Crash Course: Designing Competitive Custom Stages [7 examples]

[Conda]

Hey all, made this video that shows 7 stages I've created with competitive play in mind, and the thought process behind them. This is not a thread about saying "Ooooh I want my stages to be played at tournaments!", but rather a thread about discussing the things you should be thinking about when designing your own stages for competitive play.

My discussion focuses on how to design stages that avoid redundancy and "too-safe" syndrome while still being balanced and unique amongst the other stages. In a nutshell, it's important to create stages in the mindset that its okay to take risks and experiment until you come up with something great. Barrels may seem silly, but what if you use them in a way that makes them arguably fitting for competitive play?

Many players have been creating stages that I feel aren't suitable for implementation into the stagelist, as they are either identical or worse than alternatives already present. I've created a few stages - some are recreations, most are originals - that have enough going on that would make them blend in with the rest of the competitively legal stages without providing too much redundancy.

 

[Captain Norris]

@ Conda do you think it would be wise to create a Custom Stage thread here, where we could compile all the videos into one place? Like, since you and some others already have some videos uploaded, and I also tend to do the same in the near future, they would all be in a single location instead of jumbled everywhere.

 

[Conda]

Maybe once the stage sharing feature comes around. For now this is a niche thing that really doesn't have a quality standard established, thus I wouldn't see much reason for an official thread. It's just a thing to share currently. Once there's sharing there will be more purpose and reason for people to comment on stages in one place

 

[Captain Norris]

Maybe once the stage sharing feature comes around. For now this is a niche thing that really doesn't have a quality standard established, thus I wouldn't see much reason for an official thread. It's just a thing to share currently. Once there's sharing there will be more purpose and reason for people to comment on stages in one place

Right. Well, with your stages, which were great, I found some pretty clever designs to incorporate in my own stages! Thanks for the video!

 

[Conda]

No problem Norris. A lot of comments on reddit too, this got to the front page.

I'll be making a part 2 soon enough, with edits.

 

[daguyontheladder]

I am trying to create competitive stages as well, however I ran into somewhat of a predicament. it's regarding the bases of the central platform, as if it must always be flat or can have various inclines. many have told me characters like lucario, samus, pacman, etc. largely benefit from flat bases, like battlefield or smashvile, as appose to something like your "seaside dojo' or "bowser's castle". im aware that they would be competitive non the less, but i'm wondering if they would be called counter picks.

any advice as to wheither I should have altered bases, or should just keep them flat?

 

[Conda]

I am trying to create competitive stages as well, however I ran into somewhat of a predicament. it's regarding the bases of the central platform, as if it must always be flat or can have various inclines. many have told me characters like lucario, samus, pacman, etc. largely benefit from flat bases, like battlefield or smashvile, as appose to something like your "seaside dojo' or "bowser's castle". im aware that they would be competitive non the less, but i'm wondering if they would be called counter picks.

any advice as to wheither I should have altered bases, or should just keep them flat?

Yes, they'd likely be counter pics. The reason I focus on non-straight stages is because I believe we have enough flat stages that most custom stages that would have flat stages would likely be redundant. I admit some of these stages fall into that territory haha.

By the way a new episode to this series is in the works.

 

[daguyontheladder]

Yes, they'd likely be counter pics. The reason I focus on non-straight stages is because I believe we have enough flat stages that most custom stages that would have flat stages would likely be redundant. I admit some of these stages fall into that territory haha.

By the way a new episode to this series is in the works.

I'll love to get some more inspiration, I will leave a sub to wait for the next episode