{Proposal} The Optimal Set Project

[CursedJay]

Well, EVO is said and done, and we are to look towards the future. Many seem impressed with the way customs went; I for one expected it to put the nail in the Custom coffin, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Some who were against customs have warmed up to them, others who were for customs were put off by EVO (I was on the fence, but I have always preferred the Vanilla moveset for competitive play). For two months prior to EVO, I've seen intense debate for and against customs, and with events such as Paragon and The Big House 5 quickly approaching, we have to make a final decision on the matter. I hope to add a sort of compromise that stabilizes the standard, Non- Custom meta while adding the variety that many enjoy in the Custom meta. I call it the Optimal Set Project.

So what is it?
The Optimal Set Project seeks to create the best possible custom moveset for every character in the game. This optimal set would become the standard custom set for tournament use, accompanying the standard moveset. I know, this sounds way more restricting than what is currently available. The pretty unfortunate truth behind custom sets is that some of them....Just aren't used in top play. Higher custom players have already found the "Best" moveset in the pool of 10 allowed for EVO, only deviating from said sets for one or two moves unavailable in that set. The Optimal Set Project aims to fix this by providing the best possible moves in ONE set, rather than sprawling them across sets that don't fit as well. (Quick note: I know I've been saying one set, but If there 1-2 sets that are considered optimal for a character, it's no big deal to add both. The end goal here is streamlining the custom meta so that it becomes more tangible and can merge with the Non Custom meta in a fashion that doesn't make the other obsolete.)

How do you expect to decide on an optimal set for each character? Pretty sure you don't main everyone.
....Me? I'm no deciding on anything. Here at SmashBoards, there are character discussion boards, brimming with a main for every character in the game. I don't have a team or a partner for this. The community is my team. In order to make this a reality, I'm going to need the help of all of the character boards. You know your character better than anyone else. and I feel like the decision on the best custom set for your character should be yours. Some of the boards for characters are pretty bone dry, so this may also serve to revitalize the discussion for some lower tier characters, making SmashBoards even more appealing to newcomers. Of course, I'll do my best to pop in on all the boards of characters I play and try to add something to the discussion, but you're all the real MVP for this one.

When do you expect something like this to be done?
This isn't something that can be done in a day or a week, not even a month. However, by splitting up the workload and putting a lot of effort into this, I feel like we can be done before The Big House 5. Granted, not every character has the same amount of people playing it, so some conversations will be sloppier than others. If we don't finish before BH5, no bug deal. We can be up and running by Apex, guaranteed.

Closing thoughts

I cannot stress this enough; I need your help on this. This straight up is not possible without the help of the players, whether they be top or casual. To those of you that are against customs: I hope that you can find it in you to help up with this. I really want everyone's opinion t be heard, and sitting idly by isn't going to help anyone. Hell, it might make the situation worse. To the custom supporters: I'm not a Custom guy, but I do feel like there is a lot to be explored with customs. It's a meta that can't and should not be ignored, and EVO is a prime example of that. Guys like Dapuffster and CaptAwesum arguably made it as far as they did because they understand how to use them, and as annoying as it was at times, it really was interesting to watch.

This argument's gotta end, people. "A house divided will not stand" or whatever. Please leave any questions or comments below.

 

[shinyskarmory]

The immediate problem I can see with this is that a lot of characters don't have a single best custom set. Some options like Pit/Dark Pit's orbitars are matchup-dependent. Others are completely different moves which may be preferred or not preferred by different players; for example, some people may prefer Greninja's explosive counter (which is basically a slower, longer spotdodge with damage) over his standard counter, even though both are viable options.

The point of customs is that players can customize them to fit their own playstyle and needs-without that factor available, there's no point. EVO's sets were a compromise to allow the largest possible portion of players to run their preferred setup, while still keeping things manageable for the TOs. However, most smaller tournaments should be able to handle a few premade sets in conjunction with players creating their own if they prefer something different. To cut everything down to one set defeats the purpose of customs while not making anything easier for TOs.