A guide to offline events

Orim

This is going to be a short guide on the everyday reality of going to a fighting game casual or tournament. Some of the information will be specific to the Dublin events that are on-going at the moment but there will also be information that will hold you in good stead at every fighting game event you go to.

Venue : Obvious advice but you need to know where you're going. There is no point in travelling somewhere for a tournament only to miss the registration because you got lost five minutes away from the venue. Pick some nearby landmarks so you can ask directions if you're having problems getting there.
The Dublin events are currently held in the Xtreme Gaming Cafe (XGC). This is on Liffey Street. It's opposite a Games Workshop and is close to the Ha'penny Bridge. People won't know the XGC but they will be able to direct you to one of the others mentioned.

In the XGC the consoles are upstairs. There is no need for you to deal with the guy at the desk. Just walk to the stairs which are at the back of the shop on the right hand side. Head and say hello.

Equipment : It's best to bring your own equipment to any event. Most people are willing to loan you their stick or pad but sometimes there just isn't any spare to loan out. This is more of a problem at casual events due to the lower turn outs compared to tournaments. The XGC will rent you a pad, if that's how you play, but who needs the added expense. A copy of any game you might want to play, no matter how obscure your guarenteed that there will be at least one person that will be a fan.

Something you might want to consider is an MP3 player for tournaments. It can be quite noisy at an event and it can be distracting. If you think you might be distracted then an MP3 player and some good headphones can help block it all out and allow you to play to your own soundtrack.

Cost : At the moment the XGC events cost five euro for console rentals. The general rule is for eveyone to pay the five euro but this is not hard and fast so don't let it put you off if can only come down for a short period. We love seeing new faces. Any surplus cash is saved in a community pot to improve the facilites available for our players. At the Inferno tournaments there is the rental fee and a further ten euro to enter the tournament. The ten euro makes up the prize pot, which is divided 60/30/10 between the top three finishers. You can come to the tournaments and pay five euro to just play casuals or you can come and watch for free.

Every event will have it's own cost and structure so make sure you know it and what you are paying for. For example you may pre-pay for entry to a convention but there might be a further tournament fee to be paid on the day. The cost of food and drinks has to be considered as well. You will be at tournament for most of an afternoon and if you are hungry or thirsty then you won't be playing at your best.

Etiquette : Everyone that is involved in fighting games seem to be delightful people. Even the very best players are willing to chat and have a laugh so don't be afraid to say hi and get chatting. The rules will be explained at tournaments so keep an ear for anything specific but there is very rarely anything too complicated at tournaments.

The one problem that occurs is during casual play. Everyone is nice but they will hog a console to bits if you let them. Generally the minimum to play is three games, with the winner of two staying on the machine. Now it's very rare that someone will get up of their own accord so you have to let them know you're waiting. A simple "I got next" or "I'll play winner" will do the job. Of course if you're old skool you could place your fifty cents down on the machine.

That covers everything I can think of. Hopefully these tips should help you enjoy your first offline adventure. If I've missed anything or there is any questions then let me know and I'll get back to you asap.


I wrote this for SF.ie but I figure it will be just as good here.

Ramza

Orim wrote: »

Everyone is nice but they will hog a console to bits if you let them

Have to admit, I'm guilty of such :pac:

On first coming to casuals etc first I was reluctant to ask for next on a machine as I thought it was rude or something (and I'm quiet aswell). But on coming to more casuals etc I got to know people more, and got a little more extroverted so to speak. And yeah everyone is really sound

Nice thread Orim

Orim

Ramza wrote: »

Have to admit, I'm guilty of such :pac:

On first coming to casuals etc first I was reluctant to ask for next on a machine as I thought it was rude or something (and I'm quiet aswell). But on coming to more casuals etc I got to know people more, and got a little more extroverted so to speak. And yeah everyone is really sound

Nice thread Orim

Thanks.

That's the reason I decided to write this. I have noticed that new people will allow people to sit on consoles all day. The rest is all just filler really but hopefully it will help someone.

Doctor DooM

I'd include something about pausing.

Alot of new people don't realise that is a big faux pas.

Placebo

Doctor DooM wrote: »

I'd include something about pausing.

Alot of new people don't realise that is a big faux pas.

not is casies though, what if mamma be ringin about dinna? - sure the train of thought goes downwards after playing a good few games.

Orim

Doctor DooM wrote: »

I'd include something about pausing.

Alot of new people don't realise that is a big faux pas.

I don't know. I'd consider that a rule for tournaments and if I'm going to do that then I might as well put in all the rules.

Having said that I may do something similar for tournaments rules.

Cobelcog

Orim wrote: »

Everyone is nice but they will hog a console to bits if you let them.

What kind of monster would do such a thing??

Doctor DooM

Orim wrote: »

I don't know. I'd consider that a rule for tournaments and if I'm going to do that then I might as well put in all the rules.

Having said that I may do something similar for tournaments rules.

Fair nuff, I'd see it as bad etiquette too I guess (albeit a very understandable one from a new guy).

ayjayirl

Doctor DooM wrote: »

Fair nuff, I'd see it as bad etiquette too I guess (albeit a very understandable one from a new guy).

Tis a pity you dont stop moaning when I do it =p

Vyze

The only etiquette thing that gets me sometimes is whether people mind you pointing out tips during a casual match with them. For instance, if someone I'm playing wants to stop a match and teach me a way around a particular blockstring or to point out a mistake I keep making, I absolutely love it. On the other hand, some people can get really annoyed and would prefer for you to wait for the match to end.

These days I guess I try to err on the side of the match ending, but by that point it can be hard to remember exactly what advice I was going to give in the first place!

Of course, some casual matches are fo' realz and so stopping the round to give advice is no good then.

Icarian

do people get annoyed when a new player steps in and changes the controls? i use a saturn pad, and because the buttons don't have square, O etc marked on them, it takes a few minutes to configure, guessing which button is which.

i notice people are pretty cool about offering a go, but generally use arcade sticks, and are maybe a a little more reluctant if you're going to come in and use a pad/change the controls...

ayjayirl

Icarian wrote: »

do people get annoyed when a new player steps in and changes the controls? i use a saturn pad, and because the buttons don't have square, O etc marked on them, it takes a few minutes to configure, guessing which button is which.

i notice people are pretty cool about offering a go, but generally use arcade sticks, and are maybe a a little more reluctant if you're going to come in and use a pad/change the controls...

Naw man. I use an unconventional setup as well but I aint playin the game with a step up I am not familiar with nor would I expect anyone else to either. I think everyone is of the same or similar opinion.

Vyze

Icarian wrote: »

do people get annoyed when a new player steps in and changes the controls? i use a saturn pad, and because the buttons don't have square, O etc marked on them, it takes a few minutes to configure, guessing which button is which.

i notice people are pretty cool about offering a go, but generally use arcade sticks, and are maybe a a little more reluctant if you're going to come in and use a pad/change the controls...

Not everyone's stick has the same layout so that's fine. Taking several minutes each time is a bit much though. You should probably make a note of which button is which on your own pad sometime to make life easier.

Icarian

ok, thats cool, i'll just write down a list of which buttons correspond to which on the pad...

actually, i might just get the Hori FS3, my local gamestop has one for 45 Euro... it'd make things much easier in the long run.

Sisko

Icarian wrote: »

ok, thats cool, i'll just write down a list of which buttons correspond to which on the pad...

actually, i might just get the Hori FS3, my local gamestop has one for 45 Euro... it'd make things much easier in the long run.

You could also take a pic of the setup that works on your camera phone and just look at the pic to quickly set up when you get a game.


@ Dan , fair play man , good stuff. One thing I'd add on etiquette that new people always find odd is to due with the fact that , street fighter being a game that requires a lot of concentration, during fights some players like to stop all forms of conversation - even light banter between rounds in events like a tourney. And some players will put on head phones and so forth.

I've had a couple of new people bring this up with me thinking the guy they were playing was being an ass, but they understood the second I explained it to them.

Owwmykneecap

Icarian wrote: »

do people get annoyed when a new player steps in and changes the controls? i use a saturn pad, and because the buttons don't have square, O etc marked on them, it takes a few minutes to configure, guessing which button is which.

i notice people are pretty cool about offering a go, but generally use arcade sticks, and are maybe a a little more reluctant if you're going to come in and use a pad/change the controls...

As someone responsible for more button config screens (on entering and leaving a console) than Stalin (he had a crazy setup) I can safely say it's grand.

If you're playing on an unfamiliar button config it's next to pointless and I'm sure people prefer a slight wait and a proper game to a person trying to do hadokens with hard kick all day.

Ramza

Sisko wrote: »

I've had a couple of new people bring this up with me thinking the guy they were playing was being an ass

But you are an ass :pac:

jk

chopperbyrne

Icarian wrote: »

do people get annoyed when a new player steps in and changes the controls? i use a saturn pad, and because the buttons don't have square, O etc marked on them, it takes a few minutes to configure, guessing which button is which.

i notice people are pretty cool about offering a go, but generally use arcade sticks, and are maybe a a little more reluctant if you're going to come in and use a pad/change the controls...

Button config should be the exact same on either console, so you just set it to whatever you'd normally use on PS3.

Sisko

Ramza wrote: »

But you are an ass :pac:

jk

WTFBBQ!

Nah I wasn't talking about people playing me I was talking about new players actually coming up to me saying 'whats the story with your man there, I was playing him and he acted like bla bla or did bla bla, was kinda rude etc etc'

Most people coming to these things wouldn't have ever experienced the arcade scene and would generally only know online and playing with their friends.

Scavenger XIII

The problem with changing controls is with the Devs frankly.

HDR / BB = 3-5 seconds.
SF4 = 30 seconds - rest of your natural life.

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