Development of new Smash Bros. game impacted by Sakurai's right arm

Speaking from personal experience here, and typically logging about 60 hours a week (and about 80 when tournaments are going) on the site for about the last 6 years... the injuries you sustain over time for doing vast amounts of computer work are no joke.

I've had to do numerous things to reduce the impact on my body, and some of the tournament coverage through the years has resulted in me checking into the hospital a few times.

You don't think that this kind of work would have such a highly negative impact on your body, but it's when the hours stretch out to very long periods of time, and without many breaks in between, it really starts to make an impact, and if you don't fix your approach and learn to rest, the injuries only build up more and more.

Hopefully Sakurai can find a better balance there, because if he doesn't, he'll be out of commission for awhile.

I just hope this doesn't become permanent.

@Catalyst

I know what you mean. Having to work every weekday over the same stuff can somehow stress your body. It could either lead to anxiety or a panic attack.

Knowing how bad Sakurai wanted the project nicely done, he should deserve a break. There's no need into giving your a body a heck a lot of work so I hope he gets better. In the meantime, his health is more important than the project itself.

Where can i go to filter out SmashBro's new? DansGame

That sucks. Here hoping it fixes quickly!

I thought this was a fighting game website? Eventhubs covers party games now?

i hope he gets better fast!!

Wacom or Cintiq claims another victim? He was most likely rotating his arm too much. You have to restrict the range of motion when you use tablet type devices, or else you run the risk of severe tennis elbow or bursitis. He should have cut down the repetitive motion a long time ago.

No rush, Sakurai. Hope you are healed soon.

Repeated gestures. Which is what computer work is... Gives ya carpal tunnel and tennis elbow. Although I would imagine its harder to get tennis elbow than carpal from a computer since I believe it's caused mostly from a gripping or swinging motion

Get well soon yo!

My mom had it, you can get these things that kinda squeeze your arm to stop it from happening. The only way to really get rid of it that I know if is to take a long break, to stop the cause of it.... But... Smash bros =,(

To be fair I'm no doctor so I could be completely wrong

@6 Hey, there's nothing wrong with party games, they can be very competitive too. Kappa

Holy crap these Japanese people just work themselves to death! Sounds like this guy's in need of a... BIONIC AAARRRRRMMMMM!!!!!!

People like #6 needs to stop treating SSB or any fighter platform concept like a party game.

Because SSB is a fighter game in its own right, but different. It involves 4 players beating each other in a arena type stage, part of the stages are like the platform games like Mario, Sonic, Kirby etc. Sometimes fighter game genre needs something to step out of normal traditional, in order for fighter games not being stale and sending fighter games to a graveyard with the beat em up games.

If people don't like the SSB or platform fighter fine, but just leave it alone and don't spread hates on the comments.

SSB and platform fighter should be know as "Platform Fighter", not party game because when you think party game its a board game with mini games not SSB.

@Catalyst - agreed, I actually had RSI/overuse syndrome way back when I was 24, and as of late, due to pretty much every job I do being computer-related (meaning I'm in a chair and typing/drawing/pressing buttons over 12 hours a day), it's starting to creep back up again. People underestimate how much this kind of work can affect them (for me, I had to wear a brace for a while to help limit movement, but I'm fine now).

Hope he gets well soon and doesn't overwork himself. Worst thing he could do is cause permanent injury.

people actually took time to badmouth smash's genre classification? really?

@6

I think of this more as an example on how game development, regardless of the genre of game, can have it's impacts on the body.

i never played smash but most of you are over 20, and if you had been born 10 years later, you'd be all about smash.

we all play video games here, nothin manlier about one over the other. Try impressing a girl that you play SF and not smash. Im sure it'll work.

I'm also a programmer and got RSI from working too much. They gotta let this guy have a week's rest minimum now or else this guy could be permanently suffering.

It's not worth your health just for a job! If you die the company will replace you in a few weeks or months, you have to live with your health for the rest of your life.

You gotta love people not being interested in something but take their precious time to complain.

@6
really, are you REALLY doing this right now?
C'mon man, it's not even about whether it's a fighter or a party game, it's about a guy who is injured right now, could you at least stop the trolling for once and say get better soon or something of that nature?

Damn Sakurai D: Take it easy man, hopefully it gets better soon

On another note, jeez Sakurai, I didn't think you were working that hard, it's ok to take a break once and awhile.

@6 I think when people say Smash isn't a fighting game, what they SHOULD say is it's a really really weird fighting game.

@Jennyfromtheblock - Unfortunately, that seems to be the single largest pastime on the internet...

"Oh, this is about something I have absolutely no care about at all? Perfect place to post my tripe!"

Maybe he was typing in the code for the new tripping mechanic when suddenly divine intervention struck.

Seriously though, I hope he gets better. I remember when I read that Yasunori Mitsuda nearly worked himself to death while composing the Chrono Trigger soundtrack, and that would have been a real shame. It's always sad when talented people never get to see the responses to their hard work.

With game production budgets being a recent topic too, I think it's also worth noting that many game devs don't make a ton money. Hopefully this isn't still the case for Sakurai's team, and they can afford to take a break or go to the doctor if they need to.

Lol why does this guy sound like he is working on the game completely by himself?
Are you seriously telling me he play test the game all on his own and no one else does anything?

I'm still struggling to see the party element in smash (unless you play the wario ware level :P). Smash is a platformer mostly with the freedom to attack like a side scrolling beat em up.

Nobody should be giving Crondizzle the time of day. He ****talks in almost every single post Eventhubs makes. He knows how to get under people's skins, and gets away with it too often. Use your observation skills and troll filters guys.

tldr; If you respond to Crondizzle, you just got trolled.

I would really like a block button soon, EHubs :)

If you don't want to put Smah in the same category as SF, GG etc, just call it a platform fighter. Coz it IS a fighing game.

I hope he is okay. As long as he cares about making a quality product then I don't care. Poor guy must be at %90 health. I hope no one on his team sneezes at him.

Get well, Sakurai-Sensei!

#28
We have a report spam button that people ignores.

Sakurai-sama plz D:

Why do you retards respond to #6? The fact that you respond is more annoying than his actual troll post.

I really feel for the guy. I've done a lot of jacking o... I mean computer work over the years and without breaks it builds up quite a bit.

Honestly don't rush the game, don't rush yourself. Think about it, the only competition you were gonna have was PSASBR, and it sucked because it was rushed and it had a horrible only kill with specials system. I want this game to be GREAT, don't really care how much I have to wait.

@Doopliss - agreed 100%.

And damn did I put a shzz-ton of hours into Melee and Brawl. Melee got so many 1000's of hours, straight ridiculous.

I hope he recovers soon! But I hope he doesn't rush himself. He needs to let himself fully recover, for his sake and the games'.

Yeah, even working in a computer can stress your body if you're not careful. Dunno if this was Ono's case back then, but his was a good example of how Japanese people are workaholic - I heard that few people visited him while he was recuperating, and that he was scolded for being absent for "so long" when he came back to work. I hope Sakurai is not mistreated like this...

Get well, Sakurai-san! Your work performance is wholly influenced by your health condition. Moreover, there's absolutely no need to rush. Developing a great game obviously takes time, so take as long as you need.

#36

I feel you on that. For 64 and Melee, I spent so many thousands of hours playing those, it's insane when I look back at it.

Smash IS a fighting game. The sooner this Capcom fanboy-infested FGC can get over and accept it, the better off all of us will be.

Sakurai, I hope you get well. Your health is more important than a video game project.

Wow.

Japan calm down. Everyone relax. Do we really want Smash Bros so bad that we want this guy to lose the ability to use his arm. Thirst for consumer goods in modern society needs to be quelled. Health is everything guys!

Right arm busted? Link's going to be top tier this time around. Trust.

Seriously though, it may be a game to us, but it's the man's job. I hope he takes some time off and gets well, but who knows what the company environment is there right now. He could risk losing his position if he steps aside (although I doubt that they'd be so cruel). The man's got a strong work ethic, let's hope he gets better and pulls through.

He's putting in some major work. I'm really hoping he scraps the whole "I don't want smash to be competitive" dealing and removes tripping, returns air dodge to how it should be rather than spammable, adds spikes back in on certain moves, and makes stages less gimmicky and make it feel less like your character is a balloon. The game needs some speed back... As well as hit stun and such that allowed combos in smash 64 and melee

A guy is getting injuries to work on a game on loves and some idiots still come here to trash talk Smash for the sake of doing it. Pathetic lives you all got.

I work with web technology and my job is largely computer based. Indeed if you're not careful, you can get hurt. It's important to get your blood flowing and circulating, so you need to get away from your chair every hour or so and stretch a little. Eat fruits/vegetables, exercise, and get plenty of rest.

If you moderate everything, you'll be fine.