I've done some testing regarding spawn points with the original intent to test Sudden Death, and here's what I've found.
The result of a tie in Sudden Death is completely random, unlike in melee where the lowest numbered player always won. Every possible pattern we could discern was refuted, and the odds seemed completely uniform. Furthermore, spawn positions are re-randomized for Sudden Death and not reused from the start of the fight.
Spawn positions in general always use the same two spawn positions on a map. Which player numbers are used is completely irrelevant to this; it's always the same two. In a three player game, the third position added is always the same one. Team settings have no impact on spawn locations. In Mario Bros., the stage I used for all testing, the primary two spawn positions are on the second level sides, and the third position is on the third level on the left side of the middle platform (the irrelevant fourth position is on the right side of the same platform).
I don't know if people find this sort of thing interesting, but I probed the spawn locations of a few other maps as well. I should note that 1 and 2 seem to always be symmetric while 3 and 4 seem to be the "less fair" positions (which calls into question the use of spectating judges in online matches). I could pretty easily complete this list, but I have a feeling that fairly few, if any, players would use this information to consider ideal first few seconds of the match strategies, and I'd prefer not to waste time like that.
Battlefield: Left and right platforms, 3rd- center of ground, 4th- upper platform
Final Destination: Left and right edges, 3rd - left side of "diamond" on ground, 4th - right side of "diamond" on ground
Delfino Plaza: Left and right edges of main platform, left side of "circle" on ground, 4th - right side of "circle" on ground
Luigi's Mansion: ground floor, under upper pillars, 3rd - right of the upper left pillar, 4th - left of the upper right pillar 3 and 4 start facing the pillars even; it's like they want your first action to be to attack one of them.
I hope people find this information interesting and somewhat useful even if it does cover some of the game's more obscure mechanics.
The result of a tie in Sudden Death is completely random, unlike in melee where the lowest numbered player always won. Every possible pattern we could discern was refuted, and the odds seemed completely uniform. Furthermore, spawn positions are re-randomized for Sudden Death and not reused from the start of the fight.
Spawn positions in general always use the same two spawn positions on a map. Which player numbers are used is completely irrelevant to this; it's always the same two. In a three player game, the third position added is always the same one. Team settings have no impact on spawn locations. In Mario Bros., the stage I used for all testing, the primary two spawn positions are on the second level sides, and the third position is on the third level on the left side of the middle platform (the irrelevant fourth position is on the right side of the same platform).
I don't know if people find this sort of thing interesting, but I probed the spawn locations of a few other maps as well. I should note that 1 and 2 seem to always be symmetric while 3 and 4 seem to be the "less fair" positions (which calls into question the use of spectating judges in online matches). I could pretty easily complete this list, but I have a feeling that fairly few, if any, players would use this information to consider ideal first few seconds of the match strategies, and I'd prefer not to waste time like that.
Battlefield: Left and right platforms, 3rd- center of ground, 4th- upper platform
Final Destination: Left and right edges, 3rd - left side of "diamond" on ground, 4th - right side of "diamond" on ground
Delfino Plaza: Left and right edges of main platform, left side of "circle" on ground, 4th - right side of "circle" on ground
Luigi's Mansion: ground floor, under upper pillars, 3rd - right of the upper left pillar, 4th - left of the upper right pillar 3 and 4 start facing the pillars even; it's like they want your first action to be to attack one of them.
I hope people find this information interesting and somewhat useful even if it does cover some of the game's more obscure mechanics.