Castle Siege: Stage Research

[ParanoidDrone]

Another returning stage from Brawl, Castle Siege will no doubt be familiar to veterans of the series. Not much going on here, so let's get to it.

Previously Covered
Town & City
Duck Hunt
Delfino Plaza
Kalos Pokemon League
Mario Galaxy
Coliseum
Gamer
Wii Fit Studio
Kongo Jungle 64
Windy Hill Zone
Luigi's Mansion
Norfair
Orbital Gate Assault
Woolly World
Skyloft
Garden of Hope
Mushroom Kingdom U
Wuhu Island
Mario Circuit

Layout
Castle Siege is a three part stage. Its layout therefore changes over time, but in a very predictable way. The match begins on the castle battlements, which feature a slope in the middle and two platforms overhead. The slope means the right side of the stage is positioned higher than the left. The remaining forms will be described further below.

Players 1 and 2 start on the the platforms on the castle battlements. Players 3 and 4 start on the middle slope and near the right ledge. The Omega form has walled sides.

Castle Siege has no damaging hazards, but does have an interactive stage element in its second form.

Transformations
The stage cycles through three main forms: the Battlements, the Throne Room, and Underground. Each form lasts approximately 43 seconds. The screen shakes three seconds before the stage transforms, and the transformation itself takes two seconds. Unlike Brawl, the transformation process is a consistent length every time. As the stage transforms, an invisible walkoff forms that can potentially save players offstage.

The transformation process itself can be described as an invisible floor that rises from the bottom to meet the players as the rest of the stage fades away. This can save offstage players who would otherwise fall to their death.

Name|Image|Notes
Battlements|

|Starting transformation. Unlike Brawl, where the ledges could trap players during their recovery, the stage will now allow players to smoothly ride the walls to the ledge.
Throne Room|

|Walkoff to both sides. Overhead awnings form platforms and, despite appearances, do not extend to the blast zone. Statues are destructible with approximately 60 HP each. Destroying a statue will also destroy the platform it supports. Statue hurtboxes can interfere with projectiles.
Underground|

|Pillar supporting the platform is solid. Players can ride the outer edge of the platform to the ledge, but only to a point; trying to recover too deep inside from the ledge will result in failure and death. The platform tilts back and forth in a complex but consistent pattern.

Summary

• Stage begins on Battlements, transforms to Throne Room and Underground before cycling again.
• Transformations last 43 seconds each, transforming between forms takes 2 seconds.
• Screen shakes 3 seconds in advance of transforming.
• Ledges on Battlements no longer trap recovering players.
• Statues in Throne Room have approximately 60 HP.
• Platform in the Underground tilts back and forth.

 

[JayWon]

Can you go into detail on the transformation itself (the part where there's white vertical lines)? Like how does it affect players who are low/offstage in the first part?

 

[ParanoidDrone]

Can you go into detail on the transformation itself (the part where there's white vertical lines)? Like how does it affect players who are low/offstage in the first part?

Imagine a stage-wide invisible floor rising up from the bottom. That's basically it. It can catch you if you're about to fall to your death at the right moment, no doubt to your opponent's displeasure.

It doesn't really come into play on the second form since it's a walkoff.

 

[DanGR]

Just wanted to drop by and say these are awesome! Keep it up.