FGC vs eSports and the other and bigger issues

[solidshark]

http://shoryuken.com/2011/12/12/guest-editorial-momentum-matters-a-historical-perspective-on-the-fgc-and-esports-communities-2/

I'm willing to call this SRK's best frontpage article ever. It's got a TL;DR part to it, but you'll be surprised in how far you'll be reading before you realize.

This is one issue I and probably everyone worries about the more it's talked about. I suggest everyone gives this a read, as it goes over ours and their(StarCraft 2 is the example used) gaming/competing cultures so thorougly; but also, one thing I don't think UltraDavid or any commentors brought up is a few things things:

-If fighting gaming gets big enough and corporately supported enough, how will that effect the games being made in the future? We're already seeing that now with easier modes and comeback mechanics, but how far can it go catering to whatever brings bigger numbers in. I feel spoiled after XIII with how much they listened to player requests and made it more challenging to master than most current fighters.

-The way SC2 seems to be purely or mostly an online game, while it might force all companies to invest more in netcode that works well anywhere in the world, how much will that effect offline efforts which guys like me think are still very essential.

-With the differences in corporate cultures of Japan vs America for example, imagine if those relations or negotiations become strained and start messing with players and tournament issues?

Overall, I'm more accepting of the underground status the fighting game community has. It couldn't hurt for us to grow with some help, but I believe growth can come with it too.


So what do y'all think?

[Saitsuofleaves]

The problem is, who truly deserves a say in this?  Like, personally I'd rather not see the FGC go to esports, but I don't deserve to have say in it because I wouldn't be as affected.  Like, I'm not a top player, who would I be to say they can't actually move on and get more opportunities to earn money.  This issue can be very sensitive and honestly, I'm gonna try to avoid this one.

[Xxenace]

not exactly to sure about how i feel on this myself im not exactly one for esports(i hate that term) or fighting game tourneys and i think the entry level for a fighting game is still way to high compared to the level like a FPS or a RTS

[Ufgt]

I talk about this issue to death pretty much every day IRL and on SRK.

Ultradavid's article is terrible. He draws comparisons that make no sense and he's painfully ignorant of the history of gaming outside of the FGC. In essence, it's a 30 thousand word document filled with verbal diaharrea. He's being called out from every gaming community, for good reason. He doesn't give those other gaming communities the proper respect they deserve from also building their scene from the ground up 10 years ago.

Just a really disingenuous rant disguised as an article and the rest of the FGC is eating it up like it's truth.

[Saitsuofleaves]

I talk about this issue to death pretty much every day IRL and on SRK.

Ultradavid's article is terrible. He draws comparisons that make no sense and he's painfully ignorant of the history of gaming outside of the FGC. In essence, it's a 30 thousand word document filled with verbal diaharrea. He's being called out from every gaming community, for good reason. He doesn't give those other gaming communities the proper respect they deserve from also building their scene from the ground up 10 years ago.

Just a really disingenuous rant disguised as an article and the rest of the FGC is eating it up like it's truth.

You mean they think they are...I bet 95% of them didn't even read the full article.  Hell, even I didn't, and I ALWAYS read the full article.

[Ufgt]

Who's "they"? Just need more clarificiation.

[Saitsuofleaves]

Who's "they"? Just need more clarificiation.

In reference to you saying the FGC is eating up as truth.  Just saying most of them are just assuming it is because they probably didn't even read the article other than maybe a paragraph.

[Ufgt]

You're right, most people probably didn't get through that entire Great Wall of Text. It just bothers me that people don't get educated in all the facts (there's a ton of misinformation out there) before making a decision, and when a prominent figure in the FGC says something, a lot of people will fall in line like sheep.

This particular issue I am REALLY emotional about, and I'm not sure why lol.

[Saitsuofleaves]

I'm the opposite.  I'm emotional about a lot of issues...just not this one.  Probably because I know my game will never be at the level where having the option to go to community events or eSports events will actually matter to me.

[m1x4h]

I don't think it's a good idea to get ourselves involved with esports. We're our own entity, and have survived well enough without any commercial and bureaucratic bullshit. It's bad enough that people are already scavenging to get sponsored. I think it's pathetic, honestly.

[sibarraz]

I hoinestly think that Ultradavid should had made the article shorter, I read it all but felt that he could had made more reads and get to the point more quickly without boring me to death

[Saitsuofleaves]

I don't think it's a good idea to get ourselves involved with esports. We're our own entity, and have survived well enough without any commercial and bureaucratic bullshit. It's bad enough that people are already scavenging to get sponsored. I think it's pathetic, honestly.

Would you prefer if there were no sponsorships period?

[Ufgt]

I don't think it's a good idea to get ourselves involved with esports. We're our own entity, and have survived well enough without any commercial and bureaucratic bullshit. It's bad enough that people are already scavenging to get sponsored. I think it's pathetic, honestly.

Why shouldn't we get involved in eSports? Survival and success are 2 completely different things. The FGC will survive regardless, we are one of the most resiliant groups of gamers out there. But I want more than just survival. I want to see the FGC go legit, have pros make real money.

I will never get to that level, but that doesn't matter. I think the FGC has some of the most talented gamers and seeing them suffer because of the refusal of a few in the community to adapt irks me. It's not that I am all gung ho for MLG and leagues, but I want the choice to come from the community as a whole (top players, average gamers, spectators), not from a small elite group that "represents" us. If we collectively choose to stay underground, outside of the sphere of leagues, than so be it. But we should have a say. The least they can do is open that option to us.

Now I'm mad. LOL.

[Saitsuofleaves]

But here's the thing, even as a whole, the FGC is somewhat splintered between games and different subtypes of FGs.  Why is this important?  Because Esports aren't going to take on ALL FGs, just the most popular ones.

As of now, that's AEv'12 and UMvC3...but considering the unlikelyhood of getting those due to licensing issues, then we move on.  eSports are also EXTREMELY unlikely to pick up any 2D games tbqh, so that takes out KOF and Blazblue.  That pretty much leaves the 3D Fighters, which is no surprise as the only two FGs supported by eSports were 3D Fighters.  Which means, more than likely Soul Caliber V and Tekken Tag 2 as the only candidates.

TBQH, anyone who doesn't play 3D Fighters should not get involved in this unless Capcom actually decides to deal with the licensing, which I doubt will happen.  I don't play them, so I personally should not have an opinion and rightfully so.

[Ufgt]

For sure, the FGC is a very loose term to collect all the various fighting game players into one term. Again, I agree that if you don't play the game or participate in the community for the game that is chosen, the choice isn't really up to you. But as of right now, it looks like MLG wants to pick up SFIV and that's pretty relevant to anyone that goes to SRK.

I just have a feeling that the SRK brass is cockblocking something. I don't know the inner workings of the SRK elite, but from a logic point of view, I don't know why SFIV wasn't already in the MLG to begin with.

It would be kinda sweet if 8WR managed to get SCV into MLG, I really like that series and I think it's interesting enough from a spectators POV to get successful at the highest level... as long as the highest level play isn't super degenerate.

Or KOF gets super popular and that goes into MLG lol.