The cutscene is there, and I can walk into it and trigger it, but I still end up at WC #1 sadly

To set up the ESW, It is not necessary to start the egg event. The only requirement is walking passed an invisible respawn trigger. I'm not certain where the trigger is precisely.

0:30-1:55 in the video can be skipped, this is just annoying Tricky setup for the K4 death:

Also it seems that the trigger does not exist until the event is ready, but we should test to be 100% sure.

Edit: The trigger is also gone late in the game. It's probably only spawned during the event then.

How ESW Works
I don't think my English is enough to explain these, but I'll do it.
(RSP stands for Re Spawn Position)
- When load file, the value on memory card will be duplicated to RSP2, RSP1, the current position.
- RSP1 and RSP2 change when checkpoint is passed.
- When save file, RSP2 is duplicated on memory card.
- When player dies, the value will be loaded from RSP2 without memory card.
- ESW point has a special function. It generates RSP3, if player dies while RSP3 is alive, the current position will be RPS3.
- RSP3 will be deleted when passing normal checkpoint. Loading file does not delete RSP3, so it mixes with respawn position of another file.

When i was messing around with ESW glitch, i found that the glitch not just copy the location, copy other things, for example i made a file in dragon rock where i open the earthwalker king on walled city when i used that save file for ESW to another new file where i didnt open that room, the room opens in the new file.

Yeah I guess we're all learning that the hard way. So far the "side-effects" have been largely negative. I wonder if we can find a way to use them to our advantage.

I just tried out the route (with the ThornTail ESW), and noticed more issues during Walled City 2:
- Save/Quit from Sun Stone returns to orbit
- Save/Quit from placing Moon Stone/Sun Stone returns to orbit

If we can't figure out how to avoid this, then getting Sun Stone during WC #1 might be better (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbVzTQB8TCU)

===============

EDIT: I also finished routing with the new changes. It might not be perfect yet: https://www.speedrun.com/sfa/guide/m3cys

Major differences:
- We defer placing SS1 so that we can ESW back from Volcano Point
- We can ESW back from turning in K4 now
- Also, I have included a section I like to call "Stupid Cape Claw" where we do CCE and open one measly door, and walk back
- Perform OOB in Cape Claw twice, the first time to obtain 1x Fire Gem
- Walk back from Ocean Point #2 using a Fire Gem clip

The information of respawn position 1,2,3 are accompanied by a lot of things. They are like fake memory cards.

I found a new R/ESW location in Dark Ice Mines exterior:

EDIT: The trigger is riding the mammoth. After testing, there are actually 4 R/ESW locations. One at each platform, for both mammoths.

EDIT 2: If you enter DIM #2, and ESW to the final mammoth post, the speeder bike is non-interactable, so we can't re-enter DIM #2. Even after leaving, returning to orbit, and coming back.

EDIT 3: The "side effects" of this glitch can unlock the second mammoth for files that do not have Blow Horn yet. The first mammoth cannot be unlocked early for other files. The breakable cannon door will be closed for other files.

=============

There may be a crazy idea -- make a new file, get to Fox, then ESW here. Since Fox never got Tricky or went to Ice mountain, two things are possible:
- Fox can void out at the mammoth before the gate (after killing the 2x SharpClaw)
- Fox can get the item discovery dialog from mana gem / eggs

Then Fox can recover from the void out, and potentially get OOB and swim to DIM interior. Might be able to do OOB navigation to skip all puzzles. But even if that works, the only problem is we do not have Tricky/Flame for Galdon boss.

Also probably can't save time since this game has a long intro.

Edit: I tried this. Fox loses collision with mana crystals / eggs. Also, the void out does not occur until Fox is close to the mammoth.

If include your ESW points, these are ESW points I know.

Some of these seem to work only on the first pass.

there is one in the platform in front of the hightop cell on dragon rock

The triggered point is not the same as the respawn point, so probably your point is the same as one of the ESW points in my image.

I have an unrelated glitch that I could use help with. I think it may be possible to skip the HighTop section of Dragon Rock. I combined glitches I've seen from other glitch hunters (glitches0and0stuff, BvqRzxi5, JubJub62), and added my own idea.

This makes it possible to bypass the HighTop gate, but the problem is I've tried running around that area, but was unable to hit a save trigger. With just a position hack, Fox can hit the save triggers, but when mounted it seems that it isn't possible.

TAS might be able to complete that section, but I'm not sure if everything is loaded because I can't see.

Edit: Also the speed hack I used makes it much easier to flip the EarthWalker. The setup is probably going to be different for legitimate attempts.

To observe it, enable the Free Look feature of Dolphin emulator.

Ah I didn't know about that. I don't think the area is fully loaded unfortunately. The only objects that load are 1x enemy, a plant, a box, and the explosive barrel.

Maybe it's possible to cancel the mount with a gem/egg discovery cancel, but the ESW setup would take way too long.

Edit: Nope, not even possible:

I noticed it is possible to manipulate the camera when switching between Fox/EarthWalker via the ladder (sometimes it voids out if you have a bad angle). I wonder if it's possible to make the camera pass through the loading trigger, and if that would work.

Edit: Also nope, I think. It's similar to the SnowHorn Wastes mount clip. No save triggers can be hit while the game thinks you're mounted.

This route should work again now. Updated my guide with the PDF https://www.speedrun.com/sfa/guide/m3cys

It uses ESWs in DIM, CRF, TTH, and WC:
DIM for a R/ESW for K3 Early
CRF for a RRESW (or whatever the hell we want to call it) for a Cape Claw #2 warp
TTH for ESWs to skip running back from K4 and Volcano Point #2
WC for same-file ESW to warp to Volcano Point #2

Subtle details:
- Saving immediately on arrival to DIM allows us to both hit the ESW checkpoint, and use ESW to escape. If we save after hitting one of the save triggers on either narrow walkway, or after the ESW checkpoint, the route is ruined.
- Saving in CapeClaw #1 in the gas room allows us to quickly pick up the 2x Fuel Cells in that room when we warp back to Cape Claw #2.
- We do Volcano Point #1 much later in the run, right before Walled City #1.
- [Untested] Avoids the beacon cutscene glitch (which requires a Save/Quit to fix ThornTail) by doing DIM before K3.
- [Untested] Because we do Volcano Point #1 late, we do not need to light all the Beacons immediately. We can do them when it is convenient in the route. I think we need to collect the Fire Weed immediately though. This needs to be tested.
- [Untested] The cape claw OOB is pretty slow due to how long the swim is. We should measure if it's faster to just open the Fire Gem door normally during Cape Claw #2.

Edit: Fixed an error in the Fuel Cell routing in the PDF. This may still not be optimal.