Announcement regarding Answer for Dev QnA to celebrate 250K Discord Members

Announcement regarding Answer for Dev QnA to celebrate 250K Discord Members

Legend

Q. Do you have plans for releasing Mythic skins for Legends that don’t have Mythic skins yet? Like Rambert, Snow, Peter, etc.?

We are currently making Mythic skins for Legends who lack attractive skins, and we will be making Mythic skins for other Legends in the future.

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Q. What is the most challenging aspect when creating Legends?

The most difficult part is when a Legend does not reflect the “fun” we had in mind when creating them.

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Q. What is the Legend creation process like?

Legends participating in SMASH LEGENDS are usually born through the following process.

1. Concept Discussion
Usually, we determine the type of Legend that is needed in the game and then search for suitable characters from fairy tales. Sometimes we decide on the in-game role after deciding on the fairy tale character first.
Once the fairy tale character is decided, we organize their information so their personality, background, role, affiliation, and relationships can seamlessly integrate into the Library World universe. Some fairy tale characters from different cultures share similar elements, and these are also carefully considered when a character is incorporated into SMASH LEGENDS.

2. Illustration
Based on the created setting, we refer to the original fairy tales and other media while creating artwork for the Legend. Since we often use popular fairy tales for inspiration, there are many characters from other media using the same concept. However, we focus on reinterpreting how the original character might exist in Library World rather than directly referencing characters created by other media.

3. Modeling
The most important part of the modeling process is to highlight the distinctive appearance that can capture the charm of the Legend while ensuring that Legends with diverse backgrounds blend harmoniously within the game.

4. Animation
In animation, we meticulously consider each movement and minor detail of the character to ensure that the Legend’s personality is well represented. Additionally, we conduct numerous playtests and adjustments to make a satisfying fighting game character.

5. Playtest
From the point the animation is done until the moment the Legend is revealed, numerous devs conduct repetitive playtests to refine the Legend.
As mentioned earlier, we work on enhancing a Legend’s characteristics and charms, ensuring smooth attack animations, appropriate damage values, and fair balancing as we make continuous adjustments.

6. Effects
We pay attention to designing attacks so their ranges and hit boxes are clear, and we also ensure that different attacks are easily distinguishable from each other.
Another important aspect we try to represent is the source of power that a Legend draws from. This involves making clear the dark purple aura of Ravi, the blue bubbles of Octavia, and Kaiser’s powerful muscles represented in orange.

7. Sound
We work on SFX by incorporating distinctive elements that can capture the identity of Legends well. For example, Loren’s Ultimate melody, a ballet song, was inspired by “The Nutcracker Suite.”
Finally, when the voice recordings are done and we can hear the voice of the Legend, we are ready to present the Legend to our Smashers.

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Balancing

Q. How are balance patches done?

We try to avoid nerfs that significantly reduce the playability of strong Legends. Recently, we have been making efforts to make Legends more enjoyable without compromising their fun aspects.

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Q. It’s common for newly released Legends to be OP. When are balance patches typically done?

In the development pipeline for SMASH LEGENDS, it takes about a month for changes we make to be reflected on the live server. After we release a new Legend, we conduct development/adjustments, followed by QA testing, and then the store review. This can be quite a lengthy process. If there is an urgent case, we may deploy hotfixes, but these are last resort measures we use sparingly as they can greatly affect the gaming experience.

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Game System

Q. Do you have any plans to add or improve guides for new players starting the game?

We are currently working on a system that will help players learn about the fun parts of each Legend. Rather than just providing a lot of information, we want the game to garner more interest from new Smashers.

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Q. It seems like new players are strapped for Credit. Do you have any plans to address this issue?

We are aware that the prices of Legends increased in June 2023, and the amount of Credit that new Smashers can earn did not increase in proportion. We are working on adding reward systems that can provide new Smashers with sufficient Credit.

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Q. Do you have plans to reintroduce the inactivity demotion system?

We are aware of the issue where players reach Master in Competitive Match and then not play the game, which lowers the amount of active players in higher ranks. In response, we plan to reintroduce inactivity demotion for Master and above, and we intend to address the inconvenience of not knowing how much time is left until inactivity is applied.

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Q. My Competitive Match points don’t match my matchmaking.

There was an issue with Competitive Match matchmaking not functioning correctly for a while due to a bug with the recent matchmaking algorithm changes. Fortunately, it was fixed within an hour, but the matchmaking algorithm is still somewhat unstable. Therefore, we are making efforts to adjust and improve the matchmaking process by widening the matchmaking range in regions where there are fewer players and narrowing it to enhance quality where there are more players.

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Miscellaneous Systems

Q. I’m playing SMASH LEGENDS on my PC, but I feel like the graphics options are limited. will there be more options for resolution, aspect ratio, etc.?

Due to the game being cross-platform, it was initially designed to run smoothly on both PC and mobile. As a result, the graphics settings were kept simple. In the future, we will work on adding more detailed options that can be adjusted specifically on the PC version.

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Q. The game doesn’t run smoothly and lags often on low-end mobile devices. Are there plans for addressing this?

We are continuously working on optimizing the game so that people around the world can enjoy SMASH LEGENDS even on lower-end devices.

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Q. I often see changes made that weren’t announced in the patch notes (ninja patches). Is it possible not to have ninja patches?

We weren’t intentionally omitting the changes from the patch notes. SMASH LEGENDS is a cross-platform game available in 13 languages, and any feature or content, once developed, has to go through various procedures like reviews before being implemented. In our efforts to deliver more content quickly while continually making changes, some elements may have been left out of the patch notes or worked on later. The team is also aware that this is causing confusion, and we are working on this issue. Thank you for your understanding.

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Q. Why is there a 100-friend limit?

The limit of 100 friends is in place because as the number of friends increases, the amount of information that the server has to process does too. When the friend limit was set to 1000 in the past, there were issues with frequent crashes and server instability, even when just creating parties. By limiting the friend limit to 100, the system has become more stable.

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Q. I want to know about the reasons and criteria for account suspension.

Our reporting and suspension system triggers when a certain number of valid reports accumulate. After this, we review the tickets and take action. Players who consistently and repeatedly impact other players negatively are subject to bans.

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Content

Q. The recent Mythic skins cannot be acquired by free-to-play players even through events. Will this continue in the future?

For the time being, we will continue releasing Mythic skins in this way. However, after some amount of Mythic skins are made, we plan to create more opportunities for more players to obtain them.

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Q. Do you have any plans to make improvements to increase the player base of Competitive Match?

Currently, the percentage of players who participate in Competitive Match is lower than the goal we have in mind. We understand the concerns that many players raised about rewards for Competitive Match being too low, and we are considering increasing the overall rewards as a first step to address this.

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Q. Are there plans to release more enchantments in the future?

We are testing new enchantments that add to the game while ensuring they have distinct characteristics that do not overlap with existing enchantments. Although it may not be on a regular schedule, if we develop enchantments that meet our standards, we plan to release them in the future.

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Q. Are there any plans to release Golden Legends?

Golden Legend skins were primarily created as a use for Credit. While they may not be the best in terms of effects or quality, we plan to release more Golden Legend skins in the future.

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Other

Q. Are there any plans for a console release?

Unfortunately, there are currently no plans for a console release. There are significant technical challenges, but the biggest issue is the inability to release the same content at the same time on consoles. Console game updates undergo stricter approval processes than for mobile games, making simultaneous patches difficult. If the timing of patches differ, multiplayer matchmaking becomes impossible, and servers will need to be separated. This incurs additional costs and presents more technical challenges which can potentially lead to negative player experiences, thus making it difficult for us to consider a console release.

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Q. How many people are on the dev team of SMASH LEGENDS?

The team currently consists of around 30 members. This includes around 10 artists and writers, 10 engineers and designers, as well as marketers and managers of various roles.

Q. Are there any plans to release and sell SMASH LEGENDS merchandise?

We are also very interested in merchandise and have been producing small quantities for events. However, officially selling merchandise involves significant costs and requires attention to various aspects, making it challenging for us to easily attempt.

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Q. It has been a long time since the last Legends novel. Will there never be another novel in the future? I’m curious if there will be more lore content releases besides Smash Toon and Pass Toon.

The Legend novels have been temporarily paused because the cost of production outweighed the viewership. However, we are working on releasing comics that will depict the daily lives of the Legends soon. If you have any questions about the Legends in Library world, please check out Ask Legends Anything.

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Q. What was the reason for choosing fairy tales as the base for developing the lore and Legends?

We chose fairy tales because it appeals to players of all ages from diverse cultures from around the world. Fairy tales are universally popular, have wide appeal, and are numerous.

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Q. Who are the Japanese VAs for each Legend?

Peter: Kondo Yui
Cindy: Inamori Hisayo
Alice: Kurasawa Yui
Hook: Tachibana Uko
Kaiser, Buto: Mamiya Yasuhiro
Red, Flare: Yuzuki Shoko
Master Cat: Uoken
Ravi: Sagara Nobuyori
Witch Queen: Ishida Kayo
Ducky, Swan, Octavia: Kumagai Mirei
Snow: Oshita Kota
Don Quixote: Harada Akira
Rapunzel: Takedachi Ikumi
Nui: KIRIMURA Mari
Wolfgang: TAJIMA Akihiro
Robin: Kitayama Kyosuke
Jack’O: ZENZAI Tatsuya
Brick: KANZAKI Maki
Goldie: Fujita Mami
Rambert: Tsuyuzaki Wataru
Kurenai: Kobayashi Yuuki
Zeppetta: Shindou Ayumi
Wukong: Hirakawa Arashi
Molly: DAIMON Kami
Maya: HUZIWARA Haruno
Gumi: TAKESHITA Reina
Victor: AGEISHI Naoyuki
Loren: Ricky
Parfait: Eitoku Eri
Ali: Tasuku Yamanouchi
Aoi: Yaguchi Asami
Timun: Tanaka Emi

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Q. Who are the English VAs for each Legend?

We apologize, but we are contractually unable to disclose the names of English VAs.

Legend

Q. Please give us a new Molly skin.

Actually, we are currently in the process of creating a Molly skin. We can show you a small preview.

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Q. Are there any plans for a Gumi buff or rework?

The biggest issue with Gumi is that she causes a lot of stress for players fighting against her. We determined that Gumi on release, who could win easily with easy controls, did not mix well with the other Legends. This could not simply be resolved with nerfs. Therefore, we have plans for a major rework for Gumi, but currently, we do not have the resources within the team to do it just yet.

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System

Q. Please allow us to ban Legends in Competitive Match.

Initially, there was a ban system in Competitive Match. However, there were not enough Legends when Competitive Match was released, so the ban system did not work well. But now, with over 30 different Legends, we are considering adding it back.

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Q. Could different modes be balanced differently?

We do not want Legends to play differently from mode to mode, but we are currently testing different damage multipliers for Legends to balance their performance without affecting their game plan.

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Q. Please bring back Arena Lab.

Arena Lab was originally designed to provide a fun event-style mode, but it didn’t function as intended. Additionally, the matchmaking experience was not optimal, so we currently do not have plans for reintroducing Arena Lab. However, there is potential to use Arena Lab for testing out new modes or maps in the future.

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Q. Please add potions and various terrains in trials.

Items such as HP Potions, Bombs, Snowballs, Magnet Bombs, and Donuts will be added to trials after the September 26 update.

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Q. Please allow us to check whether the person we reported has been penalized.

Currently, reports and bans are being managed periodically through a combination of automated systems and manual monitoring. A list of bans is uploaded at the end of each month, but we understand the inconvenience of not being notified about someone you reported. Therefore, we are considering implementing a system that can inform the reporter of bans.

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Content

Q. Are there plans for new maps?

Creating new map styles is currently a challenge for us due to internal constraints, but we are considering creating new Dominion maps that utilize existing maps.

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Q. Please add items that allows us to change the Spotlight (MVP) animation.

We have been considering Spotlight items since the early days, but skins and Spotlight effects are integrated together for mobile optimization. This makes it difficult to create a separate item for Spotlights. However, we are still experimenting with skins that have special Spotlight effects, as seen in recent Mythic skins.

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Q. Could you provide us with official tournaments/clan features/roadmaps?
As mentioned in previous developer notes, we have been working on adding various features and making many attempts to maintain, improve, and expand the service. During this process, we understand that many players have requested for features such as clan battles and official tournaments, which have not been properly carried out. We acknowledge the disappointment this may have caused to many Smashers.
We are players who love SMASH LEGENDS before we are developers, and we also want to create these features to make the game better. However, as you might be aware, the team is currently focused on identifying and meeting goals required to adapt to the rapidly changing market. Therefore, we are not able to confidently tell you what features or content we can develop by a certain time at the moment. We understand that making promises we can’t keep will lead to disappointment, so we are cautious about making hasty commitments that we are unable to fulfill.
Nevertheless, what we want to affirm is that we believe in the value of SMASH LEGENDS, and we are committed to doing our best to provide everyone who believes in us with an enjoyable experience for a long time to come. We hope you will continue watching and supporting the direction that SMASH LEGENDS takes in the future.