WILL 121: Final

Read the following blog post from James Chen
http://jchensor.blogspot.com/2010/11/evolution-2010-season-wrap-up-part-2.html
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Discuss your opinions on fighting games as an e-sport (be sure to address James Chen's 3 points and your opinion on them). If you have any experience with any other forms of e-sports, be sure to draw in those experiences also!
Minimum 250 words.

The fighting genre in video games has become very popular over the past few years. It is no surprise that its player base is so high nowadays. Video games come in many different flavors and they all contain a competitive and skill-based aspect to them. The fighting game genre will easily maintain its place as a part of e-sports. I don't agree with James Chen that fighting games will overtake RTS and FPS games in popularity or that they will become the "greatest" eSport in history.

In almost any sport or esport, the viewer will have more information about the game than the players themselves: fighting games are an exception that James points out. Fighting games are unique in that all the information in the game is available at all times to both the players and the viewers. This has its advantages since it's impossible to miss anything since it is all on screen. James argues that the access to all of this information and the inability to miss any action increases the enjoyability of watching this esport. While the viewer only gains from this omniscient view, the players lose the ability to detain information from their opponent. The element of surprise plays a large part in RTS and FPS games. The limited vision in these type of games allows for strategy and clever tactics to beat opponents. Vision and information are a priceless resource in these games and players utilize means to attain it. RTS players must worry about enemy unit composition, obtained items/tech upgades, and positioning while the FPS player must worry about the enemies' weapon type and positioning.

I agree with James Chen that tangible action is very gratifying for viewers. He is right that FPS and fighting games have very easily discerned action. While RTS don't have very obvious tangible action, the players still perform actions that shock and awe the viewers. Highly skilled players in RTS games will have unparalleled micro and macro that fans will notice. Unit Micro in fights is vital to success good micro will have the "crowd" enthralled. While James Chen is right that this skill is not easily noticeable by a random non-gaming viewer, I would say that this type of person is inconsequential to the success and popularity of the game. I'll give a personal example. I actually enjoy watching Basketball but I still have no interest to watch it since I don't have a personal interest in the sport. I will only watch it if others want to watch but I would not watch it of my own volition. While tangible action allows for extraneous viewers to enjoy the show, in my opinion it doesn't actually attract many new viewers and this is the important part.

Well to be honest, I think his last point is rather naive. James Chen points out that RTS and FPS games have brief bursts of action and then long periods of non-action while fighting games have balanced pacing throughout the game. This is true and is simply a consequence of the game's genre. RTS, a real time strategy game, implies that strategy plays a large factor in this genre and in fact it does. The main "battle" that opponents have in these type of games are determining which units to build to counter their opponents and tactical decisions on timing their attacks. You win by amassing a more effective army than your opponent. FPS games on the other hand focus on the number of kills and this number is usually "large" comparatively to the number of matches in an RTS or fighting game: 15+. Naturally, players die very quickly in most FPS and usually the person to see the other first will take that kill. Fighting games, by design, have balanced pacing since the players see each other at all times and can not run away or hide from their opponent.

I think James Chen was a little too optimistic in his thoughts about fighting games becoming greater and more popular than RTS and FPS in the eSports scene. I only have small experience with the fighting gaming scene but I do keep updated with the HoN and SC2 eSports scene which is where I draw my opinions from. Chen is right though, and I think anyone would agree with him here, that fighting games are increasing in popularity and have established themselves in the eSports world.

WILL 121: Week 11

Some of the players in the documentary talk about a time when players were secretive about their techniques that they discovered themselves (before the internet and Youtube). How do you feel about this relative to what happens nowadays?

It was certainly valid to keep your techniques to yourself back then. It may not have been "fair" to some but it was effective as a method to maintain an advantage over your opponent. Nowadays, new mechanics in a competitive game tend to be revealed as soon as they are discovered. Players like to gain recognition for discovering an effective new technique.

Also, how do you feel about the format that Alex Valle chooses to use for the Wednesday Night Fights tournaments?

It's an effective format for player improvement and skill development. The competitive nature of this format gives players a huge incentive to hone their skills so that they can move up in the player tiers. This method of separating players based on performance occurs naturally in most competitive games. The truly skillful players will stand out and practice amongst themselves since they provide each other the most worthy challenge and ability to improve. Playing against lower skilled opponents doesn't allow for much room to improve oneself.

WILL 121: Week 10

At what point do you feel that a game becomes imbalanced? How do you feel about Maj's viewpoint?

A game becomes imbalanced when one tactic supersedes all others in effectiveness. This occurs in both multiplayer and single player games. For example, in the game Dragon Origins there are 3 classes: mage, warrior, rogue. The mage is superior in many ways to the other classes for it's ability to heal and attack from range. In competitive DotA and HoN, imbalances are harder to determine because the game is so dynamic. Each team consists of 5 players and there are 60+ heroes to choose from so there are many tactics to exploit that may seem imbalanced simply because of the combination of heroes chosen.

IMBA not UMBA-lanced! lol
I agree with him that it's unrealistic to expect balance in a game with a huge player pool or a large number of matchups. The best way to keep a game from being ruined by 1 or 2 power characters is probably just beta testing and/or patches.

WILL 121: Week 9

Do you agree or disagree with James's opinion that smaller communities should embrace Super Street Fighter 4 in order to grow their own community?
The smaller gaming communities should be accepting and supportive of the top competitors in its gaming niche. Gaming communities always want to expand their members and popularity and in order to do so they must appeal to members of the more popular gaming communities. Although I believe that some games, by design, limit their potential player-base. Games with high skill ceilings, niche play styles, and complex game mechanics will just inherently be unable to draw in as many players as an easier game with less complexities.


Do you feel that the fragmented fighting game communities should "act as a whole"? Why or why not?
Fighting game communities should be respectful of each at the very least. The should work together to host events. Humans like variety in their taste for all aspects of life and gaming is no different. Communities that bash each other out of pettiness are only hurting their potential player-base.

WILL 121: Week 6

James makes a point that certain communities are "watered down" from excess players. Should communities strive to get better if it comes at the cost of alienating newer players?

I don't agree that a community should alienate newer players. A community should strive to have as many respectable players as possible. Removing "excess" players would not necessarily improve its community.

Also, do you agree with James's viewpoint of a strong community making a strong game or do you feel that it is the other way around?

It can work either way because there are flawed games with a strong community and a well-developed gaming that lends itself to having a strong community.

WILL 121: Week 4

How do you feel about "soft bans"?
I like the idea of soft bans. The way that the Japanese use a soft ban to improve the gameplay in tournaments is interesting.


Do you feel that this contradicts "playing to win"?
Someone could argue that it does but I don't think it actually contradicts "playing to win." Each player is still playing to win.

Also, how do you feel about the Street Fighter community's decision to outright ban Akuma from Super Turbo?
Although I've never played Super Turbo, the ban on Akuma seems justified. A character with that much strength ruins the game since he will be the only character chosen.

Is this hypocritical?
No.

Do you feel that bans are ever warranted?
Certainly. In most competitive games that I have played bans are an important part of the game. They keep the "metagame" from being stale with the variety that is usually available by banning the overpowered/unfair things of the game.

WILL 121: Week 3

After watching, please respond to the following questions on your own blog:

“Gootecks” (Ryan Gutierrez) and “Long Island Joe” (Joe Ciaramelli) have very different opinions on how far they should pursue Street Fighter. Whose position would you take and why?

I would side with Ryan Gutierrez. Gaming is a great hobby and can be very fun even in the competitive scene but the same game would get old for me after a while. Ryan knows that Street Fighter won't be popular forever so he will move on to the next fighting game that becomes popular in the competitive gaming scene.

Also, how do you feel about the rivalry between the East and West coast? Do you think it is beneficial or detrimental to the community?
East and west??? This is bias; where are the central states?!
But seriously there is nothing wrong with a rivalry between different regions of the US. It's the same as something like a basketball rivalry or a college rivalry. Rivalries such as these are beneficial because the community of both sides will thrive. They will both strive to be better than the other and they will have pride for their region.