Sakurai-san's Character Selection Process

[Xigger]

Most of the sources all of you are looking for can easily be found in the stickied development thread... http://smashboards.com/threads/smash-development-history-updated-7-20.324410/

And KageJuin, if you need your rudeness pointed out, it's more evident here:

Quoting your own downfall now?

Not very effective at debates, are you?

Is this your first time?

 

[Morbi]

Most of the sources all of you are looking for can easily be found in the stickied development thread... http://smashboards.com/threads/smash-development-history-updated-7-20.324410/

And KageJuin, if you need your rudeness pointed out, it's more evident here:

Sometimes you have to be pretentious in order to establish a point more effectively; otherwise, the notion is not as apparent. For instance, regarding clone characters such as Dr. Mario or Dark Pit. We have this piece of evidence...

Initially, I had considered including Lucina as one of Marth's alternate costumes. After all, she has a close relationship with him in FE:A. In such cases, even if two characters' names and voices differ, as long as they function the same way, I assign them as alternate costumes. The Wii Fit Trainers, Villagers, and Robin are examples of this setup.

However, even though Lucina shares her physical stats and techniques with Marth, the characteristics of their attacks differ. When two such similar characters function in an even slightly different manner, I give them a separate spot on the roster since that will affect battle records and whatnot. In that sense, you could say she was very lucky to join the fray!

People focus on "even if two characters' names and voices differ, as long as they function the same way, I assign them as alternate costumes."

It is; however, quite apparent that they blatantly disregard the assertion, "the characteristics of their attacks differ. When two such similar characters function in an even slightly different manner, I give them a separate spot on the roster since that will affect battle records..."

It is "rude" to make the sentiment more apparent, but at the same time, if they fail to see it, they fail to see it. So here is what I usually do to the quote to make objective fact more overt:

Initially, I had considered including Lucina as one of Marth's alternate costumes. After all, she has a close relationship with him in FE:A. In such cases, even if two characters' names and voices differ, as long as they function the same way, I assign them as alternate costumes. The Wii Fit Trainers, Villagers, and Robin are examples of this setup.

However, even though Lucina shares her physical stats and techniques with Marth, the characteristics of their attacks differ. When two such similar characters function in an even slightly different manner, I give them a separate spot on the roster since that will affect battle records and whatnot. In that sense, you could say she was very lucky to join the fray!

 

[AEMehr]

Sometimes you have to be pretentious in order to establish a point more effectively; otherwise, the notion is not as apparent.

Objection.
Looking like a pretentious twit and being able to make a competent argument are two very different things.
In fact, doing the former thing can easily make it seem like you're trying to make yourself sound smarter by using bigger words; even if your argument is poor. It's just unnecessary and fairly annoying.

 

[TerminalMontage]

I can see how being pretentious does help establish a point more effectively, but after Scoliosis_Jones "Sales/General Popularity =/= Smash Bros. Popularity." post, the aggression came out of nowhere. KageJuin seemed to even agree with him until halfway through his response, something went wrong, it confused me as well.

But despite that, thanks for organizing Sakurai's selection process in the OP! It was most interesting to read.

 

[KageJuin]

I find it essential to make posts the way I due as there is a cancer on this forum, where wrong interpretations of information are hailed and worshiped as if they were sent from the gods, because people see and hear what they want, rather than what is.

I am not interested in people bringing up useless opinion with arguments that hold no water, when compared withe the evidence at hand. In that case leave the debate for you don't understand what it means to have a debate.

A lot of people also lack basic reading comprehension as Morbid pointed out. I will leave it at that.

People lack the skills so see the big picture as a wide angle view is tasking on the mind. Maybe it is laziness, maybe it is incompetence, but however you slice it: most people can't put together data and see a trend.

This is why they cry and cry multiple rivers that lead to oceans when they are disappointed by character reveals. They don't understand what Sakurai is saying or hinting at.



I will make more threads like this one to break down other processes in case things stay unclear.
Looking at the Official Character Discussion thread it seems that most people still don't grasp how Sakurai works haha.

1. Internal roster that includes all characters being CONSIDERED
2. first phase is character choice based on franchise popularity (which is directly correlated to sales, proven by having prepared a X and Y pokemon as it is a very popular series, which needed a contemporary character.)
3. Moveset creation (this is where characters like chrom get cut from the roster.)

All these have to be taken into considerations before attacking users about gematsu leak being fake/real or attacking others for believing character A or B has a chance or not.

Anywho. Sakurai said Mewtwo was being considered. I hope he's in the final gold master so I can play him.

 

[Shorts]

SSB4 is bringing clones back with Lucina.. and that was a last minute thing.

How can a clone be a last minute thing if every character was planned from the begining?

 

[LeeYawshee]

How can a clone be a last minute thing if every character was planned from the begining?

She was meant to be an alternative costume but because she was even a little bit different, she became a character of her own. It wasn't planned, it just happened and it became last minute. Sakurai said so himself.

 

[KageJuin]

How can a clone be a last minute thing if every character was planned from the begining?

I would link you to the interview, bu if you're so lazy you didn't read up on it, I will also be lazy and let you figure it out on your own.
it's possible though

 

[Shorts]

She was meant to be an alternative costume but because she was even a little bit different, she became a character of her own. It wasn't planned, it just happened and it became last minute. Sakurai said so himself.

Show me where he said that she was meant as a costume.

I would link you to the interview, bu if you're so lazy you didn't read up on it, I will also be lazy and let you figure it out on your own.
it's possible though

So you saying every character was planned from the begining is incorrect then?

 

[LeeYawshee]

Show me where he said that she was meant as a costume.

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/233268-...-bros-wii-u-3ds-why-chrom-didn-t-make-the-cut
http://www.ign.com/boards/threads/t...-interview-why-chrom-wasnt-in-ssb4.454113949/
http://wiiudaily.com/2014/07/chrom-not-in-super-smash-bros/
http://www.gamerheadlines.com/2014/07/sakurai-talks-about-lucina-and-robins-levin-sword-on-miiverse/

The list goes on and on and on. I throw my hands up in the air sometimes, saying ayo. Lucina's a clone. I wanna celebrate and Levin life. Saying aayoo, thunder swordo.
Ahem. Sorry.

 

[Shorts]

So she was going to be a second character sharing the same slot with Marth. Not a costume. She would have her own voice and unique properties. She was intended to be in the game from the start, and was in no way a last minute addition. Even if she at one point was going to share a slot with Marth.

Lucina was always intended to be in Smash 4.

 

[KageJuin]

So she was going to be a seconf character sharing the same slot with Marth. Not a costume. She would have her own voice and unique properties. She was intended to be in the game from the start, and was in no way a last minute addition. Even if she at one point was going to share a slot with Marth.

Lucina was always intended to be in Smash 4.

Yes, the definition of an alt is that they have different voices or even animations.
As long as everything else functions the same.
Lucina used to be Marth with a different skin and voice.

I find her separation unnecessary though

 

[LeeYawshee]

So she was going to be a second character sharing the same slot with Marth. Not a costume. She would have her own voice and unique properties. She was intended to be in the game from the start, and was in no way a last minute addition. Even if she at one point was going to share a slot with Marth.

Lucina was always intended to be in Smash 4.

That's like calling Male Wii Fit Trainer and female Robin their own characters.

 

[JaidynReiman]

How can a clone be a last minute thing if every character was planned from the begining?

The roster is planned from the beginning, and on occasion clones/semiclones are added late in development. If they have time, they'll add semiclones/clones later on, which is what happened in Melee.

 

[Xigger]

Show me where he said that she was meant as a costume.

CTRL+F, type "costume", first result is: "Initially, I had considered including Lucina as one of Marth's alternate costumes."

It's a part of Sakurai's interview. If you quote that sentence and put it in Google, you'll know for sure. (Could be different page depending on posts per page setting?...)

I mean... OMG CANT RESEARCH NOOB CANCER UNEDUCAT