Coasting



Coasting is an advanced flying technique that allows two travelers to levitate forward together. It is achievable when both companions glide forward while being close enough to glow and thus remain afloat without pressing the jump button. Coasting without chirps is sometimes called Silent Coasting.

How to do it
Difficulty:

Coasting usually takes place after having already started tandem flying and moving both in the same direction. It can be hard to be in sync or even make your companion understand you want to coast in the first place. This is why you can try to indicate your intention to your companion by doing a few small and rather fast chirps while close to one another and moving in the same direction. This is usually a good hint, though experienced players will start coasting naturally.

When a companion is chirping at you continuously, all you have to do is maintain the forward direction, and you will glide in the air without needing to jump. The chirps need to be frequent for this, hence why players usually start with medium chirps and ends with small but rapid chirps as they get closer. With this technique you can already start a sort of chirpy-coasting without really touching, if both chirp the same way (fast little chirps). After achieving this, try to get close enough to your companion to make each other glow from your own bodies and obtain a real coasting (no need to chirp anymore).

Silent coasting can last for a few seconds only before getting apart again when new to the technique, but once you find get a nice position, it can go on for very long distances. Coasting is also faster and less exhausting compared to tandem flying (more enjoyable/rewarding as well).

Common Mistakes

 * Never look down when coasting or you will dive. Try instead to look in front of where you want to go. Looking up can be rather tricky and make you drift away from your companion, but with some skill it can be done.


 * If you are too much in a forward position compared to your companion don't slow down with the left stick when using a controller, as it can make you slow very much and make you fall apart from your companion. Instead it is better to release the forward stick/button for a split of a second, and then press fully forward again. You might need a couple of those split-second releasing operations to fall back as much as you want, but this method allows perfect control and makes getting closer easier and more fluid.


 * It is usually best to be a little ahead of your companion during the coasting, even if you are a follower. A player's real position in Journey depends on their ping, this gets higher as both players live far away from one another on the globe. If you know your companion lives in a country far away from yours, be ahead a lot, even if you don't visually touch each other on the screen your real position will be closer.

Further Tips

 * The size of chirps don't affect the speed/location of either wayfarers. However, while you can coast and continue to make big chirps for your companion, it can be rather annoying after a while so you should tune the volume down a little.


 * This trick needs some practice to understand better how to sync with any partner. It may be easier to learn it with an advanced player.


 * Making a turn while coasting can be tricky. Move sideways a little only at first to make sure your companion understand your intentions. The secret is to turn progressively in order to stay in contact. You can also start doing a few small chirps and wait for your companion to do the same before turning (it will help keeping on glowing if you get apart a little during the turn).


 * When you are in the snow level, your companion's butt will hang low and it will look like they are constantly slowing down. This is just an illusion, please keep the left stick forward because your companion does the same.


 * Another method to start coasting is to walk off any ledge or rock together (with a companion that knows already about coasting preferably)


 * If you want to look to the side when coasting, you will need to compensate the motion of the camera with the left stick (on a controller) to continue moving in a straight line.

Quotes
"The essence of coasting is to hold each other up, to merge into one wayfarer."

- Nichero4