PLEASE CHECK THE OP FOR UPCOMING EVENTS AND LIVE STREAMS!
There are a ton of streams this weekend! Check em out! Will add to the OP soon!
LIVE STREAMS FOR THE WEEKEND OF APRIL 3
Street Fighter IV
April 3, 1pm START
Nagoya Street Battle
Stream: http://ja.justin.tv/nsb_sf4
1pm - 3pm: Dictator vs. Blanka only tournament
4pm - 8pm: 5 on 5 main tournament, teams split up by region (Tokyo, Osaka, etc.)
April 4, 12pm START
Street Fighter 4 National 3 on 3 Team Tournament
Don't have a Nico Nico account? Check this thread for info on how to register: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=205524
Stream: http://live.nicovideo.jp/gate/lv14213873
MAJOR EVENT SCHEDULE
Street Fighter 4 National 3 on 3 Team Tournament
When: April 4, 2010
Where: Belle Salle Hall Akihabara, Japan
Info: This is Capcom's official tournament in Japan, for the second year running. Unlike last year's 1 on 1 tournament, this is a 3 on 3 team tournament featuring the very best in the country, and arguably the very best in the world. No word on whether or not it will be streamed, but we'll post info if it is. The event will also have a playable version of Super Street Fighter IV, plus a talk show with the voice actors of the game, including the very delicious Eri Kitamura (Juri's Japanese voice actress)
Devastation 2010 by jam86
When: June 18-20 2010
Where: Phoenix, AZ Phoenix Convention Center
Website: http://www.devastationevent.com/ (Register Online, Book that hotel!!)
Games: SSFIV, Tekken 6, BlazBlue, King of Fighters XII, Soul Calibur IV, Tatsunoko vs Capcom, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, Tekken Tag Tournament, Street Fighter III: Third Strike, and wait for it ...
yes really it's not a joke... Modern Warfare 2, Halo 3, Quake Live, Madden 2010, Guitar Hero 5, DJ Hero,
Info: Last year it was the pre-Evo event, this year we're going big. Online registration has been up for awhile, event teamed up with Hyatt Regency Phoenix hotel ($79 per night, double occupancy).
Evolution 2010 (http://www.evo2k.com)
When: July 9 - 11, 2010
Where: Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas
Games: Super Street Fighter IV, Tekken 6, Tatsunoko VS. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, Marvel vs Capcom 2, Melty Blood: Actress Again
Super VS Battle 20-X (http://www.supervsbattle.com/svb20x/)
When: August 20 - 22, 2010
Where: Byron Hall, Harrow, London UK
Games:Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, Soul Calibur 4, BlazBlue, Tekken 6 BR, King of Fighters XII , Super Street Fighter 4, Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike
Super Battle Opera (http://www.tougeki.com)
When: September 2010 TBA
Where: TBA
Games: Virtua Fighter 5R, Tekken 6 BR, Street Fighter IV, Sengoku Basara X, Arcana Heart 3, King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, Blazblue Continuum Shift, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike, Super Street Fighter II Turbo
INTRODUCTION
The last thread on esports got locked due to being too all encompassing, so this thread is ONLY for fighting games, because delving into fighters, RTS, FPS, Battleship and Connect Four is a bit much for one thread to contain.
This thread is for the discussion of competitive fighting games, for those who play them competitively or for those who love to watch them as a spectator. We'll update this thread with live events and news when it becomes available. I'm also working on a schedule for the major events so that people know what's coming up this year.
Current Games
Street Fighter 4
Best Strategy Resource
http://www.shoryuken.com
Best Video Resources:
http://www.youtube.com/user/godsgarden1
http://www.youtube.com/user/GAMEacho
http://www.youtube.com/user/iplaywinner
http://www.youtube.com/user/levelupseries
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/godsgarden
Out of all the Capcom fighters, SF4 is currently the one that gets the most play, being the most recent game and having balance that's a bit better than previous efforts. There are TONS of live streaming events out there on UStream and JustinTV, so check this thread for updates regularly if you want to catch a stream. With Super Street Fighter 4 just a month away, expect this game to retain its hold at the top of the fighting game world.
Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike
Best Strategy Resource
http://www.shoryuken.com
Best Video Resource
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheShend
Personally, I don't like this game a whole lot compared to SF4, but the characters I do play I love! I'm primarily a Hugo player, and I feel he's the best bigman in fighting games. Having said that, despite being over a decade old, and despite having questionable balance, people are still playing this game because it's fast, fun and looks fucking gorgeous. Japanese players have been running ranbats forever and the game is still going strong!
Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo / HD Remix
Best Strategy Resource
http://www.shoryuken.com
http://curryallergy.blogspot.com/
Best Video Resources
http://www.youtube.com/user/supersf2turbo
http://ja.justin.tv/kasugai50
Over 20 years and still going strong! The release of HD Remix really helped boost the game's popularity in the west, although Japan is still playing the original game because HD Remix isn't officially available in the country. Out of all the Street Fighter games, Super Turbo is the one that has lasted the longest, and is the most revered. Any serious SF player should play this game to truly understand the series.
Virtua Fighter 5R
Alright, I'm only putting this game on the list because it's the game that I play competitively. I realize it's not a popular game because it's not available outside of Japan, but you can still play the previous version on 360 online. Hopefully Sega gets their shit together and releases the Final Showdown upgrade on console.
No matter who you ask though, no one will argue that when it comes to competitive fighting games, Virtua Fighter is the one game that will be near the top of everyone's list as a viable tournament game. It doesn't have the success of Tekken or Street Fighter, but Virtua Fighter is the game that has set the standard for a long time, and it's also the series that many other fighting games look at when they have to come up with new features. Tekken, we're looking at you!
Best Strategy Resource:
http://www.virtuafighter.com
http://www.vfdojo.net (Japanese only)
Best Video Resource
http://www.youtube.com/user/ogikage
Tekken 6 BR (By AAK)
Originally released in the arcades winter 2007 followed by a patch along with 2 extra characters in 2008, Tekken 6 BR is the latest offering from Namco's premier 3D fighting game franchise. The game's popularity is dominant in Asia looking at the arcade scene alone. Since its debut Tekken has consistently topped Arcadia Rankings until today. Tekken 6 BR's most significant achievement is being one of the most balanced 3D fighters ever released with nearly every one of the 39 member cast having an equal chance of winning tournaments with the right dedication.
Best Strategy Resources:
http://www.sdtekken.com/
http://www.iamtekken.com/
http://www.tekkenzaibatsu.com
Here are the best video resources for Tekken:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TekkenGosu
http://www.youtube.com/user/LevelUpYourGame
http://www.youtube.com/user/HongKongTekken
http://www.youtube.com/user/geesendou <---- Also includes BB, KOFUM, Meltly Blood, among others
http://www.youtube.com/user/Jon747
http://www.nicovideo.jp/search/鉄拳[/QUOTE]
Electric Wind God Fist Tutorial
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core
Needs write-up!
Best Strategy Resource:
http://www.dustloop.com
Best Video Resource:
Blazblue Continuum Shift
We need a write-up! Who wants to do it?
Best Strategy Resource:
http://www.dustloop.com
Best Video Resource:
King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match / KOF13 (if it's good) by Fersis
The King Of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match (KOF02UM) is the remake of one of the best balanced entries on the legendary series (KOF02).
It brings characters not available on KOF02 like Igniz,Zero,Geese,Original Zero and more, new moves,new art ,new soundtrack and 'B or EX' versions for Kensou,Takuma,Robert and Geese.
After the 'disappointment' called KOFXII, KOF02UM became the standard competitive KOF.
SNKP will be showing KOF XIII for the first time on March 25th.
Best Strategy Resources:
Shoryuken.com
Cyberfanatix
Orochinagi.com
KOFUnion.com (Korean)
Best Video Resources:
Cyberfanatix (Lots of combo videos)
Youtube account of DarkGeese
Youtube account of DandyDLC
Soulcalibur IV (By Freshmaker)
Despite being forever stuck in Tekken's shadow, SC IV did manage to sell over 2 million copies. The game still retains its distinctive features like air control, guard impacts, and adds in criticial finishes just in case ring outs weren't considered enough of a one hit kill option.
Best Strategy Resource:
www.8wayrun.com
(The forums tend to be more up to date than the wiki.)
www.caliburforum.com
(Largely inactive now, but good resource for older SC info.)
Best Video Resource:
http://www.8wayrun.com/video.php
http://www.youtube.com/user/GnouzCorp#p/u
Melty Blood
Needs writeup!
Best Strategy Resource:
Best Video Resource:
Gundam VS. series
Needs writeup!
Best Strategy Resource:
Best Video Resource:
Tatsunoko vs Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars by Threi
The latest installment in the Capcom VS franchise, Ultimate All-Stars is an update to the Japan-only release, Cross Generation of Heroes. Released in America at the end of January, this update boasts new characters and improved character balance, something that has been praised as something sorely missing in previous VS games. Following the same development philosophy as Street Fighter 4, Tatsunoko vs Capcom has a system that is easy to pick up, but has enough depth for even the most intricate of players. The game has been described as "a mix of Marvel vs. Capcom 1 and Guilty Gear". It will be hosted by Evo this year, which will show how active the community is currently. It is, however, definitely gaining popularity.
Best Strategy Resource
http://www.shoryuken.com
http://www.iplaywinner.com
Best Video Resources:
trag: tragic video
Rockeits: Competitive Fighting Games
RoyalFlush: SoCal TvC, Tekken
XSilvenX: XSilvenX's Channel
yourmother: Rollisyourmother's TvC Channel
Taurus Oxford's TvC Playlist
http://www.youtube.com/user/psychochronic
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Smash discussion allowed in here?
A: NO.
Q: Why?
A: This is a thread for competitive fighting games. Also, the mods said that Smash discussion would not be tolerated.
Q: But Smash is a...
A: No, it's not. Also, see Answer #1.
Q: What's the tournament standard for fighting games?
A: It usually varies between games, but 90% of the time you'll find that default settings apply, unless a glitch exists that can freeze the game. In rare cases a character will be banned for being unbalanced but that is very rare. Bracket format differs between countries. Japan likes to run single elimination with no character changes allowed while having double elimination on rare occassions, while the West likes to run double elimination with character changes allowed.
Q: Which tournament format is better for fighting games?
A: You can make arguments for both formats, there really isn't a BETTER format per se. Double elimination allows for counter-picking characters and can produce more consistent results, but single elimination forces players to understand matchups better and can produce more exciting results/upsets because of this.
Q: Are there any leagues that I can follow?
A: Yup, there's the MLG (Major League Gaming, www.mlgpro.com) and WCG (World Cyber Games, www.wcg.com), then there's Evo (Evolution, www.evo2k.com), and then there's the newly created Level Up Series (www.levelup-series.com).
Q: It all seems very serious
A: Well, you only get out of it what you put into it, but with any competitive game, if you're serious about it, you can find like-minded people who you can relate to and eventually create friendships with. On a personal note, some of my best friends are the ones I met through playing Soulcalibur 2 and Street Fighter.
Q: Does it take a lot of time to become a pro?
A: Yes, just like anything in life. It's wrong to say someone's a pro unless they're making a living off of it though. Japanese players are often thought of as pros, but most of them do not make money off of the game. In fact, tournament purse money based on entry fees is strictly prohibited in Japan due to gambling laws. However, if a sponsor is willing to put up the money for a tournament, that is legal. More often than not, players in Japan only play for small prizes like posters, toys, and uh... pride. The west works in the complete opposite way, with prize money going to the top 3 finishers at tournaments. The usual split for prize money is 70/20/10 although it varies depending on the tournament organizer.
Q: What are the hotspots for competitive fighting games?
A: You can usually find a good community in just about every major city if you're looking hard enough. Some areas are known for being better at certain games than others, with the top areas being NorCal, SoCal, Texas, and New York. You can find good players anywhere though.
Q: What's a Ranbat?
A: A series of tournaments over a given period of time where players accumulate points based on their placing in each tournament. at the end of the season, points are tallied up and the overall ranking is decided by who has the most points at the end of the seasons.
Q: How do I know which character is best for me?
A: Using SF4 as an example, take into account what your hands can do, and how fast you can react to attacks. If you're the type who has fast hands and execution is nothing to you, and you have fast reaction speed, a technically advanced character like Viper can be your best fit. If you're like me, someone with average execution and reactions, but prefers to fight up close, you may want to try a grappler character like Zangief. If you like mid/long-range fighting, you may want to try picking up a character like Dhalsim.
There are a ton of streams this weekend! Check em out! Will add to the OP soon!
LIVE STREAMS FOR THE WEEKEND OF APRIL 3
Street Fighter IV
April 3, 1pm START
Nagoya Street Battle
Stream: http://ja.justin.tv/nsb_sf4
1pm - 3pm: Dictator vs. Blanka only tournament
4pm - 8pm: 5 on 5 main tournament, teams split up by region (Tokyo, Osaka, etc.)
April 4, 12pm START
Street Fighter 4 National 3 on 3 Team Tournament
Don't have a Nico Nico account? Check this thread for info on how to register: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=205524
Stream: http://live.nicovideo.jp/gate/lv14213873
MAJOR EVENT SCHEDULE
Street Fighter 4 National 3 on 3 Team Tournament
When: April 4, 2010
Where: Belle Salle Hall Akihabara, Japan
Info: This is Capcom's official tournament in Japan, for the second year running. Unlike last year's 1 on 1 tournament, this is a 3 on 3 team tournament featuring the very best in the country, and arguably the very best in the world. No word on whether or not it will be streamed, but we'll post info if it is. The event will also have a playable version of Super Street Fighter IV, plus a talk show with the voice actors of the game, including the very delicious Eri Kitamura (Juri's Japanese voice actress)
Devastation 2010 by jam86
When: June 18-20 2010
Where: Phoenix, AZ Phoenix Convention Center
Website: http://www.devastationevent.com/ (Register Online, Book that hotel!!)
Games: SSFIV, Tekken 6, BlazBlue, King of Fighters XII, Soul Calibur IV, Tatsunoko vs Capcom, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, Tekken Tag Tournament, Street Fighter III: Third Strike, and wait for it ...
Killer Instinct
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Evolution 2010 (http://www.evo2k.com)
When: July 9 - 11, 2010
Where: Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas
Games: Super Street Fighter IV, Tekken 6, Tatsunoko VS. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, Marvel vs Capcom 2, Melty Blood: Actress Again
Super VS Battle 20-X (http://www.supervsbattle.com/svb20x/)
When: August 20 - 22, 2010
Where: Byron Hall, Harrow, London UK
Games:Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, Soul Calibur 4, BlazBlue, Tekken 6 BR, King of Fighters XII , Super Street Fighter 4, Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike
Super Battle Opera (http://www.tougeki.com)
When: September 2010 TBA
Where: TBA
Games: Virtua Fighter 5R, Tekken 6 BR, Street Fighter IV, Sengoku Basara X, Arcana Heart 3, King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, Blazblue Continuum Shift, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike, Super Street Fighter II Turbo
INTRODUCTION
The last thread on esports got locked due to being too all encompassing, so this thread is ONLY for fighting games, because delving into fighters, RTS, FPS, Battleship and Connect Four is a bit much for one thread to contain.
This thread is for the discussion of competitive fighting games, for those who play them competitively or for those who love to watch them as a spectator. We'll update this thread with live events and news when it becomes available. I'm also working on a schedule for the major events so that people know what's coming up this year.
Current Games
Street Fighter 4
Best Strategy Resource
http://www.shoryuken.com
Best Video Resources:
http://www.youtube.com/user/godsgarden1
http://www.youtube.com/user/GAMEacho
http://www.youtube.com/user/iplaywinner
http://www.youtube.com/user/levelupseries
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/godsgarden
Out of all the Capcom fighters, SF4 is currently the one that gets the most play, being the most recent game and having balance that's a bit better than previous efforts. There are TONS of live streaming events out there on UStream and JustinTV, so check this thread for updates regularly if you want to catch a stream. With Super Street Fighter 4 just a month away, expect this game to retain its hold at the top of the fighting game world.
Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike
Best Strategy Resource
http://www.shoryuken.com
Best Video Resource
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheShend
Personally, I don't like this game a whole lot compared to SF4, but the characters I do play I love! I'm primarily a Hugo player, and I feel he's the best bigman in fighting games. Having said that, despite being over a decade old, and despite having questionable balance, people are still playing this game because it's fast, fun and looks fucking gorgeous. Japanese players have been running ranbats forever and the game is still going strong!
Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo / HD Remix
Best Strategy Resource
http://www.shoryuken.com
http://curryallergy.blogspot.com/
Best Video Resources
http://www.youtube.com/user/supersf2turbo
http://ja.justin.tv/kasugai50
Over 20 years and still going strong! The release of HD Remix really helped boost the game's popularity in the west, although Japan is still playing the original game because HD Remix isn't officially available in the country. Out of all the Street Fighter games, Super Turbo is the one that has lasted the longest, and is the most revered. Any serious SF player should play this game to truly understand the series.
Virtua Fighter 5R
Alright, I'm only putting this game on the list because it's the game that I play competitively. I realize it's not a popular game because it's not available outside of Japan, but you can still play the previous version on 360 online. Hopefully Sega gets their shit together and releases the Final Showdown upgrade on console.
No matter who you ask though, no one will argue that when it comes to competitive fighting games, Virtua Fighter is the one game that will be near the top of everyone's list as a viable tournament game. It doesn't have the success of Tekken or Street Fighter, but Virtua Fighter is the game that has set the standard for a long time, and it's also the series that many other fighting games look at when they have to come up with new features. Tekken, we're looking at you!
Best Strategy Resource:
http://www.virtuafighter.com
http://www.vfdojo.net (Japanese only)
Best Video Resource
http://www.youtube.com/user/ogikage
Tekken 6 BR (By AAK)
Originally released in the arcades winter 2007 followed by a patch along with 2 extra characters in 2008, Tekken 6 BR is the latest offering from Namco's premier 3D fighting game franchise. The game's popularity is dominant in Asia looking at the arcade scene alone. Since its debut Tekken has consistently topped Arcadia Rankings until today. Tekken 6 BR's most significant achievement is being one of the most balanced 3D fighters ever released with nearly every one of the 39 member cast having an equal chance of winning tournaments with the right dedication.
Best Strategy Resources:
http://www.sdtekken.com/
http://www.iamtekken.com/
http://www.tekkenzaibatsu.com
Here are the best video resources for Tekken:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TekkenGosu
http://www.youtube.com/user/LevelUpYourGame
http://www.youtube.com/user/HongKongTekken
http://www.youtube.com/user/geesendou <---- Also includes BB, KOFUM, Meltly Blood, among others
http://www.youtube.com/user/Jon747
http://www.nicovideo.jp/search/鉄拳[/QUOTE]
Electric Wind God Fist Tutorial
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core
Needs write-up!
Best Strategy Resource:
http://www.dustloop.com
Best Video Resource:
Blazblue Continuum Shift
We need a write-up! Who wants to do it?
Best Strategy Resource:
http://www.dustloop.com
Best Video Resource:
King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match / KOF13 (if it's good) by Fersis
The King Of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match (KOF02UM) is the remake of one of the best balanced entries on the legendary series (KOF02).
It brings characters not available on KOF02 like Igniz,Zero,Geese,Original Zero and more, new moves,new art ,new soundtrack and 'B or EX' versions for Kensou,Takuma,Robert and Geese.
After the 'disappointment' called KOFXII, KOF02UM became the standard competitive KOF.
SNKP will be showing KOF XIII for the first time on March 25th.
Best Strategy Resources:
Shoryuken.com
Cyberfanatix
Orochinagi.com
KOFUnion.com (Korean)
Best Video Resources:
Cyberfanatix (Lots of combo videos)
Youtube account of DarkGeese
Youtube account of DandyDLC
Soulcalibur IV (By Freshmaker)
Despite being forever stuck in Tekken's shadow, SC IV did manage to sell over 2 million copies. The game still retains its distinctive features like air control, guard impacts, and adds in criticial finishes just in case ring outs weren't considered enough of a one hit kill option.
Best Strategy Resource:
www.8wayrun.com
(The forums tend to be more up to date than the wiki.)
www.caliburforum.com
(Largely inactive now, but good resource for older SC info.)
Best Video Resource:
http://www.8wayrun.com/video.php
http://www.youtube.com/user/GnouzCorp#p/u
Melty Blood
Needs writeup!
Best Strategy Resource:
Best Video Resource:
Gundam VS. series
Needs writeup!
Best Strategy Resource:
Best Video Resource:
Tatsunoko vs Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars by Threi
The latest installment in the Capcom VS franchise, Ultimate All-Stars is an update to the Japan-only release, Cross Generation of Heroes. Released in America at the end of January, this update boasts new characters and improved character balance, something that has been praised as something sorely missing in previous VS games. Following the same development philosophy as Street Fighter 4, Tatsunoko vs Capcom has a system that is easy to pick up, but has enough depth for even the most intricate of players. The game has been described as "a mix of Marvel vs. Capcom 1 and Guilty Gear". It will be hosted by Evo this year, which will show how active the community is currently. It is, however, definitely gaining popularity.
Best Strategy Resource
http://www.shoryuken.com
http://www.iplaywinner.com
Best Video Resources:
trag: tragic video
Rockeits: Competitive Fighting Games
RoyalFlush: SoCal TvC, Tekken
XSilvenX: XSilvenX's Channel
yourmother: Rollisyourmother's TvC Channel
Taurus Oxford's TvC Playlist
http://www.youtube.com/user/psychochronic
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Smash discussion allowed in here?
A: NO.
Q: Why?
A: This is a thread for competitive fighting games. Also, the mods said that Smash discussion would not be tolerated.
Q: But Smash is a...
A: No, it's not. Also, see Answer #1.
Q: What's the tournament standard for fighting games?
A: It usually varies between games, but 90% of the time you'll find that default settings apply, unless a glitch exists that can freeze the game. In rare cases a character will be banned for being unbalanced but that is very rare. Bracket format differs between countries. Japan likes to run single elimination with no character changes allowed while having double elimination on rare occassions, while the West likes to run double elimination with character changes allowed.
Q: Which tournament format is better for fighting games?
A: You can make arguments for both formats, there really isn't a BETTER format per se. Double elimination allows for counter-picking characters and can produce more consistent results, but single elimination forces players to understand matchups better and can produce more exciting results/upsets because of this.
Q: Are there any leagues that I can follow?
A: Yup, there's the MLG (Major League Gaming, www.mlgpro.com) and WCG (World Cyber Games, www.wcg.com), then there's Evo (Evolution, www.evo2k.com), and then there's the newly created Level Up Series (www.levelup-series.com).
Q: It all seems very serious
A: Well, you only get out of it what you put into it, but with any competitive game, if you're serious about it, you can find like-minded people who you can relate to and eventually create friendships with. On a personal note, some of my best friends are the ones I met through playing Soulcalibur 2 and Street Fighter.
Q: Does it take a lot of time to become a pro?
A: Yes, just like anything in life. It's wrong to say someone's a pro unless they're making a living off of it though. Japanese players are often thought of as pros, but most of them do not make money off of the game. In fact, tournament purse money based on entry fees is strictly prohibited in Japan due to gambling laws. However, if a sponsor is willing to put up the money for a tournament, that is legal. More often than not, players in Japan only play for small prizes like posters, toys, and uh... pride. The west works in the complete opposite way, with prize money going to the top 3 finishers at tournaments. The usual split for prize money is 70/20/10 although it varies depending on the tournament organizer.
Q: What are the hotspots for competitive fighting games?
A: You can usually find a good community in just about every major city if you're looking hard enough. Some areas are known for being better at certain games than others, with the top areas being NorCal, SoCal, Texas, and New York. You can find good players anywhere though.
Q: What's a Ranbat?
A: A series of tournaments over a given period of time where players accumulate points based on their placing in each tournament. at the end of the season, points are tallied up and the overall ranking is decided by who has the most points at the end of the seasons.
Q: How do I know which character is best for me?
A: Using SF4 as an example, take into account what your hands can do, and how fast you can react to attacks. If you're the type who has fast hands and execution is nothing to you, and you have fast reaction speed, a technically advanced character like Viper can be your best fit. If you're like me, someone with average execution and reactions, but prefers to fight up close, you may want to try a grappler character like Zangief. If you like mid/long-range fighting, you may want to try picking up a character like Dhalsim.
