What changes would Smash need to be a Sport?

[Guybrush20X6]

Smash Bros is, as much as "real" fighters hate it for it, a big pull in the streams and in the pre-online era of consoles was second only to Halo in multiplayer popularity. But for it to strike out as an E-Sport it would need to have a few fundamental changes, some the pros will love, like less random factors, and some they'll hate, like removign wavedashing or any mechanics that needs a minute to explain.

First watch this Extra Credits Episode on Pro-Gaming and what it takes for a game to become an E-Sport.

Now that you've watched it, let's cover the 4 points raised.

1. Rate of Game Production

No problems here as Smash games come once a console. Melee is still held up as a great competitive game more than a decade after it's release.

2. Accessibility

This is where the pros themselves will hate me for saying this but advanced techniques like wave-dashing and L-canceling either have to go or be easy to pull off for the casual player. The game has to be on the same or a very similar level of understanding as the casual one. The only difference between Pro-Baseball and Little League is how far the ball is been hit. In Pro-Games today it's like a different system entirely between casual and pro play.

Smash Bros has a lot of accessibility compared to other fighters. You don't have to move the control stick in a fancy way to do a special attack and basic combos don't require you to do any animation-cancels.

3. Designing for Spectators

This is where we need to do some tricky compromise work. To make the game easy to follow but exciting randomness needs to go but factors that are usually removed because of it should return. For example, items. Items spice up the game but are easy to miss and can turn the tide of battle in an instant before anyone knows what's going on. One change that could be made is that all stages get a set item spawn point that creates an item once every minute of play. This adds a layer of strategy and is easy to follow.

4. The Players themselves

We've already got some great personalities in this community but the human touch isn't my strong point so I'll leave this one be.


I've got an idea for a Spectator Smash ruleset and design but I need to type it up first. What are your thoughts?

 

[ChickenWing13]

Smash is crystal clearly a sport.

1) The community as a whole is an excuse in itself.

2) The amount of effort and dedication we throw into this Franchise. Taking time out of our daily life to practice for upcoming events to define one's skill and determine who is the best.

3) A legendary game that is capable of bringing players across the globe together in a colossul manifest and all-out smash fest bringing out smiles even in hopes of defeat as well as bringing out the best in ppl.

No.. smash is indeed not a sport.

It is the f*cking Olympics!!!

.. nd Halo can eat a d*ck! Haters gonna hate


HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE

 

[Kamiko]

I think most people only get excited about classic mainstream sports because they're brought up around them, and because it's already popular. That's unfortunately the society we live in. Whatever someone grows up with, usually becomes unwaveringly cherished or despised for the rest of their lives, because that's just how most people are.

If we want Smash to be popular as a sport, we're going to have to introduce it to people at a young age, and more importantly, make sure they see that there are other people who love this game.

 

[ChickenWing13]

I think most people only get excited about classic mainstream sports because they're brought up around them, and because it's already popular. That's unfortunately the society we live in. Whatever someone grows up with, usually becomes unwaveringly cherished or despised for the rest of their lives, because that's just how most people are.

If we want Smash to be popular as a sport, we're going to have to introduce it to people at a young age, and more importantly, make sure they see that there are other people who love this game.

If only Moms today would consume Nintendo products while with child. Then kids today would see differently and this corrupt world would be a much better place.

 

[Guybrush20X6]

Proposed Smash Ruleset

3-Stock
4 Minutes
Pity Smashes will only be granted when one player is down to one stock while the opponent is yet to lose one.

Character changes

Characters who's attacks have a large random factor would need to be changed. For example, King Dedede's Waddle Dee Toss could be changed to a chargeable move where just pressing it will toss out a standard WD, a second long hold will throw out a Doo and a longer hold will throw out a Gordo.

Item Changes

All stages have a dedicated spawn point for items and they spawn every minute.
1 Minute in: Normal item.
2 Minutes in: Assist trophy or Pokeball
Last Minute: Smash Ball spawn

This adds a minor random factor but if really overpowered items/summons like the hammer and Lugi are removed it would add both strategy (do I stick near the spawn and grab the item or do I try and KO my foe?) and excitement. And remove Goldeen.

Stage Changes

It's a common joke that tournament players only play on the boring stages. At the same time both players and Spectators will feel cheated if the arena is the deciding factor. Stages would need to be balanced so any hazards would not be game changers.

Other Changes

Before Matches start a quick run-down of both character's special and notable normal attacks along with some information about the player themselves.

 

[Snakeyes]

double post

 

[Snakeyes]

1. Remove L-canceling but cut lag across the board to compensate.
2. More balanced stages.
3. An extensive online mode.
4. More involvement from Nintendo. Games like LoL thrive because the devs actively promote competitive play.

That's about it, I think.

 

[Morbi]

1. Physical Activity
2. Blood, Sweat, and Tears
3. Murica

 

[BADGRAPHICS]

Any hope of a single game becoming as widely enjoyed as a mainstream sport such as baseball is a long way off.

You say that point #1 isn't a problem because a new Smash game comes out once per console? So far, we're looking at a new Smash Bros. game twice a decade, or thereabouts. What if a new version of Football came out twice a decade? Like the guy in the video says, consistency is a massive obstacle that we're not going to overcome any time soon.

Once the technical aspects of video games plateaus (maximum graphical realism; real-time near-infinite object rendering), then maybe we'll see a situation where a single game lasts for several decades (because it can't be superseded in a technical sense), but that isn't happening yet.

Most video games are currently considered transient and disposable. Though there are some classics (Super Mario Bros., Pac-Man, etc.), these are treated in the same way that old films are; when was the last time you could see Citizen Kane at the cinema?

 

[Guybrush20X6]

What I should've said is consistency is less of an issue than other games that have aspirations of E-sporting but you're right. It's not a problem that can be solved in a hurry but we may get there one day.

 

[SKM_NeoN]

I enjoy watching Extra Credits from time to time, but tend to disagree with them when it comes to competitive games, such as their opinion on purposefully making characters imbalanced to make the game more interesting.

4. More involvement from Nintendo. Games like LoL thrive because the devs actively promote competitive play.

I think this is the single most important thing Nintendo could do to grow Smash as an E-Sport. Of course that's simply not the direction they want to take the series in, so the community is going to have to continue to milk Melee for as long as they possibly can.

 

[Kamiko]

Way less of a problem than Cash of Duty's annual releases.

 

[Morbi]

Way less of a problem than Cash of Duty's annual releases.

I would honestly argue the opposite.

 

[ChickenWing13]

1. Physical Activity
2. Blood, Sweat, and Tears
3. Murica

Lmao, Blood!?

I would honestly argue the opposite.

Lol after liking his post xD

 

[Kapus]

Lol after liking his post xD

He likes every post.

 

[ChickenWing13]

He likes every post.

I know but still, the fact was pretty funny.

 

[Guybrush20X6]

The one problem with games as sports is that any competitive player worth their salt will exploit glitches and/or unintended features, facilitating the need for them to be patched.

And in terms of character balance, characters need to be designed with at least some weakness in mind. Meta Knight's "weakness" was his poor Final Smash but considering he's excellent at chasing it and there fore depriving his opponent of it, it becomes moot.

One small change we could make is doing things like starting all streams with a quick rundown of the tournament ruleset and interviewing the players.

 

[APC99]

I thought we were talking REAL sport, like people dressing up in costumes and fighting in arenas with hazards and stuff, first to fall off the platform loses. I have nothing to bring to this, I'm sorry.

 

[Renji64]

To not be like brawl as much as possible and competive and fun to watch.

 

[Kamiko]

The fact that viewers can't watch their favorite players physically take part in the game probably doesn't help. Although that doesn't stop people from watching cars drive around in a circle for hours.

 

[ChickenWing13]

The fact that viewers can't watch their favorite players physically take part in the game probably doesn't help. Although that doesn't stop people from watching cars drive around in a circle for hours.

I never understood that fanbase

 

[Malion]

you can kick a soccer ball...

it's practically a sport already!

 

[Guybrush20X6]

I know but still, the fact was pretty funny.

Especially now that he like this post too.

Edit: And this one too.

 

[nat pagle]

1.) More online support. Right now it's either find a scene or you're screwed. You have to pay for travel and meeting up with people. People like being able to play together online instead of having to go all over the place to practice or find a tournament.

2.) Sponsors. First place at EVO was like what, $5,000 or something? That's pathetic, the biggest national tournaments if you won most of the would pay out near minimum wage for the best players. We need MUCH more money if people are going to get extremely serious about it.

3.) Nintendo support. Who would want to sponsor a game just to get a bad rap by Nintendo when they try to shut down a tournament?