Competitive gaming?

[CDink]

In July I'm going to Evo 2011, and competing in SSF4, MvC3, and MK9(the latter for fun). Anyone else here either compete in tourneys or just take their fighting really seriously? Also, there's a lot of different threads here. You guys care to point me in the correct ones for what I'm getting at?

[Kevman]

Never been to a tourney but I do take my fighting seriously. I'm pretty good at Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo and its variants. Hopefully I will be attending East Coast Throwdown come may in NJ.

[gradualmeltdown]

I have been entering fighting game tournaments since 1993! Its the most fun I think you can have playing games if you are in the right communities. Began attending EVO back in 2007 and this will be the first year since I don't get to go. Will this be your first major event? Do you play out locally?

If its your first time I'd be glad to let you in on some tips for EVO. Sequencing your schedule at EVO can be as important as practice. If you don't have sleep, are stressed out from travel problems or just in awe of all that is horrible Las Vegas bad things happen.

For me the fun in fighting games is playing to win, no matter the result the opportunity to learn or beat someone is worth the time for me. There is nothing better than playing a mindgame on the person sitting next to you, and watching it succeed! Just go into EVO knowing its hard to even get a single set your first time. The talent pool has diluted a little since 2009 aka SF4 brought twice the crowd, but that just means more matches and more fun.

Most people here are casual players and discussion ends at matchmaking and game announcements. RS7K (forum member) really likes fighters a lot and you can certainly get his opinion on any game.

[zxqdms]

I just got into fighters a few months ago. I wish I would have played these games seriously starting 10 years ago. I'm improving, but I've got a long way to go (and I wish I had more time to play!). I've never been to a tournament before, but I'll probably go to one some time this year. I want to someday be good enough to be competitive at Evo.

[CDink]

Began attending EVO back in 2007 and this will be the first year since I don't get to go. Will this be your first major event? Do you play out locally?
.

First major event, yes! I recently began hanging out with some incredible players. so I now play locally, their main game is Tekken 6, but they have a couple good MvC3 players, and one good SSF4 player.

Tips would be great!

[gradualmeltdown]

Of course you know shoryuken.com is the place for all things EVO. Closer to the event they'll have forum posts with really good info on specific stuff that is good to bring. This is just stuff I experienced.

Travel :

Doesn't matter how you get there, get there Thursday early evening. Friday morning at 9AM they will officially open doors and pool play begins around 9:30AM. Some years Thursday afternoon and evening you can check out the tourney room and hang out with players. Nice laid back time to make friends. Just don't talk about YOUR game plan, that is for after pools when they are no longer the enemy and drunken theory fighting is all you have left

Airport Shuttle to Rio is like $10 or 15 is the long route but cheap and fine if you ask me.

Taxi - about $20-30 but specify your route around the strip otherwise the cabbie will work you and drive directly down it.

Hotel and Event :

No question if it is your first time you need to stay at the host hotel. The Rio kind of sucks for a few reasons, but you are going to fight am I right? Here's my 2 cents.

Book using the EVO hotel booking service early. They offer the best price and you will be on a floor of players. I don't want to get off subject but you need to check up on this reservation every few weeks. I had a terrible experience you won't have. Long story short my doppelgänger actually competes at EVO. Full first, middle, and last name. Insane right. To make it short they only booked one room because they thought it was a mistake. Not kidding.

Anyway back on subject. You want to stay at the host hotel because you are playing a lot of games. Street Fighter 4 pools will likely be Friday morning. I imagine Marvel pools might have to be Saturday because you couldn't run both pools at once, too many conflicts. Mortal kombat will probably run as a side event during another major. It might be the game you flake on if you win a few sets in another. Sunday is Finals but this year who knows, so many games.

What that means to you. Each game has two sets of pools, lettered like the alphabet. The first half go early in the day, the second afternoon til midnightish. You could draw either one in each of your games. Each pool this year is likely to have around 100 people again or more. You are going to stand and wait. The entire pool might take 4 hours to run. Hopefully they find solutions for this as they have acknowledged the problem is there.

What sucks about the Rio is its off the strip. Not in a good way. If you have to be bouncing between games you can spend more time standing and waiting than anything. On the strip it was a whole lot easier last year to break away for several hours and be back ready to play. On the other side if you are REALLY hardcore and meet people playing in their rooms/casuals maybe all week at the Rio is all good. Personally I played some casuals to learn especially in games I really suck at (All of them:) I was more in it for tournament matches though.

[fastbilly1]

I havent been in a fighting game tourney in atleast 8 years. The last one was Soul Calibur 2 at Final Round years ago (8 or 9 atleast).

[noiseredux]

while I love many fighting games, I don't think I could ever be in a tournament. The whole frame-counting thing (A) makes no sense to me, and (B) sort of sounds like it would suck the fun out of actually playing.

[kopanabare]

while I love many fighting games, I don't think I could ever be in a tournament. The whole frame-counting thing (A) makes no sense to me, and (B) sort of sounds like it would suck the fun out of actually playing.

One thing doesn't have a lot to do with the other. Knowing frame data to solve situations can be one way to approach things, but it's not a necessity. Also, competing is hella fun. But why try something when you can just be judgmental?

[Bradtemple87]

Here you go:

www.iplaywinner.com
www.shoryuken.com

These sites both post tournament information and stream the events all over the world. Good luck, these players are brutal!