Smash Brothers Brawl DELAYED

[Din]

The title sums it up, brawl is delayed until February 10. For those of us who want to Brawl soon it is going to be a let down, but for me it is good, simple math below:

Already awesome game + delay so more awesome features = OMG I will KILL to get it!

[Warlock]

Feb. 10th

[Din]

Thanks, changed.

[MottZilla]

I wonder if the delay had something to do with the recent news of Sonic. Either way Brawl is sure to be one of the biggest Wii games yet. That and Mario Kart are the most interesting to me at the moment. I heard Mario Kart will do away with friend code numbers.

[MasterSwordUltima]

Sakurai make it seem like it has something to do with Sonic on Smash Bros. Dojo. [The whole part about apparently conflict with having Sonic playable]

I have a feeling that they're taking serious the characters desired, and are somehow implementing them.

/me hopes its a Create-a-Brawler Mode.

[Russ]

It's delayed. Dang! All I have to say is there had better be a good reason.

[GamerMan]

There probly updateing it or something,my cusin works for Nintendo I don't know if I chould ask him whats going on should I??

[AtmaWeapon]

There are two ways I interpret this.

First, I am happy because Nintendo wants to deliver a quality title, and feels like they need more time to deliver on that goal. When a software project is behind schedule, there are three choices: 1) Revise the schedule. 2) Evaluate if some features are nonessential. 3) Sacrifice quality.

Nintendo is quite comfortable with choosing to revise the schedule, and while some articles I read today lamented over how this will affect Nintendo's Christmas season I believe they are forgetting Mario Galaxy and I think some other game that is coming out. In addition, SSBB is going to sell a gajillion copies whenever they decide to release it, so it's not like the game is in jeopardy. My prediction is it will sell comparably to Halo 3, the only factors that make me worry that might not happen has to do with a certain troll-like comment concerning the plethora of excellent releases on the 360 at the moment :toast:

The software engineer in me is upset. The stated reason in the article I read is that the developers "keep adding new features" and that is very bad. Feature creep kills a software project. While you might be happy that they are adding more features, the reason I worry is because I know all too well that attempting to add features that your framework was not designed for can turn stable code into a brittle mess. I would hope that the extra month or so is for either a framework redesign or increased QA.

The rumor I hear (that in my opinion is most likely) is that the network play is giving them fits. No doubt they are having troubles trying to implement a 64-player tournament structure where you are limited to only entering 8 friend codes at a time, so every few brackets you have to reset, reconfigure friend codes, then log back on and wait for everyone else to finish. Someone seriously needs to send these guys an XBox 360 so they can get a decent example of how online play is supposed to work.

Sarcasm aside, I'm pretty certain the "features" they are adding are that they aren't very experienced with large-scale online games and they are having difficulties.

[Warlock]

I don't think the delay has anything to do with Sonic. I think they are adding new online modes/support. At least, that is the gist of what I've been hearing.


There are two ways I interpret this.

First, I am happy because Nintendo wants to deliver a quality title, and feels like they need more time to deliver on that goal. When a software project is behind schedule, there are three choices: 1) Revise the schedule. 2) Evaluate if some features are nonessential. 3) Sacrifice quality.

Nintendo is quite comfortable with choosing to revise the schedule, and while some articles I read today lamented over how this will affect Nintendo's Christmas season I believe they are forgetting Mario Galaxy and I think some other game that is coming out. In addition, SSBB is going to sell a gajillion copies whenever they decide to release it, so it's not like the game is in jeopardy. My prediction is it will sell comparably to Halo 3, the only factors that make me worry that might not happen has to do with a certain troll-like comment concerning the plethora of excellent releases on the 360 at the moment :toast:

The software engineer in me is upset. The stated reason in the article I read is that the developers "keep adding new features" and that is very bad. Feature creep kills a software project. While you might be happy that they are adding more features, the reason I worry is because I know all too well that attempting to add features that your framework was not designed for can turn stable code into a brittle mess. I would hope that the extra month or so is for either a framework redesign or increased QA.

The rumor I hear (that in my opinion is most likely) is that the network play is giving them fits. No doubt they are having troubles trying to implement a 64-player tournament structure where you are limited to only entering 8 friend codes at a time, so every few brackets you have to reset, reconfigure friend codes, then log back on and wait for everyone else to finish. Someone seriously needs to send these guys an XBox 360 so they can get a decent example of how online play is supposed to work.

Sarcasm aside, I'm pretty certain the "features" they are adding are that they aren't very experienced with large-scale online games and they are having difficulties.

As a Software Engineer myself, I know exactly what you're saying here (and BELIEVE ME, I know :sweat:). But I really don't think that's it. Nintendo is pretty professional about game development. I can't imagine they don't have a very detailed requirements and design document written up. My suspicion is that what they are working on now are "planned features" that they were perhaps considering on axing in the interests of a speedy turnaround time. But ultimately they decided to take that extra development time and implement them. A good example - look at today's update, the Screenshot tool. There is a blurred out button on one of the screenshots. Here is the explanation:

Uh, as for that thing that’s blurred out, that’s still a secret. We’re still in development, so I apologize in advance if it gets dropped, but we are thinking of one more trick for this mode.This is the kind of thing that makes me think they've still got a few features they are developing and really want to get into the finished product.

P.S. - Thank God the screenshot tool can save to the SD card here. Metroid Prime 3's can't, and it's rediculous. There is NO WAY to remove the screens from the Wii Message Board. That's crap. That's something Nintendo really should fix - you should be able to move photos from the Photo Channel to the SD card. Bah.

[GamerMan]

Well if they are infact updateing or takeing something from it,I still think it will be big,also it's a new smash bro's game,you have no clue how many people I know who are wating for this game to come out,I know 50 year olds all the way to 10 year olds people will go crazy over this game, as said, it will be good,we can only wait and see how good.;)

[Russ]

I'm guessing the delay has something do with online play.

[Modus Ponens]

[A]ttempting to add features that your framework was not designed for can turn stable code into a brittle mess.

Kinda reminds me of a Zelda remake fan project I played once or twice...

I'll bet the delay is that they're adding Zelda Classic to Brawl. Secretly, Phantom Menace and Dark Nation are busy lighting their cigars with hundred-dollar bills.

[Breaker]

Have they announced how many characters the final roster will have? I can't see them adding much more than they already have. Maybe two or three more characters tops, which I'm sure have already been designed and under development for some time. My predictions are Tails or Knuckles and another big shocker from a company other than Nintendo, such as Megaman.

[Gerudo]

22 fighters? wow, i hadn't kept count.

i agree with Breaker, maybe 1 or two more characters and that'll be the final roster. Knuckles would be a shoe-in because he's a fighter. MAYBE Amy... (did i just say that?)

I also look for Mega Man to be added as a last shocking surprise... (well, won't be shocking if we all half expect it.)

[DarkFlameWolf]

Probably delaying it to add Tails and Knuckles as either playable characters or assist trophies.
Mega Man would be awesome.

[Nicholas Steel]

so long as they keep it better balanced and with more human-like AI then SSBM i'll be happy.

[*b*]

Have they announced how many characters the final roster will have? I can't see them adding much more than they already have. Maybe two or there more characters tops, which I'm sure have already been designed and under development for some time. My predictions are Tails or Knuckles and another big shocker from a company other than Nintendo, such as Megaman.

You mean NEW characters? Yeah, I can't imagine there'll be many new characters after this, but there are officially four months until the game is released, so it's difficult to say..

If you mean total characters, I doubt it. They've only announced about half of the veteran fighters from SSBM, and I seriously doubt that's all they'll bring over, especially when there's more popular characters like Catpain Falcon, Luigi, Ness, and Falco (If they added Sonic, they're sure as hell to add Falco). But, if they do only add one more character to the final lineup, I'm hoping it'll be Isaac from Golden Sun

[ShadowTiger]

So long as they keep it better balanced and with more human-like AI than SSBM I'll be happy.I think you will be. :) On the Demo videos exhibited on YouTube, (Look for "Brawl Demo" in YouTube's search bar. Should pop right up.) the Link vs Sonic battle (With sonic as the CP.) actually worked quite wonderfully. I fully expect an actual challenge this time around. No more of this LVL9 CPU pattern bullcrap in Melee. Seriously, have you ever played a LVL9 Fox CPU? :odd: They're crap!


Oh, yes, I do agree that they will be bringing back most, if not almost all of the veteran fighters. I still think that Lucas is just their answer to "Not enough Earthbound!" and will not be replacing Ness with him. Falco should be returning as well, and if not, then Krystal is sure to be in it due to lack of otherwise Star Fox content. One or the other at least. It would be a slap in the face to remove Star Fox content. Captain Falcon will NOT be left out, nor will Luigi. They could have left out the lower-tier Bowser in favor of Luigi anyway, but clearly he's quite in.

[MasterSwordUltima]

Oh, yes, I do agree that they will be bringing back most, if not almost all of the veteran fighters. I still think that Lucas is just their answer to "Not enough Earthbound!" and will not be replacing Ness with him. Falco should be returning as well, and if not, then Krystal is sure to be in it due to lack of otherwise Star Fox content. One or the other at least. It would be a slap in the face to remove Star Fox content. Captain Falcon will NOT be left out, nor will Luigi. They could have left out the lower-tier Bowser in favor of Luigi anyway, but clearly he's quite in.

Sakurai said that not everyone from Melee will make it in Brawl though. Now this might be referring to Roy most likely getting the boot, but I think it goes for most clones [whom were Roy, Gannondorf, Falco, Kid Link, Pichu, and Dr.Mario].

If Lucas plays just like Ness, then no doubt Ness is out. He should have an alternate costume with Ness's hat. Bam, instant Ness.

[Warlock]

But, if they do only add one more character to the final lineup, I'm hoping it'll be Isaac from Golden Sun

Eh, Golden Sun is sort of a 2nd party franchise. Plus it's not as well established as the others. If anything from Golden Sun shows up, I gotta think it will be in trophy (assist or otherwise) form.

[*b*]

Eh, Golden Sun is sort of a 2nd party franchise. Plus it's not as well established as the others. If anything from Golden Sun shows up, I gotta think it will be in trophy (assist or otherwise) form.

Even so, I can still hope for him. I mean, how cool would it be to play as Isaac, going around throwing rocks at people? An assist trophy would work, too, as long as he's in the game in some form

MSU, there's no way they'd kick Ness for Lucas. Lucas is a Japanese-only character, and Ness was in the US. Either way, Ness would be the obvious choice to keep, because he's the most known, just as Marth is the first hero in FE in not only the NES, but SNES installments as well. It'd be like replacing Kirby for Waddle Dee, simply because they play the same. It's the most well-known characters fighting, and I seriously doubt Lucas is better known than Ness overall

[Nicholas Steel]

well i got SSBM based on everyone saying its awesome and it just fails miserably compared to the n64 SSB... the n64 didn't have every character feel like there floating :P and was balanced better and had some real AI.

[ShadowTiger]

Sakurai said that not everyone from Melee will make it in Brawl though. Now this might be referring to Roy most likely getting the boot, but I think it goes for most clones [whom were Roy, Gannondorf, Falco, and Kid Link].

If Lucas plays just like Ness, then no doubt Ness is out. He should have an alternate costume with Ness's hat. Bam, instant Ness.Well, they're likely to drop character who were virtually identical in nature. Pichu played fairly similar to how Pikachu did. Falco, on the other hand, (And I can assure you that I would know this firsthand.) plays dramatically differently than Fox does. So does Young Link. He, however, is being replaced by a Wind Waker style Link, from what I've heard. They would only endeavor to make characters unique from one another, rather than to outright drop similar ones. If they do drop them, it would make people rather angry.

[*b*]

So does Young Link. He, however, is being replaced by a Wind Waker style Link, from what I've heard.
That was a prank. They might give Link a WW-styled costume, but I doubt they'll add an entirely new character for WW Link

I wouldn't mind them getting rid of Young Link, Dr. Mario, and Pichu, actually. They DID play a LITTLE different, but not enough to make them really unique, especially Dr. Mario. The only thing really different about him was his smash-forward attack and his forward air. Other than that, he's the same as Mario, with maybe a couple subtle differences

[Din]

My guess is Young Link gets the boot, he was an exact clone of Link. Game and Watch may be in though. He is the only character from his own Nintendo game, and with Ice Climbers in, and they don't make his moves such jokes, there is a pretty good chance. That's just my opinion. There is also no doubt that there will be the biggest update in the last one. I just hope that this isn't the final smash game.

[MottZilla]

Oh it won't be the last. Nintendo still hasn't made a portable SSB, and it will always need to milk the cow for more money next generation.

[MasterSwordUltima]

I dunno, I think Lucas could absolutely take Ness' spot. He's really high up there, and since he's the latest hero of Mother fame, I just have a feeling on it. Its not like Nintendo is going to use the older style characters for the current game. For instance, they're not going to give you OoT Link when TP Link is the current one, and basically the same character. Lucas is basically Ness. No Ness doesn't have a twin brother, but they're both the main characters in their own Mother games. Lucas is newer.

HOWEVER, if Lucas plays differently from Ness, then they had better still keep Ness. Hell, add Ninten too!