X, Left, Up, X, L2, RS, Square, R1, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up, X, Right, Down, X, R2, L2, [Up], Down, L2, Down, [Right] [] = Weapon/Item Menu Inputs can vary depending on your loadout | ||
| Deck-A, crew's quarters | Broken Door Locking Wheel | Not possible | - | - | |
| Deck-A, crew's lounge | Guard Observation - First entry from Deck-A | Possible - Optional position reset when skipping cutscene - Can run past the guard(s) to the leftmost wall | Left, R2, RS | ||
| Guard Observation - First entry from Deck-C | Possible - Optional position reset when skipping cutscene - Can run up to and bump or roll into the guard | Up, X, L2, RS, X | |||
| Deck-B, crew's quarters | Port & Starboard Shadow Observations - Deck-A & Aft deck entries | Not possible | - | - | |
| Deck-C, crew's quarters | Camera Observation | Possible - Optional position reset when skipping cutscene - Can run far past the camera | Right, R2, RS | ||
| Deck-D, crew's quarters | Camera Observation | Not possible | - | - | |
| Storehouse Guard Arrival | Not possible | - | - | ||
| Deck-E, the bridge | Coordinate Lookup | Not possible | - | - | |
| Navigational deck, wing | Olga Boss Fight - Quip 1 & 2, Tarp Shot 1 & 2, Lamp Shot, Flip, Defeat | Not possible | - | - | |
| Guard Arrival | Not possible | - | - | ||
| Engine room | “Raven?” | Not possible | - | - | |
| Locker Corpse | Not possible | - | - | ||
| Guard Arrival | Possible - Can stop Snake from peeking - Can run into the guard - Can combine with the L2+R2 glitch to run past the guard or into the sensors, thus triggering a Game Over | Down, L2 | |||
| Deck-2, port | - | - | - | - | |
| Deck-2, starboard | - | - | - | - | |
| Hold No.1 | - | - | - | - | |
| Hold No.2 | Automatic Projector Switch | Not possible | - | - | |
| Manual Projector Switch | Not possible | - | - | ||
| Hold No.3 | Computer | Not possible | - | - | |
| Stage | Event(s) | Input Manipulation/Results | Available Inputs (estimated) | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strut A Deep Sea Dock | Guard Observation | Possible - Position resets after cutscene - Can go up to the guard's position - Softlock possible if pausing too early | R1, Down, Right, Up, Right, Up, L2, RS | |
| Elevator Arrival & Entry | Not possible | - | - | |
| Fortune Boss Fight - Upon Hit, Elevator Called | Not possible | - | - | |
| Strut A roof | Elevator Descension (pre-Fortune) | Not possible | - | - |
| Elevator Ascension (post-Fortune) | Not possible | - | - | |
| Strut A Pump Room | Node Introduction | Possible - Position resets after cutscene - Can almost make it onto AB or FA connecting bridge - Can return to Strut A roof, cutscene restarts upon re-entry | Down, Right, R2, Down, Right, X, Up, R2 | |
| AB connecting bridge | Guard Observation - First entry from Strut A | Possible - Position resets after cutscene - Can set foot onto the bridge | Left, Down, Left, L2, RS | |
| Strut B Transformer Room | Socom Tutorial | Possible - Optional position reset when skipping cutscene - Can run up to the C4 bomb - Can cycle through items and (possibly) weapons | R2, Right, Up, Left, L2, Square, R1, Up, Down, Left, Square, Down | |
| C4 Discovery | Not possible | - | - | |
| Approaching Seals Shootout | Not possible | - | - | |
| BC connecting bridge | - | - | - | - |
| Strut C Dining Hall | Stillman C4 Bomb Defusal & Sensor A Tutorial | Not possible | - | - |
| CD connecting bridge | Camera Observation | Not possible | - | - |
| Strut D Sediment Pool | C4 Discovery | Not possible | - | - |
| DE connecting bridge | Guard Observation | Possible - Optional position reset when skipping cutscene - Can run up to the Strut E hallway | Up, Right, L2, RS | |
| Getting spotted by Guard | Not possible | - | - | |
| Strut E Parcel Room | Box onto & off the Conveyor Belt | Not possible | - | - |
| Ladder Ascension (Emma) | Not possible | - | - | |
| Strut E heliport | Fatman Boss Fight - Defeat | Not possible | - | - |
| EF connecting bridge | Claymore Observation - First entry from Strut F | Possible - Optional position reset when skipping cutscene - Can run up to the Strut E hallway while disabling three Claymores on the way | Left, Up, L2, RS | |
| Getting spotted by Guard | Not possible | - | - | |
| Strut F warehouse | Guard Observation - First entry from upper FA connecting bridge | Possible - Optional position reset when skipping cutscene - Can run up to the Northeastern Lv2 Door - Can run into the Southeastern Room, skipping the cutscene while in here will unload most of the levels textures until the camera makes a hard cut | Right, Up, R2, RS | |
| Guard Observation - First entry from lower FA connecting bridge | Possible - Optional position reset when skipping cutscene - Can make it to the staircase | Right, Up, L2, RS | ||
| FA connecting bridge | Cypher Observation - First entry from Strut A | Possible - Position resets after cutscene - Can almost make it into Strut F | Right, Down, Right, R2 | |
| Shell 1 Core, 1F | Elevator Entry (Emma) | Not possible | - | - |
| Shell 1 Core, B1 | Retinal Scanner Observation | Possible - Position is retained, even after skipping the cutscene - Can easily crash the game when alt-tabbing or just walking close to the door at the wrong moment - Can combine it with the L2+R2 Glitch to enter the locker room or try other kinds of shenanigans | Down, R2 | |
| Retinal Scanner on Raiden | Not possible | - | - | |
| B1 Hall Entry via Retinal Scanner | Not possible | - | - | |
| B1 Hall Escape | Not possible | - | - | |
| Shell 1 Core, B1 Hall | Backup Guard Arrival (Hard difficulty and above?) | Not possible* * = Cutscene triggered during gameplay - Seemingly no effect, but could be frame-perfect | - | - |
| Blowing your cover (in any way) | Not possible | - | - | |
| Listening in on Ocelot, Solidus & Olga | Not possible | - | - | |
| Shell 1 Core, B2 Computer Room | Yawning & Running Man | Not possible | - | - |
| Shell 1-2 connecting bridge | Sensor Observation | Possible - Position resets after cutscene unless triggering the next cutscene early | Right, R2, RS | |
| Sensor Scope Out | Possible - Optional position reset when skipping cutscene - Can run into the Codec call trigger and into the sensors, resulting in a Game Over - Can disable the Strut D Door's loading zone by walking past it and going slightly OOB | L2, Down, Left, Up, O, Up, O, Up, X, Right, Down, O, Up, Left, X, L2 | ||
| Sensor “Vision” & Shut Off | Not possible | - | - | |
| Harrier Boss Fight - Ammo Drop, Harrier Air Strike, VTOL Burn Approach & Retreat, Missile Combo Approach & Retreat | Not possible | - | - | |
| Shell 1-2 connecting bridge - LG connecting bridge | Arrival of Guard(s) (Easy difficulty and above) | Not possible | - | - |
| Strut L perimeter - KL connecting bridge | Urinating Guard | Not possible | - | - |
| KL connecting bridge | Emma Lv5 Door | Not possible | - | - |
| Strut L Sewage Treatment Facility | - | - | - | - |
| Strut L Oil Fence | Ladder Descension | Not possible | - | - |
| Shell 2 Core, 1F Air Purification Room | Listening in on Olga 1 | Possible - Can manually move Raiden anywhere, even to B1 or back to KL connecting bridge, cutscene will restart with the door's loading zone unloaded, repeating the Cutscene Glitch allows for a small OOB - Can use node and elevator - Can run into Electrified Floor, skipping the cutscene during the animation will disable it permanently | Full Movement (pressing X skips the cutscene) | |
| Listening in on Olga 2 | Not possible | - | - | |
| Prez Room Entry & Exit | Not possible | - | - | |
| Elevator Guard Arrival (Normal difficulty and above) | Not possible | - | - | |
| Shell 2 Core, B1 Filtration Chamber No.1 | Staircase Down & Up (with/without Emma) | Not possible | - | - |
| Shell 2 Core, B1 Filtration Chamber No.2 | Vamp Boss Fight - Pindown Knife Throw | Not possible | - | - |
| Staircase Down & Up (with/without Emma) | Not possible | - | - | |
| Arsenal Gear - Stomach | Solidus Chokehold | Not possible | - | - |
| Torture Bed Escape | Not possible | - | - | |
| Arsenal Gear - Jejunum | - | - | - | - |
| Arsenal Gear - Ascending Colon | Snake's Arrival & HF. Blade Tutorial | Not possible | - | - |
| Arsenal Gear - Ileum | Cypher Arrival | Not possible | - | - |
| Arsenal Gear - Sigmoid Colon | - | - | - | - |
| Arsenal Gear - Rectum | - | - | - | - |
| On Top of Arsenal Gear | Solidus Chokehold | Not possible | - | - |
| Federal Hall | Solidus Boss Fight - Phase Transition | Not possible* * = Cutscene triggered during gameplay - Seemingly no effect, but could be frame-perfect | - | - |
| Stage | Event(s) | Input Manipulation/Results | Available Inputs (estimated) | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aft deck | - | - | - | - |
| Deck-A, crew's quarters | - | - | - | - |
| Deck-A, crew's lounge | E: Broken Door Lock Wheel | Not possible | - | - |
| Deck-B, crew's quarters | - | - | - | - |
| Deck-C, crew's quarters | - | - | - | - |
| Deck-D, crew's quarters | - | - | - | - |
| Deck-E, the bridge | C: Meeting Meryl | Possible - Can point the gun at the camera and slightly change position | Up, Left, Square | |
| Navigational deck, wing | C: Meryl Boss Fight - Tarp Shot 1 & 2, Lamp Shot, Defeat | Not possible | - | - |
| Engine room | - | - | - | - |
| Deck-2, port | - | - | - | - |
| Deck-2, starboard | - | - | - | - |
| Strut A roof | A: Elevator Ascension | Not possible | - | - |
| A: Elevator Descension | Not possible | - | - | |
| Strut A Pump Room | - | - | - | - |
| BC connecting bridge | E: Gurlugon Sighting 1 | Not possible | - | - |
| E: Gurlugon Sighting 2 | Not possible | - | - | |
| E: Guard Rush & Olga Arrival | Not possible | - | - | |
| Strut B Transformer Room | - | - | - | - |
| BC connecting bridge | - | - | - | - |
| Strut C Dining Hall | B: Opening Emma's Locker | Not possible | - | - |
| CD connecting bridge | - | - | - | - |
| Strut D Sediment Pool | - | - | - | - |
| DE connecting bridge | - | - | - | - |
| Strut E Parcel Room | A/B: Box onto & off the Conveyor Belt | Not possible | - | - |
| D: Entering Hatch Room | Not possible | - | - | |
| Strut E heliport | - | - | - | - |
| EF connecting bridge | - | - | - | - |
| Strut F warehouse | A: Entering Ames' Room | Not possible | - | - |
| A: Entering Emma's Room | Not possible | - | - | |
| FA connecting bridge | - | - | - | - |
| Shell 1 Core, 1F | - | - | - | - |
| Shell 1 Core, B1 | - | - | - | - |
| Shell 1 Core, B1 Hall | - | - | - | - |
| Shell 1 Core, B2 Computer Room | - | - | - | - |
| Shell 1-2 connecting bridge | B: Harrier Boss Fight - Harrier Air Strike, VTOL Burn Approach & Retreat, Missile Combo Approach & Retreat | Not possible | - | - |
| KL connecting bridge | - | - | - | - |
| Strut L Sewage Treatment Facility | - | - | - | - |
| Shell 2 Core, 1F Air Purification Room | D: Entering O'Brien's Room | Not possible | - | - |
| D: Elevator Entry | Not possible | - | - | |
| Shell 2 Core, B1 Filtration Chamber No.2 | D: Vamp Boss Fight - Pindown Knife Throw | Not possible | - | - |
| Arsenal Gear - Jejunum | - | - | - | - |
| Arsenal Gear - Rectum | - | - | - | - |
| Federal Hall | E: Solidus Boss Fight - Phase Transition | Not possible | - | - |
| Virtual Reality | E: Gurlugon Boss Fight - Defeat | Not possible | - | - |