NZ SF scene - Your thoughts.

[DVS]

Some brief comments to the OP while I'm eating

- The online communities should be used as a funnel to get more people into the offline scene

- I think most people who play sf4 at Yifans know about this site, maybe trying to sneak a nzism sticker on the cab would help :p

- More people = more competition, it's quite simple. The only way to get around that would be to have ~10-20 people playing for 5-8 hours a day all the time against each other, and thats unrealistic, and even then, only those people will be getting drastically better. It sounds as if some of our players do play against OZ top players online, which helps bridge the gap and give us an idea of where we stand overall

- Innovation and real athletisism are completely different to a computer game, you can't compare them

- I think there are some individual personalities that clash, but overall I think the community has the right attitude

- Ranbats + gatherings at fong's and graeme's place help heaps! (thanks guys)

- I think at the end of the day, our small population means that a NZ player won't be able to claim "world best SF player", unless we send the winner of the nationals to japan for a years training, all expenses paid.

That final comment seems rather negative, but based on my experience with FPS games several years back, I don't see an even smaller community than the old QW/Q3 communities producing a player that is "world class".

I agree with all of your points excpet one;

"- Innovation and real athletisism are completely different to a computer game, you can't compare them"

I think with sport there is of course athletisism, but without focus, drive and a game plan you can't rely simply on athletisism........your head has to be in the game

You don't have to be Arnie to be a good gamer with muscles coming out of your muscles but you do need focus, drive, a game plan and tenacity - so I think this can also be compared with an top level athlete...... 

[CrazyMobius]

I try not to take my matches too seriously online anymore.  I just have fun and try stuff out.

That's interesting as I wonder how people treat the offline vs online thing. In a way I find the tightness of the community can sometimes limit it as it almost turns into Street Fighter Club. I'm not too sure though if this was the entire point.

I think Yifans was a great place to build a community. It had regulars that attended and fought but there was no pressure of a social aspect. I hope that Yifans will stay open long enough to have an offline option for players that want offline competition without the social aspect. I know a few of our best SF players in the past are introverts also so this issue of offline play with a mandatory social aspect can divide the scene even more. This can sometimes be something extraverts find hard to understand and I hope nobody takes it personally.

[CptMunta]

I think I agree with most people have said about the NZ scene. I think online has really helped bridge the gap for getting people to become part of the community. And games like Super with Endless battles have only made things even better.

Also agree with all the issues we face too. With the population, lack of arcades, scene split between Xbox, PS3, PC.

Going to nationals last year really opened my eyes and inspired me to work harder and give me the inspiration to want a strong base of players to play from a local scene. I was lucky and am grateful that Smoof and Grahame offered me places to stay for nationals. And Alan was keen to catch up with Vanilla's release while I was working in Hamilton. It really shows you how helping out your fellow players can really have an impact to them as players and community members as well.

That's why I recommend making the effort to go to Nationals this year and see for yourself what great things this community can do when it pulls it's talents and resources together. Especially if you live outside Auckland. It'll give you a much better idea of what's going on and how you rate as a player.

As of our local scene here in CHCH it's better than ever! It's still very young but hopefully the momentum will continue. I was actually thinking about writing an article/blog of how our scene has grown so fast to hopefully inspire players from other small cities to use the resources and players around them to help make their own scene.

As for getting better and taking on the world competitively. Sure it would be awesome to one of our community members take out Evo or even more unlikely SBO. I agree with alot of the points that our numbers and various other factors don't help.

Definitely our focus should be finding new players and hopefully inspiring them and leveling them up. Who knows what hidden talent is out there hungry to be part of the scene. There are people out there in NZ playing this game with their friends that don't even know what an NZism is. Nzism fliers in each brand new copy of MvC3 please monaco 

[DVS]

Just had a meeting with a rep from Game Console....I mentioned NZism to him and I received an email a few hours ago from LegDog that Lenny and Flux helped with content for their latest mag which had an article on SSF4.....which I'll read afer this post 

LegDog said he is keen as to work with NZISM in the future......maybe hyping the nationals with an edditorial?? If NZISM wanted to go public and open ourselves up to new members, sponsors etc...this could be a good way forward in terms of growth....Flux, Lenny your thoughts?

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I see what your saying Mobius......apparently there is a free online tournament mode download coming next month -maybe you can represent at a tournament event while playing from home.....have the best of both worlds......

[maelgrim]

Some good comments allround.
Thank god for online or the community wouldn't exist at all for me (not that i'm on much anyway).
I hope to see lots of mini online tournaments once the new SSF4 patch hits - no reason why there couldn't be a weekly NZISM online event - PS3ver & 360 ver. We could almost get an online league going.

Anybody truly wanting to take their game to an international level will have to do alot of self funding (sucks but sponsorship is very hard to get) & get them selves overseas to Aus, Japan etc.
They should also own both PS3 & 360, which when you think about is not very expensive - almost the same as a another stick.
The EVO qualifiers were a nice first, hopefully we see more such events in the future. Can't wait to see how Devilstar goes in the next round.

And thank god for this site!

[CoffinDrop1]

Well I’m off to the Gold Coast for good in mid June so I just wanted to say a quick thanks to the NZISM community for being here and a special mention to the following people.

Hydro â€" James. As a noob to the scene you were particularly helpful and I really see you as a good guide and welcoming figure. You were always willing to give me advice and tips which helped me to develop my Honda game. You were also most welcoming at the nationals last year â€" tbh I thought you were black hahaha it wasn’t till I met you at the nats I was like fuck â€" I never would have picked it. You are the man! Big ups to you brother â€" thanks for your support! It’s been good to see you making your way back into the scene man â€" guess it’s like one of those movies where the fighter goes away for a few months in the wilderness and then becomes one with himself and comes back stronger, faster and wiser lol.

I’d like to thank Cpt Munta also for being the energetic and enthusiastic southside dude that you are. It was obvious when I met you at the Nats that you had truckloads of love for the game and anyone that played it and this has really been the driving force behind the success of the Chch scene that we see today. It wasn’t long ago that you would always say something along the lines of “I wish there was a scene in Chch” and now days you guys are in full swing with regular meet ups and comps and stuff â€" hats off to you my friend â€" as a fellow family man I know it’s a balancing act.

Thank you to Lennysaurus. It was your place that I had my first NZISM get together. It was funny cause it was my first one and I knew no one that was there. Shit I felt like a real gaming geek that first time â€" I was like WTF I am going to a complete stranger’s house to meet other complete strangers and play SF4. I actually almost backed out cause no one was answering the fucken front door so I had to bang on the garage roller door lol. Once I got in it was sweet though â€" that night I met Weazzy, Mike, Fong, Jack, Smoof and Ben as well as yourself â€" cant remember the other dudes that were there but it was a good night.

Shout outs to the bro Brad Akuma1 for putting up your pad for the casuals those times and also for the regular off line random jams. Been great to meet you and Kenny - laughing back at the days we had those Hyper battles at your place - big screen and your namco sticks - that was a mean jam back at your Halsey Road house. Shot G.

Big ups to Weazzy, Geneterror, iMagneto, CrazyM, Hue, Akuma1, KaosNZ Karizzma and Electric. You boys definitely helped me to hone my skills especially in the early days. Against most of you I would be like yes I got a win and I’m just talking about single rounds here niggaz! Mind you these days it can still be the same in some cases not naming any names lol. It’s been a pleasure learning from you guys!

Cant go without mentioning some of the x-box boys Blackstar, X-Punch, Iron-Sol, Mason, ill-Bill â€" would have like to have played more against you guys but was always good to meet up at the various bashes. Cheers to iron-sol as well for showing me more Honda tips and tricks and reppin the Honda army. (What happened to that other Matt Honda player?)

Thanks and acknowledgements to Lenny, Flux, Stereo and Andy for taking a leadership role for the NZism community â€" be keen to see Hydro up here again. It is appreciated and without you guys leading from the front we pretty much wouldn’t have much I would say. Keep it going boys â€" you do a great job!

Lastly thanks to Skullator, Manawakore, ColdFire, PJai, EricsonAU, Ashureii repping the PSN network crew. Been great to meet you guys and jam when we do.

Anway just wanted to say a big thanks to the community and if I can offer any advice it would be to really target the new players that are being added to the username lists. There has been some awesome growth on both lists since SSF4 dropped and if we can get in quick and target these dudes to come out of the woodwork and get involved in the meet ups then the community will continue to grow as it has. Also when they do come along we all need to make them feel welcome â€" for the regulars it’s pretty obvious to spot the first timers so it’s up to us to pop over introduce ourselves and introduce them to everyone else to make them feel at home. We could even buddy them up with one of our senior players who mains the same character as them as a way to help them level up. 

Thats enough from me for now - once again thanks everyone for the GG's, Good laughs and comradery.

[xpunch]

Shot bro thanks for all the casuals we had at bradz, was good to meet you for the first time at the nationals last year, as we were both pad players from diff consoles, there was a bit of a clash and that was the clash i was hoping to avoid during the comp lol,so the big Lenny hit us with the "you guys gotta STICK it out" and man that was a bit of a challenge for me and i was on panic mode the whole time  .

Its sad to hear about your depature and i wish you all the best. But dont forget that us south Aux Boiz will be waiting for you to remember that theres no place like home 

And wheres the invites to the BIG going away party aye bro? hahaha SSF4 styles

[CptMunta]

Coffin, was really rad to meet you bro. Make sure you still hit us up for challenges online and still join the nzism chat room bro. Also keep us up to date with your Honda antics in the gold coast. It really has been amazing watching you grow as a player man.

Have a good time in the sunny gold coast man. Will hit you up for Honda
mirrors if I'm ever in your neck of the woods.

[zos'la]

good luck to you coffin.
Great player and always try to help the community where you can.
Safe trip and hope to see you around still.

[CrazyMobius]

Good stuff dude. At least with online the Oz connection is just as good as NZ. Dosssuukkoooi!

[Rorooze]

Also, back on topic.

Now that you guys have been over to aussie and seen how the community is over there, how do you think their community compared to ours (excluding their setups, lol)? Do you think we are far off going to their nationals and taking the top honours? I imagine the bigger player base over really helps with practising various match ups etc? (Especially after seeing you guys vs blanka D:)

[CptMunta]

Also, back on topic.

Now that you guys have been over to aussie and seen how the community is over there, how do you think their community compared to ours (excluding their setups, lol)? Do you think we are far off going to their nationals and taking the top honours? I imagine the bigger player base over really helps with practising various match ups etc? (Especially after seeing you guys vs blanka D:)

Yeah outside of Gino who else mains Blanka? I think we have at least 3 guys pick him up and main him down here. Maybe that was a contributing factor from having a smaller player base.

But I have to say you guys all making it through to the end and Gankatron making top 8 was pretty inspriational. I told a couple of guys at mashup and they were really stoked.

I think no the whole though we do play a wide spread of the cast from loomie's gen, Bill's fuerte, imags bison, nicks Rufus, redties vega, kevins godlike gief etc etc.....

It was cool to see guys from my psn list doing well. Guys I go toe to toe with or get owned by. Might be stretching it a tad but it does kind of hint at were you imagine stacking up against oz

[fluxcore]

Gino hasn't mained blanka for ages, he pussied out and switched to Zangief... and then Akuma!

[CptMunta]

Gino hasn't mained blanka for ages, he pussied out and switched to Zangief... and then Akuma!

whaaaT?! No rematch?!

Andrew aka propafanda's blanka is pretty good, redtie, Nick4now and rafitiy are pretty good with him too.

Was that the only curveball you guys faced? Any other strange matchups?

[fluxcore]

Sounds like dhalsim, in the team tourney...