Gleam
Smash Ace
I wanted to discuss the potential of a Free For All Meta and what a competitive "Free For All" setting would be like in Ultimate. When you get down to it, the competitive scene in Smash in both linear and limited and while certain rules are certainly necessary in such things as 1v1, it is clearly not the only way to play the game. Not just in the idea that, we have items, so why don't we use them? I mean in the sense that we could create an entire meta based upon item use if necessary. Though that would be an entirely different topic to discuss.
I wanted to discuss the potential of, again, a "Free For All" meta, specifically 4 characters. It's often said that some characters, such as
improve greatly upon Free For Alls. Likewise there are other characters who are noted to be rustier when it comes to Free For Alls. Free For All might seem very chaotic, unordered and random compared to singular play, but the more I try it, the more I begin to see a broader picture of capabilities. It might be easier to land some KOs with Ganondorf than in Single Play but just running around trying to F-Smash at random isn't going to help you much more than if you did it in single play.
Some things I'd thought would be unique in discussion.
1.) Stage Discussion. Single play is very limited, for obvious reasons, in stage usage. How would Free For All effect the usage of stages? Would we allow non-hazard banned stages? What about when a match comes down to the last two people and the issues that would plague those stages in a normal match, now become apparent here? What about a "Time" match (which I"ll get to later) in which things like victory are made through sheer KO and there's no permanent deaths in a match?
2.) What would be the implications of having "Stock" matches and "Time" matches? By stock, I mean everyone starts with say, 3 stocks and last person standing wins. It makes sense but it also leads to some interesting ideas. For example, the number of KOs you get means very little, as just simply surviving. You could be a monster and get 7 KOs, taking out 2 players and leaving one with one stock...but if that one player beats you, its their victory. How would such a thing effect characters? Ganondorf is said to be very good in Free For All, and for argument sake, let's say he is. But in "Stock Match" you will basically get down to a 1v1 and once that happens, you increase the likelihood of character's strengths or weaknesses increasing or decreasing. But what if we had "Time" in which contestants had a certain amount of time to just, get KOs. How would that affect the meta? In the small example I gave above, that character who got 7 KOs would be the winner in this match regardless of if he got 3 KOed by some other person without touching them.
3.) What are the implications of Steal Killing? Mario can combo someone to 100% all day, but if Ganondorf comes in and gets one U-Smash, he will technically get that victory? Especially if this was a time match? In this regard, victory comes not really to the most complex, but really to the simplified.
4.) Another good question is, how do you approach matches? Should you risk jumping off stage to secure a KO, knowing you might put yourself at risk of potentially two other players on stage? When do you back off and let others handle each other? When is it wise to get into the fray and try to secure KOs? In a "Stock" match, since # of KOs is not important, would your character rather stay back and pick off the weak? How would certain aspects such as camping work?
And the questions will only increase more from here. But I did want to bring up the possibility of what such a new Meta could bring not only to players but to characters. Personally, I don't think Ganondorf or Mac will ever be good in Ultimate in terms of 1v1. I think there is just too much going against them in terms of design for it to work, as much as I hope I'm wrong. If a potential new meta would change perception of some characters, it might finally give them worth being praised for something.
This topic really influenced by a quick comment in the "Competitive Character" discussion, in which Thinkman noted his support in the idea that Little Mac was far better than what people believed because he, as a character, was firmly registered in singular aspect of the game. It made me think for the first time, the idea that, so many characters who could be good in something, are forced to reside in their worst state when it comes to competitive play.
I wanted to discuss the potential of, again, a "Free For All" meta, specifically 4 characters. It's often said that some characters, such as
improve greatly upon Free For Alls. Likewise there are other characters who are noted to be rustier when it comes to Free For Alls. Free For All might seem very chaotic, unordered and random compared to singular play, but the more I try it, the more I begin to see a broader picture of capabilities. It might be easier to land some KOs with Ganondorf than in Single Play but just running around trying to F-Smash at random isn't going to help you much more than if you did it in single play.Some things I'd thought would be unique in discussion.
1.) Stage Discussion. Single play is very limited, for obvious reasons, in stage usage. How would Free For All effect the usage of stages? Would we allow non-hazard banned stages? What about when a match comes down to the last two people and the issues that would plague those stages in a normal match, now become apparent here? What about a "Time" match (which I"ll get to later) in which things like victory are made through sheer KO and there's no permanent deaths in a match?
2.) What would be the implications of having "Stock" matches and "Time" matches? By stock, I mean everyone starts with say, 3 stocks and last person standing wins. It makes sense but it also leads to some interesting ideas. For example, the number of KOs you get means very little, as just simply surviving. You could be a monster and get 7 KOs, taking out 2 players and leaving one with one stock...but if that one player beats you, its their victory. How would such a thing effect characters? Ganondorf is said to be very good in Free For All, and for argument sake, let's say he is. But in "Stock Match" you will basically get down to a 1v1 and once that happens, you increase the likelihood of character's strengths or weaknesses increasing or decreasing. But what if we had "Time" in which contestants had a certain amount of time to just, get KOs. How would that affect the meta? In the small example I gave above, that character who got 7 KOs would be the winner in this match regardless of if he got 3 KOed by some other person without touching them.
3.) What are the implications of Steal Killing? Mario can combo someone to 100% all day, but if Ganondorf comes in and gets one U-Smash, he will technically get that victory? Especially if this was a time match? In this regard, victory comes not really to the most complex, but really to the simplified.
4.) Another good question is, how do you approach matches? Should you risk jumping off stage to secure a KO, knowing you might put yourself at risk of potentially two other players on stage? When do you back off and let others handle each other? When is it wise to get into the fray and try to secure KOs? In a "Stock" match, since # of KOs is not important, would your character rather stay back and pick off the weak? How would certain aspects such as camping work?
And the questions will only increase more from here. But I did want to bring up the possibility of what such a new Meta could bring not only to players but to characters. Personally, I don't think Ganondorf or Mac will ever be good in Ultimate in terms of 1v1. I think there is just too much going against them in terms of design for it to work, as much as I hope I'm wrong. If a potential new meta would change perception of some characters, it might finally give them worth being praised for something.
This topic really influenced by a quick comment in the "Competitive Character" discussion, in which Thinkman noted his support in the idea that Little Mac was far better than what people believed because he, as a character, was firmly registered in singular aspect of the game. It made me think for the first time, the idea that, so many characters who could be good in something, are forced to reside in their worst state when it comes to competitive play.
