
Week of December 15th to the 21st, 2014.
Fighting Games Weekly is the weekly discussion thread for all things fighting games. News, events, streams, videos, players, drama, everything fighting game related.
Don't know what to watch right now? Check the FGCPros Twitch Group or Jaxel's Stream Viewer. If you want to watch multiple streams at once, you can use Jaxel's customizable multiviewer as well.
New to FGC-GAF is the FGC-GAF Index which lists the fighting games GAFers plays as a neat reference with some rough statistics to boot. To add yourself to the index, quote this post and use the survey link below. Please remember to save/bookmark the "Edit your response" link so you can edit your responses if/when you buy a game already on the list or a new game that releases in the future.
Last week's thread. An archive of previous FGW threads is available here.
Fighting Games Weekly is the weekly discussion thread for all things fighting games. News, events, streams, videos, players, drama, everything fighting game related.
Don't know what to watch right now? Check the FGCPros Twitch Group or Jaxel's Stream Viewer. If you want to watch multiple streams at once, you can use Jaxel's customizable multiviewer as well.
New to FGC-GAF is the FGC-GAF Index which lists the fighting games GAFers plays as a neat reference with some rough statistics to boot. To add yourself to the index, quote this post and use the survey link below. Please remember to save/bookmark the "Edit your response" link so you can edit your responses if/when you buy a game already on the list or a new game that releases in the future.
Last week's thread. An archive of previous FGW threads is available here.

The Fight Before Christmas [ Saturday ] [ 2PM CST | 3PM EDT | 12PM PDT ]
- A Chicago tournament featuring a host of games, new and old, including GGXrd.
- More information is available here.


Every week, FGW will spotlight one GAFer to get a better picture of their history with fighting games, their preferences, and much more. For this week's FGW Player Spotlight, we will be taking a closer look at de1irium!
What fighting games do you currently play, what is your all time favourite and why?
Im not actually playing FGs that much these days, but when I do its SF4 or 3rd Strike Online. Im actually surprised how many beginners are on 3SO. Plenty of people kicking my ass, too, but its nice to occasionally run into someone I can beat!
Alpha 2 is probably my favorite fighting game to play it just feels right. But there arent a lot of US A2 players on GGPO, so when I do have time to play its tough to quickly jump into a game. I mostly get my A2 fix at 2 Old 2 Furious at Next Level.
KOF13 is, IMO, the best fighting game of this generation, but Im lame and dont play it.
I also bought WiiU Smash, but I played it for an afternoon and had sore wrists for a week. Its also literally my first time playing smash, so its wildly different than anything Ive played before and incredibly frustrating for me to learn. But Ill probably sneak into some sessions at Apex and try to level up.
What are your favorite mechanics from the current selection of fighting games and why? What are your least favorite and why?Alpha 2 is probably my favorite fighting game to play it just feels right. But there arent a lot of US A2 players on GGPO, so when I do have time to play its tough to quickly jump into a game. I mostly get my A2 fix at 2 Old 2 Furious at Next Level.
KOF13 is, IMO, the best fighting game of this generation, but Im lame and dont play it.
I also bought WiiU Smash, but I played it for an afternoon and had sore wrists for a week. Its also literally my first time playing smash, so its wildly different than anything Ive played before and incredibly frustrating for me to learn. But Ill probably sneak into some sessions at Apex and try to level up.
I like SFxTs tag/combo system, and in general the way the Tekken characters were implemented. It felt very different for a 2D fighting game, and I really enjoyed toying around with combos.
Least favorite is probably SF4s input leniency. Nothing sucks more than walking forward with charge and hitting s.RH only to get a RH Scissor Kick.
What got you into fighting games? Are there any other genre of games you play?Least favorite is probably SF4s input leniency. Nothing sucks more than walking forward with charge and hitting s.RH only to get a RH Scissor Kick.
Ive played almost every version of Street Fighter at a super casual level, either on console, arcade or emulator. It wasnt until SF4 that I began taking fighting games seriously.
Im an FPS player at heart. I cut my gaming teeth on Doom and Quake, and played an obscene amount of Quake III in college. In 2008-09 I played Team Fortress 2 competitively had I stuck with it, I could have probably made it to some ESEA LANs, but I was putting 30+ hours a week into it. It was some of the most fun Ive ever had in gaming, but I just couldnt stick with it it was cramping the rest of my life, hard.
So when SF4 came out on PC, I picked it up the nostalgia was strong, and a solo competitive game was ideal. No team to schedule my life around. I found SRK, started going to occasional tournaments, and stuck around even though I dont think Ive ever done better than 2-2.
These days I play a mix of stuff Hearthstone, Borderlands, Binding of Isaac, SF4, 3SO. I had the urge for a turn-based strategy game recently, and picked up XCOM: Enemy Within. Very glad I made that purchase.
What is your favorite fighting game character and why?Im an FPS player at heart. I cut my gaming teeth on Doom and Quake, and played an obscene amount of Quake III in college. In 2008-09 I played Team Fortress 2 competitively had I stuck with it, I could have probably made it to some ESEA LANs, but I was putting 30+ hours a week into it. It was some of the most fun Ive ever had in gaming, but I just couldnt stick with it it was cramping the rest of my life, hard.
So when SF4 came out on PC, I picked it up the nostalgia was strong, and a solo competitive game was ideal. No team to schedule my life around. I found SRK, started going to occasional tournaments, and stuck around even though I dont think Ive ever done better than 2-2.
These days I play a mix of stuff Hearthstone, Borderlands, Binding of Isaac, SF4, 3SO. I had the urge for a turn-based strategy game recently, and picked up XCOM: Enemy Within. Very glad I made that purchase.
I really enjoy SF4 Bison
he is normals are great and he blows up bad play pretty easily as long as you stay patient. SF2 Bison is arguably better, what with his CE exploitability and his ST ToD combos
but SF4 Bison clicks with me.
Describe your style of play, and how do you play (local, online, etc.).
If you dont make me respect you, Im gonna be totally disrespectful. I have no shame in taunting (doubly so if I know it puts you on tilt), running away, trying to win a round with nothing but c.LK combos, or hitting s.RH 5 times in a row while you try to jump out of the corner.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, really) this kind of stuff only occasionally works even on netplay. So a more typical match is cautious positioning and pressure, punishing where I can. But, for example, if I have a life lead and youre still playing defensive, Ill downback or keep away and make you come to me and hopefully force an error. And thats part of why I really enjoy Bison, being able to switch up that pressure gameplay with avoidance.
Most of my play is online these days, and I hate that, but if Im at an event Im usually photographing it. Its a catch 22, because Id probably level up quite a bit if I actually played at events, but then Im not shooting as much
What do you feel are your biggest strengths and weaknesses as a player?Unfortunately (or fortunately, really) this kind of stuff only occasionally works even on netplay. So a more typical match is cautious positioning and pressure, punishing where I can. But, for example, if I have a life lead and youre still playing defensive, Ill downback or keep away and make you come to me and hopefully force an error. And thats part of why I really enjoy Bison, being able to switch up that pressure gameplay with avoidance.
Most of my play is online these days, and I hate that, but if Im at an event Im usually photographing it. Its a catch 22, because Id probably level up quite a bit if I actually played at events, but then Im not shooting as much
As much as I can be very patient, I also get flustered very easily if I dont know what to do, or if I know what I need to do but cant execute. So instead of thinking ahead to OK that happened, whats next? I get caught up on what happened and why it shouldnt have, etc...
Best and worst moments in the your fighting game career?
Worst was going 0-20 against a Ryu in casuals at my 2nd tournament. Im still awful at the Ryu matchup, to this day. Its supposed to be one of Bisons better matchups, too.
Best was probably being hired to photograph Evo. It was my first Evo, and I wasnt even expecting to get the job. But I love the FGC, even though Im terrible at fighting games so it was an honor to be able to contribute to the scene in the best way I can, at the our biggest event.
What do you want from future fighting games?Best was probably being hired to photograph Evo. It was my first Evo, and I wasnt even expecting to get the job. But I love the FGC, even though Im terrible at fighting games so it was an honor to be able to contribute to the scene in the best way I can, at the our biggest event.
This might sound weird, but Id really like to see Valves take on a fighting game. Theyve done such a great job making Dota and CounterStrike accessible without sacrificing what makes them challenging and competitive, while also driving their presence in esports. A PC-based fighter with the same ease of access that these games had could be big.
Who should be on next week's GAF Player Spotlight?
Gonna steal from CasperOnes suggestions and say TheHadou.
Since Dahbomb strongly encourages pre-orders, what games do you plan to buy that have been officially announced?
If Overwatch is a packaged game, thatll be at the top of my list. Im also looking forward to Hotline Miami 2 and Evolve.

Code:
12/16 Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- (NA)
WINTER The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match
02/17 Dead or Alive 5: LAST ROUND (EU: 02/20)
04/15 Mortal Kombat X
2015 Dragon Ball Xenoverse
2015 Rivals of Aether
2015 Skullgirls Encore
2015 Under Night In-Birth (NA/EU)
TBD Beast's Fury
TBD Next The King Of Fighters Title (tentative)
TBD Rise of Incarnates
TBD Street Fighter V
TBD Tekken 7
TBD Tekken X Street Fighter
TBD Yatagarasu: Attack on Cataclysm
TBD Yatagarasu: Legend of Raven


Super Desperation Radio [ 9:30PM EDT | 6:30 PDT ]
- Hellpockets and various other members of the KoF community discuss KoF and happenings in the FGC.
- Out of the ashes of The BOX Arena, comes the San Diego FGC's newest organized weekly for UMvC3.
- Weekly FGC show dedicated to match analysis, teaching, commentary, news, debates, and more! Hosted by UltraDavid and James Chen.

Kachitagari TV (JP) [ 9PM JST | 8AM EDT | 5AM PDT ]
- Bon-chan, Kazunoko and Fuudo's new show, focusing primarily on SSFIV AE ranked matches but is branching off into other games as well.
- NYC VF crew presents VF5:FS tournaments casuals out of The Next Level arcade in Brooklyn.
- New Jersey's largest weekly featuring UMvC3 and Injustice.
- JamessMK & DarKNaTaS host a raw and uncut weekly talk show discussing events in the FGC with various FGC personalities.
- Weekly FGC show dedicated to match analysis, teaching, commentary, news, debates, and more! Hosted by UltraDavid and James Chen.
- iPlaywinner hosts a weekly talk show featuring alpha stream monsters Harrison and Honzo Gonzo.

Game Spot Versus KoF Casuals (JP) [ 7PM JST | 6AM EDT | 3AM PDT ]
- KoF 1998UM, KoF 2002UM and KoF XIII C action from Japan.
- Description needed.
- NYC's biggest weekly at The Next Level Arcade in Brooklyn featuring SSFIV AE, UMvC3 and TTT2. If the Teamsp00ky link is not working, it is likely on the backup stream on Arturo's channel.
- Often, WonderChef will stream Injustice pools up until Top 4.
- SoCal's biggest weekly at Super Arcade in Walnut, featuring Injustice and SSFIV AE. Season details are available here.

HBTB Live [ 8PM EDT | 5PM PDT ]
- Hold Back To Block hosts a weekly roundtable discussion of various happenings in the FGC.
- A bi-weekly Smash podcast discussing recent events, news and issues in the Smash community, hosted by Scar, Prog, Cactuar and Sheridan.
- Galloping Ghost Arcade presents an Injustice weekly out of Chicago.
- A weekly FGC talk show hosted by iPlaywinner, featuring a varying, ensemble cast of prominent members of the fighting game community.
- Aris' new weekly show, discussing whatever he wants to! The format resembles old ATP podcasts.
- The UMvC3 and KoF XIII branch of Wednesday Night Fights also hosted at Super Arcade in Walnut, California.

The Smash Break Bi-Weekly [ 6PM EDT | 3PM PDT ]
- The Break hosts a new Melee bi-weekly to replace Rokunaya Bi-Weeklies which are ending.
- Arturo streams a BlazBlue and Guilty Gear bi-weekly out of Next Level arcade in Brooklyn.
- For those who know how to use Nico Live, also join the GODSGARDEN community page on Nico to know when Ura KaoTV! goes live.
- A bi-weekly Skullgirls event hosted by members of the Skullgirls development team, often featuring preview builds of the game.

Rebel Up [ 7PM EDT | 4PM PDT ]
- Super Arcade's anime bi-weekly, featuring GG, BB, P4A, SG, Gundam and older anime games as well.

GGPO VanBats [ 4PM EDT | 1PM PDT ]
- Weekly GGPO Vampire Savior ranbats streamed by GAFer Rotanibor.
- Level|Up and Team OXY partner up to create a new weekly for the SoCal Melee community, featuring doubles and singles.

On GAF we have various members that stream fighting games from time to time too. If you would like to add your channel to this thread, send me a PM.

Often, some fighting games can seem intimidating to players new and old. Below are a bunch of resources that may be of aid to new players, or handy as references.
- Learn How To Play Fighting Games Free eBook from Shoryuken is a fantastic primer for new players to the genre.
- Footsies Handbook is a guide to the potentially elusive, but integral part of doing well in any fighting game.
- NeoGAF's Arcade Stick Thread is the place to go for questions about anything arcade stick-related.
- Step Up Your Game is an editorial series by Justin Wong that covers a multitude of topics, notably focusing on strengthening your mental game and playing smarter instead of harder.
- Tips for first time competitors will help you straighten out those nerves and expectations when you head out to your first tournament.
- Domination 101 is almost a cult classic article in the FGC, which has Seth Killian telling us how he really feels about the idea of "cheapness" in fighting games.
- Team-building Guide by our very own Karsticles, which helps make it easier to approach team-building in MvC games, and games with similar synergistic elements.
- - -
If you have any suggestions for the OP, please do not hesitate to post in this thread or (preferably) PM me to let me know.