Things Of Beauty: Super Smash Bros. As A Spectator Sport

[LiteralGrill]

Any fan of Smash knows that the games are a joy to watch. Ian Danskin of Innuendo Studios would certainly agree going so far as to make a video about the beauty of Smash as a spectator sport. Within he offers interesting insights to what may make Melee such a powerful spectator affair and discusses his own adventures of becoming a serious fan of the game.

Enjoy the video? Let us know in the comments below! To keep up his future videos be sure to check out Innuendo Studios on Youtube.

SmashCapps wants to extend a special thank you to @lordvaati for suggesting this for an article! To keep up with all things Smash be sure to follow @SmashCapps on Twitter.

 

[manrangan]

Personally, I think that once Smash becomes more for spectators, we got stuff like people complaining about HBox's matches at EVO Top 8. Which is not ideal

 

[CptJPuff]

Was that PB&J flipping out at the end of the video? lol

 

[Dandy_here]

Was that PB&J flipping out at the end of the video? lol

Toph

 

[Halkite]

Nice video. A bunch of the stuff in it is pretty much on the spot, especially in the aspect of sports having rules and games having laws.

 

[Gawain]

Well,he starts off mentioning Kotaku and I'm already losing interest and perceived value of his opinions lol

 

[Dandy_here]

Well,he starts off mentioning Kotaku and I'm already losing interest and perceived value of his opinions lol

Kotaku was only referenced to show how he found street fighter to look fun while the rest didnt which led to the main topic

 

[SpandexBullets]

I love Innuendo Studios!
Bonus points for not skirting around the extreme lack of women in the smash community, unlike a certain documentary *wink wink nudge nudge*

 

[SpandexBullets]

Oh also follow him on Tumblr! He's pretty active on that and shares some more smash stuff

 

[Ravine]

Honestly I can understand why women don't want to spend time in gaming communities. They are extremely sexist and favored+biased towards men.

 

[90007000]

H-box not for spectators though

 

[SpandexBullets]

*Cough Cough* Super Smash Bros as spectator sport? H-box ledge camping *Cough Cough*

wobbling
Chaingrabs

 

[SpandexBullets]

Honestly I can understand why women don't want to spend time in gaming communities. They are extremely sexist and favored+biased towards men.

Remember Lilo's reports of sexism all the way back at Press Start?

Those were gently swept under the rug, like most sexism reported at tournaments. The only thing on the boards following that was some BS about top players and favouritism, nothing about Lilo.

It's unfortunate, because a lot of other smashers just tell people not to report to so as to "not make a drama" so that the Smash community doesn't seem sexist. The inverse happens, of course, because if you want to solve sexism, you don't try to silence those it happens to. (Read: Milktea's blog)

 

[NakedSin]

MilkTea was nothing more than somebodies girlfriend she was never really that good at a competitive level so obviously most people didn't care as much about her as they would about the top players.

 

[NakedSin]

I love Innuendo Studios!
Bonus points for not skirting around the extreme lack of women in the smash community, unlike a certain documentary *wink wink nudge nudge*

Are you trying to say that the fact that not alot of women enjoy the competive smash scene is a problem? Not alot of chicks dig smash man it's no biggie the real fans stick by the game and the scene.

 

[Largo Shogun]

Liked that shout out to Milktea, addressing the sexism. My girlfriend faced that bull**** all the time when she was working in a comic book shop, and when we went to a local tourney.

 

[J.P]

Thank you for showing this as always smash capps! Personally I agree with most of the things that were exposed here and I definitely see Melee as a sport where every match feels different despite watching like 10 different characters in every tournament. Even things like H-Box and Armada camping are interesting in their own way, it's a shame that people like @ 9 90007000 are not smart enough to comprehend how hard and impressive it is to do the things that H-Box does even if they look "boring".

 

[Largo Shogun]

Thank you for showing this as always smash capps! Personally I agree with most of the things that were exposed here and I definitely see Melee as a sport where every match feels different despite watching like 10 different characters in every tournament. Even things like H-Box and Armada camping are interesting in their own way, it's a shame that people like @ 9 90007000 are not smart enough to comprehend how hard and impressive it is to do the things that H-Box does even if they look "boring".

I don't think the issue is mental capacity here, It's just not entertaining to watch for a lot of people. A difference of opinion shouldn't result in insults.

 

[SpandexBullets]

Are you trying to say that the fact that not alot of women enjoy the competive smash scene is a problem? Not alot of chicks dig smash man it's no biggie the real fans stick by the game and the scene.

Actually, you'd be surprised by how many women DO play smash...it's just that many don't play consistently at tournaments because, well, there's always a lot of baggage when you play video-games whilst girl. (Players sandbag/treat you differently in an overly friendly way, or expect you to be amazing or else you aren't worth watching, aaaand then there's the commentators. Lordy.)

 

[ForTheLulz]

wobbling
Chaingrabs

Wobbling is actually a spectator thing, but never a player thing.

I think at SSC, a commentator made a point that struck me.
*paraphrase*
"For the viewers at home, wobbling isn't such a bad thing. They see someone getting wobbled and are like "man, that dude's so dead."

However, for the player, it's incredibly disheartening to know that your stock is just gone from one grab and you can't do anything about it."
*end paraphrase*

The homeviewers don't really care about wobbling so much that it provides the "oh he's so dead excitement". I used to love wobbling. Until I got wobbled 4 times in one game.

For the players, wobbling is an experience that fills a player with dread. One grab, and stock gone. Your chance of advancing in the tournament lessens slightly. And you have to sit there and wait for your stock to go, knowing that 3 more means the game.

 

[NakedSin]

Actually, you'd be surprised by how many women DO play smash...it's just that many don't play consistently at tournaments because, well, there's always a lot of baggage when you play video-games whilst girl. (Players sandbag/treat you differently in an overly friendly way, or expect you to be amazing or else you aren't worth watching, aaaand then there's the commentators. Lordy.)

Could you name 10 female melee players off the top of your head? If not perhaps your blowing the female presence in smash alittle out of proportion. Also most male players of smash get sandbagged and ridiculed alot when they don't peform well so I don't think that fact that girls recieve the same treament to be a problem. Unless you want to give girls preferential treatment.

 

[J.P]

I don't think the issue is mental capacity here, It's just not entertaining to watch for a lot of people. A difference of opinion shouldn't result in insults.

I guess you are right, maybe he isn't dumb simply ignorant, thanks for the input.

 

[Phoenix502]

Actually, you'd be surprised by how many women DO play smash...it's just that many don't play consistently at tournaments because, well, there's always a lot of baggage when you play video-games whilst girl. (Players sandbag/treat you differently in an overly friendly way, or expect you to be amazing or else you aren't worth watching, aaaand then there's the commentators. Lordy.)

you do realize by this point that NakedSin is just pushing your buttons, right? I'm as aware about the Sexism issue as anyone who pays attention, and frankly I don't really understand the mindset of it. a player's a player, enough said. dudes choose not take a girl seriously, they should have no excuse when she stomps them in a tournament.

we are there to play games, not pick up chicks,

 

[Capybara Gaming]

"Any fan of Smash knows that the games are a joy to watch"


I respectfully disagree, mate. If I'm not playing, I find Smash incredibly boring to watch.

 

[TOGOpuff]

wh... w.... why am i crying ?

 

[Objekshin]

I only find melee to be entertaining to watch, due to its incredibly fast pace and screwy mechanics. Watching top level players duke it out never seems to bore me. Sm4sh or Brawl are not nearly as fast paced, and kind of make me lose interest.

 

[Iceweasel]

We're starting with Kotaku? This is gonna suck.

Hey, whadya know. It did. Can the Smash community, as a whole, please grow up? Can we try to recognize that Smash games BESIDES Melee can be good?

 

[whoknowswhat]

Kotaku and sexism in the same vid? As usual, another thing promoted by SmashCapps is another load of garbo. Seriously, just play the game.

 

[whoknowswhat]

We're starting with Kotaku? This is gonna suck.

Hey, whadya know. It did. Can the Smash community, as a whole, please grow up? Can we try to recognize that Smash games BESIDES Melee can be good?

Sm4sh does terrible as a spectator sport. A group of my friends that all play SF but hate smash admit melee was fun to watch because of fluid movement. and then sm4sh came on at EVO and they stopped watching.

 

[L9999]

Actually, you'd be surprised by how many women DO play smash...it's just that many don't play consistently at tournaments because, well, there's always a lot of baggage when you play video-games whilst girl. (Players sandbag/treat you differently in an overly friendly way, or expect you to be amazing or else you aren't worth watching, aaaand then there's the commentators. Lordy.)

It's inevitable due to how male brains work. If we could improve that thinking and just play regardless of the gender, it would be good.

 

[Powerman293]

People talk about Melee being much more fun to watch but honestly, after watching a lot of Melee matches, for me, it's getting kinda boring to watch. I mean, once you get past all of the insane speed and wavedashing stuff, it just gets kinda dull, especially watching Fox. Maybe it's because I play 4, but I find that more exciting to watch.

 

[Diabolical]

People talk about Melee being much more fun to watch but honestly, after watching a lot of Melee matches, for me, it's getting kinda boring to watch. I mean, once you get past all of the insane speed and wavedashing stuff, it just gets kinda dull, especially watching Fox. Maybe it's because I play 4, but I find that more exciting to watch.

Then you have a very shallow view of how Melee is played. There are near infinite possibilities with Melee and it is fascinating seeing new combos, movement and meta development even after 14 years.

 

[waygu]

People talk about Melee being much more fun to watch but honestly, after watching a lot of Melee matches, for me, it's getting kinda boring to watch. I mean, once you get past all of the insane speed and wavedashing stuff, it just gets kinda dull, especially watching Fox. Maybe it's because I play 4, but I find that more exciting to watch.

The fundamentals of 4 are the same as melee. You're not able to appreciate the other since you just see it as fast. I'm watching neutral to punish and back happen 3 to 4 times to smash4's 1 and find it much more entertaining.

 

[Powerman293]

Then you have a very shallow view of how Melee is played. There are near infinite possibilities with Melee and it is fascinating seeing new combos, movement and meta development even after 14 years.

No, I get the meta and how it changes, just watching it is getting more boring to me. I understand the various ledge hogs, combos, punishes, e.t.c. But it's getting boring.

 

[Pachinkosam]

This is what smash is all about.

 

[Diabolical]

No, I get the meta and how it changes, just watching it is getting more boring to me. I understand the various ledge hogs, combos, punishes, e.t.c. But it's getting boring.

You don't know what love is ~ Mango

 

[zzzlaxx253]

I can dig it.

 

[SpandexBullets]

Could you name 10 female melee players off the top of your head? If not perhaps your blowing the female presence in smash alittle out of proportion. Also most male players of smash get sandbagged and ridiculed alot when they don't peform well so I don't think that fact that girls recieve the same treament to be a problem. Unless you want to give girls preferential treatment.

I can name 5 who've commented on this thread.
If you don't believe women play smash because they don't make themselves known to you, question why that is, instead of denying that they exist at all.

 

[SpandexBullets]

you do realize by this point that NakedSin is just pushing your buttons, right? I'm as aware about the Sexism issue as anyone who pays attention, and frankly I don't really understand the mindset of it. a player's a player, enough said. dudes choose not take a girl seriously, they should have no excuse when she stomps them in a tournament.

we are there to play games, not pick up chicks,

What if they stomp her?
What if she's just starting out, and gets all that flack that guys never get?

Why would you continue playing when other members of the community attempt to silence or justify mistreatment?

 

[Vigihes]

Personally, I think that once Smash becomes more for spectators, we got stuff like people complaining about HBox's matches at EVO Top 8. Which is not ideal

Don't forget that the crowd at EVO is not just Smash players, there are also other game players who don't really know about Smash.