The Fairy with Fighting Spirit: Lip for Smash! *Play Panel de Pon on NSO!*

[GCGamer4]

So, after being absent from Smashboards since Smash 4's speculation cycle, and the character I said I would like to see effectively having no chance now. Lip now tops my Most Wanted list.

After reading all 23 prior pages, I would love some of the ideas that have been tossed around for a potential move-set too.

 

[Deleted member]

I know I had been quiet about the model, but good news, I fixed all the rigging issues that were caused by changing the proportions. It even looks better than before, all that's missing are the hands, then it's done. Makes me kinda sad seeing it come to an end, feels a bit nostalgic at this point.

Here's a hacker attempting to restore the characters to the game. There's still no release for this hack to my knowledge.

Spoiler: Pokemon Puzzle Challange Hack

Well, I hope the guy finishes it soon, eh?

 

[N. Onymous]

So, after being absent from Smashboards since Smash 4's speculation cycle, and the character I said I would like to see effectively having no chance now. Lip now tops my Most Wanted list.

After reading all 23 prior pages, I would love some of the ideas that have been tossed around for a potential move-set too.

And baby makes 112. Which, considering the relative obscurity of Lip and Panel de Pon, is about 100 more supporters than I'd thought she would ever get. Crazy!

 

[Deleted member]

Well, rigging seems to be done at this point. Here's a test I did and, while I'm not good at posing, I can say the rigging is acceptable. I think I'm gonna increase the poly count of the ponytail a bit, so that it's not as blocky. Also yeah, textures are obviously bot finished, but compared to rigging, that should be a cakewalk. I also quickly imported the item and trophy stand from Brawl because I felt like it.

The total poly count so far is 6838, without the imported items. In general I try to stay below 7k.

 

[OhMyBanana54]

Hey everyone! Add me as a Lip supporter! I think she’d make a great retro rep and I think a puzzle fighter might be fun too.

 

[Deleted member]

Well, right now I'm a bit undecided on something. I quickly made an alternative hairstyle which I think is much closer to her official art, but I'm not sure if it actually looks better? Should I finish the new hair or stick with the old? Any opinions on this? Also ignore the messed up textures and the positioning might also not be final yet. I quickly made this mock-up of how it will roughly look when (if) finished.

So in short, finish this hairstyle or keep the old one?

 

[MysticKnives]

A playable Lip would have some pretty cool alt colors I feel

 

[N. Onymous]

I have to agree. I've already posted it in here, but I sketched up some concept artwork of alts for her a while back:

So in short, finish this hairstyle or keep the old one?

I'd say keep the new one. It looks much more like her official artwork.

 

[BluePikmin11]

I have been seeing ballot result leaks claiming that Lip was the most popular retro ballot pick in Japan. I am getting unusually optimistic, but I know the ballot result leaks from 4chan are pretty bullcrap. :L

 

[~ Valkyrie ~]

I have been seeing ballot result leaks claiming that Lip was the most popular retro ballot pick in Japan. It is all getting unusually optimistic, but I know the ballot result leaks from 4chan are pretty bullcrap. :L

Source?

If so - seems like these folk are looking for new fodder and thought of picking Lip due her sudden rise in community awareness after most of her competitors were swept aside. Gets kind of irksome to me what they're doing these days...

 

[Crap-Zapper]

I have been seeing ballot result leaks claiming that Lip was the most popular retro ballot pick in Japan. It is all getting unusually optimistic, but I know the ballot result leaks from 4chan are pretty bullcrap. :L

I would love the source as well. If Lippy were to be playable I'd be in heaven. I've had 3 dreams about her being revealed, that's 1 more than King K. Rool which I've wanted longer.

 

[BluePikmin11]

Here is the leak:

http://boards.4chan.org/v/thread/422942597

It's fake because of the number of votes though.

 

[N. Onymous]

Yeah, totally fake, sorry. I'd love for it to be real, and I honestly feel that we might be underestimating Lip's popularity as much as we're overestimating it, but we have it from a primary source there were only 1.8 million votes, and this 4chan anon is expecting us to believe there almost 25 times as many. It just doesn't add up.

(Harambe died in 2016, by the way. Thanks for playing.)

 

[MysticKnives]

Leakers preparing to put Lip on the chopping block now. It amazes me just how fast 4ch seems to conceive of these fake leaks lol. Like they come out with several of them in such a short time.

 

[Crap-Zapper]

I don't care if it's fake or not, as long as Sakurai believes it, he could seriously consider her for DLC, unless we get surprised for the main game.

 

[N. Onymous]

I'm still holding out for the fact that Lip received quite a few votes from outside of Japan amounting to something. Plenty of people internationally love and miss her. I just hope Nintendo can realize that.

Leakers preparing to put Lip on the chopping block now. It amazes me just how fast 4ch seems to conceive of these fake leaks lol. Like they come out with several of them in such a short time.

For a curious number of bored, information-starved Smash fans on the Internet, trying to pass off wishlists as roster leaks is a fun pastime. Maybe they figure they'd get less disparaging remarks that way. (They're wrong, obviously.)

 

[Capybara Gaming]

I don't care if it's fake or not, as long as Sakurai believes it, he could seriously consider her for DLC, unless we get surprised for the main game.

Why would Sakurai believe a random leak from 4chan when he has the ballot results himself?

 

[N. Onymous]

Why would Sakurai believe a random leak from 4chan when he has the ballot results himself?

I believe the "it" in this situation was meant to be "that Lip has supporters/fans in America and Europe as well as Japan."

 

[Siggy88]

Here is the leak:

http://boards.4chan.org/v/thread/422942597

It's fake because of the number of votes though.

"Leaks" like these makes me wish we actually got concrete result numbers. Part of me believes some of those results resulted as the Mii costumes we got on the DLCs, like Ashley, K. Rool and Geno. Maybe those were hinting at something?

Regardless, I extremely doubt Lip got such a big number that would beat out bigger names like Sora, Snake, or Waluigi.

 

[N. Onymous]

Today is the day to rerate Lip over in Rate Their Chances. Here's my thoughts on the matter.

...I still feel like I might be giving her too high a Chances rating, personally.

 

[TCT~Phantom]

Lip is getting rerated in RTC, come show your support.

 

[Crap-Zapper]

I believe the "it" in this situation was meant to be "that Lip has supporters/fans in America and Europe as well as Japan."

Spot on my friend. That's all Sakurai needs to know, or believe, hehe.


Also, check my hefty analyse here.

https://smashboards.com/threads/rat...ravis-touchdown.453357/page-248#post-22181359

 

[Motor Bug2005]

Over in the RTC thread, I saw a post citing Kirby still having Lip's Garbage Block as a Stone transformation as a bad sign and a source of confusion. I've given it some thought and I think I might have a solution: if they intend to incorporate garbage blocks into Lip's moveset, simply give her Furil's garbage blocks. IMO, it would be a subtle reference to Nintendo Puzzle Collection as well as hopefully solving the confusion issue at hand.

 

[PsychoJosh]

I don't think Kirby's garbage block requires a solution. It could just be a smaller version of her own garbage blocks if she indeed has that as a special move.

 

[Deleted member]

I'd say keep the new one. It looks much more like her official artwork.

Thanks for being one of the few, if not the only one, to offer feedback and criticism. Guess there's just a lack of interest. Also unfortunately things will slow down for a bit. This heatwave is really getting to me and I haven't slept properly in days. It's kinda dragging me down. I'm very susceptible to heat and just not made for this kind of weather. I'll still try to do some simpler models unrelated to PdP, so I might actually come back to Lip during this time for some of the more easy things when I can think of something, but other than that, I'm gonna have to wait until I feel better or this heatwave is over. Rest assured, it's not canceled, especially not when being so close to completion.

 

[Crap-Zapper]

Didn't see it, Taigiry, but it looks good. I also agree, I like the new hairstyle a lot.

 

[Dr. Jojo Phantasma]

Thanks for being one of the few, if not the only one, to offer feedback and criticism. Guess there's just a lack of interest. Also unfortunately things will slow down for a bit. This heatwave is really getting to me and I haven't slept properly in days. It's kinda dragging me down. I'm very susceptible to heat and just not made for this kind of weather. I'll still try to do some simpler models unrelated to PdP, so I might actually come back to Lip during this time for some of the more easy things when I can think of something, but other than that, I'm gonna have to wait until I feel better or this heatwave is over. Rest assured, it's not canceled, especially not when being so close to completion.

Oh this heatwave, I know how you feel.. Anyway I think the model is pretty good, and you should go for the new hairstyle.

For me, the retro battle is between Lip and Ayumi Tachibana. Both characters who I support, though I wanted Lip for longer and would like to see her alongside Ashley.

 

[Deleted member]

Nice to see another Ayumi supporter, she's one of my top three wanted newcomers, now that Stafy and Sukapon are confirmed to be Assist Trophies, it's just a shame we have to talk, or rather fight, for a "retro slot". Nintendo has such a rich history, even when only counting video games, it's sad to see Sakurai seems kind of afraid to tap into it, especially when talking about Japan only characters. That's why Ayumi was cut in Melee and Marth/Roy nearly being only in the Japanese version, Same with Takamaru in Smash 4. Although none of that doesn't really excuse Lip not having had even simple trophy in any of the games, when her item has been around since Melee and her music theme since Brawl (and the fairy stickers even had their names wrongly localized). Just feels like a tease at this point.

I just wish Sakurai wouldn't be so afraid and we'd be getting more retro reps, obscure or not. Smash is the perfect series to give exposure to the old classics and it should be capitalized on. And especially nowadays, it's much easier to research a character and game series than it was back in 2000, with the internet having become a lot bigger, faster and stronger, too. And as a personal opinion, I find obscure and/or retro characters much more interesting than only going for safe picks.

 

[N. Onymous]

You're right, it's just unfair how Smash is representing (or not) Panel de Pon. Even other obscure Japan-only franchises have plenty of representation and even a physical appearance or two, proving they aren't forgotten and still have a place in the company. Lip gets the ol' 1I1T1S1B treament. They haven't even given her the dignity of being an Assist Trophy, which really stings. It's gotten to the point where some people have actually left the fandom because they're so sick of being treated like dirt. That is just damn upsetting.

(Please, Sakurai, let Ultimate do to Lip what Melee did to Marth. It's all I ask for. You want this to be the ultimate Smash, right? You want it to be special, right? Lip deserves it.)

I actually think Nintendo as a whole is ashamed of Panepon and the fairies now, only putting out a few rereleases or embedded minigames every few years to give the fans what they want without actually giving them what they want. It's sad. I just wish we knew the reason why they're not doing anything with the IP anymore. Maybe I'll send them a letter about it. We all should, actually.

 

[Siggy88]

I actually think Nintendo as a whole is ashamed of Panepon and the fairies now, only putting out a few rereleases or embedded minigames every few years to give the fans what they want without actually giving them what they want. It's sad. I just wish we knew the reason why they're not doing anything with the IP anymore. Maybe I'll send them a letter about it. We all should, actually.

I think the problem is the same that's plaguing F-Zero: They just don't know where to take the series next to justify a new entry.

I mean yeah, you can argue that you can package the same simple puzzle game over and over and it would sell. See Tetris. But that's a thing, this is not Tetris, it's some niche puzzler in the same vain as Puyo Puyo and Magical Drop. These fun are games that unfortunately just don't gravitate the general audience. It's probably due to their more competitive nature that requires players to sometimes think 3 steps ahead, as compare to Tetris, which has a multiplayer option, but it's main draw is to line up blocks to clear them. And yeah, PdP got rebranded to Tetris Attack once, which honestly just hurt the series as a whole more than it did any good.

So yeah, maybe it's just the devs don't think creating a new game with nothing new to offer is justifiable. So they just pasted a watered down Line Clear mode on Animal Crossing and call it a day. But I don't think they're ashamed, PdP on the SNES seemed like it had a lot of effort put on to it. Add the fact that all the assets for PdP still exists on Pokemon Puzzle Challenge and the reward for the Animal Crossing extra is Lip's entire wardrobe set makes me think that Nintendo still has a soft spot for the series.

 

[N. Onymous]

Puyo Puyo's gameplay has stayed remarkably similar over the years. Sometimes, you don't need innovation--you just need rock-solid gameplay and a beefed-up presentation. Panel de Pon is one of those series that doesn't need to, and shouldn't need to, change itself in order to stay relevant.

 

[Slyshock]

For what it's worth, Panel de Pon did add more gameplay elements over time. Pokémon Puzzle League added a 3D mode and a couple more VS modes, Nintendo Puzzle Collection added 4 Player support, and future titles added a slew of new ways to play. Panel de Pon may be simple at heart, but that only means you have a solid foundation to build upon.

In other news, I found another Lip for Smash video. It's not as high quality as the ones previously posted, but it's one more example of her fanbase going out of their way to show support. They even made a 3D model, the third I've seen made just within this speculation period! When the models here are completed, I think it'd be a good show of cross-continental camaraderie if they were shared on Pixiv or the like.

 

[GoodGrief741]

I think the problem is the same that's plaguing F-Zero: They just don't know where to take the series next to justify a new entry.

I mean yeah, you can argue that you can package the same simple puzzle game over and over and it would sell. See Tetris. But that's a thing, this is not Tetris, it's some niche puzzler in the same vain as Puyo Puyo and Magical Drop. These fun are games that unfortunately just don't gravitate the general audience. It's probably due to their more competitive nature that requires players to sometimes think 3 steps ahead, as compare to Tetris, which has a multiplayer option, but it's main draw is to line up blocks to clear them. And yeah, PdP got rebranded to Tetris Attack once, which honestly just hurt the series as a whole more than it did any good.

So yeah, maybe it's just the devs don't think creating a new game with nothing new to offer is justifiable. So they just pasted a watered down Line Clear mode on Animal Crossing and call it a day. But I don't think they're ashamed, PdP on the SNES seemed like it had a lot of effort put on to it. Add the fact that all the assets for PdP still exists on Pokemon Puzzle Challenge and the reward for the Animal Crossing extra is Lip's entire wardrobe set makes me think that Nintendo still has a soft spot for the series.

With reviving dormant series like F-Zero and Panel, you start with one game and see where you go after that. Besides, as others have noted, games like Panel de Pon haven’t advanced much between games, nor is it expected of them. Hell, FIFA and Madden are top-selling games every year, and those games don’t change gameplay at all. As long as the fanbase knows (and wants) what they get, there’s no issue.

Sometimes I can’t get Nintendo. They’ll gladly release a $50 puzzle game like Sushi Striker (which is really good), but then act like there’s no demand for games in the multiple series that fans keep demanding?

 

[N. Onymous]

Sometimes I can’t get Nintendo. They’ll gladly release a $50 puzzle game like Sushi Striker (which is really good), but then act like there’s no demand for games in the multiple series that fans keep demanding?

The Nintendo of late really loves pumping out unproven new IPs that work (Splatoon, Xenoblade, Dillon to a degree) as much as they don't (everything else), pushing their popular series like Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, Kirby, Splatoon, and Fire Emblem (oh god do they ever push Fire Emblem), and letting everything else rot. It's very annoying.

 

[GoodGrief741]

The Nintendo of late really loves pumping out unproven new IPs that work (Splatoon, Xenoblade, Dillon to a degree) as much as they don't (everything else), pushing their popular series like Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, Kirby, Splatoon, and Fire Emblem (oh god do they ever push Fire Emblem), and letting everything else rot. It's very annoying.

Don’t get me wrong, I love new IP, it’s the lifeblood of the industry, but at this point, releasing, say, a Platinum-developed Murasame Castle, or a new StarTropics, or a 3D Marvelous would be the same as making a new IP, same risk, same big reward. (To say nothing of the series that have basically guaranteed success, like a new F-Zero or Advance Wars). They just need to market them like they marketed big, bold games like ARMS and Xenoblade 2.

And really, if you’re gonna make Sushi Striker, you can spend the same amount of money and get marginally less risk if you make a new Panel de Pon. I get the creative reasons behind it and I respect it (because seriously, Sushi Striker is fun as heck, and you can’t, nor should you, slap another license on top and call it a day).

 

[Siggy88]

oh god do they ever push Fire Emblem.

You know, comments like these makes you realize the power of Smash, doesn't it? I mean Fire Emblem used to as just niche as PdP, hell it was close to getting shelved indefinitely because sell numbers were dipping. Then suddenly we got two dudes nobody knew on Melee, the series makes it out of Japan, then fast foward to Awakening and suddenly OH NO TOO MUCH FIRE EMBLEM. Back in the Brawl hype days I was just happy it some sort or representation. What a world we live in, huh?

 

[Capybara Gaming]

Despite how much I get frustrated at it, I think playing Animal Crossing Puzzle League had made me into a bit of a Lip supporter (might just be the wounds of Takamaru still failing to heal, too...) but go ahead and add me to the support list if you've got one.

 

[『SwingingStar』]

Oh, almost forgot, jot me down for the Lip fan club!

 

[DjinnandTonic]

Is it blasphemous if I just wanna see Lip as an Assist Trophy? Like, I would like to see her in Smash, but there's a ton of other characters I think should be fighters before her. But I seriously think she has some of the best potential as an Assist Trophy among the popular set of characters.

(I may be in the minority of players who actually LIKES Assist Trophies and doesn't see it as a snub...)

 

[N. Onymous]

Is it blasphemous if I just wanna see Lip as an Assist Trophy?

Yes.

But seriously, I'd take an Assist Trophy at this point if it meant seeing Lip in more stuff. Obviously I'm pushing to have her playable first and foremost, though.