What makes the mean the ideal measure of central tendency? Explain why, other than your totally subjective opinion, we should use the mean rather than the median.
To calculate the matchup ratio between two characters, take the mean of their matchup ratios for stages that would be counter-picked by the characters in a set. It's not even my opinion, it's just math.
Nope.
Glad to see we aren't making preemptive assumptions of each-other's responses.
The difference between the median and the mean is that the mean helps out those with stronger CPs (as % points from the median).
A stage with the mean matchup ratio wouldn't "help" anyone, it would accurately represent the matchup ratio... because the mean is the matchup ratio. The median stage is just a stage that is not necessarily relevant to the matchup.
The matchup may be in Mickey's advantage, but out of the stages, the ones that help Donald help him out more than Mickey's help him. However, Mickey has lesser help from a larger number of stages.
I gave an example of a matchup between two characters, the win percentages are data for the matchup between those two characters only. For all we know, Donald could be a strong character and Mickey could be a terrible character that just happens to do well versus Donald.
What your "mean" idea boils down to is simply rewarding characters for having some relatively strong CPs rather than favoring them for doing well on a larger number of stages.
This "mean" idea would accurately represent the matchup for what it is.
All this does is end up favoring Falco/Diddy/ICs for having very strong CPs in FD/SV/(Japes, Picto, or BF depending on character) and MK/Wario for their "autowins" on RC/Brinstar.
Again, this wouldn't favour anyone, it would give an accurate representation of the matchup between two characters.
Shouldn't a character's starter stage reflect some advantage to them based on their inherent advantage of being more versatile on a greater number of stages? The answer isn't even debatable. Yes!
As long as the advantage that character has over the other character is an accurate representation of the total matchup between those characters, then yes. Otherwise, no.
If you say no, you're taking away tools built into the character, and you're as scrubby as someone saying "ban d3 the ch@!ngr@b!!!", which is just the same: an attribute built into the character.
The characters still have their tools. The matchup between the two characters is just accurately represented on the first game in a set.
Your system arbitrarily hands out buffs and nerfs rather than following the natural system of allowing characters with good stage versatility as one of their attributes to use that to their advantage.
If accurately representing the matchup is buffing/nerfing characters then you aren't accurately representing the matchup.
You keep coming back to the idea that some stage "accurately represents the matchup."
The starter stage should accurately represent the matchup between two characters in a set because the matchup on that stage is an accurate representation of the matchups on all the stages that would be counter-picked in that set. I keep saying it because you're not getting it. I continue to repeat myself, hoping that the next time your read it, you might understand it.
Matchups involve stages too, and character viability is affected by stage performance.
Yeah, never said nor implied otherwise.
tl;dr DONALD DOESN'T DESERVE A 44:56, MICKEY IS A BETTER CHARACTER
The matchup between Mickey and Donald is 55:45 (56:44 if you consider stages that would never even be played in a set between them). Mickey is not necessarily a better character, he just has the advantage in this matchup. The matchup should be accurately represented. A stage that accurately represents their matchup is one where Mickey wins 55% of the time.
In summary, Mickey doesn't deserve a starter stage that results in him winning 60% of the time versus Donald. Likewise, Donald doesn't deserve a starter stage that results in him winning 50% of the time versus Mickey. Both characters deserve to have the matchup ratio accurately represented on the first game of a set - a stage where Mickey wins 55% of the time.