Fighting Games Weekly | May 26-June 1 | Thank you, Keits

The Makoto number sticks out as "Everyone's re-learning how to play her now."
That is most probably true, though. ^^
It's the character that changed the most, she really has to be played differently now... Well, especially for players who used to have a tsurugi-happy Makoto! ^^
 
- Being able to travel to other scenes/regions to experience different playstyles
Winning NLBC for 5 weeks in a row doesnt mean shit if you can't do it out of your own region. However, this requires proper planning, and life management so you can afford those trips. It's a metagame outside the actual game itself called the game of life lol. I know Ryan travels to the best regions and gets exposed for the sole purpose of getting better
We just don't have the same access to mass transit the same way they do in Europe and Japan. Everything is so spread out and far away here, and all our options are either real pains in the butt or real pains in the wallet (sometimes both).


You mentioned Ryan goes to France a lot; any UK dudes here in the thread that can give us an idea of how long that trip takes and how expensove it can be? What are the options, etc?
 
I think people are blowing this region thing way out of proportion. Ryan Hart isn't winning tournaments because he plays in Europe. He's winning tournaments because he puts in the work and he's really fucking good.

The only region where there's an obvious skill difference compared to the rest of the world is Japan, and that probably has a lot to do with their arcade culture.

I think JWong is gonna be a lot stronger in Ultra if he picks up a different character (Elena hopefully). As lame as Rufus is, I still think he's way too risky a character for JWong.
 
I think people are blowing this region thing way out of proportion. Ryan Hart isn't winning tournaments because he plays in Europe. He's winning tournaments because he puts in the work and he's really fucking good.

The only region where there's an obvious skill difference compared to the rest of the world is Japan, and that probably has a lot to do with their arcade culture.

I think JWong is gonna be a lot stronger in Ultra if he picks up a different character (Elena hopefully). As lame as Rufus is, I still think he's way too risky a character for JWong.

Yea Justin is a lame sort of player, you can't really play too lame with Rufus.
 
Any big events this week? Unfortunately I had to make the OT quickly again when I was away from home, didn't get time to check SRK and whatnot.
 
Decided to compile the average win % from the top 10 character arcade rankings

Ryu 75%
Ken 74%
E. Honda 79%
Ibuki 76%
Makoto 65%
Dudley 69%
Seth 72%
Gouken 68%
Akuma 70%
Gen 67%
Dan 60%
Sakura 72%
Oni 76%
Elena 70%
Yun 75%
Juri 80%
Chun-li 72%
Dhalsim 70%
Abel 77%
C. Viper 74%
M. Bison 74%
Sagat 77%
Cammy 74%
Deejay 69%
Cody 69%
Guy 72%
Hakan 69%
Rolento 75%
Poison 74%
Evil Ryu 74%
Guile 75%
Blanka 70%
Zangief 74%
Rufus 74%
El Fuerte 68%
Vega 74%
Balrog 73%
Fei Long 72%
T. Hawk 72%
Adon 72%
Rose 76%
Yang 71%
Hugo 69%

So, what does it mean?
 
ImpressionableForcefulAmethystsunbird.gif


#thestreets

dat salt
 
Decided to compile the average win % from the top 10 character arcade rankings

Ryu 75%
Ken 74%
E. Honda 79%
Ibuki 76%
Makoto 65%
Dudley 69%
Seth 72%
Gouken 68%
Akuma 70%
Gen 67%
Dan 60%
Sakura 72%
Oni 76%
Elena 70%
Yun 75%
Juri 80%
Chun-li 72%
Dhalsim 70%
Abel 77%
C. Viper 74%
M. Bison 74%
Sagat 77%
Cammy 74%
Deejay 69%
Cody 69%
Guy 72%
Hakan 69%
Rolento 75%
Poison 74%
Evil Ryu 74%
Guile 75%
Blanka 70%
Zangief 74%
Rufus 74%
El Fuerte 68%
Vega 74%
Balrog 73%
Fei Long 72%
T. Hawk 72%
Adon 72%
Rose 76%
Yang 71%
Hugo 69%

How do they all have positive win %
 
- There's a lot more, and I know there are some players that do this already, but not to the level where I'd like to see it at.
tldr: lots of people still playing by feel

AKA over 95% of players:

1) don't analyze footsies because they don't understand them
2) don't know how to win bad matchups
3) don't have consistent offline scenes
4) don't understand how useful training mode is
5) lack the ability to play a truly mental game

To put it another way, the skill gap between the great SF players and the good ones is massive, and cannot be overcome by simply playing. It's a mental leap of understanding, like the leap from superstition to reason.
 
How do they all have positive win %

Because it's top 10 only.


Also on the topic of good top players and stuff. Like I said last week a ton of players don't do real studying cast wide, specially people in the anime community. A game like BB is SUPER FUCKING IMPORTANT to know what the entire cast can do and you can do to them at tournament level. This is why you have BananaKen getting blown the fuck up by a 14 year old who did his homework.

The commentary saying they had everyone huddling around a pc trying to figure out what to do the night before was fucking hilarious. "No one plays platinum!" Doesn't fucking matter research your match ups.
 
How do they all have positive win %
He forgot to mention that it's average win percentage against Deejays. It's over 50% for Deejay too because sometimes when Deejay players roll their faces hard enough on their sticks, you get Double KOs, which they count as wins to maintain their pride.
 
We just don't have the same access to mass transit the same way they do in Europe and Japan. Everything is so spread out and far away here, and all our options are either real pains in the butt or real pains in the wallet (sometimes both).


You mentioned Ryan goes to France a lot; any UK dudes here in the thread that can give us an idea of how long that trip takes and how expensive it can be? What are the options, etc?

I think it balances out in the US though in that we just have alot more major events in alot more regions. Not to mention regional weeklies and monthly events.

Even though it's possibly easier for them to travel to different regions, what exactly is there to travel for in Europe most of the year? Until recently wasn't Dreamhack their only real major event? and that's only street fighter.
 
A lot of Arturo's criticisms I feel are just a function of the current American FGC zeitgeist. That's probably a useless statement to most, but my point is this: a zeitgeist is subject to change in the face of the right impulses.

I firmly believe that a lot of people don't take preparation, and thus, winning, as seriously as they could/should simply because the rewards for that kind of preparation is not there. There's just not enough money/status associated with playing FGs to motivate such a measured approach. Those things are very important factors when it comes to things we look identify ourselves with out here.

Back in my Soulcalibur 2/Smash days I use to do all of those things - take notes at gatherings and tournaments, analyze my own match footage, memorize frame data - the whole nine. But ever since I stopped taking FGs as seriously - the motivation to utilize that type of rigor to improve simply isn't there anymore. Competitive gaming was a new thing to me, and I was that passionate about winning.

Since FGs can't even potentially pay the bills at this point, I don't see how/why the average competitive player would justify that approach outside of being really passionate about winning at FGs. Status and wealth are great motivators. Take those out of the equation and to just having fun grinding in your favorite game in hopes that you get good enough to at least make a name for yourself makes more sense. It's a lazy approach, but considering the rewards, and how the hobby is seen in the states, it's easily justifiable.

Same thing in regards to staying locally as opposed to incurring the cost of travel and other time and money investments related to improving.

And I find the comment regarding set play vs. feel amusing - because as soon as a game/character approaches that point, you know it's going to be dismissed by a vocal contingent as "mindless", "anime" or whatever pejorative phrase that sect would like to use to dismiss the time and effort sacrificed to getting the gameplay to that point. A Setplay is the ideal in all scenarios it's available but it's not always the best option. A good player knows when he has to forego set play to feel out his opponent. Ryan was really good with this last weekend.

This post is a mess I'm on my lunch break. It's saying SOMETHING I know it.
 
Also on the topic of good top players and stuff. Like I said last week a ton of players don't do real studying cast wide, specially people in the anime community. A game like BB is SUPER FUCKING IMPORTANT to know what the entire cast can do and you can do to them at tournament level. This is why you have BananaKen getting blown the fuck up by a 14 year old who did his homework.

The commentary saying they had everyone huddling around a pc trying to figure out what to do the night before was fucking hilarious. "No one plays platinum!" Doesn't fucking matter research your match ups.

Pops said he pretty much exclusively plays online or his brother.
Maybe more people should play online.
 
Pops said he pretty much exclusively plays online or his brother.
Maybe more people should play online.
More people should, it's not super perfect but it does help give you and understanding of match ups. Experience is major factor towards winning
 
A lot of Arturo's criticisms I feel are just a function of the current American FGC zeitgeist. That's probably a useless statement to most, but my point is this: a zeitgeist is subject to change in the face of the right impulses.

I firmly believe that a lot of people don't take preparation, and thus, winning, as seriously as they could/should simply because the rewards for that kind of preparation is not there. There's just not enough money/status associated with playing FGs to motivate such a measured approach. Those things are very important factors when it comes to things we look identify ourselves with out here.

Back in my Soulcalibur 2/Smash days I use to do all of those things - take notes at gatherings and tournaments, analyze my own match footage, memorize frame data - the whole nine. But ever since I stopped taking FGs as seriously - the motivation to utilize that type of rigor to improve simply isn't there anymore. Competitive gaming was a new thing to me, and I was that passionate about winning.

Since FGs can't even potentially pay the bills at this point, I don't see how/why the average competitive player would justify that approach outside of being really passionate about winning at FGs. Status and wealth are great motivators. Take those out of the equation and to just having fun grinding in your favorite game in hopes that you get good enough to at least make a name for yourself makes more sense. It's a lazy approach, but considering the rewards, and how the hobby is seen in the states, it's easily justifiable.

Same thing in regards to staying locally as opposed to incurring the cost of travel and other time and money investments related to improving.

And I find the comment regarding set play vs. feel amusing - because as soon as a game/character approaches that point, you know it's going to be dismissed by a vocal contingent as "mindless", "anime" or whatever pejorative phrase that sect would like to use to dismiss the time and effort sacrificed to getting the gameplay to that point. A Setplay is the ideal in all scenarios it's available but it's not always the best option. A good player knows when he has to forego set play to feel out his opponent. Ryan was really good with this last weekend.

This post is a mess I'm on my lunch break. It's saying SOMETHING I know it.
You have a point but I also think in addition to the "rewards" not being there there's also degree of selfishness. Why would players potentially put their hustle in jeopardy by showing others players how to beat them?
 
We just don't have the same access to mass transit the same way they do in Europe and Japan. Everything is so spread out and far away here, and all our options are either real pains in the butt or real pains in the wallet (sometimes both).


You mentioned Ryan goes to France a lot; any UK dudes here in the thread that can give us an idea of how long that trip takes and how expensove it can be? What are the options, etc?

Eurostar London to Paris is around £65-£150 return ticket depending upon what time of day and how far in advance you book. (2hrs journey)

Alternative methods of travel would be budget airlines or cheap coach tickets. Or just drive taking the ferry or channel tunnel.

Lots of options.
 
Why would players potentially put their hustle in jeopardy by showing others players how to beat them?

Why are people ignorant of -why- those players are the top players that they are? They wouldn't have that "hustle" if people understood the game, the training necessary to get that good, and the sacrifices you have to make to get to that level. They are not winning on raw talent, no matter how much they have. Fighting games are explicitly designed to allow you play to your own strengths.

I don't see how/why the average competitive player would justify that approach outside of being really passionate about winning at FGs.

Indeed. All we can do is hope that there ARE people like that, who can make some real change in the competitive scene and the community at large.
 
You have a point but I also think in addition to the "rewards" not being there there's also degree of selfishness. Why would players potentially put their hustle in jeopardy by showing others players how to beat them?

Because if bigger picture rewards aren't there (quick cash winning locals as opposed to big money and sponsorship potential via winning something national like Evo) then the cost/benefit ratio skews in favor of immediate selfishness. It's a common, learned, human behavior.

This is why I respect the hell out of Ryan Hunter (and I make it explicit that I respect him while we play to reinforce the behavior). Whether he's getting demolished or the other way around - he's always making his opponents aware of better decisions they could be making to beat him. Even while playing. It's habitual for him. He's just that passionate about optimal play in FGs.
 
Didn't even play one game yet and I already hate being on PSN. The OS is so slow. Took me forever to just delete several names and just move around.
 
Yeah, after being on PS4 for a bit the difference in speed of the OS and just loading things in general is noticeably slower. Wouldn't mind dat PS4 port. Though, I doubt it's happening at this point.
 
I'm still curious as to what they'll have to do to keep it 60fps on PS3.

I do not want to play it on ps3. They couldn't even make BB not lag on some stages and holy shit when Mu does her lazer super.... I don't even want to imagine all the YRC shit that will fuck the game up on ps3.

I'd imagine they would have to tone things down to the point where the game doesn't even have the visual flare that makes it special anymore
 
What if PS3 is the lead version for home ports.

It'll more than likely be the main version used at tournaments barring some drastic performance disparity between the versions. Personally though I think both versions will be fine

I'm playing on PS3 regardless. Fuck next gen atm.

Maybe I'll get one for the next version but I don't see myself playing on PS4 during Sign's lifespan
 
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