BluePikmin11
Akko is my dear daughter!
A brand-new Smash game has just been revealed a few days ago. I was excited to see how the new game would play and was VERY eager to find out if my three-month research on Smash speculation had paid off. I watched Nintendo’s E3 Direct, and was completely flabbergasted by the colossal information dump. I was initially happy about every fighter in Smash history returning. I confidently predicted that there would not be any cuts for Smash 4’s roster, and was surprised by how far Sakurai went to make this roster very dreamy. The gigantic number of tweaks made for Ultimate’s gameplay and characters made me further appreciate Sakurai, at first. But when the direct was over, I was looking over many people’s impressions on the game, and my positive thoughts just went down the drain.
The number of de-confirmations were all over the place. I was witnessing Takamaru being confirmed as an Assist Trophy and Tom Nook being a part of Villager’s Final Smash yet again. The latter personally hurt me the most, given the big confidence I had for Nook before the Nintendo Direct. The fear of potentially seeing my predicted newcomers like Isabelle potentially being Assist Trophies kicked into high gear. The direction Smash Ultimate was taking with its roster had me questioning so many different things in my mind such as:
-The importance of adding non-combatant newcomers to Smash, which Sakurai had stated back in a 2013 Kotaku interview, with Tom Nook disconfirmed.
-The question of whether or not being a popular requested character would make up for the fact its title was from an obscure Japan-only Nintendo game, with Takamaru disconfirmed.
-The question of how huge of an influence the ballot has on the newcomer selection, with Daisy’s inclusion and Sakurai’s statement on why Ridley was included being that he has remained highly requested.
-The question of whether or not ballot popularity alone for a character from a popular franchise would make up for factors such as not appearing in a mainline game in a LONG time, making choices like K. Rool, Skull Kid, and Geno seem like bigger possibilities.
-The question of whether or not every veteran returning affects the number of newcomers added for Smash Ultimate, with Sakurai’s statement of “not expecting too many newcomers” coming to mind.
-The question of whether or not every veteran returning will affect how many newcomers from an already represented franchise will be moderated to a smaller degree in favor of ballot choices. Noting Xenoblade for this particular question, with Elma and Rex/Pyra both being added feeling like a smaller possibility.
-The question and worry of wanting to know if the bigger focus on ballot newcomers will completely exclude newcomer traditions like retros, historical surprises, and Sakurai-based newcomers.
-The question that if there was a smaller newcomer pool filled with ballot candidates, will it greatly affect how Sakurai will judge each newcomer choice during the project plan.
These were a massive number of things that put me in a largely negative mood as a speculator, on the first day of Nintendo’s E3 alone. It also did not help that there were some that were spreading false information on what was disconfirmed and confirmed with a non-playable role. There was the vocal minority’s negative complaints about every veteran returning and the possibility of a small newcomer pool. So much info about Smash Ultimate had come, clashing with the worrying thoughts, that I was unable to efficiently grasp all of the new information. I ended up feeling neutral about the new game overall. I tried getting over the neutral feeling through watching the Smash Bros. Invitational and seeing all the cool looking details for characters posted in social media, but I could not get rid of the internal worry for the first few days.
Today, I am somewhat over that feeling and I am able to give my clear thoughts on the matter. First off, I do still think every veteran returning and the roster focusing hugely on ballot choices for the newcomer pool are excellent ideas. The direction is not what I personally prefer and expected, but in the context of appealing to as many Smash fans as possible, it does makes sense. Although,the fact that Smash’s direction of choosing newcomers had remained consistent until Ultimate is the jarring part for me. The new direction forces me to uncomfortably transition into a brand new mindset of adding more ballot choices than Sakurai based choices, making half of the research I made for speculation useless information.
But admittedly, the biggest mistake I made here is assuming the direction of Smash Ultimate would remain the same. I assumed that only half the newcomers would be ballot based and that it would not be a large influence. It was my fault for not thinking openly about other directions. I even made a thread about making theories of how Smash Switch’s roster could have been handled, and never seriously considered thinking differently. I have nothing but to blame myself. The majority of speculators saying that the ballot is an essential part of the roster were right.
That being said, I am unsure if I really want to continue speculating a roster that is of a completely different direction. Sure, there are a few Sakurai choices that I think will likely happen such as the Chorus Kids and a Pokemon newcomer, but I have a sinking feeling that a large portion of Smash Ultimate newcomers will generally be added for very straightforward reasons, mainly immense ballot popularity (Noting Ridley and Daisy as examples). I am not sure if I can get much satisfaction to figuring out who could be added when the criteria of how Sakurai chooses newcomers is likely much looser.
I do not know if I wanna spend the next six months speculating again, only for me to get more newcomers wrong than right. My biases might end up turning to me again, affecting who I choose to predict. My will could easily shatter into pieces. It might all be a waste of time. Is there any fun left in speculating hardcore on Smash Ultimate’s now? Am I taking speculation too seriously? Should I just retire and watch what Sakurai reveals over time? I am tempted to do so, but there is a small part of me that wants to eagerly speculate despite the massive loss. I do not think I will get major enjoyment in speculating anymore. I feel I only have Smash gameplay and social media memes left to enjoy Super Smash Bros. in a positive manner now. Currently, I am unsure where to go from here.
Sorry if this all sounds idiotic. I just need something to write in-depth vent out my current frustration. I seek for opinions on what I should do next, that is, if you wish to do so.
The number of de-confirmations were all over the place. I was witnessing Takamaru being confirmed as an Assist Trophy and Tom Nook being a part of Villager’s Final Smash yet again. The latter personally hurt me the most, given the big confidence I had for Nook before the Nintendo Direct. The fear of potentially seeing my predicted newcomers like Isabelle potentially being Assist Trophies kicked into high gear. The direction Smash Ultimate was taking with its roster had me questioning so many different things in my mind such as:
-The importance of adding non-combatant newcomers to Smash, which Sakurai had stated back in a 2013 Kotaku interview, with Tom Nook disconfirmed.
-The question of whether or not being a popular requested character would make up for the fact its title was from an obscure Japan-only Nintendo game, with Takamaru disconfirmed.
-The question of how huge of an influence the ballot has on the newcomer selection, with Daisy’s inclusion and Sakurai’s statement on why Ridley was included being that he has remained highly requested.
-The question of whether or not ballot popularity alone for a character from a popular franchise would make up for factors such as not appearing in a mainline game in a LONG time, making choices like K. Rool, Skull Kid, and Geno seem like bigger possibilities.
-The question of whether or not every veteran returning affects the number of newcomers added for Smash Ultimate, with Sakurai’s statement of “not expecting too many newcomers” coming to mind.
-The question of whether or not every veteran returning will affect how many newcomers from an already represented franchise will be moderated to a smaller degree in favor of ballot choices. Noting Xenoblade for this particular question, with Elma and Rex/Pyra both being added feeling like a smaller possibility.
-The question and worry of wanting to know if the bigger focus on ballot newcomers will completely exclude newcomer traditions like retros, historical surprises, and Sakurai-based newcomers.
-The question that if there was a smaller newcomer pool filled with ballot candidates, will it greatly affect how Sakurai will judge each newcomer choice during the project plan.
These were a massive number of things that put me in a largely negative mood as a speculator, on the first day of Nintendo’s E3 alone. It also did not help that there were some that were spreading false information on what was disconfirmed and confirmed with a non-playable role. There was the vocal minority’s negative complaints about every veteran returning and the possibility of a small newcomer pool. So much info about Smash Ultimate had come, clashing with the worrying thoughts, that I was unable to efficiently grasp all of the new information. I ended up feeling neutral about the new game overall. I tried getting over the neutral feeling through watching the Smash Bros. Invitational and seeing all the cool looking details for characters posted in social media, but I could not get rid of the internal worry for the first few days.
Today, I am somewhat over that feeling and I am able to give my clear thoughts on the matter. First off, I do still think every veteran returning and the roster focusing hugely on ballot choices for the newcomer pool are excellent ideas. The direction is not what I personally prefer and expected, but in the context of appealing to as many Smash fans as possible, it does makes sense. Although,the fact that Smash’s direction of choosing newcomers had remained consistent until Ultimate is the jarring part for me. The new direction forces me to uncomfortably transition into a brand new mindset of adding more ballot choices than Sakurai based choices, making half of the research I made for speculation useless information.
But admittedly, the biggest mistake I made here is assuming the direction of Smash Ultimate would remain the same. I assumed that only half the newcomers would be ballot based and that it would not be a large influence. It was my fault for not thinking openly about other directions. I even made a thread about making theories of how Smash Switch’s roster could have been handled, and never seriously considered thinking differently. I have nothing but to blame myself. The majority of speculators saying that the ballot is an essential part of the roster were right.
That being said, I am unsure if I really want to continue speculating a roster that is of a completely different direction. Sure, there are a few Sakurai choices that I think will likely happen such as the Chorus Kids and a Pokemon newcomer, but I have a sinking feeling that a large portion of Smash Ultimate newcomers will generally be added for very straightforward reasons, mainly immense ballot popularity (Noting Ridley and Daisy as examples). I am not sure if I can get much satisfaction to figuring out who could be added when the criteria of how Sakurai chooses newcomers is likely much looser.
I do not know if I wanna spend the next six months speculating again, only for me to get more newcomers wrong than right. My biases might end up turning to me again, affecting who I choose to predict. My will could easily shatter into pieces. It might all be a waste of time. Is there any fun left in speculating hardcore on Smash Ultimate’s now? Am I taking speculation too seriously? Should I just retire and watch what Sakurai reveals over time? I am tempted to do so, but there is a small part of me that wants to eagerly speculate despite the massive loss. I do not think I will get major enjoyment in speculating anymore. I feel I only have Smash gameplay and social media memes left to enjoy Super Smash Bros. in a positive manner now. Currently, I am unsure where to go from here.
Sorry if this all sounds idiotic. I just need something to write in-depth vent out my current frustration. I seek for opinions on what I should do next, that is, if you wish to do so.
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