Anyways, I do like the game and the CPT and it was a great year for SFV. The ESPN2 broadcast of EVO is probably my highlight? Felt like a watershed moment for the FGC.
I think SFV does have some great characteristics for viewers - among FGs specifically I appreciate the physical clarity of the characters, who are not over-accessorized. As well, moves tend to have such unique profiles, and this helped me in understanding the game.
Diversity was always the thing that got me in to SF. When I was a young brown kid who had no friends and thought everyone hated him, I was utterly shocked to see Dhalsim, a character who for all intents and purposes is brown, but also cool. I was shocked. There were characters from many nations, so much so it seemed the game was outright saying "Wherever you come from, there is a dope fighter! We're ALL cool."
Maybe this isn't the case really, and maybe it has more to do with arcade economics, but I bet a big reason the SF community has so much diversity is because the game has that really built in as something inportant to the design. Like many arabs, I was elated about Shaheen (Tekken) and Rashid (though I don't play him) and when I saw how they treated the latter via animations and the story mode.. Well I'm not too embarassed to say I cried a little. I'm 30 now, and in my life I never would have thought that hate and fear of people would grow worse as I got older... but lo. And so at a time when arabs are all but invisible except as villians in media, I feel like SF is reaching out an open hand, saying "We got you!" The actual Middle East tournaments, the community there, and the mutual respect among communities, well.. it all makes me quite happy. Sorry to rant!
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