Why bother

[Klatrymadon]

Do these chaps tend to be nice fellas, bpe? This forum all too often typecasts these talented players as a bunch of veritable Moai statues who wouldn't give you the time of day.

[GaijinPunch]

This forum all too often typecasts these talented players as a bunch of veritable Moai statues who wouldn't give you the time of day.

Generally stated by people that:
1) Don't ask for the time of day
2) Don't know how to ask for the time of day
3) Have never been in the first place

[Dale]

Has anyone who has witnessed these great feats in Japenese arcades ever actual asked for tips on the game or how they got so good?

My guess as to the reason they got so good is because their society encourages it, We have great football players cause our society encourages it. Their might be master american style football players in france but they'd never get discovered because it would never be trendy to play.Also their could be great shmup players here but because are society say's their dated none of these masters would ever even try.When theirs are country were 20% of the populos does something masters are bound to sprote up.

[GaijinPunch]

Has anyone who has witnessed these great feats in Japenese arcades ever actual asked for tips on the game or how they got so good?

That's kind of what I was insinuating (sp?) by my last post. I learned about 90% of what I know from Virtua Fighter from talking to people in arcades. Even Chibita, who is arguably the best VF player around, is very friendly. I got all kinds of tips from playing, and even asking. If you've got some time, read this which is a little personal testimonial.

[Klatrymadon]

Generally stated by people that:
1) Don't ask for the time of day
2) Don't know how to ask for the time of day
3) Have never been in the first place

I thought as much. Cheers, man.

[Dale]

I find the same thing true with body builders allot of people stare from a distance and say they want to look like that but never go up to them ask for lifting tips,I always do and they usual will give out advice,people just need to drop their pride and ask for help, cause most people are humble about it and willing to share advice.

[bpe]

Sure they're friendly, the thing is that nobody else is talking either. So you'd be a bit out of place I think starting up a conversation. Also, simple questions like "how do you get 5's in ketsui" probably sound retarded to these demi-gods, whereas more complicated and meaningful questions require a similarly complicated and meaningful answer.. which requires some solid Japanese skills Ie what GP said,

4) Can't understand the answer

[IlMrm]

When I was at HEY on two consecutive Sundays I saw the same two Gunbird 2 players there, and they would say something to each other after each play. I remember one guy using a bomb on second round USA when he got trapped during the cactus turrets part, and looked disappointed, and the other guy watching said something. Sounds like good-natured jostling.

I did talked to this one guy when we were both trying to get an Asuka Langley Sohryu figure from one of the UFO machines. Sadly both of us failed.

[NTSC-J]

Sure they're friendly, the thing is that nobody else is talking either. So you'd be a bit out of place I think starting up a conversation. Also, simple questions like "how do you get 5's in ketsui" probably sound retarded to these demi-gods, whereas more complicated and meaningful questions require a similarly complicated and meaningful answer.. which requires some solid Japanese skills Ie what GP said,

4) Can't understand the answer

Yea unless you're fluent, it's not really an option. Unless you can figure out a way to explain rank with charades.

I've noticed that when watching one of these guys kick ass, the impulse to push them is always present. Of course I wouldn't, but still...I bet one of these days I'll turn around and smack one in the head with my backpack. It's tight sneakers in these places, it's a wonder it doesn't happen more often.

[Soldato J]

They don't call it nerd heaven just because of the copious Gundam, man. I'm as nerd as it comes and women throw themselves at me here. It's a wild scene (but that's for another thread).

Jesus, that does it, I am packing up and moving to Japan to become an english teacher lol.....

[landshark]

i would kill to be in a place where pure amazing godly skill is around me. thatll only encourage me to practice even more..just imagine..you're at the NASA of arcade shmupping. shit, ill bring a camera with me just to record all the magical goodness. if i saw a girl 1cc a shooter, i would no longer be scared to talk to her..in fact, i would be turned on, oh yeah..TURNED ON.lol..

Me too. I scower the internet looking for spectacular mame replays. It would be even better to be at an arcade while it's happening.

I'd love to watch someone all-clear Armed Police Batrider's Advanced Course.

[GaijinPunch]

They don't call it nerd heaven just because of the copious Gundam, man. I'm as nerd as it comes and women throw themselves at me here. It's a wild scene (but that's for another thread).

Jesus, that does it, I am packing up and moving to Japan to become an english teacher lol.....

Yeah -- remind me to get divorced and go hang out w/ NTSC-J.

[Dale]

They don't call it nerd heaven just because of the copious Gundam, man. I'm as nerd as it comes and women throw themselves at me here. It's a wild scene (but that's for another thread).

Jesus, that does it, I am packing up and moving to Japan to become an english teacher lol.....

Me too

[Rob]

Jesus, that does it, I am packing up and moving to Japan to become an english teacher lol.....

Me too

...yes, the English teacher part.

[NTSC-J]

They don't call it nerd heaven just because of the copious Gundam, man. I'm as nerd as it comes and women throw themselves at me here. It's a wild scene (but that's for another thread).

Jesus, that does it, I am packing up and moving to Japan to become an english teacher lol.....

Yeah -- remind me to get divorced and go hang out w/ NTSC-J.

Everyone needs to spend at least one evening at a Japanese love hotel. I went to one with this gal the other day and we picked our room from a vending machine lol.

Re: the HEY arcade: tomorrow I'm gonna go back and will keep my chin up and do it for America. I'll try to make you guys proud (which means staying away from Ketsui and DDP and sticking to Batsugun Special Version and Guwange...)

[NTSC-J]

They don't call it nerd heaven just because of the copious Gundam, man. I'm as nerd as it comes and women throw themselves at me here. It's a wild scene (but that's for another thread).

Jesus, that does it, I am packing up and moving to Japan to become an english teacher lol.....

Yeah -- remind me to get divorced and go hang out w/ NTSC-J.

For the full Japan experience, everyone needs to spend at least one evening at a love hotel. I went to one with this gal the other day and we picked our room from a vending machine lol.

Re: the HEY arcade: tomorrow I'm gonna go back and will keep my chin up and do it for America. I'll try to make you guys proud (which means staying away from Ketsui and DDP and sticking to Batsugun Special Version and Guwange...)

[GaijinPunch]

Re: the HEY arcade: tomorrow I'm gonna go back and will keep my chin up and do it for America. I'll try to make you guys proud (which means staying away from Ketsui and DDP and sticking to Batsugun Special Version and Guwange...)

You should go post on Magatta Banana and try to hook up w/ some of those kids. Zuho is very nice, and it's pretty wild seeing a girl 2-loop Progear... or almost anyway.

I actually had 2 kids clapping for me once when I finished ESPGaluda, and didn't even clear it. That wasn't Hey though.

[FraGMarE]

See it this way: Forum threads are like movies. The remakes never have the same charm as the originals. It just wouldn't be the same.

True, but i'm getting old and fogey, i will soon reminisce about the silly things of my youth as "golden moments", instantly removing all the curses said during said moments. I bet i will even say "oh, how good was playing [insert game name here] !" selectively removing all moments of pure rage i had when playing it

Rando, you sir, are a shit stirrer. But that is precisely why we all love you!

BTW, I'm still coming for your Gradius Gaiden score one day. In the process, I'd like to do some further research on what determines the score you get when you pick up those silver medals. The angle you grab it from only seems to be part of the equation. Oh, and i tried the Storm Causer route you told me about... that boss really is cheap. I'm sticking with ACEIMSX, my tried and true route.

You still need to re-post your 18M+ score in normal Batsugun. Me having 17M and you with like 3.5M just doesn't look right. If you lost it, maybe we could have another compo one of these days?

[DEL]

In somewhat related news (ie. Japanese Mastery), one member of the Japanese 3rd Strike Team OCV'd all the western teams at the SBO;
chunkis wrote;

- ALL foreign teams... (both USA teams, UK team, France team) were OCV`ed in the first round. In fact, only BillyKane and Ricky Ortiz won a round each.

For clarity;

Masamune: OCV means One Character Victory, basically when one player takes out a whole team.

Apparently the rest of the Japanese team were sitting back laughing, while their first team member took out all western teams single-handedly

"Why Bother Indeed!"

[NTSC-J]

LOL! I'd love to see some footage.

Didn't end up making it out to HEY today. I'll work on my Guwange game this week and go back guns blazing.

[Ganelon]

In somewhat related news (ie. Japanese Mastery), one member of the Japanese 3rd Strike Team OCV'd all the western teams at the SBO;

Yeah, but at least there, you can attribute some of the disparity to unfamiliarity with JP joysticks and the 1-match battle format. That's why the US can do alright in Evo where the joystick is up to the player and there's multiple matches (then again, you could also chalk it up to the JP players not being used to the console versions, however similar they are). But there's no excuse in the shooter genre...

[DEL]

Ganelon wrote;

Yeah, but at least there, you can attribute some of the disparity to unfamiliarity with JP joysticks and the 1-match battle format.

Maybe a tiny bit....maybe

But for ALL western teams to be anihilated by the 1st Japanese team member to step up to the chalk....

As for shooter player disparities, maybe NTSC-J can explain that one

[BBH]

In somewhat related news (ie. Japanese Mastery), one member of the Japanese 3rd Strike Team OCV'd all the western teams at the SBO;

Yeah, but at least there, you can attribute some of the disparity to unfamiliarity with JP joysticks and the 1-match battle format. That's why the US can do alright in Evo where the joystick is up to the player and there's multiple matches (then again, you could also chalk it up to the JP players not being used to the console versions, however similar they are). But there's no excuse in the shooter genre...

One can argue that the truly great players are those that can adapt and beat their opponents in that first crucial match. For what it's worth though, I do think it's ridiculous that for an event with such high production values and hype, SBO is one match only... and in 3rd Strike, anything can happen in one match. That's probably the whole reason they went with the team format, since the winner isn't decided by just one game.

Yeah the US traditionally does better in EVO, but even at last year's event, Ohnuki won that... and in the exhibition 5-on-5 between the two countries, Japan just SLAUGHTERED the US. Mike Watson got Perfect'ed like three times in his 5 matches.

The US team did get past the first round of last year's SBO (which was 2-on-2), but they got beaten by Kuroda's Q. Q. Would the result have been the same in a best 2 out of 3 match? Nobody knows. The video is pretty funny though, I love the way the crowd starts cracking up when Kuroda mimics Justin's crouching Forwards

wow that was pretty off-topic but meh

[Valgar]

In Japan they have that stick standard...In the USA there are people who try to go the same route as the japanese, then there are the old fashioned shit bat sticks we use at arcades (which are broken all the time I swear to god), and then some people just use controllers. It is all a mess here, and the competition is so spread out... we suck.

[DEL]

Valgar wrote;

and the competition is so spread out

You may have hit the nail on the head there, but only with regards to western shooter players, not fighter players though.

There certainly IS an advantage for a group of players getting together in arcades regularly. We found this in the old days, when we used to meet in the arcades every week. Between us we destroyed pretty much everything that came our way and pushed each other to boot! Tactics were learnt/shared.

Arranging Meets has shown me how "spread out" we shooter players really are

The same cannot be said for the VS/fighter players though. At least, not in London. The number of fighter players in the London arcades has been very high ever since 1992. The numbers are diminishing a bit, but its still a large number of headz challenging each other in the arcades and at certain players homes. So - sorry to Ryan Hart and the rest of the UK Team, but the SBO.................

[Icarus]

It is a lot harder to enjoy and be influenced by arcade culture when there are no arcades in your area. -_-;;

[DEL]

init

[Ganelon]

The same cannot be said for the VS/fighter players though. At least, not in London. The number of fighter players in the London arcades has been very high ever since 1992. The numbers are diminishing a bit, but its still a large number of headz challenging each other in the arcades and at certain players homes. So - sorry to Ryan Hart and the rest of the UK Team, but the SBO.................

That's great for you guys. Outside of NY and SoCal (and supposedly a bit of Texas), there aren't any real serious fighting game communities in the US, at least not for oldschool stuff like SFII.

[landshark]

That's kind of what I was insinuating (sp?) by my last post. I learned about 90% of what I know from Virtua Fighter from talking to people in arcades. Even Chibita, who is arguably the best VF player around, is very friendly. I got all kinds of tips from playing, and even asking. If you've got some time, read this which is a little personal testimonial.

Awesome write-up G.P. Is the TAC you are referring to actually Clover-TAC? It's a chick? Heh, I thought all the shmuppers were dudes.

[zakk]

That's kind of what I was insinuating (sp?) by my last post. I learned about 90% of what I know from Virtua Fighter from talking to people in arcades. Even Chibita, who is arguably the best VF player around, is very friendly. I got all kinds of tips from playing, and even asking. If you've got some time, read this which is a little personal testimonial.

Awesome write-up G.P. Is the TAC you are referring to actually Clover-TAC? It's a chick? Heh, I thought all the shmuppers were dudes.

Uhh no. TAC is not the woman. How did you even get that impression?