ShadeStrider

There is no way to nerf a character without drastically changing their feel. That’s why we should buff more rather than nerf.

Octopath Traveler is one of the most 7/10 games I've ever played. I enjoyed my experience with it, but... it leaves a lot to be desired. This game feels more like a proof of concept rather than a legendary JRPG. The Combat System This is actually, for me, the best part of the game. The combat is fast and satisfying, although it sometimes prolongs random encounter battles. The ability to customize your characters with unusual combinations such as a thief and a cleric, a cleric and a dancer, et cetera, really adds to the ways you can play the game. There is no real Bad combination, just that some combinations are less viable than others. I would like them to expand on what each class can do, maybe even add a few bonuses for each class combination, or special attacks that only a certain combination of classes can do. Just improve the customization, and you'd be fine. The... Story I have mixed feelings on the Story and characters. None of them are terrible by any means, but a lot of the characters really could use some more development, so that they aren't complete walking tropes, like they kinda were in this game. For the next game, use the same cast, as I actually like this group of Walking tropes, In fact, Therion is actually my favorite of the bunch, even though he's kind of a Cloud Strife wannabe. More importantly, the episode based Storytelling pretty much requires you to go finish one characters story, finish anothers, and then another, and then another. The story telling, as a result feels kind of disjointed. In the sequel, I'd actually make it one singular Storyline, and focus it on these eight characters having one singular goal. Instead of having their interactions be bonus "Travel Banter", I'd make it a regular part of the game. Having them be alone during their storylines kinda defeats the purpose of having these characters travel together. I'd emphasize thinks like them becoming comrades, having each others backs, even being like a family. It... Isn't like the structure of the first, but It would end up less disjointed, and more heartfelt. They've settled their own individual problems, now it's time they settle the problems of the group. And I'd write it so that each character can distinguish themselves from the tropes that they embody. Giving them different personality traits and quirks could make for a more engaging story. The Sidequests These things are my least favorite part of the game, honestly. Some of them are interesting, a heartfelt reunion between a son and his mother, anxious sheep leads to a boss fight with dire wolves. But these quests aren't always clear on what to do. And late game, these rewards don't really feel like much. What's the point of Gold when Tressa farms thousands? This weapon isn't as good as ones that I've gotten in a store. To the games credit, I've got some unique things like Harald's Sword and Heathcote's Dagger (Which when equipped on Sorcerer Therion, makes his Fire Damage output possibly the best in the game.) But I would have liked it if we got something that's hard to get. Like EXP, or a unique weapon. EXP given by quests would push me to do more quests, because it reduces Grinding. ...Grinding. A JRPG staple. Usually it's better to equip your party with good Items (which are easy to buy in Stores, or pickpocket or purchase with Therion or Tressa), but this game still has a lot of Grinding. The Grinding in this game isn't really too bad, but it's still kinda problematic. There is a recommended level for each chapter of the story, and it kinda sets me on this path to grind. Caits help with this process, but they don't appear that often. Having Quests give you EXP would mitigate this. To be fair, some quests reward you with Nuts that provide permanent stat increases. But other than that, not really. Some quests do open up things in the Overworld, but the quests themselves aren't always that interesting. NewGame+ This could easily be patched into the first Octopath Traveler. Just add to the replay value of this game by letting you take your high leveled characters, and have them fight against tougher bosses, enemies, et cetera. There are more things that this game has room to improve on, but this is the gist of it. ...Commander is gonna try and call me out on some bs, isn't he? Figures. This isn’t smash though.

One Winged Angel. Please.

Ok, I was joking. But it seems the joke was poorly executed. This hurt Meta Knight a lot more than it did others. Meta Knight used a lot more Ladder combos then a lot of other characters. It will hurt Meta Knight a lot more than it did Bayonetta. Because Bayonetta actually had a ground game. Who started the myth that Bayonetta’s neutral game was terrible?

Increased Knockback on a lot of his moves isn’t actually a good thing. His Dash attack does more knockback, meaning you can’t really follow up on it. And that was one of his best combo starters. You know what Meta Knight needs? Give him the power that he once had. In a past game, called Super Smash Bros... Brawl. Then he shall reign supreme over ultimate. The year is 20XX. Everyone plays Meta Knight at TAS levels of perfection. Because of this, the winner of a match depends solely on port priority. The RPS Metagame has evolved to ridiculous levels due to it being the only remaining factor to decide matches.

Also, this should be Lin’s battle theme. Or we riot. https://youtu.be/t7wJ8pE2qKU

So, when Ultimate drops, I'm jumping straight into the competitive scene, and I've actually already decided who I'm going to use. While I do believe all characters should be given the ability to stand up to a decent amount of characters, I am not abandoning any of these characters due to a tier list. That being said, Competitive is probably my focus during this era of Smash Bros. So, here are my thoughts on my 3 mains and 3 secondaries. MAINS Mewtwo Ah, Mewtwo. Mewtwo, who was initially a terrible character in Smash 4, before teleporting across the tier list. He remains one of the hardest top tiers to use, but buffing his speed and weight really did wonders for him. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with his Airdodge: as many of you know, Mewtwo's airdodge in Smash 4 was considered to be the best in the game. But now that Airdodge has been changed, I don't know how he would fair. Confusion can't be used for recovery anymore, but other than that, It's still a decent reflector. I didn't use him in Smash 4, but his playstyle intrigues me, and I think I'll use him in Ultimate. Cloud Strife The protagonist of my favorite JRPG of all time. Cloud players were hated in Smash 4 because Cloud was so annoying to play against (even though nobody hates Mew2King, probably because he's such a recognized player). Luckily, they seem to have nerfed him. His range has been nerfed, Limit only stays for 15 seconds after being fully charged. His up and Side Smash attacks have more endlag, though Cross Slash still doesn't... Ha. Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha. In addition, they nerfed Finishing Touch's hitboxes, but they also made it faster. He's still gonna be a top tier: His Aerials are still as fast as ever, though his D-Air autocancels later, and his N-air has less range and a different animation. I wasn't a Cloud Main in Smash 4 (Mainly because of his bad press), but I'm gonna have a lot of fun Meteor smashing people with his RIP Zack F-air. Solid Snake This guy was one of my mains in Brawl, along with Marth and Falco. That's right, I used the entire A- tier. What do you mean I can't DACUS anymore? I know people might not like his new Down Smash, but I'm fine with having a more consistent kill option. All the same, that DACUS was my favorite tool, and I'm sad to see it removed. However, his C4 now sticks more reliably, making it good for getting a quick KO when your first attack doesn't cut it. I've used this C4 more times in Smash Bros than I have in either Metal Gear Solid, or Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. I actually think that Snake might just be the best Heavyweight in Smash history. I can't wait to see him beat the crap out of Shulk, because "A Strong Man doesn't need to read the future. He makes his own." (I really need to get around to playing the original Xenoblade Chronicles.) And now, for the SECONDARIES Roy I mained Marth in Melee, Brawl, and Smash 4. This time, I'm going with Roy. Remember how awful he was in Melee? He was overall buffed from both Melee and Smash 4. They gave him better aerials, the new mechanics allow him to play more aggressively, he can now short hop auto cancel his F-air. He can probably juggle with Up Air. He's overall buffed, meaning that they gave him more ways to access his options. That Dancing blade buff also applies to Marth and Lucina, but I think I'll stick with Roy. Falco Mained him in every game since Melee. But this time, he's in as a secondary. In Smash 4, his D-air was his weakest Aerial. His D-air was his weakest Aerial. His D-air was his weakest Aerial. His D-air was his weakest Aerial. His D-air was his weakest Aerial. His D-air was his weakest Aerial! ... But they made it faster. That's something, right? D-air is one of Falco's most Iconic tools: Any Falco player in Melee or Brawl worth their salt knew that this was one of Falco's most important tools. This was not the case in Smash 4. And they had the gall to reduce D-Air's knockback even further. They still haven't given his Short-hop autocancel lasers back, have they? He's overall better, but I don't know if he's gonna make it into the higher tiers. Greninja I picked up this ninja frog to fill the Solid Snake shaped hole in my heart. I used him alongside Marth and Falco. They buffed his down tilt, which.... I think was kinda unnecessary. They should have focused more on his other moves. Shadow Sneak has been nerfed: Those red eyes make it easier to predict. But, on the other hand, Substitute is now a usable counter. I really wish that they would have rather gave F-air more hitstun, so that Greninja could chain F-airs together. But he's already quite like Sheik, I don't think we need more similarities. And that about does it. See you in the competitive Meta. Remember to pray to Shulk 5 times a day and accept His frame data into your hearts. SABDJCUS.

This video works, but what the hell happened to the frame rate?

One is the reason Cloud beat Sephiroth at Mt. Nibel. Another is the reason I barely passed my high school tests. And the third is the reason good movies don't suck. Two of them got the crap beaten out of them by a green gecko thing in a bid for a magical item that controls time. The Third was beaten before the green gecko arrived. The green gecko then proceeded to take the magical item that controls time.

It could be both. Another bad pun? I thought you were above that, dev team.

Fair enough. You have different design philosophies than I do. Good day. Also, I got over my anger.

I don’t actually mind the Piranha Plant. He certainly... subverted expectations, and that probably was his entire deal.

No need to be so... aggressive. I am not judging Sakurai’s way of doing things. I am simply stating how I would go about balancing the game. Taking each character individually, and making them suitable for competitive play. And I mean each character Should be considered for every patch. Even those who haven’t been used competitively. This is to ensure that Jigglypuff mains don’t get screwed over again, like in Smash 4. If something becomes too broken, then it will undoubtedly be reflected in the next Meta. However, I think Sakurai and his team are intelligent enough to know how to reasonably buff and nerf characters. I think this was reflected when He nerfed Cloud’s range and put a timer on Cloud’s Limit break. And characters that are able to compete at the Benchmark don’t really need to be buffed or nerfed that much. However, they should at least be considered. I don’t claim to be better at balancing than Sakurai. I’m just stating the process I would use. That’s it. Also, a note about Tier lists: I agree that they aren’t always the most accurate. But they always have reasons behind each character’s placing. There are reasons why Jigglypuff is considered Unviable, and why Pit and Greninja are considered Mid Tier. And with Smash bros, a lot of them are accurate, especially Melee. Your example with Ninetales: you’ve used it effectively, but have you considered that there are other Pokémon that could do its job better? I don’t know how to compare this to Smash, as one is a turn based RPG and the other is a fighting game. So this is a rather flawed example. But this is my take: Some Pokémon are good competitively, others are not. You can’t balance all 8 hundred something of them. But you can balance 75 Smash characters. Truth be told, I think anyone who can be bothered to play and learn the matchup instead of complaining when a character seems broken, and who knows the basics of character attributes, such as hitboxes, frame data, all that stuff, and has basic reasoning ability is qualified to have input on the game’s competitive balance. But I really wouldn’t leave it to one person alone, as others would disagree. Really, we would need input from many different players. You tired? Good, because I am too.

So, Super Smash Bros Ultimate is going to have a competitive meta, and it seems that this game is going to be a lot more competitively focused. This means Sakurai and his team are most likely going to focus on having a balanced roster this time around. But no fighting game is ever going to have a completely balanced roster. However, we can take steps to ensure that every character has a fighting chance through patches. Patches are useful in ensuring competitive balance. So Sakurai and his team should take advantage of this. This post is basically how I would do it. It is also worth mentioning that Sakurai might intend for every character to be able to compete, even a "Joke Character" like Pichu. It seems through the footage we've seen, Pichu's range has been buffed. That was one of the things holding him back in Melee. So Sakurai even intends for Pichu to be able to compete. I'd first start by not having any balance patches at all, unless something turns out to be unbelievably overpowered, like Bayonetta before the Patch or Brawl Meta Knight. Or if the Hitboxes end up being placed poorly, like Roy's Sword hitboxes in Melee. Or if the Icies get another Infinite. Otherwise, let the game's meta develop as it is. Let the community at least develop a tier list, which may not be 100% accurate, but it gives a general Idea of where each character is at. The next thing I would do would actually be to set a benchmark on the Tier list. Say for example, the A tier. Now every character that gets buffed will be buffed so that they can compete around the A+, A, or A- tier. Characters above this will be nerfed, while characters below will be buffed. Next, you want to take each character individually. Listen to the community regarding the character. Each character will undoubtedly have strengths. But for Unviable characters, those strengths are difficult to access because of how the metagame is built and how the metagame works against them. Make sure to watch footage of competitive Smash as well. (I can see Sakurai is already doing that with that new Online system, what was it called again?) Now you start the actual patching. Your goal with patches should be to give lower tier characters more options, so that their strengths can be suited to the meta, and thus they can at least be around the A mark. Take each character individually. Some characters have ridiculously frustrating matchups against others, such as Ness/Lucas and Rosalina. These should also be addressed when buffing characters. Nerfing characters is just as important as buffs. Just like with low tier characters, you want to nerf the high tiers so that they can fight on even ground with A tiers. Sometimes your nerfs have to be drastic, like Bayonetta not being able to act out of Witch Twist. There isn't really a way to nerf a character without drastically changing how the character feels to play as, because a lot of their good options are what draw players to that character in the first place. I'd therefore suggest that you set your benchmark high so that you don't have to nerf much. Finally, when you've got all the characters with their buffs and nerfs, upload the patch. Then observe the metagame again, and repeat the process. If someone turns out to be too overpowered due to a buff you made, fix it when you repeat the process. You will never get a perfectly balanced game, but each time you repeat the process, you should come closer and closer. Note that I didn’t go into specifics on the basics of actually buffing and needing characters. Just the basic process of what you generally want to do. I’ll go into the specifics, like better recovery, faster attacks, ending lag, etc. in another post.

Just referencing the Fiasco with EA. Not Smash 4. Still a very important issue for gaming as a whole, not just Nintendo or EA.

Also, At least we don’t have pay to win in this game. Or pay real money to unlock all the characters, save for the DLC. Can we at least appreciate that?

I thought it was just a misspelling. You’re telling me it’s just a really bad pun?

But its called “conflicting reunion”. This most likely means Nim. A reunion with Angie wouldn’t really be “conflicting”. Unless the main characters take into account that Angie was once a kind woman named Anju. It could be evidence for or against my thesis.

My poor deductive reasoning skills say otherwise. Everything the dev team has posted may be a hint to the future. This hint was rather blatant. Or is there some deeper meaning?

So Angie is back. Does she still have her Regice?

I was joking. Jesus.

It took all my willpower to not start an angry rant replying to G’doots about Incineroar being a good Rep. Do I get a cookie? I wasn’t actually a grinch leak believer. I simply said that it was the most likely leak I ever saw. I gave it a 30% chance of it being true, due to it not being just words on a page. My personal thought is that single player content is especially important for this game, given the reception to Nintendo’s Online Policy with the Switch.

So, Smash Ultimate was subjected to censorship. This time it's Mr. Game and Watch. In one of his moves, he takes the form of a Native American with a feather, torching his opponent. This was considered Racist by the American Public. So Nintendo removed it from the final game. I'm not sure how to feel about this. Maybe it's people taking things too seriously in this children's video game that also happens to be a big deal to gamers everywhere? I am extremely opposed to censorship of any media, unless the creator explicitly intended for it to be offensive. Here, it's really just a stereotype, and a reference to an old game. Why remove it? It won't affect the quality of the game, but incidents like this kinda worry me about the future of American media. There are already people on the Internet campaigning to remove Mr. Game and Watch from the game. I... don't want this.