The smoke trails are just too much. See this screenshot.

[Peachach]

This is from the Piranha Plant trailer. Some people claim they have been toned down. If that's the case, they haven't been toned down nearly enough. Smash is a fast-paced game with a lot of effects already present, and a lot of high level fighting revolves around precision. I find these smoke trails overbearing and way too present. They need to make them much thinner, transparent, and have them consist of little paths rather than these thick obscuring trails. Besides getting visually in the way and being rather tiring on the eyes, I also think they will aesthetically clash with the many different stages that exist in SmashU. In other words... I really don't see any advantage to keeping them this way.

 

[Peachach]

See also 02:25 of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHg9Qb-cKH8&t=249s

 

[Deleted member]

yeah tbh I feel like it's just a bit too much

 

[maxistrife]

Idk...I am all for more chaos. I am not one of those "1v1, no items, no hazards, no fun, final destination, fox only" people. This is supposed to separate itself from other fighting games in its intensity, randomness and chaos. I personally want ALL the hazards, ALL the items, ALL the stages, ALL the everything that makes this game just nuts =P Just my 2 cents.

 

[Deleted member]

I know they are trying to make the game feel fast paced or more intense with the Smoke, but honestly, its just a little bit to much.


I mean imagine in doubles, its gonna be chaotic, and doubles already have a lot going on.

I agree should be toned down a bit. The Balloon knock back im not really a fan either, but if it doesn't get changed, it won't be that serious to me.

 

[lucasla]

I also think it's a bit too much. On Smash 4 the trail was just a simple grey smoke that doesnt take too much screen space, and it was so simple that only after see some gameplay of Smash Ultimate I started to get annoyed by the colored smoke trail and I payed attention to how Smash 4 smoke was there but never got my attention, and it was good this way. I actually think that the colored smoke trail of Ultimate is beautiful, but also a bit too much. It brings too much atention to the smoke, and I just see matches with 4 players or more with a lot of smoke trails all the time, hiding the battles, characters and scenario.

A opacity, color (to set for all grey or colored for each team) and trail size option on the options menu would be perfect.

 

[Zapp Branniglenn]

I agree entirely, I wish there was a way to turn them off, or else have them be automatically turned off for Singles since I assume their purpose is to help people keep track of their character during free for alls. Furthermore, I wish they were darker shades, since the color is what indicates who is being launched depending on controller port. They also tend to be so large that they obscure the victim entirely at the end of their launch and I don't want them to be invisible when I'm coming up for a followup attack. I gotta know immediately if they're air dodging or using a move with armor to protect themselves.

 

[lucasla]

I assume their purpose is to help people keep track of their character during free for alls.

Sure, but when there's too much smoke, it just starts to make see everything even harder, cause it covers the characters and elements in the scenarios.

 

[Peachach]

Sure, but when there's too much smoke, it just starts to make see everything even harder, cause it covers the characters and elements in the scenarios.

Even if it's behind the characters it still generates business around the characters on top of the many effects already present.

Well, the opinions here sure are different from the ones on the Smash subreddit.. .:D https://www.reddit.com/r/smashbros/comments/9vbx7q/the_smoke_trails_are_really_way_too_thick_and/

By the way, when you consider this is also a game that should be clear on the Switch screen in handheld mode.. it makes the smoke problem even worse.

 

[meleebrawler]

If we weren't bothered by the smoke ball item why start now?

 

[Pyr]

After watching basically all available gameplay videos out there, the smoke is basically unnoticeable. In fact, in the video the Screenshot is taken from, it wasn't even apparent until OP pointed it out. After re-watching the video itself, I need to focus specifically on the smoke to really notice it.

In short, the smoke isn't a bother in my view.

 

[soviet prince]

lets play it first

 

[Peachach]

Basically unnoticable...? Sounds like a joke to me. It's so thick and ever-present...

 

[Uffe]

If we weren't bothered by the smoke ball item why start now?

Smoke Ball had the purpose of being annoying. Does the smoke appear like that when being hit at high percent? If so, then I'm not really concerned.

 

[Crystanium]

I don't see the problem.

Also, Pirahna Plant released spores, not smoke.

 

[Pyr]

Basically unnoticable...? Sounds like a joke to me. It's so thick and ever-present...

It's the same thing as visually tuning out an active background on a stage or KO Explosions. They're there, but they don't have a meaningful impact on gameplay once you've gotten used to them and tuned them out. Only in extreme examples is this not the case and the smoke trails have proven, to me, to not be one of said examples.

 

[Amazing Ampharos]

I'm going to really appreciate the help telling how well I'm DIing. It's a bright line showing me launch angles! On the flip side, if you play a character like Sheik who is all about reading DI and chasing it, this will really help you out! In general I'd suggest when you see a game mechanic think more in terms of "how can I use this to my advantage" or "what do I need to think about how this could be used against me", both of which are actionable and you can use to improve your game, instead of "I don't like this" which is non-actionable and really totally non-productive since you are in no position to change the game or even ask someone else with the power to change the game to do so.

 

[S_B]

Adjustable smoke trail intensity would make for a great option (along with screen shake, please).

 

[Mario & Sonic Guy]

The color trails are supposed to determine which player delivered the attack. If I recall correctly, red is P1, blue is P2, yellow is P3, and green is P4, but I could be wrong here.

 

[Mogisthelioma]

The smoke trails are fine since they disappear in less than a second.

 

[Al-kīmiyā']

I'm going to really appreciate the help telling how well I'm DIing. It's a bright line showing me launch angles! On the flip side, if you play a character like Sheik who is all about reading DI and chasing it, this will really help you out! In general I'd suggest when you see a game mechanic think more in terms of "how can I use this to my advantage" or "what do I need to think about how this could be used against me", both of which are actionable and you can use to improve your game, instead of "I don't like this" which is non-actionable and really totally non-productive since you are in no position to change the game or even ask someone else with the power to change the game to do so.

"I don't like this" is actionable. One can not buy the game.

 

[TheCJBrine]

They're fine imo, they don't really seem to clash with or obstruct anything given how short they last.

 

[NintenRob]

It'd be nice to adjust the visibility, looks like they'll be a pain for screenshots

 

[Amazing Ampharos]

"I don't like this" is actionable. One can not buy the game.

Then don't, but if you don't buy the game, you probably won't have a lot of purpose to be here in the future...

 

[Al-kīmiyā']

Then don't, but if you don't buy the game, you probably won't have a lot of purpose to be here in the future...

It's also actionable in that support can be drummed up to mod it out of the game.

 

[Peachach]

They're fine imo, they don't really seem to clash with or obstruct anything given how short they last.

They actually stay onscreen pretty long and many actions generate some. With intense action, I find them to be obstructive and just making the already intricate and technical fighting of Smash look too crowded. I find your comment totally applies to the Smash 4 smoke, definitely not to Ultimate though. Just check out this video I shared earlier (2:25): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHg9Qb-cKH8&t=249s

 

[MalanoMan]

lets play it first

This guy speakin the truth over here.

 

[Xebenkeck]

I agree completely.

My concern isnt so much for singles, even though it is still really annoying, its more for when i play ultimate casually in doubles or 8 player matchs.

The launch smoke on top of the blast KO “blast” that literally covers the entire screen and the screen shake make it incredibly hard to see and concentrate on whats going on.

I hope they lessen it. Otherwise I hope a mod comes out that removes it.

 

[COOKRE]

I think if we just play it for some time it fades into not-so-noticeable-ness... but having it pointed out like this sure makes it seem a little heavy.

 

[Drclaw411]

7.8/10 too much smoke trails

 

[Peachach]

7.8/10 too much smoke trails

 

[Yosher]

Really, whenever I watch Ultimate gameplay, I have to specifically pay attention to the smoke trails to even notice them. It's been like that ever since the first footage of Smash Ultimate was shown, and it hasn't disturbed me whatsoever.

That said, when I do pay attention to it, I do see that it is much more present than in previous games, so I can certainly see people having issues with it, but I think it's absolutely fine as it is. For 4 players it's perfect, and when there's 8 players then you're probably going to want as much chaos as possible anyway, unless you're doing team battles with 8 players at which point it's more controlled and not so all-over-the-place as it would be with an 8 player free-for-all.

All in all, I guess they could be toned down a little, but I'm not going to be bothered by it whatsoever personally.

 

[BioZelink]

They would have been a problem if the game didn't actually move. Watching the videos, the smoke trails didn't bother me a bit. Plus the characters fly so fast it really doesn't matter.

 

[Wiziliz]

Great for 1v1s, probably bad for doubles.

 

[NintendoKnight]

It's so unnoticeable to me that I forgot it was even there until you pointed it out.

But it's there. You're just going to have to get used to it.

 

[EnthusedPanda]

They’re not unnoticeable, but I don’t see how they hamper your ability to follow up or read your opponent. If anything they seem like they’d help follow ups, however slightly. They come and go pretty quickly.

 

[Peachach]

https://youtu.be/lLrBqXFYQvo

More recent video. Way too much still. It' not just the trails.. the back explosion smoke is also overkill.

 

[Robin Lucina]

Maybe, day 1 patch will fix if it's really too much for playing.

 

[KingOfKazoos]

I could see it being annoying in duos or 3-8 player Smash. But in a 1v1 scenario it isn't really going to be a huge problem.

 

[thirsty-pocket]

If we weren't bothered by the smoke ball item why start now?

Actually I turned that item off immediately. I kind of forgot it was a thing.

I wish you could turn down the opacity of the smoke. Seems like a simple option they could have added.