Multi-Step Plays

A static formation only tells part of the story. Real Ultimate plays unfold over time — the handler fakes upfield, the cutter clears deep, the dump swings it to the break side. Multi-step plays in UltiStackr let you capture that full sequence so your team can see exactly how the play develops, step by step.

What Are Steps?

Each step in a play represents a moment in time — a snapshot of where every player (and the disc) should be. When you string multiple steps together, you create a play that shows movement.

• Step 1 might show your vertical stack set up after the pull
• Step 2 shows the first cutter making a deep cut while the handler looks upfield
• Step 3 shows the disc in the air on a huck, with the cutter running under it
• Step 4 shows the catch and the next look

Between each step, UltiStackr draws trails showing how each player moved from their previous position to their new one. This creates a smooth, animated visualization of the entire play.

Adding Steps

To add a new step to your play:

1. Open a play in the Play Designer
2. In the Timeline Sidebar on the side of the screen, click + Add Step
3. A new step is created as a copy of the current step — all tokens start in the same position
4. Drag tokens to their new positions for this step
5. Repeat to add as many steps as your play requires

How Many Steps?

There’s no hard limit on the number of steps, but most plays work well with 3 to 8 steps. Enough to show the full flow without overwhelming the viewer. A few guidelines:

• Pull plays: 3-5 steps (pull, catch, initiation, continuation)
• Handler resets: 2-3 steps (dead disc position, dump cut, swing)
• Endzone plays: 3-6 steps (set, initial cuts, second look, score)
• Full-field flow: 5-8 steps for complex multi-pass sequences

The Root Step

Every play starts with a root step — this is Step 1, the initial formation. The root step:

• Cannot be deleted (every play must have at least one step)
• Defines the starting positions for all tokens
• Is the first frame shown when someone opens the play
• Serves as the trunk of your play tree if you add branches

Think of the root step as your team lining up before the pull. Everything else flows from here.

Navigating Between Steps

You can move between steps in several ways:

• Click a step in the Timeline Sidebar to jump directly to it
• Use the step forward/backward buttons in the Playback Controls
• Use the Play button to auto-advance through all steps with animation

When you navigate to a step, the field updates to show all token positions for that step. You can then drag tokens to adjust their positions for that specific step.

Branching Plays (Play Tree)

Here’s where things get tactical. Real plays don’t always go according to plan. The defense overplays the open side, the handler gets trapped, or the deep cutter isn’t open. Branching lets you model multiple outcomes from a single point in the play.

What is a Play Tree?

A play tree is a branching structure where a single step can lead to multiple possible next steps. Instead of a linear sequence (Step 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4), you get a tree:

Step 1 (Root: Vertical Stack)
  |
Step 2 (Handler looks deep)
  |
  +-- Step 3a (Deep cutter is open -> Huck)
  |     |
  |     Step 4a (Score)
  |
  +-- Step 3b (Deep is covered -> Dump)
        |
        Step 4b (Swing to break side)
          |
          Step 5b (Continue)

This lets you diagram the “if open, huck; if not, reset” decision that happens dozens of times per game.

Creating a Branch

To create a branch from an existing step:

1. Navigate to the step where the decision point occurs
2. In the Timeline Sidebar, click + Add Branch on that step
3. A new branch is created as a sibling of any existing next steps
4. Position tokens to show the alternative outcome
5. Continue adding steps to each branch independently

Navigating Branches

When a step has multiple branches, the Timeline Sidebar displays them as separate paths. You can:

• Click on any branch to view and edit it
• See the full tree structure in the sidebar
• Follow each path to see how it plays out independently
• Switch between branches to compare options side by side

When to Use Branches

Branches work best for:

• Read-based plays — “If the force is forehand, do X. If backhand, do Y.”
• Option plays — Primary and secondary looks off the same initiation
• Defensive adjustments — “If they go zone, shift to this. If person, run this instead.”
• Teaching progressions — Show what good and bad decisions look like from the same starting point

Cloning Steps

Need a step that’s almost identical to an existing one? Clone it:

1. In the Timeline Sidebar, find the step you want to copy
2. Click the Clone action (or right-click for the context menu)
3. A duplicate step is inserted immediately after the original
4. Adjust token positions as needed

Cloning is faster than creating a blank step when most players stay in the same position and only a few tokens need to move.

Deleting Steps

To remove a step:

1. Select the step in the Timeline Sidebar
2. Click the Delete action
3. Confirm the deletion

Important Notes on Deletion

• The root step cannot be deleted
• Deleting a middle step will reconnect the surrounding steps automatically
• If a step has branches, you’ll be warned before deletion
• Use Undo immediately if you delete the wrong step

Tips for Building Effective Multi-Step Plays

1. Start simple — Get the formation right in Step 1 before adding movement
2. Move fewer tokens per step — It’s easier to follow a play when only 2-3 players move at a time
3. Use branches sparingly — One or two decision points per play keeps things readable. A play with 5 branches at every step becomes a jungle, not a playbook
4. Name your branches — Give branches descriptive labels like “Open Side Cut” or “Reset to Dump” so viewers know what each path represents
5. Match your team’s language — If your team calls it “the power position,” label it that way in the play

What’s Next

Now that your plays have movement, make them even clearer:

• Trails & Movements — Control how player paths are visualized between steps
• Annotations — Add arrows, labels, and shapes to highlight key details
• Playback Controls — Watch your multi-step play animate in real time