[ducky285]

No one is arguing whether or not wavedashing was consciously taken out of Brawl because THAT much is apparent. It's that the removal signifies something about Nintendo's present and future business plans.

He didn't say casual was bad. He said it might become the trend in the industry. People who enjoy games with a lot of gameplay depth might be screwed if that comes to fruition. People who play competitive games in general fit into this group.

Gameplay depth comes at a price as it tends to requires a lot of dedication and knowledge to get the most out of it. People who play fighting games competitively fare better if they know all the ins and outs of the game they're playing. Someone who doesn't take their games as seriously as all that won't care enough to learn it or will be completely stumped.

Tell someone who has never played Street Fighter 3 how to use the parry system. Most people will be turned off since parrying is risky and requires precise timing. This is despite the game rewarding you immensely for taking the time to learn it. As a result, those people will just go home and play Street Fighter 2 while all the SF3 players who took the time to learn the game continue to play it. I'm not belittling those who can't figure out the parry. I can see where they coming from. If you just want to jump in and start playing, those types of techs are hurdles to their enjoyment of the game and not having to worry about it makes their gaming experience more fun. However, the people who took the time to learn it are probably enjoying it just as much, just in a different way.

In other words, the greater population of gamers lack the attention span (mostly consciously, I'm not saying you all have ADD and I'm NOT INSULTING ANYONE) to dedicate a large amount of their time to a game. A lot of you are content to play 4p FFA in Brawl with items on high. That's fine. Be happy and enjoy it. Just keep in mind that a lot people want a little more out of the game than all that, hence why Smash has a well organized, well developed competitive scene. We're not expecting everyone to follow that mentality (though there are elitists on both sides that are mainly in the minority).

Relamb's post servesnot to argue in favor of wavedashing, but to point out the attitude of Nintendo toward their games now. They make games so everyone can play them without fear of losing to people of much greater skill. They do this by minimizing the amount of advanced techniques (intentional or unintentional) that would allow those who take the time to learn them a sizable advantage.

It's a smart model, as it grabs a greater share of the market since people who would normally shy away from video games for fear of being overwhelmed by the learning curve or the possibility of losing to a skilled player. It's the pick-up-and-play model. It's been working for Nintendo so far and they will continue with it as long as it's profitable.

I, for one, like a little bit of complexity in my games. Shallow games are boring and lack replay value for me. A lot of people share this mentality but sadly (for us, at least..I'm not about to sit here and proselytize), we're the minority.

EDIT: I'd just like to add that Street Fighter 4 will completely abandon the parry system. The devs' reasoning? To make the game more accessible. See how Nintendo's business model is affecting other companies' decisions? Yes, it's one example. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I'm not saying it's a good thing. I'm saying it's worth thinking about.