Mr Gentleman
Smash Journeyman
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2014
- Messages
- 483
Character Choice is the single most important decision you'll make when learning a fighting game.
and seeing how in ultimate we're all about to start this process all over again I thought it would be interesting to take a deeper dive into why we choose the characters we do.
This is a subject that always fascinated me. always trying to understand why people choose the characters that they do.
each individual's reasoning for their choice in main can very greatly, but when you break them down to their base roots you'll find some connective tissue between their vastly different decisions. and I believe at the core of it all, is a question of identity.
Now there are essentially 3 different factor's all players consider when choosing a main. and the kind of player they are depends on how much they favor one criteria over another.
now this is not to say there are only 3 types of players. I don't believe in putting people into boxes to be ticked, I think it's far more accurate to think of people's attributes as being on a sliding scale from 1 side to the other. so like someone isn't strictly just an Introvert or an extrovert. but they are somewhere within that scale
E [ ---
---
--] I
E [ -------@-] I
likewise with these factor's think of them as being on sliding scales of for each individual person.
At the most extreme side of T you have the guys who will wanna find who is the number 1 character in the game and main them. these guys care about winning and will do whatever it takes to be at the top. and at the other end you have the low tier gods. the people who specifically wanna play one of the worst characters in the game and they wear it as a badge of honor. sure they probably are not gonna win any big tournaments. but instead they live for those moments when they can take a set off a remarkable player and be remembered as that guy who beat a PR player with smash 4 Jigglypuff.
Here's the interesting thing I realized at the heart of this factor. it's not about those who wanna win and those who don't. everyone wants to win. it's about what is more important to you. having the best tools thus a better chance and being the best, or having a unique identity within your community. because the higher you go up the tier list the more likely you are to have a whole bunch of other players also maining your character. so while you may do better in tournament you're also more likely to just be another face in the crowd. while the low tier main may do worse in tournament, people will be more likely to remember you as the guy who mains Zelda.
That said the top tier main can still gain more recognition within their group if they are able to place well enough and make a name for themselves. and the low tier main may actually do well in tournament, they are just trying to do so with a bigger disadvantage.
also there is a lot of variety in the middle. like the mid tier who thinks his character is far better then people realize. or the high tier main who wants to win. but still can't quite bring themselves to go top tier. etc
the reason's someone connects to a character Aesthetically can very wildly. from liking a characters look, personality, gender, having a personal connection with their games. or just any kind of random silly thing about a character that just makes you smile. like say for example Peach's "Oh did I win?" remark on the victory screen.
Oh random tip. if you're the kind of player that needs to connect aesthetically with a character in order to play them. and you find a character that looks interesting for other factors but you can't connect with them Aesthetically. try playing their games, or looking up other material that gives you insight into who they are.
When you choose to main a character you're in a way associated with them. and if you do choose them in part due to aesthetic it can say something about you. (not a lot, but some)
So this does play into your identity as a player. they are the avatar in which you choose to enact your will.
and their Aesthetic even plays into the 3rd Factor
Luckily the character's Aesthetic factor can help lead you to the one that fits this factor as well. if a character is designed right these two should match pretty well.
but then again sometimes what you need from a character playstyle wise can be very specific. me for example I need fast frame data on at least some moves. so in brawl I loved playing King Dedede. but in smash 4 when he lost his old down tilt and back air that broke the character for me and I can't go back.
as for the scale for this one there are 2 different ones. one is just how important playstyle is. I feel for most people it's heavy towards having a character fit. while there are some other players who are more adaptable and willing to learn whatever playstyle a character has so long as they fit them in the other factors.
now the scale I'm more interested in. is for the character specific playstyles. because at the core I think there are only 2 playstyles.
Rushdown [---------] Zoner
now how heavy a character leans towards one or the other. and in what ways a character invokes these playstyles is where all the variety comes from.
Rosalina and Toon link can both be considered Zoners. but how they do their zoning is very different.
and there are characters in the middle who can both one or rushdown.
but the character isn't the sole one determining playstyle. the player can incorporate either into their play depending on how they utilize the character. there is a lot of room for self expression in one's play. a Rosalina can choose to be more aggressive, and a Shiek can needle camp you. but some characters are more suited for certain styles.
and how your style forms again plays into your identity as a player. are you cold and calculated, trying to control the pace of the match. or maybe your wild and aggressive, wanting to break through your opponents defenses and show off with big combos and crazy plays. these styles can paint you in different lights. typically the Zoners are seen as the heels and the rushdown players are seen as the faces. but that isn't always true. Pac man is a zoner who is a face, and Bayonetta is a rushdown who is a heel.
As for myself I will only play a character who I think is gonna do good in tournament. but won't go for the number 1 unless I like them
T [-@-------] L
I need to have a strong personal connection with the character. but can be lenient if they fit my playstyle well enough and are good enough
A [---------] X
And I like a good inbetween of Rushdown and Zoning. either wanting a rushdown character that has some projectiles and or means to get past zoning. or a zoner that has enough speed to be aggressive if needed. as well as their own means to combat other zoners.
I can adapt to playstyles not my own to a degree. but that is mainly just making them fit within what I'd normally be trying to do.
R [----
---
-] Z
P [-@-------] A
So in smash 4 I ended up dual maining Mario and Rosalina & Luma.
if you read through all this thank you! kinda just getting all my thoughts out. was originally thinking of this as a answer to all those "who should I main?" questions and videos i've seen through the years. but not actually sure if it helps any
so instead writing it as a piece to just better understand how the character choosing process goes.
what do you think? how does this process of defining main selection apply to you? any thoughts as to how I could improve this hypothesis? any questions?
EDIT: I some how Ated
---
using one of my slider things xD
and seeing how in ultimate we're all about to start this process all over again I thought it would be interesting to take a deeper dive into why we choose the characters we do.
This is a subject that always fascinated me. always trying to understand why people choose the characters that they do.
each individual's reasoning for their choice in main can very greatly, but when you break them down to their base roots you'll find some connective tissue between their vastly different decisions. and I believe at the core of it all, is a question of identity.
Now there are essentially 3 different factor's all players consider when choosing a main. and the kind of player they are depends on how much they favor one criteria over another.
now this is not to say there are only 3 types of players. I don't believe in putting people into boxes to be ticked, I think it's far more accurate to think of people's attributes as being on a sliding scale from 1 side to the other. so like someone isn't strictly just an Introvert or an extrovert. but they are somewhere within that scale
E [ ---
---
--] IE [ -------@-] I
likewise with these factor's think of them as being on sliding scales of for each individual person.
The first factor I wanna talk about is TIER:
this scale I see as being from Top tier mains to Low tier mains. T [---------] LAt the most extreme side of T you have the guys who will wanna find who is the number 1 character in the game and main them. these guys care about winning and will do whatever it takes to be at the top. and at the other end you have the low tier gods. the people who specifically wanna play one of the worst characters in the game and they wear it as a badge of honor. sure they probably are not gonna win any big tournaments. but instead they live for those moments when they can take a set off a remarkable player and be remembered as that guy who beat a PR player with smash 4 Jigglypuff.
Here's the interesting thing I realized at the heart of this factor. it's not about those who wanna win and those who don't. everyone wants to win. it's about what is more important to you. having the best tools thus a better chance and being the best, or having a unique identity within your community. because the higher you go up the tier list the more likely you are to have a whole bunch of other players also maining your character. so while you may do better in tournament you're also more likely to just be another face in the crowd. while the low tier main may do worse in tournament, people will be more likely to remember you as the guy who mains Zelda.
That said the top tier main can still gain more recognition within their group if they are able to place well enough and make a name for themselves. and the low tier main may actually do well in tournament, they are just trying to do so with a bigger disadvantage.
also there is a lot of variety in the middle. like the mid tier who thinks his character is far better then people realize. or the high tier main who wants to win. but still can't quite bring themselves to go top tier. etc
Second factor is Aesthetic:
How do you connect to the character you choose on a personal and aesthetic level. the scale for this is far more simple. it's just a matter of if you care about the character's aesthetic or if it's seen as irrelevant to you.the reason's someone connects to a character Aesthetically can very wildly. from liking a characters look, personality, gender, having a personal connection with their games. or just any kind of random silly thing about a character that just makes you smile. like say for example Peach's "Oh did I win?" remark on the victory screen.
Oh random tip. if you're the kind of player that needs to connect aesthetically with a character in order to play them. and you find a character that looks interesting for other factors but you can't connect with them Aesthetically. try playing their games, or looking up other material that gives you insight into who they are.
When you choose to main a character you're in a way associated with them. and if you do choose them in part due to aesthetic it can say something about you. (not a lot, but some)
So this does play into your identity as a player. they are the avatar in which you choose to enact your will.
and their Aesthetic even plays into the 3rd Factor
Playstyle:
Picking a character based off your playstyle I feel may be the hardest thing to do of these 3. I don't think anyone can really tell you what your playstyle is. there is something so raw and physical about this factor. when a character clicks with you in this factor for a character, something just feels right, like the character fits your hands. it's something hard to explain but you know when it's right.Luckily the character's Aesthetic factor can help lead you to the one that fits this factor as well. if a character is designed right these two should match pretty well.
but then again sometimes what you need from a character playstyle wise can be very specific. me for example I need fast frame data on at least some moves. so in brawl I loved playing King Dedede. but in smash 4 when he lost his old down tilt and back air that broke the character for me and I can't go back.
as for the scale for this one there are 2 different ones. one is just how important playstyle is. I feel for most people it's heavy towards having a character fit. while there are some other players who are more adaptable and willing to learn whatever playstyle a character has so long as they fit them in the other factors.
now the scale I'm more interested in. is for the character specific playstyles. because at the core I think there are only 2 playstyles.
Rushdown [---------] Zoner
now how heavy a character leans towards one or the other. and in what ways a character invokes these playstyles is where all the variety comes from.
Rosalina and Toon link can both be considered Zoners. but how they do their zoning is very different.
and there are characters in the middle who can both one or rushdown.
but the character isn't the sole one determining playstyle. the player can incorporate either into their play depending on how they utilize the character. there is a lot of room for self expression in one's play. a Rosalina can choose to be more aggressive, and a Shiek can needle camp you. but some characters are more suited for certain styles.
and how your style forms again plays into your identity as a player. are you cold and calculated, trying to control the pace of the match. or maybe your wild and aggressive, wanting to break through your opponents defenses and show off with big combos and crazy plays. these styles can paint you in different lights. typically the Zoners are seen as the heels and the rushdown players are seen as the faces. but that isn't always true. Pac man is a zoner who is a face, and Bayonetta is a rushdown who is a heel.
Which of the factors you favor. and to what degrees, and in what ways I think is how we come to our own conclusions on who we main.
As for myself I will only play a character who I think is gonna do good in tournament. but won't go for the number 1 unless I like them
T [-@-------] L
I need to have a strong personal connection with the character. but can be lenient if they fit my playstyle well enough and are good enough
A [---------] X
And I like a good inbetween of Rushdown and Zoning. either wanting a rushdown character that has some projectiles and or means to get past zoning. or a zoner that has enough speed to be aggressive if needed. as well as their own means to combat other zoners.
I can adapt to playstyles not my own to a degree. but that is mainly just making them fit within what I'd normally be trying to do.
R [----
---
-] ZP [-@-------] A
So in smash 4 I ended up dual maining Mario and Rosalina & Luma.
if you read through all this thank you! kinda just getting all my thoughts out. was originally thinking of this as a answer to all those "who should I main?" questions and videos i've seen through the years. but not actually sure if it helps any
so instead writing it as a piece to just better understand how the character choosing process goes.what do you think? how does this process of defining main selection apply to you? any thoughts as to how I could improve this hypothesis? any questions?
EDIT: I some how Ated
---
using one of my slider things xD
Last edited:
is my #1 main because I enjoy his playstyle and design. I never played any of his games but I enjoy cute characters whose prominent color is green. (As you can probably tell from my avatar and username lol)
