Project M at Blacklisted: A New Hope

[The_NZA]

Project M’s popularity has declined since the release of Super Smash Bros Wii U*, when Nintendo decided to become involved in the scene. It feels like an aeon ago when Apex 2014 headlined the most popular year Project M would ever have. In under a year, Project M 3.02 would be downloaded nearly 1 million times, cementing its reputation as the most widely played console mod in the history of gaming.

What happened next is well known—sponsorship and the necessity to sustain an exploding scene required an institutional reliance on corporate money. Many sponsors were under pressure from legal realities and a changing landscape guided by Nintendo’s example. One by one, they pushed for Project M to be peeled apart from this vibrant community.

The writing was on the wall. The leaders of this community were handed an impossible choice. Either the Smash community would be singular, united, but kept under the weight of a glass ceiling, or it would be limitless, if it could endure this sacrifice.

The foundation broke, the Project M fan base fell, and the parachutes of passionate disparate communities took hold to soften the descent. Smashing Grounds was one of those parachutes.

Smashing Grounds is a product of Project M at its best. Having attended Apex 2014, I was imbibed in a sense of community without an outlet to channel my restlessness. With a little initiative, I found a community of Project M players in MA, NH, CT, RI, and ME who wanted to create a Smash family in my corner of America. By February 2014, Smashing Grounds began. Within four months, it boasted a record average of 100 entrants per weekly event. GUTS 3, one of the last Project M 3.02 majors, formally introduced Smashing Grounds to the national scene.

It has been a long year, but nothing has changed for my community. We still register close to a hundred people at our busiest weeklies, and our local fan base still loves the game—and more importantly, loves each other. But no one can deny the thick ambiance of helplessness and “what ifs” that has descended over the country, blocking sunlight from the purview of the players.

We see ourselves as a beacon that can cut through the smog. Inspired by an imagined Melee history of proverbial huddled masses, controllers clutched in hand, on a pilgrimage to New York to attend the Revival of Melee, we’ve been asking ourselves “what can we do”. And similar to the leaders before us who now sit on the precipice of one of the largest FGC eSports, we want to plant the foundations for our destiny and do something big right out of our own venue. The Project M Exclusive National “BlackListed” is a culmination of that effort.

Two days of focused Singles, Doubles, a Salty Suite, and regional Crew battles, with nothing but Project M being played, all starting this upcoming weekend. Signups end today, and we would love to spend this weekend with you. BlackListed will be streamed on Twitch.tv/SmashingGrounds and will feature some of the best of MD/VA, Tristate, and New England players, including Low Tier City 3 champion, VGz|RBD|Junebug.

The foundation fell, and the parachutes were released, but a new roaring community can muster a gust to carry us to new heights. The seeds sowed in 2014 have grown, bearing names like Paragon, AZPM, TLOC and Smashing Grounds--the promise they hold is an unpredictable marvel. Let's join and ride that high. As for our destination...The wind will guide us.

You can sign up for BlackListed here and learn more here. Today is the last day to sign up.


*"Popularity" is in reference to presence at Majors/Nationals, player entry numbers, and stream viewership. In terms of downloads, Project M version 3.5/3.6 has kept pace with Project M version 3.02.

 

[U-Throw]

Nice! I actually used to play Project M back before Smash 4 came out, but I eventually fell out of it. Still, I'm happy to see Project M regaining some of its lost ground.

Also, first. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

[4tlas]

Signups close today, August 11th. For more information check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1011936535485715/

 

[SOJ]

I don't quite like the wording of that first paragraph. People keep saying that Project M is in extreme danger and it perpetuates the rumor that PM is on the cusp of dying, which it clearly isn't. The website traffic for 3.6 (which was unannounced) was just as high as 3.0 (which had a ton of build up and new characters). We are currently seeing a high saturation of smash content in the scene, which makes PM look like it's less popular when it really hasn't gone anywhere.

 

[4tlas]

I don't quite like the wording of that first paragraph. People keep saying that Project M is in extreme danger and it perpetuates the rumor that PM is on the cusp of dying, which it clearly isn't. The website traffic for 3.6 (which was unannounced) was just as high as 3.0 (which had a ton of build up and new characters). We are currently seeing a high saturation of smash content in the scene, which makes PM look like it's less popular when it really hasn't gone anywhere.

Are you talking specifically about the first sentence? Because the rest of the paragraph seems to be positives that show how high up it was before "falling". If you're talking about everything before the picture, yeah I guess it could be interpreted as doom and gloom. To me it seemed more like a call to battle. 'Support this event and let everyone know that PM is alive and kicking, and help it flourish again.'

 

[Strong Badam]

wish I could go x_x

 

[ArtehFX]

wish I could go x_x

god youre so hot

 

[The_NZA]

I don't quite like the wording of that first paragraph. People keep saying that Project M is in extreme danger and it perpetuates the rumor that PM is on the cusp of dying, which it clearly isn't. The website traffic for 3.6 (which was unannounced) was just as high as 3.0 (which had a ton of build up and new characters). We are currently seeing a high saturation of smash content in the scene, which makes PM look like it's less popular when it really hasn't gone anywhere.

The game is not dying but I think it is worth recognizing it was massively hit. When I was originally writing hte aritcle, I was looking to capture popularity in terms of entry levels, access to major tournaments, and viewership rather than download counts. I've been trying to find a more reasonable way to present Project M's current state without hyperbole. I have changed the text to say "decline" instead of "Free fall".

While I don't think Project M was ever in danger of no longer being played, I did think it was in free fall on its way to a dangerous place. Things like TLOC, AZPM, SG, Nebulous, Montreal PM and others I can't possibly name worked very hard to prevent a flow of cynicism that would have all but killed its competitive community. I think we avoided that, exited a slump and are sitting on a future of possibilities. I hope that came across as the article went on.

As for the web traffic, I was told 3.02's download ticker was nearly 1 million, 3.5's download ticker was around 600-700 k and 3.6's ticker is around 200-300k. I think i'm not incorrect in asserting its popularity was hit. Free fall to me simply implies its popularity fell rapidly in a short period of time, which I think adquately describes what happened. IDK, i'm very conflicted right now. I don't want to paint a really negative picture but I also don't want to be disingenuous.

 

[DarthGogeta]

Interesting entry, but I was never really that into P:M. Something about the controls still bothers me to this day...

 

[YoshiplayerX]

I remember how i refreshed the site almost every minut when 3.0 was out :D
I never was very good in the game but had fun playing it online and watching Project M tournements.
I am very sad that this time is over

 

[LemonOtter]

Project M is like my savior having it be the first way I ever got any of my character hacks to work.

Unfortunately I'm a pretty bad Smash player, so I won't be attending.

 

[MLGF]

Couldn't do this a little closer to when Blacklisted signs ups ended?

lol

 

[ლ(╹◡╹ლ)]

You know what I just noticed? Everybody who plays Smash 4 competitively has played either Brawl or PM competitively or they are new players.

Huh.

 

[Banana Creem]

I live in AZ and have no chance of going, but I am graduating high school this year and will be going to college at NYU. Hopefully I can attend the next one. I'll be sure to check out this stream!

 

[Shadow Light Master]

I'm just speculating, but I think in part Project M's popularity might have been hit by the drastic patches. It's hard to become invested in a game when it's constantly changing. I support PM, but I'm waiting for it to settle into a certain state more or less before I sink hundreds of hours into it.

Plus, Ridley.

 

[Spak]

Unfortunately I'm a pretty bad Smash player, so I won't be attending.

Going to tournaments is how you get better.

 

[Zach777]

I'm just speculating, but I think in part Project M's popularity might have been hit by the drastic patches. It's hard to become invested in a game when it's constantly changing. I support PM, but I'm waiting for it to settle into a certain state more or less before I sink hundreds of hours into it.

Plus, Ridley.

You are right in saying that the patches pushed some players away. The 3.2 to 3.5 one was the divider. I know of several players who dropped PM when 3.5 came out due to them feeling like it just became Melee with brawl dlc. However, I think it is safe to say that massive reworks will not happen from 3.6b on. The only character in 3.6b that got a true rework I can think of is Bowser. Everyone else has changes too, but not metagame reworking like Bowser. So, in my opinion, you can start playing PM seriously if you want without fear of your character completely changing.

Also, Ridley would be the best addition. Smash is missing the true giant archtype and Ridley IS that archtype.

I'm hyped for Blacklist spectating.

 

[ლ(╹◡╹ლ)]

You are right in saying that the patches pushed some players away. The 3.2 to 3.5 one was the divider. I know of several players who dropped PM when 3.5 came out due to them feeling like it just became Melee with brawl dlc. However, I think it is safe to say that massive reworks will not happen from 3.6b on. The only character in 3.6b that got a true rework I can think of is Bowser. Everyone else has changes too, but not metagame reworking like Bowser. So, in my opinion, you can start playing PM seriously if you want without fear of your character completely changing.

Also, Ridley would be the best addition. Smash is missing the true giant archtype and Ridley IS that archtype.

I'm hyped for Blacklist spectating.

PMD: Lets actually not make shine set knockback!
PMD2: But isn't that drastically changing the character since he sort of revolves around it?
PMD: fux is op nerfin

 

[Spralwers]

Shameless plug

This event is sort of my brainchild, but the cool thing is that other people in my scene were thinking of something similar. So then it made sense to immediately start planning.

Last summer was actually a great summer for PM in terms of tournaments in the northeast. But this summer is the total opposite with an absence of major PM tournaments in the northeast. I really would have preferred to have something going in the Philly area, as a nice central hub between MD/VA and New England, but nobody in Philly or that overall area was organizing anything (other than Heatwave which got postponed), so I figured this would be the best chance for Smashing Grounds to take over.

My goals with the tournament are twofold - One to obviously promote hype and popularity for PM. The other is to promote single smash game tournaments. In this day and age of multiple smash games being run at the same tournament, I find there's a real lack of fulfillment if you're at a tournament just to play one game. Limited/no doubles, no time for crew battles, bracket pools/straight bracket instead of round robins (or round robiin pools where very few make it out, like BH4), and so on. By having a single game tournament, the playing experience can be brought out to its full potential. I'm hoping that if this tournament is successful, other TOs will catch on and start hosting single game smash events.

 

[BronzeGreekGod]

i still prefer project m over smash 4. its a way better game. Its only "problem" if you wana call it that is it doesnt have as big a roster as smash 4, and its not as pretty cause its not hd. Would be nice to eventually get an hd version somehow though!

 

[Iceweasel]

"legal realities"

Just keep on pushing that misinformation. It really doesn't help when the biggest site related to Smash doesn't know what they're talking about.

 

[gridatttack]

I actually played only PM after hearing of it. It were 6 months I played it, as I dropped Brawl because it's Brawl, and I was waiting smash 4. After smash 4, I kinda stopped playing it, except when its easier to bring my wii than the wii u.

My only problem is that PM is more melee in character moveset-wise.
When I first tried the mode, I was expecting it take the best of both games, but nope.

Some characters were reverted at how they were in melee, so they lost some positives, like yoshi's egg jump, or game & watch parachute after Fire. I wonder why they reverted them back to its melee appearance, in which they weren't that good.

 

[WinterShorts]

Going to tournaments is how you get better.

Well what if they're too far away from our home?

 

[Smash Arena]

Project M is what would happen to Smash if hardcore nerds were assigned to develop the game. Death to Project M.

 

[MikeHaggarTHAKJB]

wish I could go x_x

so do i lmao

 

[Spak]

Well what if they're too far away from our home?

Then find one that's closer to your home. There's bound to be a tournament within an hour's drive away from you house at some point, so you could ride with some Smash friends who can drive, drive yourself, or make Smash friends at the tournament and see if any of them live near you. We have a group of about 8 people at our high school who play Smash competitively, so it's not too hard for us to find someone to carpool with.

 

[The_NZA]

"legal realities"

Just keep on pushing that misinformation. It really doesn't help when the biggest site related to Smash doesn't know what they're talking about.

First off, this is an editorial. Not a reflection of Smashboards writers. Those guys are fantastic, articulate, and factual.

Second of all, it is clear Twitch is refusing to monetarily benefit off of Project M even though they are willing to host in on their site because of "legal realities". They do not want to be responsible with a claim that they financially benefited from a product that is, at best, legally grey in not violating fair use and is CERTAINLY legally problematic in many courts to financially gain from without a prior agreement to utilize Nintendo's IPs.

This is how, it seems, many sponsors feel. They haven't publicly stated as much, but it is fairly evident to see what is happening and why it is happening. If you want to note some other interpretation of their actions, i'm happy to listen.

 

[EpixAura]

Project M is what would happen to Smash if hardcore nerds were assigned to develop the game. Death to Project M.

You've been destroyed by your competitive friend one too many times, I take it?

 

[JohnTwo]

Project M is what would happen to Smash if hardcore nerds were assigned to develop the game. Death to Project M.

No.
Project M is highly successful. Did you SEE the hype when 3.5 was released?

LONG LIVE PROJECT M!

 

[MLGF]

...when project m social has more intelligent comments...

Why cant I turn off notifications from my phone :/

 

[Strong Badam]

As for the web traffic, I was told 3.02's download ticker was nearly 1 million, 3.5's download ticker was around 600-700 k and 3.6's ticker is around 200-300k. I think i'm not incorrect in asserting its popularity was hit

3.02 was the most recent update for nearly a year, 3.5 was for about half that time. 3.6b obviously hasnt even been out two months. You aren't considering downloads in comparison to time.

 

[The_NZA]

3.02 was the most recent update for nearly a year, 3.5 was for about half that time. 3.6b obviously hasnt even been out two months. You aren't considering downloads in comparison to time.

Totally fair. I think what I see is that every version of Project M has seen massive growth from the last version, with the trend changing with the release of 3.5. While 3.02 managed nearly a million in around 10-11 months, 3.5 managed 600-700k in 7 months? Which means it pretty much kept pace? 3.6 numbers aren't really too insightful as it restarts the clock and its a little recent to make any claims.

Either -

A. Project M's popularity was on a logarithmic curve (like most population dynamics) and has finally hit the high end plateu implying saturation. The good news is the fanbase sticks with the game (good sign)

or

B: Project M has a high growth fanbase, was on a steep slope curve of growth, and saw a sudden cut off in the slope where it stabilized/flattened out around the release of 3.5 due to circumstances like the ones I described in the article.

Like I said, when I wrote the article, I was moreso thinking of tournament entry levels, majors, nationals, and stream viewership rather than pure download numbers. The thing about the word "popularity" is it can be interpreted in a lot of ways meaning I was right and wrong depending on how you want to interpret the word popularity.

Unfortunately, that means i'm a target for spreading misinformation if people reading the article thought it meant something other than what I meant. I will add an asterisk to clarify, but I apologze for failing to be as clear as I could be for those who have already read the article.

 

[Strong Badam]

Like I said, when I wrote the article, I was moreso thinking of tournament entry levels, majors, nationals, and stream viewership rather than pure download numbers.

I don't think that's arguable at this point, heh. I didn't personally have an issue with the article, though others did. I just wanted to correct your use of download counters; of all the possible metrics to use, it's the least applicable for one trying to argue that the game has declined from 3.02 in any sense. Good luck with Blacklisted, I'm excited to watch how the bracket unfolds. Definitely gonna try to hit up Guts if that gets announced enough ahead of time.

 

[FrankTheStud]

Project M made me feel like I had 2 Smash games in one. Although I don't play it much anymore, as I am about to begin my Senior year of college (and Smash Wii U has had me addicted for the past few months), I'm happy to see it have it's own revival on the tournament scene. Project M went ghost for a very long time on many tournament streams because of the grey legalities. Here's hoping it's revival is a long-lived one.

 

[Boss N]

"legal realities"

Just keep on pushing that misinformation. It really doesn't help when the biggest site related to Smash doesn't know what they're talking about.

You say that yet you don't provide any information to backup your statement. Whose really the one who doesn't know what they're talking about?

@ The_NZA and everyone else at Smashing Grounds, I wish I could go, I miss seeing all ya'll but Smash Con has completely drained me. (& left me penniless) so I unfortunately can't attend. I wish the best of luck to all competing in it and hopeful that it'll be a resounding success so I may come next year.

 

[Dandy_here]

You do realize that nintendo patches sm4sh more than the pmdt released a new version from November to now

 

[Iceweasel]

First off, this is an editorial. Not a reflection of Smashboards writers. Those guys are fantastic, articulate, and factual.

Second of all, it is clear Twitch is refusing to monetarily benefit off of Project M even though they are willing to host in on their site because of "legal realities". They do not want to be responsible with a claim that they financially benefited from a product that is, at best, legally grey in not violating fair use and is CERTAINLY legally problematic in many courts to financially gain from without a prior agreement to utilize Nintendo's IPs.

This is how, it seems, many sponsors feel. They haven't publicly stated as much, but it is fairly evident to see what is happening and why it is happening. If you want to note some other interpretation of their actions, i'm happy to listen.

Legally grey my ass. Lewis v. Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc. established the right of users to modify their games. Micro Star v. FormGen, Inc. established the right of developers to create game mods. The only area that could be argued to be "legally grey" is streaming, which applies to ALL video games. It's possible (though doubtful, thanks to the above rulings) that PM could be even less grey than other game streams, due to its status as a heavily modified game.

You say that yet you don't provide any information to backup your statement. Whose really the one who doesn't know what they're talking about?

@ The_NZA and everyone else at Smashing Grounds, I wish I could go, I miss seeing all ya'll but Smash Con has completely drained me. (& left me penniless) so I unfortunately can't attend. I wish the best of luck to all competing in it and hopeful that it'll be a resounding success so I may come next year.

I didn't provide information because every time I do, the response I get is "Yeah, but you're still wrong." This conversation goes the same way every time and I'm sick of having it. I provide evidence to support my claims, my opponent ignores it and provides no evidence of their own except their preconceived notions. It's like talking to a brick wall.

 

[SmashNB]

PM isn't dying in our (very small) region, but the lack of American majors supporting PM certainly hasn't helped it grow

 

[FrankTheStud]

You do realize that nintendo patches sm4sh more than the pmdt released a new version from November to now

Yes but I think only 3 or 4 of them were balance patches, weren't they? Sm4sh is also a newer game and there are a few big bugs/flaws that must have been missed during testing (such as incorrect hitboxes) and a few other silly specifics like the 3DS For Glory Peach Turnip ban. There's also twice as many characters to deal with, with more being added (at a faster rate then PM) due to fan votes.
No real point in comparing the two--They're two different games that are both awesome.

 

[Morbi]

Legally grey my ***. Lewis v. Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc. established the right of users to modify their games. Micro Star v. FormGen, Inc. established the right of developers to create game mods. The only area it could be argued to be "legally grey" is streaming, which applies to all video games. It's possible that PM could be even less grey than other game streams, due to its status as a heavily modified game.


I didn't provide information because every time I do, the response I get is "Yeah, but you're still wrong." This conversation goes the same way every time and I'm sick of having it. I provide evidence to support my claims, my opponent ignores it and provides no evidence of their own except their preconceived notions. It's like talking to a brick wall.

Thank you very much for the microphone drop; as a legal major, the misinformation regarding Project M's percieved legal grey area is spread so abundantly throughout the Smash community that it threatens to give me a brain hemorrhage. I would be remiss to not disclose that I did indeed click this article with the complete knowledge that it was going to frustrate me. I always love watching people defend something that they cannot begin comprehend without thinking for themselves. This is why the media is such a prominent influence on our cognition, if it can be read, it will be believed.