Physics in an Animation Universe Outline

Physics of smash bros

Intro: Super Smash Bros Melee (2001)

1. Basic concept: smash is a 2.5d fighting game where the goal is to knock your opponent off the stage. Instead of a traditional HP bar, smash keeps track of damage through a percentage bar, where the higher the percent, the farther they will go when they get hit.
2. The world of smash bros is similar to ours with the exception of one additional, omnipresent, supernatural force that alters many of the physics of the world: that of the player’s controller.

P1: Double jumping and most “recovery moves”:

1. Players have the ability to jump a second time in mid air, usually illustrated through some sort of flip the character will perform, increasing vertical displacement while still in the air, despite the fact that it’s not physically possible

P2: Fast falling, L cancelling, and wavedashing: player control over gravity

Not only can the player control the height of the jump, but also the speed at which they fall (fast falling) (even though the characters are in the same falling pose)

1. but if they are sent into “knockback” by another player, they can’t control gravity because getting hit creates the sense of helplessness (but even then not entirely because of Directional Influence)
2. 
   

OVERALL: diverse, physics defying movement (and also the moments where movement options are taken away from you) contribute to the interactivity and control, as well as amplifies the amount of helplessness that occurs when its taken away from the player

P3: Damage, knockback, and launch power: constant action, but disproportionate “reaction”

3. Every attack, regardless of the physical motion or nature of the attack has the ability to launch opponents (ie a punch does the same damage and knockback as a sword stab)
1. If a character sustains more damage, they are launched farther despite their physical weight and the force of the attack remaining the same
2. “Spike” and “Meteor” attacks send players straight down regardless of weight and force applied
4. But even with the physics altering combat system, there’s still a way to have some sort of say in the fight: Directional Influence
1. After getting launched, holding the control stick perpendicular to the launch angle reduces the distance travelled by influencing the trajectory of the hit
2. This avoids getting knocked all the way off the screen, which would otherwise result in a KO.
3. Interesting because this is something a CPU player will not do, only human players will regularly do this

B. OVERALL: The combat in smash bros relies on exaggeration for the sake of the feeling of power that can be conveyed through the physical fighting, but the player ultimately still has control over their personal characters

Conclusion

5. Overall, these changes to the real law of physics provide a better sense of control for the player, increasing the overall of contribution the player has on the characters and interactivity and immersion into the game itself.