Super Smash Bros Brawl site goes live

[Covenant]

How would that even work? The games use analog sensitivity not only to determine how fast you move but also what kind of attack you use and even (somewhat) what direction it goes in (such as a forward kick being slightly higher or lower depending on what direction the stick is held in). How would you differentiate between forward kick, dash kick, and smash kick? Between "throw boomerang" and "throw boomerang real hard?"

I didn't even know there were so many degrees of control; that's how fucking clumsy I am with that damn control stick.

The D-Pad controls have pressure sensitivity. So assuming you don't just mash it down the entire way the whole time, you could gain an equal level of precision in terms of how hard you want to fling stuff or what kick you want, especially with stuff like smashes (where button press sensitivity is even more apparent than button hold sensitivity) and dashes.

There's no need for the joystick except that it's way easier on your thumb when doing a lot of diagonals, and because it encourages a fluid movement, but it's also one of those Nintendo things that they do just to get people to use one of their features. However, as a Streetfighter veteran, I'm always put-off by the slippery controls on the Gamecube version of smash. I felt that the stick on the 64 version was much more reliable and less prone to clumsy moves, and the characters themselves felt more slippery on the GC version as well. I know how to direct my moves in the GC version, but it's more troublesome than it would have to be.

So I'm not expecting it, and I doubt they'd do it, but it'd really make me excited if there was a DPad option using the DPad's pressure sensors rather than the joystick's tilt. To me, it would provide a lot more control, which would make the game a lot more fun.

[Praxis]

It would be a godsend if they could allow me to use the DPad to move instead of the control stick. I find that little joystick control too messy for good play, and it ends up being way sloppier than I'd like. If they gave us DPad control as well it would make a huge step towards being a legitimate fighting game--which seems the direction they're going.

How would that even work? The games use analog sensitivity not only to determine how fast you move but also what kind of attack you use and even (somewhat) what direction it goes in (such as a forward kick being slightly higher or lower depending on what direction the stick is held in). How would you differentiate between forward kick, dash kick, and smash kick? Between "throw boomerang" and "throw boomerang real hard?"

I didn't even know there were so many degrees of control; that's how fucking clumsy I am with that damn control stick.

A lot of people have no idea the depth of Smash Bros. The game is extremely deep to an experienced player.

[Qwerty 42]

Another update, interesting but not terribly revealing

May 28 Mon. 2007

Pit: Special Moves

<Normal Special Move: Palutena Arrow>



Pit draws his bowstring taut...



And fires! The trajectory of the arrow can curve...

Steering up and down will bend the trajectory.
His arrows travel as fast as light, though, so be quick. Very quick!

<Up Special Move: Wings of Icarus>



He's falling! Danger! ...But don't worry.



The "Wings of Icarus" allow Pit to fly freely through the sky!

In actuality, though, Pit is an angel who cannot ordinarily fly.
After a while, he will fall, so be careful.

[Praxis]

Considering that they have to do five updates a week for every week until November, I'm not surprised the updates are lacking, especially since they don't want to reveal the secret characters. (They never revealed the secret characters for Melee, even to this day, the Melee site only shows the 12 default characters).

[Qwerty 42]

Considering that they have to do five updates a week for every week until November, I'm not surprised the updates are lacking, especially since they don't want to reveal the secret characters. (They never revealed the secret characters for Melee, even to this day, the Melee site only shows the 12 default characters).

I'm not surprised either, but I could hope

[Covenant]

A lot of people have no idea the depth of Smash Bros. The game is extremely deep to an experienced player.

I'd say that the reason for this is primarily due to the sloppy controls that make it so hard to control your character precisely. It's hard to control them, especially when you're running around a lot, and adding things like items to the mix just turns it into a much more dumbed-down game than is at the core. I always turn items off to keep it from being a randomized button-masher friendly game.

If the controls were tighter, people would see how well strategy and precision could pay off. I'd say it's still not 'deep' compared to normal fighting games, but it's really not too far away, and it has a much more inviting playstyle than most that we've seen come out. I really want them to make it a little less sloppy so that it becomes much more solid as a fighting game. And it seems they want to go that way too, as the footage we've seen has a lot of back and forth, and almost no massive knockout smash hits.

I wish they brought back the emphasis on throwing! Throwing isn't terribly simple, so it was a way cooler way of killing someone than smashing them. I also want to see goddamn wavedashing removed permanently, and to have the block/rolls toned down.

[Grandmaster Jogurt]

I'd say that the reason for this is primarily due to the sloppy controls that make it so hard to control your character precisely. It's hard to control them, especially when you're running around a lot, and adding things like items to the mix just turns it into a much more dumbed-down game than is at the core. I always turn items off to keep it from being a randomized button-masher friendly game.

If the controls were tighter, people would see how well strategy and precision could pay off. I'd say it's still not 'deep' compared to normal fighting games, but it's really not too far away, and it has a much more inviting playstyle than most that we've seen come out. I really want them to make it a little less sloppy so that it becomes much more solid as a fighting game. And it seems they want to go that way too, as the footage we've seen has a lot of back and forth, and almost no massive knockout smash hits.

I still don't see how the game's controls are too loose. The only time I have trouble with the control is trying to attack upwards without smashing or jumping, but that could just be fixed by relegating jumping to X and Y. And since you want to allow D-Pad control, how would that make it any tighter? The analogue stick at least has a wider range of motion, so it's easier to differentiate between a light push and a smash.

I wish they brought back the emphasis on throwing! Throwing isn't terribly simple, so it was a way cooler way of killing someone than smashing them. I also want to see goddamn wavedashing removed permanently, and to have the block/rolls toned down.

How is throwing not emphasised in Melee? Some characters, like Marth or Mr. G&W may suck at it, but there are others who are great with it. I wouldn't be able to play Capt. Falcon if grabbing and throwing were removed from the game.

[Covenant]

I still don't see how the game's controls are too loose. The only time I have trouble with the control is trying to attack upwards without smashing or jumping, but that could just be fixed by relegating jumping to X and Y. And since you want to allow D-Pad control, how would that make it any tighter? The analogue stick at least has a wider range of motion, so it's easier to differentiate between a light push and a smash.

I never said they're too loose for people to play with, I just said I'd like them to offer me a DPad control scheme so it's more accurate and tighter. The wider range of motion of tha analog stick is not used, as there are are no truly diagonal melee attacks, and the side-to-side depression controls are no more sensitive than the DPad's. It's also much clumsier for someone who is just starting the game and more prone to mistakes and errors.

For those things that benefit a lot from the stick's diagonals, you could use the stick, or press both at once the way we used to before sticks, and it'd work. I just dislike using 'tilt' as 'pressure' for attacks. It's too inaccurate for my tastes.

The DPad, which has a basic four directions, is hard to screw up on. You have the same pressuire and tap controls as a stick, but the feedback is much more direct. It's more about pressure than 'tilt' as it is on the stick. To me this is a lot easier to discern between, and I know a lot of people don't even realize how sensitive the game is because it's so hard to tell.

I'm not saying that you in particular could do better in a Pad, but I know for sure that I could and that others could, and that I would much prefer it. If we were to remap the Jump button to something else it would take a little while to get used to but it would certainly be a big help, as that's another part of the big problem with it.

The characters themselves are too 'loose' but that's just a game design thing and has nothing to do with the control scheme.

How is throwing not emphasised in Melee? Some characters, like Marth or Mr. G&W may suck at it, but there are others who are great with it. I wouldn't be able to play Capt. Falcon if grabbing and throwing were removed from the game.

It's not emphasized the way it was in the first game, where it was your primary way of knocking someone out. It's still there, and some characters get good use out of it, but a lot of them still have nearly useless throws and throws are now generally just a way of leading into a combo rather than a life-ending toss-out. I'd prefer if people were less likely to be killed from up-kicks or down-kicks (shiek and fox are the big offenders here, but even mario and luigi and such do) and it was more necessary to work them to the edge and actually throw them over it.

[Stark]

While I don't have a problem with the SSBM controls, the inability to remap controls is lame. Nintendo goes for 'usable' but that doesn't preclude having actual config options hidden behind a screen somewhere. Up being jump is probably the biggest barrier for new players, as it's almost unheard-of in other games and is redundant given the number of controls, two of which are ALSO jump.

[Vendetta]

Up being jump is the standard in fighting games. Which is what SSB is, despite the fact that it has more platforms than the norm.

[Stark]

Up being jump is the standard in fighting games. Which is what SSB is, despite the fact that it has more platforms than the norm.

Very true. I intuitively compared it to platform games.

However, inability to reconfig controls = fail. It's just laziness, like the pathetic console FPS thing where they have different presets *instead* of just letting you map it manually.

[Qwerty 42]

Up being jump is the standard in fighting games. Which is what SSB is, despite the fact that it has more platforms than the norm.

Very true. I intuitively compared it to platform games.

However, inability to reconfig controls = fail. It's just laziness, like the pathetic console FPS thing where they have different presets *instead* of just letting you map it manually.

It's irrelevant to Brawl so I don't know why I'm posting it, but I'd imagine that in future Wii games such as Metroid button mapping could become complicated since some features are mapped to the motion sensor by necessity, they couldn't adequately find a replacement on the Wii buttons.

[Covenant]

Up being jump is the standard in fighting games. Which is what SSB is, despite the fact that it has more platforms than the norm.

Very true. I intuitively compared it to platform games.

However, inability to reconfig controls = fail. It's just laziness, like the pathetic console FPS thing where they have different presets *instead* of just letting you map it manually.

It's irrelevant to Brawl so I don't know why I'm posting it, but I'd imagine that in future Wii games such as Metroid button mapping could become complicated since some features are mapped to the motion sensor by necessity, they couldn't adequately find a replacement on the Wii buttons.

True, but there can still be settings! For example, on the Wii version of Splinter Cell, the Wiimote controls the camera. How bad is that? Instead of controlling my dude, it controls the camera? So if I want it fixed, I gotta like... put the Wiimote down? Pretty terrible, and the controls were awful otherwise anyway. If they gave me an option to flip Camera and Dude controls, for example, that'd be nice.

It would be nice to be able to swap between nunchuck and a Wii axis for some things, but for most Wii games I'm happy with the controls that are bound to the wii tilt. Excitetruck is a good example of intuitive controls.

[Stark]

Yeah, I find the Wii controls are often fine (largely because designing controls that work well for Wii interfaces must take a lot of work). I found the DBZ controls far better than the PS2 controls, for instance, and didn't feel the need to change any.

[Praxis]

As long as Nintendo makes the B trigger the fire button in Metroid Prime 3, I won't care about changing the controls.

In the E3 demo, the A button was fire, which was completely counterintuitive to me...but oh well.

[SAMAS]

Site's update:

Final Smash: The Supers seen in the trailer. They can only be performed once, and you have to grab the Smash Ball to do them.

Mario's is called the Mario Finale.

[Covenant]

Site's update:

Final Smash: The Supers seen in the trailer. They can only be performed once, and you have to grab the Smash Ball to do them.

Mario's is called the Mario Finale.

That's pretty interesting. What's the Smash Ball? I assume it's not just an item.

[Praxis]

Site's update:

Final Smash: The Supers seen in the trailer. They can only be performed once, and you have to grab the Smash Ball to do them.

Mario's is called the Mario Finale.

That's pretty interesting. What's the Smash Ball? I assume it's not just an item.

The Smash Ball is an item that allows you to perform the Final Smash.

Today's update is interesting...you can run while shooting now? Will that be a good or bad addition? It makes the super scope a LOT deadlier if you can charge while running around...

[Stark]

I wonder if they'll break the 'shooting' up: Link and Pit should probably have to stop to shoot, but Samus can dance around like a crazy person and shoot.

[Qwerty 42]

new item today

May 31 Thu. 2007

Cracker Launcher



This is a shooting item. Basically, you hold it in your arms.



Gotta heft this thing! Hurrrgh!

After you grab this item, it’ll rapidly release blast after blast of firecrackers that explode gaudily.



Whoooooooaaa!

You can walk around and jump while holding the launcher.

You can also aim the launcher at different angles by tilting the Control Stick up or down.



Fire up or down!

Be safe and sane when playing with fireworks.

[avatarxprime]

I wonder if they'll break the 'shooting' up: Link and Pit should probably have to stop to shoot, but Samus can dance around like a crazy person and shoot.

I'd just be happy if they let Samus charge on the run, guess that courtesy should also be extended to Mewtwo. For Link and Pit maybe they can make it an option, run and gun means loss of control over the shot, but if you stop then you can still arc. Just imagine Fox and Falco those, running around and shooting. You wouldn't touch them but they'd unload tons of damage.

[SAMAS]

new item today

May 31 Thu. 2007

Cracker Launcher



This is a shooting item. Basically, you hold it in your arms.



Gotta heft this thing! Hurrrgh!

After you grab this item, it’ll rapidly release blast after blast of firecrackers that explode gaudily.



Whoooooooaaa!

You can walk around and jump while holding the launcher.

You can also aim the launcher at different angles by tilting the Control Stick up or down.



Fire up or down!

Be safe and sane when playing with fireworks.

I think that's worth another notch on the awesome-meter...

[Qwerty 42]

Does anyone mind that I'm ripping the text from the website?

In any case, new stage today

June 01 Fri. 2007

Delfino Plaza

This is the central town of Isle Delfino, the tropical setting of Super Mario Sunshine.

Wow! That blue ocean is bright on the eyes.



Ahh… It makes me want to swim.

This particular battle stage flies around the skies above the island.



Fly here and there as you look down on the town below.

After a thrilling landing, it becomes a normal battle stage.



There are several landing points.

This flight path repeats, providing great sightseeing and brawling.
The changing scenery is so beautiful, you get absorbed in it.




You really feel like a tourist!

this reveals a good deal about how they want to do the "moving stage" sort of thing this go-around, but it still doesn't explain how they're doing moving in and out of the Fire Emblem castle.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Does anyone mind that I'm ripping the text from the website?

I haven't looked at the website, but do pictures accompany the text? If so, that would then totally explain why the text reads so strangely...

[Grandmaster Jogurt]

I haven't looked at the website, but do pictures accompany the text? If so, that would then totally explain why the text reads so strangely...

They do. There's one in each of the large gaps in Qwerty's post.

And I hope this stage is larger than it looks. Even making a stage variable doesn't help much if it's cramped for most of the ride.