Author Topic: The Mailbag Lives! (Read 6386 times)

Jonnyboy117 · « **on:** July 15, 2005, 07:58:20 AM »

Yes, the PGC Mailbag is back with a new guy (me) and a new format - I answer everything unless I need to ask someone else for their expertise. This way will be much faster than the roundtable format of old, so we can run the bag every single day if there are enough questions. And you can ask absolutely anything, no matter how small or how big. You can even send plain old comments (no question), or ask something about the site, though this forum can also still be used for that purpose. A side benefit of me doing the bag is that I have all the connections to publishers, so I can track down more info on a particular game if need be.

Sound good? Okay, send questions every day to bag@planetgamecube.com. New address and ugly image link (on the main page; can't post images here) to avert spammers, who had COMPLETELY taken over the old address to the point that it was hard for us to even find the actual questions.

RABicle · « **Reply #1 on:** July 17, 2005, 12:59:44 AM »

I want to answer most of those mailbag questions. Crap like "What games do you think will look better in HD?" can't be answered with a straight face.

Rancid Planet · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2005, 12:14:56 AM »

Sure they can. IF you bite your tongue untill blood comes out your nose.

RABicle · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2005, 02:25:54 AM »

You reconised the letter I sent from my other email account didn't you?

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #4 on:** July 23, 2005, 09:35:27 PM »

I thought this was amusing...

Quote
For one thing, you're underestimating the amount of effort that goes into a game as finely tuned as SSB Melee. Every character, move, and level has to be balanced with all the others, and the excellent job HAL did with that balancing act is the reason so many people still play Melee to this day.

Considering that SSBM has notoriously bad tiers, I think this comment missed its mark by more than a bit...

I understand it's not the focus of the question at all, but when all major tournaments are always won by either Marth, Shiek or Fox, I think the term "balance" goes out the window rather quickly.

-SB

Arbok · « **Reply #5 on:** July 23, 2005, 09:53:19 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
I understand it's not the focus of the question at all, but when all major tournaments are always won by either Marth, Shiek or Fox, I think the term "balance" goes out the window rather quickly.

-SB

Peach belongs in the top tier too, as those players often get to the finals as well. Anyway, I think SSB:M is pretty well balanced. No fighting game is perfect, there will always be tiers, but at least everyone in SSB:M is worth playing as and can be used well in the right hands... except Kirby, they dropped the ball on that one (odd, as he was top tier in the first).

KDR_11k · « **Reply #6 on:** July 24, 2005, 04:55:38 AM »

Well, that's where PC games are superior because if the balancing doesn't work out (e.g. someone finds a new, completely cheap tactic) you can always issue a rebalancing patch.

ShyGuy · « **Reply #7 on:** July 24, 2005, 08:06:50 AM »

Yeah and another balancing patch and another and another. Buff this character! Nerf this character! It seems to be a never ending process in games like WoW.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #8 on:** July 24, 2005, 08:19:10 AM »

MMORPGs aren't games, they are desasters. Games like Diablo, CS, C&C, Warcraft and so on get more balanced with patches.

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #9 on:** July 24, 2005, 01:37:42 PM »

They tend to be able to work out MMORPGs if the company actually has a representative who PLAYS each class. WoW is notoriously bad because you can immediately tell which classes have a rep and which don't.

As for SSBM, Marth is ridiculously overpowered, which wouldn't irritate me as much if he wasn't a character which never even appeared outside of the Japanese market. In duels, he's absolutely sick. In group play, a Marth player mashing the C-Stick will pick up a lot of kills (especially on small levels) because that smash covers so much goddamn area and happens in an instant.

I like to play as heavy characters as I think they never really get much of a chance, but there's that sobering realization you'll one day reach when you finally understand that speed means much more than strength in pretty much all fighting games, SSBM included.

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except Kirby, they dropped the ball on that one (odd, as he was top tier in the first).

I'm pretty sure HAL was shamed into making him suck for fear that they'd be accused of playing favorites.

-SB

stevey · « **Reply #10 on:** July 24, 2005, 03:04:11 PM »

Who care for kirby he suck in more ways than one and is the sole resone that nintendo has a kid~dy image.

nickmitch · « **Reply #11 on:** July 24, 2005, 06:11:52 PM »

Don't go dissin' kirby.

Jonnyboy117 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 24, 2005, 06:40:53 PM »

Kirby games don't sell enough for him to be the blame of Nintendo's image.

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #13 on:** July 24, 2005, 10:22:41 PM »

The word you're looking for is "Pokemon".

-SB

Mario · « **Reply #14 on:** July 25, 2005, 12:45:59 AM »

I can kick Marth's ass with Mario or Samus, on any setting. You fail.

stevey · « **Reply #15 on:** July 25, 2005, 08:15:25 AM »

Isn't Roy better than Marth since he a clone.

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #16 on:** July 25, 2005, 09:39:22 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Mario
I can kick Marth's ass with Mario or Samus, on any setting. You fail.

You cannot judge the ability of a character based on their CPU-controlled AI. Characters have moves that the AI won't even use, like JP's rollout and sleep moves, just more evidence that the game was rushed.

As for Roy, he's on one of the higher tiers, but not the top like Marth. Marth is top because of his speed, which is why Fox and Shiek share the top tier with him.

Marth is on the top tier because a guy named Ken (don't know his last name) has won the SSBM Game Over tournament two or three years in a row with him. From what I understand, he's the sole reason Marth is in the top tier.

-SB

Mario · « **Reply #17 on:** July 25, 2005, 07:53:03 PM »

I know, I meant when my friends choose Marth... nevermind.

Someone needs to step up with Samus or someone and start kicking that Ken guys ass.

KnowsNothing · « **Reply #18 on:** July 25, 2005, 08:19:17 PM »

Just because Ken is good with Marth doesn't make Marth a top character- it makes Ken a top player. Save for one or two weaker characters, SSBM is pretty balanced, and it all comes down to skill. Plus, there are no items in these tournys, and Rabicle has already explained why that is weak.

Arbok · « **Reply #19 on:** July 25, 2005, 08:24:32 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
Characters have moves that the AI won't even use, like JP's rollout and sleep moves, just more evidence that the game was rushed.

Or maybe because Jiggly's sleep move is: horrible. Assuming you mean Sing, and not Rest. If it's the latter, then that move is so hard to hit with anyway that it's probably for the best that the computer doesn't attempt to do it.

Anyway, you are blowing this out of proportion. Is the game 100% balanced? No. Is it balanced well enough that it's a non-issue outside of tournaments? Yes. IMO, Kirby is the only character who is really lacking, everyone else has their perks and can be used well in the right hands. Seriously, SSB:M, when all is said and done, is one of the most balanced "fighters" out there.

RABicle · « **Reply #20 on:** July 26, 2005, 02:37:44 AM »

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Plus, there are no items in these tournys, and Rabicle has already explained why that is weak.

Thank you KN.

Smash brother if you played the game properly and didn't pretend it to be Streetfighter and inventing your own imaginary restrictions, the game is very balanced. Anyone can beat anyone with any character ona good day.

Arbok: Jigglypuff's rest move is a breeze if you're not weak.

Johnny: You didn't answer my question

KDR_11k · « **Reply #21 on:** July 26, 2005, 07:31:57 AM »

I love jumping at newbies and resting. It's almost instakill. They're also pretty scared when I spin up on a large platform...

Arbok · « **Reply #22 on:** July 26, 2005, 08:38:30 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: RABicle
Quote
Arbok: Jigglypuff's rest move is a breeze if you're not weak.

Like hell it is... How often have you been able to make contact with the move against an experienced Smash Bros player, when they weren't playing the larger characters?

Against the computer, it's much easier to pull off as they don't forsee the danger, but against a human player who knows what to watch out for, you would be hard pressed to pull it off very often at all, and will get pummled very quickly for missing with it.

SgtShiversBen · « **Reply #23 on:** July 26, 2005, 09:02:19 AM »

I pull it off around 95% of the time. The other 5% of the time is because I think I'm another character and try to pull out a bomb or reflect. Because of my accuracy though, it is the only banned move in my circle of friends

stevey · « **Reply #24 on:** July 26, 2005, 10:00:07 AM »

hows Jigglypuff's sleep move powerful? I never use jigglypuff so I don't know what your talkin about.

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Author Topic: The Mailbag Lives! (Read 6386 times)