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How dark would you like the tone?

farvin111

Smash Journeyman
Joined
May 29, 2010
Messages
225
Some people like it, but honestly Brawl's constant edgy and gritty atmosphere was a turn off most of the time. It was cool at first, as I'd never seen characters like Mario and Pikachu in such a light before, and sometimes it works out such as in the SSE, but ultimately it just feels weird now and didn't age well at all.

That's why, when Smash 4 showed itself to go in the complete opposite direction by making everything colorful and vibrant, I really felt more attached to that game. I could stare at the characters' official poses just marveling at how good they looked together, and I feel like this pays some homage to the original Smash and how it was just a frantic, cartoonish showdown of Nintendo characters. It doesn't take itself too seriously and is just overall a feel-good game.

So here we are at Smash 5. Just from the teaser, maybe it'll go back to the darkness of Brawl, who knows. However, this time it'll be in HD (or close to it), so I have a better feeling about it. If they can pull off a medium between Brawl and Smash 4, I'd be a happy camper.
 

Lyndis_

Smash Ace
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Inbetween Brawl and Smash 4, leaning a bit towards Smash 4.

Brawl in a way was a product of it's time. The 2000s were peak edgy/scene phase, so I imagine whatever Nintendo decides to do now will be more tasteful.

Serious, but not so grunge. Also the benefit of that they don't shade with black anymore, since they can achieve what they want with the texture much more easily.

The Twilight Princess characters were just about the only ones I think looked good in that artstyle, and that's only because Twilight Princess pretty much already looked like that.
 
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FunAtParties

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Honestly pretty dark. I'd like for stuff to be more up for interpretation like it was in 64, while hinting that they're doing this against their will.
 

Mario & Sonic Guy

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The more cartoonish appearance should stay, since we're obviously at a point where Bowser, Donkey Kong, and Diddy Kong don't use realistic animal sounds anymore.
 

Mr_towel_Man

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I want more of a story in the new game. Smash4 just kind of felt like a game and not part of the "series" story wise.
 

Graizen

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You know what? I think the tone is bringing the "Browl" style becouse there will be a "Adventure Mode" just like the Subspace.
 

Morbi

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I do not mind dark, at all. I love darkness; however, that should not translate to the visuals. You can have more of an effect by having happy, colorful aesthetic contrast with your edgy concepts/themes/narrative. That was where Brawl went, oh so wrong, and to this day, it more or less remains worse looking than even the 64 version. It is subjective, but I would be willing to wager most people would put it on the lower end relative to other Nintendo games. Twilight Princess is the same. Majora's Mask was FAR darker, but it did not look like garbage.
 

MacDaddyNook

Smash Lord
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I never really saw any Smash game as dark. Each game has always had the same goofy cartoonish feel to me, what with the characters bouncing around, flying into the distance Team Rocket-style, falling on their behinds, smacking against the tv screen, etc. I did like how the Brawl textures did add more details to the characters, such as the stitches on Mario's clothing, but Smash 4's brighter colors do look nice too. Personally, I'd like to see a combination of higher, more "realistic" texturing paired up with the more true-to-their-own game colors.

As for the tone itself, I just wanted it to be the same silly style it's always been. Smash should be fun, not serious business.
 

KEYLIME SSB

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Seriousness can also be determined by game mechanics. In melee, there is a much more professional air to the game, with crazy fast movement and combos, while Sm4sh’s much more aerial and projectile based mind-games force a lighter atmosphere.
 

KingDoop

Smash Cadet
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Messages
66
The more cartoony the better imo. I think Metroid and Bayonetta are the only franchises here with "realistic" graphics, so it would benefit the most amount of characters to have cartoon visuals
 

Propeller Toad

Smash Journeyman
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Messages
464
I personally really liked the Smash 4 tone. It just works very well with many of the characters compared to that of Brawl's (more bright/cartoony).

There was just something very off-putting about some of the character designs in Brawl when made into the darker/somewhat realistic design-theme.
 

Metalex

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Brawl had some cool details in the textures, but in general i like the more saturated colors of Smash 4 more. It makes the cartoony characters such as Pikachu and Mario look much better while still having more realistic ones like Bayonetta, Link or Captain Falcon look great.

Always fun if they can change it up a bit next game though, and of course a graphical improvement is to be expected. Maybe a mix between the darker Brawl style and smash 4 could be interesting.

The only exception who looked much better in Brawl is Ganondorf imo, have no idea what happened to his face lol but that's probably more so the model than graphics.
 
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ProspectorWeejus

Smash Rookie
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Jan 19, 2018
Messages
4
In general, I would prefer a cartoony style for a Smash game, like what Smash 4 did. I do not necessarily dislike Brawl's tone. But Smash 4's style fits the inherently wacky Nintendo characters that make up most of the Smash roster.

However, one question I have is, if there is going to be an Adventure Mode like Subspace Emissary, what tone would be right for it? I think if they plan to make a sequel to SSE or create a new story that is inspired by it, then a cartoon tone would be unfit. Brawl's realistic/darker color scheme matched perfectly with the kind of story that SSE was. It was a high-stakes clash of worlds against annihilation, who wouldn't be feeling a little own because of that?

But if we get an Adventure Mode that's not like SSE, or just not get one at all, then I think Smash Switch should try to replicate what Smash 4's visuals were.
 

MysticKnives

Smash Ace
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Jul 21, 2014
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811
Something more along the lines of 64 personally. It was extremely comical, whimsical, and straight up wacky in its approach. It made the game feel like it was an old school arcade game, and something out of a comic book. But at the same time, it also has it's own hidden elements of being dark what with some of the lore of the game back then (Like the characters being toys being brought to life and made to fight each other, the eerie sounds of the menu screen, the designs of the OG Battlefield and Final Destination, Meta Crystal) and how this game just seemed to have a an air of mystery or a subtle ominous factor to go hand-in-hand with the more direct cartoonish approach.

I'd love for a future installment to recapture what made 64 so special. Smash 4 came the closest to recapturing this, Melee and Brawl went for the more "Epic" route.
 
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DBPirate

Smash Apprentice
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Mar 19, 2018
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146
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Smash 4 was perfect. Keep it that way.

If there was a Subspace-esque story mode though, that could be Brawl-like in tone. Just don’t make the characters look all realistic like they tried to then.
 
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Kinda dark-ish.

Like, visuals wise, make it about a mixture between Brawl and SSB4. This is if there is a Subspace-like mode coming in hot.

Story wise, yeah, I like the idea of revisiting some parts of Smash 64 (like the more gloomy post-credits music in 64, and the general feel of something greater and some hidden dark elements). In my idea for a new story mode, it's something like this; while it starts off rather non-serious, as the world grows crazier, it's clear something much more sinister and bizarre is being hidden from the heroes, with this revelation building up on itself slowly as the characters discover some hidden parts of the lore that was kept secret from them during the fight to destroy Tabuu once and for all. There's a real subtle, ominous factor to it all, and I'll reveal more once we get a good idea of what the roster's like (unless, you know, you guys think it would be okay to share now and just expand a little as characters are revealed)
 

Murlough

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Not.

Smash 4 was perfect aesthetic-wise. The character models should more or less be based on 4's example.
 

Pazzo.

「Livin' On A Prayer」
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Melee's tone.

Campy, with a tone of vibrant cartoons made in a far future.
 

PF9

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I'd like a even more realistic look than Brawl had (only up to a T rating though) - and even then, some characters in Brawl didn't completely conform to its realistic look, like for instance Pikachu didn't have realistic fur like some other non-human mammal characters did. That's one thing I really want as part of a realistic look - realistic fur Pikachu.
 

ChikoLad

Purple Boi
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Jan 11, 2014
Messages
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I would like something inspired by Smash 3DS.

Yes, specifically Smash 3DS.

https://i.gyazo.com/6f6b4014ecc9e6c135c7304ac19b8112.png

https://i.gyazo.com/7c0cce95f11e6f36ffc0e2a06e0004ca.png


First is a screenshot from the pre-rendered cinematic for the Smash Wii U/3DS reveal trailer, and the second is from a video showcasing Smash 3DS running at 4K resolution (though my laptop can't display the video at that resolution, oops) through Citra Emulator.

I think this style is really appealing and gives the game a certain timelessness. Even Smash Wii U feels aged in terms of it's graphics. While it was more colourful than Brawl and Melee, it still used fairly realistic textures for it's characters (they were simply "cleaner" textures than say, Brawl's, which went for a more rugged look). And those textures still looked dated even when the game came out. The models also aren't particularly high-poly in the Wii U game and there is nothing to mask that.

However, Smash 3DS kinda looks like a sharply drawn comic book or manga in motion. And this is especially true once you see the game running at HD/4K resolution. The game legitimately still looks very nice - and that's even with using the low-poly gameplay models (the game has high-poly models used for the Pause Camera and Victory animations). It masks the low-poly models quite well and manages to turn them into something that looks appealing, making the sharp polygonal edges almost seem like an artistic choice.

Combining these artistic techniques with higher-poly models similar to those found in the Wii U version, would lead to something that looks truly beautiful and timeless, making it the first Smash game to truly achieve such a thing. They could also throw in special effects like calligraphic strokes or "watercolour blur" to emphasise character movement.

I also think the game would benefit from keeping the 3DS game's ability to customise outlines for the characters, as Smash Switch will be playable in handheld form, yet will likely have stages the size of Palutena's Temple and The Great Cave Offensive since it's also technically a console game. People have enough trouble keeping track of their characters on those stages as is, so having an outline option would not only enhance aesthetics but serve a practical function if you wish to use it.

As for the game's tone, they can keep it lighthearted, but I would appreciate a sincere attempt at having these characters interact in-game, with more than just trailers I can watch online. It doesn't have to be as epic in scale as SSE, but even if it's just special CGI endings for completing Classic Mode like in games such as Tekken.

EDIT: Typical, image uploader is on fire. I guess links will have to do.
 
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verysleepywolf

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I'd like for them to hearken back to 64 and Melee. I know Brawl brought grittier designs to the characters, but it actually feels much lighter in tone due to the menu aesthetics / Battlefield redesign / operatic and uplifting theme song / other reasons. 64 and Melee have such vagueness, such mystery, kind of like the games are presenting a void to you only populated by glorified action figures on floating arenas. There is a self-aware existentialism with Melee and 64 that Brawl almost completely ditched and this trend persisted with 3DS and Wii U. Wii U's glittery character silhouettes are kind of goofy, I feel that was a terrible idea.

What I would really love is if they brought back the empty, reflective menu music from 64 and possibly added more to it. Don't make the menus so bright and colorful; make them minimalist and mostly black void. I feel like this approach is more focused, foreboding, and gives younger players the feeling that they are playing a serious game while older players don't feel so violated by the pastel colors.

My greatest sentiment here is the mystique this series use to pose. Really hoping that the atmosphere in the trailer is a sign of what the rest of the game has in store for us.
 

jwillenn

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
126
So what I get from this is Smash 5 should get a "Custom Tones" feature, kind of like how Mario Maker let's you have the SMB1, SMB3, World, and New SMB look. So, 64 Tone, Melee Tone, 4 Tone, and 5 Tone?
 

FamicomDisk

Smash Journeyman
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Mar 17, 2018
Messages
388
I like Smash 4's style best, but I also liked how Melee and Brawl gave realistic fabric textures. It helped the characters to look unique in Smash!

What I'd like the most is something like Mario Odyssey. The characters would still be bright and colorful like in 4, but they also have each hair rendered and the textures on the fabrics. Seems like a good middle ground!
 

Uffe

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I think the only reason Brawl looked the way it did was because it was trying to be HD, while not actually being HD. There was a lot of detail on clothing, and the colors were dulled out. I wasn't fond of Smash 4's colors at first, but I like it now.
 

osby

Smash Obsessed
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I think Brawl's art style really worked in favor of Adventure Mode. Giving each character more "realistic" textures made them work in a original world. But I don't think new game needs this and Inkling looks pretty much like how they would in Smash For Wii U.
 

NSSKG151

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I don't think Smash Switch needs to be that dark to be appealing. I feel like back in the Wii era games like Brawl and Twilight Princess were darker just to appeal to older fans but its not necessary now. Besides, judging from the Splatoon Smash trailer it seems like the shading style for this game is going to be more similar to Smash 4.
 

T-Donor66

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Honestly, I would really like to see a slightly darker tone in Smash 5, but not Brawl levels of grit. I never thought I would say that, since Smash 4’s brighter color palette was something I really enjoyed. But I found myself REALLY liking the tone and style of the Smash 5 teaser trailer, and I would like to see more of that in the full game. Whether or not they will keep that style for the whole game is yet to be seen.
 
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osby

Smash Obsessed
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Honestly, I would really like to see a slightly darker tone in Smash 5, but not Brawl levels of grit. I never thought I would say that, since Smash 4’s brighter color palette was something I really enjoyed. But I found myself REALLY liking the tone and style of the Smash 5 teaser trailer, and I would like to see more of that in the full game. Whether or not they will keep that style for the whole game is yet to be seen.
Weird thing is, unless we count shadows, trailer (Inklings and paint) was actually really colorful. Inklings were more detailed than Splatoon, but it was like that in the last game too.

Seemingly, there isn't a big difference between the textures they used but trailer's tone can be still reflected in Final Destination, GUI etc.
 

T-Donor66

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Weird thing is, unless we count shadows, trailer (Inklings and paint) was actually really colorful. Inklings were more detailed than Splatoon, but it was like that in the last game too.

Seemingly, there isn't a big difference between the textures they used but trailer's tone can be still reflected in Final Destination, GUI etc.
You’re right, I was more so referring to the dark tone after the screen went from white to black. I hope at least some of that translates into the game, while the character textures stay vibrant.
 
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Nohbl

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Melee (Bfield, FD, Fox) x Brawl edge
Brawl Minus light-heartedness
I liked the Mega Man, Bowser Jr., and Lucina tr4ilers.
I like the level of detail Brawl brought and tr4sh lacked, but more color isn't a bad thing. The voice acting in tr4sh was worse than the previous games, so go back to a more intense tone.
 

**Gilgamesh**

Smash Ace
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Just make the music more like Brawl's instead of the awful Smash 4 music and add some darkness to it like the intro music on smash switch reveal trailer. Music goes a long way in giving a game a certain feeling. Smash 4 Final Destination song was just boring and grossly mediocre compared to Brawl which was a masterpiece of it's time. Hopefully Smash 5 has thrilling and nostalgic music because Smash 4 certainly doesn't fit the bill. My opinion though. You could even give us some dark stages (hopefully competitive) too. Cartoony can be nice at times but it becomes apparently boring when in tournaments as tournament are serious etc..

Also dark because the graphics would be amazing for a dark smash game unlike Brawl where HD wasn't an option.
 
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Idon

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I hope the characters remain true to what they look like in their own games (ie, no photorealistic kirby or toon Link) but I hope the Smash original songs get more of an identity because in 4, they were painfully generic.
 

AncientArk

Smash Apprentice
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Melee/Brawl seemed to have my favourite tone.
I was disappointed that they lightened it up for Smash4.
 
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